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JAPAN-BHARAT SARVODAYA MITRATA SANGHA
"JAPAN-BHARAT SARVODAYA MITRATA SANGHA" was established in 1961 with Reverend Nichidatsu Fujii (1885-1985), the founder of “Nipponzan Myōhōji”, as the first president and with the aim of constructing a peaceful society by non-violence of Sarvodaya spirit advocated by Mahatma Gandhi and Japanese Buddhism, and today many comrades in the world are working toward realizing world peace. Reverend Nichidatsu Fujii met Gandhi in Wardha and became an ally throughout his life. Because Gandhi was impressed by Fujii’s dedication to peace and beating “the drum of heaven” (gyakku shodai), Gandhi called him Fujii Guruji.
"Sarvodaya" means "The Advancement of All." Mahatma Gandhi used the name "Sarvodaya" as a word to construct a peaceful society by mercy and non-violence of the brave.
Gandhi related organizations which exist in various parts of India today are collectively called “Sarvodaya Organizations.”
In order to contribute to the peace of humanity through the precious teachings of the late Reverend Nichidatsu Fujii, the establisher of this MITRATA SANGHA and the practice of Gandhi’s mercy and non-violence, we continue the activities of "JAPAN-BHARAT SARVODAYA MITRATA SANGHA."
MITRATA SANGHA’s activities are to publish the organ magazine Sarvodaya monthly, to support nursery schools in India, to hold lectures and seminars, to organize tours to visit Buddhist remains, and to do peace activities such as peace march, peace prayer, etc.
Recently we renewed our homepage and started official Facebook.
The photo = The back cover of Sarvodaya. (The title calligraphy was written by Gandhi’s leading disciple Vinoba Bhave. The picture was painted by Maharathi.)
The photo = Marching Mahatma Gandhi (left end) and Reverend Nichidatsu Fujii (right end).
Gandhi met Reverend Fujii in 1933 and began chanting the mantra Namu-myo-ho-ren-ge-kyo. The prayers of Gandhi’s ashram commence with three times repeated Namu-myo-ho-ren-ge-kyo.
The following text is from Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Japan website. (Retrieved 11 September 2019.)
Prime Minister Abe visited Sabarmati ashram on 13 September 2017.
Prime Minister Abe visited Sabarmati ashram in Ahmedabad. Prime Minister Narendra Modi showed him the spinning wheel and the statue of three wise monkeys related to Mahatma Gandhi. Prime Minister Abe offered flowers at Gandhi statue.
The photo = Prime Minister Narendra Modi explains the origin of three wise monkeys to Prime Minister Abe. (This photo is not from Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Japan website. This photo is from the top page of Embassy of India, Tokyo, Japan website. [Retrieved 11 September 2019.])
Nichidatsu Fujii, who had been striving to spread Buddhism and doing peace movement in various parts of the world, visited Gandhi who was staying in Wardha, Maharashtra and presented Gandhi with the statue of three wise monkeys which symbolized the teaching of “See no evil, hear no evil, speak no evil.” on 4 October 1933. Gandhi, who sympathized with the teaching, continued to keep the statue with him thereafter. Several statues of three wise monkeys remain in the places related to Gandhi, but it is said that the statue in Sabarmati ashram is original.
The photo = Three wise monkeys are on the pedestal of Gandhi statue in Sewagram ashram, Wardha. (This photo is not from Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Japan website. This photo was taken by a member of JAPAN-BHARAT SARVODAYA MITRATA SANGHA.)
Translation by Akira Hayashi.
