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We are not merely passive pawns of historical forces nor are we victims of the past. We can shape and direct history.

Daisaku Ikeda

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Daisaku Ikeda
Age: 96
Born: 1928
Born: January 2
Philosopher
Poet
President
Writer
City of Tokyo
Dazuo Chitian
Ta-tso Chʻih-tʻien
Victim
Historical
Merely
Shapes
Pawns
Direct
Victims
Force
Passive
History
Shape
Past
Forces

More quotes by Daisaku Ikeda

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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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I firmly believe that the mission of religion in the 21st century must be to contribute concretely to the peaceful coexistence of humankind.
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The crucial thing is to arouse the awareness that as a matter of human conscience we can never permit the people of any country to fall victim to nuclear weapons, and for each individual to express their refusal to continue living in the shadow of the threat they pose.
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Let us join our efforts toward building the unshakable foundations for a culture of peace.
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Humanity has experienced many revolutionary changes over the course of history: revolutions in agriculture, in science, industrial production, as well as numerous political revolutions. But these have all been limited to the external aspects of our individual and collective lives.
Daisaku Ikeda
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A commitment to human rights cannot be fostered simply through the transmission of knowledge. Action and experience play a crucial role in the learning process.
Daisaku Ikeda
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The greatest tragedy in life is not to die, it is to live as if dead, to let the life within us wither. Toward what goal or achievement are we striving in life? This is the important question to ask ourselves.
Daisaku Ikeda
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But I think we need to remember that democracy everywhere is by its nature incomplete, a work in progress.
Daisaku Ikeda
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The human spirit is as expansive as the cosmos. This is why it is so tragic to belittle yourself or to question your worth. No matter what happens, continue to push back the boundaries of your inner life. The confidence to prevail over any problem, the strength to overcome adversity and unbounded hope — all reside within you.
Daisaku Ikeda
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Divorced from the cosmos, from nature, from society and from each other, we have become fractured and fragmented.
Daisaku Ikeda
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What is defeat in life? It is not merely making a mistake defeat means giving up on yourself in the midst of difficulty. What is true success in life? True success means winning in your battle with yourself. Those who persist in the pursuit of their dreams, no matter what the hurdles, are winners in life, for they have won over their weaknesses.
Daisaku Ikeda
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Patience is, in and of itself, a great challenge and it often holds the key to breaking through a seeming impasse.
Daisaku Ikeda
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Ideal love is fostered only between two sincere, mature and independent people. Real love is not two people clinging to each other it can only be fostered between two strong people secure in their individuality.
Daisaku Ikeda
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Leave behind the passive dreaming of a rose-tinted future. The energy of happiness exists in living today with roots sunk firmly in reality's soil.
Daisaku Ikeda
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The moment you resolve to be victorious, every nerve and fiber in your being will immediately orient itself toward your success.
Daisaku Ikeda
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In the past, human society provided encouragement and opportunity for people to extend support to each other, especially in highly stressful situations.
Daisaku Ikeda
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Hope is the sun. It is light. It is passion. It is the fundamental force for life's blossoming.
Daisaku Ikeda
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Rise to the challenges that life presents you. You can't develop genuine character and ability by sidestepping adversity and struggle.
Daisaku Ikeda
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Youthfulness is not determined by age. It is determined by one's life force. One who possesses hope is forever young. One who continually advances is forever beautiful.
Daisaku Ikeda
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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.
Daisaku Ikeda