Happiness does not lie in outward appearances nor in vanity. It is a matter of what you feel inside; it is a deep resonance in our lives. I would venture that the first condition for happiness is fulfillment. My Dear Friends in America, fourth edition, p. 484
FNCC Opening (1996)

Daisaku Ikeda

There is no need to fall into meaningless and unproductive pessimism. All these problems are caused by human beings, which means that they must have a human solution. However long the effort takes, if we do not abandon the work of unknotting the tangled threads of these interrelated issues, we can be certain of finding a way forward.
>From The Wisdom for Creating Happiness and Peace, part 3, revised edition, p. 491

Daisaku Ikeda

If our lives are always smooth sailing, we’ll never be able to savor real happiness. It goes without saying that the treasure of happiness cannot be found in a life of ease and idleness. The diamond of happiness can be found only by making our way into the deep mountain recesses of life with great effort and exertion. From The Wisdom for Creating Happiness and Peace, part 1, revised edition, p. 11

Daisaku Ikeda