Friends when I was given the invitation to come here, I was a little nervous, nervous simply because here is a great man whose centenary we are celebrating a man whose philosophy is being put into practice in the form of resolutions of UN. Now, the general assembly has declared that 2000 is the year of culture and peace, which is followed by the year 2001, is designated by the general assembly among civilizations which are the two vital things particularly in the context of nuclear politics of the day. I call it nucleus politics simply because the nuclearisation of worlds has been not only baffled but if you call in the context of globalization of the world; globalization process had stared in the late 80’s with article by a German . Who indicated a Liberal economy policy a policy that will delegate the role of the state in the background, the state will be nowhere interested to see the needs of the target group’s weaker sections of the state. State will be nowhere to counsel their welfare activities, will be concerned only with a few ceremonial activities. This philosophy of the West, developed countries was carried to the developing countries of the world. The only policies that have been there since the last years do not need a philosophy to understand. The way globalization process particularly in the content of nuclearisation has completely destroyed the economy of the third world countries. The tigers have been converted into jackals. Tigers of South Asia, tigers of western horizon and Latin America, countries are no more tigers. Well friends, when I am talking about Josei Toda, today, I am reminded of his profound philosophy of values of beauty, gain and goodness and power traditions and I quote him, Toda said , “ our ideal is to employ the power of the religion to develop individual potentialities . The very concept of state the other day when I received a letter from the His Excellency, the present President of the SGI, Dr. Ikeda, he was highlighting commenting on the articles of mine, somewhere in November on marked democracy and social justice. He said, That the concept of state is not to simply provide benefits, that is the role of state. The role of the state is to create situations, conditions in which the man will be able to develop to fullest extent. That is what a state is and he said this is the philosophy of Toda, philosophy of Gandhi, philosophy of Ikeda, talk about. And I quote, “ our ideal is to employ the power of true religion, to develop individual potentialities. The same philosophy is reflected in the writings of Toda, SGI’s second president. And the present president Dr Ikeda. Dr Ikeda says, I quote his lecture, “I have always believed that the original purpose of politics was an art to serve the needs of public, a means of struggle to carry out public good.” It must not develop into pretext to ordinary people on the altar of social and economic development but rather provide the framework in which individual members of society are able to realize their happiness to the fullest .In short, is the responsibility of those interested to focus their endeavors on the establishment of central humanism”
Throughout his life Toda advocated the concept of Buddhism and Buddhist humanism and action oriented programs to steer the flow of human awareness .He accepted his followers huge dialogue as a way of creating enduring solidarity that encompasses all humankind. Honorary Director has already referred to the process that has started in the UN forum collecting the signatures for Nobel Laureates and peacemakers and peace researchers to say the message of dialogue which is very vital, that is why I was referring to cultural peace and cultural dialogue .He always believed in the concept of common humanity underline the word common humanity that is the essence of Toda’s philosophy. And wanted this common humanity to fight against nuclear weapons not simply from the standpoint of ideology that’s what most of us are doing these days but nationalism and ethnic identity but from the point of view of person and dimension of humanity. As the humanity stands today, at the big entrance of the new millenium, the greatness of Toda’s declaration against the nuclear weapons become more and more relevant. International order today is passing through a period of restlessness. With the fall of Berlin Wall and collapse of communism, it was believed that the entire world was going to opt for the new liberal economy and new liberal democracy .A systematic attempt was made by the developed countries to ensure, it is very vital more openness regarding market based development strategies, and structural adjustment programs in the developed countries .An emphasis on profitability and market efficiency directed the democratic and liberating role of the nation states .It provided an amoral grounding to politics and it has indeed created a climate of political social process .Too much emphasis has created an atmosphere of inequality ,a sign of restlessness .Nuclear weapons proliferation, ethnic nationalism, human rights violations, environmental degradation, and declining structures of internal security systems have forced us to think in terms of new guiding philosophy to meet challenges of our times. In the name of globalization, the nation-states are no more interested to think in terms of basic need strategy. More and more diverse process has created a vicious circle of poverty and international security crisis in the state process. Mankind is faced now with a new isolation that Dr. Ikeda termed. Dr. Ikeda used this term of Boutros Boutros Ghali, the former secretary general of UN, in his book titled “Towards culture of peace” that is the book written by Dr. Ikeda. I am borrowing these terms from that book the concept of new isolation, which Ikeda called an identity crisis. I entirely agree with him. This is the identity crisis sparked by the people’s confusion and uneasiness of the tide of globalization of world confronted with the condemnation of the contemporary loss of traditional values. People are faced with the temptation to withdraw either into their small locale or into a particular belief pattern. What needs to be addressed today is the underlying identity crisis. Indeed what is needed today is a new approach to the problem of identity, we must try to move towards the political, social and spiritual emphasis of the globalization of the future.
Today Toda’s declaration of September 1957, the proposal which is sent ot the UN against the nuclearisation of International politics for the complete abolition of the nuclear weapons termed them as the internal threat to mankind’s right to live, as the world’s basic philosophy and the Indian civilization’s doctrine of non-violence and kinship of all creation, “Vasudev Kutumbika”. Nearly three decades later this philosophy was again highlighted by the Indian Prime Minister in his addressed to the UN , special session on disarmament on June 9, 1988, presented his action planned on nuclear weapons of the world order. Mr. Rajiv Gandhi said, “Non-violence are the governing principles of the society and nations would launch an input for the blossoming of common humanity. Tolerant of the diverse ways of life with compassion and moral outlook and belief in the brotherhood of mankind.” Like Mahatma Gandhi, Toda was a great pacifist of profound conviction. Consider the huge proponents of the theory of nuclear deterrence as the demonic product of the darker side of the human spirit. The very idea of nuclear deterrence, the concept that perhaps control the 50s, 60s and 70s. The very idea of nuclear deterrence, to quote him, produces a vicious circle that fears the endless escalation of nuclear arms race. He said that those who base their hopes on the philosophy of nuclear deterrence were thus entering into a devilish life. He said that anyone who even agrees for the use of such weapons must neither be excused nor condemned forgiveness. Gandhi’s relentless opinion on non-violence and humanism were reflected throughout Toda’s guidance. There is a passage, I am quoting the American Socialist Daniel Bell who said , “ We with the rise of religious modes, he is not referring to the terms we understand today of which I have no doubt.” Perhaps he has a valuable similarity, but actually it is a kind spirituality for which I appealed and he said
Religious similarity doesn’t mean secularism. But the actual is a kind of spirituality of which Gandhi appealed when he said that religion doesn’t mean? It means that it believes in the order of moral government of the universe” Gandhi and Toda were immortal messengers of peace Dr. Ikeda has been consistently feeling for such a human society as the prime duty of the political leaders, philosophers and intellectuals. Once Dr., Ikeda said’” Mahatma Gandhi proclaimed that the power of spirit is stronger than any atomic bomb, to transform the century of war into a century of peace we must cultivate limitless inherent power of human life.” It is foreword to the book The New Human Revolution Dr. Ikeda said, “ I know that President Toda is watching me throughout.” Toda knew that the road towards Kosen-rufu was a long way and the tragedy of Hiroshima and Nagasaki haunting throughout. During one of his journeys, looking at the blue sky of the early morning, looking at the river and the mountain he said,” It is imperative that we relieve the world from this devilish weapon that threatens our very right to exist. He was critical of the production of nuclear arms and nuclear testing while addressing the members of Soka Gakkai he said that very often I have seen that when he is talking about the death punishment to be given to the people, the proponents of the nuclear weapons , he is not a supporter to the understanding of capital punishment , what he is trying to say is that these are the people who must be segregated from the rest of the humanity. That was the meaning of it. He said, ”Why do I say this , because we the citizens of the world have an invaluable right to live, anyone who tries to jeopardize this right , is a devil incarnate , a fiend, a monster. I propose that humankind apply every case that death penalty to any responsible for using nuclear weapons even if he possibly be on the winning side.”
This however doesn’t mean that death as a general punishment, in fact his declaration against the nuclear war, nuclear weapons were the message from his philosophy and this is also the essence of the Soka Gakkai’s world wide philosophy and movement for peace. Many years back a great philosopher Burton Russell wrote, “The choice for mankind today, between vision and death, so vision and action are both needed ,without the vision of the new civilization ,disarmament and carrying out peaceful methods, men of same humanity. For hatred and cruelty may again come back and compel the world to commit mass suicide .The time has come now, at the great beginning of this new millenium to push this idea of new civilization, to cherish human lives, the humankind has reached
A crucial point, at crossroads and is poised between a collapsing past and indeterminate future. There is an urgent need today for building a global order based on dialogue, understanding of peace and humanism .let me conclude my lecture today with reference to the poem that Toda wrote, which is now engraved on the monument dedicated to him in the garden of the Grand Lecture hall, Taisekiji.
“Arms in arm,
Each for each
Emerge together
On the long hard road to Kosenrufu” |
