The first volume in a five-volume work in the form of a slightly fictionalized biography describing the development of Soka Gakkai, the worldwide religion based on Nichiren Shoshu Buddhism.

    Though born a prince surrounded by luxuries, Gotama the Buddha was transformed by realizing that no one escapes unhappiness. He spent the remainder of his life discovering, then imparting, the answer to the great question: "Is there a way out of the cycle of suffering?" Drawn from the oldest written record, the vivid recollections of his attendant Ananda and other disciples bring us into the presence of "the awakened one." The Life of the Buddha not only demonstrates how to walk on the path to freedom; it offers profound inspiration and guidance for doing so.

    Translated works include Shushogi (Training and Enlightenment, Gakudo-yojinshu (Aspects of Zazen) and Denkoroku (Transmission of Light).

    He was active in literature, engineering, calligraphy, and architecture and is represented in this work in terms of his major effort--the introduction of esoteric Buddhism from China, which resulted in the formation of the Shingou sect still active in Japan. Eight of his works are presented here.