What is love (to you)?
Selected statements by SGI President Daisaku Ikeda

Happiness is not something that someone else, like a lover, can give to us. We have to achieve it for ourselves. And the only way to do so is by developing our character and capacity as human beings; by fully maximizing our potential. If we sacrifice our growth and talent for love, we absolutely will not find happiness. True happiness is obtained through fully realizing our potential.

Each of you has a precious mission that only you can fulfil. Suffering people around the world are waiting for your brave endeavours. To neglect your mission and seek only personal pleasure is a sign of selfishness. It is impossible for an egotistic, self-centred individual to truly love another person.

On the other hand, if you genuinely love someone, then through your relationship with him or her, you can develop into a person whose love extends to all humanity. Such a relationship serves to strengthen, elevate and enrich your inner realm of life. The same is true for friendship. Only to the extent that you polish yourselves now can you hope to develop wonderful bonds of the heart in the future.

Each of you is infinitely precious. Therefore, I hope you will treat yourselves with utmost respect. Please do not follow a path that will cause you suffering; rather, take the road that is best for your well-being. The truth is, ideal love is fostered only between two sincere, mature and independent people. It is essential, therefore, that each of you work on polishing yourself first.

It is demeaning to constantly seek your partner’s approval. Such relationships are bereft of real caring, depth or even love. For those of you who find yourselves in relationships where you are not treated the way your heart says you should be, I hope you will have the courage and dignity to decide that you are better off risking the scorn of your partner than enduring unhappiness with him or her.

Real love is not two people clinging to each other; it can only be fostered between two strong people secure in their individuality. A shallow person will have only shallow relationships. If you want to experience real love, it is important to first sincerely develop strong self-identity.

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This page was last modified on Sunday, August 20, 2006.