Daisaku Ikeda Quotes
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Life is painful. It has thorns, like the stem of a rose. Culture and art are the roses that bloom on the stem. The flower is yourself, your humanity. Art is the liberation of the humanity inside yourself.
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The heart is what is important." There is nothing more vulnerable, nothing more corruptible than the human mind; nor is there anything as powerful, steadfast and ennobling.
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Every war, when viewed from the undistorted perspective of life’s sanctity, is a “civil war” waged by humanity against itself.
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Strength is Happiness. Strength is itself victory. In weakness and cowardice there is no happiness. When you wage a struggle, you might win or you might lose. But regardless of the short-term outcome, the very fact of your continuing to struggle is proof of your victory as a human being.
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A great work of art is one that truly moves and inspires you. You yourself must be moved. Don't look at art with others' eyes. Don't listen to music with others' ears. You must react to art with your own feelings, your own heart and mind.
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What may look like a small act of courage is courage nevertheless. The important thing is to be willing to take a step forward.
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All right, let's get to work again!-This is the spirit of people of genuine substance. Those who avoid hard work or neglect the things they have to do, who just while away their time, eating, sleeping, playing, watching television-such individuals will never experience true happiness, satisfaction or joy.
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While conservatism and self-protection might be likened to winter, night, and death, the spirit of pioneering and attempting to realize ideals evokes images of spring, morning, and birth.
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As long as we are human, we are destined to make mistakes. We all fall prey to flawed beliefs and views. What separates a forward-looking person from an intransigent one, a virtuous person from a malevolent one, however, is whether one can candidly admit to ones mistakes and take bold steps to redress them.
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Within the heart of every person exists the flame of wisdom that transforms all suffering into kindling for the fire of creative energy.
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It is precisely when we have suffered defeat that we can determine to win and open the path to future victory.
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Take heart, and do not let disappointment or shame stop you from moving forward. The true outcome of life is only apparent at the very end.
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Freedom doesn't mean the absence of all restrictions. It means possessing unshakable conviction in the face of any obstacle.
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A person who respects others is respected by others in return. Those who treat others with compassion and concern are protected and supported by others. Our environment is essentially a reflection of ourselves
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A truley heroic way of life lies in squarely confronting and courageously overcoming the pounding vicissitudes that life always throws in our paths
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Like the ocean that remains calm in its depths even when waves rage over its surface, and like the sun that continues shining on high even during storms, we can at each moment create value and develop our state of life, enjoying our existence to the fullest in times of both suffering and joy.
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Peace will be realized only by forging bonds of trust between people at the deepest level, in the depths of their very lives.
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There is no true joy in a life lived closed up in the little shell of the self. When you take one step to reach out to people, when you meet with others and share their thoughts and sufferings, infinite compassion and wisdom well up within your heart. Your life is transformed.
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Our hopes, desires and ambitions are powerful forces existing within us for the shaping of the future. They are the generating forces that create the future.
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"Those who give up dreams, do injury to their own hearts and cannot possibly enjoy a profound sense of fulfillment in the end.
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Rather than becoming discouraged, know that encountering a wall is proof of the progress that you have made so far.
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So long as human history continues, we will face the perennial challenge of realizing, maintaining and strengthening peace through dialogue, of making dialogue the sure and certain path to peace. We must uphold and proclaim this conviction without cease, whatever coldly knowing smiles or cynical critiques may greet us.
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There’s no need for us to be held back by the past or how things have been so far. The important thing is what seeds we are sowing now for the future.
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Whatever your circumstances, whatever your past, the forces that determine your future are nowhere but within your own heart and mind. It is here that the star of your destiny shines.