Daisaku Ikeda - Discussions on Youth: For the Leaders of the Future

SGI President Ikeda greets young people, Miami, February 3, 1993.

SGI President Ikeda meets members of the future division outside the San Francisco Culture Center, March 14, 1993.

Published by W ORLD T RIBUNE P RESS

606 Wilshire Boulevard

Santa Monica, CA 90401

2010 Soka Gakkai

Printed in the United States of America.

Interior photos and back cover photo courtesy of Seikyo Press.

Seikyo Press

Interior and cover design by the BookDesigners

ISBN 978-1-932911-93-0

10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2

INDEX

THE DISCUSSIONS in this book took place among Soka Gakkai youth leaders and SGI President Daisaku Ikeda during the course of several years. They were published in serialized form in the Soka Gakkais high school division semimonthly newspaper, Koko Shimpo. Part one appeared from August 28, 1996, through August 27, 1997, and part two ran from November 26, 1997, through February 10, 1999.

SGI-USA previously published part one as two volumes in English. This new edition of Discussions on Youth includes both part one and part two, the latter appearing here in book form for the first time in English. This book also includes as appendices a discussion with youth from the United States, and a summary of a question-and-answer session President Ikeda held with students from the Kansai region in Japan, which were not part of the Discussions on Youth series.

The voices of the youth are set in italic type and President Ikedas responses are set in roman type.

Each of You Is Hope Itself

DR. MARTIN LUTHER KING JR. said, I have a dream!

What dreams do you have in your heart now? What hopes? A life filled with hope is strong. Hope is the greatest weapon in the world.

I receive many letters from young friends throughout the world. I sometimes receive pictures, too. And from these, I can see that all of you are bursting with the vibrant energy of youth seeking ever to grow and develop.

Youth is the time of great change, and so it is equally a time of great confusion. Society offers little comfort, and you may feel as though you are standing alone in a wasteland or on a battlefield. At times, you may feel that you cannot believe in anyone, that no one loves you or that you have no reason to live. But do not judge yourselves. You must never give up on yourselves. There is no one who does not have a mission in this world. You would not have been born if you did not have a mission to fulfill. It doesnt rain or snow all year long. And remember, the sun is always shining above the clouds.

Charlie Chaplin, one of the worlds greatest comedians, was born four days before Adolf Hitler. As a youth, Chaplin was very poor and could not afford to go to school. In addition, his mother suffered from mental illness. Despite all these trials, he lived with great optimism. Whereas Hitler went on to take millions of lives and covered the earth with blood and grief, Chaplin gave hope to people throughout the world. The final chapter of Chaplins life was victorious and adorned with the applause and cheers of the people. Life is defined by how it concludes, not by how it begins. There are no irredeemable mistakes in youth.

I cannot forget the words my mentor, second Soka Gakkai president Josei Toda, said to me about sixty years ago when I was going through hardships. He said, Daisaku, you must go through struggles in life. Only by struggling can you understand this faith. Thats how you become a great person.

My mentor taught me everything. He tutored me each morning, even on Sundays, covering every subject. Because of this, I can say that I studied at Toda University. As Mr. Toda once shared his knowledge with me, I am now speaking to all of you. Thats how this Discussions on Youth series began.

Since Japanese society is often a point of reference in these discussions, some things we say may not apply in other countries. But I believe the fundamental principles we touch upon are universal.

I trust all of you. I live for your happiness, for your future. You are the hope of humanity. Each of you is hope itself. Each possesses a precious treasure.

Please accept this book as a companion on the journey called life, and live courageously in the twenty-first centurythe most important century for humankind.

I am praying from the bottom of my heart for your good health, growth and successful endeavors.

Daisaku Ikeda

THE CITATIONS most commonly used in this book have been abbreviated as follows:

• LSOC refers to The Lotus Sutra and Its Opening and Closing Sutras, translated by Burton Watson (Tokyo: Soka Gakkai, 2009).
• OTT refers to The Record of the Orally Transmitted Teachings, translated by Burton Watson (Tokyo, Soka Gakkai, 2004).
• WND refers to The Writings of Nichiren Daishonin, vol. 1 (WND-1) (Tokyo, Soka Gakkai, 1999) and vol. 2 (WND-2) (Tokyo: Soka Gakkai, 2006).

Thank you so much, President Ikeda, for making this discussion series for youth possible. I believe it will become a lifelong treasure for the high school division members. We look forward to learning from your rich wisdom and experience.

It is I who must thank you. I am determined to give my all to these discussions. I wish to speak honestly, to leave the truth as my legacy to all of you. Why? It is because my sole desire now is to raise genuine leaders for the twenty-first century. The cultivation of truly humanistic leaders is imperativefor the sake of the world, humanity, kosen-rufu and peace. The whole world cries out for this.

Raising young leaders is also my greatest joy. The second Soka Gakkai president, Josei Toda, once said, Nothing is more enjoyable than meeting young people who are pure-hearted and searching for the correct path in life. I feel exactly the same way.

The members of the Soka Gakkais future divisioncollectively comprising the elementary, junior high and high school divisions are very important. I have the greatest expectations for each of you, as people who will take on active roles in the twenty-first century, a critical time for all humanity. I am praying for your success and victory in life. Your growth and activities, after all, are in themselves kosen-rufu. I have no intention of treating the members of the high school division like children. I hold you in the highest esteem and think of you as adults of fine character; I regard you as ladies and gentlemen.

As such, I will speak with you frankly and unreservedly. You may not understand everything I have to say to you right now. And you may not agree with everything I have to say. Thats perfectly all right. I would be happy if, however, from this discussion, you could glean something, however small, that might help you and be of benefit to your growth. That is all I seek.