The autobiographical novel of Daisaku Ikeda, president of SGI. The early 1970s are decisive for the development of the Soka Gakkai in Japan and around the world. Shin'ichi Yamamoto intensifies his activities abroad, aimed at raising awareness of Nichiren Daishonin's Buddhist teaching and the humanistic philosophy behind it. The Soka Gakkai president engages in an in-depth dialogue with one of the greatest historians of the 20th century, Britain's Arnold Toynbee. For the first time in history Nichiren's doctrine of Buddhism can confront the insights and profound vision of civilization of a distinguished Western thinker. It was a dialogue that would take on enormous significance in the years to come. At the same time, the Soka Gakkai, with the moral and economic contribution of as many as eight million believers from around the world, undertakes and completes the grandiose project of building the Sho Hondo, the Great Shrine of Original Teaching whose construction Nichiren had entrusted to his disciples. When completed, the temple will be admired as one of the major works of religious architecture of the 20th century. In the concluding part of Volume XVI, the author also describes the events that led to the destruction of Sho Hondo at the behest of Patriarch Nikken and the Nichiren Shoshu clergy.
