Dharma World Buddhist magazine

Founder Niwano: A Pioneer for Peace

by Jimmy Carter

A former president of the United States recalls his first meeting with Rissho Kosei-kai's founder in 1979, and how over time they enjoyed a great friendship stimulated by their personal differences.

Nikkyo Niwano, a singular religious genius, had a rare grasp of the value of collaboration among religious groups striving to create a better world. Others have recounted his distinctive leadership in founding Rissho Kosei-kai, the dynamic community of socially engaged Buddhists. I remember him best for his skill at building partnerships among the world's religious communities, and for our personal collaboration--his support for the peace-building work of The Carter Center and my participation in events of the World Conference of Religions for Peace (WCRP).

I first met Founder Niwano in 1979 during my presidency, when senior leaders from many of the world's religions visited me at the White House. Against the stark backdrop of the cold war, this extraordinary group of individuals from the Soviet Union, China, Western Europe, Japan, the United States, and nonaligned countries in the South were united by a moral commitment to world peace. They embraced my own dedication to overcoming the dangers of the cold war, promoting human rights, and achieving sustainable development.

Founder Niwano and I were introduced by my sister Ruth Carter Stapleton, a woman of great religious faith who was engaged in the work of the WCRP. Over time, through private conversations and shared commitments, Founder Niwano and I experienced the great joy of a friendship that was stimulated and enhanced by our contrasting cultures and religions. We shared a common bond--our mutual interests in faith and public service and the intersection between them. Just as Founder Niwano recognized in me a public servant who drew strength and inspiration from my faith, I was stimulated by his dedication to public service. Our roles were different and demanded distinctive modes of action, but our interests both converged and complemented each other.

The Founder was a natural leader, brilliant and far-reaching in thought, yet practical and radically committed to action. He shared with me once, with great modesty and simplicity, that he was prepared to go anywhere and do anything to advance the cause of peace. In later years, his promise bore fruit as he cooperated with The Carter Center to address some of the most difficult issues facing humanity--resolving conflict, strengthening human rights, and eradicating terrible diseases.

Founder Niwano had an acute awareness that religions express their truth and genius when they face squarely the challenges of their day. He realized that poverty, conflict, and disease know no religious boundaries and are not the dilemmas of any one community. His great genius was in establishing a pure vision of multireligious cooperation that respected differences between religions, while guiding disparate faith groups toward a unified approach to solving common problems. This influence is still evident in vigorous WCRP chapters worldwide.

In Uganda recently, I met with leaders of religious communities there who had formed a WCRP national interreligious council concerned with the well-being of orphans with HIV/AIDS. I was overcome with fond remembrance when I saw these good men and women, who had not met the Founder, fully accepting the responsibility of carrying out his vision. Perhaps history offers no higher form of compliment.

Former U.S. President Jimmy Carter (1977-81) chairs The Carter Center in Atlanta, Georgia, a nonprofit organization dedicated to advancing peace and health worldwide.

This article was originally published in the April-June 2006 issue of Dharma World.

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