Customer Reviews

Fighting for Peace

5 star:		(4)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

Inspiring and encouraging. Encouragement we need now, in the age of disbelief and loss of hope. It seems like a lot of people today already have decided somewhere in their hearts that peace is something we can only talk about. But reading these poetries written by someone who has actually taken solid actions which have all undeniably lead to his ultimate goal, peace and happiness of humanity, one's heart begins to feel that, maybe, this IS possible.

This book has helped save my sanity. Since before we invaded Iraq, I kept wondering "why"? None of this seemed necessary. I wrote letters to my congressmen, even called them up. And still we went to war. When Baghdad fell, I thought at least it's going to be over quickly. First it seemed like it was going to just simmer; now it seems like it is all about to explode. I know a young man in our town who was killed over there and I go online to the part of armytimes.com where they show the profiles of the fallen. When I look at the faces of those brave young men and women whose lives have been cut short so terribly, I just cry. A friend of mine who knew how upset I've been gave me this book. It has helped a lot just knowing someone feels as strongly about this as I do. For me right now, that is a source of hope.

This is a moving expression of young Daisaku Ikeda's life while growing up in Japan during WWII. Everyone should read this book to understand we are not so different from each other as humans sharing this planet, and how we impact each other's lives. Cannot give it enough stars, and would love to hear other people's impressions.

Although I have never given 5 stars to any book before, this collection of poetry by Daisaku Ikeda merits the rating because of its relevance to today's troubled world. Mr. Ikeda describes the brutality of war - including its impact on his own upbringing, which was marred by the death of a brother in battle - as well as the arrogance in the hearts of leaders who would sacrifice others in conflict. But despite his candor, Mr. Ikeda's poetry nonetheless offers the promise of hope. His belief in the rights, common sense and power of ordinary people is both inspiring and uplifting. Given the problems engulfing today's world, I can think of no more timely collection for anyone concerned with ushering in a better future.

Definitely not contemplations of moonlight or falling leaves. This is a powerful collection of poems on the theme of peace. In prolonged verse form, Ikeda explores the question of what drives people to war. He finds the answer, not surprisingly (he's a Buddhist), in the human heart, which he declares holds "terrible possibilities." Much of the book is dedicated to very energetic critiques of those who use positions of privilege to wage war and bring suffering on the world's peace-loving citizens. If that was all they did these poems would be just good angry verse: justified, cathartic, but still leaving you feeling "so what do I do from here?" But his philosophy generates moments when the line between "us" and "them" (who is an ordinary citizen, after all? who do Buddhists include when they talk about "all living beings?") blurs; when that happened the poems became personal. I found myself thinking about my own "terrible possibilities" and whether there isn't something more I can do for peace than complain. The language is large and blunt, but with more subtlety that is first apparent (leaving you wondering how much subtle stuff got lost in translation). Strong stuff.