In On Being Human, I am pleased to present the views of the eminent medical scientist Rene Simard, rector of the University of Montreal from 1993 to 1998, and the outstanding bioethicist Guy Bourgeault, professor of ethics at the same institution. [...] Discussions of life itself—its origins, evolution, and the birth of hu- mankind—and where we go from here bring us to the final chapter, "Dawn of the Century of Life." We ask the reader to envisage a century in which life is supreme. [...] DAISAKU IKEDA, President SOKA GAKKAI INTERNATIONAL F.oreword M M Y FIRST ENCOUNTER with President Ikeda was back in the spring of 1990: we met as part of an exchange between Soka University and the University of Montreal, on the occasion of the signing of a letter of agreement between the two institutions. [...] The Soka Gakkai International of Canada had given me the opportunity to read a thoughtful book by President Ikeda entitled Life: An Enigma, a Pre- cious Jewel, and I was struck by the author's bold and profound analysis of the origin of life and the diversity of species, and intrigued by the new dimension oriental philosophy offers to the laws of evolution. [...] Ikeda, the founder of Soka University, and I compared the con- tent and organization of educational programmes, agreed on the value of student exchanges, and discussed the need to internationalize our l6 ON B E I N G H U M A N institutions.