It is much more valuable to look for the strength in others. You can gain nothing by criticizing their imperfections.
Daisaku IkedaRead
Human rights will be a powerful force for the transformation of reality when they are not simply understood as externally defined norms of behavior but are lived as the spontaneous manifestation of internalized values.
Interpretation
What this quote means
Human rights should be deeply ingrained personal values rather than just external rules to follow.
This quote emphasizes that for human rights to be truly impactful and transformative, they must be embraced as internal values rather than merely viewed as external obligations or norms. When individuals personally internalize and live by these rights, they can truly become a force for positive change in society, affecting the reality of the world around them.
Themes
Human RightsValuesTransformationSocietyNorms
In practice
Example use cases
This quote can be used in a speech about social justice to highlight the importance of internalizing human rights.
More from Daisaku Ikeda
All quotes →There’s no need for us to be held back by the past or how things have been so far. The important thing is what seeds we are sowing now for the future.
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True love should be transformative; a process that amplifies our capacity to cherish not just one person but all people. It can make us stronger, lift us higher and deepen us as individuals. Only to the extent that we polish ourselves now can we hope to develop wonderful bonds of the heart in the future.
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Let us give something to each person we meet: joy, courage, hope, assurance, or philosophy, wisdom, a vision for the future. Let us always give something.
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Just as a diamond can only be polished by another diamond, it is only through genuine, all-out engagement with others that people can polish their character, and help each other to reach greater heights.
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Creating harmony amidst diversity is a fundamental issue of the twenty-first century. While celebrating the unique characteristics of different peoples and cultures, we have to create solidarity on the level of our common humanity, our common life. Without such solidarity, there will be no future for the human race. Diversity should not beget conflict in the world, but richness.
Daisaku IkedaRead
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