Contemporary Thought on Gandhism and Buddhism

Daisaku Ikeda

ALLOW me first to offer my sincere felicitations on the holding of
the Indo-Japan Joint Symposium co-organized by the National
Gandhi Museum and the Institute of Oriental Philosophy.
Throughout my life, I have embraced the deepest respect for India asa land of profound spirituality, the cradle of Buddhism and birthplace ofMahatma Gandhi. It is thus with a sense of its profound significance thatI welcome the holding of this symposium, which brings together intellectual and moral leaders of India who are heir to Gandhi’s spirituallegacy along with researchers from the Institute of Oriental Philosophy
to offer contemporary perspectives on Gandhism and Buddhism.
I am confident that this undertaking will contribute to putting behind
us forever the violence and war that have so long stained human history.
And I have further expectations that it will help generate the kind ofenergy and vision needed to propel us toward the creation of a new
global civilization, one embracing the whole of humankind in the spiritof nonviolence and peace.
I wish to take this opportunity to pay my deepest respects to theNational Gandhi Museum for their lofty endeavours to preserve therecord of Gandhi’s life and transmit his undying spirit to the entireworld. I would also like to express my profound gratitude to The Nehru
Memorial Museum, which honours Jawaharlal Nehru, Gandhi’s comrade and successor who implemented the ideal of nonviolence amidst
the realities of politics, for so kindly providing the venue for this symposium.
I am extremely pleased that academic exchange agreement has justbeen concluded between the Institute of Oriental Philosophy and theNational Gandhi Museum. It is our hope and expectation that rich andfruitful exchange benefiting all humanity will develop with the important institution.
Finally, I would like to acknowledge and express my sincere gratitude
to Dr. Inder Kumar Gujral, Former Prime Minister of India, Dr. B.R.
Nanda, Chairman of the National Gandhi Museum, Dr. O.P. Kejriwal,
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Director of the Nehru Memorial Museum and Library, and all our distinguished guests and friends who have made time today to attend thisevent.
I recall with great fondness my meetings with Dr. Gujral. They unfurl
before my mind’s eye like bright and vivid tapestries.
The first was in October 1997, when I had the great honour of paying
a visit to Dr. Gujral at his official residence in New Delhi. On that occasion, he shared with me that, having become prime minister on the auspicious juncture of the 50th anniversary of India’s independence, hisdetermination was to convey Gandhi’s legacy throughout the world.
The following year, Dr. Gujral most generously visited Soka University in Tokyo, Japan. During the course of our meeting he expressed hisview that the principles of nonviolence advocated by Gandhi were acontemporary application of the Buddha’s teachings. In the light of thephilosophy of nonviolence, he stated, civilisations are fundamentallyinterrelated. No civilisation can remain indifferent if the forces of goodare defeated and the forces of evil thrive elsewhere. If evil is left unchallenged, it will engulf and undermine all civilisations.
The forces of good are the forces of peace and nonviolence. Theforces of evil are those of violence and war. Evil tears apart the bonds
linking human beings, destroying people, societies, civilisations andnature. Conversely, good bridges and binds people’s hearts; it brings
together and unites the human family, enabling humans to live and prosper in harmony with the natural ecosystem.
Thus if one civilisation can successfully negotiate the transition tononviolence and peace, it will positively impact all civilisations, setting
in motion waves of solidarity and strengthening the forces of good. The
speed and reach of this positive impact is amplified in today’s world by
the accelerating processes of economic integration and the global spreadof information technologies. The challenges of globalisation, the challenge of creating a truly embracing global civilisation can only be met
through a deep commitment to values of peace and nonviolence.
The lineage of nonviolence, fostered over India’s millennial history,
has been transmitted by an unbroken flow of “great souls,” from theancient philosophers of the Upanishad, Gautama Buddha, and in moderntimes, by Mahatma Gandhi and Jawaharlal Nehru.
In ancient India, the example of Ashoka the Great shines as an outstanding ruler who embodied and applied the spirit of nonviolence to theworld of politics, contributing to the flourishing of the civilisation of histimes through his enlightened policies.
In the wake of his invasion of the neighbouring state of Kalinga,

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Ashoka experienced a painful awakening to the reality of war and,moved by a profound sense of remorse, renounced conquest by force.
Awakened to an earnest faith in Buddhism, he saw that the victory ofmilitary force in fact signals the defeat of the human spirit. He thus
determined that his rule would be in accordance with the Dharma and in
this way established a peaceful reign based on the Buddha’s teachings.
A passage from the Edicts of King Asoka reads: “Beloved-of-theGods, King Piyadasi [King Ashoka], conquered the Kalingas eight years
after his coronation. 150,000 were deported, 100,000 were killed andmany more died [from other causes]. After the Kalingas had been conquered, Beloved-of-the-Gods came to feel a strong inclination towards
the Dharma, a love for the Dharma and for instruction in Dharma.”
Although himself a devout Buddhist, Ashoka embraced the spirit oftolerance and carefully guarded the religious freedom of others. Moreover, he believed the essence of politics is to return that which is owed
to others, in other words, to serve the interests of the people with a senseof gratitude and appreciation.
In order to spread the spirit of the Dharma beyond his domain, he sent
envoys and emissaries as far as the western realms of Asia Minor, Syria,Persia, Egypt, and Macedonia. He also sent his son Mahendra to Ceylon. In this way, he conducted a peace diplomacy that transcended differences of language and custom.
In his great work The Discovery of India, Jawaharlal Nehru speaks
highly of Ashoka’s reign, stating, “The astonishing ruler, beloved still in
India and in many other parts of Asia, devoted himself to the spread of
Buddha’s teaching, to righteousness and goodwill, and to public works
for the good of the people.”
Nehru also described Mahatma Gandhi, stating that his advent was“like a beam of light that pierced the darkness and removed the scales
from our eyes; like a whirlwind that upset many things, but most of all
the working of people’s minds.” And also that, “Gandhi has straightened
our backs and stiffened our spines.” Gandhi said his ambition was “towipe every tear from every eye.” True to his words, his actions constantly stemmed from his overflowing love and affection for the people.
The spirit of nonviolent struggle was inherited and embodied byGandhiji’s young disciples, including Nehru, Dr. G. Ramachandran andDr. Bishambhar Nath Pande. And further, the influence of the “greatsoul” extended beyond the borders of India, inspiring Dr. Martin LutherKing Jr. in the United States, providing the spiritual direction for nonviolent revolution in Eastern Europe, and courageously practiced by Nelson Mandela in South Africa.

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Over the centuries, the Buddhist teachings of nonviolence and compassion first expounded by Gautama have enriched the spiritual lives ofthe people of Asia. In Japan, this spirit has been succeeded by Prince
Shotoku, the Great Teacher Dengyo, and in the 13th century, Nichiren.
Moreover, in the 20th century, this spirit was embodied by Soka
Gakkai founding President Tsunesaburo Makiguchi and second President Josei Toda. Inspired by the teachings of Buddhism, they opposed
Japanese militarism, never compromising the spirit of nonviolence andcompassion for the people. This was at just the same time when Gandhiji, Dr. Raghu Vira, the esteemed father of Dr. Lokesh Chandra who ispresent today, and Jawaharlal Nehru were waging their nonviolent struggle in India.
In 1997, I had the privilege of speaking at the Rajiv Gandhi Institutefor Contemporary Studies. On that occasion, I expressed my sense of
the importance of India’s role in world history.
I stated my belief that China, the United States and India will emerge
as three pivotal countries in the world of the 21st century. I expressed
my conviction that India’s continued flourishing and development is ofvital importance to world stability; that there is a powerful sense ofexpectation for a brilliant new “Indian Renaissance”; and, most crucially, that India’s message of nonviolence is of paramount significance tohumanity now and in the future.
Our world continues to be threatened by savage torrents of violence,stemming from parochial nationalism, terrorist ideologies, hegemonic
ambitions and unbridled materialism.
It is only by fundamentally strengthening the power of the spirit that
our world will at last triumph over violence. I believe that the examplesof India’s spiritual giants—Gautama Buddha, King Ashoka, and Mahatma Gandhi—illuminate the path and show clearly the direction in whichhumanity should advance in this new era.
In closing, I would like to offer these lines by Rabindranath Tagore,
the great sage-poet whose words have been my soul’s companion sincemy youth.
Our voyage is begun, Captain, we bow to thee!
The storm howls and the waves are wicked and wild, but we sail on.
The menace of danger waits in the way to yield to thee its offering ofpain,
and a voice in the heart of the tempest cries: “Com to conquer fear!”

Lastly, I wish to extend my heartfelt wishes for the good health andwell-being of all the distinguished participants today, and for the further

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flourishing of the esteemed National Gandhi Museum and the Nehru
Memorial Museum.
Thank you very much.