288 Quotes by Daisaku Ikeda

By changing our inner state of mind, we can change any suffering or hardship into a source of joy, regarding it as a means for forging and developing our lives. To turn even sorrow into a source of creativity – this is the way of life of a Buddhist.

His spirit was never to waste a single moment, for once it was gone, it was gone forever.

Genuine happiness can only be achieved when we transform our way of life from the unthinking pursuit of pleasure to one committed to enriching our inner lives, when we focus on ‘being more’ rather than simply having more.

Envying another’s beauty will diminish your own. But when you praise beauty in others your own beauty deepens.

1. Become people who seek the truth, create value and possess wisdom and enthusiasm. 2. Do not cause trouble to others, and always take responsibility for your own actions. 3. Be considerate and polite, reject violence and value trustworthiness and cooperation. 4. Boldly speak out for your beliefs and act courageously for the sake of truth and justice. 5. Cultivate an enterprising spirit and become respectable leaders of Japan and the world.

Genuine sincerity opens people’s hearts, while manipulation causes them to close.

Faced with stress, too many people feel they have nowhere to turn to, that they don’t have access to the kind of friendships or communities where they can easily and openly share their problems and worries.

Humanity’s collective mission in the cosmos lies in the practice of compassion.

Instead of engaging in cutthroat competition, we should strive to create value. In economic terms, this means a transition from a consumer economy – the mad rush for ownership and consumption – to a constructive economy where all human beings can participate in the act of creating lasting worth.