What Are Peace Walks?
Every Step Is a prayer for peace
Have you ever seen a monk walking around the community, drumming and chanting? She is usually with other people walking with their drums and chanting Na Mu Myo Ho Ren Ge Kyo. This is Jun San, and she is praying for peace. You will hear us chanting Na-Mu-Myo-Ho-Ren-Ge-Kyo, praying for peace within ourselves, praying for peace within you, praying for peace within the community, praying for peace throughout the world.
The back story:
The Most Venerable Nchidatsu Fujii (18885 - 1985), more commonly known as Guruji, is founder of the Buddhist religious order, Nipponzan Myohoji, which is dedicated to working for world peace. "Jun San" as the community knows her, is a Japanese Buddhist Monk, and a student of Guruji.
In 1978, Native Americans organized “The Longest Walk”, wherein participants walked cross-country from San Francisco, California to Washington, DC. Accompanying them on their walk, was Jun Yasuda. Jun San became bestfriends with Dennis Banks, the leader of the American Indian Movement (AIM). Since then, Jun San has crossed the country four more times on foot and logged in several thousand additional miles for the cause of peace.
In 1983, during one of her fasts, she was approached by Hank Hazelton, a long time activist for Native Americans. Hank had heard of her work and offered her a parcel of land in Grafton, New York, for the purpose of building a “Monument for Peace”. In October 1985, work began on the structure soon to be called the Grafton Peace Pagoda. After 8 years of toil and struggle, the Pagoda was completed and dedicated in the fall of 1993.
“Civilization is not to kill human beings,Not to destroy things, not to make war;Civilization is to hold mutual affectionAnd to respect one another.”
–Most Venerable Nichidatsu Fujii
Grafton Peace Pagoda
87 Crandall Road
Petersburgh, NY 12138
518.658.9301
The Pagoda Community welcomes EVERYONE. We ALL belong to this family.
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