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Having lived through the transition from totalitarianism, I am acutely mindful of the need to never take for granted the basic freedoms of thought, expression and belief that democracy brings.

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
Need
Granted
Take
Basic
Needs
Brings
Never
Lived
Acutely
Expression
Totalitarianism
Democracy
Mindful
Belief
Freedoms
Thought
Transition

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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.
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There is no one as strong as a person whose heart is always filled with gratitude.
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People can only live fully by helping others to live. When you give life to friends you truly live. Cultures can only realize their further richness by honoring other traditions. And only by respecting natural life can humanity continue to exist.
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Never be shaken, no matter what happens or what others may say. Never be flustered never lose confidence. This is the way we should strive to live our lives. Being able to do so is a sign of genuine character.
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Human beings are inherently endowed with the power to bring out the best possible results from the worst possible circumstances.
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Just as cherry, plum, peach and damson blossoms all possess their own unique qualities, each person is unique. We cannot become someone else. The important thing is that we live true to ourselves and cause the great flower of our lives to blossom.
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Keep moving forward, even one or two steps, in your own way. Those who live out their lives to the fullest, unperturbed by the noisy clamor around them, are the true winners.
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In most cases, our so-called limitations are nothing more than our own decision to limit ourselves.
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But I think we need to remember that democracy everywhere is by its nature incomplete, a work in progress.
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Dialogue starts from the courageous willingness to know and be known by others. It is the painstaking and persistent effort to remove all obstacles that obscure our common humanity.
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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.
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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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Have the depth of faith to regard everything as a source for creating happiness and value.
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Extreme poverty threatens people's right to life itself and makes impossible the enjoyment of the rights and freedoms essential to a humane way of life.
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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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There are no greater treasures than the highest human qualities such as compassion, courage and hope. Not even tragic accident or disaster can destroy such treasures of the heart.
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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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With love and patience, nothing is impossible.
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Faith is to fear nothing, to stand unswayed, the power to surmount any obstacle.
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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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