26th Anniversary Ceremony
Grafton Peace Pagoda
Saturday, Sept. 28 at 11 a.m.
Na Mu Myo Ho Ren Ge Kyo
- 150th Anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi’s Birth
- Buddhist Ceremony
- Interfaith Prayers for Peace
- Dennis Banks’ 3-year Commemoration
- Indian Music: Devesh and Veena Chandra
Please join us for potluck community meal following the ceremony. Please bring your favorite foods. It may be cold so please bring warm clothes and a blanket. Please arrive before 11:00 to park and walk to ceremony site.
This year commemorates the 150th anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi’s birth. The founder of Nipponzan Myohoji, Most Ven. Nichidatsu Fujii, named Fujii Guruji by Mahatma Gandhi, also dedicated his life to the conversion of this world to peace, a peace arising from a spiritual foundation, giving up all military pursuits. Both great spiritual teachers believed in the essential Divine Nature in each human being, the very source of peace-making.
“Non-violence is the greatest force at the disposal of mankind. It is mightier than the mightiest weapon of destruction devised by the ingenuity of man.” ~Gandhi
For over 50 years, Fujii Guruji walked and prayed in India for the success of the non-violent movement of the people and led by Mahatma Gandhi. He had come to India to walk and pray and to return Buddha’s teachings to India from where they had virtually disappeared. After the two great teachers met in 1933, Guruji often walked with Gandhi and the Indian people, praying constantly in support. From the blessing of this connection, the Peace Pagoda in Rajgir arose, becoming a great pilgrimage site for peace.
The distress of our times is great, but the light of the spiritual way shown by Mahatma Gandhi and Fujii Guruji can give us hope and guidance. With the light of compassion, we can make the way to change from violence to peace and cherishing of all people and cherishing of our beautiful and giving earth.
For more information, please call the Peace Pagoda between 8 a.m. and 4:30 p.m. at (518) 658-9301.
The Nippozan Myohoji-Grafton Peace Pagoda is located at 87 Crandall Road in Petersburgh, NY 12138.
Published: Mon, 09 Sep 2019 11:45:55 +0000 by t.glasser