Daisaku Ikeda

Religious leader (Buddhist). Honorary Chairman of Soka Gakkai and President of Soka Gakkai International (SGI). Born on January 2nd in Omori-machi, Ebara-gun, Tokyo (now Omori, Ota-ku, Tokyo) as the fifth son of Ikeda Nenokichi, who runs a seaweed manufacturing business. After graduating from Haneda Second Elementary School and Haneda Higher Elementary School, he worked at an ironworks. After the end of World War II, he studied at the former Oriental Industrial School and Daisei Gakuin (later Tokyo Fuji University and Tokyo Fuji University Junior College) while working. In 1947 (Showa 22), he met Toda Josei and joined Soka Gakkai. In 1949, he joined Nippon Seigakukan, a publishing company run by Toda, as a publishing editor, and began his Soka Gakkai activities while working at the company. When Toda became the second president of Soka Gakkai in 1951, he began to actively participate in the Youth Division, and in 1954 he became Chief of Staff of the Youth Division, becoming a central figure in the development of Soka Gakkai.

After Toda's death, he became the third president of Soka Gakkai in 1960, and expanded the organization into a large one with over 8 million households. Immediately after assuming his position, he devoted himself to missionary work overseas, and in 1975 he founded Soka Gakkai International, becoming its president and establishing the foundation for the organization's international expansion. During this time, he developed theories of civilization, academics, and politics based on Buddhism, such as the theory of the third civilization, and promoted various cultural, educational, and peace activities, including entering politics. In 1964, he founded the political party, Komeito, and led it to the House of Representatives. In 1970, the party shed its religious character as a "national party" and grew to hold as many as 51 seats in the House of Representatives. Since 1993, it has played a part in the coalition government, except for the period when the Democratic Party was in power. He also founded educational institutions such as Soka Gakuen, Soka University, and Soka University of America, research institutions such as the Institute of Eastern Philosophy, the Boston 21st Century Center, and the Toda Memorial Institute for International Peace Research, and cultural institutions such as the Tokyo Fuji Art Museum and the Min-On Association.

On the other hand, he has written the novels "The Human Revolution" (12 volumes in total) and "The New Human Revolution" (still in publication), which describe the history, ideals and vision of Soka Gakkai, as well as making proposals on issues such as peace, the environment and education, and engaging in dialogues with cultural figures, scholars and politicians from around the world. Many of his dialogue collections have been published, including "Dialogue for the 21st Century" (A. J. Toynbee), "Darkness Seeks the Dawn" (René Huyghe), "Society and Religion" (Bryan Wilson (1926-2004)), and "Lessons of the Twentieth Century Spirit" (M. Gorbachev).

Through these cultural and academic exchanges, he has received many honorary doctorates and honorary professorships from universities and academic institutions around the world, including Moscow State University, the University of Glasgow, and Beijing University. He also spoke early on about the importance of the development of the United Nations, and in 1983 was awarded the United Nations Peace Prize.

[Tsuyoshi Nakano June 19, 2018]

"The Human Revolution, 12 volumes (1965-1993, Seikyo Shimbunsha/Seikyō Bunko, Ushio Publishing/Ushio Bunko)" "The New Human Revolution, 29 volumes published to date, to be continued (1998-, Seikyo Shimbunsha)"

Source: Shogakukan Encyclopedia Nipponica About Encyclopedia Nipponica Information | Legend

宗教家（仏教者）。創価学会名誉会長、創価学会インタナショナル（SGI）会長。1月2日、東京府荏原(えばら)郡大森町（現、東京都大田区大森）に、海苔(のり)製造業を営む池田子之吉(ねのきち)の五男として生まれる。羽田(はねだ)第二尋常小学校、羽田高等小学校を経て、鉄工所に勤務。第二次世界大戦終戦後、働きながら旧制東洋工業学校、大世学院（後、東京富士大学、東京富士大学短期大学部）に学ぶ。1947年（昭和22）、戸田城聖(とだじょうせい)と出会い、創価学会に入会。1949年、戸田の経営する日本正学館に出版編集者として入社し、社業とともに創価学会の活動を開始する。1951年に戸田が創価学会第2代会長に就任するとともに、青年部で活発な活動をはじめ、1954年青年部参謀室長となり、創価学会の発展における中心的存在になっていく。

　戸田の死後、1960年（昭和35）に創価学会第3代会長に就任、800万世帯を超える大教団に発展させた。就任直後から海外での布教に尽力し、1975年には創価学会インタナショナルを設立して会長に就任、同会の国際的発展の基盤を確立した。その間、第三文明論など仏教を根底にした文明論、学問論、政治論を展開して、政界進出をはじめ文化・教育・平和の諸活動を推進する。1964年には政党、公明党を結成して衆議院に進出させた。1970年、同党は「国民政党」として宗教色を廃し、衆議院で最大51議席を占めるまでに発展し、1993年（平成5）以降は民主党政権の期間を除き連立政権の一翼を担っている。また創価学園、創価大学、アメリカ創価大学などの教育機関、東洋哲学研究所、ボストン21世紀センター、戸田記念国際平和研究所などの研究機関、東京富士美術館や民主音楽協会などの文化機関を設立した。

　他方、小説『人間革命』（全12巻）、『新・人間革命』（続刊中）を執筆して、創価学会の歴史や理念、将来構想を描くとともに、平和や環境、教育問題などに提言を行い、世界各国の文化人、学者、政治家らと対談を重ねている。対談集『二十一世紀への対話』（A・J・トインビー）、『闇(やみ)は暁を求めて』（ルネ・ユイグ）、『社会と宗教』（ブライアン・ウィルソンBryan Wilson（1926―2004））、『二十世紀の精神の教訓』（M・ゴルバチョフ）など、多数が発刊されている。

　これらの文化学術交流によってモスクワ大学、グラスゴー大学、北京(ペキン)大学など、各国の大学・学術機関から多くの名誉博士号、名誉教授号を受けている。また早くから国際連合の発展の重要性を主張し、1983年には国連平和賞を受賞した。

［中野　毅　2018年6月19日］

『『人間革命』全12巻（1965～1993・聖教新聞社／聖教文庫、潮出版社・潮文庫）』▽『『新・人間革命』既刊29巻以下続刊（1998～　・聖教新聞社）』

出典　小学館　日本大百科全書(ニッポニカ)日本大百科全書(ニッポニカ)について　情報 | 凡例