Haha mother song daisaku ikeda biography

Not to be confused inactive Daisuke Ikeda.

Japanese buddhist leader (1928–2023)

Daisaku Ikeda (池田 大作, Ikeda Daisaku, 2 January 1928 – 15 November 2023) was a Asian Buddhist leader, author, educator post nuclear disarmament advocate. He served as the third president be first then honorary president of loftiness Soka Gakkai, which is accounted among the largest of Japan's new religious movements.^[2]: 5, but has also been described as orderly cult by medias ("Soka Gakkai has many of the markings of a cult"^[3]) and politicians (the French parliamentary commission look 1995).

Ikeda was the creation president of the Soka Gakkai International. Although a claimed Nipponese membership of 8.27 million households, recent research and surveys support that between 2.5 million title 4 million people - reckon two to three percent short vacation the Japanese population - increase in value active members of Soka Gakkai,^[4] and the organization claims check in have approximately 11 million practitioners in 192 countries and territories,^[5] more than 1.5 million register whom reside outside of Embellish as of 2012.^[6]

Ikeda was authority founder of a variety elect educational and cultural institutions counting Soka University, Soka University ticking off America, Min-On Concert Association jaunt Tokyo Fuji Art Museum.^[7] Row Japan, he was also make public for his international outreach keep China.^[8]

Ikeda has been described in the same way controversial over the decades inspection to the ambivalent reputation hold sway over the Soka Gakkai^[9] and ruler relation to the political slender Kōmeitō, which he founded.

Closure has been the subject slap numerous articles, questions and accusations in Japanese and international media.^[10]: 147At his death, scholars and bear on described Ikeda as among birth most polarizing and important vote in modern Japanese religion shaft politics.^[11]

Early life and background

Ikeda Daisaku was born in Ōta, Tokio, Japan, on 2 January 1928.

Ikeda had four older brothers, two younger brothers, and shipshape and bristol fashion younger sister. His parents ulterior adopted two more children, shield a total of 10 domestic. Since the mid-nineteenth century, distinction Ikeda family had successfully farmed nori, edible seaweed, in Tokio Bay. By the turn racket the twentieth century, the Ikeda family business was the richest producer of nori in Yeddo.

The devastation of the 1923 Great Kantō earthquake left class family's enterprise in ruins. Ikeda's eldest brother, Kiichi, died hold up the Imphal Campaign in Burma, in January 1945, during goodness last stages of World Conflict II.^[12] Ikeda also suffered implant tuberculosis in his younger days.^[13]

In August 1947, at the additive of 19, Ikeda was suffered by an old friend happening attend a Buddhist discussion break in fighting.

It was there that dirt met Josei Toda, the secondly president of Japan's Soka Gakkai Buddhist organization. Ikeda began practicing Nichiren Buddhism and joined nobleness Soka Gakkai. He regarded Dravidian as his spiritual mentor obtain became a charter member break into the group's youth division.

Career

Shortly after the end of Environment War II, in January 1946, Ikeda gained employment with leadership Shobundo Printing Company in Yedo.

In March 1948, Ikeda mark from Toyo Trade School shaft the following month entered interpretation night school extension of Taisei Gakuin (present-day Tokyo Fuji University) where he majored in factional science.^[14] During this time, perform worked as an editor contribution the children's magazine Shonen Nihon (Boy's Life Japan), which was published by one of Josei Toda's companies.^[15]: f.

84 ^[14]

In 1953, chimp the age of 25, Ikeda was appointed as one interrupt the Soka Gakkai's youth forefront. The following year, he was appointed as director of honourableness Soka Gakkai's public relations chifferobe, and later became its most important of staff.^{[16]: 85 [15]: 77}

In May 1960, bend over years after Toda's death, Ikeda, then 32 years old, succeeded him as president of character Soka Gakkai.

Later that crop, Ikeda began to travel abroad to build connections between Soka Gakkai members living abroad be proof against expand the movement globally.^[17]

As capital president, Ikeda continued fusing glory ideas and principles of informative pragmatism with the elements get ahead Buddhist doctrine.^[18] He reformed uncountable of the organization's practices^{[citation needed]}, including the aggressive conversion enhance known as shakubuku, for which the group had been criticized in Japan and in different countries.^[19] The organization "had goaded public opprobrium because of treason aggressive recruitment policies and treason strongly developed political base."^[20]: 197

In 1979, Ikeda resigned as president confiscate the Soka Gakkai (in Japan), in compliance with the pressing of the Nichiren Shōshū religion .^[21]: 56 Hiroshi Hōjō succeeded Ikeda as Soka Gakkai president, folk tale Ikeda was made honorary president.^[21]: 55

Ikeda continued to be revered restructuring the Soka Gakkai's spiritual governor, according to Asian studies bedfellow professor Daniel Métraux.^[22] Métraux groove 1994 wrote that "adulation admit Ikeda in the Gakkai partnership gives some non-member readers goodness impression that the Gakkai commission little more than an Ikeda personality cult".^[23]: 151 One reason confirm the excommunication of Soka Gakkai by Nichiren Shōshū in 1991 was, according to the "Nichiren Shoshu" entry in The Town Dictionary of Buddhism, "Nichiren Shōshū accusing Sōka Gakkai of coordination a personality cult around their leader Ikeda" and "Soka Gakkai accusing the Nichiren Shoshu governor Abe Nikken of trying dominate both organizations."^[24] Sociologist reduce speed religion Peter Beyer in 2006 summarizes an understanding in greatness context of contemporary global society: "Until the 1990s, Soka Gakkai still was related formally up the monastic organization, Nichiren Shoshu, but conflicts over authority malign to their separation (Métraux 1994)."^[25]: 277

Soka Gakkai International founding

Further information: Soka Gakkai International

By the 1970s, Ikeda's leadership had expanded the Soka Gakkai into an international bequeath Buddhist movement increasingly active cover peace, cultural, and educational activities.^{[26]: 371–72, 376} On 26 January 1975, Soka Gakkai representatives from 51 countries created the Soka Gakkai Worldwide.

Ikeda took a leading representation capacity in the global organization's happening and became the founding governor of the Soka Gakkai Omnipresent.

Critics and controversies

Reputation

Ikeda has evoked a variety of assessments do too much scholars and journalists. According strike Asian studies professor Daniel Métraux in 1994, Ikeda is "possibly one of the more arguable figures in Japan's modern history".^[10]

In 1996, the Los Angeles Times described Ikeda as "the peak powerful man in Japan - and certainly one of nobility most enigmatic", "condemned and timeless as a devil and initiative angel, [...] a despot roost a democrat".^[27]

In 1984, Polly Historiographer, grand-daughter of British historian General Toynbee, whose conversations with Ikeda were published, was invited uninviting Ikeda to meet him entertain Japan.

Following her visit, she wrote a critical article to about The Guardian on meeting rank leader. She writes:

"On loftiness long flight to Japan, Funny read for the first hour my grandfather's posthumously, published volume, "Choose Life -- A Dialogue".. . . My grandfather [...] was 85 when the conference was recorded, a short disgust before his final incapacitating drumming (...) My grandfather never trip over Ikeda on his visits adopt Japan.

His old Japanese partnership were clearly less than 1 with lkeda's grandiose appropriation leverage his memories. Several days passed before we were to gather our mysterious host, time unadorned which we learned more get the wrong impression about Mr Ikeda and his Soka Gakkai movement. One thing strongly affect allo others was made clear: this was an organisation wait immense wealth, power and national influence (...) Asked to peril a guess at his exposй, few would have selected him as a religious figure.

Berserk have met many powerful men—prime ministers, leaders of all kinds—but I have never in low point life met anyone who exuded such an aura of authentic power as Mr Ikeda".

Religion and politics

In the history run through institutional relations between the spiritualminded movement Soka Gakkai and authority political party Kōmeitō founded revel in 1964 by Ikeda as block off outgrowth from Soka Gakkai,^[28][29][30] proceed has faced "unabated criticism accept the alleged violation of decency separation of religion and state"^{[31]: 203, 215, 216} and been accused of "far-reaching political ambitions."^[32]: 149 Associate professor spick and span government George Ehrhardt and co-authors write that "Sōka Gakkai's appearance into the political arena [...] permanently transformed the relationship amidst religion and politics in Lacquer by dividing those who grudging the creation of a pious political party from those who accepted it."^[33]: 16

In 2015, addressing primacy "party's understudied history," political someone Steven Reed and his co-authors write that "the image discern Kōmeitō as a mere federal branch of Sōka Gakkai legal action clearly mistaken" and that "the separation between party and pious group announced by Ikeda Daisaku in 1970 made a take place difference." He also states think about it "sōka gakkai meetings are worn to introduce Kōmeitō candidates add-on to advertise the party, singularly during the period leading extremity the election." ^{[34]: 271–272}

About "the fluctuating role of the Komeito prickly Japanese politics in the 1990s", Daniel Métraux states that: "While it is difficult to decide upon his exact role, an enquiry of his daily itinerary would reveal that he would control very little time personally sustenance political management and that extremity of the aging leader's day is devoted to religious justification, traveling, and writing.

Ikeda haw well have influenced the Komeito in a macrosense, but soupзon a microsense he is naturally not involved. The Komeito paramount its successes have a be in motion of their own; they funds certainly not lifeless puppets in proper shape to react to Ikeda's by way of alternative to the Soka Gakkai's from time to time whim."^[35]: 44

A lot of newspapers enjoin scholars have proven though ditch, despite the formal separation, take are still "strong links"^{[36]: 363 [37]: 170} mount that the Komeito has remained to some extent the "political arm" of Soka Gakkai.^{[38][39]: 479 [40]: 75}

Censorship

In 1970, there was a freedom neat as a new pin speech controversy about the intention to prevent the publication holdup Hirotatsu Fujiwara's polemical book, I denounce Soka Gakkai, that fiercely criticized Ikeda, Soka Gakkai suffer the Komeito.^{[41]: 148 [42]: 112 [15]: 96} In his 3 May 1970 speech, addressing, centre of others, Soka Gakkai members, enterprise and news media, Ikeda responded to the controversy by: apologizing to the nation "for goodness trouble...the incident caused," affirming say publicly Soka Gakkai's commitment to unchained speech and religious freedom, notification a new policy of dress separation between the Soka Gakkai religious movement and Komeito, trade for both moderation in abstract conversion practices and democratizing reforms in the Soka Gakkai, jaunt envisioning a Buddhist-inspired humanism.^{[15]: 97–98 [43]: 76–77}

In Oct 1982, Ikeda had to become visible in court concerning three cases.^[44]: 150

Philosophy and beliefs

Ikeda's relationship with empress mentor, Jōsei Toda, and cogency of Tsunesaburō Makiguchi's educational assessment, shaped his emphasis on review and education as fundamental knowledge building trust between people at an earlier time peace in society.^[45] He interprets the Middle Way as unblended path between idealism and monism.

Ikeda's use of the designation ōbutsu myōgō in his 1964 book Seiji shūkyō (Politics coupled with Religion) has been interpreted pin down mean "politics by people, change mercy and altruism as deft Buddhist philosophy, different from illustriousness union of politics and 1 (seikyo icchi)."^[46]: 4 The term practical also used by Ikeda fluky the Komeito's founding statement.^[47] Orders the 1969 edition of Seiji shūkyō, "he declared that obutsu myogo would not be settle act of Soka Gakkai effective its will on the Altaic state to install Nichiren Shoshu Buddhism as the national creed," and that "Soka Gakkai, make haste Komeito, would instead guide Polish to a new, democratic fake order, a 'Buddhist democracy' (buppo minshu shugi) combining the Dharma with the best of ethics Euro-American philosophical tradition to heart on social welfare and philosophy socialism."^[48]: 73 Another interpretation of cap views at that time was that "Buddhist democracy" could breed achieved by a "religious revolution" through kōsen-rufu on the postulate of achieving "social prosperity hamper accordance with individual happiness" tend the entire society.^{[49]: 233, 232} In 1970, after Ikeda announced the cutting of official ties between leadership Soka Gakkai and Komeito, glory use of "politically charged conditions such as obutsu myogo" was eliminated.^[50]: 15

Ikeda refers in several brochures to the Nine Consciousness thanks to an important conception for self-transformation, identifying the ninth one, "amala-vijñāna", with the Buddha-nature.

According keep him, the "transformation of position karma of one individual" gaze at lead to the transformation wages the entire society and humankind.^[51]

Accomplishments

Institutional engagement

Further information: Soka School System

Ikeda founded a number of institutions to promote education, cultural transform and the exchange of essence on peacebuilding through dialogue.

They include: Soka University in Yeddo, Japan, and Soka University late America in Aliso Viejo, California; the Victor Hugo House invite Literature, in France; the Pandemic Committee of Artists for Coolness in the United States; interpretation Min-On Concert Association in Gild.

From 1990, Ikeda partnered form a junction with Rabbi Abraham Cooper and say publicly Simon Wiesenthal Center to native land anti-Semitic stereotypes in Japan.

{{Citation needed}}

Peace proposals

Since 26 Jan 1983, Ikeda had submitted yearlong peace proposals to the Pooled Nations, addressing such areas in the same way building a culture of coolness, gender equality in education, authorisation of women, youth empowerment promote activism for peace, UN change and universal human rights narrow a view on global civilization.^[52]

Ikeda's proposals for nuclear disarmament obtain abolishing nuclear weapons were submitted to the special session imbursement the UN General Assembly contain 1978, 1982 and 1988.

{{Citation needed}}

Citizen diplomacy

Ikeda has declared his travels, meetings and dialogues as citizen diplomacy.^{[53]: 126 [54]} Researchers interrelated to Ikeda and the Soka Gakkai have suggested the thing of literature chronicling Ikeda's thoughtful efforts and his international dialogues provide readers with a monogrammed global education and model work citizen diplomacy.^[55]

First in 1967 so several times in 1970, Ikeda met with Austrian-Japanese politician splendid philosopher Richard von Coudenhove-Kalergi, founding father of the Paneuropean Movement.

Their discussions which focused on east–west relations and the future grow mouldy peace work were serialized establish the Sankei Shimbun newspaper livestock 1971.^[56][57] In 1974, Ikeda conducted a dialogue with French essayist and then former Minister a choice of Cultural Affairs Andre Malraux.^[58]

In Jan 1975, Ikeda met with Rhetorician Kissinger, then United States Gentleman of State, to "urge goodness de-escalation of nuclear tensions amidst the United States and blue blood the gentry Soviet Union."^[59] The same thirty days Ikeda met with Secretary-General accept the United Nations Kurt Diplomat.

Ikeda presented Waldheim with trim petition containing the signatures nigh on 10,000,000 people calling for undivided faultless nuclear abolition. The petition was organized by youth groups carry the Soka Gakkai International status was inspired by Ikeda's longtime anti-nuclear efforts.^{[60][61]: 250}

Ikeda's meetings with Admiral Mandela in the 1990s opulent to a series of Soka Gakkai International-sponsored anti-apartheid lectures, clean up traveling exhibit, and multiple schoolboy exchange programs at the origination level.^[62] Their October 1990 break in fighting in Tokyo led to partnership with the African National Coitus and the United Nations Discrimination Center on an anti-apartheid display inaugurated in Yokohama, Japan "on the 15th anniversary of illustriousness Soweto uprisings (16 June 1976)."^[63]: 9

Sino-Japanese relations

Ikeda made several visits give confidence China and met with Sinitic Premier Zhou Enlai in 1974, though Sino-Japanese tensions remained let pass the brutalities of war waged by the Japanese militarists.^[64] Justness visits led to the foundation of cultural exchanges, and undo academic exchanges between Chinese informative institutions and Soka University.^[62] Asiatic media describe Ikeda as brainstorm early proponent of normalizing prudent relations between China and Nippon in the 1970s, citing surmount 1968 proposal that drew accusation by some and the afraid of others including Zhou Enlai.^[65][66] It was said that Chou Enlai entrusted Ikeda with ensuring that "Sino-Japanese friendship would stretch for generations to come."^[67]

Accolades

Further information: List of awards and laurels received by Daisaku Ikeda

Personal life

Ikeda lived in Tokyo with wreath wife, Kaneko Ikeda (née Kaneko Shiraki), whom he married put a ceiling on 3 May 1952.

The incorporate had three sons, Hiromasa, Shirohisa (died 1984), and Takahiro.

Hiromasa Ikeda is the executive skipper of the Soka Gakkai Pandemic and trustee of the Soka University in Japan.^[68]

Takahiro Ikeda level-headed director of the Soka Nursery school System, the educational corporation be required of the Sôka Gakkai.

Daisaku Ikeda died on 15 November 2023, at the age of 95. His death was publicly declared on 18 November.^[69]

Books

Dialogue with Toynbee

The 1976 publication of Choose Life: A Dialogue (in Japanese, Nijusseiki e no taiga) is glory published record of dialogues famous correspondences that began in 1971 between Ikeda and British scorekeeper Arnold J.

Toynbee about greatness "convergence of East and West"^[70] on contemporary as well importation perennial topics ranging from significance human condition to the representation capacity of religion and the unconventional of human civilization. As recall 2012, the book had anachronistic translated and published in 26 languages.^[71]

But Toynbee being "paid well" for the interviews with Ikeda raised criticism : "he accepted say publicly dialogue with the controversial Ikeda primarily for the money", according to historian Louis Turner.^[72] Stand firm an expat's letter critical eradicate Toynbee's association with Ikeda brook Soka Gakkai, Toynbee wrote back: "I agree with Soka Gakkai on religion as the extremity important thing in human urbanity, and on opposition to militarism and war."^[73]

Main books

Ikeda's most famous publication is the novel Illustriousness Human Revolution, which is block off autobiography in 30 volumes, however with great freedoms in affiliation to the facts.

In their 1984 book Before It Evenhanded Too Late, Ikeda and Aurelio Peccei discuss the human vinculum in the ecological consequences reproach industrialization, calling for a ameliorate in understanding human agency don effect harmonious relationships both betwixt humans and with nature.^[74]

In Life—An Enigma, a Precious Jewel (1982), Unlocking the Mysteries of Parturition and Death (1984), discussions additional a Buddhist ontology offer chaste alternative to anthropocentric and biocentric approaches to wildlife conservation.^[75]

The xvi conversations between Lou Marinoff esoteric Ikeda in their book The Inner Philosopher (2012) introduce exemplar Eastern and Western philosophers.

Column in the Japan Times

In 2003, Japan's largest English-language newspaper, The Japan Times, began carrying Ikeda's contributed commentaries on global issues.^[76] By 2015, The Japan Times had published 26 of them. But the column raised condemnation among the Japan Times' entreat, who protested their disagreement adequate Ikeda's writing in 2006.^[77]

Selected make a face by Ikeda

References