Credits and Acknowledgements Each of us, if we are fortunate enough, has one or more individuals who have positively influenced our growth and development in our childhood, adolescence and adulthood. Rather than the members of one’s closer family who, normally, are naturally most concerned for us, I refer to those of our extended family, our friends and, perhaps, one or two ‘special’ or ‘favourite’ teachers in school or college, and in life. I regard myself as having been very fortunate indeed in this respect and so, on this page, I should like to acknowledge those who have been there to help me, who have there to help guide me, especially when my steps were faltering and I could have so very easily stumbled and fallen onto paths far less happy than those one I have trodden until now. These persons may also be known in Japanese Buddhist terminology as shoten zenjin, or ‘benevolent and protective entities’. Having said that, however, there are, I suspect, far too many to name individually here, also because there have been those who have cared for my welfare, from near and from afar, in the background, so to speak, quiet and modest, wishing only for my wellbeing and happiness, without seeking personal public praise or great reward.  For those people who may read this, you will recognise who you are and, hopefully, will know that I am a better person than I might otherwise have been but for the caring action you took. To all of you, I extend my most heartfelt gratitude here, even if I have not expressed the same to you personally before. Indeed, there will be some who are no longer living and so will never get to read these, my dear father, Christopher and my dear mother, Nella, to name but two. However, I am sure that, because of our deep connection, they feel what I feel, and thus understand my warm gratitude and respect toward them. However, I should like to mention a few people to whom I am especially grateful; for their love, their friendship, their patient and compassionate guidance: Roy Gluckstein Roger & Erika Salmon Jeremy Salmon Jean Mortimer (my original pottery teacher at school, without whom I may never have discovered a love of making things in clay). Paula Gray (of Wandsworth Adult College, who gave me the essential opportunity and encouragement to stay and improve my ceramic skills for long after I had completed the Ceramics Diploma course and before I had gained enough confidence to  finally apply to do an MA in Ceramics at the University of the Arts at Camberwell). Rita (Di Santo), my loving wife since 2001, for all her caring support, encouragement and example. Finally, I should like to single out for most special mention the person who has been my Sensei (jap. ‘teacher’) and ‘mentor in life’ these last 20 years, from whom I have learnt – and, hopefully, continue to learn - so much, every day, and to whom I owe an eternal debt of gratitude: His name is Daisaku Ikeda, the President of Soka Gakkai International (SGI) ('Value Creating Society'), a foremost thinker, philosopher, poet and humanistic educator of this age. I have neither sufficient words nor space here to describe the importance of this truly great human being, or to describe the enormity of his compassion, wisdom and determination for the happiness of all humanity, both now and long into the distant future. There are many quotes from his writings that I would wish to share with you in these pages (see Inspirations (link) page), but for reasons of available space, I have had to be selective. Along with my beloved Sensei, I also proffer my immense thanks to my ‘comrades in faith’, my fellow practitioners of Nichiren Daishonin’s Buddhism in the SGI, who have made such incredible efforts to support and encourage my faith over the years and who have helped me to become as happy as I am today. Nam-myoho-renge-kyo, nam-myoho-renge-kyo! Stephen Salmon April 2008
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