July 4th

It is said that the face of the Statue of Liberty in New York, was modeled after it's creator Bartholdi's mother. It may well be that Bartholdi wanted to give some expression to the gratitude he felt towards his mother for having raised him through the thick and thin of difficulties. For a child, the most beautiful and noble face in the world is perhaps none other than that of their own mother. You might agree with me that the desire to live up to a mother's expectation is an inborn desire, deeply wired into our beings.

- Daisaku Ikeda

Japanese text:

ニューヨークの「自由の女神」の顔は、作者バトルディのお母さんがモデルであるといわれている。苦労して自分を育ててくれた母　―　彼は感謝の思いを、形にしたかったのかもしれない。また、子どもにとって、母の顔はいちばん美しく、尊いものなのかもしれない。母の恩に応えたい　―　そうした思いを、本来、誰しも、生命の奥底にもっている

(Josei ni okuru kotoba 365 nichi, pg. 203)

June 8th

Our health is something that we build through our own efforts. What kind of food we eat, what kind of lifestyle we live - these are things that we must decide for ourselves. Making a point to cure any sickness that does occur, or taking ample precautions to avoid falling sick in the first place, are the best ways to enjoy a healthy existence.

- Daisaku Ikeda

Japanese text:
健康は勝ち取っていくものです。何を食べ、どんな生活を送るのか。決めるのは自分自身です。病気を治すなり、病気を防ぐことが第一の健康法なのです。

KENKO WA KACHITOTTE IKU MONO DESU. NANI O TABE, DONNA SEIKATSU O OKURUNOKA. KIMERU NO WA JIBUN JISHIN DESU. BYOKI O NAOSU KOTO NARI, BYOKI O FUSEGU KOTO GA DAI ICHI NO KENKOHO NANO DESU.
(Josei ni okuru kotoba 365 nichi, pg. 175)

June 6th

The first president of the Soka Gakkai, Tsunesaburo Makiguchi, elucidates three kinds of goals in life through the following example: "Right after you compete in a 1000 meter race, a 100 meter dash is quite doable. On the other hand, right after a 100 meter dash, it's impossible to compete in a 1000 meter race. When we firmly establish a big goal in life, all the intermediate and smaller goals become clear to us, and we also discover the methods to realize them most effectively."

It is so important that we become winners in the marathon race called life.

- Daisaku Ikeda

Japanese text:
初代会長の牧口常三郎先生は三つの目的について語っている。「千メートル競走のついでに百メートルの競走はできるが、百メートルの競走のついでに千メートル競走はできない。大目的が確立してこそ、中目的、小目的が明確になり、その方法も生まれる」と。
人生というマラソンレースで勝利者になることが大切なのである。

SHODAI KAICHO NO MAKIGUCHI TSUNESABURO SENSEI WA MITSU NO MOKUTEKI NI TSUITE KATATTE IRU. [SEN METORU KYOSO NO TSUIDE NI HYAKU METORU NO KYOSO WA DEKIRU GA, HYAKU METORU KYOSO NO TSUIDE NI SEN METORU KYOSO WA DEKINAI. DAI MOKUTEKI GA KAKURITSU SHITE KOSO, CHUMOKUTEKI, SHOMOKUTEKI GA MEIKAKU NI NARI, SONO HOHO MO UMARERU] TO.
JINSEI TO IU MARASON RE-SU DE SHORISHA NI NARU KOTO GA TAISETSU NANO DE ARU.
(Josei ni okuru kotoba 365 nichi, pg. 173)

June 5th

It's what's inside your heart that matters most.
Those who are faint-hearted cannot experience happiness.
Those with impure hearts too cannot experience any happiness.
Happiness only dwells within those who possess a strong heart.

- Daisaku Ikeda

Japanese text:
心こそ大切である。
心の弱い人に、幸福はない。
心の汚れた人に、幸福はない。
心の強い人に、幸福は宿る。

KOKORO KOSO TAISETSU DE ARU.
KOKORO NO YOWAI HIYO NI, KOFUKU WA NAI.
KOKORO NO YOGORETA HITO NI, KOFUKU WA NAI.
KOKORO NO TSUYOI HITO NI, KOFUKU WA YADORU.
(Josei ni okuru kotoba 365 nichi, pg. 172)

May 19th

If we allow ourselves to feel envious of a neighbor's lush, green fields of prosperity, no matter how far we go there is no satisfaction to be gained. Unless we plow the fields of our own reality, we can never truly enjoy the real fruits of life.

- Daisaku Ikeda

Japanese text:
他人の畑に気を取られていては、どこまでいっても満足はえられない。
自分の畑を耕さないかぎり、人生の真の実りは満喫できない。

TANIN NO HATAKE NI KI O TORARETE WA, DOKOMADE ITTE MO MANZOKU WA ERARENAI.
JIBUN NO HATAKE O TAGAYASANAI KAGIRI, JINSEI NO SHIN NO MINORI WA MANKITSU DEKINAI.
(Josei ni okuru kotoba 365 nichi, pg. 154)

May 9th

In this world, only people with wealth or fame seem to attract all the praise and attention. However, the real worth of a human being is not decided by their affluence or status. It goes without saying that I would like all people to be able to enjoy a prosperous and healthy existence. Let us not forget though, that the most valuable treasure can be found in the richness of our own hearts.

- Daisaku Ikeda

Japanese text:
世間では富や名声をもつ人ばかりが、もてはやされがちだ。しかし、本当の人間の価値とは、物質的な豊かさや名声のなかにあるのではない。もちろん、だれもが、裕福で、健康で、あって欲しい。しかし心の豊かさにこそ、最高の価値があることを忘れてはなるまい。

SEKEN DE WA TOMI YA MEISEI O MOTSU HITO BAKARI GA, MOTEHAYASAREGACHI DA. SHIKASHI, HONTO NO NINGEN NO KACHI TOWA, BUSSHITSU TEKI NA YUTAKASA YA MEISEI NO NAKA NI ARU NODEWA NAI.
MOCHIRON, DAREMOGA, YUFUKU DE, KENKO DE, ATTE HOSHI. SHIKASHI KOKORO NO YUTAKASA NI KOSO, SAIKO NO KACHI GA ARU KOTO O WASURETE WA NARUMAI.
(Josei ni okuru kotoba 365 nichi, pg. 144)

May 1st

As each day turns into another, let it be a fresh departure point for us to build a new, improved self. With each heaving new breath of life, let us feel like we are born once again, and dash forward to the best of our ability. Let us set the pace to enjoy a satisfactory today and determine to make giant strides tomorrow.

-- Daisaku Ikeda

Japanese text:

日々新たにして日に日に新たなりー

今日も生まれ変わった生命の息吹で

全力で走りゆくことだ

今日の満足と、明日への飛躍とー

HIBI ARATANISHITE HI NI HI NI ARATA NARI--

KYO MO UMAREKAWATTA SEIMEI NO IBUKI DE

ZENRYOKU DE HASHIRI YUKU KOTO DA

KYO NO MANZOKU TO, ASU E NO HIYAKU TO --

(Josei ni okuru kotoba 365 nichi, pg. 136)

March 1st

Running after an easygoing, trouble-free existence, or avoiding hard work and challenges, is in fact a very unhappy way to spend our youth. While on the surface, this kind of lifestyle may appear to embody the ideal state of freedom, quite on the contrary, it will lead us to spend the final moments of our life as losers with no real freedom. When it is time to exert ourselves and work hard, we should do so, when it is time to study, we should do so. This is in fact the happiest way to spend our youth. A youth spent this way is like the foundation stone that will support us for the rest of our lives.

-- Daisaku Ikeda

Japanese text:
WAKAI TOKI NI ANITSU O MUSABORI, KURO SHINAI NO WA, FUKO NA SEISHUN DE ARU. JIBUN DEWA JIYU NA TSUMORIDE ITE, KEKKYOKU, SAIGO WA FUJIYU NA HAIBOKUSHA TO NATTE SHIMAU.
KURO SUBEKI TOKI NI KURO SHI, BENKYO SUBEKI TOKI NI BENKYO SURU NO GA, KOFUKU NA SEISHUN DE ARU. SORE GA, ISSHOGAI NO KOFUKU NO ISHIZUE TO NARU.
(Josei ni okuru kotoba 365 nichi, 72 pg.)

February 17th

This life of ours is irreplaceable. Each one of us is a precious individual, worthy of great respect. Let us aspire to live the kind of youth where we leave no regrets or carry gloomy memories for the future. Let us live out our youthful days so that at the very end of our lives we can smile proudly and say to ourselves: "I am truly happy!", "I feel so satisfied with the way my life went. I won!"

-- Daisaku Ikeda


(Words of Encouragement to Women - 365 days, page 58.)

Japanese text:
KAKEGAE NO NAI ISSHO DE ARU. TAISETSU NA, TO-TOKI JIBUN JISHIN DE ARU. SHORAI NI KUI YA, KOKORO NO KAGERI O NOKOSU YO NA SEISHUN DE ATTE MORAITAKUNAI.
SAIGO NO SAIGO NI [WATASHI WA KOFUKU NI NATTA] [WATASHI WA HONTO NI MANZOKU DA. KATTA.] TO EGAO DE IERU JINSEI NO TAME NO SEISHUN JIDAI DE ATTE ITADAKITAI.
(Josei ni okuru kotoba 365 nichi, 58 pg.)

July 22nd

Life is certainly not a smooth, flat road. There may be sunny days, cloudy days and rainy days too. Whether we like it or not, it is impossible to escape from this road. We must walk one step and then another on this very path. In this challenge, there is no room for sentimentality, grief or pessimism. I would like to travel along this grand path of life with only a single treasure in hand, and that is, my cheerfulness.

- Daisaku Ikeda

Japanese text:
人生は決して平たんな道ばかりではない。晴れの日もあれば、曇りや雨の日もあるだろう。けれども、人生の道から逃げることはできない。一歩また一歩と歩み続けなければならない。
その挑戦の道に、感傷や悲嘆や悲観はいらない。
私はただひとつ、明朗という宝をもって、わが人生の大道を進みたい。
(Josei ni okuru kotoba 365 nichi, pg. 221)

July 30th

Till the final years of his life, king of comedy, Charlie Chaplin, always responded to the question: "What according to you, is your masterpiece", by saying: "It's going to be the next one".

As long as one maintains the spirit to keep on challenging, there are really no deadlocks in life. It's not that we walk because there is a path, rather, it is because we walk that we can pave a path for ourselves.

- Daisaku Ikeda

Japanese text:
喜劇王チャップリンは、晩年にいたるまで「あなたの最高傑作は？」という質問に対して、いつも「ネクスト・ワン（次の作品）」と答えたという。挑戦の魂に行き詰まりはない。道があるから歩くのではなく、歩くから道ができるのだ。
(Josei ni okuru kotoba 365 nichi, pg. 229)

December 5th

Those who strive to spread their light until the very last moment of their lives, are indeed beautiful. The weathering of time has no impact on such people. Or perhaps it would be better to say that with each passing year, they glow with ever-greater brilliance.


-- Daisaku Ikeda

(Words of Encouragement to Women - 365 days, page 364.)

Japanese text:
JINSEI WA SAIGO NO SAIGO MADE KAGAYAIKITTA HITO WA UTSUKUSHI. SAIGETSU NO FUKASAYO MO, SONO YO NA JINBUTSU NIWA OYOBANAI. IYA, MUSHIRO, TSUKIHI GA TATSU HODO, SONO SONZAI WA ICHIDAN TO OKIKU HIKATTE IKU MONO DA.

(Josei ni okuru kotoba 365 nichi, 364 pg.)

December 2nd

Let us not postpone what we can do today to some later date. We would not have really "lived life" unless we consume each and every moment of our day, utilizing all of our faculties to their full capacity.

- Daisaku Ikeda

Japanese text:
「いつか」ではない。「今」である。この時を完全燃焼せずして、真の人生はあり得ない。
(Josei ni okuru kotoba pag 361)

October 26

At the point when we make the decision to dedicate our entire being for the sake of people, and take courageous action in that direction, there begins to emerge from within, a self stronger than ever before. Our capacity as human beings expands.

- Daisaku Ikeda

Japanese Text:
"人に尽くそうと決め、勇気を出して行動を開始した時、最も強い自分になれる。人間としての器が、もっと大きくなる。"
(Josei ni okuru kotoba 365 nichi, pg. 321)

October 23

A person who is always striving to grow is beautiful. In this journey called life, the point at which we stop our feet from moving forwards is the beginning of the end. As long as we are alive let us strive to grow even a little higher, even a little deeper and even a little broader than who we are.

- Daisaku Ikeda

Japanese Text:
"伸びようとしている人は美しい。人生という旅は、足を止めてしまえば、そこが終点である。生きているかぎり、より高く、より深く、
広い何かを求めて、進歩していきたい。"
(Josei ni okuru kotoba 365 nichi, pg. 318)

September 6

My mother raised a large family of children. She traversed the uphill journey of a life abounding in hardships with great strength of character, silently and patiently and without making any fuss. The last words of this mother of mine were: "In life, I have won".

Daisaku Ikeda

Japanese Text:
"私の母は多くの子を育てた。苦労の多かった人生の坂道を、無言の力強さで黙々と歩んだ。そんな母の最後の言葉は「私の人生は勝ったよ」だった。
"
(Josei ni okuru kotoba 365 nichi, pg. 268)

August 2nd

A philosopher once said that those who forget their mothers are no more than animals. It is important to brace ourselves and stand upright in life, with the memory of our mothers always in our hearts.

- Daisaku Ikeda

Japanese text:
母を忘れたならば動物となる、と言った哲学者がいた。人生は、母を思い出しながら奮起して立ちあがるのだ。
(Josei ni okuru kotoba 365 nichi, pg. 233)

August 1st

Because there are dreams there is youth. Because there are dreams there is life. Those who have no dreams in life are lonesome. But those who spend their entire life in the pursuit of their dreams and goals, have eternally youthful hearts, no matter what their age.

- Daisaku Ikeda

Japanese text:
理想があるから青春です。理想があるから人生です。理想のない人は、寂しい。
反対に、生涯、わが理想を求めて生きる人は、どんなに年をとっていても、心は永遠に青年です。
(Josei ni okuru kotoba 365 nichi, pg. 232)

February 22nd

It goes without saying that our life in this world is a struggle. This is an indisputable principle of our existence that we cannot and should not try to escape, for that would tantamount to accepting defeat. Happiness, on the other hand, is something that we must strive hard to win for ourselves.

-- Daisaku Ikeda

Japanese text:
JINSEI WA TATAKAI DE ARU. SORE GA SEIMEI NO HOSOKU DE ARU. TATAKAI O SAKERU KOTO WA, SORE JITAI, HAIBOKU DE ARU.
KOFUKU WA KACHITORU MONO DA.
(Josei ni okuru kotoba 365 nichi, 63 pg.)

February 18th

It's not our age that matters. It's not our circumstances that matter. What matters really is what we have in our hearts and minds. Even if we possess nothing else but a wonderful heart, our life can shine with brilliance at any time and in any place.

-- Daisaku Ikeda

Japanese text:
NENREI DEWA NAI. KANKYO DEMO NAI. KOKORO DE ARU.
JINSEI WA KOKORO HITOTSU DE, ITSUDEMO, DOKODEMO, SAIKO NI KAGAYAKASERU KOTO GA DEKIRU.
(Josei ni okuru kotoba 365 nichi, 59 pg.)