Hope Is a Decision: Selected Essays

by Daisaku Ikeda

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.

Genres: Buddhism, Nonfiction

160 pages, Paperback

Published May 1, 2017

About the author

Daisaku Ikeda was a Buddhist philosopher, peacebuilder, educator, author and poet. He was the third president of the Soka Gakkai lay Buddhist organization and the founding president of the Soka Gakkai International (SGI), which is today one of the world's largest and most diverse lay Buddhist organizations, promoting a philosophy of character development and social engagement for peace.

Ikeda was the founder of the Soka (value-creation) schools, a nondenominational school system based on an ideal of fostering each student's unique creative potential and cultivating an ethic of peace, social contribution and global consciousness. The school system runs from kindergarten through graduate study and includes a university in Tokyo, Japan, and another in California, U.S.A.

Ikeda was a staunch proponent of dialogue as the foundation of peace. Since the 1970s he has pursued dialogue with a wide range of individuals around the world in political, cultural, educational and academic fields. Over 50 of these have been published in book form, with people such as Mikhail Gorbachev, Elise Boulding, Joseph Rotblat and André Malraux. In furtherance of his vision of fostering dialogue and solidarity for peace, Ikeda has founded a number of independent, nonprofit research institutes that develop cross-cultural, interdisciplinary collaboration on diverse issues: the Boston Research Center for the 21st Century, the Toda Institute for Global Peace and Policy Research and the Institute of Oriental Philosophy. The Min-On Concert Association and the Tokyo Fuji Art Museum promote mutual understanding and friendship between different national cultures through the arts.

Ikeda was a prolific writer who has published more than 100 works, ranging from Buddhist philosophy to biographical essays, poetry, children's stories and photographic collections.

Reviews

[GONZA · Rating 3 out of 5]

Episodes of Daisaku Ikeda's life as examples of a fulfilling life achieved trough Buddhist teachings. Interesting and hagiographisch, and made me think there is still a looooong way to go.

Episodi della vita di Daisaku Ikeda, come esempi di una vita soddisfacente condotta alla luce degli insegnamenti buddisti. Interessante ed agiografico, mi ha fatto comunque riflettere su quanta strada ancora ci sia da fare.....

[Elise · Rating 4 out of 5]

A wonderful collection of essays that make it easy to believe that hope is still around.

[Raj Aich · Rating 5 out of 5]

One of the best collection of essays by Dr. Daisaku Ikeda

[Mary Beth · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved this!

[Kylie Martin · Rating 4 out of 5]

Nice inspiring collection of essays

[Indraneel Dabhade · Rating 5 out of 5]

A compendium of selected essays written by Ikeda on Zen Buddhism. The language is quite lucid and is a motivating read on the topics of human flourishing.

[Simran Kalsi · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent!!!