This author cultivated a deep passion for reading from childhood, nurtured by his father's private library and public collections. His intellectual curiosity extended to cinema, where he served as a jury president at a film festival. Early education took place in Jombang before he pursued studies in Egypt. Upon his return, he engaged in teaching and writing, gaining recognition for his ideas and becoming a significant thinker and leader.
Exploring the commonalities between Buddhism and Islam, the book delves into the potential for cultural exchange between Buddhist Japan and Muslim Indonesia. It highlights the contributions of notable figures like Beethoven, Goethe, and Akira Kurosawa, emphasizing how meaningful dialogue can emerge from personal interactions. Through this lens, the work advocates for understanding and collaboration between diverse religious and cultural perspectives, showcasing the positive characteristics each tradition can offer to the other.
What do Buddhism and Islam have in common? And what positive characteristics might Buddhist Japan and Muslim Indonesia be able to offer one another? In this thoughtful and wide-ranging discussion, distinguished representatives from each country demonstrate that meaningful dialogue between religions and cultures begins with a one-to-one conversation between individuals. Addressing the similarities of their nations as island peoples, with a shared history of trade and cultural exchange, Abdurrahman Wahid and Daisaku Ikeda agree that the aim of dialogue, like that of Buddhism and Islam alike, is fundamentally the goal of peace. Both thinkers draw on their respective traditions, and especially the lives of the Buddha and the Prophet Muhammad, to show that harmony springs from an attitude of tolerance and non-violence, which is where true courage resides. Whether masterfully expounding the teachings of Nichiren, or indicating that a true understanding of jihad is not about religious war but about communicating the truth of Allah, the discussants mutually transform our understandings of value, pluralism and amity.
