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The New Human Revolution - Volume 20
‘Path of Friendship’: On May 30, 1974, Shin’ichi visits China for the first time and meets with Vice Premier Li Xiannian. ‘Bridge Building’: On September 8th, Shin’ichi visits the Soviet Union for the first time and meets with literary giant Mikhail A. Sholokhov and Premier Aleksey N. Kosygin. ‘Ties of Trust’: Shin’ichi visits China again and meets with Premier Zhou Enlai on December 5th. He then travels to the US and hands the Secretary- General of the United Nations more than 10 million signatures calling for nuclear abolition collected by the youth division. He also engages in dialogue for peace with Secretary of State Henry Kissinger.
- GenresBuddhism
Unknown Binding
First published December 1, 2013
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23 people want to read
About the author
Daisaku Ikeda
1,231 books523 followersDaisaku Ikeda was a Buddhist philosopher, peacebuilder, educator, author and poet. He was the third president of the Soka Gakkai lay Buddhist organization and the founding president of the Soka Gakkai International (SGI), which is today one of the world's largest and most diverse lay Buddhist organizations, promoting a philosophy of character development and social engagement for peace.
Ikeda was the founder of the Soka (value-creation) schools, a nondenominational school system based on an ideal of fostering each student's unique creative potential and cultivating an ethic of peace, social contribution and global consciousness. The school system runs from kindergarten through graduate study and includes a university in Tokyo, Japan, and another in California, U.S.A.
Ikeda was a staunch proponent of dialogue as the foundation of peace. Since the 1970s he has pursued dialogue with a wide range of individuals around the world in political, cultural, educational and academic fields. Over 50 of these have been published in book form, with people such as Mikhail Gorbachev, Elise Boulding, Joseph Rotblat and André Malraux. In furtherance of his vision of fostering dialogue and solidarity for peace, Ikeda has founded a number of independent, nonprofit research institutes that develop cross-cultural, interdisciplinary collaboration on diverse issues: the Boston Research Center for the 21st Century, the Toda Institute for Global Peace and Policy Research and the Institute of Oriental Philosophy. The Min-On Concert Association and the Tokyo Fuji Art Museum promote mutual understanding and friendship between different national cultures through the arts.
Ikeda was a prolific writer who has published more than 100 works, ranging from Buddhist philosophy to biographical essays, poetry, children's stories and photographic collections.
Ikeda was the founder of the Soka (value-creation) schools, a nondenominational school system based on an ideal of fostering each student's unique creative potential and cultivating an ethic of peace, social contribution and global consciousness. The school system runs from kindergarten through graduate study and includes a university in Tokyo, Japan, and another in California, U.S.A.
Ikeda was a staunch proponent of dialogue as the foundation of peace. Since the 1970s he has pursued dialogue with a wide range of individuals around the world in political, cultural, educational and academic fields. Over 50 of these have been published in book form, with people such as Mikhail Gorbachev, Elise Boulding, Joseph Rotblat and André Malraux. In furtherance of his vision of fostering dialogue and solidarity for peace, Ikeda has founded a number of independent, nonprofit research institutes that develop cross-cultural, interdisciplinary collaboration on diverse issues: the Boston Research Center for the 21st Century, the Toda Institute for Global Peace and Policy Research and the Institute of Oriental Philosophy. The Min-On Concert Association and the Tokyo Fuji Art Museum promote mutual understanding and friendship between different national cultures through the arts.
Ikeda was a prolific writer who has published more than 100 works, ranging from Buddhist philosophy to biographical essays, poetry, children's stories and photographic collections.
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Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews
August 24, 2018
Whether you practice Nicherien Buddhism or not, this book is an inspiration of the human spirit and one one man's approach for peace through the human connection! He reached to world leaders in a time when relationships were very fragile and he should be commended for efforts.
August 26, 2014
A powerful volume transmitting the unwavering wish for peace, one step at a time, even if the results don't bloom for 10, 20 years or longer!
October 3, 2020
This book is dangerous propaganda. Do not read.
1. The Nanking Massacre (a holocaust in China by the Japanese military) is not in the slightest given the attention and significance it deserves. The book is about a Japanese religious leader Shin'ichi making efforts to befriend China. The Japanese government has not recognized their absolutely savage rape and murder of 200,000 + people in China in 1937 (which had lasting effects.) On page 272, the Massacre is referenced for two paragraphs in the most mild manner possible. Shin'ichi tries to "befriend" Chinese kids who have heard stories of the Massacre. While Shin'ichi didn't physically harm anyone, if he actually wanted to make societal advances, he could have verbally acknowledged the Massacre, said sorry, anything. Instead, he depends on the youth who can be indoctrinated with the belief that Japanese-Chinese relations are nothing but sunshine and rainbows. This is significant not only in the deceitful actions of Shin'ichi but because the reader of this book does not learn that there was a holocaust in Nanking but that just some guys died.
2. Verbiage used to discuss Chairman Mao is admirable and positive. Soka Gakkai is supposed to be a "humanistic" organization that spreads "peace." Chairman Mao is compared to Hitler and Stalin for his Great Leap Forward to KILLED 18 TO 45 MILLION PEOPLE.
Okay, onto less glaring but critical (to my interpretation of this book) problems:
1. The truth is read between the lines of this book. Sentences discussing the topic of women are positive: "women build communities, they can end wars!" The words used to describe women and their role in this book tell a completely different story. First, words used to describe them (of which there were few because there are very few females in the book) were "big." Yes. Two or three times, Ikeda introduces a new female character (which is almost all significant female intros,) is that she was a big, motherly, homey woman. Second, the role women play is: wife, the species called in when a uniquely female skill is needed but not to enter at other times because the true matters are dealt with by the boys, gift giver, other to the "normal" (which is men.) Buddhism is TRULY about equality, which would insert way more females into the book if it were actually in line with the religion.
2. This book tells a story about efforts to build a friendship. Boy, do we have different definitions of friendship!! First, let me tell you about my idea of friendship. Committing to a friendship with another person means dedicating time to them through the years. Showing your loyalty by trying your best to fulfill their needs and wishes when they ask. Learning and growing from each other. Sharing laughs and overcoming obstacles together. Being vulnerable and honest enough with each other to share the dynamic states of your being. And much more! Now Shin'ichi's idea of friendship?? Meeting someone in a store and saying "Hi I want to be your friend." then seeing them in the store again in 5 years (when he would describe this person as a DEAR, DEEPLY TOUCHING, HIGHLY SPIRITED FRIEND!) He DEMEANS the word "friend" by using it so liberally.
3. In this story, there are no obstacles. There is no bravery. There is no inspiration. The author tells, does not show, through every page of the book.
1. The Nanking Massacre (a holocaust in China by the Japanese military) is not in the slightest given the attention and significance it deserves. The book is about a Japanese religious leader Shin'ichi making efforts to befriend China. The Japanese government has not recognized their absolutely savage rape and murder of 200,000 + people in China in 1937 (which had lasting effects.) On page 272, the Massacre is referenced for two paragraphs in the most mild manner possible. Shin'ichi tries to "befriend" Chinese kids who have heard stories of the Massacre. While Shin'ichi didn't physically harm anyone, if he actually wanted to make societal advances, he could have verbally acknowledged the Massacre, said sorry, anything. Instead, he depends on the youth who can be indoctrinated with the belief that Japanese-Chinese relations are nothing but sunshine and rainbows. This is significant not only in the deceitful actions of Shin'ichi but because the reader of this book does not learn that there was a holocaust in Nanking but that just some guys died.
2. Verbiage used to discuss Chairman Mao is admirable and positive. Soka Gakkai is supposed to be a "humanistic" organization that spreads "peace." Chairman Mao is compared to Hitler and Stalin for his Great Leap Forward to KILLED 18 TO 45 MILLION PEOPLE.
Okay, onto less glaring but critical (to my interpretation of this book) problems:
1. The truth is read between the lines of this book. Sentences discussing the topic of women are positive: "women build communities, they can end wars!" The words used to describe women and their role in this book tell a completely different story. First, words used to describe them (of which there were few because there are very few females in the book) were "big." Yes. Two or three times, Ikeda introduces a new female character (which is almost all significant female intros,) is that she was a big, motherly, homey woman. Second, the role women play is: wife, the species called in when a uniquely female skill is needed but not to enter at other times because the true matters are dealt with by the boys, gift giver, other to the "normal" (which is men.) Buddhism is TRULY about equality, which would insert way more females into the book if it were actually in line with the religion.
2. This book tells a story about efforts to build a friendship. Boy, do we have different definitions of friendship!! First, let me tell you about my idea of friendship. Committing to a friendship with another person means dedicating time to them through the years. Showing your loyalty by trying your best to fulfill their needs and wishes when they ask. Learning and growing from each other. Sharing laughs and overcoming obstacles together. Being vulnerable and honest enough with each other to share the dynamic states of your being. And much more! Now Shin'ichi's idea of friendship?? Meeting someone in a store and saying "Hi I want to be your friend." then seeing them in the store again in 5 years (when he would describe this person as a DEAR, DEEPLY TOUCHING, HIGHLY SPIRITED FRIEND!) He DEMEANS the word "friend" by using it so liberally.
3. In this story, there are no obstacles. There is no bravery. There is no inspiration. The author tells, does not show, through every page of the book.
December 9, 2025
Excellent. A testament to what dialogue and trust can do for this world
October 20, 2014
I think I enjoyed reading the first two NHR volumes than I did this one.
Daisaku Ikeda continues to persevere in his quest to spread kosen rufu, but the experiences detailed in this book seemed slightly repetitive and didn't help me learn anything new about the SGI or its functioning.
I would recommend the earlier NHR volumes for people who're seeking information about Nichiren Buddhism.
Daisaku Ikeda continues to persevere in his quest to spread kosen rufu, but the experiences detailed in this book seemed slightly repetitive and didn't help me learn anything new about the SGI or its functioning.
I would recommend the earlier NHR volumes for people who're seeking information about Nichiren Buddhism.
November 25, 2018
Excellent book by Sensei Ikeda. He is a role model for creating world peace by applying Buddhist (or any humanistic) principles to life. A must read.
Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews