Writing
Writing and speech are the mark of humanity. They are forces capable of resisting violence and building true and lasting peace.
The New Human Revolution, vol. 8, 2002, p. 173
I will write. I am determined to continue writing. Let us all join forces to further develop this magnificent “bastion of the pen” of the people.
The Wisdom for Creating Happiness and Peace, Part 3: Kosen-rufu and World Peace, 2023, p. 459
Please write for the sake of people’s happiness. Write for the sake of human triumph. We are comrades in the struggle to craft words for peace.
The New Human Revolution, vol. 21, 2010, p. 287
The power of the written word sometimes defies imagination.
My Dear Friends of America, 2024, p. 13
Words are mysterious. They have tremendous power.
My Dear Friends of America, 2024, p. 46
Speech and writing not based on philosophy and conviction are as insubstantial as smoke.
The New Human Revolution, vol. 1, 2017, p. 231
Whether it be with respect to headlines, articles, or design and layout, it is important not to fall into a rut and just content ourselves with doing things the same old way. A newspaper is a living thing. No one is interested in buying fish that is no longer fresh. In the same way, readers will discard a paper that is hackneyed or has grown stagnant.
The New Human Revolution, vol. 1, 2017 p. 233
Why should mere words written on a piece of paper have such power? Shin’ichi responded sincerely: “Paper can have remarkable power, can’t it? Would you toss away a check for fifty or a hundred thousand yen because it’s ‘just paper’? If you get a telegram saying, YOUR MOTHER IS IN CRITICAL CONDITION, wouldn’t you still be deeply affected, even though it’s just words on paper?” A map is just paper. But if we have trust in the map and use it, we will arrive at our intended destination.
The New Human Revolution, vol. 25, 2017, p. 163
What we need are writers with unsurpassed, lion-like courage, who are prepared to bear full responsibility . . . and take up their pens with a resolve to change the world. If we have just five or ten such journalists, then that’s all we need. Success in communicating our message through speech or writing does not depend on the number of people involved.
The New Human Revolution, vol. 1, 2017, p. 233-234
Words have the potential to create, influence, and determine the direction of the times.
The New Human Revolution, vol. 4, 2010, p. 169
A written work is an expression of its author, a reflection of that person’s life state.
The New Human Revolution, vol. 2, 2018, p. 74
This may be a silly question, but what constitutes good writing? Shin’ichi nodded and said: “Since your writing is a reflection of your heart, I think good writing aptly conveys your philosophy, has a fresh, unique and insightful point of view, and communicates your life-state and spirit. Simply put, truly good writing leaves everyone who reads it feeling satisfied and enlightened. No matter how great your message, if only scholars and intellectuals can understand what you’ve written you will alienate everyone else.”
If people cannot comprehend what you’re trying to say, you’re simply writing for your own amusement. That’s why it’s important to aim for a style of writing that anyone can understand and be moved by. A newspaper that forgets its readers, that forgets about ordinary people, will never be able to change society.
The New Human Revolution, vol. 18, 2009, p. 66-67
Try to be fresh and avoid repeating the same words and expressions. Otherwise, readers will get bored and won’t want to read the article. Publishing a newspaper is a struggle against falling into a rut. You mustn’t rely on the same old patterns. Inspiring originality and creativity is very important.
The New Human Revolution, vol. 18, 2009, p. 78-79
Now, why do mistakes happen? They often happen when we carelessly assume that we have done enough and fail to check and recheck our work in the proper fashion. This is negligence, and it is a grave problem. The only way to prevent this is to train everyone in the basics so thoroughly that they naturally pay attention to details and avoid mistakes.
The New Human Revolution, vol. 18, 2009, p. 60
Errors occur when, for example, even though you’re checking all your work, you aren’t able to concentrate properly because you’re feeling tired and run down from lack of sleep. This causes carelessness and oversights. Behind this is a failure to realize that the workplace is a battleground and that it’s where you should always be at your best. Not recognizing this is like a boxer going into the ring when he’s exhausted and out of shape.
The New Human Revolution, vol. 18, 2009, p. 60
Shinichi contributed a short essay to the first issue where he declared that initiating a war of words dedicated to truth and justice could change the direction of the Cold War and the numerous armed conflicts around the world. It would be based on the conviction that “the pen is mightier than the sword.”
The New Human Revolution, vol. 8, 2002, p. 174
Words have tremendous power. They can change people’s awareness and change the times. That is why those in power wishing to control the people have always tried to manipulate words and eliminate the influence of reformers in society. Such people misuse the mass media to spread lies, branding reformers as evil, deviant, and insane and trying to stir up hatred and fear… For this reason, Shinichi put his energy into developing the writers department.
The New Human Revolution, vol. 8, 2002, p. 175
Received guidance and advice from Mr. Toda about the logical system of “main point, outline and development” in terms of both work and public relations.
A Youthful Diary: One Man’s Journey From the Beginning of Faith to Worldwide Leadership for Peace, 2001, p.3
You need to strengthen your abilities, and the key to that is concentrated effort, working twice as hard as anyone else. If, for instance, you spend an hour working on even a brief ten-line article, your effort will be reflected in the depth of the finished product.
The New Human Revolution, vol. 18, 2009, p. 67
A famous reporter I once met confessed to me that he used to take home articles written by top senior reporters at his paper and copy them out as a kind of personal exercise. The degree to which you study and strive on your own will determine your success. It may not be apparent at the time, but five, ten or twenty years later, it will be plainly evident.
The New Human Revolution, vol. 18, 2009, p. 67
Start by writing down your dreams or goals on a piece of paper. There’s something really magical about the written word. Writing down what you want to do will put you on the path to get there. By the way, scientists have recently found that writing your goals down on paper stimulates the brain and makes you want to try to achieve those goals.
Soar Into the Skies of Hope, 2016, p. 69
It has always been my hope that our young people, in particular, will read good books and familiarize themselves with good writing. Reading books is also the way to inherit the intellectual legacy of humankind.Whereas reading stimulates and develops our minds, helping us acquire critical thinking skills, watching television is a very passive way of receiving information, and its images can be deceptive. There is a need to revive authentic writing issuing from the profound depths of the human spirit in order to counteract writing that is full of lies and deliberate misrepresentation.
The Wisdom for Creating Happiness and Peace, Part 3: Kosen-rufu and World Peace, 2023, p. 452-453
When I finished reading the letter, I immediately took up my pen. Wishing to convey to him the message “You have a mission only you can fulfill! Don’t give up!” I wrote the following: Friend, be strong,/ and stand up with courage!/ I have faith in you,/ in your sincere devotion. /Your arduous efforts at work/ and your late-night studies— /they, too, are training for your life. /Embrace struggles with joy!
The Wisdom for Creating Happiness and Peace, Part 3: Kosen-rufu and World Peace, 2023, p. 402
Poems and songs penned as an unstoppable outpouring of the heart take on a life of their own. They transcend the limits of nationality and time as they pass from person to person, from one heart to another.
The Wisdom for Creating Happiness and Peace, Part 3: Kosen-rufu and World Peace, 2023, p. 447
Even an old fountain pen, if it happened to have belonged to some great writer, is a source of fascination for people, seeming to speak of the secrets behind the masterpieces written with it.
The Wisdom for Creating Happiness and Peace, Part 3: Kosen-rufu and World Peace, 2023, p. 447
The first step in reviving dialogue where human bonds and communication have broken down is to revitalize and infuse the written and spoken word with the light of spirituality. Literary masterpieces are the ideal vehicle for this endeavor.
Reviving Education: The Brilliance of the Inner Spirit, 2001, p. 8
Even today, at the age of 75, I am still engaged in this challenge. I continue to write, to speak out, to keep up the struggle of words and language — determined to go on writing, and be a hundred, a thousand times as productive as I was in my youth.
To the Youthful Pioneers of Soka, 2015, p. 153
Let us harness to this challenge our minds, our voices, our spoken and written word. Let us continue to cry out for truth and justice for as long as we have breath. For underlying all of this, what is most essential is that we have that courage and passion.
To the Youthful Pioneers of Soka, 2015, p. 153
Publishing is a force for elevating culture by disseminating ideas and fostering spiritual dialogue.
The New Human Revolution, vol. 30, 2021, p. 386
The “poetic spirit resides in this power to communicate a fundamental and profound perception, in which many can share and participate.” Truly moving poetry goes beyond expressing feelings and emotions. Essentially, it is a crystallization of the bond between individuals, between people and society, and between humanity and nature.
The Art of True Relations: Conversations on the Poetic Heart of Human Possibility, 2014, p. 143
There is no doubt that the revival of the poetic spirit is essential today. I am especially eager for younger generations to inherit the vigorous spirituality of poetry, and this is why I often share words of the world’s great poets, such as Whitman, at entrance ceremonies at Soka University of America and other Soka schools.
The Art of True Relations: Conversations on the Poetic Heart of Human Possibility, 2014, p. 148
It is said that writing reveals a person’s character. In other words, it reflects one’s heart, one’s spirit, one’s state of being. Indeed, the entire inner reality of one’s life is manifested in one’s writing. That is why writing that is born of pain and struggle, and that overflows with burning passion, touches people’s lives.
The New Human Revolution, vol. 14, 2020, p. 90
If your writing is superficial and concerned only with appearances, you won’t be able to refute injustice. Such writing is smug and self-complacent. Only when you are giving your all to writing in order to protect the correct teachings of Nichiren Daishonin and for the sake of the people does the pen become mightier than the sword.
The New Human Revolution, vol. 14, 2020, p. 185-186
My motivation for writing The New Human Revolution was to engage in a life-to-life dialogue with young people throughout Japan and across the globe, just as my mentor had offered me one-to-one training at what I call “Toda University”.
The Wisdom for Creating Happiness and Peace, Part 3: Kosen-rufu and World Peace, 2023, p. 330
I think reading good writing is like eating good food, a pleasurable experience.
Discussions on Youth: For the Leaders of the Future, 2025, p. 206
Mr. Toda told me to always read the preface and afterword of every book I read. He said one could judge the writer’s ability to some extent in those sections of the book.
Discussions on Youth: For the Leaders of the Future, 2025, p. 206