Essays
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Esperia A revolution in leadership
A collection of Daisaku Ikeda’s messages of encouragement to Soka Gakkai leaders from 2004 to 2008. “Rather than judging people as capable or incapable, it is better to look for each person’s strengths. The growth of capable people depends on the determination of the leaders.” In the messages of encouragement addressed in recent years to the central leaders of Soka Gakkai, Daisaku Ikeda identifies the characteristics needed to expand the kosen-rufu movement in the future. The message that stands out above all others is that “what matters is the heart.”
€9,00
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Esperia Editions The Light of Learning
This new collection of writings on education—many of which were previously published in a volume titled Soka Education—is a selection of works written by Daisaku Ikeda, a Buddhist philosopher and founder of the Soka educational system, over the course of approximately five decades. The texts, which range from educational proposals and university lectures to personal essays, not only explore the meaning of Soka education (education for the creation of value), but also offer a hopeful vision of the power of education to bring happiness to people and realize world peace.
€16,00
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Esperia The Power of Hope
A great geographical and cultural distance separates Japan from Argentina. Nevertheless, Daisaku Ikeda, president of Soka Gakkai International, and Adolfo Pérez Esquivel, Nobel Peace Prize laureate, have managed to forge a deep friendship based on shared affinities and values, in defense of human rights without borders or discrimination of any kind. Ikeda and Pérez Esquivel engage in a dialogue on topics such as solidarity, the wisdom of peoples and women, resistance to totalitarianism, the pursuit of effective action, and the appreciation of diverse cultures, with the aim of finding a path to peace. Through their words and life examples, the authors seek to convey to young people the value of energetic and passionate commitment to peace, hope, and justice for their own peoples and for all peoples of the Earth.
€13,00
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Esperia The most precious thing
Buddhism and the Art of Medicine. Illness is one of the four sufferings of life that, according to Buddhism, are common to all human beings. People have always feared illness, as it impairs one’s ability to live life to the fullest; however, Buddhist scriptures assert that illness stimulates the spirit of seeking the “Way.” To teach an attitude that enables us to confront illness based on faith as well as medical knowledge, in this volume Daisaku Ikeda discusses with experts in the field the prevention and treatment of the major diseases afflicting people today. "Health is not merely the absence of illness. Being healthy implies a constant challenge and constant creativity. A fruitful life, a truly healthy life, is constantly moving forward, opening up ever-new horizons. An indomitable spirit gives the power to keep moving forward." Daisaku Ikeda
€16,50
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Esperia Joy in life, joy in death
Confronting the four sufferings, manifesting the four virtues. Modern civilization has lost sight of the meaning of death. Yet, according to Nichiren Daishonin, unless we first confront the issue of death, we will not be able to live a full and fulfilled life. According to the Buddhist view of life, in fact, human beings can experience joy in both life and death if they tap into that special vital state called “Buddhahood”: intangible, invisible, yet omnipresent in every form of existence in the universe. Indeed, as Josei Toda had intuited while in prison during World War II, it is precisely Buddhahood that constitutes the fundamental core of life—of every form of life. Josei Toda taught Daisaku Ikeda that Buddhism is the teaching capable of overcoming the sufferings of birth, aging, illness, and death, and in turn, Daisaku Ikeda returns to address the fundamental questions of existence for the benefit of readers. He does so by engaging in dialogue on these themes with members of the Soka Gakkai’s medical and nursing divisions—all individuals who, in their professional practice, have experienced the profound connection between Buddhism and medicine and who work tirelessly behind the scenes to sustain people’s lives. In their wide-ranging dialogue, Daisaku Ikeda encourages representatives of the medical profession to share particularly moving personal experiences with patients and to explain how to address the common problems of human existence: catching the flu, caring for a family member with Alzheimer’s or simply hospitalized, and the risk of flu pandemics—a particularly timely concern. Advice that is valid both from a practical and hygienic standpoint, as well as from the perspective of attitude and faith. The fundamental issue of the 21st century, Ikeda states in the book’s preface, is precisely “that of the four fundamental sufferings. Ours is an endless challenge, and for this very reason I will continue to address the great themes of existence, seeking to answer the questions of the contemporary world.” No one can avoid the four sufferings that lie at the heart of Buddhist teaching: indeed, it points the way by which every person can resolve the problem of suffering in their own life. "According to Buddhist philosophy, birth and death are part of an unbroken cycle guided by a set of internal causes and relationships with the environment. Death can therefore be seen as an opportunity to replenish energy in preparation for a subsequent rebirth, just as sleep allows us to regain the energy needed for the next day. By persevering in Buddhist practice, it is possible to experience joy in both life and death. I believe that the fundamental issue of the 21st century is precisely that of the four fundamental sufferings, which Arnold Toynbee and Linus Pauling also considered essential to address. Ours is a never-ending challenge, and for this very reason I will continue to engage with the great themes of existence, seeking to answer the questions of the contemporary world." Daisaku Ikeda
€14,90
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Esperia Thirty Gosho for the Ikeda Kayo-kai
A collection of thirty Gosho selected by D. Ikeda for young women. The Thirty Gosho: Attaining Buddhahood in This LifetimeLetter from SadoThe Supremacy of the LawAdopting the Correct Teaching for Peace in the CountryThe Opening of the EyesThe Object of Worship for Observing the Mind Established in the Fifth Five-Hundred-Year Period After the Tathagata’s DeathChoosing the Right TimeRepaying Debts of GratitudeThe Practice of theBuddha’s TeachingOn the Buddha’s ProphecyThe Actions of the Devotee of the Lotus SutraThe Extension of LifeAlleviating Karmic RetributionThe Essential Elements for Attaining BuddhahoodLetter to the BrothersReply to Kyo’oThe Three Types of TreasuresThe Persecutions Afflicting the SaintThe Strategy of the Lotus SutraThe True Aspect of the GohonzonTheWinter Always Turns to SpringThe Precious TowerThe Drum at the Gate of ThunderThe Legacy of the Fundamental Law of LifeThe True Aspect of All PhenomenaDifferent Bodies, Same MindThe Kalpa of DeclineHell Is the Land of Tranquil LightThe Dragon GateThe Confirmation of the Lotus Sutra
€10,00
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Esperia The Vow of the Ikeda Kayo Kai
Guides by Daisaku Ikeda for the young women of the Kayo-kai group.
€5,00
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Esperia Nichiren Daishonin’s Youth and Writings
Words of encouragement from Daisaku Ikeda to young people, based on the writings of Nichiren Daishonin. "We live in times of rapid change, which call for the active participation of young people, with the courage, vitality, and foresight that characterize them. The time has come to step forward and take responsibility for our great movement to achieve kosen-rufu worldwide.” These are the opening words of the series of dialogues that SGI President Daisaku Ikeda held with Youth Division leaders, with a view to the development of the kosen-rufu movement. Various key passages from Nichiren Daishonin’s writings are examined, highlighting aspects that draw on the fundamentals of Buddhist teaching and emphasizing their relevance to contemporary reality.
€11,00
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Esperia A New Humanism
A Collection of Lectures by D. Ikeda at Renowned Universities Around the World. This volume brings together the lectures that Daisaku Ikeda delivered at leading universities worldwide from 1975 to 1995: insights into Buddhist wisdom that envision a more humane society, one that values the individual and his or her infinite potential in a world that has now become borderless. Always striving to identify common ground among different cultures while simultaneously highlighting the unique characteristics of each people, the author seeks to forge bonds—bridges of friendship and understanding—in a constant effort to overcome the mistrust that divides the West from the East, and one nation from another. He does not do this by insisting on his own position, but by exploring the legacy bequeathed to humanity by great thinkers. Borrowing the words of figures such as Tolstoy, Gandhi, Leonardo da Vinci, Pascal, or the sages of ancient China, Ikeda is able to speak the same language as the most diverse listeners—a language common to the human heart.
€16,50
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Esperia Leaders of the New Era
Daisaku Ikeda’s Guidance for the Young Men and Women of the Future Division.
€4,00
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Esperia A wake-up call for the 21st century
Rebuilding a healthy and harmonious relationship with Nature, addressing the issue of population growth, grappling with problems related to energy resources, and putting an end to conflicts that destroy entire peoples and ecosystems. These are issues that, over the past thirty years, have been addressed repeatedly from many different perspectives, and in Aurelio Peccei they find a true pioneer. As founder of the Club of Rome and promoter of the famous report titled The Limits to Growth, he tackled, together with SGI President Daisaku Ikeda, many issues that still demand our attention today—with even greater urgency. The task the two authors undertook was daunting, especially given the obvious difficulty of “thinking outside the box”—that is, attempting to spark a major international debate on topics few were willing to question. Yet it is precisely in this that we recognize the stature of great leaders, who become bearers of messages that transcend the present moment and urge us to build a clear vision of the future.
€16,00
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Esperia An economy for the people
There is no doubt that the economy plays a fundamental role in our lives, both on an individual and a societal level. Yet many find the subject complex and difficult to grapple with, and tend to avoid it. In this dialogue, economist Lawrence J. Lau and Buddhist philosopher and President of Soka Gakkai International Daisaku Ikeda address the topic of economic development in modern society from a historical perspective, examining what lessons can be drawn from the 1997 East Asian currency crises and the global financial crisis of 2007–2009. By touching on various topics, the authors help readers understand the challenges that globalization has imposed on economies, the importance of government regulation of markets, and the delicate issue of balancing a country’s economic growth with the well-being of the population as a whole. These conversations, in which economic aspects are not separated from people’s daily lives, thus become mini-lessons in economics, where, thanks to simple, accessible language, one can begin to unravel the mystery of economics—a discipline that concerns the very fabric of the world in which we are immersed, knowledge of which is often denied us by technical complexities and specialized terminology. “The economy,” said economist John Kenneth Galbraith, “must serve human happiness,” and “the fundamental force driving the economy is people.” Daisaku Ikeda is president of Soka Gakkai International (SGI) and leader of the Buddhist movement based on the teachings of Nichiren Daishonin. An activist, philosopher, educator, and poet, Ikeda has dedicated over seventy years to spreading Buddhist humanism throughout the world and laying the foundations for a culture of peace. The SGI, which has members in 192 countries and territories, encourages individuals to develop their inner potential and contribute as global citizens to overcoming the collective challenges facing humanity. He is the founder of Soka University, which has campuses in Japan and the United States, and of many other institutions committed to finding solutions to the many crises of the modern era. In 1983, he was awarded the United Nations Peace Prize. Lawrence J. Lau was a Professor of Economics at Stanford University from 1976 to 2004, after which he became the sixth Vice Chancellor of the Chinese University of Hong Kong, serving in that position for seven years. He is the author of numerous publications, including *The Chinese Economy in the Twenty-first Century: An Econometric Approach*. The challenge for policymakers lies in balancing economic growth with improving people’s quality of life and ensuring that this effort is stable and sustainable. The second president of Soka Gakkai, Josei Toda, often told us that individual happiness should never be sacrificed on the altar of social prosperity, but that the two must advance hand in hand. I believe there is a growing urgency for economic activity to focus not only on efficiency but also on the collective good. Daisaku Ikeda To overcome the current crisis, developed economies must focus on reviving the real economy, pursuing a path of sustainable growth rather than inventing further financial sleight-of-hand. We must not lose sight of the fact that the role of the financial sector is to support other sectors of the economy and that, ultimately, the financial sector must be directly based on the performance of the real economy. Lawrence J. Lau
€15,90
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