Hope Is a Decision: Selected Essays - Softcover

Ikeda, Daisaku

Softcover

ISBN 10: 0977924580 ISBN 13: 9780977924585

Publisher: Middleway Press, 2017

Synopsis

How do we remain optimistic when the world seems to be falling apart around us? In these intimate essays, the author leads the reader on an inspirational journey to find answers and hope in troubled times. The book includes incisive commentaries on terrorism, good and evil, and aging and death that provide a new perspective on approaching the world with hope. The lyrical reflections on poetry and friendship highlight how such spiritual pursuits are the wellsprings of hope in dark times. Each essay suggests ways in which anyone can connect their personal search for strength, wisdom, and hope to the collective desire to bring about a just, humane, and caring society.

About this title

About the Author

Daisaku Ikeda is the founder and president of the Soka Gakkai International. He has written and lectured widely on Buddhism, humanism, and ethics, and he has published dialogues with global figures such as Arnold Toynbee, Linus Pauling, and Mikhail Gorbachev. He is the author of Buddhism Day By Day, Unlocking the Mysteries of Death, The Way of Youth and the coauthor of America Will Be!, Art of True Relations, Choose Hope, Knowing Our Worth, and Our Word to Make. He lives in Tokyo, Japan.

Excerpt. © Reprinted by permission. All rights reserved.

Hope Is A Decision

By Daisaku Ikeda

Middleway Press

Copyright © 2017 Soka Gakkai
All rights reserved.

ISBN: 978-0-9779245-8-5

Contents

Foreword, vii, 
Editors' Note, xiii, 
Hope and Happiness, 
The Most Important Decision, 3, 
Courage, Conviction, Hope, 9, 
Truth Close at Hand, 15, 
Winter Never Lasts, 23, 
Too Much Stress, 31, 
Friendship and Poetry, 
True Friends, 37, 
Children of War, 41, 
Cemetery Days, 47, 
An Unforgettable Book, 53, 
Each of Us a Poet, 59, 
Good and Evil, 
An Enemy Falls From the Sky, 67, 
The Supreme Jewel, 77, 
A Piece of Broken Mirror, 83, 
The Path Called Dialogue, 89, 
A Single Word, 95, 
A Necessary Evil?, 101, 
Life and Death, 
Our Pomegranate Tree, 109, 
To Risk Our Lives, 113, 
My Mentor's Death, 119, 
The Real Thing, 123, 
An Aging Society, 129, 
Every Moment of Every Day, 133, 
Conclusion, 
A Revolution Open to All, 139, 
Notes, 143, 

CHAPTER 1

THE MOST IMPORTANT DECISION

Looking at the world today, it is easy to feel despair. A kind of powerlessness seems to be the prevailing mood in the world today. Decisions about important issues all seem to be made somewhere beyond our reach. What can one person accomplish in the face of the vast forces that run our world? The current of the times can seem so fast flowing and complex as to be overwhelming.

I do not believe that people are powerless. The philosophical tradition that I embrace teaches on the most fundamental dimension — that of life itself — that each human life partakes of the limitless life force of the cosmos. The same power that moves the universe exists within our lives. Each individual has immense potential, and a great change in the inner dimension of one individual's life has the power to touch others' lives and transform society. Everything begins with us.

As Nigerian author and poet Ben Okri wrote in his poem "Mental Fight":

    You can't remake the world
    Without remaking yourself.
    Each new era begins within.
    It is an inward event,
    With unsuspected possibilities
    For inner liberation.

The term my mentor, Josei Toda, used for this process of inner transformation that also transforms our surroundings was human revolution. And I believe it is the most fundamental, most vital of all revolutions. It can create changes that are more lasting and valuable than political, economic, or technological revolutions. For no matter how external factors change, the world will never get better as long as people remain selfish and apathetic.

An inner change for the better in a single person — one person becoming wiser, stronger, more compassionate — is the essential first turn of the wheel toward realizing peaceful coexistence and fulfillment for the whole human race. I firmly believe that a great human revolution in just one person can be the start of a transformation in the destiny of whole societies and all humankind. And for the individual, everything starts in the inner reaches of life itself.

When we change our inner determination, everything begins to move in a new direction. The moment we make a powerful resolve, every nerve and fiber in our being will immediately orient itself toward the fulfillment of this goal or desire. On the other hand, if we think, "This is never going to work out," then every cell in our body will be deflated and give up the fight.

Hope, in this sense, is a decision. It is the most important decision we can make. Hope changes everything, starting with our lives. Hope is the force that enables us to take action to make our dreams come true. It has the power to change winter into summer, barrenness to creativity, agony to joy. As long as we have hope, there is nothing we cannot achieve. When we possess the treasure of hope, we can draw forth our inner potential and strength. A person of hope can always advance.

Hope is a flame that we nurture within our hearts. It may be sparked by someone else — by the encouraging words of a friend, relative, or mentor — but it must be fanned and kept burning through our own determination. Most crucial is our determination to continue to believe in the limitless dignity and possibilities of both ourselves and others.

Mahatma Gandhi led the nonviolent struggle for Indian independence from British colonial rule, succeeding against all odds. He was, in his own words, an "irrepressible optimist." His hope was not based on circumstances, rising and falling as things seemed to be getting better or worse. Rather, it was based on an unshakable faith in humanity, in the capacity of people for good. He absolutely refused to abandon his faith in his fellow human beings.

Keeping faith in people's essential goodness, and the consistent effort to cultivate this goodness in ourselves: These are the twin keys, as Gandhi proved, to unleashing the great power of hope. Believing in ourselves and in others in this way — continuing to wage the difficult inner struggle to make this the basis for our actions — can transform a society that sometimes seems to be plummeting toward darkness into a humane, enlightened world, where all people are treated with respect.

There may be times when, confronted by cruel reality, we verge on losing all hope. If we cannot feel hope, it is time to create some. We can do this by digging deeper within, searching for even a small glimmer of light, for the possibility of a way to begin to break through the impasse before us.

And our capacity for hope can actually be expanded and strengthened by difficult circumstances. Hope that has not been tested is nothing more than a fragile dream. Hope begins from this challenge, this effort to strive toward an ideal, however distant it may seem.

It is far better to pursue a remote, even seemingly impossible goal than to cheat ourselves of the forward motion that such goals can provide. I believe that the ultimate tragedy in life is not physical death. Rather, it is the spiritual death of losing hope, giving up on our own possibilities for growth.

Toda once wrote:

In looking at great people of the past, we find that they remained undefeated by life's hardships, by life's pounding waves. They held fast to hopes that seemed mere fantastic dreams to other people. They let nothing stop or discourage them from realizing their aspirations. The reason for this, I feel certain, is that their hopes themselves were not directed toward the fulfillment of personal desires or self-interest but based on a wish for all people's happiness, and this filled them with extraordinary conviction and confidence.

Here he pointed to a crucially important truth: Real hope is found in committing ourselves to vast goals and dreams — dreams such as a world without war and violence, a world where everyone can live in dignity.

The problems that face our world are daunting in their depth and complexity. Sometimes, it may be hard to see where — or how — to begin. But we cannot be paralyzed by despair. We must each take action toward the goals we have set and in which we believe. Rather than passively accepting things as they are, we must embark on the challenge of creating a new reality. It is in this effort that true, undying hope is to be found.

— 2005

CHAPTER 2

COURAGE, CONVICTION, HOPE

All people, I suppose, have memories of their youth. Indeed, if they don't, they can hardly be said to have lived their younger years at all. I, like everyone else, have my share.

My family was poor, and my four older brothers were all inducted into the Japanese army and sent off to the front (during World War II). As a result, I had neither the money nor the free time to go to school in the ordinary way. Instead, I worked during the day and, with the money I made, attended business school, and later college, in the evening.

My health was not very good. In spite of that, I tried to do my job the very best I could. There were times when, running errands for the company I worked for, I had to plod through Ginza, Tokyo, pulling a large cart. Other times, I remember having only a single open-collared shirt to wear, even when fall winds began to blow. But I didn't feel any sense of shame or embarrassment. Rather, I saw myself as a figure in a kind of drama — a youth, smiling, battling the hardships of life — and I even felt a sense of pride. As a matter of fact, I'm certain that the hardships I had to undergo at that time helped me to build the foundation for my present way of life.

At that time, I had a certain conviction — no, it would be more accurate to call it a resolution. I believed that youth was not something to be lived in vain. I was determined that, poor and shabby as I might be, I would walk with my head held high, taking whatever encouragement I could find and living life to the fullest. This determination, which gave me great strength, I hold unchanged today. All considerations of position, wealth, and reputation aside, the final victory lies in knowing that you are doing your best as a human being; it is the greatest kind of victory. This is something I intend to never forget until the end of my days.

As I look back over my youth, there are things that give me pause for reflection. For one thing, I wish that in my teens and twenties I had done more studying, particularly in basic subjects. I was certainly aware of how important the period of youth is, and I thought I was reading quite a few books. But now I regret that I didn't read ten or twenty times the number I did. Also, I wish I had done more to train and toughen up my body.

In hindsight, I realize even more how extremely important the period of one's youth really is. Perhaps it would not be too much to say that the whole later course of our lives is determined by the way we pass the years of our youth.

Young people are in the process of building their lives, and for this very reason they are incomplete. They are unknown quantities with limitless possibilities. Young people bring with them the winds of change and reform, and they are the possessors of an enormous, irrepressible vitality. There is little that can equal the greatness of youth. But if young people should neglect to build their lives and instead spend all their time in idle pursuits, or if they should be overly cautious in their goals and allow themselves to become weak and ineffectual, then they are guilty, one might say, of committing spiritual suicide. No course of action could be more shallow and ill-considered.

We must realize that every young person is to some extent fired by the youthful passions coursing through his or her veins. If only firm direction and purpose can be given to these passions, then there is absolutely no doubt that the young can learn to contribute to the welfare of society and to live lives that are truly meaningful.

Too many of the leaders of today, however, although quick enough to criticize the young, seem to give little thought to their own failures and shortcomings. They think only of their own fame and profit, work only for their own glory and advancement, and have no understanding at all of the minds and hearts of the young.

A few years ago I wrote:

There can be no question that the rise or fall of the nation and the prosperity or decline of the times is in large part determined by the degree of self-awareness that exists on the part of youth and the direction it takes. ... There is, however, one fact that must never be overlooked, namely, that whatever constructive efforts youth may engage in, they must invariably be carried out under the inspiration and guidance of the highest ideals and the ablest of leaders. Without such ideals and such leaders, the passion and vitality of youth, regardless of what age one lives in, will be expended in useless activity. And if the young should be induced to follow false ideologies and leaders, then they will advance in the direction of riot and destruction with the force of an angry torrent.

It is the right of each individual to seek out whatever ideals, whatever philosophies, whatever leaders he or she wishes. I am saddened only by the fact that those in political power today seem incapable of offering anything at all to the young. The leaders must, it seems to me, give greater thought and attention to the direction in which they are leading the people.

Based on my own experience, I would say that the qualities most vital to youth are courage, conviction, and hope. Courageous action on the part of the young is the source from which all else is created.

And it is conviction that guides and lends support to courage. Looking at society today, how many countless people do we see who lack conviction? A life devoted solely to flattering others and chiming in with their views is as empty and worthless as foam upon a wave. Conviction knows no faltering or hesitation, no confusion of aims. It grows naturally out of the effort to fulfill one's responsibilities and mission in life.

Finally, a young person who lives a life that is without hope, who feels he or she has no future, is little more than a living corpse. The greatest people of all are those whose youthful years are full of dreams and ideals, and who continue throughout their lives to pursue them.

Young people are the treasures of the nation, the wealth of the age to come. There is no power to compare with the value of this treasure. To do anything that would jeopardize the future of these young people or deprive them of their vigor is equivalent to casting one's treasures into the sea. Those leaders who would actually go a step further and send the young onto the battlefield, where precious lives are lost forever — surely, they deserve to be called the most evil of people.

I have a great fondness for the young; my greatest delight is to watch them grow. The sight of them maturing in an atmosphere of wisdom, peace, and happiness makes my heart leap with joy. It is my present hope that I may spend the rest of my life walking side by side with the young and breathing the air they breathe. If I may live to see them ascend the platform we have built together and soar aloft one by one in the cause of a culture of peace, I will know the fulfillment of my hopes, the attainment of my greatest joy.

— 1966

CHAPTER 3

TRUTH CLOSE AT HAND

If I had not had Toda for my teacher, I would never have amounted to anything. It took me a long time to realize this. While he was still alive, I was completely wrapped up in the struggle for survival, and during the years following his death (in 1958), I have devoted every ounce of my energy to carrying on and enlarging the work he began. As I look back upon all that has happened in the intervening years and consider in an objective manner what the youth he taught have accomplished thus far, I can see that everything has turned out just as he predicted it would on the various occasions when he talked to me and others about our future. He also told us about events to come in the distant future.

My first meeting with Toda took place on a hot summer night in 1947, when I was nineteen. Tokyo, like the rest of Japan, was under the control of the occupation forces. At that time, the entire area south of the Imperial Palace in Tokyo was little more than a burned-out plain. Only here and there in the desolate night could one see dim lights flickering in the little makeshift shacks erected on the ruins or in the air-raid shelters that served as living quarters for many.

My family lived in the area and made a living by growing and gathering edible seaweed known as nori. We somehow managed to keep the business going during the war and in the years following it, though on a much reduced scale.

In the midst of poverty and want, Japanese society was undergoing profound changes. The cry of democracy was heard on every street corner; the old powers and figures of authority one after another faltered and crumbled.

For my generation, which had nationalism and absolute obedience to the emperor drummed into us from the time we were old enough to understand anything, it seemed as though everything we had believed had suddenly been reduced to naught. We had nothing whatsoever to trust and believe in. It is hardly surprising that we found our bodies and minds tormented day after day by distress and apprehension.

It was under such conditions that, almost as a natural impulse, two or three of us got together in a group to exchange books. Starved for something to read, we treasured whatever volumes we could find that had escaped being burned in the air raids and fell on them hungrily. Novels, works of philosophy, biographies of the great, books on science — we devoured anything and everything that came to hand and then shared our impressions with one another. Although we would have endless debates on the significance of what we had read, when we faced the harsh realities of the times, the spiritual support and confidence we thought we had gained from our reading would suddenly melt away.

In addition to this group, I had another friend from elementary school days who from time to time came to visit me. One day, she invited me to attend a meeting, to be held at her house, on "The Philosophy of Life." It was then that I first heard the name Josei Toda. Purely out of curiosity, I decided to go and took along with me the other members of the reading group.

We found ourselves being addressed by a man in his forties with a somewhat hoarse voice and relaxed manner. His thick glasses caught the light, and I remember being particularly impressed by his broad, prominent forehead. At first, I didn't understand anything he was saying, though I gathered it had to do with Buddhist doctrine. I had no sooner come to that conclusion than I noticed that his remarks were interspersed with acute observations on the political situation and other matters pertaining to everyday life. But just as I would begin to follow what he was saying, he would suddenly come out with a string of difficult-sounding Buddhist terms. In all, my impression was that of a very strange and unfamiliar philosophy.

Still, it did not sound like the usual sermon of a religious leader, nor, for that matter, what one would call a conventional philosophy lecture. It seemed to be concrete and to the point, without any bandying about of abstract ideas and concepts. At the same time, it seemed to suggest that the plain facts of everyday life were in themselves capable of embodying the highest kinds of truth.

(Continues...)

Excerpted from Hope Is A Decision by Daisaku Ikeda. Copyright © 2017 Soka Gakkai. Excerpted by permission of Middleway Press.
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Edition details

• Publisher: Middleway Press
• Publication date: 2017
• Language: English
• ISBN 10: 0977924580
• ISBN 13: 9780977924585
• Binding: Paperback
• Number of pages: 160