Compassionate Light in Asia

A Dialogue

Jin Yong, Daisaku Ikeda

• Publisher: I.B. Tauris
• Year: 2013
• Print ISBN: 9781848851986
• eBook ISBN: 9781786720023
• Edition: 1
• Topic: Art
• Subtopic: History of Art

'Life is a drama of encounters', writes Daisaku Ikeda at the beginning of this dialogue: 'Beautiful encounters. Momentary encounters. Each person's drama is unique.' This particular encounter, between a celebrated Chinese novelist and prominent Japanese religious leader, illustrates the truth of that reflection. For in the discussion that stemmed from their meetings, Jin Yong (who is sometimes called 'the Asian Dumas') and Daisaku Ikeda were able to find remarkable common ground - what they refer to as a 'karmic bond' - resulting from the particularity of their experiences in wartime and mutual resistance to adversity. Ranging across a variety of engaging themes, the interlocutors explore such topics as the nature of friendship; theories of civilization; world literatures that have inspired them; the importance of free speech; Buddhist perspectives on life and death; and the spiritual search for truth.
There is sustained reflection on the horrors of war, and a plea for the importance of memory: Daisaku Ikeda emphasises that 'peace is a battle against forgetfulness', while Jin Yong echoes this in his observation that 'most important is to strive to avoid war, whether it is between countries and whether it be domestic, and thus to enable people to build and improve their lives in a peaceful environment.' Cultural differences between the peoples of China and Japan are explored, sometimes amusingly, with the Japanese propensity for discipline and rules contrasted with the Chinese spirit of creative individualism. But the authors are focused above all on serious issues of meaning and identity, and they reveal the mutual solace both have found - in the face of personal loss and bereavement - in the Buddhist scriptures, especially the Lotus Sutra. Demonstrating a remarkable capacity for empathy throughout, they incarnate in their lives and work an intelligent and sympathetic compassion that represents a beacon of hope to the future direction of Sino-Japanese relations.

CHAPTER 1

The Seasons of Life: Self-Discipline and Character Development in Youth

Sensing a Karmic Bond, We Engage in Dialogue on the Spiritual Dimension

IKEDA: There may be many people in the world, but only a few that a person must seek out in search of counsel. To discuss matters with someone who shares similar views represents one of life’s happiest occasions. Even as we converse, I feel like I have known you for a long time.

I recall the comment that the author Chingiz Aitmatov of the former Soviet Union made when we began our conversation, which was published with the title of Ode to the Grand Spirit. He said, ‘I do not recall how our conversation started. Perhaps it did not start at all but only continued because we had already been talking to each other even before we met.’¹

I have the same sense about our encounter, Mr Jin. That is, in Buddhist terms, I cannot help feeling that we share a karmic bond.

JIN: I feel exactly the same way. If we say that we are brothers, people would probably believe it.

IKEDA: I am familiar with a broad range of world literature, and in my youth I had thought that I would like to become a writer. To be able to engage in a dialogue with such a great author as you, Mr Jin, is such a joy for me.

JIN: Quite some time ago, I read the dialogue Choose Life, which was between you, President Ikeda, and Dr Arnold Toynbee, and I was greatly impressed. I feel very honoured to have this opportunity to engage in our dialogue on this occasion.

IKEDA: Dr Toynbee once told me that the only way to create a path for the advancement of humanity is through dialogue. He said, ‘You are still young. I would urge you to continue your dialogues with the intellectuals of the world.’ This was his wish bequeath to me.

This calls to mind Socrates – the man most known for using dialogue in the search for truth, so much so that this manner of conversing is called the Socratic method. Socrates’ disciple Plato continued writing Socratic dialogues after Socrates’ death. Similarly, Nichiren, whom we revere, has left a record of writings in dialogue form. His work On Establishing the Correct Teaching for the Peace of the Land, which sounded the alarm about dangers to the country, is in the form of a dialogue between a host and a traveller.

Arcane and abstruse writing is inaccessible to most people. And the writing of some writers is simply a monologue that feeds their own ego. In contrast, the dialogue style of writing is easy to read and has a kind of universality about it.

Heart-to-heart dialogues that explore the spiritual and psychological dimensions of human experience have withstood the test of time and will remain in humanity’s awareness for eternity. In one of our dialogues, Dr Toynbee related that a certain meeting of heads of state was reported in the media with great fanfare. He commented in a serious tone, ‘Events in the political dimension are fleeting and ephemeral, but our dialogue, while low-key and unspectacular, will survive well into the future’.

JIN: President Ikeda, you have held many dialogues with distinguished people from all over the world. One of your dialogues was with former President of the Soviet Union Mikhail Gorbachev, a politician whom I respect greatly. Another was with the late Mr Chang Shuhong, one of China’s foremost Dunhuang researchers and scholars and a distinguished artist in his own right. In the wake of your dialogues with such illustrious persons, I am truly honoured to have this opportunity to engage in our dialogue.

IKEDA: It is indeed my pleasure. My intention is to learn from you.

JIN: I was very impressed when I learned that you place great importance on dialogue. Some of the greatest works of philosophy have taken the form of dialogues, including, as you mentioned, the Socratic dialogues. The Analects of Confucius, which chronicles the teachings of the great Chinese philosopher, was also written in a dialogue format.

President Ikeda, as adherents of Buddhism, we know that Shakyamuni conveyed his Buddhist teachings in the form of dialogues. In the Buddhist scriptures, the phrase ‘Thus have I heard’, attributed to Shakyamuni, was recorded by Shakyamuni’s disciples and provides insight into the dialogue style of the teachings. Similarly, in the Lotus Sutra were written the specifics of where, to whom, and in what manner Shakyamuni expounded on the Buddhist teachings. In other words, this, too, is a record of dialogues.

IKEDA: I was well aware of your prodigious scholarship, but I would like to once again express my high regard for your erudition.

JIN: Well, I don’t feel that I rise to the calibre of the distinguished people from around the world with whom you have engaged in dialogues in the past, but I am looking forward to participating in our discussion and contributing in my own way.

President Ikeda, you and I are of the same generation. We were both born in the 1920s. I was born in 1924 and you in 1928. In Chinese we have the term, roughly translated, ‘age without substance’, which has been used since ancient times. It means that even if a person is older, if he has made no progress or has no accomplishments to show for himself, then his time has been spent in idleness. His seniority is called an ‘empty seniority’ or ‘seniority without substance’.

IKEDA: You are exceedingly humble. But, Mr Jin, you have the presence and bearing of a great man. You know, they say that where there are Chinese, your novels will be found. You are praised as a grand master of Chinese literature and as one of the most talented Asian writers. You have left a rare legacy that will last through the ages. You are a ‘champion of the pen’ and a leader of public opinion in Hong Kong, the world’s harbour of peace and prosperity.

In your address at Soka University in April 1996, you emphasized in your discussion of The Tso Chuan: Selections from China’s Oldest Narrative History that the most monumental and enduring act possible for humankind is to create spiritual value. I would like to suggest that during your life you have created much spiritual value, which will indeed be everlasting and eternal.

JIN: President Ikeda, in many of your writings you express brilliant observations and opinions in your persistent and tireless efforts to build world peace. You are the preeminent leader of Soka Gakkai, a spiritual organization that does its utmost to create value in society and in people’s lives. Furthermore, I think it is important to note that you have maintained your courage in adhering to the truth and refusing to succumb to malicious and biased sentiments. For these efforts, you have my undying respect.

In the novels I write, there is a heroic central character or a group of heroes. And the primary quality of these heroes is their courage. Their courage is not just the courage to fight against physical odds. They have moral courage, and that is what is most important. I feel that you have this attribute of moral courage.

IKEDA: I sincerely appreciate your kind words of encouragement.

More than 20 of my dialogues with distinguished leaders in various fields have been published [67 as of July 2013], but relatively few of these have been literary authors. And so I am especially delighted to have this opportunity to speak with you.

I continue to pursue opportunities to engage in dialogue with leading Western luminaries in culture and the arts. However, our dialogue, Mr Jin, will set a significant precedent in the dialogue series.

Let us take our time and make this dialogue an enjoyable experience. As we continue each segment of our dialogue, may the experience give you strength to regain your health and fill you with the energy of youth – that we may benefit Hong Kong, China, and the entire world.

Memories of War and a Determination to Stand with the People

IKEDA: Mr Jin, when we speak about our youth, there is no way to discuss it without touching on our memories of the war. When you came to speak at Soka University in the spring of 1996, one of our students asked you the question, ‘What was the source of your strength that enabled you to make your statement to stand with the people?’

In your response, you explained: ‘The era in which I was raised had a major impact in shaping my life. During the war, people had a very difficult time just struggling to survive, and I could see how the people were suffering. That is why I determined to do whatever I could to stand with and support the people.’

Japan has certainly behaved barbarically in the countries of Asia and especially in China. During the past several thousand years, all aspects of Japanese culture have been greatly enriched by Chinese culture, but instead of acknowledging China as our benefactor and repaying this debt with gratitude, Japan inflicted unspeakable atrocities on the country that shared so much of itself. Such behaviour is deeply criminal.

JIN: When the Japanese military launched its assault on China, I was already familiar with a handful of Japanese people of conscience who were opposed to this war of aggression.

After the war, on the several occasions when I was able to travel to Japan, I met with some of those people who had opposed the invasion of China at the time and, as leaders in the new postwar Japanese society, had devoted themselves to deepening the friendship between China and Japan. One of these individuals was Kaheita Okazaki (1897–1989). I also met with a number of leaders in the world of arts and culture. They were all broad-minded and highly perceptive in their thinking.

IKEDA: Mr Jin, you are so gracious. After the war, Japan did not even apologize to China but instead joined the US and continued its hostile policies toward China. Japan also opposed China’s inclusion in the United Nations to the very last. Even so, in the Chinese people’s retrospective assessment of the war, it was Japanese militarism that was to blame, not the Japanese people.

The Japanese people must never forget, even in their dreams, the magnanimity of the Chinese people.

JIN: President Ikeda, you have been severely critical of the war and have expressed your conscience, despite the often hostile mood of Japanese public opinion, from that time all the way to the present. This requires lucid understanding as well as a profound concern for the welfare of all humankind. I also know very well that to take a stand like this, one must have a fearless and valiant spirit.

Indeed, this truly takes a person of great intellect, compassion, and bravery. As Mencius stated, ‘If, on self-examination, I find that I am upright, I will go forward against thousands and tens of thousands’.² This means that upon close examination, if one believes that one’s assertions are just and in accordance with sound reason – and even if one’s adversaries number in the hundreds or even millions and are arrayed against one, poised to attack – ultimately, one must adhere firmly to one’s beliefs and assertions. President Ikeda, you have truly lived your life in accordance with this idea.

IKEDA: Mr Jin, you are most generous. My mentor and teacher, Josei Toda (1900–58), once said, ‘Only when Japan becomes a trusted neighbour to the countries of Asia – only then can it be called a country of peace’. This is the essential sentiment that has informed my every action as a leader. If Japan does not follow this advice, it will become isolated in the international sphere.

I have heard that during the war, the Japanese military invaded and destroyed your birthplace, the city of Quzhou, Zhejiang Province.

JIN: When the Japanese army invaded my hometown, I was 13 years old and just about to enter my second year of junior high school. My classmates and I followed our school as it migrated from one place to another to avoid the encroaching Japanese army. During this period, we received military training and experienced extremely harsh conditions. Because necessary medications and nursing care were lacking as a result of the wartime circumstances, my mother passed on from this world. The war completely destroyed my country, my people, and my family.

At one time, my family was relatively affluent. However, the Japanese army burned our home completely to the ground, leaving not even a trace. And my younger brother, with whom I was especially close and whom we all loved dearly, was killed in the war.

During my junior high school days, my regular school studies were frequently suspended because of circumstances related to the war. This is why I failed to acquire a strong foundation in the Chinese classics and in English language studies. It was only during my university days, and even after graduation, that I was finally able to fill this void in my knowledge.

Despite all the adversities, I do think that the war afforded me a significant opportunity for training and developing myself – a ...

Table of contents

• Front Cover
• Title Page
• Copyright Page
• Contents
• Preface, by Jin Yong
• Preface, by Daisaku Ikeda
• 1 The Seasons of Life: Self-Discipline and Character Development in Youth
• 2 Creating Twenty-First Century People: Deng Xiaoping and the Return of Hong Kong
• 3 Friendship, Spirit, and Character: An Encounter with Buddhism
• 4 Beloved Books of Our Youth: Studying Human Nature in Plutarch’s Parallel Lives
• 5 A Resurgence of Literature: The Appeal of The Count of Monte Cristo
• 6 Lu Xun, Revolutionary Humanist, Awakens the Soul of the People
• 7 The Power of the Pen: From On Establishing the Correct Teaching for the Peace of the Land to Ba Jin
• 8 A Literature of Hope
• 9 Illuminate the World with the Light of Humanity: The Essence of Victor Hugo’s Literature
• 10 The Noble Path to the New Century: Adventure in Romance of the Three Kingdoms and The Water Margin
• Notes
• Back Cover