The tenth anniversary of the launching of the first Sputnik, the social unrest of the sixties, and the return to life of microorganisms after millions of years of dormancy are among the many events that stirred Ikeda’s imagination as he wrote these essays. A fresh approach and keen insights pervade this volume, which reveals what a deeply committed man of Eastern religion is thinking and saying about current events. The author came of age amid the wreckage of World War II. Privileged to study under a particularly gifted teacher, Josei Toda, he learned the essence of various academic disciplines, including history, philosophy and social sciences. In his characteristically straightforward style, Ikeda offers no panaceas for such major problems as the huge disparity between our technological advancement and ethical retardation, but he does encourage the reader to strive for and to value sound education, good government and interpersonal relationships without sham and hypocrisy. These essays speak to the issues that confront us all in a voice direct and powerful, inspiring and appealing.
