The Peace Pagoda

The history of Peace Pagodas stretches back 2,500 years to the first stupas, which enshrined the sacred relics of the Lord Buddha, to be revered throught time as his eternal presence.The Pagoda is dedicated to the realization of universal peace on earth. It is a symbol of light in the darkness of the present day world, a visible prayer to awaken humankind to peace. The Peace Pagoda is the first great monument in this country dedicated entirely to peace. Many other memorials and monuments commemorate great events or people or the ending of a war and the sacrifice of people in such wars.The Most Verable Nichidatsu Fujii revived this ancient tradition after the bombing of Hiroshima and Nagasaki, and built the order's first Peace Pagoda in Japan. Ven. Fujii believed that out of the ravages of World War II, people's pure desire for peace could be awakened. Since that time, 70 Peace pagodas have been built by Nipponzan Myohoji, including three in Europe, two in India and four in Sri Lanka.The Peace Pagoda is conceived as a prayer for peace, a tangible structiure that manifests the dedication of our lives to justice and peace. It has been said that as one views a Peace Pagoda, "It appears to rise, as a prayer, from the very elements surrounding it- the earth, air, water and sky. All people, regardless of their creed, may feel its appeal to the inviolable sacredness of all life. ""The appearing of a Pagoda touches the hearts and minds of all people. Those who venerate this Pagoda absolutely reject nuclear warfare and firmly believe that a peaceful world will be manifested.The vision of a Pagoda has the power to bring about a sprititual transformation. It illumines the dawnof a spiritual civilization." Ven. Nichidatsu Fujii.