Download or read book Compassionate Light in Asia written by Jin Yong and published by Bloomsbury Publishing. This book was released on 2013-09-17 with total page 256 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: 'Life is a drama of encounters', writes Daisaku Ikeda at the beginning of this dialogue: 'Beautiful encounters. Momentary encounters. Each person's drama is unique.' This particular encounter, between a celebrated Chinese novelist and prominent Japanese religious leader, illustrates the truth of that reflection. For in the discussion that stemmed from their meetings, Jin Yong (who is sometimes called 'the Asian Dumas') and Daisaku Ikeda were able to find remarkable common ground - what they refer to as a 'karmic bond' - resulting from the particularity of their experiences in wartime and mutual resistance to adversity. Ranging across a variety of engaging themes, the interlocutors explore such topics as the nature of friendship; theories of civilization; world literatures that have inspired them; the importance of free speech; Buddhist perspectives on life and death; and the spiritual search for truth. There is sustained reflection on the horrors of war, and a plea for the importance of memory: Daisaku Ikeda emphasises that 'peace is a battle against forgetfulness', while Jin Yong echoes this in his observation that 'most important is to strive to avoid war, whether it is between countries and whether it be domestic, and thus to enable people to build and improve their lives in a peaceful environment.' Cultural differences between the peoples of China and Japan are explored, sometimes amusingly, with the Japanese propensity for discipline and rules contrasted with the Chinese spirit of creative individualism. But the authors are focused above all on serious issues of meaning and identity, and they reveal the mutual solace both have found - in the face of personal loss and bereavement - in the Buddhist scriptures, especially the Lotus Sutra. Demonstrating a remarkable capacity for empathy throughout, they incarnate in their lives and work an intelligent and sympathetic compassion that represents a beacon of hope to the future direction of Sino-Japanese relations.
Download or read book Buddhism Across Asia written by Tansen Sen and published by Institute of Southeast Asian Studies. This book was released on 2014-04-02 with total page 483 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: "Buddhism across Asia is a must-read for anyone interested in the history and spread of Buddhism in Asia. It comprises a rich collection of articles written by leading experts in their fields. Together, the contributions provide an in-depth analysis of Buddhist history and transmission in Asia over a period of more than 2000 years. Aspects examined include material culture, politics, economy, languages and texts, religious institutions, practices and rituals, conceptualisations, and philosophy, while the geographic scope of the studies extends from India to Southeast Asia and East Asia. Readers' knowledge of Buddhism is constantly challenged by the studies presented, incorporating new materials and interpretations. Rejecting the concept of a reified monolithic and timeless 'Buddhism', this publication reflects the entangled 'dynamic and multi-dimensional' history of Buddhism in Asia over extended periods of 'integration,' 'development of multiple centres,' and 'European expansion,' which shaped the religion's regional and trans-regional identities." -- Max Deeg, Cardiff University "Buddhism Across Asia presents new research on Buddhism in comprehensive spatial and temporal terms. From studies on transmission networks to exegesis on doctrinal matters, linguistics, rituals and practices, institutions, Buddhist libraries, and the religion's interactions with political and cultural spheres as well as the society at large, the volume presents an assemblage of essays of breathtaking breadth and depth. The goal is to demonstrate how the transmission of Buddhist ideas serves as a cultural force, a lynchpin that had connected the societies of Asia from past to present. The volume manifests the vitality and maturity of the field of Buddhist studies, and for that we thank the editor and the erudite authors. " -- Dorothy C. Wong, University of Virginia
Download or read book World Peace through Inner Happiness written by Lela Ryterski and published by Xlibris Corporation. This book was released on 2023-06-28 with total page 267 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Nichiren, a thirteenth-century Japanese Buddhist monk, discovered a secret teaching that presents a powerful, practical method to create inner happiness. It is known as a “wish-granting jewel” or a “cluster of blessings.” Practitioners of this method gain wisdom, courage, confidence, and fortune in their lives. In World Peace through Inner Happiness, Lela Ryterski provides a concise history of the development of this practice used today by the Soka Gakkai, the organization that emerged from Nichiren’s teachings. The Soka Gakkai has fostered a revolutionary worldwide Buddhist movement. Ms. Ryterski has been a member for over thirty-five years. She admits to having been a shy and timid person. Making wrong decisions and living according to others, she felt like a leaf in the wind. Through the practice of Nichiren Buddhism, she has become strong. She’s learned that she’s an important person, and so is everyone. We’re all born because we have a mission, and we’re on this path together. By infusing society with this teaching, we can transform the world from one mired in suffering to one of peace. World Peace through Inner Happiness gives a rational account of how to make the impossible possible. You cannot do all the good that the world needs, but the world needs all the good that you can do.
Download or read book Paper Swordsmen written by John Christopher Hamm and published by University of Hawaii Press. This book was released on 2005-01-01 with total page 368 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The martial arts novel is one of the most distinctive and widely-read forms of modern Chinese fiction. John Christopher Hamm offers the first in-depth English-language study of this fascinating and influential genre, focusing on the work of its undisputed twentieth-century master, Jin Yong.
Download or read book Jos Mart Cuban Apostle written by Cintio Vitier and published by Bloomsbury Publishing. This book was released on 2013-09-17 with total page 249 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Once called 'the wellspring of the revolution' by Fidel Castro, Jose Marti (1853-1895) is revered as one of the greatest figures in the history of Cuba. Not only was he instrumental in the late nineteenth-century cause of securing Cuban independence from Spain. He is also considered one of Cuba's most brilliant writers, orators and formative intellectuals, who provided inspiration to the young Fidel, Che and their fellow revolutionaries by dedicating his whole life to the goal of national political emancipation. Jose Marti suffered persecution and early imprisonment for his convictions, and in consequence is often referred to as the 'Cuban Apostle'. In this wide-ranging discussion of Marti's life, work and influence, distinguished Cuban poet Cintio Vitier and prominent Buddhist leader Daisaku Ikeda explore their subject's understanding of non-violence; his nationalism that was also a profound openness to difference and dialogue; his spirituality; his poetical writings; and most of all his fundamental dignity, humanity and self-mastery. The book explores above all the nature of sacrifice, and the cost of relinquishing personal happiness for the sake of a great cause. The discussants examine Marti's family life, including his difficult relationships with his wife - Carmen Zayas Bazan - and his parents, who distanced themselves from his revolutionary fervour. Comparisons are drawn between Marti's ideals and Nichiren Buddhism as a source of unfailing hope and courage. As Daisaku Ikeda, follower of Nichiren, says at one point in the dialogue: 'Self-mastery is the hardest thing of all. But to have a spiritual nature worthy of the name, a person must overcome himself, a task that only a true optimist can accomplish. Marti's perspicacity is revealed in his conviction that final victory in life is assured by such optimists.' Marti, like Nichiren, had the unerring ability to turn enemies into friends. And as Cintio Vitier and Daisaku Ikeda reveal, what set Marti apart was not his thought or ideas alone but what emanated from his words and found embodiment in his actions. It was thus that a follower at the time could say of him: we don't understand him, but we are ready to die for him.
Download or read book Daisaku Ikeda s Philosophy of Peace written by Olivier Urbain and published by Bloomsbury Publishing. This book was released on 2010-03-30 with total page 304 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Who is Daisaku Ikeda? At one level, he is the leader of a religious movement - Soka Gakkai - which began in Japan, where it still has its headquarters, but which now claims 12 million adherents around the world. At another level, he is a globetrotting figure whose formal conversations with diverse writers, thinkers and diplomats - including Arnold Toynbee, Joseph Rotblat and Mikhail Gorbachev - have garnered him an international profile, as well as academic recognition. Perhaps above all else, Daisaku Ikeda is viewed as a campaigner for peace. And it is Ikeda's specific contribution to peacebuilding, notably through the central emphasis he has placed on the significance of dialogue, that this book explores: the first to do so in a concerted way. Olivier Urbain shows that while Soka Gakkai (the 'value society') may stem from the medieval principles of Nichiren Buddhism, under Ikeda's leadership it has taken these classic wisdoms and transformed them. Now essentially classless and secularised, as well as adaptable and sensitive to modern challenges like resource shortages and climate change, this - argues the author - is a pragmatic approach to peace which has proved both popular and eminently transportable.
Download or read book Human Rights in the Twenty first Century written by Austregésilo de Athayde and published by Bloomsbury Publishing. This book was released on 2009-04-30 with total page 192 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Austregesilo de Athayde, President of the Brazilian Academy of Letters for 34 years until his death in September 1993, is perhaps best remembered as one of the most prominent and effective South American champions of human rights. Athayde played a major role in drafting the UN Universal Declaration of Human Rights which was adopted in December 1948. The dialogue begins with a discussion of some of the great modern espousers of human rights, including Mahatma Gandhi, Martin Luther King and Nelson Mandela. Athayde then recounts how the UN declaration came into being and describes his role in the process. Ikeda, meanwhile, explores the Buddhist ideas of mercy, freedom and equality, and discusses their potential to enrich the human rights movement. "The Dialogue" as a whole represents a provocative and thoughtful introduction to the compassionate thought of two leading proponents of social justice.
Download or read book A Baptist Preacher s Buddhist Teacher written by Lawrence Edward Carter Sr. and published by Middleway Press. This book was released on 2018-11-01 with total page 238 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: In this inspiring, soul-stirring memoir, Lawrence E. Carter Sr., founding dean of the Martin Luther King Jr. International Chapel, shares his remarkable quest to experience King's "beloved community" and his surprising discovery in mid-life that King's dream was being realized by the Japanese Buddhist philosopher and tireless peace worker Daisaku Ikeda. Coming of age on the cusp of the American Civil Rights Movement, Carter was personally mentored by Martin Luther King Jr. and followed in his footsteps, first to get an advanced degree in theology at Boston University and then to teach and train a new generation of activists and ministers at King's alma mater, Morehouse College. Over the years, however, Carter was disheartened to watch the radical cosmic vision at the heart of King's message gradually diluted and marginalized. He found himself in near despair—until his remarkable encounter with the lay Buddhist association Soka Gakkai International and a life-changing meeting with Ikeda, its president. Carter knew that King had been inspired by Gandhi, a Hindu, and now Ikeda, a Buddhist, was showing him how King's message of justice, equality, and the fundamental dignity of life could be carried to millions of people around the world. What ensued was not a conversion but a conversation—about the essential role of interfaith dialogue, the primacy of education, and the value of a living faith to create a human revolution and realize at last Martin Luther King's truest dream of a global world house. In these dark and frustrating times, the powerful dialogue between Carter and Ikeda gives hope and guidance to a new generation of reformers, activists, and visionaries.
Download or read book Reflections on the Global Civilization written by Majid Tehranian and published by Bloomsbury Publishing. This book was released on 2015-12-21 with total page 224 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Globalization has brought different civilizations and peoples into new and closer contact. But this novel intimacy has not always led to greater understanding. There is an urgent need to work towards a global civilization based on principles of peace, mutual respect and tolerance. It is precisely that goal which the participants attempt in this classic dialogue. Inspired by the encounters between Buddhism and Islam as they exchanged ideas and goods along the Silk Road, it brings together a Sufi Muslim from Iran and one of the world's most influential lay Buddhist leaders to explore the vibrant areas of common ground between the Islamic and Buddhist traditions. Coloured by Sufi philosophy and by Buddhist thought and practice, and drawing on a diverse selection of thinkers - including Rumi and Hafez, Rabindranath Tagore, Jurgen Habermas and Antonio Gramsci - Reflections on the Global Civilization offers a profound meditation on conflict, loss and injustice, as well as the vitality of interfaith discussion. It shows that Islam and Buddhism have much to offer, not only to each other, but also to the world as a whole.
Download or read book Light of Asia written by Edwin Arnold and published by . This book was released on 1996 with total page 229 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt:
Download or read book Buddha of Infinite Light written by D. T. Suzuki and published by Shambhala Publications. This book was released on 2002-02-12 with total page 97 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Shin is the uniquely Japanese flowering of the type of Buddhism known as "Pure Land." It originated in the thirteenth century with the charismatic and prophetic figure Shinran (1172–1263), whose interpretation of the traditional Pure Land teachings was extremely influential in his own lifetime and remain so today. In a period when Japanese Buddhism was dominated by an elitist monastic establishment, Shinran's Shin teaching became a way of liberation for all people, regardless of age, class, or gender. Although Shin is one of Japan's greatest religious contributions—and is still the most widely practiced form of Buddhism in Japan—it remains little known in the West. In this book, based on several lectures he gave in the 1950s, D. T. Suzuki illuminates the deep meaning of Shin and its rich archetypal imagery, providing a scholarly and affectionate introduction to this sometimes misunderstood tradition of Buddhist practice.
Download or read book Buddha of Infinite Light written by Daisetz T. Suzuki and published by Shambhala Publications. This book was released on 2002-02-12 with total page 96 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Shin is the uniquely Japanese flowering of the type of Buddhism known as "Pure Land." It originated in the thirteenth century with the charismatic and prophetic figure Shinran (1172–1263), whose interpretation of the traditional Pure Land teachings was extremely influential in his own lifetime and remain so today. In a period when Japanese Buddhism was dominated by an elitist monastic establishment, Shinran's Shin teaching became a way of liberation for all people, regardless of age, class, or gender. Although Shin is one of Japan's greatest religious contributions—and is still the most widely practiced form of Buddhism in Japan—it remains little known in the West. In this book, based on several lectures he gave in the 1950s, D. T. Suzuki illuminates the deep meaning of Shin and its rich archetypal imagery, providing a scholarly and affectionate introduction to this sometimes misunderstood tradition of Buddhist practice.
Download or read book Buddha Jayanti Souvenir written by S. L. Sharma and published by . This book was released on 1956 with total page 238 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt:
Download or read book A Lifelong Quest for Peace written by Linus Pauling and published by I.B. Tauris. This book was released on 2008-10-30 with total page 136 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Linus Pauling is celebrated as one of the greatest scientific minds of the last century, whose decisive contributions to an astonishing diversity of fields - including organic and inorganic chemistry, quantum mechanics, molecular biology and medicine - still remain in many respects definitive. Pauling was additionally a tireless campaigner against the perils of nuclear conflict, and his contributions to both science and peace were recognized by the award to him of two separate Nobel Prizes. In this philosophically broad and sinewy book, he engages in complementary discussion with Daisaku Ikeda, President of Soka Gakkai - and another tireless champion for peace and dialogue.Showcasing the central ideas and fundamental values of two of the leading pacifist minds of recent times, "A Lifelong Quest for Peace" ranges over such perennially critical themes as ethics and technology, the appropriate use to which science should be put, the nature of morality and the human quest for progress, justice and equality. Both richly anecdotal and warmly engaging, the discussions offer fascinating insights into and recollections from the interlocutors' early lives and subsequent careers. Pauling and Ikeda thereby demonstrate through warm personal example the essential and lasting value of constructive conversation between people of different backgrounds and contrasting cultures.
Download or read book The Sword the Book and the Nation written by John Christopher Hamm and published by . This book was released on 1999 with total page 436 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt:
Download or read book The Light of Asia written by Edwin Arnold and published by . This book was released on 1954 with total page 157 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt:
Download or read book Human Values in a Changing World written by Bryan Wilson and published by I.B. Tauris. This book was released on 2008-04-30 with total page 320 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: In a spontaneously wide-ranging conversation one winter evening in Japan, sociologist of religion Bryan Wilson and Buddhist philosopher Daisaku Ikeda recognized the importance of explaining and learning about their respective worldviews. "Human Values in a Changing World" is the record of their further exchanges on how they see the religious response to the human condition. Their contrasting approaches - one, as an academic, and the other, as a lay Buddhist - allow for a constructive critique of preconceptions otherwise unexamined in their own cultural contexts."There is an intimate connection between faith and the fruits of commitment," Wilson says at one point. To which Ikeda responds that while the benefits of faith to momentary happiness are perhaps not the core value of a religion, they can inspire and lead people to become aware of that core value or fundamental truth. The two men's observations on the origins of religious sensibilities move from the spiritual and the moral to the politics of private and public life. Although published some years ago, "Human Values in a Changing World" addresses topics and issues which are of perennial importance to human flourishing, including: sexual morality, the limits of tolerance and religious freedom, the future of the family, the belief in an afterlife, and the idea of sin.
