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The Human Spirit Is As Expansive As The Cosmos. This Is Why It Is So Tragic To Belittle Yourself Or To Question Your Worth. No Matter What Happens, Continue To Push Back The Boundaries Of Your Inner Life. The Confidence To Prevail Over Any Problem, The Strength To Overcome Adversity And Unbounded Hope — All Reside Within You.

-Daisaku Ikeda

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The Human Spirit Is

Daisaku Ikeda

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The Human Spirit Is As Expansive As The Cosmos. This Is Why It Is So Tragic To Belittle Yourself Or To Question Your Worth. No Matter What Happens, Continue To Push Back The Boundaries Of Your Inner Life. The Confidence To Prevail Over Any Problem, The Strength To Overcome Adversity And Unbounded Hope — All Reside Within You.

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The Heart Is What Is Important." There Is Nothing More Vulnerable, Nothing More Corruptible Than The Human Mind; Nor Is There Anything As Powerful, Steadfast And Ennobling.

Where There Is An Absence Of International Political Leadership, Civil Society Should Step In To Fill The Gap, Providing The Energy And Vision Needed To Move The World In A New And Better Direction.

All Right, Let's Get To Work Again!-this Is The Spirit Of People Of Genuine Substance. Those Who Avoid Hard Work Or Neglect The Things They Have To Do, Who Just While Away Their Time, Eating, Sleeping, Playing, Watching Television-such Individuals Will Never Experience True Happiness, Satisfaction Or Joy.

Let Us Give Something To Each Person We Meet: Joy, Courage, Hope, Assurance, Or Philosophy, Wisdom, A Vision For The Future. Let Us Always Give Something.

When We Have A Genuine Sense That, No Matter How Difficult Our Present Circumstances, We Are Not Alone-that We Are Vitally Connected With Others And With The World-we Will, Without Fail, Rise Up To The Challenge Of Living Again.

Strength Is Itself Victory.

People Need To Be Made Conscious Of A Very Simple Reality: We Have No Choice But To Share This Planet, This Small Blue Sphere Floating In The Vast Reaches Of Space, With All Of Our Fellow 'passengers.'

A Person, Who No Matter How Desperate The Situation, Gives Others Hope, Is A True Leader.

Genuine Happiness Can Only Be Achieved When We Transform Our Way Of Life From The Unthinking Pursuit Of Pleasure To One Committed To Enriching Our Inner Lives, When We Focus On 'being More' Rather Than Simply Having More.

An Attitude Of Compassion Does Not Mean Looking Down On Someone, Pitying Them In Their Misery. Compassion Is Based On Respect. We Discuss Life As Equals, Learn From Each Other And Strive Together To Improve Our Lives.

The Greatest Tragedy In Life Is Not To Die, It Is To Live As If Dead, To Let The Life Within Us Wither. Toward What Goal Or Achievement Are We Striving In Life? This Is The Important Question To Ask Ourselves.

Our Voice Resonates With Life. Because This Is So, It Can Touch The Lives Of Others. The Caring And Compassion Imbued In Your Voice Finds Passage To The Listener's Soul, Striking His Or Her Heart And Causing It To Sing Out; The Human Voice Summons Something Profound From Deep Within, And Can Even Compel A Person Into Action.

Take Heart, And Do Not Let Disappointment Or Shame Stop You From Moving Forward. The True Outcome Of Life Is Only Apparent At The Very End.

To Be Fearless No Matter What Happens-that Is The Root Of True Happiness. To Move Forward Resolutely Regardless Of What Lies In Store-that Is The Spirit, The Resolve, That Leads To Human Victory.

The Economy Is After All Driven By People. No Matter How Dire The Situation May Be, As Long As People Are Firm, A Turnaround, Revival And Progress Can Be Possible.

We Must Take Steps To Prevent Further Nuclear Weapons Development Or Modernization.

People Who Cease To Grow Can't Inspire Others. Leadership Begins With Challenging Oneself.

A Person Who Respects Others Is Respected By Others In Return. Those Who Treat Others With Compassion And Concern Are Protected And Supported By Others. Our Environment Is Essentially A Reflection Of Ourselves

It Is By Fighting And Triumphing Over The Enemies Of The Buddha That We Ourselves Become Buddhas.

Great Art Is Created Only Through Diligent And Painstaking Effort To Perfect And Polish Oneself.

A Person Fully Awakened To The Jewel-like Dignity Of Their Own Life Is Capable Of Truly Respecting That Same Treasure In Others.

The Person Who Lives Life Fully, Glowing With Life’s Energy, Is The Person Who Lives A Successful Life.

True Love Should Be Transformative; A Process That Amplifies Our Capacity To Cherish Not Just One Person But All People. It Can Make Us Stronger, Lift Us Higher And Deepen Us As Individuals. Only To The Extent That We Polish Ourselves Now Can We Hope To Develop Wonderful Bonds Of The Heart In The Future.

I Firmly Believe That The Mission Of Religion In The 21st Century Must Be To Contribute Concretely To The Peaceful Coexistence Of Humankind.

Hopes, Dreams, Faith And A Sense Of Mission Enable Us To Open Up Our Lives.

It Is Impossible To Build One's Own Happiness On The Unhappiness Of Others. This Perspective Is At The Heart Of Buddhist Teachings.

In Life When We Feel We Have Reached A Limit, That Is When The True Battle Begins. Just When You Despair And Think It Is Impossible To Go Any Further, Will You Become Apathetic, Or Will You Say It's Not Over And Stand Up With An Unyielding Spirit? The Battle Is Decided By This Single Determination.

Keep Moving Forward, Even One Or Two Steps, In Your Own Way. Those Who Live Out Their Lives To The Fullest, Unperturbed By The Noisy Clamor Around Them, Are The True Winners.

The Power Of Art Can Break The Shackles That Bind And Divide Human Beings.

Poems And Songs Penned As An Unstoppable Outpouring Of The Heart Take On A Life Of Their Own. They Transcend The Limits Of Nationality And Time As They Pass From Person To Person, From One Heart To Another.

Prayer Is The Way To Destroy All Fear. It Is The Way To Banish Sorrow, The Way To Light A Torch Of Hope. It Is The Revolution That Rewrites The Scenario Of Our Destiny.

The Effects Of Human Rights Education Can Be Dramatic In Awakening People To The Value And Power Of Their Own Lives, As Shown In The Following Stories.

Adversity Gives Birth To Greatness. The Greater The Challenges And Difficulties We Face, The Greater The Opportunity We Have To Grow And Develop As People. A Life Without Adversity, A Life Of Ease And Comfort, Produces Nothing And Leaves Us With Nothing. This Is One Of The Indisputable Facts Of Life.

The Power Of Growth, Of Improvement, The Power To Overcome All Stagnation And Break Through Every Obstacle And Transform A Barren Wasteland Into A Verdant Field - That Unstoppable Power Of Hope Resides Right Within Your Own Heart. It Wells Up From The Rich Earth Of Your Innermost Being When You Face The Future Without Doubt Or Fear: "i Can Do More. I Can Grow. I Can Become A Bigger And Better Human Being."

Faith Is To Fear Nothing, To Stand Unswayed, The Power To Surmount Any Obstacle.

Whatever Your Circumstances, Whatever Your Past, The Forces That Determine Your Future Are Nowhere But Within Your Own Heart And Mind. It Is Here That The Star Of Your Destiny Shines.

Hope Transforms Pessimism Into Optimism. Hope Is Invincible.

What Our World Most Requires Now Is The Kind Of Education That Foster Love For Humankind, That Develops Character-that Provides An Intellectual Basis For Realization Of Peace And Empowers Learners To Contribute To And Improve Society.

Strength Is Happiness. Strength Is Itself Victory. In Weakness And Cowardice There Is No Happiness. When You Wage A Struggle, You Might Win Or You Might Lose. But Regardless Of The Short-term Outcome, The Very Fact Of Your Continuing To Struggle Is Proof Of Your Victory As A Human Being.

One Thing Is Certain: That Is That The Power Of Belief, The Power Of Thought, Will Move Reality In The Direction Of What We Believe And Conceive Of It. If You Really Believe You Can Do Something, You Can. That Is A Fact.

Within The Heart Of Every Person Exists The Flame Of Wisdom That Transforms All Suffering Into Kindling For The Fire Of Creative Energy.

Faced With Stress, Too Many People Feel They Have Nowhere To Turn To, That They Don't Have Access To The Kind Of Friendships Or Communities Where They Can Easily And Openly Share Their Problems And Worries.

Just As A Diamond Can Only Be Polished By Another Diamond, It Is Only Through Genuine, All-out Engagement With Others That People Can Polish Their Character, And Help Each Other To Reach Greater Heights.

A Truly Beautiful Person Is One Who Is Good At Discovering Beauty.

Beautiful Person

The Earth Never Ceases To Spin. All Life Is Dancing : The Trees, The Wind, The Sea. Keep Dancing For The Rest Of Your Life.

Embrace Your Dreams And Advance As Far As They Can Take You.

Hope Is The Sun. It Is Light. It Is Passion. It Is The Fundamental Force For Life's Blossoming.

Before Comparing Yourself With Others, Win The Battle With Yourself. Strive To Be Better Today Than Yesterday, And Better Tomorrow Than Today.

No Matter What Our Personal Circumstances May Be, If We Ourselves Become A Source Of Light, Then There Will Be No Darkness In The World.

A Great Work Of Art Is One That Truly Moves And Inspires You. You Yourself Must Be Moved. Don't Look At Art With Others' Eyes. Don't Listen To Music With Others' Ears. You Must React To Art With Your Own Feelings, Your Own Heart And Mind.

Music Speaks Directly To The Heart. This Response, This Echo Within The Heart, Is Proof That Human Hearts Can Transcend The Barriers Of Time And Space And Nationality. Exchanges In The Field Of Culture Can Play An Important Role In Enabling People To Overcome Mistrust And Prejudice And Build Peace.

Being Sincere, Dedicated And Honest Is The Key. People Of Integrity Triumph In The End.

I Cannot Say This Too Strongly: Do Not Compare Yourselves To Others. Be True To Who You Are, And Continue To Learn With All Your Might.

Those Who Always Have A Sense Of Appreciation And Gratitude Never Reach An Impasse In Life.

Gratitude And Appreciation

Victory Lies In Not Getting Defeated.

‎"those Who Give Up Dreams, Do Injury To Their Own Hearts And Cannot Possibly Enjoy A Profound Sense Of Fulfillment In The End.

Just As Cherry, Plum, Peach And Damson Blossoms All Possess Their Own Unique Qualities, Each Person Is Unique. We Cannot Become Someone Else. The Important Thing Is That We Live True To Ourselves And Cause The Great Flower Of Our Lives To Blossom.

Women Are, In My View, Natural Peacemakers. As Givers And Nurturers Of Life, Through Their Focus On Human Relationships And Their Engagement With The Demanding Work Of Raising Children And Protecting Family Life, They Develop A Deep Sense Of Empathy That Cuts Through To Underlying Human Realities.

There Are Some Among The So-called Elite Who Are Overbearing And Arrogant. I Want To Foster Leaders, Not Elitists.

Envying Another's Beauty Will Diminish Your Own. But When You Praise Beauty In Others Your Own Beauty Deepens.

Strength Is Happiness. Strength Is Itself Victory. In Weakness And Cowardice There Is No Happiness

Dialogue And Education For Peace Can Help Free Our Hearts From The Impulse Toward Intolerance And The Rejection Of Others.

The Determination To Win Is The Better Part Of Winning.

Ideal Love Is Fostered Only Between Two Sincere, Mature And Independent People. Real Love Is Not Two People Clinging To Each Other; It Can Only Be Fostered Between Two Strong People Secure In Their Individuality.

The Idea Of Interdependence Is Central To Buddhism, Which Holds That All Things Come Into Being Through The Mutual Interactions Of Various Causes And Conditions.

Reality Is Harsh. It Can Be Cruel And Ugly. Yet No Matter How Much We Grieve Over Our Environment And Circumstances Nothing Will Change. What Is Important Is Not To Be Defeated, To Forge Ahead Bravely. If We Do This, A Path Will Open Before Us.

Happiness Does Not Exist As An Isolated Quality, Nor Does It Conform To A Single Fixed Pattern. Happiness Is Something That Breathes And Lives In The Relationships Between One Person And Another.

If You Lose Today, Win Tomorrow. In This Never-ending Spirit Of Challenge Is Found The Heart Of A Victor.

Genuine Sincerity Opens People's Hearts, While Manipulation Causes Them To Close.

The Eyes Of A Poet Discover In Each Person A Unique And Irreplaceable Humanity. While Arrogant Intellect Seeks To Control And Manipulate The World, The Poetic Spirit Bows With Reverence Before Its Mysteries.

The Wisdom And Experience Of Older People Is A Resource Of Inestimable Worth. Recognizing And Treasuring The Contributions Of Older People Is Essential To The Long-term Flourishing Of Any Society.

If You Become Deadlocked,return To The Prime Point.

Speak Out Tirelessly With Conviction.

A Person's True Nature Is Revealed At Times Of The Greatest Adversity.

No One Can Live Entirely On Their Own, Nor Can Any Country Or Society Exist In Isolation.

Anyone Who Has Ever Made A Resolution Discovers That The Strength Of That Determination Fades In Time. The Moment You Feel That Is When You Should Make A Fresh Determination. Tell Yourself, “ok! I Will Start Again From Now!” If You Fall Down Seven Times, Get Up An Eighth. Don’t Give Up When You Feel Discouraged-jus T Pick Yourself Up And Renew Your Determination Each Time.

One's True Worth As A Human Being Is Not A Matter Of Outward Appearance Or Title, But Derives Rather From The Breadth Of One's Spirit. Everything Comes Down To Faith And Conviction. It Is What Is In One's Heart, And The Substance Of One's Actions That Count.

Life Is Filled With Potential That Is Truly Unfathomable. At Last We Are Coming To See The Enormous Power It Possesses. That Is Why We Must Never Write Anyone Off. In Particular, We Mustn’t Put Boundaries On Our Own Potential. In Most Cases, Our So-called Limitations Are Nothing More Than Our Own Decision To Limit Ourselves.

The Misfortune Of Others Is Our Misfortune. Our Happiness Is The Happiness Of Others. To See Ourselves In Others And Feel An Inner Oneness And Sense Of Unity With Them Represents A Fundamental Revolution In The Way We View And Live Our Lives. Therefore, Discriminating Against Another Person Is The Same As Discriminating Against Oneself. When We Hurt Another, We Are Hurting Ourselves. And When We Respect Others, We Respect And Elevate Our Own Lives As Well.

You Must Not For One Moment Give Up The Effort To Build Up New Lives For Yourself.

Ultimately, All Human Activities Have As Their Goal The Realization Of Happiness. Why, Then, Have We Ended Up Producing The Opposite Result? Could The Underlying Cause Be Our Failure To Correctly Understand The True Nature Of Happiness?

No Matter How Complex Global Problems May Seem, It Is We Ourselves Who Have Given Rise To Them. They Cannot Be Beyond Our Power To Resolve

It Is Only Through Such Real-life Daily Struggles And Challenges That A Genuine Sensitivity To Human Rights Can Be Inculcated. This Is A Truth That Is Not Limited To School Education: It Applies To All Of Us.

Instead Of Engaging In Cutthroat Competition, We Should Strive To Create Value. In Economic Terms, This Means A Transition From A Consumer Economy - The Mad Rush For Ownership And Consumption - To A Constructive Economy Where All Human Beings Can Participate In The Act Of Creating Lasting Worth.

There Is No One As Strong As A Person Whose Heart Is Always Filled With Gratitude.

It Is Crucial That We Develop Real Awareness Of Ourselves As Citizens Of Earth, Linked By Mutual And Indissoluble Bonds. When We Clearly Recognize This Reality And Ground Ourselves In It, We Are Compelled To Take A Strict Accounting Of Our Way Of Life.

Leadership That Exploits And Sacrifices Young People On The Altar Of Its Goals Is Nothing More Than Raw, Demonic Power. Genuine Leadership Is Found In Ceaseless Efforts To Foster Young People, To Pave The Way Forward For Them.

One Thing Is Certain: The Power Of Belief, The Power Of Thought, Will Move Reality In The Direction Of What We Believe And Conceive Of It. If You Really Believe You Can Do Something, You Can. This Is A Fact. When You Clearly Envision A Victorious Outcome, Engrave It In Your Heart And Are Firmly Convinced That You Will Attain It, Your Brain Makes Every Effort To Realize The Mental Image You Have Created. And Then, Through Your Unceasing Efforts, That Victory Is Finally Made A Reality.

To Possess Both Wisdom And Compassion Is The Heart Of Our Human Revolution. If You Have Wisdom Alone And Lack Compassion, It Will Be A Cold, Perverse Wisdom. If You Have Compassion Alone And Lack Wisdom, You Cannot Give Happiness To Others. You Are Even Likely To Lead Them In The Wrong Direction, And You Won't Be Able To Achieve Your Own Happiness.

Often The Biggest Obstacle In Meeting Life’s Challenges Is Actually Our Own Fear Of Failure.

Fear Of Failure

But I Believe We Must Not Allow Feelings Of Defeat To Take Root In Our Hearts.

Divorced From The Cosmos, From Nature, From Society And From Each Other, We Have Become Fractured And Fragmented.

Many Things Happen In Life. There Are Joyous Days And Times Of Suffering. Sometimes Unpleasant Things Occur. But That's What Makes Life So Interesting. The Dramas We Encounter Are Part And Parcel Of Being Human. If We Experienced No Change Or Drama In Our Lives, If Nothing Unexpected Ever Happened, We Would Merely Be Like Automatons, Our Lives Unbearably Monotonous And Dull. Therefore, Please Develop A Strong Self So That You Can Enact The Drama Of Your Life With Confidence And Poise In The Face Of Whatever Vicissitudes You May Encounter.

It Is Senseless To Blame Others Or Your Environment For Your Miseries. Change Begins From The Moment You Muster The Courage To Act. When You Change, The Environment Will Change. The Power To Change The World Is Found Nowhere But Within Our Own Life.

You Must Not For One Instant Give Up The Effort To Build New Lives For Yourselves. Creativity Means To Push Open The Heavy, Groaning Doorway To Life.

The Experience Of Losing A Loved One Impels Us Toward A Deeper Understanding Of Life. Everyone Fears And Is Saddened By Death. That Is Natural. But By Struggling To Overcome The Pain And Sadness That Accompanies Death, We Become Sharply Aware Of The Dignity And Preciousness Of Life And Develop The Compassion To Share The Sufferings Of Others As Our Own.

As Long As We Are Human, We Are Destined To Make Mistakes. We All Fall Prey To Flawed Beliefs And Views. What Separates A Forward-looking Person From An Intransigent One, A Virtuous Person From A Malevolent One, However, Is Whether One Can Candidly Admit To Ones Mistakes And Take Bold Steps To Redress Them.

The Darker The Night, The Nearer The Dawn. Victory In Life Is Decided By That Last Concentrated Burst Of Energy Filled With The Resolve To Win.

The Important Thing Is To Firmly Fix Our Gaze On Our Own Weaknesses, Not Run Away From Them, But To Battle Them Head-on And Establish A Solid Self That Nothing Can Sway. Hardships Forge And Polish Our Lives, So That Eventually They Shine With Brilliant Fortune And Benefit. If Left In Its Raw, Unpolished Form, Even The Most Magnificent Gem Will Not Sparkle. The Same Applies To Our Lives.

I Can Do More. I Can Grow. I Can Become A Bigger And Better Human Being.

Bigger And Better

Creativity Means To Push Open The Heavy, Groaning Doorway To Life.

There Is No True Joy In A Life Lived Closed Up In The Little Shell Of The Self. When You Take One Step To Reach Out To People, When You Meet With Others And Share Their Thoughts And Sufferings, Infinite Compassion And Wisdom Well Up Within Your Heart. Your Life Is Transformed.

Life Is The Blossoming Of Flowers In The Spring, The Ripening Of Fruit In The Fall, The Rhythm Of The Earth And Of Nature. Life Is The Cry Of Cicadas Signalling The End Of Summer, Migratory Birds Winging South In A Transparent Autumn Sky, Fish Frolicking In A Stream. Life Is The Joy Beautiful Music Installs In Us, The Thrilling Sight Of A Mountain Peak Reddened By The Rising Sun, The Myriad Combinations And Permutations Of Visible And Invisible Phenomena. Life Is All Things.

If We Are To Put The Era Of Nuclear Terror Behind Us, We Must Struggle Against The Real 'enemy.' That Enemy Is Not Nuclear Weapons Per Se, Nor Is It The States That Possess Or Develop Them. The Real Enemy That We Must Confront Is The Ways Of Thinking That Justify Nuclear Weapons; The Readiness To Annihilate Others When They Are Seen As A Threat Or As A Hindrance To The Realization Of Our Objectives.

You Must Not For One Instant Give Up The Effort To Build New Lives For Yourselves. Creativity Means To Push Open The Heavy, Groaning Doorway To Life. This Is Not An Easy Struggle. Indeed, It May Be The Most Difficult Task In The World, For Opening The Door To Your Own Life Is, In The End, More Difficult Than Opening The Doors To The Mysteries Of The Universe.

No Matter What Kind Of Difficult Situation One May Find Oneself In, Some Opening, Some Opportunity To Fight One's Way Out, Can Always Be Found. What's Most Important Is To Hold Fast To Hope, To Face The Future With Courage.

Difficult Situations

In The Past, Human Society Provided Encouragement And Opportunity For People To Extend Support To Each Other, Especially In Highly Stressful Situations.

Rather Than Turning Away From The Staggering Scale And Depth Of Misery Caused By War, We Must Strive To Develop Our Capacity To Empathize And Feel The Sufferings Of Others.

Suffering Of Others

When We Care For Others Our Own Strength To Live Increases. When We Help People Expand Their State Of Life, Our Lives Also Expand. Actions To Benefit Others Are Not Separate From Actions To Benefit Oneself. Our Lives And The Lives Of Others Are Ultimately Inseparable.

Humanity's Collective Mission In The Cosmos Lies In The Practice Of Compassion.

Knowledge Itself Is A Neutral Tool That Can Be Used For Good Or Evil. Wisdom, In Contrast, Always Directs Us Toward Happiness. The Task Of Education Must Be To Stimulate And Unleash The Wisdom That Lies Dormant In The Lives Of All Young People. This Is Not A Forced Process, Like Pressing Something Into A Preformed Mold, But Rather Drawing Out The Potential Which Exists Within.

Do Something! Start Something! As You Make Consistent Efforts, You Will Begin To See Your Goals Come Into Focus. You Will Discover Your Mission--the One Only You Can Fulfill.

In Most Cases, Our So-called Limitations Are Nothing More Than Our Own Decision To Limit Ourselves.

With Love And Patience, Nothing Is Impossible.

I Have For Some Time Urged That A Nuclear Abolition Summit To Mark The Effective End Of The Nuclear Era Be Convened In Hiroshima And Nagasaki On The 70th Anniversary Of The Bombings Of Those Cities, With The Participation Of National Leaders And Representatives Of Global Civil Society.

Hiroshima And Nagasaki

Buhhdism Is Wisdom. As Long As We Have Wisdom, We Can Put All Things To The Best Use, We Can Turn Everything In The Direction Of Happiness.

It's Important To Resolve To Yourself, 'i Will Absolutely Win!' Then This Firm Commitment Will Serve As The Wellspring Of Great Wisdom And Courage That Surges Forth From Within.

While It Is Important To Win, It’s Even More Important To Remain Undefeated No Matter What Happens.

People Can Only Live Fully By Helping Others To Live. When You Give Life To Friends You Truly Live. Cultures Can Only Realize Their Further Richness By Honoring Other Traditions. And Only By Respecting Natural Life Can Humanity Continue To Exist.

But I Think We Need To Remember That Democracy Everywhere Is By Its Nature Incomplete, A Work In Progress.

Never Be Shaken, No Matter What Happens Or What Others May Say. Never Be Flustered; Never Lose Confidence. This Is The Way We Should Strive To Live Our Lives. Being Able To Do So Is A Sign Of Genuine Character.

Life Is Painful. It Has Thorns, Like The Stem Of A Rose. Culture And Art Are The Roses That Bloom On The Stem. The Flower Is Yourself, Your Humanity. Art Is The Liberation Of The Humanity Inside Yourself.

Anyone Who Has Ever Made A Resolution Discovers That The Strength Of Their Determination Fades With Time. The Important Thing Is Not That Your Resolve Never Wavers, But That You Don't Get Down On Yourself When It Does And Throw In The Towel.

By Changing Our Inner State Of Mind, We Can Change Any Suffering Or Hardship Into A Source Of Joy, Regarding It As A Means For Forging And Developing Our Lives. To Turn Even Sorrow Into A Source Of Creativity - This Is The Way Of Life Of A Buddhist

A Genuinely Happy Person Is One Who Has Rendered Others Happy.

Genuine Happiness

Freedom Doesn't Mean The Absence Of All Restrictions. It Means Possessing Unshakable Conviction In The Face Of Any Obstacle.

World Peace Is Not Something That Can Be Realized Simply By Politicians Signing Treaties, Or By Business Leaders Creating Economic Cooperation. True And Lasting Peace Will Be Realized Only By Forging Bonds Of Trust Between People At The Deepest Level, In The Depths Of Their Very Lives.

It Is Precisely When We Have Suffered Defeat That We Can Determine To Win And Open The Path To Future Victory.

Effort And Hard Work Construct The Bridge That Connects Your Dreams To Reality.

It Is Important That We Have The Inner Richness To Be Able To Look Up At The Stars Or The Moon And Compose A Poem Once In A While. When We Open Wide Our Minds And Fix Our Gaze On The Universe, We Fix Our Gaze On Our Own Life.

A Commitment To Human Rights Cannot Be Fostered Simply Through The Transmission Of Knowledge. Action And Experience Play A Crucial Role In The Learning Process.

Even If Things Don't Unfold The Way You Expected, Don't Be Disheartened Or Give Up. One Who Continues To Advance Will Win In The End.

All People Have A Natural Desire To Be Needed, To Have Their Importance To Others Tangibly Confirmed.

What We Need Most Is To Restore And Revive Our Humanity. We Must Create A Society Where People Can Live With Dignity, A Society Where People Can Live In Peace And Happiness. People Are Tired Of Games Played For Power And Profit. People Are Tired Of Hatred And Conflict. They Want To Live With More Wisdom And Confidence, And In Peace. It May Seem Like A Long And Distant Path, But I Am Convinced That The 21st Century Must See A Movement To Sow The Seeds Of Peace, Happiness And Trust In Every Person's Heart. The Seeds Of A Truly Humane Way Of Life. I Am Convinced This Is The Only Path.

You Will Pass Through Storms And Heavy Rains, And At Times You Will Suffer Defeat. The Essence Of The Creative Life, However, Is Not To Give Up In The Face Of Defeat But To Follow The Rainbow That Exists Within Your Heart.

Leave Behind The Passive Dreaming Of A Rose-tinted Future. The Energy Of Happiness Exists In Living Today With Roots Sunk Firmly In Reality's Soil.

Life Isn't Always Smooth. If It Were, We Would Never Grow & Develop As Human Beings. If We Succeed, We Are Envied; If We Fail, We Are Ridiculed & Attacked. Sadly, This Is How People Are. Unexpected Grief & Suffering May Lie Ahead Of You. But It Is Precisely When You Encounter Such Trying Times That You Must Not Be Defeated. Never Give Up! Never Retreat!

The Reactions Of The Human Heart Are Not Mechanical And Predictable But Infinitely Subtle And Delicate.

I Believe That We Must Maintain Pride In The Knowledge That The Actions We Take, Based On Our Own Decisions And Choices As Individuals, Link Directly To The Magnificent Challenge Of Transforming Human History.

Self-centered Anger Generates Evil, But Wrath At Social Injustice Becomes The Driving Force For Reform. Strong Language That Censures And Combats A Great Evil Often Awakens Adverse Reactions From Society, But This Must Not Intimidate Those Who Believe They Are Right. A Lion Is A Lion Because He Roars.

When We Change, The World Changes. The Key To All Change Is In Our Inner Transformation- A Change Of Our Hearts And Minds. This Is Human Revolution. We All Have The Power To Change. When We Realize This Truth, We Can Bring Forth That Power Anywhere, Anytime, And In Any Situation.

Youthfulness Is Not Determined By Age. It Is Determined By One's Life Force. One Who Possesses Hope Is Forever Young. One Who Continually Advances Is Forever Beautiful.

Every War, When Viewed From The Undistorted Perspective Of Life’s Sanctity, Is A “civil War” Waged By Humanity Against Itself.

Only When We Connect To Nature, Engaged With Nature, Are We Truly Alive And Vigorous. To Really Be Alive, One Must Be Under The Sun, The Moon, The Shining Stars And Surrounded By The Beautiful Greenery And Pure Waters Of The Natural World.

Everything Begins With The Resolve To Take The First Step. From That Action, Wisdom Arises And Change Begins. Without Action, Nothing Changes.

What Matters Is The Value We’ve Created In Our Lives, The People We’ve Made Happy And How Much We’ve Grown As People.

No One Should Be Left To Suffer Alone.

How Aware Are We Of Our Own Inner Life, Our Spirituality-something So Intangible Yet So Priceless? How Much Effort Do We Make To Perceive That Which Is Not Obvious, Which Can Neither Be Seen Nor Heard? I Believe The Exploration And Enrichment Of The Human Spirit Is What Determines Our Very Humanity. Such Enrichment Provides An Inner Compass That Can Lead Civilizations To Greatness.

Dialogue Starts From The Courageous Willingness To Know And Be Known By Others. It Is The Painstaking And Persistent Effort To Remove All Obstacles That Obscure Our Common Humanity.

Common Humanity

The Role Of Humankind Is To Use The Cultural And Social Environment It Has Created To Devise New Global Values.... Human Relations With Nature Are Intimately Bound Up In Interpersonal Relations And With The Relation Of The Self And Its Inner Life.

Humanity Has Experienced Many Revolutionary Changes Over The Course Of History: Revolutions In Agriculture, In Science, Industrial Production, As Well As Numerous Political Revolutions. But These Have All Been Limited To The External Aspects Of Our Individual And Collective Lives.

Political Revolution

If We Look At The World With A Love Of Life, The World Will Reveal Its Beauty To Us.

The Crucial Thing Is To Arouse The Awareness That As A Matter Of Human Conscience We Can Never Permit The People Of Any Country To Fall Victim To Nuclear Weapons, And For Each Individual To Express Their Refusal To Continue Living In The Shadow Of The Threat They Pose.

No Matter How Hopeless Or Bleak Things Appear, The Moment Always Comes When Suddenly Our Spirit Revives, And Hope Is Reborn. That Is Why We Must Never Give Up.

What May Look Like A Small Act Of Courage Is Courage Nevertheless. The Important Thing Is To Be Willing To Take A Step Forward.

Hope Changes Everything. It Changes Winter Into Summer, Darkness Into Dawn, Descent Into Ascent, Barrenness Into Creativity, Agony Into Joy.

Whatever The Outcome May Be, The Important Thing Is To Step Forward On The Path That You Believe Is Right.

Sometimes We Complain Without Thinking Much Of It, But The Frightening Thing About Complaining Is That Every Time We Do, A Cloud Descends Over Our Heart, And Our Hope, Appreciation And Joy Gradually Wane.

If Everything Is Smooth Sailing Right From The Beginning, We Cannot Become People Of Substance And Character. By Surmounting Paining Setbacks And Obstacles, We Can Create A Brilliant History Of Triumph That Will Shine Forever. That Is What Makes Life So Exciting And Enjoyable. In Any Field Of Endeavour, Those Who Overcome Hardships And Grow As Human Beings Are Advancing Towards Success And Victory In Life.

Why Is It That Sometimes Our Prayers Seem Not To Be Answered? This Is A Manifestation Of The Buddha's Wisdom, So That We Can Deepen Our Prayers, Become Stronger People, Live More Profound Lives And Secure Deeper, More Lasting Good Fortune. If Our Slightest Prayer Was Answered Immediately, We Would Become Lazy And Degenerate. And We Could Not Hope To Build A Life Of Great Dignity And Substance.

Let Us Join Our Efforts Toward Building The Unshakable Foundations For A Culture Of Peace.

If You Summon Your Courage To Challenge Something, You’ll Never Be Left With Regret. How Sad It Is To Spend Your Life Wishing, “if Only I’d Had A Little More Courage.” Whatever The Outcome May Be, The Important Thing Is To Step Forward On The Path That You Believe Is Right.

Rather Than Becoming Discouraged, Know That Encountering A Wall Is Proof Of The Progress That You Have Made So Far.

The Differences Between People Need Not Act As Barriers That Wound, Harm And Drive Us Apart. Rather, These Very Differences Among Cultures And Civilizations Should Be Valued As Manifestations Of The Richness Of Our Shared Creativity.

Human Rights Will Be A Powerful Force For The Transformation Of Reality When They Are Not Simply Understood As Externally Defined Norms Of Behavior But Are Lived As The Spontaneous Manifestation Of Internalized Values.

It Is Much More Valuable To Look For The Strength In Others. You Can Gain Nothing By Criticizing Their Imperfections.

Patience Is, In And Of Itself, A Great Challenge And It Often Holds The Key To Breaking Through A Seeming Impasse.

Come On Obstacles! I've Been Expecting You! This Is The Chance That I've Been Waiting For!

Increase Your Joy By Doing The Good You Wish To Have Done To You.

When One Takes Action For Others, One's Own Suffering Is Transformed Into The Energy That Can Keep One Moving Forward; A Light Of Hope Illuminating A New Tomorrow For Oneself And Others Is Kindled.

Buddhism Holds That Everything Is In Constant Flux. Thus The Question Is Whether We Are To Accept Change Passively And Be Swept Away By It Or Whether We Are To Take The Lead And Create Positive Changes On Our Own Initiative. While Conservatism And Self-protection Might Be Likened To Winter, Night, And Death, The Spirit Of Pioneering And Attempting To Realize Ideals Evokes Images Of Spring, Morning, And Birth.

No Matter How Healthy, Intelligent Or Affluent We May Be, If Our Minds Are Weak, Then Our Happiness Will Also Be Frail And Brittle. Our Minds Of Faith, Moreover, Enable Us To Bring Out The Full Potential In All Things And Situations, So It Is Crucial That We Strive To Forge Our Minds Of Faith.

A Healthy Vision Of The Future Is Not Possible Without An Accurate Knowledge Of The Past.

Visions Of The Future

The Moment You Resolve To Be Victorious, Every Nerve And Fiber In Your Being Will Immediately Orient Itself Toward Your Success.

We Have Both A Weak Self And A Strong Self; The Two Are Completely Different. If We Allow Our Weak Side To Dominate, We Will Be Defeated. The Thought ,"i Am Still Young And Have A Lot Of Time, So I Can Relax And Take Life Easy" Is A Function Of Our Own Weakness.

The Challenge Of Preventing Any Further Proliferation Of Nuclear Weapons Is Just Such A Trial In The Quest For World Peace, One That Cannot Be Achieved If We Are Defeated By A Sense Of Helplessness. The Crucial Element Is To Ensure That Any Struggle Against Evil Is Rooted Firmly In A Consciousness Of The Unity Of The Human Family, Something Only Gained Through The Mastery Of Our Own Inner Contradictions.

Having Lived Through The Transition From Totalitarianism, I Am Acutely Mindful Of The Need To Never Take For Granted The Basic Freedoms Of Thought, Expression And Belief That Democracy Brings.

Bravely Overcoming One Small Fear Gives You The Courage To Take On The Next.

There Are No Greater Treasures Than The Highest Human Qualities Such As Compassion, Courage And Hope. Not Even Tragic Accident Or Disaster Can Destroy Such Treasures Of The Heart.

So Long As Nuclear Weapons Continue To Exist, So Will The Temptation To Threaten Others With Overwhelming Military Force.

While Conservatism And Self-protection Might Be Likened To Winter, Night, And Death, The Spirit Of Pioneering And Attempting To Realize Ideals Evokes Images Of Spring, Morning, And Birth.

Hardships Make Us Strong. Problems Give Birth To Wisdom. Sorrows Cultivate Compassion. Those Who Have Suffered The Most Will Become The Happiest.

Japan Learned From The Bombings Of Hiroshima And Nagasaki That The Tragedy Wrought By Nuclear Weapons Must Never Be Repeated And That Humanity And Nuclear Weapons Cannot Coexist.

Hiroshima And Nagasaki

Have The Depth Of Faith To Regard Everything As A Source For Creating Happiness And Value.

We Should All Develop The Mind To Rejoice In, Praise And Share In The Gift Of Those Who Have Artistic Talents And A Richness Of Heart, Whether They Achieve Wide Recognition Or Not. Cultivating Such A Beautiful Mind Is A Very Worthy Effort. Culture And Art Are Not Just Decorations. They Are Not Just Accessories. What Matters Is Whether Culture Enriches The Essential Substance Of Our Lives.

Nothing Is More Precious Than Peace. Peace Is The Most Basic Starting Point For The Advancement Of Humankind.

The Problems Of Aging Present An Opportunity To Rethink Our Social And Personal Lives In Order To Ensure The Dignity And Welfare Of Each Individual.

Likewise, Education Can Direct People Toward Good Or Evil Ends. When Education Is Based On A Fundamentally Distorted Worldview, The Results Are Horrific.

Human Beings Are Inherently Endowed With The Power To Bring Out The Best Possible Results From The Worst Possible Circumstances.

Salute To The Smiling Faces Of The 21st Century.

True Happiness Means Forging A Strong Spirit That Is Undefeated, No Matter How Trying Our Circumstances.

Peace Will Be Realized Only By Forging Bonds Of Trust Between People At The Deepest Level, In The Depths Of Their Very Lives.

Even Places That Have Been Shrouded In Darkness For Billions Of Years Can Be Illuminated. Even A Stone From The Bottom Of A River Can Be Used To Produce Fire. Our Present Sufferings, No Matter How Dark, Have Certainly Not Continued For Billions Of Years--nor Will They Linger Forever. The Sun Will Definitely Rise. In Fact, Its Ascent Has Already Begun.

Hope Is Life's Greatest Treasure. If You Have No Hope, Create Some!

Greatest Treasure

The Profound Unity Of Subjective Existence And Objective Environment Leads Naturally To The Idea That The Life-force Of One Human Being Can Affect Other Living Beings And Even The Fundamental Being Of Humankind As A Whole. Furthermore, The Minds Of Humankind Fuse Into One And Exert A Continuous Influence, Both Physical And Spiritual, On Other Living Beings And On The Whole Of Nature.

The Place Where You Are Now Is Vital. The Path Toward Victory Opens From Where You Stand.

Dig Beneath Your Feet, There You Will Find A Spring. The Place Where You Are Now Is Crucial. Never Try To Avoid That Which You Must Do.

Rise To The Challenges That Life Presents You. You Can't Develop Genuine Character And Ability By Sidestepping Adversity And Struggle.

Since Ancient Times, People From Throughout Asia Have Brought To Japan Their Talents, Knowledge And Energy, Helping To Lay The Basis For Japan's Existence As A Country.

The Course Of Our Lives Is Determined By How We React--what We Decide And What We Do--at The Darkest Of Times. The Nature Of That Response Determines A Person's True Worth And Greatness.

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