Na Mu Myo Ho Ren Ge Kyo
Na Mu Myo Ho Ren Ge Kyo
Na Mu Myo Ho Ren Ge Kyo
MESSAGES from the
Most Venerable Nichidatsu Fujii
North American Visit
Guruji's Speech at the end of The Longest Walk, from the steps of the US Capitol on the July 16, 1978, 33rd birthday of the atomic bomb.
Previous messages from July 15, 1978
[excerpts]
Message to the Chiefs of the Six Nations
Na Mu Myo Ho Ren Ge Kyo
To the Chiefs of the Six Nations
The Longest Walk crossed the Pacific Ocean and echoed
throughout Japan. All the ears of the youth of Japan are
attentively listening to the footsteps of the walkers.
When the feelings of the people of The Longest Walk
reach Japan, I believe we can all take action hand in
hand for the sake of world peace. The Longest Walk
is a beginning to this.
Nichidatsu Fujii
Nipponzan Myohoji Sanshu
-----------next:
A Letter to The Hopi Kikmongwis
Na Mu Myo Ho Ren Ge Kyo to the Hopi Kikmongwis
I have respectfully read the Hopi Declaration of Peace.
I have also heard of the Hopi People's honorable long
history and tradition of peace. It is the most respectable
history and tradition seen in the history of humankind.
In the Saddharma-Pendarika Sutra (The Lotus Sutra),
it is preached:
The three worlds
are not tranquil
Just as if they were
a burning house
Filled with all kinds
of sufferings
It is greatly
to be feared
It is mentioned in the report of Dr. Waldheim, Secretary
General of the United Nations, that the threat of self-destruction
by nuclear war is the greatest danger confronting the world.
The basis, stockpiling, and accuracy of nuclear weapons are further
enhancing the danger of final annihilation of mankind. It has
become more evident that effective security cannot be obtained
by the expansion of arms. The very basis which can eliminate
the cause of tension and conflicts and to establish reciprocal
international cooperation can be sought in disarmament.
Thus, the United Nations Special Session on Disarmament is
being held for approximately one month starting from May 23
to June 18. A 500 member Japanese delegation requested
complete abolition of nuclear weapons to the United Nations
with 20 million signatures. I came to the United States as a
member of this delegation.
The tribes of the Indian People united, thus overcoming
small discrepancies and undertook a great peace walk,
"The Longest Walk" on February 11 starting from San
Francisco Bay. This great march is a genuine spiritual
activity adopting a non-violent means, a just protest
for the survival of the Indian people. The Longest Walk
must be ended successfully without fail.
As a Buddhist monk with a foreign citizenship, I do not
have complete ability. However, unable to bear remaining
an idle onlooker, some 20-30 Japanese youth are participating
for the success of this great walk, resolved to share the long
path of affliction and fate with the walkers.
If The Longest Walk succeeds, many Indian People will
survive assured. If the Longest Walk ends unsuccessfully,
there is an immeasurable danger of disasters occurring to
the Indian People.
The Hopi People are Indians. Moreover, they are Indians
who have consistently devoted themselves to peace.
Without doubt I have thought that the Hopi People were
taking part in The Longest Walk. However, I have heard
a very unexpected report that the Hopi People are not
taking part. I was not only surprised but also grieved
for The Longest Walk, the whole of the Indian Peoples,
as well as for the Hopi People. As a foreigner, I do not
know the detailed situation. However, from my sincere
desire wishing only to bring The Longest Walk to a success,
I hope that the Hopi People will join this great walk.
The participation of the Hopi People will be a very
significant force for the success of The Longest Walk.
Nichidatsu Fujii
Japanese Buddhist Monk
------------
June 15, 1978
Letter Addressed to Mr. Dennis Banks
Na Mu Myo Ho Ren Ge Kyo
To the Most Respectable
Mr. Dennis Banks
I would like to extend to you my gratitude for projecting
and leading The Longest Walk. Moreover, I was presented
a precious peace pipe and a leather pouch to contain it.
I am very honored. At the same time I would like to extend
my appreciation for your presentation, in addition to your
presence at the reception held by the San Francisco Temple
on June 11, 1978.
I am fervently praying that this great walk will achieve
great success. The Japanese youth both male and female
alike are taking part in this great walk forsaking their flesh
and life in order to bring success to this great walk.
I believe that this great walk is a very good opportunity to
unite all tribes of the Indian People, overcoming small
discrepancies. Even we Japanese, with foreign nationality,
are intending to unite as one with the Indian people through
this great walk. However, I was surprised to hear that the
Hopi People who created a peaceful history and tradition
through the most peaceful belief even within the Indian People,
are not participating in The Longest Walk. I immediately wrote
a letter of recommendation that the Hopi People should join
The Longest Walk and dispatched a youth to the Hopi Kikmongwis.
I have attached a copy of this letter of recommendation. The
lack of participation of the Hopi People has a danger of mistaking
the meaning of this great non-violent walk. I believe that the
participation of the Hopi People will provide a significant
influence to the success of the great walk.
Even if The Longest Walk does not attain the success that
is expected; we should consistently adhere only to the path
of peace by devising genuine, spiritual, non-violent means.
The government of the United States is threatening the
whole world by developing the most atrocious and merciless
weapons which would reduce the whole of humanity to ashes.
The holding of the United Nations Special Session on Disarmament
is aimed at eliminating such new weapons.
If the Indian People resort to violence in vain, they will
merely become prey to such cruel new weapons. Nothing
can be gained by it. Unless the power which surpasses
violence, the power which abolishes violence is exerted,
humankind will be annihilated. It is not only the Indian
People that will be annihilated. This is a spiritual cultivation,
a non-violent discipline.
The phenomenon of the survival of humanity to this day
is not because humanity adopted violence, but because
the power of non-violence controlled violence. Even
among birds, beasts, insects and fish, the numbers of
those which are violent are gradually declining and those
which are non-violent are living everywhere and starting to prosper.
Violence may succeed temporarily, but cannot decisively
occupy the throne forever. Even if adherence to non-violence
results in bringing an extermination, it is an honorable
monumental achievement which will eternally be remembered
and revered in the history of humankind.
The age of conflicts and wars has already ended. The dawn
of the age of compassion and relief is now about to shed its
light. The Indian People must take the lead.
Nichidatsu Fujii
Nipponzan Myohoji Sanshu
---------------next:
(retyped from a separate document:)
Below is transcribed from a recording of the last portion of
an address By Dennis Banks on the occasion of the June 11, 1978,
Opening Ceremony for Nipponzan Myohoji Temple in San Francisco
-----begin transcription of Dennis Banks' talk:
There is a long walk almost every hundred years or so for Native
Americans. Indirectly, they have been forced upon us by non-Indian
people. We have felt the abuse in many different ways. They have
tried to isolate us. They have tried to isolate the American Indians
as a very small group of people in this country -- in the world. And
yes, we are a small group of people -- very small in numbers. But
we are the landlords of this hemisphere.
We are still the landlords of this country. When the Great Spirit
put us upon this earth, he put us here to take care of the western
hemisphere and this southern hemisphere of our people. Now,
we've tried to take care of this land. We've tried many years,
many, many centuries, and we thought we were doing a good job.
We've always thought that; we never abused mother earth. We
never abused what was before us and even in the stories of our
people, the eastern people -- they are the landlords of their country.
They've called us many names during these times but we have
survived. We've endured the punishment; we have endured the
hard times because basically, you understand, we are the landlords
and we have a responsibility to fulfill. We have a very sacred honor
to fulfill and that is going to take care of this continent and we will
do it; we will do it. We will take care of this. We will take care of
our responsibilities because there is a lot of people -- a lot of people
-- are beginning to hear us now. A lot more from outside of the
United States -- they understand what is going on.
When the Guruji Fujii came to us, I knew then that our mission
would not be in vain because people were beginning to listen to us.
People outside the United States were hearing us and they have
decided to join us. Not that they are joining us in the sense that
they are going to get behind Indian causes. They are joining us
because it is an effort to save human beings. It is an effort to
save the lives of a race of people.
There is a white American saying that the East is east and the
West is west and never the 'twain shall meet. And we're here,
I suppose, to show evidence that there was no vision in the
making of that saying because the East and West have met
and we will stay united in our walk. And just as they are
walking here for Indian people, we will go to Japan and we
will walk for them. Thank you.
I would like to say that from Japan to Washington, D.C.,
is surely the longest walk and I would like to present
Guruji Fujii with our patch that only the walkers,
only those people on the walk, will receive.
It is a patch called "The Longest Walk".
-----end transcript of Dennis Banks remarks
---------------next:
Hopi Misunderstanding Fruitfully Resolved
Na Mu Myo Ho Ren Ge Kyo
To The Longest Walk:
Achieving world peace has always been the prime objective
of Nipponzan Myohoji (Japan Buddha Sangha). Thus, in many
ways we have supported peace efforts around the globe. Many
times we have visited and traveled to foreign countries striving
for international peace for humankind. We have ourselves
conducted various peace walks praying for humankind.
When The Longest Walk was conceived by the Native Americans
of the United State striving for survival and peace for their people,
I rejoiced considering that this would ultimately lead to an nonviolent
peace revolution of the United States, and immediately dispatched
disciples and youth to participate in this most important event.
The Longest Walk was considered to promote a golden opportunity
to unite all the Indian tribes under one cause, overcoming small
discrepancies. Thus, it came as a surprise to learn that the Hopi
people were absent from this walk, and rumors even began to
circulate that the Hopi's were refusing to support. This caused
some grave concern to our people. We believed that to be
physically present and walk together was the most important
way to express our support.
As a result, I dispatched a letter of recommendation to the
Hopi leaders to join the walk, and at the same time a letter
to Mr. Dennis Banks, coordinator for The Longest Walk, in
order to seek a solution to this question. Mr. Thomas Banyacya,
the Hopi elder, and Mr. Dennis Banks kindly spared their precious
time and visited me at Harbin Hotsprings, California, and this
question was discussed from June 20 to 21, 1978.
The results of this meeting and an explanation by
Mr. Thomas Banyacya have relieved my grief and instead
I have been informed that the Hopi people are in full
support of The Longest Walk. I understood that Mr. Banyacya
himself has participated on the walk and that the Hopi council
has by resolution offered prayers and support to The Longest Walk.
Mr. Banyacya has explained further that many times the Hopi's
agreed to support a project by offering prayers and asking the
Great Spirit to guide the people. This has been their ancestral
way of helping others -- through prayer.
I have asked that this misinformation of the non-support
be cleared up immediately by the dissemination of this
follow-up notice to both Mr. Banks and Mr. Banyacya.
However, I gratefully note here that this misinformation
has provided us an opportunity to meet again and to have
a very fruitful discussion bringing us more closely together.
Nichidatsu Fujii
Nipponzan Myohoji
-----next:
Longest Walk General Meeting
Na Mu Myo Ho Ren Ge Kyo
Na Mu Myo Ho Ren Ge Kyo
Na Mu Myo Ho Ren Ge Kyo
After a long long walk, the walkers have finally arrived here.
You will again start walking heading towards Washington D.C.
During the past 200 years, your ancestors have walked from
east to west. However, it was a trail of tears. It was a trail
of death. This time a great walk from the west has at last
been initiated. This is a walk of peace. This is a walk of justice.
This walk will step out a just and peaceful path for the world,
for humankind, and to a smaller extent for the United States of America.
The Longest Walk did not receive much publicity or coverage
here in the United States. However, it has crossed the Pacific
Ocean and reached Japan. The Japanese youth decided that
they must support this action, this walk, and are holding a
great gathering. An Indian youth with the message of
Mr. Dennis Banks has visited Japan to attend this meeting.
Most major newspapers and mass media surrounded the
Indian representative to cover the story of The Longest Walk
and to convey it to Japan.
A moral act, a spiritual activity, and an action of non-violence
seems as if it is an isolated effort. However, it can be
understood and shared throughout the world. The Longest Walk
is not a walk only for Indian peoples, but will be the beginnings
of a walk for the sake of constructing world peace by the
awakened people of the globe. Please continue walking
believing that this is not a walk only for the Indian peoples
but a great walk for constructing world peace for all of humankind.
I have heard rumors that from here to Washington D.C.,
some of the people will run, and some will remain. But
in order that every single walker may reach Washington D.C.,
I would like to extend my cooperation to the best of my ability.
I would like to make this offering to the leaders of The Longest Walk.
Na Mu Myo Ho Ren Ge Kyo
Na Mu Myo Ho Ren Ge Kyo
Na Mu Myo Ho Ren Ge Kyo
---------end
21st Century Nuclear Peace Prophecy:
Na Mu Myo Ho Ren Ge Kyo, explained by Fujii Guruji;
On One Evening with Hopi Grandfather David Monongye
"The movement against nuclear weapons that arose in the United
States will not be contained. It is the government which will
be forced to convert the policies. Na Mu Myo Ho Ren Ge Kyo
is a sutra that prophesizes this."
Complete text of the address comparing religious prophecies
by the Most Venerable Nichidatsu Fujii,
on the Occasion of an Evening with Grandfather
David Monongye, Elder of the Hopi Nation, "Nichidatsu Fujii on 21st Century Nuclear Peace Prophecy - Na Mu Myo Ho Ren Ge Kyo - to Hopi Grandfather David Monongye".
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