Hope Is a Decision: Selected Essays of Daisaku Ikeda

by Daisaku Ikeda

Genres: Buddhism

ebook

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

[Paula · Rating 3 out of 5]

I thought this would be more of a book that looks at hope from a philosophical perspective, however, this book doesn't really do that so it was a bit disappointing from that perspective. I did, however, find the essays in this book he wrote were interesting. The topics were Hope & Happiness, Friendship & Poetry, Good & Evil, and Life & Death.

[John Maberry · Rating 5 out of 5]

For 43 years I have been practicing the engaged Buddhism that Daisaku Ikeda has spread throughout the world over the last 60 years. While you might suppose that indicates a bias on my part in writing this review. On the other hand, you might conclude that I know the extent of wisdom he can share. That said, I should also note that this book is neither an introduction to Buddhism nor an appeal to follow it's teaching. It is what the title implies and the review below describes.

Even after so many years, one needs encouragement now and then. One needs words to share with others, words that provide hope in times of crisis. In the US and around the world we have been in a variety of crises--the worst pandemic in 100 years, poverty, political turmoil and more.

This is a very inspirational book of essays, with comments on the wisdom of poets, writers and historians from throughout the world. It's easy enough to give in to despair, as Ikeda points out. At the same time, as the title says, hope is a decision that one can make. He spells it out in a series of essays written over decades. Here's a couple examples. Both are from page 14 and 15 of the Kindle edition.

The moment we make a powerful resolve, every nerve and fiber in our being will immediately orient itself toward the fulfillment of this goal or desire. On the other hand, if we think, “This is never going to work out,” then every cell in our body will be deflated and give up the fight. Hope, in this sense, is a decision. It is the most important decision we can make. Hope changes everything, starting with our lives. Hope is the force that enables us to take action to make our dreams come true. It has the power to change winter into summer, barrenness to creativity, agony to joy. As long as we have hope, there is nothing we cannot achieve.

There may be times when, confronted by cruel reality, we verge on losing all hope. If we cannot feel hope, it is time to create some. We can do this by digging deeper within, searching for even a small glimmer of light, for the possibility of a way to begin to break through the impasse before us.

[sweet orange books · Rating 1 out of 5]

In appearance, this author proclaims and encourages to "support young's potentials, build social network and live every day to the fullest". When you read more deeply, you realize that this collection of essays is filled with very backward, judgmental and dangerous ideas.

I gave it one star because of several problematic opinions he has proclaimed, one of the most dangerous being: "If young people neglect their lives, spend all their times in idle pursuit, are overly cautious, allow themselves to be weak and ineffectual, then they are guilty of commiting spiritual suicide. No course of action could be more shallow or ill-considered."

Many red flags like this one makes me run away from this cult-like writer.

[Preandra Noel · Rating 5 out of 5]

“If we cannot feel hope, it is time to create some.”
- Daisaku Ikeda

To have hope takes courage and every time I need a reminder of the wellspring of hope that exists within me, I pick this book up. I truly feel from the depths of my life that I am choosing hope when I not only read, but also engrave Mr. Ikeda’s words in my heart and take action. It is 12:30am as I finish reading this book from start to finish and I am extremely grateful and looking forward to waking up tomorrow with the opportunity to continue to decide to have hope!