This book is actually the third installation of Daisaku Ikeda's History of Buddhism book. The first two books: Living Buddha and The First Millenium deal with beginning of Buddhism and the first millenium of Buddhism since the death of the Buddha. The Flower of Chinese Buddhism is a really helpful book to understand the reason why there are many branches of Buddhism in the world today because basically almost everything can be attributed to its spread to China. I really recommend this book as a fundamental tool if you are seeking for the truth. Nam Myo Ho Rengge Kyo.

This book is one of three which attempt to outline the general history of Buddhism for the average reader. This history is of course very complicated and I think mr. Ikeda has done an excellent job of sorting out the relevent and presenting it for our illumination. The insights into the difficulties surmounted by those seeking to spread Buddhism are particularly valuable and I would recomend this book to annyone regardless of their level of education or religious affiliation.

This book, "The Flower of Chinese Buddhism," documents a crucial part of the history of Buddhism, as it makes its way across China. It is thanks to China that the great Indian-born philosophy we now know as Buddhism became a true world religion - eventually spreading to Korea and Japan and then to the West.

"The Flower of Chinese Buddhism" basically picks up where Daisaku Ikeda's earlier volume on the history of Buddhism, "The Living Buddha," leaves off. Mr. Ikeda tells us of the great Buddhist translators and teachers of China, of the development of new schools of Buddhism, such as the T'ien-t'ai school, and the eventual decay of Chinese Buddhism after persecution in the tenth century.

As a student of Buddhism, I am indebted to Mr. Ikeda for his clear descriptions of Kumarajiva's revolutionary achievements, such as his excellent version of the sutras, including the Lotus Sutra, and various philosophical treatises that form the core of Eastern Buddhist literature.

Other great Chinese masters such as Hui-ssu and Chih-i are reviewed, making this an extremely concise and useful introduction to the T'ien-t'ai school of Buddhism that later became very powerful in Japan - the birthplace of Nichiren Daishonin and the modern harbinger of his teachings, Soka Gakkai International.

"The Flower of Chinese Buddhism" is a well-written documentation of one of the most important chapters of world religious history and particularly of Buddhist history.

The great Burton Watson, world-renowned translator/scholar of Chinese literature, including the Buddhist masterpiece "The Lotus Sutra," translated this outstanding documentary of the history of Buddhism in China.

It's not a thick book, but I've spent long time on reading it. I only read a few pages on the train while I commuted, but I had to think about what I read every day, because the author is not giving a one-directional lecture. He was pulling me into the thought about the cosmic life, my life. You'll be amazed by his broad knowledge and understanding about science, philosophy and religion. He refers many sources from philosophy, science and common people, but they are all very organized to points he explains. The flow of the content is very smooth. I recommend to read from the beginning to the end without skipping any chapters because to understand the later, you need to understand the earlier chapters. If you've read books about this kind of topic, the first 3 chapters might be a little tedious, but I think it was necessary for beginners; actually you would often find the other books only explain what this book covers with the first 3 chapters. This book has helped me so much. It inspired me about my studies of artificial life and artificial intelligence. It refreshed myself and gave me enthusiasm and hope about life. His explanation about life is very clear and logical. You wouldn't feel like you are reading a novel or a legend. It's more like a scientific paper. You'll get the answers about questions you've thought of or will, such as why people are all same, yet all different, why you're happy or miserable, what your past, present and future means and how you take control over it etc. Most of all, you'll get the answer about what life is and why it is so. I'm not going to tell you those answers here. You will find all out with this book. Enjoy.

Soka Gakkai International President Daisaku Ikeda gives a passionate and lucid explanation of the very nature of "life," "spirit," and the existence of "life after death." This now classic work, first published in 1982, is sometimes available here on Amazon.com in paperback.

Scientists have probed matter and discovered the world of atoms. Yet, while the limits of the known cosmos are being increasingly pushed back, life, the closest thing, remains a mystery.

Shakyamuni viewed life from a different perspective. He believed that life is not an abstract concept, but rather, it involves living in the world and achieving enlightenment in the midst of reality, while coping with joy and sorrow, pleasure and pain.

In writing this book, Daisaku Ikeda has sought to reveal the relationship linking the mystery of life as interpreted by Buddhism with empirical deductions of science, explaining spatial and temporal aspects of life, self-realization, and the Buddhist interpretation of death.

The author also explores the great life force inherent in the universe as it works in the context of daily human activities. For this he frequently draws from scientific analysis as well as the traditions of East and West. He hopes that the reader will rediscover what they are and live in a truly human way.

I love this book. Daisaku Ikeda's children's books are some of my favorite children's books of all time.

Akiko and Hiroshi move to an new island because of their parents' work. They don't know anyone on the island and are terribly lonely until they meet Pablo, who shows them the tropics entrancing secrets, teaches them to paddle outrigger canoes, and shares the delights of the coral reefs.

However, suddenly, Pablo decides that his new friends are his enemy. He has asked his grandmother about the wreck in the local bay and learned that people from Akiko and Hiroshi's island attacked Pablo's island many years ago. Hiroshi then sets out on his own in a small canoe and, caught in a strong current, is rescued by Pablo. They then learn that their ancient ancestors all came from the same place, carried around the world by boat and realize that humanity is truly one large family.

World renowned illustrator Brian Wildsmith outdoes himself in splendid paintings of a lush tropical island, a luminous sky and the beautiful tropical sea.

Three children overcome age-old prejudices to discover the unique value of their individual lives and the eternal bonds of friendship that connect all humanity through a rescue from a storm at sea.

Brian Wildsmith works his color magic on the tropical seas and fishes that provide the setting for this tale.

A precious little children's story about two kids who care for birds, especially an injured swan, while their dad is away for the winter fishing. The supernatural "Snow Country Prince" is very grateful to them for their compassionate deeds; perhaps he's responsible for bringing Papa - who also becomes injured - back home safe and sound. This little book teaches the rewards of compassion and caring for others in need.

Renowned illustrator Brian Wildsmith's familiar hues, his beautiful creatures drawn against vivid impressionistic landscapes, is wonderfully showcased in this lovely little book.

"The Snow Country Prince" relates the story of a young boy and his sister in a fishing village in the snow country who care for an injured swan through the harsh winter, while their very ill father is being treated at a distant hospital. Through caring for the swan, the children awaken their compassionate spirit as well as a strong hope for their father's recovery. As the swan regains its strength, the children record its progress in drawings for their mother to take to their father in the hospital as encouragement.

"The Snow Country Prince" relates the story of a young boy and his sister in a fishing village in the snow country who care for an injured swan through the harsh winter, while their very ill father is being treated at a distant hospital.

Through caring for the swan, the children awaken their compassionate spirit as well as a strong hope for their father's recovery. As the swan regains its strength, the children record its progress in drawings for their mother to take to their father in the hospital as encouragement.

An inspiring read for those interested in the relationship between the "real world" of our everyday life and the more complex questions of our existence. Both authors speak with respect, understanding and courage about life in the past (and next!) century. It was interesting for me, a layperson in matters of both science and religion, to feel a strong connection with such complex thinkers. I appreciate philosophical discussion that doesn't leave your heart cold -this fits the bill nicely.

"Space and Eternal Life" is a profound dialogue between eminent astronomer Chandra Wickramasinghe from Sri Lanka and Daisaku Ikeda, a Japanese scholar and president of the worldwide Buddhist organization called Soka Gakkai International. Both are world renowned poets, Mr. Ikeda having even been named a poet laureate of Japan.

In his foreward to the book, Sir Fred Hoyle states, "Many challenging problems face humankind as we approach the dawn of the new century. This book expolores some of these problems.... "

In closing the discussion, Ikeda states, "The advance of astronomy and unfolding of cosmology will expand humanity's awareness so that it encompasses the entire Earth.... "

This book, "Space and Eternal Life" is incredibly diverse in its range. It is essentially a dialogue between Chandra Wickramasinghe, an internationally renowned astronomer, and Daisaku Ikeda, leader of Soka Gakkai International, the world's largest Buddhist organization.

In this dialogue, the two men probe some of the deepest aspects of our existence. They touch on everything from Religion to Near-Death Experiences to Nuclear Weapons to AIDS to the Big Bang Theory and more.

As the dialogue unfolds, both the Buddhist viewpoint and an astronomer's view of the world are expressed, side by side, with interesting comparisons between the two.

While at first sight Buddhist philosophy might seem to lack the advantages of the empirical methodology of science in its exploration of the physical world, Buddhism's treatment of psychology, including the idea of many states of consciousness, appears to be remarkably sophisticated in modern terms.

This book also shows how ancient Buddhist ideas of cosmology are in tune with modern scientific thoeries. Fascinating through and through.

Mr. Peccei is the late wartime resistence hero, successful businessman and founder of the first think tank to severely assess humanity's chances for survival, The Club of Rome. He and the Soka Gakkai International president, Daisaku Ikeda, present their views as individual statements and in discussions on the complex web of natural and human-made problems threatening humanity's future.

Aurelio Peccei, founder of the Club of Rome, was a wartime resistance fighter, leading industrialist, and the founding president of one of the world's most renowned think tanks.

Daisaku Ikeda leads Soka Gakkai International, one of the largest nongovernmental organizations (NGOs) affiliated with the United Nations. During the past four decades he has visited over 50 nations, working non-stop for the total abolition of violence and war. He also founded Soka Education Systems and Soka University in 1971 to promote humanistic education throughout the world.

This book, developed through years of thinking, study, and reflection on the parts of both authors, brings to bear the complex web of problems threatening the habitability of the planet Earth. Presenting their comments alternately, they discuss how we have ended up on a collision course with Mother Nature.

They also talk of ways to meet the challenges of the future with optimism: through an internal, personal revolution of the spirit on the individual level, and through a grass-roots, participatory approach to problem-solving on the social level. Humanity's best hope for the future, they agree, is an ethical revolution that will enable people to gain a deeper understanding of themselves and their roles in the inter-relatedness of problems that threaten our future.

This book, "Buddhism - The First Millenium" is the second in a series of 3 books that chronicle the history of Buddhism. Much of the history of Buddhism during its first millenium is unlear. A major effort to formulate the Buddhist canon took place not long after Shakyamuni (Siddhartha Gautama) died, at what is known as the First Council. Subsequently, there arose differences of interpretation and a schism between the monastic community and the lay believers. Nevertheless, Buddhism survived and developed.

It came into contact with the West as early as the period when the latter was under the influence of the Greek states and it also spread to Southeast Asia, China, Korea and Japan. Contributing to this process were certain individuals - exceptional rulers like king Ashoka of India and the Greek philosopher-king Menander. Other include monks like Nagarjuna and Vasubandhu. Daisaku Ikeda pieces together the fabric of events from the distant past with insightful conjecture to bring to the surface the basic pattern of how and why Buddhism came to be a major world religion.

The history of the Buddhist religion during the centuries following the death of its founder, Shakyamuni, is as fascinating and important as it is problematic. Little documentary evidence remains, but it was in this period that the religion split into its two major branches, the Maha sanghika and the Theravada, and spread beyond India to Central Asia and China in the north and Sri Lanka and Southeast Asia to the south.

In Buddhism, The First Millennium, the author pieces together the fabric of events from the distant past with insightful conjecture to bring to the surface the basic pattern of how and why Buddhism came to be a major world religion--spreading into Southeast Asia, China, Korea and Japan--helped along by exceptional rulers like the Indian king Ashoka and the Greek philosopher-king Menander and monks and lay believers like Vimalakirti, Nargarjuna and Vasubandu.

The author shows the relevance of the teaching and spirit of the Buddha, not only to Indian society as it was then, but to the world and humankind as they are now.

This excellent and well informed book will be of great interest to anyone interested in the historic and philosophic dynamics of our changing world. Ikeda is a wonderful writer whose understanding of Buddhism, Christianity and other world religions helps us to see current world conditions more clearly. His ability to incorporate the teachings of Shakyamuni Buddha and Nichiren into a discussion of world history and contemporary discourse will be welcomed by those who have felt confused by the esoteric approach of other Buddhist writings. As an avid reader and writer, Ikeda has cultivated great skill in presenting complex intellectual ideas in a way that makes them relevant to the everyday lives of individuals. Addressing such approaches to history and culture as relativism, universalism, orientalism, concepts of time and war cultures he makes a convincing presentation of peace and global harmony as attainable goals. The structure of this book is clear and easy to reference, making it an excellent text for teachers and activists. For a reader who has found so much of contemporary Buddhist writings alienating and unrealistic this book is a refreshing and exciting addition to social dialogue on how to create a better world. Highly recommended.

For The Sake Of Peace: Seven Paths To Global Harmony, A Buddhist Perspective is the result of more than 25 years of UN Peace prize recipient, spiritual leader, educator, and philosopher Daisaku Ikeda's proposals to the United Nations and lectures at universities around the world. With his vision for achieving peace in the new century based upon the life- affirming teachings of Nichiren (13th century Japanese Buddhist teacher and reformer) as well as great world thinkers and philosophers ranging from Confucius, Plato, and Aristotle, to Tolstoy, Gandhi, and Toynbee, Ikeda reveals the issue of peace from the Buddhist perspective of compassion, the interconnectedness of all life, and an absolute respect for human life. For The Sake Of Peace offers "seven paths" ranging from self-mastery and dialogue to global awareness and disarmament that if taken will show humanity the way to live happily together on our finite planet. For The Sake Of Peace is enthusiastically recommended reading for peace activists, students of Buddhist philosophy, and those who have followed and appreciated Daisaku Ikeda's work and thought for the past three decades.

Despite your views of Soka Gakkai Internation and their religious doctrine, you will discover that their president and spiritual leader, Daisaku Ikeda, is well-grounded in the real world. You will find much value in this book. A clear, informative, well-written, practical guide for creating world peace. It may not be the final word on this issue, but you will likely find the argument compelling and important.

Daisaku Ikeda outlines steps towards a peaceful planet.

Quoting philosophers, historians, heroes, he sets out a guide to making peace possible. "If you want peace, prepare for peace."

In this time of war, war and more war, to know there are people actively working towards a peaceful planet and future is very encouraging. Ikeda explains how we each have to start with ourselves, our family, our community. Through dialogue, and a commitment to truly desire peace.

For those who believe we do not have to go to war to make a peaceful world.

This work is a discussion on topics including religion, education, ethics, humanism and Buddhism/Christianity. Through the dialogue, SGI President Ikeda and Derbolav, professor of education and philosophy at the University of Bonn, offer a bridge between Asian and European cultures.

This book deals with a variety of contemporary problems in the form of a dialogue between Daisaku Ikeda, president of Soka Gakkai International, the world's largest Buddhist organization, and the late Josef Derbolav (1912-87), then professor emeritus of the University of Bonn and a world-renowned authority on pedagogy and Greek philosophy.

Together they explore a wide range of topics, starting with a discussion of the tension between tradition and modernization in Japan and elsewhere. They compare humanism in East and West, and Buddhism and Christianity.

Focusing on the crucial topic of education, they consider the roles of ethics and religion. They conclude their dialogue by "searching" for a new humanity that can face and conquer the daunting problems we have created in our century, especially overpopulation and destruction of the natural environment.

By selecting the word "search" for their title, the authors consciously stress the dialectic approach, whether it be that of Plato searching for the ideal, Augustine for God, or the bodhisattva of the Buddhist tradition searching for perfect enlightenment. This search for the future is to be based on substantial expertise, the strongest sense of responsibility and the highest degree of self-control.

Therefore, they state, "it is necessary to remember that attaining a new form of humanity entails an inner revolution - a radical alteration of our way of thinking - that will free us from prominent egoistic, commercial, and ideological motivations and at the same time liberate us to the deep and genuine claims of Eastern and Western cultural traditions and such of their treasures as Buddhism and Christianity."

The discussion began in May 1981 when Ikeda visited West Germany and continued in 1982 in Tokyo and then again in 1983 in Bonn. During the intervals, they sustained their dialogue through regular correspondence, clarifying and elaborating their views.