About the Author

Arnold Toynbee (1889-1975), CH, was Professor of International History at the University of London until his retirement in 1955. His major published work was A Study of History, which appeared in successive volumes from 1934 to 1961. Daisaku Ikeda (1928-) is the President of Soka Gakkai International, a lay Buddhist organisation with millions of adherents in over 190 countries throughout the world. He is the author of over 80 books on Buddhist themes, and received the United Nations Peace Award in 1983.