The beating of the drum is frequently referred to in Buddha’s scriptures, particularly in the Lotus Sutra. Out of some 70,000 [Chinese] characters that comprise the Lotus Sutra, characters relating to the drum are found in more than 30 places. Also there is a Japanese legend that relates to the drum. Legend has it that a period of prolonged darkness shrouded the world. Various gods and deities converged in one place in order to lure the goddess of the sun from a rock cave whose entrance was blocked by a huge boulder. Cocks were gathered to crow; and a young goddess danced and beat the drum. Its sound is said to have drawn the sun goddess out, piercing the long night with light. For this reason, a drum to pray with is always placed in front of altars enshrining Japanese gods. Anyone young or old, female or male, of high social status or low can beat the drum to pray. The sound of this instrument embodies the prayer of the Japanese people seeking escape from sorrow and suffering. It symbolizes our search for light in which the actual world of suffering is transformed into a Pure Land of peace. The sound of the drum is an expression of the workings of God hoping to awaken the people, who are trapped in an eternal slumber of darkness as opaque as lacquer with no hint of when dawn might come. The sound of this instrument represents the mind and heart that enunciates the simple chant of Na Mu Myo Ho Ren Ge Kyo.
from
I Bow to the Buddha in You
Dharma Talks and Writings of
The Most Venerable Nichidatsu Fujii
p. 50
Letter to Gandhiji
October 4, 1933
Wardha, India
home |
wordpress | flickr
[...] the hottest places in hell are reserved for those who in a period of moral crisis maintain their neutrality. There comes a time when silence is betrayal.
-Martin Luther King Jr., Beyond Vietnam
• Resources
• Blacklist
• Read
• About
• Ask me anything
• iv. Submit
Tim has a vision. It is to create a more sustainable world through healing and transformation. This is a journey of spirit that grows out of building community across “traditional boundaries”. As a member of our Leverett community, Tim has been active as a devoted volunteer of the New England Peace Pagoda, where he assists in organizing and coordinating peace walks and other ongoing peace activities. In 2011, the Greenfield Community College selected Tim for the Dr Martin Luther King, Living the Dream award for his work that exemplifies someone who is carrying on the legacy of Dr King.
Yours,
Jim Perkins and Paula Green
__________________________________________________________________________
Fundraiser for Tim tomorrow night!
I know it’s really late notice, but if you live around Western MA you should come hear Tim speak and learn about his work and the upcoming trip. I’ll be going tomorrow and if you would like to come and/or donate please give me a call leave me a message and I’ll hit you up in the morning.
This trip is important as is the work that Tim has been doing for the last several years. He has been the primary organizer for the Peace Walks of the New England Peace Pagoda for the last several years, as well as an active member of the Mass Slavery Apology, Leverett Peace Commission, and other organizations dedicated to peace and justice work.
Come tomorrow!
Donate whatever you can (5.00 is great) and meet Tim before he leaves
peace
V
DSC03112 on Flickr.
Hiroshima Day Ceremony, Grafton Peace Pagoda
August 11
Saturday about 50 people joined Junsan and participants from the month long “No More Fukushimas Walk” around Lake Ontario in a three mile walk from Grafton Center to the Grafton Peace Pagoda. Following the walk was the annual Hiroshima Day ceremony at the Pagoda.
After placing lanterns around the pagoda, the group shared in interfaith prayers from members of the Buddhist, Hindi, Catholic, Muslim and Native traditions.
Cecile Pineda author of Devil’s Tango, How I Learned the Fukushima Step by Step shared passages from her book.
After a moving evening people were invited to come to the Peace Tree Ceremony at the Leverett Pagoda the following morning.
I found this book on the shelf in the dojo dining room last night and read it today.
It’s very well done. It chronicles the life of the (fictional) Nakaoka family who are living in Hiroshima in 1945. The book starts in April and you get to experience the world falling apart through the eyes of a family who is against the war. It manages to maintain a kind of mischievous, playful attitude even while the family is starving and being ostracized for their political stance.
That’s where the photo is from, and clicking the picture will give you an update of my trip to DC and what I’ll be up to for the next week.
Goodnight everyone.
Na Mu Myo Ho RenGe Kyo || Allah rahatlik versin
(Source: youtube.com)
“The damage is incalculable. It is worse than Chernobyl.”
-Kato Shonin, just got back from his visit to Japan, almost 1 year after Fukushima.
Remember Fukushima
March 2 thru March 21, 2012Sponsored by the New England Peace Pagoda
A nineteen-day walk from Seabrook Nuclear Power Plant in NH to Plymouth Nuclear Power Plant in Plymouth, MA on the anniversary of the catastrophe at Fukushima, Japan and ending the walk in Vernon, VT at Vermont Yankee Nuclear Power Plant.
Schedule is subject to change
For details, to join the walk or to support the walk
when it comes to your community, contact:
Tim Bullock at 413-485-8469 or email -
walk4newspring@gmail.com
New walk starting next month. Starting off at Seabrook Nuclear Power facility in NH, ending at Vermont Yankee. The NY portion of the walk is starting at Oyster Creek, NJ and meeting up with us. I hope some of you can make it!
UPDATE!
SAFE AND WARM HOME FOR OUR MONKS!
FROM FRIENDS OF THE PEACE PAGODA
Friends of the peace Pagoda have been encouraged by the response from the community as we gather resources to help get the monks residence in the New Temple finished. Please read the enclosed letter to learn of our appeal. We thought you would be interested to know what is being accomplished. Needless to say, “The Storm” and its aftermath has caused a hiatus in work for the residence. A blunt reminder of all that needs to be done for weatherizing the New Temple before the winter sets in., which only serves to help us step up our efforts in reaching out to the community.
Please note: While we are snail-mailing this particular mailing, we are hoping that as many folks as possible will share their email address with us. Sharing by email makes it much more possible to send timely updates and calls for help. Please do remember to include your email on the return card.
[Message or email me if you would like more information on how you can help: vlarevolucion@live.com]
