Daisaku Ikeda

Daisaku Ikeda is a Buddhist leader, peacebuilder, a prolific writer, poet, educator and founder of a number of cultural, educational and peace research institutions around the world. As third president of the Soka Gakkai (value-creating society) and founder of the Soka Gakkai International, Daisaku Ikeda has developed and inspired what may be the largest, most diverse international lay Buddhist association in the world today. Based on the 700-year-old tradition of Nichiren Buddhism, the movement is characterized by its emphasis on individual empowerment and social engagement to advance peace, culture and education. This website details Ikeda's accomplishments and contributions as a Buddhist philosopher and leader, a peacebuilder, and an educator, as well as presenting a selection of Ikeda's own writings relevant to these themes. The Profile section presents a biography of his life and a selection of short autobiographical essays. For more on Ikeda's writings and his thoughts on writing, visit the Books section of this site.