Essays
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Esperia The Buddhist Teacher of a Baptist Pastor
When some students in his religion class at Morehouse College in Atlanta told him about Daisaku Ikeda and his commitment to peace, Edward Carter Sr. – founding dean of the Martin Luther King International Chapel – had no idea who he was. He regretted that he, a disciple of Martin Luther King, a Baptist pastor dedicated to the cause of creating peace through education and action, a graduate in social sciences and a professor of religion at Morehouse College, Dr. King's alma mater, was unaware of the work of this Buddhist leader, president of Soka Gakkai International, an organization with millions of adherents worldwide engaged in a global movement for peace, culture, and education. This was the starting point that prompted Carter to deepen his knowledge of Daisaku Ikeda, leading to an important interreligious dialogue with the Buddhist leader, also achieved through several direct meetings in Tokyo. From that journey arose the urgency of this book, written by a Baptist pastor in recognition of the work done for peace by a Buddhist master. The subtitle of the book captures its essence: How My Interreligious Journey with Daisaku Ikeda Made Me a Better Christian. “There are basically two ways for a practitioner – or at least so it is in Christianity – to relate to practitioners of other religions who are as devoted to their faith as Christians are to their own. One is to convert them; the other, however, is to respectfully learn from them, without seeking uniformity but harmony.” “In my opinion, Daisaku Ikeda represents an example of what it means to be a ‘global citizen’. He has engaged in dialogue with ambassadors, anthropologists, economists, educators, historians, journalists, jurists, linguists, politicians, scientists, social engineers, sociologists, theologians, and urban planners, and also with me, completely changing my life.” The AuthorLawrence Edward Carter Sr. is a Baptist pastor, dean of the Martin Luther King Chapel at Morehouse College in Atlanta, where he is also a professor of religion. Born in Dawson, Georgia, and raised in Columbus, Ohio, he graduated from Lynchburg University in Virginia with degrees in social sciences and psychology, then continued his academic career at Boston University, where he earned Master of Divinity in theology and Master of Sacred Theology in pastoral care, as well as a doctorate in pastoral psychology and counseling. He has one son, Carter, and lives in Stonecrest, Georgia, with his wife Marva.
€16,50
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Esperia The pride of being golden pillars of kosen rufu
Dedicated to the men of the Soka family. Ginkgo trees in Japan originated in China. In Japanese, they are also designated by certain Chinese characters that literally mean “grandfather-grandson tree,” because if someone plants a ginkgo now, their grandchildren will harvest its fruits. I read this explanation a long time ago and still remember it. It seems to me that this name means: “I do not live for myself, but for the good of the generations that will come after me. I will gather all my vital strength and achieve great things!” When I look at a tall ginkgo tree, my thoughts go to the people of previous generations who planted and cared for it.
€13,00
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Esperia Culture, Art and Nature
The text addresses themes of respect for nature, understanding artistic phenomena, and the importance of reading as true nourishment for the mind. Reading is a dialogue with characters, intellectuals, masters of thought distant in time or space, and even with past cultures. The author doesn't just offer food for thought but also provides practical advice on how to improve one's reading ability. Discussing the view of nature, he introduces the Buddhist concept of "dependent origination," reiterating that we are all connected to each other, as well as to every other phenomenon in the universe: "Life is a chain. Everything is linked. When one link in the chain deteriorates, all others will be affected too. We should consider the environment as our mother, Mother Earth."
€6,00
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Esperia A leadership revolution
A collection of encouragements from Daisaku Ikeda to Soka Gakkai leaders between 2004 and 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 leaders' determination."In the encouragements addressed to the central leaders of the Soka Gakkai in recent years, Daisaku Ikeda identifies the characteristics for expanding 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 Wake-up call for the 21st century
Rebuilding a healthy and harmonious relationship with Nature, addressing the issue of population growth, coming to terms with problems related to energy resources, and ending conflicts that destroy entire peoples and ecosystems. These are topics that over the last thirty years have been addressed repeatedly from many points of view, and in Aurelio Peccei they found a true forerunner. Founder of the Club of Rome and promoter of the famous report entitled The Limits to Growth, he addressed many issues together with SGI President Daisaku Ikeda that still demand our attention today, even with greater urgency. The task that the two authors undertook was burdensome, especially due to the obvious difficulty of "singing out of tune," that is, trying to stimulate a major international debate on topics that few were willing to question. But it is precisely in this that the caliber of great protagonists is recognized, as they become bearers of messages that transcend the present moment and push us to build a clear vision of the future.
€16,00
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Esperia Towards a century of peace
A dialogue on the role of civil society in peacebuilding. In this book, Kevin P. Clements, one of the world's leading experts in conflict resolution studies, engages in a dialogue with philosopher and Buddhist leader Daisaku Ikeda on the topic of peace and the role of civil society in this field. In their conversations, which are anything but academic or theoretical, and are based on the concrete experiences of the two authors who have dedicated their lives to peacebuilding, they provide a wealth of examples in which the actions of ordinary people have transformed social and political situations. Unusual aspects of the peacebuilding process emerge, which are not only within the reach of diplomats and statesmen but of every person. For example, the importance of "imagining" what the world we want to live in would be like, or the importance of "conviviality," meaning the pleasure of conversing with people in informal settings, such as over a good meal, which has surprisingly proven crucial for many negotiations. It is an invitation to everyone, and especially to young people, to become aware of their power, because, as Daisaku Ikeda states, «lack of trust in the government is observed in every country, but if young people lose interest in politics, society will have no future.» And to young people, but not only them, is addressed the appeal of the two authors to take the risk of stepping out of their comfort zone to open up to the diversity of others. The conviction of these two great thinkers is that the path to peace will only open when young people work together for a common purpose, united to solve problems beyond national borders. «Peace is not something abstract or separate from daily life. We can all do something for peace right where we are now.» Daisaku Ikeda «Fear and distrust do not help change. The only way to create a just and peaceful world is to act with the confidence of wanting a better future.»Kevin Clements «Sincerely listening to the problems of a single person, right where we are now, encouraging them and nurturing hope in their heart is a humble and tenacious effort; perhaps it won't be news that travels the world, perhaps it won't enter the annals of history, but every person who feels a new hope burning in their heart will rediscover the strength to live, and your action will have been precious for their life. This is the basis of a solid peace movement deeply rooted in people's hearts. It is my fervent wish that young people, first and foremost, continue to build a network of people who spread joy and revitalization, thereby creating a magnificent ray of light for the twenty-first century.»Daisaku Ikeda
€15,90
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Esperia The Ikeda Kayo Kai Vow
Daisaku Ikeda's Guidance for the young women of the Kayo-kai group.
€5,00
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Esperia Youth and Nichiren Daishonin's Writings
Daisaku Ikeda's encouragements to young people, based on the writings of Nichiren Daishonin. "We live in times of rapid change, which require the active participation of young people, with the courage, vitality and foresight that characterise them. The time has come to step forward and take responsibility for our magnificent movement for the realization of worldwide kosen rufu." These are the words with which the series of dialogues that SGI President Daisaku Ikeda held with youth division leaders, thinking about the development of the kosen rufu movement, begins. Various salient passages from Nichiren Daishonin's writings are examined, highlighting the aspects that refer to the fundamentals of Buddhist teaching and emphasizing their relevance to contemporary reality.
€11,00
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Esperia The Power of Hope
A great geographical and cultural distance separates Japan from Argentina. However, Daisaku Ikeda, president of Soka Gakkai International, and Adolfo Pérez Esquivel, Nobel Peace Prize laureate, have managed to build a deep friendship, based on common affinities and values, in defense of human rights without borders or discrimination. Ikeda and Pérez Esquivel engage in a dialogue on topics such as solidarity, the wisdom of peoples and women, resistance to totalitarianism, the search for effective action, and the valuing of diverse cultures, with the aim of finding a path to peace. Through words and examples from their lives, the authors seek to convey to young people the value of energetic and passionate commitment to peace, hope, and justice for their peoples and for all the peoples of the Earth.
€13,00
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Esperia A New Humanism
A collection of lectures by D. Ikeda at renowned universities around the world.This volume collects the lectures that Daisaku Ikeda delivered at important universities worldwide from 1975 to 1995: fragments of Buddhist wisdom that propose a more humane society, one that values the individual and their infinite potential in a world without borders. Always striving to grasp the commonalities between different cultures while simultaneously extolling the unique characteristics of each people, the author seeks to create bonds, bridges of friendship and understanding in a constant effort to overcome the distrust that divides the West from the East, one nation from another. He does not do so 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 disparate listeners, a language common to the human heart.
€16,50
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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 LawOn Establishing the Correct Teaching for the Peace of the LandThe Opening of the EyesThe Object of Devotion for Observing the Mind Established in the Fifth Five-Hundred-Year Period after the Thus Come One's DemiseThe Selection of the TimeOn Repaying Debts of GratitudeThe Practice of the Buddha's TeachingsOn the Buddha's ProphecyThe Actions of the Votary of the Lotus SutraProlonging LifeLightening the Karmic RetributionThe Essentials for Attaining BuddhahoodLetter to the BrothersReply to Kyo'oThe Three Kinds of TreasureThe Persecutions Incurred by the SageThe Strategy of the Lotus SutraThe Real Aspect of the GohonzonWinter Always Turns to SpringThe Treasure TowerThe Drum at the Gate of ThunderThe Heritage of the Ultimate Law of LifeThe True Aspect of All PhenomenaMany in Body, One in MindThe Kalpa of DecreaseHell Is the Land of Tranquil LightThe Dragon GateThe Confirmation of the Lotus Sutra
€10,00
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Esperia Protagonists of the New Era
Daisaku Ikeda's Guidance for Future Division Girls and Boys.
€4,00
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