About the author

DAISAKU IKEDA was born in Tokyo, Japan, on January 2, 1928, to a family of seaweed farmers. He lived through the devastation of World War II as a teenager and witnessed its senseless horror, which left an indelible mark on his life. His four older brothers were drafted into military service, and the eldest was killed in action. These experiences fueled his lifelong quest and passion to work for peace and people’s happiness, rooting out the fundamental causes of human conflict.

In 1947, at the age of nineteen, he met Josei Toda, educator and leader of the Soka Gakkai lay Buddhist society, whose activities are based on the teachings of the thirteenth-century Buddhist reformer Nichiren. Ikeda found Toda to be a man of conviction with a gift for explaining profound Buddhist concepts in logical, accessible terms. Challenging poverty and ill health, he continued his education under the tutelage of Toda, who became his mentor in life.

In May 1960, two years after Toda’s death, Ikeda, then thirty-two, succeeded him as president of the Soka Gakkai. He dedicated himself to encouraging the group’s members in the process of personal transformation and societal contribution. Under his leadership, the movement began an era of innovation and expansion, fostering individuals committed to the promotion of peace, culture and education. In 1975, Ikeda became the first president of the Soka Gakkai International (SGI), now a global network linking some twelve million members in over 190 countries and territories.

Ikeda is a prolific author of some 100 works ranging from discourses on Buddhism to children’s books, poetry and essays. He was named Poet Laureate by the World Academy of Arts and Culture in 1981, and an English-language volume of his antiwar poems, Fighting for Peace, was a finalist in the US-based Publishers Marketing Association’s 2005 Benjamin Franklin Awards. He is also an avid photographer with a particular love of scenic landscapes and natural beauty. In recognition of his contributions as peacebuilder and educator, Ikeda has been awarded over 300 academic honors from universities in more than forty countries.