In Pursuit of Peace:
The Cosmic Nature of Our Inner and Outer JourneyThis is the manuscript prepared for his public lecture hosted bythis Institute and scheduled to be held in Tokyo on March 17,
2011.The lecture meeting was called off due to the Great EasternJapan Earthquake that occurred on March 11.

Anthony J. Marsella

Dedication
This presentation is dedicated to two people whose presence in mylife helped encourage and shape my journey for peace. Professor
Samuel Shapiro—friend, colleague, teacher—who released mymind to soar. Joy Ann Marsella—friend, partner, wife—who
reminded me of the many joys of reality.

ABSTRACT“Fission” and “fusion” are the most basic principles used to explain thecreation and evolution of our universe. From that moment—13.7 billion
years ago—when all existing matter, particles, and energy exploded
across time and space, “fission” and “fusion” have remained our keys
for understanding cosmic creation and the endless transformations of
our cosmos. “Fission” is the process of “separation,” of division; in contrast, “fusion” is the process of “uniting, of integration. Whether webehold the heavens above, or the world about us, the processes of “fission” and “fusion” are omnipresent. Yet, too often, we have failed tograsp the reality of “fission” and “fusion,” and to recognize that they arepresent and relevant in all we are, in all we do, and in all we canbecome. This is especially true for that critical part of our lives in which
we seek to understand our meaning, purpose, and identity through the
pursuit of peace.
Peace is that state of conscious existence in which we find serenity,
harmony, and unity with all about us, including the cosmos itself. We
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seek peace in an effort release us from the burdens of uncertainty andconflict found in life. Yet, too often, as we pursue peace via “inner” and“outer” journeys, an important insight is missed. As we pursue peace,
whether through meditation or through service to others, our journeys
are often kept separate from one another. In keeping our journeys separate, we may find comfort, but never true fulfillment, for this can only
occur when the oneness or “unity” of our nature is experienced.
“Unity” is rooted within the principles of “fission” and “fusion.”
Although our ego can deceive us into concluding that things exist separately, this is not the nature of the cosmos. Pursuing peace through aseparation of our inner and outer natures will always result in a felt
sense that something is missing. For our cosmic nature to be fulfilled,
our inner and outer natures must be must not be detached from eachother. The union of our natures is in accord with the cosmic principles
of “fission” and “fusion” in which all things exists in relation to others,
and all things find their actualization through the cosmic ecology inwhich reciprocity and symbiosis are necessary. This is in accord withthe mystic law of Buddhism.
The principles of “fission” and “fusion”—of separation and integration—have guided, shaped, and informed our views of the universe andof human nature. Before these principles we must respond with awe,reverence, and humility for they reveal that we are the stuff of stars, andthat our inner and outer journeys in pursuit of peace will find their full
realization in their unity.

Introductory Remarks
It was the best of times, it was the worst of times, it was theage of wisdom, it was the age of foolishness, it was the epochof belief, it was the epoch of incredulity, it was the season ofLight, it was the season of Darkness, it was the spring of hope,it was the winter of despair, we had everything before us, we
had nothing before us, we were all going direct to heaven, wewere all going direct the other way.
Charles Dickens (1812–1870)
A Tale of Two Cities—1859

T

HE centuries-old words by the English author Charles Dickens findnew currency in our times. All about, we see the wonders of humancreation, and the potential of the human spirit. And yet, amidst all of
this, we find ourselves bewildered by the contradictions, conflicts, and150

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hypocrisies that abound. We yearn for solutions. We search the heavens
and the depths for answers as we witness the collapse of the myths weonce lived by. We are faced with great uncertainties, and with few
resources beyond our personal creativity to resolve them. Is this whereanswers reside? Vaclav Havel (1994), the former poet-president ofCzechoslovakia once wondered about the same question. He stated:
For the real question is whether the “brighter future” is reallyalways so distant. What if, on the contrary, it has been there for along time already, and only our blindness and weakness has prevented us from seeing it around us and within us, and kept us fromdeveloping it.
There is something very Buddhist about these words—something that
reminds us of the need to release our mind from the fetters of daily life,
to free us from the constraints of society, and to experience the truths
that exist within, and to use them to change the world beyond.
The Pursuit of Peace
I wish to begin this evening by expressing my deep appreciation andgratitude to Daisaku Ikeda and the staff and members of Soka Gakkai
International for offering me this special opportunity to speak on a topic
of universal concern and urgency—a topic that has, in many ways, dominated most of my life—the pursuit of peace.
I found myself, even as a young child, bewildered and confused by
the apparent absence of any deep sense of contentment or satisfaction
among those about me—and certainly among them any deep sense of anabiding happiness or fulfillment. There was simply the need to survive.
Today I find the same to be true. Too many people are caught amidst the
crucible of material values, and the subsequent demands for consumption and the acquisition of goods and property that materialism requires.
There are scores of frivolous popular distractions to be found in entertainment, sports, music, and celebrities lives. But the desperate searchfor satisfaction, purpose, and fulfillment is just below the surface. People seek a release them from their sense of want and emptiness in theseplaces and experiences only to find that the special state of inner andouter peace they need eludes them.
I also found myself bewildered by the world about me—a world filledwith so many obvious problems of human suffering that we all have
either experienced or observed—the problems of poverty, racism, vio-

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lence, and oppression. All of these problems continue in global proportion and are too often ignored or denied by our more immediate humanneeds to survive and to hope for better day.
And so I come to you this evening, March 17th, 2011, from Atlanta,
Georgia—after a journey of more than 8238 miles (13,258 kilometers)—to Tokyo, Japan. This is not my first voyage to Japan. I first traveled here in 1967—44 years ago—as a young man on a Fulbright Scholarship on his way to study the stresses of life among the poor and therich in the Philippines. I was a member of that special young generationof the sixties that actually believed peace could be had if our intentions
were noble and moral. I subsequently returned to Japan in 1996, where I
had the pleasure and honor to meet and speak with President Daisaku
Ikeda, and to visit again your beautiful landmarks—Kamakura Buddha,
Ryoan-ji Gardens, Kinkaku-ji (The Golden Temple)—and various othersites that had so enthralled me in my first visit. These sites affirmed anddocumented traditional Japanese history and cultural values, especially
the Japanese pleasure and reverence for simplicity, beauty, and harmony.
My early experiences of travel to Japan have remained with me
through the years as poignant reminders of the unique and distinct
Japanese sensitivities to life that are the foundation of inner and outerpeace. Indeed, I can remember my fascination and wonder as I not only
perceived these sites, but also experienced them at an intuitive level thatrevealed to me the truth that simplicity, beauty, harmony, awe, spirituality, and peace exist together in a natural order. They are one. It is only
our words that separate the unity of these experiences, for the experiences are aspects of a larger consciousness and awareness of the life
force itself.
I can only wonder now, what, if any, the distractions and opiates of
our industrial and technological age have had upon the traditional
Japanese psyche—the possible impacts life in a global era have hadupon that special inner spirit and unique outer expressions of Japan’s
character, mind, and views of human nature. It is perhaps no accident or
coincidence that I join you this evening, but rather some evolving ofseeds planted long ago—some teleological push and pull—that enables
us to gather this evening to explore the mysteries of peace that reside inunderstanding the connection between the inner and outer nature of ourbeings.
And so I come this evening eager to share some thoughts on the timeless human concern for peace, a concern that has been pursued throughout history and across every land and people: a concern that has been
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ers of religion and philosophy of our past as Shakyamuni Buddha, Lao
Tzu and Confucius of China, Mahatma Gandhi of India, and Josei Toda
of Japan; and also leaders of our present such as Aung San Suu Kyi of
Burma, Thich Nhat Hanh of Vietnam, the Dalai Lama of Tibet, andDaisaku Ikeda of Japan. These voices, of course, though nurtured within
particular cultures, offer thoughts that resonate and resound across theworld and across time.
You will recall that Buddha (563–483 BCE), more than 2500 years
ago, said: “Better than a thousand hollow words, is one word that brings
peace.” And Lao Tzu (570–490 BCE), with similar wisdom, noted theendless connection between peace in our individual hearts, and peace inthe world when he wrote:
If there is to be peace in the world,
There must be peace in the nations.
If there is to be peace in the nations,
There must be peace in the cities.
If there is to be peace in the cities,
There must be peace between neighbors.
If there is to be peace between neighbors,
There must be peace in the home.
If there is to be peace in the home,
There must be peace in the heart.
Following in the paths of these wise observers of the human condition, Shantideva, the Eight Century Bodhisattva, observed:“Sentient beings are strange, although wishing happiness they
avoid its causes. Although wishing to avoid suffering they constantly create its causes.”Within the same tradition of thought, and with similar sensitivity, thecurrent Dalai Lama (July 6, 1935—present) stated:“I believe all suffering is caused by ignorance. People inflict
pain on others in the selfish pursuit of their happiness or satisfaction. Yet true happiness comes from a sense of peace and contentment, which in turn must be achieved through the cultivation ofaltruism, of love and compassion, and elimination of ignorance,
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Among these icons of peace, these teachers to humanity, also stands
Daisaku Ikeda, whose tireless voice has for more than a half-century
advanced the cause of peace through writings on the essentials of Buddhism, especially Buddhism’s fundamental recognition of the connections between inner and outer journeys for peace. Daisaku Ikeda’s words
reflect the larger principle of interaction, reciprocity, and symbiosis thatcharacterize all life. He states:
If I were to propose a way of looking at the world . . . I would
single out an “ethos of symbiosis.” I am talking about the kind of
mentality that favors harmony over opposition, unity over division,“we” over “I.” Practically, it is expressed as the idea that humanbeings should live in harmony with other and with nature (Ikeda,
2010, p. 156).
Later in this address President Ikeda notes the fundamental concept in
Confucianism of the great unity (datong) of all things, a unity that has
had important implications for Confucian codes of social relationships
and obligations.
The idea of a unity derived and sustained via a reciprocity (i.e., ecology, symbiosis) of the inner and outer elements of our being among allthings, is, of course, the defining principle of Mahayana Buddhism, inwhich “enlightenment” occurs from a dedication to self and to others.
Mahayana Buddhism asserts that because of the inseparability of self
and other—of our inner and outer nature—we have a special responsibility to serve others. This is an essential part of the pathway to peace.
This belief is, as we all know, the way of the Bodhisattva, the person
who seeks to help others attain enlightenment through their own compassion, empathy, and personal sacrifice. I am fond of the words of thegreat Bodhi, Shantideva, whose endless verses expressing his desire toserve others reflect his integrative nature.
By the virtue amassed by all that I have done,
May the pain of every being be completely healed.
May I be doctor and medicine, and may I be nurse,
For all sick beings in the world, till all are well.
May food and drink rain down to stop all thirst and hunger.
And during times of famine, may I turn myself into food and drink.
May I be an endless treasure for the poor and destitute;
May I turn into all things they could ever need,

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And may these then be placed close beside them.
With no sense of loss, may I give up my possessions,even my body,
And all past, present, and future virtues, to help all beings.
Quoted in Thurman, R. (1998). Inner Revolution: Life,
Liberty, and the Pursuit of Real Happiness. NY: Riverhead
Books, pp. 158–159.
Robert Thurman, a Buddhist scholar who studied Tibetan Buddhism,
and is currently at Columbia University in New York, writes: “This is
the messianic drive of the Bodhisattva, the spirit of love and compassion
called the enlightening soul. It is not merely the wish that all be wellwith all beings—it is the determination that you yourself will assume
responsibility for others (Thurman, 1998, p, 159).” Of course, in helping
others, the Bodhisattva actually helps him or herself via the emerging
awareness and consciousness of the cosmic law (sometimes called mystic law) of unity and oneness that is termed Myoho-renge.
Daisaku Ikeda (2011), has noted that idea of “integration” isexpressed in the Buddhist term “kechi-en” (literally, to “join” a “connection,” it denotes a causal relationship or function that joins life and its
environment). “Kechi-en” is associated with the theory of “dependent
origination,” an important belief advanced by Buddha and his followers.
Dependent origination holds that every phenomena, be it social or natural, is the result of connection with something else. Nothing can exist in
total isolation; everything is interrelated. Daisaku Ikeda points out thatthe Buddhist idea of inter-relations is multidimensional and it goesbeyond the immediacy of the moment to space and time.
Before the magnificence of these words, and before the thoughts ofsuch great figures of peace, I must say that I am humbled by the task
before me. I am hopeful that in our brief time together, I will, in someway, offer you thoughts that will add to your own insights about thenature of peace—insights that have been forged from your personal
experiences and efforts to pursue peace amidst our challenging times.
Above all, know this, I come to you this evening to re-affirm thethoughts of those who have come before us, who have recognized andspoken of the intimate connection between inner and outer peace—
between the inherent connection of all things, between our human pursuit for meaning, purpose, and fulfillment, and the unfolding of the
moment of cosmic creation.

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The Pursuit of Peace: The Inner and Outer Journey
Permit me, if I may, to intentionally disturb any comfort you may behaving with your life, by sharing some thoughts on the complexities andinconveniences of pursuing peace. I will, for a few moments, play the“clouds,” as articulated so wondrously in the great Haiku master, Matsuo Basho’s (1644–1694) eloquent poem about attending to the necessary disturbances in our life. Basho writes: “Clouds come, from time totime, to give man a rest from looking at the moon.”
Inner Peace
The task before all of us is to grasp the essential principle of life—of“embeddedness”—of the constant cosmic process of “fission” of“fusion” that separates and joins all things. While our human brain leads
us naturally to separate and detach all things about us and to assign themnames and symbols for easy identification and retrieval, it is an illusionthat all things are separate, isolated, and detached. The physical reality
is that all things are connected and flow endlessly into one another. You
will recall here the Japanese term “Engi.” Daisaku Ikeda (2010) offers apowerful understanding of the term:
The Buddhist principle of dependent origination (Jpn. Engi)
reflects a cosmology in which all human and natural phenomena
come into existence within a matrix of inter-relatedness. Thus weare urged to respect the uniqueness of each existence, which supports and nourishes all within the larger, living whole. What distinguishes the Buddhist view of interdependence is that it is based ona direct, intuitive apprehension of the cosmic life immanent in all
phenomena. Therefore, Buddhism unequivocally rejects all forms ofviolence as an assault on the harmony that underlies and binds the
web of being. (Ikeda, 2010, pp 235–236—in A New Humanism).
Marsella (1995, 1999) offered similar comments in advocating guidelines for living a spiritual life. In his first guideline, he stated:
I resolve to be more aware and responsive to the spiritual dimensions of my being and my nature. I intend to accept and to embrace
the self-evident truth that the very life force that is within me is thesame life force that moves, propels, and governs the universe itself,and because of this, I must approach life with a new sense of awe,

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humbled by the mystery of this truth, yet elated and confident by its
consequences. I am alive! I am part of life! And, because of this, I
must act in ways that encourage and support this fact, and I must
act in ways that are responsive to its requirements and demands. . .
. I resolve to perfect the spiritual dimension of my being because it
is in this pursuit that I can discover and fulfill my unique destiny inthe larger cosmic plan whose details remain unknown, but whose
intent seems clear—the promotion of an evolutionary harmony,balance, and synergy among all life forms. (Marsella, 1994, p. 10;
1999)
It is a fundamental principle of nature—and especially of life itself—that if we continue to separate ourselves from the larger natural andsocial world in which we exist, we cannot become all that we are capable of becoming as an expression of life. We must, as so many great
thinkers in philosophy and religion have stated, recognize our connections to the broader order, and become part of it.
All of us are aware of the current human condition. We find ourselves
beset by overwhelming problems of mind and person that bring us distress and discomfort. We seek peace. We desire that wonderful sense of
harmony and being centered in life. We desire the calmness, tranquility,
and serenity that is the heart of peace. We desire that sense of unity withall about us and with the very cosmos itself. But all this eludes us. We
try, often desperately, to experience peace, but too often experience fear,
anxiety, distrust, anger, frustration, despair, uncertainty, and alienation.
We turn to those things that we are told will bring us “inner” peace,
including reflection, contemplation, prayer, meditation, chanting, yoga,
therapy, and even substances such as tranquilizers, alcohol, and illegal
drugs. We consider going on a retreat from the world and entering a distant monastery that will isolate us from the world. We turn often to religions, hoping to find within their beliefs and practices the peace weseek.
In discussing asceticism, Chumley (2011) points out that there ismuch virtue in pursuing inner peace through a life of asceticism or withdrawal and contemplation. But he also notes that withdrawal is not asimportant as the effort after tranquility that comes with being silent andstill. He writes:
Does it take leaving the world behind to become spirituallyenlightened? Does one need rigorous asceticism to encounter
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in our own modern equivalent of caves and monasteries: the cellsof modern apartment buildings found in impersonal high rise buildings and desert caverns of urban avenues. While there has been an
exodus away from churches and “organized religions” in recent
decades, record numbers of spiritual seekers are meditating andpraying on their own, in new churches, on yoga retreats or in nondenominational meditation centers. There is much value in simply
taking time to be silent and still. There is tremendous power in setting oneself aside and letting the likeness of God inside you shine
through. Settling down and quieting the frenetic stimuli of modern
multitasking not only brings peace and calm, it may also be a revelatory experience (something the ancients expected and called“epiphanic”) (Chumley, 2011).
And yet, by itself, in my opinion, the inner journey for peace alone
will always be insufficient, for it keeps us focused on our internal mind.
We may find temporary comfort. But, ultimately, there will be a sense ofbeing incomplete, for the virtue of pursuing and joining inner and outer
will not be present. The joining is what characterized Buddha’s life! The“inner” journey is not unimportant. Rather, its fullest and most complete
virtue may be in making us aware that connection and unity require service to the world beyond ourselves.
Retreat from the problems of our world is unacceptable. Rather wemust address the inequities and injustices with a felt sense of passionthat comes from meeting our social responsibilities, obligations, andduties - our outer journey. I feel the pursuit of the “inner” journey byitself denies the fundamental principle of life itself that we are both separate (i.e., self-assertive) and connected (integrative). An active andintentional melding of inner and outer peace efforts is the most direct
and obvious expression of life.
Outer Peace
Friends, ladies and gentlemen, young and old, rich and poor, we are
beset by a world that challenges the very nature of our being. I havewritten previously:
Human survival and well being is now embedded in a complex andinterdependent global web of economic, political, social, technical,
and environmental events, forces, and changes. The scale, complexity, and consequences of these events, forces, and changes consti-

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tute an important challenge to our individual and collective wellbeing by confronting us with an array of complex, conflicting, andconfusing demands and/or opportunities. Our response to this challenge—as individuals, societies and nations—will shape the nature,quality, meaning, and [security] of our lives in the coming century(Marsella, 1998, p. 289).
We gather in a time of political, cultural, economic, and moral upheaval
for our world. We are faced with more than 35 wars, insurrections, andpeaceful revolutions of various proportion. We are faced with endemic
global poverty, widespread environmental abuse and collapse, vast
waves of transnational migration, numerous epidemics of deadly diseases, growing numbers of political and economic refugees, global population growth that is disproportionate for our resources and cultural life
styles.
We are being overwhelmed by an information and communication
technology that threatens—by its very power and popularity—toreshape the human mind and our views of human nature itself. Our lives
are increasingly controlled by a world of multinational corporations whourge us through constant marketing and advertising to be what THEYwish us to be—consumers and materialists—telling us that only throughbusiness and commerce can our security be assured.
We seek comfort and hope from all those societal institutions—government, business, education, religion—that we expected would offer
answers and protection, only to find that they have become part of the
problem, part of the challenges to our needs for security and safety.
We are faced with the forces of globalization, regionalism, nationalism, and localisms—each competing for our loyalty, approval, tolerance,
and identity. They seek control of our lives. These forces seduce us,
even as we try to resist them. Like the sirens of Homer’s ancient Greek
novel, The Odyssey, we turn from them again and again, recognizing
their dangers; we try to resist them, yet we know that they will return
again and again until we yield.
Amidst this milieu, we find ourselves bewildered, much as I was inmy youth. I could see the discontent, I could see the suffering, I could
see unhappiness, I could see the anger and frustration, but I could notunderstand why it continued and why so little was done to ameliorate it.
We continued—often unaware of the very lives we were leading, of the
discomforts, of the punishing consequences. We endured—seeking,hoping, wondering—if at some point, an answer would come fromsomeone, from somewhere, at sometime.

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1. Arthur Koestler— The Ghost in the Machine
I needed an idea—a liberating thought that would help coalesce andcrystallize my thinking. I found that from a novelist turned social commentator, Arthur Koestler, in his 1967 book with the unlikely title“ The
Ghost in the Machine, a volume by a non-psychologist about the poverty of psychological thought and theory as it remained mired in behaviorism and other mechanistic views of behavior.
Koestler advanced the concept of a “holon,” in which he observed that
all things are part of something larger, even as they seem to exist separately. He termed his idea the “Janus Principle,” named after the Roman
god who faced two ways. In a wonderful example that has remainedwith me through the years, and continues to guide my thinking evenhere this evening, Koestler noted that we can take a liver cell, place it ina Petrie dish, add nourishment, and it will continue to live for ages. But,
it will never know or realize its true nature; it will never be a liver, until
it is joined with other liver cells. It is only at that point that its fullnature may be experienced. In other words, it is only when it leaves its
self-assertive and separate life existence that it can help create something much more that the sum of its parts—a liver—an emergent life
form that is more than the simple addition of its parts.
For me, the brilliance of Koestler’s insights—rooted as they were in
the earlier general systems theories of Ludwig von Bertalanffy—was the
explicit idea that all forms of life, from the cellular to the world itself,consist both of separate elements guided by a “self assertion” principle,
and of an emergent element, guided by an integrative principle. My headswirled with excitement! Here at last was different model for humanbehavior that acknowledged the “embeddedness” of all things in eachother—the unity and oneness of life.
Now with greater clarity, I could see that the often pathological anddestructive effects of our culture and the nature of our social order andformation. These forces interfered with the natural fulfillment of ourhuman nature. We were compelled to value individuality and separateness. We were prevented by the very culture in which we lived to choose
priorities that detracted rather than promoted unity. Life styles—driven,by beliefs, values, and actions that denied the opportunity for connecting
to others in pursuit of peace— were a source of problems.
2. The Cultural and Societal Barriers to Peace
I have identified the following eleven popular culture and societal

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themes that prevent us from grasping the inner and outer nature of ourbeings, and keep us isolated in our ego and self-absorption. Indeed, they
are among the greatest impediments to the pursuit of outer peacebecause they emphasize goals and means that have little sensitivity,
awareness, or responsibility to the larger social order. I have placed theiropposite, or competing tension, in parentheses at the end of each theme.
1. Consumerism: The promotion of the constant and unlimited purchase of goods as a source of personal satisfaction and status. Consumerism has little concern for the consumption and exploitation ofnatural and human resources. (Sustainability)
2. Materialism: The belief that personal worth and well being isdirectly related to the acquisition of tangible goods and personal
possessions. Materialism is a major source of consumerism. (Spirituality)
3. Commodification: The assignment of a monetary value to all things
so they can be treated as commodities (i.e., articles of commerce ortrade on the commodity market and exchange) to be considered indetermining worth and value. Within this ethos, money becomes a
critical arbiter of personal, governmental, and commercial decisions. (Human Worth)
4. Violence and Power: The impulse and tendency to use harsh andabusive force for both pleasure (e.g., football, computer games) andto achieve preferences (e.g., bullying, gangs, war). There is a tolerance of violence and, in many ways, a fascination with its expression and consequences. (Peace)
5. Individual Self Interest: A focus on the individual to such an
extent that there is minimal attention to the consequences of this forthe social nexus. Support for individual rights, while essential forthe protection of human freedom and liberty, is often in conflict withthe larger social nexus. (Social Interest, Gemeinschaftesgefuhl)
6. Celebrity Identification and Pre-Occupation: The attachment andconcern for the lives of celebrities to such an extent that there is preoccupation with the events in celebrity lives at the expense of concern for critical issues in one’s own life and events of the wider
world (e.g., People Magazine, TV shows, fan clubs, social networks). (Attachment to “Ordinary” Life)
7. Competition: Competition is a defining trait of the American
national character and daily life. Throughout education, commerce,
entertainment, athletics, and political arenas of life, competition isconsidered good and to be encouraged. “Survival of the fittest” is anTHE COSMIC NATURE OF OUR INNER AND OUTER JOURNEY

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ingrained virtue, and there is often little concern or admiration for
those who are second best. (Cooperation)
8. Financial Greed: In accord with its capitalistic system and attachment to competition in all areas of life, the unbridled pursuit ofprofit has turned into greed—an excessive desire to acquire money
and material wealth often at the sacrifice of all ethical, moral, andoften, legal standards. (Sharing)
9. Rapid and Constant Change: The emphasis on rapid “change”
and the pursuit of the new is a valued goal and activity. This is powered by the new technology. This emphasis continually pushes theboundaries of current and conventional beliefs and activities to newlimits. This is especially true for TV programs, movies, computer
games regarding explicit sexuality, violence, and dress styles andfads. (Tradition, Continuity)
10. Hedonism: While the pursuit of pleasure is certainly a “normal”
human value and behavior, first articulated in great detail in ancient
Greece, and subsequently in Western psychology (behavior is motivated to seek pleasure and to avoid pain), its pursuit in America isunhampered by the extensive freedoms to self-indulge, and to disregard tradition or convention. These views often conflict with religious beliefs that see seeking pleasure as a sin. (Self-Denial,
Endure)11. Transgressive Ideology: An emerging cultural ideology that
accepts as normative, violations of human decency and morality bypromoting illicit behaviors (e.g., violent murder, torture, rape,pedophilia, incest, pornography, substance abuse, sado-masochism)
involving all ages. This is manifesting itself in literature, movies,
music, and television. (Civility, Decency, Respect)
Here, now, much to my dismay, I call attention to the fact that these
are the dominant themes of American popular culture that have served
to erode and homogenize traditional cultures around the world, bringing
with them conflicts and commitment to a way of life that lacks substance and keeps populations captive to spurious goals and values. You
are already aware of this in Japan, but I wish to remind you of it througha clear identification of the basic values, priorities, and preferences thatare currently shaping the world. I wish to make it absolutely clear that I
consider these values, themes, and ethoses to be a major impediment toouter peace.

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The Way of the Bodhisattva
What possibilities, what paths, what choices are available to us? Can weretreat to a distant monastery, there to live an ascetic life in pursuit of
the truths that can only come when the realities of our worldly life are
denied and forgotten? Can we remain amidst the worldly challenges,
deciding consciously to assume the mantle of social responsibilities,
obligations, civilities, and duties? Can we become Bodhisattvas? Yes, ofcourse, we can. It is our nature. But to do so, we must counter the eventsand forces that promote our separation and detachment in our “outer”
journey enabling us to join our two journeys’ toward peace.
It is logical to ask, “What can I do?” “How can I to counter these pernicious events and forces.” The answer is that you must choose “voiceover silence, action over passivity, and compassion over selfishness.”
The culture in which we live has very different goals than your pursuitof peace and meaning. The culture sees you simply as a “consumer,”helping to keep an abusive and greedy system alive through spending
and purchasing. The culture sees you as a “nationalist,” willing to accept
your nation’s actions—right or wrong, invading, occupying, and/or controlling others for selfish benefits.
Your reply must be clear and unequivocal. You must do what you can,when you can, to resist the demands of popular culture. Ultimately(Saishu-teki ni), we should serve the causes of justice, tolerance, equality, and sustainability through fostering empathy, compassion, and social
interest (gemeinschaftesgefuhl) As I see it at this point in time, we canengage the world, by doing the following:
1. Accept the Buddhist philosophy of cosmic unity or oneness2. Accept the cosmic principles of “fission” and “fusion”
3. Choose peace over violence, conflict, and war
4. Choose activism over passivity (Letters, donations, voting)
5. Choose voice over silence (non-violent protests)
6. Choose service over selfishness (volunteerism)
7. Choose cooperation over competition
8. Choose education and learning over ignorance
9. Choose courage over fear and comfort
10. Choose justice over injustice
11. Unite your personal, professional, and civic lives
12. Support non-killing: “Assert right not to be killed and takeresponsibility not to kill others” (see Paige, 2002, 2009)13. Support the Universal Declaration of Human Rights

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14. Support Nobel Prize Laureate charter on non-violence (Noble
Prize Laureates Charter, 2007)
15. Choose life—choose Lifeism.
LifeismThis evening I have shared with you some thoughts on the pursuit ofpeace via the inner and outer journeys we take in life. But, more specifically, I have said that the distinction between the inner and outer journeys is an illusion because of the very essence of the first instant or
moment of creation in which matter and energy sped across space, forming the cosmos and bringing unity and oneness via “fission” and“fusion.” This is the essence of our universe—of the billions of stars thatform our galaxy, and the billions of galaxies that exist in our cosmos,and here I must point out that astrophysicists now believe there aremany universes beyond our own. This should fill us all with wonder,
awe, and reverence. It is life affirming. It is in accord with the act of cosmic creation that erases all distinctions between the inner and outer journey for peace. They are one, and they are animated by life (Marsella,
2007, 2008).
We are part of life, the very force that animates the universe and thatis present in all things we call living. We are alive—we are part of life!
By accepting this premise, and by making it the core of our identity as
individuals and groups, we can affirm a truth so obvious and so criticalto our sense of well-being that it can be the anchor for our personal, collective, and national identities. We can move beyond the struggles for
identity at individual, cultural, and national levels, in favor of the ultimate identity—life and the ecologies that nurture and sustain it. We canpursue a new philosophy, and a new set of beliefs and practices that considers humanity as only one reflection of life. I call this Lifeism.
There are so many terms across the world that embody the essence of
lifeism. For example, there is the South African term “Ubuntu,” whichmeans “A quality of humaneness, embodying the supremacy of compassion and the rejection of anger, resentment, and envy.” Ubuntu combines ideas of remorse and apology with forgiveness and is at the heartof the truth and reconciliation movement. And there is also the Sanskrit
term, “Ahimsa,” meaning “The quality of humanness implying theabsence of “himsa” or violence that allows one to resist injustice without fear on the one hand or hatred on the other.” There is also the Native
Hawaiian term, “aloha,” which is difficult to translate, but essentiallyrefers to love and the intent to establish a spiritual connection. And last-

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ly, of course, there is the term “Satyagraha”, meaning “nonviolence inbeing and practice”. This is at the heart of Gandhi’s mission of “nonviolence” and the more recent non-killing movement of Professor Glenn
Paige. And we must not forget the Japanese word, “engi,” that refers to
the unity and connection among all things. To these we can add“Agape,” the Greek term meaning “an unconditional altruistic love forhumanity,” that is considered to be at the heart of Christianity . . . when
not forgotten (Marsella, 2006).
Lifeism is that transcendent sense of awe, reverence, and connectionin which we are moved beyond ourselves and beyond time and place to
new levels of consciousness. Spirituality moves us, as individuals andgroups, beyond our past to the richness of the immediacy of the
moment. And with this comes an experience of attachment and belonging to something much larger than our individual or collectives experiential levels. We are part of life, and that means we have ties to all formsof life on Earth and to the mysteries of the cosmos itself.
Lifeism encourages us to encounter and to reflect upon death, and tounderstand its inseparable relation to life. As we behold life in all of its
forms, as we witness its blossoming and its passing, we become acutely
aware of the inevitable cycle of life and death, especially the fact thatthey are one. To understand and to accept the mystery that life and deathare one can only enrich our life, and can only promote a greater sense of
responsibility to promote life. This is a new set of beliefs for our times.
This is spiritual foundation for living amidst the trials we face as individuals, societies, and nations. It calls upon us to grasp and accept therealities of our existence as the stuff of stars, and to live according to theprinciples of life inherent in our creation. Let us embrace the reality that
I/we/life and the universe are one!
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