Michi- The Path -13

CONTENTS02BDK Japan News 2023
〜BDK Publications〜● Exploring "The Teaching of Buddha (TTOB)" Series Interview "TTOB Volunteers" ~ Living in the Local Community with TTOB
● “The Teaching of Buddha” – Update for 2023
● Newly Published BDK Publications in 2023

● Publications of the BDK English Tripiṭaka -Update for 2023
● “Let It Shine! Temple Bulletin Board Award 2023”● The 10th Annual Photography Competition for the BDK Calendar “A Wise Teaching a Day”
● The Ninth Photo Exhibition of the BDK Calendar “A Wise Teaching a Day”

10

〜Financial Assistance and Honoring Recipients〜● BDK Fellowship for Japanese Scholars● BDK Fellowship for Foreign Scholars● The 57th BDK Cultural Awards Ceremony● BDK Financial Assistance Programs

16〜Buddhist Lectures and Seminars〜● BDK Online Station: “Weekly Dharma Talks”● The Weekly Radio Program “WARAIMESHI TETSUOʼs Saturday Night Buddhism”● BDK Flower Festival for the Vesak Celebration 2023

● Studying “The Teaching of Buddha (TTOB)” for Business/Daily Life

● The 2021 “Toshihide Numata Book Award in Buddhism” Commemorative Lecture● Kosetsu Nosu Exhibition at Kitano Cultural Center● “Tips from Masters of Buddhism” 2023

● The 51st Jissen Fukyo Kenkyukai, BDK Buddhist Missionary Seminar● The Picture Story Show and Calligraphy Performance at Byodoin Temple● “Buddhism Through English” Update for 2023
● “Buddhist Yoga” Update for 2023

● “Nourish Your Heart with Japanese Buddhist Vegetarian Cuisine -Learning Buddhism through Food”● Workshop to Make Your Own Incense Sticks● “Experiencing Buddhism”● “Symbolic Letter of Hope for 2024” Contest● Elementary Course of Buddhist Lectures on “Japanese Buddhism -Learning from Scratch” – Update for 2023
● The 32nd BDK Symposium● The 33rd BDK Symposium● The 34th BDK Symposium

33

Take a Break: Buddhist Vegetarian Recipe

34

BDK Aﬃliated Organization Activities
World Map & Contact Information● BDK America● BDK Hawaii● BDK Mexico● BDK Canada● BDK Asia

● BDK Europe

44"Sasaeatte"「Kairyo(Improvement)｣

BDK Newsletter No.13 2024 - 6/1/2024 -3,000
Copyrightⓒ2024 by BUKKYO DENDO KYOKAI(BDK)
Published by BDK
3-14, Shiba-4chome, Minato-ku, Tokyo, Japan, 108-0014

Edited by Kaoru Eguchi, BDK
Printed in Japan by ARC Co., Ltd.

BDK Newsletter2024

We truly appreciate your generous understanding and continued support for all of
Bukkyo Dendo Kyokai (BDK)’s activities as we report our 2023 news and updates
in this issue. In 2023, Rev. Shoryu Katsura retired as president in June. Rev. Katsura succeeded the late former chairperson, Rev. Toshihide Numata, as president, andduring his tenure, he made significant contributions to the Society, such as leading
the revision of "The Teaching of Buddha (TTOB)," promoting the BDK English
Tripiṭaka series, and enhancing the development of the Numata Program in
Buddhist Studies. I am pleased to announce that Mr. Yoshiaki Numata has
succeeded as the new president.
The Society will celebrate its 60th anniversary in 2025. This milestone occasion
will be an opportunity for us to reflect on our past activities and reaffirm the wishof our founder, the late Rev. Dr. Yehan Numata, to "spread Buddhism to the world
in some way." We will work together with board members and staff to find newthemes, challenge ourselves, and reconsider how to respond to the changing times.
We sincerely ask for your continued support and guidance.
With Gassho,
Seikoh-Kiyotaka Kimura
Chairperson
Bukkyo Dendo Kyokai (BDK)Society for the Promotion of Buddhism

I have assumed the position of president, succeeding Rev. Shoryu Katsura. I feel
deeply connected to Bukkyo Dendo Kyokai (BDK), just as my grandfather andfather did, and I am grateful for this opportunity. I humbly ask for your guidance.
While also overseeing the management of Mitutoyo Corporation, I keenly feel thenecessity for new ideas and initiatives to adapt to the ever-changing businessenvironment. I believe the religious and Buddhist communities face similar
challenges. Adaptation to changing times, tools, and diverse needs requires a broad
approach to Buddhist promotion activities. On the occasion of the 60th anniversaryof our establishment, I intend to work with all board members and staff to set
medium- to long-term goals and strive for their achievement.
I sincerely ask for your continued warm support.
With Gassho,
Yoshiaki Numata
President
Bukkyo Dendo Kyokai (BDK)Society for the Promotion of Buddhism

1Interview

Minobu-san Kuonji Sanmon Gate

Exploring “The Teaching of Buddha (TTOB)”
Series Interview“TTOB Volunteers” ~ Living in the Local Community with TTOB
Special Thanks to Ven. Tengen Hamajima from the Head Temple of Nichiren Shu, Minobu-san Kuonji
Location: Head Temple of Nichiren Shu, Minobu-san Kuonji in Minobu-cho,
Minamikoma-gun, Yamanashi PrefectureInterviewer: Masayuki Masuda (BDK)
Editor and Photography: Kaoru Eguchi (BDK)Interview in March 2024
BDK has been consistently engaged in the distribution of “The Teaching of Buddha (TTOB)” as one ofits main projects. These scriptures are not only made available in lodging facilities such as hotels andinns but also in temples, medical facilities, and educational institutions. Despite the significant impact of
the global spread of Covid-19 in recent years, as daily life gradually returns to normality, BDK is actively
supporting individuals who serve as “TTOB Volunteers” in their respective regions to share “TTOB” withas many people as possible. As of the present year of 2024, we are grateful to have the cooperation of 90
Buddhist priests in this endeavor.

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BDK Newsletter

Michi−The Path−“TTOB Volunteers” are those dedicated priests who assist in the distribution of “TTOB” to hotels andtourist destinations in their respective regions. They not only provide the scriptures but also promote their
merits on behalf of BDK, spreading Buddhist philosophy and culture. In this edition, we visit the Head
Temple of Nichiren Shu, Mt. Minobu (Minobu-san) Kuonji, which celebrated its 750th anniversary in 2023,
and we interviewed Ven. Tengen Hamajiima, who serves as the executive priest of the temple and actively
participates as a “TTOB Volunteer,” to learn about his motivations for joining this initiative.
Situated amidst the scenic beauty of one of “Japan’s Five Great Cherry Blossom Spots,” the areasurrounding Minobu-san Kuonji, the head temple of Nichiren Shu, is a charming town with longstanding
traditional inns and shops that warmly welcome visitors.

Masuda (hereinafter referred
to as M) : Thank you very muchfor your continued cooperation.
First, could you briefly introduce
your denomination and your Head
Temple to our readers?
Hamashima (hereinafterreferred to as H) : Thank you
as well for your ongoing support.
Nich i ren Shu wa s fou nded byNich i re n Shon i n i n 1253, a nd
M i nobu - s a n Kuonji s e r ve s a st he He a d Te m ple of Nich i r e nShu. Due to the emphasis placedon lineage since ancient times,t h e r e a r e c u r r e n t l y 57 m a i ntemples nationwide (including
one Head Temple, Minobu-san
Kuonji, and seven chief temples).
Nichiren Shonin faced continuous
persecution after presenting the“Rissho Ankoku Ron” (a document
submitted to Hojo Tokiyori, thef i f t h r ege nt of t he K a m a k u r ashog u nate i n 1260, cr iticizi ng
other denominations and warningof disasters and foreign invasion
if the situation persisted, which
led to attacks by followers of Jodo
Buddhism and his exile to Iz u
Province the following year). I
believe that Minobu-san was the
only place where he could truly
find peace amidst such adversity.

Over the 14th and 15th centuries,
M i nobu- sa n Kuonji g r a du al ly
developed into its current form as aplace for disciples’ education.
Despite its remote location, weare deeply grateful for the many
visitors, especially from overseas,
who have made pilg r i mages
here, but we regret that there areno casual dining or refreshment
facilities within the temple grounds
for them to enjoy. In the future, we
hope to explore plans that leverage
the beauty of this scenic mountainarea and create new attractions
so that Minobu-san can become a
beloved destination where people
from different backgrounds can findhappiness together, always bearing

in mind the principle of “living andprospering together.”M : I see. Your history of mutual
support in protecting this land,
utilizing the power of nature, isevident. It seems like Minobu-san
is poised to become an even moreaccessible and cherished destinationin the future.
H : Especially during spring, when
the cherry blossoms in the mountainare splendid, on clear days, visitors
can also enjoy views of Mt. Fuji
f rom the in ner sanct uar y, so I
h ig h ly re com me nd t a k i ng t heopportunity to visit there.
M : It sounds wonderful to be able

TTOB placed in Yamadaya Ryokan guest room3

to enjoy the mountain’s beauty indifferent seasons! Now, Minobu-san
Kuonji has already captivated many
people, and you yourself, Hamajima
Sensei, are actively promoting
Buddhist spirituality and culture.
Could you share with us why you
chose to support BDK’s “TTOB”
initiative?

Ven. Tengen Hamajima

H : The reason is that BDK, which
is working to spread the “TTOB,”
is wonderful (laughs). I’ve heardthat it’s currently published in 47
languages around the world, andI can see that it’s truly a laborious
task, so I feel a deep respect for it.
Even though we say “Buddhism” ina broad sense, it’s complicated! For
those of us involved in Buddhism,
sutras are familiar, but since they
are originally not in Japanese,t he r e a r e t r a n sl it e r at ion s a ndinterpretations, so it’s very difficult
for those who are not familiar withthem to understand accurately in ashort time. I think it’s amazing thatthey are being made accessible andthat they are being distributed not

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Michi−The Path−

only in Japan but all over the world,
so I wanted to contribute to thateffort.
M : We t r u ly ap pre ciat e you r
u nde r st a nd i ng a nd suppor t ofou r activities. T han ks to you r
assistance, more people in need
are receiving the “TTOB.” As you
pointed out, we mainly donate themto accommodation facilities, but in
addition, why do you also contributeto educational institutions?
H : This applies not only to BDK but
also to Mitutoyo Co., Ltd., whichstrongly supports the organization.
Firstly, while financial resources
are important for continuing suchactivities over the years, I believethat human resource development
is the most crucial aspect. I hopethat young people will study abroad
more and learn various things fromaround the world. In Christianity,
institutions like Harvard University
h a ve e s t a b l i s h e d t h e ol o g i c a l
departments to provide students
who will lead the future with ample
opportunities to learn, right?
M : T h a t ’s c o r r e c t . B u i l d i n gconnections between people andeducating the younger generation
are crucial.
H : When the books are distributedin educational instit utions,
everyone is happy to receive them,and we also use them at university
graduation ceremonies, for example.
And what I par ticularly like isthat the “TTOB” have English
translations, so you can learn both
Japanese and English at the sametime (limited to the JapaneseEnglish Comparative version)!
Compact booklets like “Guide to

Buddhism” and “Messages fromthe Buddha” are also easy to pickup and read. I would like to placethem at the ropeway station of ourtemple. The number of foreign
visitors has increased, and it has
become routine for people fromvarious countries to participate inmorning services. There are also
many inquiries about Buddhism inEnglish, and although it’s simple, I
sometimes greet people in English
myself.
With the world becoming moreaccessible and convenient, there areunfortunately many sad events suchas conf licts escalating into wars
due to mutual animosity. I believethat now is the time for the spirit of
Buddhism embodied in the phrase,“Do not repay hatred with hatred,”
to be alive. Therefore, I think it’s
important to utilize them actively inthe field of education, especially foryounger students.
M : That’s very true. We sincerely
hope that this spir it will be
conveyed to the world. Thanks toyour efforts, donations of “TTOB”
to universities have increased,
especially to younger generations.
H : I believe that Buddhism has aspirit that everyone must be saved,
regardless of who they are. In recent
years, we hear about issues suchas declining birth rates, an aging
population, a lack of successors,and poverty no matter where you
are in Japan. Even at Minobusan, there are lodging temples
without successors, and it’s alreadybecoming a problem. We also wantto overcome this by working closelywith the town, but the impact of
declining birth rates is significant,and it’s quite a difficult situation.
Even in such circumstances, in
Minobu-cho, Chairman Sano of
the Tourism Association and theentire town warmly support us,
and we are implementing various
projects together as a community.
In August of 2022, we even held aperformance of the opera “Nikko’s
Universe, Mandala World” at the
New National Theatre Opera Palacein Shibuya, Tokyo to commemoratet h e 750 t h a n n ive r s a r y of t h efounding of Minobu-san, which wasan unprecedented initiative.

“TTOB” and other BDK booklets placed in Tourist Information office

M : Collaborative effor ts witht he com mu n it y a nd t he op e r a
performance are innovative andfantastic.
H : Thank you. The opera vividly
portrays the heroic life of Nichiren
Shonin and his efforts to propagate
the Lotus Sutra, and it was very wellreceived. In other denominations,
there are places that attract many
tourists regardless of nationality,
and we also want to learn fromthem. To begin with, it’s important
to involve young people actively
i n revit alizi ng the com mu nit y
together with local residents and to
maximize the use of tools related to
Buddhism, such as the “TTOB.”
The “TTOB Volunteer” activities
are spreading in various places,
but BDK hosts a historic training
se m i n a r ca l le d t he “ Bud d h ist
Missionary Seminar” for Buddshit
priests, monks and temple families(as of fiscal year 2023, 51 sessions
have been held: see page ). Youngpeople from various denominations
gather at the forefront, where theyca n t r ai n a nd d iscu ss w it houthesitation, transcending sects, and“TTOB” placed in a booksshelf at Daikoku cafe

this is an irreplaceable opportunity.
I hope that BDK will become an
entity that challenges establishedsects to unify Buddhism as a whole.
M : Thank you for your kind words.
How do you feel about the “TTOB
Volunteer” activities?
H : When I was young, there weremore opportunities for teachers
from various denominations tointeract and discuss, but lately,
it s e e m s t h a t t he r e a r e fe we roppor t u nities to gather acrosssects. Since there is a growing
momentum for diversity throughout
Japan, I consider it a valuable
opportunity to connect with people
f r o m v a r io u s d e n o m i n a t io n s ,industries, and regions, and I hopethat more young people will join
this activity. Although I might not
be articulating it well, I feel that if
Buddhist priests/monks continue toisolate themselves without looking
outward and receiving stimuli fromthe outside world, Buddhism willcontinue to decline. Therefore, it’s
important to actively break out of
one’s shell, go out into the world,and learn about society, especiallyfrom a young age.
M : I a p p r e c i a t e yo u r a d v ic e
for those who a re consider i ng
joining the “TTOB Volunteer”
activities. Finally, what do you
think is necessary for the futureof Buddhism, according to yourthoughts, Hamajima-sensei?
H : I believe we should recognize
diverse values and never forget tokeep learning, and this applies not
only to Buddhism but to everythingelse. A nd I hop e t hat va r iou s
activities will be an expressionof ever yone’s sincere faith. By
k now i ng Budd h ism, I hope to5create a time of relief and bringpeace of mind to people, and I hopefor a world where people have roomin their hearts.
This time, we heard from Ven.
Tengen Hamajima, who is working
together with everyone in the temple
precincts and the community. With
the br ight prospects emergi ng

primarily in the tourism industry, it
was a good opportunity to recognize
the wonderful connections fosteredby a “TTOB Volunteer” and tofeel new possibilities, prompting
us to reconsider what is needed
now. In addition to “TTOB,” BDK
provides other popular publications
such as the red booklet “Guide
to Buddhism” for free to temples

par ticipating in the “TTOB
Volunteer” activities.
For inquiries regarding the“TTOB” and other publishingactivities, please visit theofficial website of the BDK:
https://www.bdk.or.jp/english/

Introducing the main facilities providing publications issued by our association such as “TTOB,”“Guide to Buddhism,” and “Messages from the Buddha” at the entrance of Minobu-san:Minobusan Tourism
Association(Chairperson,
Mr. Yoshikazu Sano)“The booklets are especiallyeasy for tourists to pick up,
so we would like to continue
utilizing them at tourist
information centers and otherfacilities at the entrance.”
Daikoku Café
by Kanyotei Kawaki(Chairperson,
Ms. Terumi Ikegami)“Since you’ve come all theway to Minobu, we hope
you can also feel the essenceof Buddhism.”

Yamadaya Ryokan Family“We hope to provide comfort toour guests who come to Minobu.”

Ven. Tengen Hamajima
Executive officer of Administration, Minobu-san Kuonji Temple, Headquartersof Nichiren Shu, Honorary Professor at Minobusan University
Date of Birth: 1951 in Mie Prefecture
Published Works: “Contemporary Nichiren Studies” (Shunjusha), “Walking
with Gohonzon” (Nichiren Shimbunsha), “The Man of Poverty: Toshio Doi”
(Daibukkankaku), “Lectures on the Lotus Sutra: All Twenty-eight Chapters”(Daibukkankaku), etc.

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BDK Newsletter

Michi−The Path−BDK JAPANNEWS 2023

BDK Publications

01
Activity“The Teaching of Buddha” – Update for 2023

From the fiscal years 2020 to 2022, the distribution activities of the “The Teaching of Buddha (TTOB)”
were significantly impacted by the global spread of Covid-19. However, as of 2023, the negative influenceof this situation has gradually diminished.
In 2023, a total of 8,875 copies were
donated to hotels within Japan, while
30,806 copies were contributed to
Buddhist schools, childcare facilities,
and similar institutions. Recently,t h e r e h a s b e e n a n i n c r e a si ng
number of requests for donations
via telephone or fax from schools,
and the distribution of “TTOB”
h a s b e c ome a r eg u la r fe at u r eduring events such as entrance andgraduation ceremonies at numerous
educational institutions.

02
Activity

Furthermore, in September 2023, incollaboration with the InternationalA s s o c i a t i o n fo r t h e V i s u a l l y
Impaired, we issued a Braille version
of a brochure titled “Messages fromthe Buddha,” which summarizes thecontents of “TTOB.” This Brailleversion was donated to 135 visually
impaired librar ies and welfare
facilities nationwide.
P r e v i o u s B r a i l l e ve r s i o n s of
“TTOB” consisted of three thickvolumes, making casual reading

challenging for visually impaired
individuals. It is our hope that this
newly issued publication will serveas an accessible means for visually
impaired individuals to engage with
Buddhist teachings.
Additionally, BDK is plan ningto publish a revised edition of“TTOB” in Japanese in 2024. We
remain committed to continuing
our efforts to deliver “TTOB” to as
many individuals as possible, both
domestically and internationally.

Newly Published BDK Publications in 2023

We are pleased to announce therelease of the latest installment in
our annual series of dharma talks,“Michishirube: The Six Paramitas
Series.” Following the inaugural
volu me, “Fuse - T he Spi r it ofOffering,” the second volume was“Jikai - Living a Better Life,” andthe third volume was “Ninniku- Embr a ci ng Tr ut h.” We h ave
now published the fourth volume,“Shojin - Unwavering Effort,” inJune. This work, authored by Dr.
Kenneth Tanaka (Jodo Shinshu“Shojin”“Lighten Up! Himekuri Buddna Seikatsu”

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BDK JAPANNEWS 2023
Hongwanji-ha), Rev. Ryutai Suzuki(Nichiren Shu), and Rev. Shinsuke
Hosokawa (Rinzai Shu Myoshinjiha), offers gentle elucidation of thedaily teachings from the “A Wise
Teaching A Day Calendar” from theperspectives of various Buddhist
schools.

A d d i t i o n a l l y, a s t h e s e c o n d
i n s t a l l m e n t of o u r h u m o r o u sillustrated series introduced in
2019, we are delighted to present“Lighten Up! Himekuri Buddna
Seikatsu, Living Daily with A
Message A Day from Buddha 2,”
following the success of the first one.

Authored by Mr. Makoto Miyashita
a nd i l lu st r at e d by M s. Na oko
Kagawa, this selection of Buddha’s
teachings, suitable for readers of
all ages, promises to uplift spirits.
Both publications are available forpurchase through the online store of
our official website.

03

Publications of the BDK English Tripiṭaka
-Update for 2023

04

“Let It Shine! Temple Bulletin Board Award 2023”

Activity

The translation project of the “Taisho
Tripiṭaka” has steadily progressedwith the completion of approximately
77% of the translations for the firstseries comprising 139 texts. Our aim
is to complete all of the 139 texts by
2027.
I n t he f iscal yea r 2023, t h ree
volumes were published as part ofthe BDK English Tripiṭaka Series:“Madhyama Agama Volume III”
(scheduled for 4 volumes in total),“ T he Hu nd red Record s of t he
Temple of National Purity,” and“The Diamond Needle/Treatise on
Doctrinal Distinctions of the Huayan
One Vehicle/The Key to the Secretof the Heart Sutra.”“Madhyama Agama Volume III”

Activity

includes 50 scr ipt u res ranging
from the “Larger Wisdom Sutra”
to the “Bahudhātuka Sutra.” “The
Hundred Records of the Temple of
National Purity” is a collection of
104 letters and documents related
to Zhiyi, compiled to honor his
legacy, and bear the name of thedocu ment collect ion at Mou nt
Tiantai’s Guoqing Temple. The“The Diamond Needle/Treatiseon Doctrinal Distinctions of the
Huayan One Vehicle/The Key to theSecret of the Heart Sutra” contains
three texts: “The Diamond Needle,”
which critiques the authority ofBrahmanism and the caste systemfrom a Buddhist perspective; the“Treatise on Doctrinal Distinctionsof the Huayan One Vehicle,” which
discusses ten topics related to
the Avatamsaka Sutra compiled
by Faxian; and the “The Key to
the Heart Sutra,” in which Kukai
annotates the Heart Sutra from theperspective of esoteric Buddhism.

We held the 6th annual “Let It Shine! Temple Bulletin Board Award 2023.” This time, we received 4,107
entries, which was the highest number of submissions received despite the fact that the application period
was the shortest to date.
The winner of the grand prize was
the entry from Myoenji Temple in

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Michi−The Path−

Tokyo: “One who is only noble
in words is an enemy.” This is aphrase from Shakyamuni’s words
found in the Singalovada Sutra. Intoday’s age, with the convenienceof the internet, anyone can easily
disseminate words to the world.
However, this also brings about
numerous conf licts and issues.
Words have t he power to hu r tothers, and we should ask ourselves:
am I splendid only with words?

05
ActivityThis message, urging self-reflection,
resonated with the judges, leading
to its selection as the grand prize
winner.
We are planning to host the 7th“Temple Bulletin Board Award”
from July 1st in 2024.
“One who is only noble in words is an enemy”

The 10th Annual Photography Competition for
the BDK Calendar “A Wise Teaching a Day”

The contest, held annually since 2014, celebrated its 10th year. We received a total of 755 submissions,comprising 2,574 photos.
O n S e p t e m b e r 19, 2 0 2 3 , t h eCalendar Photog raphy Contest
Selection Committee convened,
selected 32 images including thecover, and awarded certificates andcash prizes to the winners.
Selected works will be featured
in the 2025 calendar and will also
be viewable on our association’s
website.
Calendar Photography Contest Selection by the committee

The Ninth Photo Exhibition of the BDK Calendar “A Wise Teaching a Day”
at Tsukiji Hongwanji Temple, Byodoin Temple, and Zuiganji Temple
From April 11 to June 4, 2023,
the photo exhibition of selected
works from the 9th edition of the“A Wise Teaching A Day Calendar
Photography Contest” took place at
the main hall of Tsukiji Hongwanji
Temple. From June 7 to August 27,
2023, it was held at the Byodoin
Te m p l e M u s e u m , a n d f r o m
September 1 to October 23, 2023, at
the main hall of Zuiganji Temple.
The total number of visitors acrossthe th ree venues was 493,688,
allowing many to enjoy the photos

alongside Buddhist teachings andinspirational quotes.

Exhibition at Zuiganji Temple

9BDK JAPANNEWS 2023

Financial Assistance andHonoring Recipients
BDK Fellowship

Bukkyo Dendo Kyokai (BDK) has established the “BDK Fellowship for Foreign Scholars” and the “BDKFellowship for Japanese Scholars” to support individuals aspiring to pursue Buddhist studies.

BDK Fellowship for Japanese Scholars

The BDK Fellowship for Japanese Scholars was established in 2012 with the aim of fostering young
Japanese researchers who can broaden their perspectives by studying abroad and contribute to the future
promotion of Buddhist academia.
In 2022, this program celebrated its 10th anniversary and has since accepted scholars up to the 11thround. Recipients of the scholarship have gained diverse experiences worldwide and are dedicated toadvancing their respective research endeavors.

The 10th Awardee (2023)
Name : Keiki Nakayama
Scholarship Period : 2nd year (3 years in total)
Affiliation : Institute for South and Central Asian Studies, University of Leipzig
Academic Advisor : Prof. Jowita Kramer
Theme of Research : A Study of the Paryāyasaṃgrahaṇī of the Yogācārabhūmi: Yogacara’s Interpretation of
Scriptural Phrases

The 11th Awardee (2024)
Name : Mayu Yasukawa
Scholarship Period : 1 year
Affiliation : University of Vienna, The Department of South Asian, Tibetan and Buddhist Studies
Theme of Research : The Study on the additional part of the Mahāparinirvāṇa-mahāsūtra translated by
Dharmakśema
Academic Advisor : Assistant Professor Christopher V. Jones
Please note that the information for the 10th and 11th awardees are currently being updated, and theirintroductions will be provided upon the completion of their term.

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BDK Newsletter

Michi−The Path−BDK Fellowship for Foreign Scholars

The BDK Fellowship for Foreign Scholars was established in 1991, and aims to promote international
cooperation and mutual understanding in Buddhist studies. It is intended to enable researchers to engage
in advanced research on Buddhism while in Japan.
Currently, the program has accepted scholars up to the 33rd round from various countries. This time, wewould like to introduce two scholars who completed their scholarship periods within the fiscal year 2023.

BDK Fellowship Q&As
The 30th Awardee (2020)

Name : Jonathan Edward Thumas
Tenure : September 2022 - August 2023
Theme of Research in Japan : Buddhist Hermitage Communities in Medieval Japan
Affiliation in Japan : Historiographical Institute, The University of Tokyo
Academic Advisor in Japan : Prof. Hiroki Kikuchi1 ) What made you apply for the2021 BDK Fellowship?
My research focuses on a topic
for which little previous research
exists, with only select experts inthese materials working at Japanese
universities. All of the primarysources that I use – both manuscript
and archaeological – are also housedin archives in Japan. In 2019 I had
reached a point in my research thatmade it necessary to study in Japan,
specifically with Professor Kikuchi
Hiroki at the HistoriographicalInstit ute. His work on popular
Buddhism and mountain beliefs
shares st rong intersections
with my own research, and theInstitute’s archival holdings include
manuscripts of great importance forseveral of my dissertation chapters.
My advisor, Professor Ry uichi
Abe, suggested that I apply for the
BDK fellowship to support a yearof research in Tokyo. I was at first a

Mr. Thumas talks about his research

bit nervous due to the prestige andselectivity of this fellowship. At thesame time, I was excited by the ideaof being able to study with a faculty
member in Japan while being partof an organization involved in thegrowth of Buddhist Studies in Japanand beyond. I also learned that BDK
offers incredibly generous support
for fellowship holders with families,
which was an important factor forme. In the end, I applied and wasequally surprised and thrilled when
I received notification that I had
received the fellowship.
2 ) What is/are the best thing(s)about being a BDK Fellowshipholder and what do you think
about your future career?
One of the things that immediately
c o m e s t o m i n d fo r m e i s t h e

11BDK JAPANNEWS 2023
consistent support that I received
from BDK and its staff. At various
points during my time in Japan,
I had oppor t unities to do f ield
research. On several occasions, I
was able to join Professor Kikuchio n t r ip s t o Kōya s a n , whe r e I
learned how to make rubbings ofstone inscriptions. Towards the endof my trip, I also made regular trips
to the village of Hanase in Kyoto,where I st udied archaeologicalsites and materials with membersof the local community, and evenpresented my ow n research on
this area’s religious history at a
community event. The generous
research funding provided by BDK
made it possible for me to take fulladvantage of these opportunities
to expand my exposure to different
research methods and professional
networks. In addition to generous
financial support, BDK was also
f lex ible t h roug h my extended
process of entering Japan, which
was delayed for two years due tothe Covid-19 pandemic. Due to theongoing assistance and patienceof BDK, my family and I wereable to enter Japan in 2022. The
BDK staff – notably the wonderful
Kaoru Eguchi – were helpful at
every step. The support of BDK
gave me the chance to finish myd isse r t at ion , a nd i n doi ng so,
produce a contribution to the studyof Japanese Buddhism. I believethat this has positively impacted myfuture career prospects in giving
me a foundation for publishing andteaching the many things that I havelearned through my research.
3 ) What did you like the mostabout life in Japan? (or anything
you were surprised about?)
Living in Japan – and particularly
Tok yo – was a n u n forget t able
exper ience both professionallyand personally. I enjoyed being
able to live i n such proxi m it yto my research, f rom my daily
morning walk from our apartment
in Yushima to my off ice at theHistoriographical Institute, to mysometimes-week ly bullet t rainrides to research sites in Kyoto.

Prof. Kikuchi teaches how to make rubbings of stone
inscriptions

I was pleasantly surprised at theconvenience of life in Tokyo, bothfor my work and for excursions. My
family and I enjoyed several trips
to areas throughout the archipelago.
Indeed, another thing that I truly
enjoyed about life in Japan was
being able to share the experience
with my family. Through attending
our local neighborhood school inTokyo, our daughter was able tolearn Japanese, and has continued
using and learning the language
si n c e we a r r ive d b a ck i n t h e
United States. The BDK fellowshiphas given my family and me alasting connection to Japan that
I look forward to continuing anddeepening in the future.

The 32nd Awardee (2023)
Name : Hee Eon Pak
Tenure : April 2022 - March 2023
Theme of Research in Japan : A Comprehensive Study of Atiśaʼs Mantrayāna Theory: In Relation to
Pāramitāyāna Thought, Practice, and Ethics:
Tsukuba
University
Affiliation in Japan
Academic Advisor in Japan : Prof. Chizuko Yoshimizu
1 ) What made you apply for the2021 ( 2023?) BDK Fellowship?
I c a m e t o Ja p a n a s a s t u d e nt

12

BDK Newsletter

Michi−The Path−of t h e J a p a n e s e G ove r n m e n t
Scholarship and began studying
Buddhism at the graduate school ofTsukuba University. However, theJapanese Government Scholarshipis li m ited to t he t h i rd yea r of

Sumounding Prof. Yoshimizu

a doctoral prog ram, and I was
unable to complete my doctoral
dissertation within this period,
which caused me concern about
my financial situation. It was at
this time that I was informed of
the BDK Fellowship through therecommendation of my academic
advisor, Prof. Yoshimizu. With thehelp of Prof. Yoshimizu, I applied
for the BDK Fellowship with the
expectation that this scholarship
wou ld al low me to cont i nue
my research without f i nancial
difficulties.
2 ) What is/are the best thing(s)about being a BDK Fellowshipholder and what do you think
about your future career?
The best thing about being a BDK
Fellowship holder was that I wasable to focus on my research without
financial worries. The fellowshipallowed me to dedicate myself
solely to my research for a year andcomplete the dissertation to the bestof my abilities. In addition to this, it
was also an invaluable experience tointeract with other BDK Fellowshiprecipients who are researching
diverse areas of Buddhism.
As for my prospects for the future, I
have focused on Indian and Tibetan
Budd hism, but in the f ut ure, I
would like to expand my researchto East Asian Buddhism, including
Japan, and conduct comparative
research on the connection andoriginality of Buddhist cultures invarious countries.
3 ) What did you like the mostabout life in Japan? (or anything
you were surprised about?)
I think the most memorable thing
about my stay in Japan was thekindness of many people. Rightafter I came to Japan as a foreign
student, I faced many difficulties
because I could not even understandJapanese properly, let alone Sanskrit
or Tibetan, which was necessary
for my research. I was able to finish

the doctoral program at Tsukuba
University with the great supportof many professors, seniors, andfriends who patiently taught andhelped me whenever I encountereddifficulties. I would like to express
my deepest gratitude to all of them,especially Prof. Yoshimizu and
BDK.

Mr. Pak and Prof. Yoshimizu

13

BDK JAPANNEWS 2023

01
Activity

The 57th BDK Cultural Awards Ceremony
on October 19, 2023 at the BDK Center Building

The 57th BDK Cultural Awards, Bunka-sho ceremony and congratulatory reception for the 57th BDK
Cultural Awards were held on the 8th floor of the BDK Center Building.

The 57th BDK Cultural Awardees

The recipient of the Cultural Award
for Promotion of Buddhism, Dr.
Yoshiro Imaeda, was honored for his
outstanding achievements in the fieldof Tibetan and Bhutanese historicalliterature, as well as for his dedication
to cutting-edge Buddhist researchboth domestically and internationally.
Reflecting on his 60 years of activity,
he remarked, “I feel fortunate tohave dedicated my life to this path.
The more I read the words left by the
Buddha, the more I realize how great aperson he was.”Rev. Issho Fujita, recipient of the
Numata Innovation & Visionary

14

BDK Newsletter

Michi−The Path−Award, was recognized for his longstanding leadership in Zen meditation,
both in the United States and upon his
return to Japan, where he continued
to spread Zazen meditation to people
regardless of nationality. He expressed,“After experiencing Zazen meditation,
I realized I wanted to pursue spiritual
practice more than academic studies
and decided to become a monk. I had
planned to take it easy after reaching
the year of Koki, 70 years of age, but
receiving this award inspires me tocontinue my Zen research happily for
another 10 years.”

Dr. Imaeda

Rev. Fujita

Dr. Imaeda receiving the grants

02
Activity

2023 BDK Financial Assistance Programs

BDK supports individuals and groups that agree with the purpose of our non-profit activities and contributeto the promotion of Buddhism and its culture with high quality public programs.
For 2023, we received 20 applications
and the BDK Financial AssistanceCommittee selected 14 groups andgranted them financial assistance aslisted below. For more information
about BDK financial assistanceprograms, visit our official website
at https://www.bdk.or.jp/bdk/jyosei/
jyoseikin.html

A. Support for Numata Program in Buddhist Studies

Name of Group

University of California, Berkeley

Project

Reserve funds for establishment of Numata Center

B. Support for BDK Affiliated Organizations

Name of Group

Project

BDK Asia

Distribution of “The Teaching of Buddha”

BDK Taiwan

Distribution of BDK publications

C. Support for Groups

Name of GroupThe Japanese Association ofIndian Studies
NPO Kamakura Terakoya

Project

International academic and cultural exchanges through digital correspondence
Promotion of temple communities through volunteer activities by universities, temples, local
government, and individuals

Research investigation, support of research, etc. as a public interest incorporated foundation
Public Interest Incorporated
Foundation the Nakamura Hajime
Eastern Institute
D. Support for Projects: D-1. Buddhist Spiritual/Cultural and Humanitarian Activities

Name of Group

Project

Public Interest Incorporated
Foundation Zenkoku Kyokaishi
Renmei (Japan Buddhist
Chaplain Union)

Training/education of Buddhist chaplains

H1HOUWA Grand Prix Executive
Committee

2023 H1 HOUWA Grand Prix

Zenkoku Nichirenshu Seinenkai

Buddhism and Sexual Minority Mutual Understanding Promotion Project to participate in“Tokyo Rainbow Pride 2023”

D. Support for Projects: D-2. Promotion of Buddhist Academic Learning

Name of Group

Project

Ryukoku Museum

2023 Special Spring Exhibition, “Shinshu Buddhism and Prince Shotoku”

Japanisch-Deutsches Kulturinstitu“Concept of Nature in Buddhism and Christianity” co-sponsored workshop conducted bythree research institutes in Japan and Germany
KoPhil Lecture Series: Buddhist Philosophy in Dialogue with Contemporary Sciences

Verein fur Komparative Philosophie
und Interdisziplinare Bildung /KoPhil
Verein fur Komparative Philosophie KoPhil Project B: The Comparative Philosophy of Buddhism
und Interdisziplinare Bildung /KoPhil
Numata Center for Buddhist Studies Funds for the Numata Program at the Numata Center of Hamburg University
at Hamburg University

15

BDK JAPANNEWS 2023

Buddhist Lectures and Seminars

01
Activity

BDK Online Station: “Weekly Dharma Talks”
Live Streaming Every Week

Rev. Honda (May)Rev. Miyajima (September)

Rev. Shimada (August)Rev. Tsuji (November)

The online dharma talk program“Weekly Dharma Talks” began in
January, 2021. A monthly theme isset, and a variety of Buddhist priests
from different denominations deliver
talks based on that theme, one eachweek. As of March 2023, we have

16

BDK Newsletter

Michi−The Path−sur passed our 150th broadcast,and the number of people looking
forward to this time on Wednesday
even i ngs has been i ncreasi ng.
Additionally, the talks are being
uploa de d t o ou r a s so ciat ion’s
Yo uTu b e c h a n n e l g r a d u a l l y,garnering a significant amount ofviews. Continuing into 2024, we
will keep streaming in order tomake the concept of “dharma talks,”
which may seem intimidating, moreaccessible and familiar to a wider
audience.

Speakers for the fiscal year 2023 (Name listed without honorifics)
Renka Haseo
April
Soshuku Shibatani
2023
Shinsho Shigeeda
Connection
Yuho Uemura
Yoshiyuki Takeda
May
Shokan Honda
2023
Soo Iwayama
Pleasure
Mahito Mukai
Noriyuki Nanba
June
Koga Wada
2023
Medical Care Taiko Kaneda
Ryo Takahashi
Ryoei Nanjo
Kosai Mochizuki
JulySoin Fujio
2023
Globalization Joshin Kamuro

02
Activity

Joji Yokomizo
AugustHironobu Shoju
2023
Kiho Shimada
Localization
Shinyu Okamoto
Tomoya Fukuoka
September
Kunimitsu Suwa
2023
Shunkei Miyajima
Exercise
Sodo Kawamata
Shogo Sakuraba
October
Keisuke Mori
2023
Koen Oyama
History
Kazuhiro Sekimoto
Gyoun Taniji
November Ryogen Yasuoka
2023
Seisho Kobayashi
Science andSonko Osawa
Technology
Myoshun Tsuji

December
2023
LaughterJanuary2024
DreamsFebruary
2024
EmotionMarch
2024
Offering

Shunko Masuda
Takuro Sayama
Zuiju Adachi
Kakudo Miyamoto
Hoko Kajiura
Bushi Yoshida
Tadato Wakabayashi
Tomoaki Akai
Reisai Kaneko
Gosho Kodani
Junshin Nakaya
Motoo Noda
Hironori Tsukada
Shinko Kawano

The Weekly Radio Program “WARAIMESHITETSUO’s Saturday Night Buddhism”by FM Osaka
Guests for the fiscal year 2023 (Name listed without honorifics):
entersits 6th season

April
Shoyo Yoshimura (Deputy Head Priest, Fumonji Temple)
May
THANK-YOU Tatsuo (Entertainer, Japanese language scholar, university professor)
The radio
program“BDK
Presents
June
Shizuka
Sasaki (Special Professor, Hanazono University)
WARAIMESHITETSUO’s
Saturday(Entertainer)
July
TOMOCHIKA
NightAugust
Buddhism,” whichbroadcasts
NanreiYokota (Head Priest, Rinzai Zen Engakuji-ha)
every
Saturday nightfrom
0:15 to (Musician)
SeptemberKen
Yokoyama
0:30am,celebrated itsShunmyo
6th seasonin
October
Masuno(Head Priest, Kengonji Temple)
NovemberA
Masso(Comedyduo)2023. Featuring a different celebrity
TomoshiOkuda (Pastor, Higashiyahata Christian Church)
and December
Buddhist priest guest
each month,January
MasumiYagi
the show, hosted by Waraimeshifrom SAVANNAH (Entertainer)
MonshoKamii (Head Priest, Byodoin Temple)
February
Tetsuo,aims to makeBuddhism
March
Jun Miura (Illustrator)

more accessible to listeners throughTetsuo and Ven. Nanrei Yokota
engaging discussions. The listenerbase has been expanding annuallywith posts on social media featuring
the hashtag #SaturdayNightBuddhism
becoming increasingly numerous.
Lecturer（Name with No Honorific Titles）
Date
Theme
12 2023, New
InOctoberthe fiscal year
for theBuddhist
first time Schools
since its inception, the program invited
November
9 as a guest,
Kodokyodana Christianpastorprovidinga newperspective
December
14 on Buddhism.
Rissho Kosei Kai

Susumu Shimazono, Professor Emeritus of the
University of Tokyo
Shojun Okano（Kodosan Buddhist Fellowship）
Munehiro Niwano（Rissho Kosei-kai）
Seiji Nishikawa（Shinnyo-en）

January 11

Shinnyoen

February 8

Tetsuo and TOMOCHIKA
The 34th BDK Symposium
All four speakers above17

Speakers for the fiscal year 2023 (Name listed without honorifics)
Renka Haseo
April
Soshuku Shibatani
2023
Shinsho Shigeeda
Connection
Yuho Uemura
Yoshiyuki Takeda
May
Shokan Honda
2023
Soo Iwayama
Pleasure
Mahito Mukai
Noriyuki Nanba
June
Koga Wada
2023
Medical Care Taiko Kaneda
Ryo Takahashi
Ryoei Nanjo
MochizukiToprovide anKosai
opportunity
for direct
July
Soin
Fujio
2023
interaction with the prog ram’s
Globalization Joshin Kamuro

Joji Yokomizo
AugustHironobu Shoju
2023
Kiho Shimada
Localization
Shinyu Okamoto
Tomoya Fukuoka
September
Kunimitsu Suwa
2023
Shunkei Miyajima
Exercise
Sodo Kawamata
Shogo Sakuraba
October
Keisuke Mori
2023
Koen Oyama
History
Kazuhiro Sekimoto
Gyoun Taniji
November Ryogen Yasuoka
TETSUO. Approximately 40 listeners,
2023
selectedandby SeisholotteryKobayashi
from numerous
Science
Sonko Osawa
Technology
applicants, Myoshun
gathered Tsuji
for the event.

BDK JAPAN

December
2023
Laughter

NEWS 2023

Shunko Masuda
Takuro Sayama
Zuiju Adachi

Kakudo Miyamoto
Hoko Kajiura
Bushi Yoshida
Tadato Wakabayashi
Tomoaki Akai
February
Reisai Kaneko
2024
Gosho Kodani
EmotionJunshin Nakaya
Motoo Noda
TsukadaMarch
Chief PriestHironori
of Todaiji
Temple), who2024
ShinkoKawanoshared insights about Todaiji Temple
Offering
January2024
DreamsSpecial public recording event held at the front mirror-pond stage of Todaiji
Temple, Nara, in front of the Great Buddha Hall! (October 21, 2023)
listeners, a public recording event
was held for the second time infour years at the front mirror-pond
stage of Todaiji Temple in Nara,
the hometown of WARAIMESHI

The guests for this special occasion
were Norito Yashima (actor), a
native of Nara Prefecture, and Kohei
Hashimura (Head Priest, Kegon Sect

and addressed concerns raised by thelisteners. The recording of the public
event was broadcast as a one-hourprogram on November 19th from 7
pm and reached a wide audience.

Guests for the fiscal year 2023 (Name listed without honorifics):
April
May
June
July
AugustSeptember
OctoberNovember
DecemberJanuary
February
March

03
Activity

Shoyo Yoshimura (Deputy Head Priest, Fumonji Temple)
THANK-YOU Tatsuo (Entertainer, Japanese language scholar, university professor)
Shizuka Sasaki (Special Professor, Hanazono University)
TOMOCHIKA (Entertainer)
Nanrei Yokota (Head Priest, Rinzai Zen Engakuji-ha)
Ken Yokoyama (Musician)Shunmyo Masuno (Head Priest, Kengonji Temple)
A Masso (Comedy duo)
Tomoshi Okuda (Pastor, Higashiyahata Christian Church)
Masumi Yagi from SAVANNAH (Entertainer)
Monsho Kamii (Head Priest, Byodoin Temple)
Jun Miura (Illustrator)

BDK Flower Festival for the Vesak Celebration 2023
March 24 – April 10, 2023 at BDK Center Building

To p rDate
omot e f a m i l ia r it y wThemeit h
Buddhismthrough thecelebration
New
Buddhist Schools
October 12of Budd ha’s bi r thday with the“Hanamatsuri
Festival,” theNovember 9FlowerKodokyodan
All-Japan Buddhist Association
December 14
Rissho Kosei Kai
organized the “6th A n nual
January 11r i Desig
Shinnyoen
Hanamatsu
n Contest,”
February 814 selected
The 34th
BDK Symposium
showcasing
original
artworks at the first-floor lobby of
the BDK Center Building.
During the event, visitors were
provided with “flower seeds” fromthe All-Japan Buddhist Women’sFederation and “Sakuma Drops”
from Daiwa Securities Co., Ltd.

18BDK Newsletter

Michi−The Path−

Lecturer（Name with No Honorific Titles）
Susumu Shimazono, Professor Emeritus of the
University of Tokyo
Shojun Okano（Kodosan Buddhist Fellowship）
Munehiro Niwano（Rissho Kosei-kai）
Seiji Nishikawa（Shinnyo-en）
All four speakers above

Artworks displayed at the BDK Center Building

Additionally, the Chinese restaurant,
Mita Bodaiju, located within the
BDK Center Building, offered a
special menu, the “Hanamatsuri

Special Vegetarian Curry,” allowing
guests to enjoy it alongside theselected artworks, each imbued with
its own sentiments and wishes.

04
Activity

Studying “The Teaching of Buddha (TTOB)” forBusiness/Daily Life

Rev. Chiba

Rev. Chiba and seminar participantsRev. Natori

Studying TTOB for BusinessThis is a monthly seminar aimed
at lear ning Buddhist principles
and applying them to business
management. Rev. Makoto Ichiraku(President of Otani University)

and Rev. Koji Chiba (Presidentof Tohoku Fukushi University)
were invited, and the sessions
were held once a month (ever y
4th Fr iday at 6pm, totaling 10

sessions). Following the lectures, asocial gathering was held with theteachers.

Studying TTOB for Daily Life
This is a monthly st udy g roup
ai med at applyi ng Budd histprinciples to everyday life. Rev.
Hogen Nator i (Ch ief P r iest of

Mitsuzoin Temple) and Rev. Chiryo
Matsumoto (Former Chief Priest of
Enryuji Temple) were invited, andthe sessions were held once a month(ever y 4th Tuesday at 1:30pm,
totaling 10 sessions). Following thelectures, a tea party was held withthe teachers.

Joint Seminar (Day Trip Bus Tour) on April 17, 2023
Titled “Jour ney to Yoro Valley
Visiting Horin-ji Temple on the
Kominato Railway Trolley”, wevisited Horin-ji Temple (located in
Ichihara City, Chiba Prefecture),
which is the personal temple ofRev. Koji Chiba, a lecturer from the

Study Group of TTOB for Business.
Twenty-seven participants engagedin activities such as practicing
zazen and experiencing the natureof Yoro Valley, making it a fulfillingtraining seminar.
Zazen experience at Horinji temple

19

BDK JAPANNEWS 2023

05
Activity

The 2021 “Toshihide Numata Book Award in
Buddhism” Commemorative Lecture at the
University of Tokyo on April 8, 2023

D r. Ch r ist ophe r V. Jone s, t herecipient of the “2021 Toshihide
Numata Book Award in Buddhism”
for his book, “The Buddhist Self: On
Tathagatagarbha and Ātman,” wasinvited to deliver a commemorative
lecture on April 8, 2023, organizedby the University of Tokyo andsponsored by BDK.
“The Buddhist Self: On
Tathagatagarbha and Ātman” isa monograph that examines theconcept of Tathāgatagarbha (orBuddha nature) as a persistent quality

06
Activity

BDK Newsletter

Michi

Lecture by Dr. Jones at the University of Tokyo

the relationship bet ween thesedescriptions and the concept ofĀtman.

Kosetsu Nosu Exhibition at Kitano Cultural Center

Kitano Cultural Center (Nagano
City, Nagano Prefecture) co-hosted
the “Kosetsu Nosu Exhibition” incollaboration with the Nagano City
Buddhist Association.
The exhibition featured underdrawingsof murals depicting the life of
Shakyamuni Buddha, which wereoriginally housed at the First Turningof the Wheel Temple in Sarnath, India(now preserved at Eiheiji Temple, thehead temple of the Soto Zen school),as well as seven original paintingsfrom the “Biography of Shakyamuni
Buddha” (held by BDK), and otherworks created by the artist Kosetsu
Nosu in Nagano Prefecture. The
exhibition attracted over 1,600 visitors.

20

existing within sentient beings,
taking into account the assertion that
there is no eternal, unchanging self(Ātman) in Buddhism. It has beenpraised by the external selection
committee ( Numata Center for
Buddhist Studies at the University ofCalifornia, Berkeley) as a “remarkableachievement” and a “masterpiece,”
receiving high acclaim.
During the lecture, special attention
wa s g ive n t o t he de sc r ipt ion sof B u d d h a n a t u r e i n v a r i o u s
scriptures, and Dr. Jones explained−The Path−

Exhibition

As part of the opening event, acommemorative lecture was heldon May 13th at the same venue,
featuring Rev. Monsho Kamii (HeadPriest of Byodoin Temple). (Youcan view the lecture on our official
YouTube channel.)

Kitano Cultural Center07
Activity“Tips from Masters of
Buddhism” 2023

St a r t i ng f rom t he 2022 f iscal
year, we launched an interview
series titled “Tips from Mastersof Buddhism” featuring Buddhist
scholars, priests, etc. In this series,
pa r t icipa nt s sha re d t hei r ow nheartfelt beliefs as Buddhists and thewords they hold dear, accompanied
by anecdotes, allowing readers todelve deeper into their personalities.
In addition to the three individuals
featured in the 2022 fiscal year,
we have published ar ticles anddigest versions of videos for three
more individuals on our official
website: https://www.bdk.or.jp/read/sengaku/main.html

Ven. Kimura

Ven. Yoshida2023 Fiscal Year Releases (Name listed without honorifics):
4th Edition: Seikoh Kiyotaka Kimura(Professor Emeritus, the University of Tokyo)
5th Edition: Koseki Yoshida (Professor Emeritus, Taisho University)
6th Edition: Tensei Kitabatake(Professor Emeritus, Ryukoku University)

08
Activity

Ven. Kitabatake

The 51st Jissen Fukyo Kenkyukai, BDK Buddhist
Missionary Seminar, at the Shingon shu Zentsuji
sect Head Temple Zentsuji: June 28-30, 2023

Seminar participants with Ven. Suga

The 51st BDK Buddhist Missionary
Seminar (BMS) was held at Zentsuji
Temple in Kagawa Prefect u re,the head temple of the Shingon
Zentsuji school. It was the firstt i me th is sem i na r was held i nt he Sh i kok u a rea , a nd despite
their denominational differences,
34 Buddhist priests and temple

21

BDK JAPANNEWS 2023
members participated. Under thetheme “The Buddhist Way of Kobo
Daishi - Learning from Pilgrimage,”attendees delved into their studies.
At the opening ceremony, Ven.
C h iju n Su g a , t h e h e a d p r ie s tof Z e nt suji Te mple, del ive re dencouraging words. Led by Rev.

09
Activity

Koken Na kaji ma , pa r t icipa nt s
went on a pilg r image to sevent e m pl e s f r o m t h e 71s t t o t h e
77t h s t a t io n s of t h e Sh i ko k u
Pilgrimage. Additionally, they had
the opportunity to explore various
halls of Zentsuji Temple under theguidance of Rev. Seikei Ando, andthey practiced Ajikan meditation
under the instruction of Rev. Kanjun
Akiyama. In subgroup sessions,discussions on “Missionary Workfor People with Disabilities” further
enriched their seminar experience.

The P ict ure Stor y Show and Cal l ig raphy
Performance at Byodoin Temple on August 4 and 5

Callingraphy performance by Mr. Suzuki

D u r i ng t he “A Wise Teach i ng
A Day Photo Contest Selected
Works Exhibition” held annuallyat Byodoin Temple in Uji City,
Kyoto Prefecture, calligrapher Mr.
Mori Suzuki performed calligraphydemonstrations. In the morning
session, he gracefully wrote the22

BDK Newsletter

Michi−The Path−characters for “Isshidojin” (一視同仁 ), while in the afternoon
session, he presented the charactersfo r “ Re id a njich i” ( 冷 暖自知 ),captivating the audience with his
skillful brushwork. Following theperformances, there was a signing
event where attendees could request

Writing a letter to make their own fan

Mr. Suzuki to write their favorite
characters on a round paper fan.
On the preceding day, children
from local kindergartens in Uji City
were invited to attend a Kamishibai,
a pict ure stor y show presented
by a r t i s t a n d p e r fo r m e r, M s .
Chikako Honda. She delighted the
young audience with her original
kamishibai stories, “U-chan, Sachan, Gi-chan” and “The Kingof Monkeys and the Monsters,”
making it a delightful experiencefor everyone who attended. (Youcan watch the lecture on our official
YouTube channel.)

10
Activity

Picture story show performed by Ms. Honda“Buddhism Through English” Update for 2023

We launched a renewed version of“Buddhism Through English 2023”
following the success of the former
programs that have been attended bynumerous participants since the startof the program in 2011. A significant
change in this new iteration is theintroduction of different themes forParts 1 through 3, with each partfeaturing three different instructors.
In Part 1, Rev. Shojun Ogi, headpr iest of Choshoji Temple andtranslator, elaborated on “Learning
Buddha’s Teachings in English,”providing explanations on
fundamental Buddhist concepts
in English. In Par t 2, Dr. Lisa
Grumbach, lecturer at Ryukoku
University, lectured on “Japanese
Buddhism in English,” covering the
beginnings of Mahayana Buddhism
and discussing Pure Land and Zen

Buddhism within the context ofJapanese Buddhism. Lastly, in Part3, Rev. Issho Fujita, Soto Zen priest,
delivered a lecture on “Studying theHeart Sutra in English,” focusing on
the English translation of the Heart
Sutra.
We received a total of 110 registrations
for Part 1, 122 for Part 2, and 180
for Part 3, across both in-person andonline platforms that allowed us toaccommodate a larger number ofparticipants than ever before.
Moving forward, we aim to continue
deliver i ng t he joy of lea r n i ng
Buddhism in English, and for thelatest updates, please refer to ourofficial website and social media
channels.

Lecture by Rev. Fujita

23

BDK JAPANNEWS 2023

11
Activity“Buddhist Yoga” Update for 2023

Popular Course for Advanced and Beginner Participants to Enjoy Challenging Poses and Meditation
Together
Ent e r i ng it s t h i rd ye a r, t he
“Buddhist Yoga Course” led by
MOMO, a priest of the Shingon
denam i rat ion of Koyasa n who
instructs yoga to approximately
1,000 individuals monthly, features

Regular Yoga session by Momoa blend of challenging yoga poses
and meditation. Before each yoga
session, there’s a 10-minute Dharma
talk designed to be accessible evento those unfamiliar with Buddhism.
This course boasts high participant

retention rates and is one of themost popula r of fer i ngs of ou r
association with LINE benef its
being among the highest utilized
within our courses.

Special yoga experience at Sojiji temple“Special Zazen Meditation Session” at Soto Zen Head Temple, Soji-ji
Temple, on June 18, 2023
Since 2016, the “Special Zazen
Meditation Session” has been heldat the head temple of the Soto
Zen denomination, Sojiji Temple,
offering participants the chance toexperience yoga, zazen meditation,
Dharma talks, and Shojin Ryori,
wh ich is t r a d it ion a l Japa ne se
B u d d h i s t ve g e t a r i a n c u i si n e.
In its sixth iteration, the event
welcomed Mr. Akira Watamoto, aleading figure in the Japanese yoga

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BDK Newsletter

Michi−The Path−

community as the yoga instructor,
and also featured a Dharma talkby Rev. Zenchi Uno, a permanent
researcher at the Soto Zen ResearchCenter. The program included yoga
and Dharma talks at the Zuio-do
Hall; a historical lecture about Sojiji
Temple by Rev. Komyo Hanawa,D i r e c t or of t he Sojiji Te mple
Meditation Hall; zazen meditation
at the Shuryo meditation hall; andShojin Ryori (only available tointerested participants). Although
the majorit y of the roughly 90
attendees were yoga enthusiasts
with limited exposure to Buddhism,
they had the oppor t u nit y to
immerse themselves in the world of
Zen over the course of half a day.
For the latest information on thisyear’s events, please visit our
official website and social media
channels.

12
Activity“Nourish Your Heart with Japanese Buddhist
Vegetarian Cuisine -Learning Buddhism through Food”

After a three-year hiatus due to the prolonged COVID-19 pandemic, we finally resumed our “Food-related
Seminar,” which was held over four sessions. This provided a fantastic opportunity to explore new
possibilities with Shojin Ryori, Japanese Buddhist vegetarian cuisine.

Spring (Rev. Asao)

Summer (Rev. Iinuma)

Fall (Rev. Sawada)

Winter (Rev. Midorikawa)Fo r e a c h s e a s o n , w e i n v i t e da different Budd hist pr iest
knowledgeable in Shojin Ryori tojoin forces with Mr. Goki Sakaida,executive chef of Bodaiju, a Chinese
cu isi ne re st au r a nt i n M i n at o ku, Tokyo, to conduct cooking
classes featuring dishes made fromseasonal ingredients.
During the first half of each session,
participants listened to talks by thepriests about the essence of Shojin
Ryori. Then, they observed Mr.
Sakaida’s cooking demonstrationof t h r e e t o f ive Shoji n Ryo r irecipes devised by the pr iests,
and enjoyed tasting the freshly

prepared dishes. In the second
half, the monks shared insights
about the mindset necessary forpartaking the meals, followed by
activities like seated meditation andmeditation practice. After focusing
their minds, participants enjoyeda creative Shojin Ryori course thatincorporated professional culinary
techniques based on the recipes
learned earlier.
The seminars at t racted a wide
range of participants from their
twenties to eighties, including many
who experienced Shojin Ryori forthe first time. Everyone was highly
engaged , t a k i ng notes, ask i ng

questions of the instructors, andengaging in lively discussions withfellow participants. Participants
praised M r. Sakaida’s creative
d ishes, expressi ng su r pr ise at
the vibrant f lavors despite theabsence of animal products. They
thoroughly enjoyed every bite.
On page 33, we introduce one of
the recipes learned during thesesessions, and we invite readers to
try them at home!
For the latest information on thisyear’s events, please visit our
official website and social media
channels.

25

BDK JAPANNEWS 2023
Here's an overview of each session,
including the instructors, recipes, and courses(Name listed without honoriﬁcs ):Cooking Instructions for All Four Sessions: Goki Sakaida, executive chef, Bodaiju Chinese cuisine restaurant.

Spring: March 9, 2024

Summer: June 3, 2023

◆Featured Recipes: cherry blossom tofu, stir-fried bamboo
shoots and shiitake mushrooms, nanohana and yuba ohitashi,
strawberry soy milk agar (matcha sauce), black rice ohagi(tasting: stir-fried bamboo shoots and shiitake mushrooms)◆Featured Recipes: tomato and basil congee, vegetariandeep fried oysters, grilled whole broccoli (tasting during
demonstration: tomato and basil congee)◆Creative Shojin Ryori Course: assorted spring appetizers(cherry blossom tofu, nanohana and yuba ohitashi, colorfulvegetable tempura with creamy strawberry sauce),◆Creative Shojin Ryori Course: assorted colorful appetizers(grilled whole broccoli, taguri yuba with carrot sauce, sweet andspicy tofu nuggets), mock oyster fry with Bodaiju special Shojin
tartar sauce, tofu noodle sesame noodles, assorted desserts(almond tofu with apricot sauce, coconut jelly with quai mochi)

Autumn: September 9, 2023

Winter: December 2, 2023

◆Featured Recipes: umami dashi with mushrooms, hiryudo(dragon head), roasted sake (tasting: umami dashi withmushrooms)◆Featured Recipes: eight treasure porridge, tofu in soy milksauce, winter Shojin spring rolls, enoki mushroom fry(tasting: eight treasure porridge)◆Creative Shojin Ryori Course: assorted colorful appetizers
with a hint of summer (mock eel Bodaiju-style, pressed tofu
with roasted sake, refreshing konnyaku and Chinese cabbage
salad), mushroom Shojin shark fin soup, pumpkin and fried
ancient rice, transition to autumn dessert assortment (jasmine
agar jelly with ai yu, purple sweet potato mochi with coconut)◆Creative Shojin Ryori Course: amuse-bouche: bite-sized
tofu in soy milk sauce, early winter assorted appetizers (Shojin
spring rolls, pickled chinese cabbage, vegetable terrine),
five-spice stir-fried gluten with enoki mushroom fry, Shojinjajangmyeon, winter dessert assortment (coconut milk agar
with white fungus, sweet potato fry with sesame sugar flavor)- Risho Asao, Shinshu Takada-ha priest.

- Shuon Sawada, Rinzai-shu Kokutaiji-ha priest.

26

BDK Newsletter

Michi−The Path−- Koyu Iinuma, Tendai-shu priest.

- Myosei Midorikawa, Tendai-shu priest.

13
ActivityWorkshop to Make Your Own Incense Sticks
at BDK Center Building on July 8, 2023

Ms. Imai

We held a workshop for handcrafting
incense sticks, an essential part of
Buddhist rituals.
I ncense is dee ply i nter t w i ned
with Buddhism and is a familiar
item used not only for offering at
gravesites and altars but also as ahobby for enjoying fragrances indaily life. However, the fact thatit can be handmade is not widely
known. Therefore, we organized aworkshop-style session to encourage
participants to use their handmade
incense for Bon Festival offerings.

We invited Ms. Mami ko Imai,
who spe cial i ze s i n promot i ng
Japanese scents in various forms,
as the instructor. Initially, Ms. Imaiprovided an explanation of thehistory of Buddhism and fragrances,
as well as an introduction to variousa r o m a t ic i n g r e d ie nt s s u ch a s
agarwood, sandalwood, and cloves.
Then, participants formed groups
to decide on the desired fragrance
and proceeded to mix and knead thearomatic ingredients before shaping
them into sticks. T his process

required considerable effort, butparticipants enjoyed the activity,
helping each other along the way.

27

BDK JAPANNEWS 2023

14
Activity“Experiencing Buddhism” at Temples in
Kamakura, Kanagawa on December 2, 2023

Engakuji Temple

We held the “Experiencing Buddhism” event on December 2, 2023, with the aim of bringing Buddhism
closer to people through firsthand experiences. Blessed with clear skies, this event took place in
Kamakura, following the previous session held in Meguro in 2022, and marked the fourth installment inthis series.

Event participants at Kenchoji Temple

The first part took place at the main
temple of the Rinzai denomination
Enga k uji Te mple, whe r e Rev.

28

BDK Newsletter

Michi−The Path−

Shokuyu Hasunuma, Head of the
Education Department of the Rinzai
denomination Engakuji Temple,
provided explanations about thehistory of Engakuji Temple and Zen
meditation. All participants thenengaged in Zen meditation underRev. Hasunuma’s direct guidance.
T he second pa r t was held at
K e n c h o j i Te m p l e , t h e m a i ntemple belonging to the Rinzai
denomination Kenchoji branch.
We had lunch in the lecture hallwhile Rev. Somei Nagai, Head of

the Education Department of the
R in zai denomination Kenchoji
Temple, explained the origins of
Kenchin soup. Following this, wewere guided by Rev. Nagai andwere given the opportunity to visit
places such as the inner gate, which
are usually off-limits to the public.
(For the latest information on thisyear’s event, please check ourofficial website and social media
channels.)

15
Activity“Symbolic Letter of Hope for 2024” Contest
at Jodoshu Head Temple Zojoji

2024 character “On”

Continuing from 2022, we held acontest to select a single Chinesecharacter representing people’s
wishes for the new year. The contest
was open for submissions from
October 15th to December 15th in2023.
Reflecting the uncertain domestic
and international situations, thecha racter “ 穏 ” (read as “on”),
meaning “peace” or “tranquility,”
was chosen to represent the societal

Mr. Suzuki

conditions and the wish for inner
peace.
O n J a n u a r y 5t h i n 2 0 2 4 , t h eselected character was announced
by calligrapher Mr. Mori Suzuki infront of the main hall plaza of Zojoji
Temple. With each stroke carefully
imbued with prayers, Mr. Suzuki
used his entire body to write thecharacter, eliciting applause fromthe audience.
Rev. Koki Ito, the temple stewardof Zojoji Temple, expressed hiswish during the event, saying, “Wehope that many people encounterthe teachings of Buddha and spend
their days peacefully.”
The written character was exhibitedwithin the temple grounds until 5
pm, allowing many visitors to takecommemorative photos with it as a
backdrop.

29

BDK JAPANNEWS 2023

16
Activity

Elementary Course of Buddhist Lectures on“Japanese Buddhism -Learning from Scratch” –Update for 2023

The Elementary Course “Learning Japanese Buddhism from Scratch” was held in Osaka for the first time!
To provide an opportunity to learnt he f u nd a me nt als of Japa ne se
Buddhism, a beginners’ course,“Lear ning Japanese Budd hism
from Scratch,” was held in Osaka.
Par ticipants lear ned about thedoctrines, origins, and foundersof each denomination of Japanese
Bu d d h i s m . I n t h e f i s c a l ye a rof 2023, the venue was moved
from Tokyo to Osaka, and online
par ticipation was also offered,resulting in an increase in newparticipants and allowing more
people from various regions to joinRev. Tagai (November)the course.
Par ticipants expressed var ious
responses such as, “I learned a lot
not only about the teachings but
also about the historical backgrounda nd why s uch t e a ch i ngs we reimparted,” and “It was enjoyable
to learn not only about history but
also from the words based on theteacher’s experiences.”

Special Edition: “Comparing the Teachings of Pure Land Buddhism” Heldon February 22, 2024
Comparative Seminar on the Three Pure Land Buddhist Schools ofJapan: Jodo Shu, Jodo Shinshu, and Jishu
Offering a deeper understandingof the closely related three schoolsof Pure Land Buddhism - Jodo
Shu, Jodo Shinshu, and Jishu - wehosted a comparative seminar at
the Modern Temple. The event took
place at the Kobe Betsuin of the
Jodo Shinshu Hongwanji-ha withsimultaneous online streaming.
In a panel discussion format, we
explored the teachings of Pure
L a nd Bud d h ism , delv i ng i nt o
the differences in practices such

30

BDK Newsletter

Michi−The Path−

as Nembutsu, recitation of the
Buddha’s name, the concept ofattaining rebirth in the Pure Land,and the emphasis on different sutras
among the th ree schools. T his
provided participants with a deeper
understanding of the thoughts ofeach school’s founder, the faith ofeach school, and the philosophicalsystems and histories cultivated byeach denomination.
The seminar was well-received,with par ticipants expressi ng

Rev. Kudo, Rev. Inoue, and Rev. Iwata (from left toright)

appreciation for the rare opportunity
to hear discussions amongclergy from different schools. It
underscored the significance ofcross-denominational activities infostering greater understanding andcooperation.

17
Activity

2023 BDK Symposium

The 32nd BDK Symposium “The Charm of Stone Buddhas and A Dharma
Talk with Photography” at BDK Center Building on July 13, 2023

Rev. Takahashi

We hosted a lecture titled “TheCharm of Stone Buddhas and A
Dharma Talk with Photography”
fe a t u r i n g s p e a ke r s M r. Shuji
Umemura, photographer, and Rev.
Naoki Takahashi, Buddhist priest of
the Koyasan Shingon denomination
and also a photographer.
Mr. Umemura shared insights on“The Charm of Stone Buddhas –Mr. Umemura

Tips for Capturing Them,” drawing
f r o m h i s ex t e n sive f ield wo r kexper ience and k nowledge. He
presented h is t al k w it h slides
showcasing actual photographs,
providing detailed guidance on
how to capture the essence of stone
Buddhas.
R e v. Ta k a h a s h i d e l i v e r e d apresentation titled “A Dharma Talk

with Photog raphy – Capt u r ing
L i f e ,” d i s p l a y i n g d y n a m i cphotographs capt uring the raw
essence of various living creatures,
particularly insects. As both a monk
and a photographer, he not only
shared photographic techniques
but also discussed the spiritual
aspects and mindset behind his
photography.

The 33rd BDK Symposium “The Signpost of Life” At BDK Center Buildingon January 27, 2024
BDK invited Rev. Tesshu Shaku,t h e a u t h o r of “ M ich i s h i r u b e:
Fuse,” which is published by ourassociation. He is also the presidentof Soai University, and he gave alecture titled “Signposts of Life:
Words that Support Buddhists.”
Approximately 100 participants
attended both in person and online.
Rev. Shaku introduced seven words

that have been pillars of support in
his life and passionately emphasized
the power of words, incorporating
personal anecdotes.
I n conclu sion, he rema rked ,“Buddhism offers words that serve
as guiding principles in life. I hope
you encounter many such words
and visit places where you are likely
to encounter them.”

Rev. Shaku

31

Myoshun Tsuji

BDK JAPAN

NEWS 2023

Guests for the fiscal year 2023 (Name listed without honorifics):
April
Shoyo Yoshimura (Deputy Head Priest, Fumonji Temple)
May
THANK-YOU Tatsuo (Entertainer, Japanese language scholar, university professor)
June
Shizuka Sasaki (Special Professor, Hanazono University)
July
TOMOCHIKA (Entertainer)
ReportLecture“Understanding
New Buddhist Schools”
Auguston theNanrei
YokotaSeries(Head Priest,
Rinzai Zen Engakuji-ha)
Ken Yokoyama(Musician)at September
the BDK Center
Building
October
Shunmyo Masuno (Head Priest, Kengonji Temple)
TheNovember
lecture series “Understanding
an overview, and leaders of
The series was well-received with
A Masso (Comedyprovided
duo)
Tomoshi
Okuda
Higashiyahata
NewDecember
Buddhist Schools”
was heldin (Pastor,
each Schools
shared theirChristian
doctrines Church)andpar ticipants commenting, “TheJanuary
Masumi Yagi from developments.
SAVANNAH (Entertainer)a hybrid
format!
With the use of online
lectures provided a dynamic historicalMonshoKamii(HeadPriest,ByodoinTemple)February
To provide an opportunity to learn
platforms, we had many participants
perspective on the emergence of lay
Junestablished
Miura (Illustrator)
aboutMarch
Buddhist sectsfrom outside the Tokyo metropolitan
Buddhist Schools and the factors

in Japan during the Meiji era, weorganized a series of lectures titled“Understanding New Budd hist
Schools,” in which scholars of religion
Datearea, allowing them to learn from theunique lectures that provided insights
into the connections and differences
between traditional Buddhist sects.

contributing to the decline of existing
sects, making it easy to understand,”and “It’s fascinating to learn about thediversity of Buddhism.”

Lecturer（Name with No Honorific Titles）

Theme

October 12

New Buddhist Schools

Susumu Shimazono, Professor Emeritus of the
University of Tokyo

November 9

Kodokyodan

Shojun Okano（Kodosan Buddhist Fellowship）

December 14

Rissho Kosei Kai

Munehiro Niwano（Rissho Kosei-kai）January 11

Shinnyoen

Seiji Nishikawa（Shinnyo-en）

February 8

The 34th BDK Symposium

All four speakers above

The 34th BDK Symposium “Understanding New Buddhist Schools”
at Hamarikyu Asahi Hall on February 8
All the speakers who participatedi n t he le ct u re se r ies gat he redt oget he r t o d iscu s s “ W h at do
the New Buddhist Scools inheritfrom traditional Buddhism andwhat are their distinctive features(cont i nu it y a nd u n iqueness)? ”
taking into account their previous
presentations. Additionally, eachspea ker explai ned t hei r v iews
on what the afterlife is and what
happens after death, which helped toclarify the differences between thevarious Scools. They emphasized
the importance of respecting eachother’s faith and discussed whatvalues could be shared based on
different perspectives.

Dr. Shimazono, Rev. Okano, Rev. Niwano, and Rev. Nishikawa (from left to right)

Lectures in 2022 (Names listed without honorifics)
32

Month MichiBDK Newsletter
April−The Path−

Theme

Tendai shu Founder Saicho

Lecturer
Eshun Kobayashi, Disciple of Tendai-shu Shomyoji temple

Take a Break:Buddhist Vegetarian Recipe
Let's Try "SHOJIN Life" Once A Monthwith the Recipe of Rev. Myosei Midorikawa
from “Nourish Your Heart with Japanese
Buddhist Vegetarian Cuisine”
Traditional Shojin cuisine enjoyed in temples, and animal-free dishes served incafes and restaurants represent just a fraction of the diverse array of offerings
under the umbrella of "Shojin cuisine" in recent years.
For those leading busy lives, ﬁnding the time to enjoy meticulously prepared meals
while considering nutritional balance can often be challenging. In the 2023 ﬁscal year,
our association hosted a series of events titled "Nourish Your Heart with Japanese
Buddhist Vegetarian Cuisine: Learning Buddhism Through Food" (see page 25 fordetails), offering participants the opportunity to familiarize themselves with Buddhist
culture through the lens of Shojin cuisine over four sessions. From these events, wewould like to introduce recipes that can be easily prepared at home. By cherishingeach ingredient and expressing gratitude with each meal, even if it's just once amonth, we can contribute to the maintenance of both mental and physical well-being.
We highly recommend it.

Recipeby Myosei
Midorikawa
A Tendai Buddhist priest.
Trained at the Hieizan Gyoin
temple in 1989, she
advocates for a healthy
lifestyle through experiencesin Buddhist culture such as
calligraphy, Zen meditation,and shojin cooking. She has
also completed themacrobiotic cooking course
at the Lima Cooking School
and is a certified chef.

Winter Shojin Harumaki
Introduced at the 2023 cooking class, this is the "winter" version,
but by incorporating your favorite seasonal vegetables, it can easily
become a roll for any season.
Ingredients (for 10 rolls):●2 Napa cabbage leaves●50g carrots●5g dried wood ear mushrooms●2 dried shiitake mushrooms●1 aburaage (fried tofu pouch)●30g cellophane noodles (bean threads)●2 tablespoons soy sauce●Ginger, to taste●120g bamboo shoots●4 tablespoons dashi broth●Cornstarch, a small amount●Frying oil, as needed●Wheat ﬂour, as needed

2023 cooking class by Rev. Midorikawa●10 spring roll wrappers (thawed at room temperature)

Instructions:
1 Boil the cellophane noodles and cut them into small pieces. Soak the wood ear

mushrooms in water until soft, then slice them thinly.

2 Julienne the shiitake mushrooms, bamboo shoots, and carrots. Separate the Napa

3
4
5
6
7
8

cabbage leaves and stems. Slice the leaves thinly and cut the stems into 2-3
sections before slicing them thinly along the ﬁbers.
Cut the aburaage into thin strips and simmer in dashi broth and a little soy sauce.
Heat a frying pan with sesame oil, add ginger and the ingredients from step 2,
including the Napa cabbage stems. Stir-fry.
Add the cellophane noodles from step 1, the Napa cabbage leaves, and theaburaage from step 3. Stir-fry, then add dashi broth and soy sauce.
Add the cornstarch mixture to thicken the mixture, then spread it out on a plate andlet it cool.
Roll the ﬁlling in the spring roll wrappers, sealing the edges with a paste made fromwater and wheat ﬂour.
Heat frying oil to a low temperature and fry the spring rolls until golden brown,
ﬂipping them occasionally. Drain well.

33

BDK Affiliated
Organization Activities
BDK AMERICABDK ASIABDK CANADABDK EUROPE

BDK TAIWANBDK HAWAIIBDK MEXICOBDK SOUTH AMERICA34

BDK Newsletter

Michi−The Path−BDK UKBDK POLAND

BDK Affiliated Organization Activities
World Map & Contact Information
BDK EUROPE

1

EKO-Haus der Japanischen Kultur e.V.
Brüggener Weg 6, 40547 Düsseldorf, GERMANY
Tel: +49(211)577918-0 Fax: +49(211)577918-219
E-mail: bdk@eko-haus.de
http://www.eko-haus.de2

c/o Mitutoyo(UK)Ltd. Joule Road, West Point
Business Park, Andover, Hampshire SP10 3UX U.K.
Tel: +44 1264-353123 Fax: +44 1264-354883
E-mail: BDK.UK@mitutoyo.co.uk

BDK POLAND

BDK AMERICA

5

1675 School Street,
Moraga, CA 94556 U.S.A.
Tel: +1(925)388-0067 Fax: +1(925)388-0331
http://www.bdkamerica.org

3

c/o Mitutoyo Polska Sp.z o.o.
ul. Graniczna 8A 54-610 Wroclaw, POLAND
Tel: +48(71)354 83 50 Fax: +48(71)354 83 55

14

c/o Mitutoyo Canada Inc. 2121 Meadowvale Blvd.
Mississauga, ON, CANADA L5N 5N1
Tel: +1(905)821-6202 Fax: +1(905)821-4968
E-mail: honjo@bdkcanada.com
http://www.bdkcanada.com

BDK U.K.

2

BDK CANADABDK HAWAII

6

Suite 403, 1750 Kalakaua Avenue
Honolulu, Hawaii 96826, U.S.A.
Tel: +1(808)942-1511 Fax +1(808)942-2622
E-mail: bdkshi@hotmail.com
http://www.bdkhawaii.com

4

3
5

7
6

8

10

11

9

BDK JAPAN

7

3-14, Shiba 4-chome, Minato-ku,
Tokyo, JAPAN 108-0014
Tel: +81(3)3455-5851 Fax: +81(3)3798-2758
E-mail: bdk@bdk.or.jp
https://www.bdk.or.jp

BDK TAIWAN

8

c/o Mitutoyo Taiwan Co., Ltd.
4F., No.71, Zhouzi St., Neihu Dist.,
Taipei City 114, TAIWAN
Tel: +886(2)5573-5913 Fax: +886(2)8752-3267
E-mail: bdktaiwan@yahoo.com
https://www.bdk.tw

BDK ASIA
c/o Mitutoyo Asia Pacific Pte. Ltd.
24 Kallang Avenue, Mitutoyo Building,Singapore, 339415, SINGAPORE
Tel: +65 6294-2211 Fax: +65 6299-6666
E-mail: bdk@mitutoyo.com.sg
https://bdkasia.org

BDK MEXICO

10

Prolonagación Eugenia No. 17, Colonia Nápoles,
Alcaldía Benito Juarez, CDMX, C.P.03810, MEXICO
Tel: 52{55}5543-0507
Email: contacto@ekoccj.com
http://ekoccj.com

9

BDK SOUTH AMERICA

11

a/c Mitutoyo Sul Americana Ltda.
Avenida Mimes, 25 - Jardim Ermida I
CEP: 13212-216 - Jundiaí - SP, Brasil
Tel: +55(11)5643-0006 Fax: +55(11)5641-3745
E-mail: bdk@mitutoyo.com.br

35

“BDK Global Meeting” Returns after Four Years
at BDK Center Building on October 26 - 27, 2023

Bukkyo Dendo Kyokai (referred to as “BDK”) has affiliates in 10 locations across 9 countries outside
Japan, and they collaborate with BDK in Tokyo to disseminate “The Teaching of Buddha (TTOB)” andpromote Buddhist spirituality and culture.
Previously, every two years, the“BDK Global Meeting” was heldin Japan with the aim of building
cooperative relationships betweent he BDK af f il iat e s i n va r iou s
countries. However, due to theglobal spread of the COVID-19, theevent could not be held after theinaugural year of 2019.
After a hiatus of four years, thecon fe re nce re su me d , a nd wa s
conducted over a two-day period.
D iscu ssion s we re held on t heactivities of each organization
during the pandemic and the future
direction of activities in the postpandemic era. T he conferenceemphasized the impor t ance of36

BDK Newsletter

Michi−The Path−“BDK Global Meeting” participants

flexibility in activities, adapting to
the changing times and regional
circumstances, rather than adhering
rigidly to past approaches.
BDK will continue to collaborate

with par t ner organizations
worldwide, combining tradition
and innovation to respond to thechallenges of the global society.

BDK America
As we continue to recover from theCovid pandemic, we are returning
to our normal activities. Afterseveral years of holding our Boardof Directors meetings by email,we were delighted to have ou r
2023 meeting in-person on April
7 at our office in Berkeley, CA.
We reelected our board members
and added Prof. Paula Arai of theInstitute for Buddhist Studies as a
new advisor.
W hile the distribution of “The
Teaching of Buddha (TTOB)” tohotels remained low due to thelingering effects of the pandemic,
we are committed to increasing
hotel distribution in 2024 and haveresumed attending regional tradeshows of the Asian American Hotel
Owners Association. Distributionof n o n -T T OB b o o k s , s u c h a s“Messages f rom t he Budd ha”,remai n st rong becau se people
like to read shorter and easy-tounderstand materials.
T he Tr ipiṭ a k a t r a n sl a t io n s of
Buddhist scriptures continue tobe popular with over 2,000 print
copies dist r ibuted and another
11,000 copies downloaded fromour website. In conjunction witht he BDK Global Meet i ng heldin Tokyo in October 2023, our
Publication Committee met with
the Tokyo Editorial Committee
and established plans to increase
publication to complete the First
Series and start to think about thenext series of Tripiṭaka translations.
T he an nual Toshi hide Nu mat a
Book Award is now recognized as
one of the most prestigious honors
a scholar can receive in the field ofRev. Nagata, Prof Kieschnick, and Prof. Sharf (from left to right)

Buddhist Studies. An independent
committee appointed by the Numata
Center for Buddhist Studies at UC
Berkeley selected Professor John
Kieschnick of Stanford University
as the 2023 winner for his book,“Buddhist Historiography in China”(Columbia University Press). The
Award ceremony and symposium
were held at the Berkeley Jodo
Shinshu Center on December 1,
2023.
The faculty coordinators of the
Numata Programs established at
American and Canadian universities
met in San Antonio, Texas on theoccasion of the annual meeting of
the American Academy of Religion.
We w e r e h a p p y t o w e l c o m eProfessor Stephan Licha, who was
appointed as the first holder of the
Numata Professorship of Japanese
Buddhist Studies at the Universityof Chicago Divinity School.
With the support of BDK America,

Ekoji Temple in Washinton D. C.

Ekoji Temple in Washington, D.
C. has completed much needed
repairs and renovations. Ekoji
also installed a state-of-the-art
audio-visual system that allows
it to broadcast its services overthe internet and to host speakers
digitally from all over the world.
As many temples str uggle withdeclining congregations, Ekoji may
become a model for other temples
to follow in the use of technology toreach a wider audience and recruit
members for their growing cybersangha.

37

BDK Hawaii

Board members of BDK Hawaii

2023 marked ou r cont i nui ng
return to normalcy after the Covid
pandemic, and we were happy toconvene our annual board meetingin-person rather than by email. To
celebrate our progress toward a new
future, we added two new members
to our Board of Advisors: Rev. Yuika
Hasebe of the Honpa Hongwanji
Mission and Bishop Kosen Ishikawaof the Jodo Mission of Hawaii.
Our distribution of “The Teachingof Buddha (TTOB)” is recoverings l o w l y, a n d w e m a n a g e d t odisseminate over 2,000 copies for theyear. As temples started to resume
having their Obon celebrations inperson, we supplied them with
TTOB. The other BDK books,
especially “Messages f rom the
Buddha”, were still popular, and we
distributed over 4,000 copies.
Our apartment building is getting
old, and the costs of repair and38

BDK Newsletter

Michi−The Path−renovation keep rising. The Boardof Trustees made the decision to sell
the building and to acquire officespace suitable for our distribution
operation. We plan on completing
this important transition sometimein 2024.
We were deeply saddened by the lossof three historic Buddhist temples
in the Lahaina, Maui wildfire ofAugust 8, 2023. Temples belonging
to the Shingon, Jodo and Hongwanji
denominations were completely
destroyed. The recovery will takeyears, and BDK Hawaii is prepared
to assist.
We continue to partner with othercom mu nit y organizations i nsponsoring public programs. In
response to the Lahaina wildfire
tragedy, the BDK-Fujitani Interfaith
Program organized a program on“Faith and Resilience: Rising fromthe Ashes”. One of the panelists

was Sherman Thompson, a longtime
native Hawaiian member of Lahaina
Hongwanji.
Our 2022 Zoom program featuring
Vanessa Sasson and her book on
Yasodhara, the Buddha’s wife, wasso popular that we partnered with
Honpa Hongwanji and the HawaiiBook and Music Festival to bringher to Hawaii in 2023 for a series
of in-person presentations on her
second book, The Gathering, which
is a novel about the first women who
became disciples of the Buddha.
Professor Sasson, who teaches at
Marianopolis College in Montreal,
Canada, is a gifted speaker andmade the Buddha’s female followers,
who a re of ten overlooked a ndforgotten, come alive through hervivid descriptions.
BDK Hawaii sponsored anothertalented storyteller, Jeff Gere, who
retold a few Jataka Tales, which arestories of the Buddha’s previous
lives, at the annual Hanamatsuri
service held at the Jodo Mission in
Honolulu. Jeff was accompanied
by a masterful violinist, Lesley
Kline, who matched the stories
with amazing sounds of sadness,joy, anger or fear according to
the changing emotions of Jeff’s
narration.
We are looking forward to anotheryear of promoting Buddhism throughbook distribution and community
programs.

BDK Mexico

The Obon ceremony performed by Rev. Todaka in Culiacán

In 2023, we expanded our activities
to include translation and publishingprojects, as well as collaboration
with Japanese communities andeducational institutions, aiming fora broader range of initiatives.

A mong t he va r iou s a c t iv it ie s
conducted throughout the year, thehighlights of 2023 were the Obon
ceremonies held in four cities across
Mexico in August and the Peace
Week events conducted at f ive

schools in Mexico in September.
T he Obon ce remon ies held i nvarious Japanese communities in
Mexico were filled with pure andwarm feelings towards ancestors.
Despite many being third-

39

generation Japanese descendants
born and raised in Mexico, there
is still a trace of Japan in their
he a r t s. T he t e r m “Ja p a ne s ecommunity” encompasses diverse
situations depending on the region.
Particularly memorable was the visit
to Piedras Negras, a town near theAmerican border. It was remarkable
how a project i n it iated by aJapanese cultural anthropologist to
explore their roots brought together
Japanese descendants to contributeto a better society, leveraging thestrengths of both Japan and Mexico.
As part of this movement, the Obon
ceremonies organized by BDK
Mexico provided an opportunity
for many to ref lect on how they
live their lives and to renew theircommitments. It was a meaningfultime for all involved.
In com memoration of the
I nter national Day of Peace on
September 21 and the International
Day for the Total Elimination of
Nuclear Weapons on September
26, we hosted a lecture by Yasuaki

Mr. Yamashita communicates with students

Yamashita, a survivor of the atomic
bombing in Nagasaki who now
resides in Mexico. Visiting fiveschools from the elementary to
the university levels, we reachedapproximately 1,400 individuals,
predominantly young st udents,
and delivered a message of peace.
It was impressive to see many
students attentively listening toM r. Ya m a sh it a’s ex p e r ie nce s ,and they were of ten moved tot e a r s. I n t od ay’s world whe rewars continue in various regions,
it was a valuable opportunity toreaffirm the senselessness of war
and contemplate what can be doneto eliminate it. While it may not
be easy, BDK Mexico remains
committed to promoting peace fromlocal communities onwards.

BDK Canada - Special Edition
BDK Canada established the “BDK Canada Graduate Fellowship,” a scholarship program aimed at
researchers enrolled in graduate programs in Canada (or Canadian citizens) who wish to conduct researchand study related to Buddhism in Japan. The fellowship was established in 2004 with the objective ofpromoting research and understanding of Buddhism. It is awarded to outstanding graduate students whothen go to Japan to focus on research and study related to Buddhism.
In this special edition, we have the privilege of hearing from Professor Susie Andrews, who was the firstrecipient of the fellowship in 2004 and is currently active at Mount Allison University in Canada. Professor
Andrews led a group of students from the same university on an extracurricular study trip to Kyoto. She
kindly shared her experiences from this trip, reflecting on her own time studying in Japan.
The 2023 launch of Mount Allison
University’s Kyoto Field School
ignited both a once-in-a-lifetime
educational experience for our40

BDK Newsletter

Michi−The Path−

undergraduate students and, for me,
the realization of a long-held dream.
Indeed, my life changed dramaticallyfor the better when I received theinaugural BDK Canada Graduate
Fellowship in 2004, because it
allowed me to live and learn about
Buddhist practices and perspectives

in the Kansai and Kanto regions. This
extraordinary opportunity profoundly
shaped my research interests andthus my career trajector y, and,significantly, was made possible
through the kindness of Prof. Shoshin
Ichishima at Taishō University.
The topic of my Ph.D. dissertationand first publications—the textual
construction of the Mountain of Five
Plateaus (Wutai shan, Godai san 五臺山) as an important place in China
and Japan—developed directly outof experiences I had at sites suchas Hannyaji (般若寺) and Tanzan
Jinja ( 談山神社). And, it’s only aslight exaggeration to acknowledge
that from the very moment I began
my BDK fellowship, I harboured
the hope of becoming a university
professor who could one day learn
about Buddhism from and with her
own students in Japan.
O n e of t h r e e M o u n t A l l i s o n
University field schools piloted
with a th ree-year (2021–2024)
Global Skills Opportunity grantsecured with my colleague Robin
Wa l ke r a nd ot he r c ol le ag ue s ,t h e f u l ly f u n d e d Kyot o Field
School offered 11 undergraduates
f rom diverse discipli nes (e.g.,
Commerce, International Relations,
Psychology)—but with a shared
excitement about and background instudying Buddhism—a rare chance
to explore the ways Budd hists
past and present have inspired
innovative approaches to making
the Buddha’s teachings enduringly
relevant for present-day individuals
and communities. From studying
the making and use of Butsudan
at Wakabayashi Co. and learning
about Buddhist vestments createdat Satsumaya Robe Makers, toparticipating in the tea ceremony,
explor ing landscape pr inciples

and practices at the Nanzenji, andspending an adventure-full day at the
BDK Tokyo Office, every aspect of
this program was co-imagined, codesigned, and brought to life withthe support of our BDK “family”—
including Kaoru Eguchi, Yasuo
Honjo, my dea r f r iend Satom i
Tabatha Kobata, and, especially,
Brian Nagata.
Among our varied experiences,
the focal point for our course andits highlight was the celebration of
the 850th Anniversary of Shinran
Sh o n i n’s bi r t h a n d t h e 8 0 0 t h
Anniversar y of Jodo Shinshu’s
founding. The reflections shared by
students about this event captures

some of its significance for our group.
“Being invited to participate in thisonce in a generation celebration
was a tr ue honour … I will
forever remember the atmosphere
during the ceremony we attended
yesterday. Participating in significant
ceremonies and events is just one way
field schools like ours are superior to
traditional classroom learning. I am
grateful to have shared this moment.”
Ryan Kent Friars
The impact of experiences like thisone for our participants has been as
rewarding as it has been influential.
Ryan Friars, for example, has been
awarded a prestigious $10,000
Mansbridge Internship to study what

Student delegation visited BDK haeadquarters in Tokyo (with the Canadian flag)

41

Rev. Dr. Yehan Numata’s life andthe work of the BDK and Mitutoyoorganizations he founded can teach us
about compassion-centred commerce.
Thinking forward to my retur n
to Kyoto with a new cohor t ofundergraduate students this May
2024, I am filled with gratitude
for the positive impact of Rev. Dr.
Numata’s vision and the generosity ofthe organization he inspires have had
and continue to have at our university,and for me personally. For 20 years,
my research, teaching, and lifestyle
have been sustained and elevated by
BDK’s generosity and the growth I
have experienced because of it, and

it is a privilege to have the fortune totry in my own (perfectly) imperfect
way to share some of the lessons at

the heart of the Buddha’s teachings in
my community and beyond.

At Hongwanji temple in Kyoto

Prof. Dr. Susie Andrews
A full professor at Mount Allison, the inaugural recipient of the BDK Canada Graduate
Fellowship in 2004. A member of the Royal Society of Canada’s College of New
Scholars, Artists, and Scientists (2022–2028), in 2023 she was honoured to be
named 1 of 10 3M National Teaching Fellows, “Canada’s most prestigious recognitionof excellence in educational leadership and teaching at the post-secondary level.”

BDK Asia
During November 22 to 25, 2023,
Mit utoyo (T haila nd), wh ich
manages the activities of BDK Asia
in Thailand, distributed 1,728 “The
Teaching of Buddha (TTOB)” books
to visitors who visited the Mitutoyo(Thailand) booth at the Metalex
Exhibition organized at BITEC( Ba ng kok I nte r nat ional Tr a de
& Exhibition Center). Mitutoyo(T haila nd) reg u la rly sponsor sa booth to exhibit met rolog yinstruments and provides a display
counter to promote “TTOB” tovisitors.
From December 16 to 17, 2023,
Mitutoyo (Thailand) attended a42

BDK Newsletter

Michi−The Path−rehearsal and graduation ceremonyand donated 1,602 copies of “TTOB”
to the graduates and their relatives
who at tended t h is event. T h is

“TTOB” distribution at Metalex in Thailand

was the fourth time we attended
this event and we will continue tosustain our donations to Mahamakut
Buddhist university every year.

BDK Europe

Japan Day

In January, we began holding amonthly sutra (Buddhist scriptures)
copying session after the monthly
Buddhist service to give people theopportunity to become more familiar
with Buddhism and the sutras.
A variety of people from various
backgrounds participated in thissession, including those who havebeen personally copying sutras forsome time, those who are learning
Japanese, and even a few young
children who like to write kanji(Chinese characters).
Japan Tag (Japan Day) was held on
May 13, and the EKO-Center held its
special Open House that had not been
held since 2019 due to the pandemic.
We enjoyed good weather, and two
exhibitions were held in the center
along with a sutra chanting session
in the temple. It was the first timethat so many people had come to the
EKO-Center since the pandemic withan estimated 1,000 visitors coming to
our EKO-Center on that day.
On September 1, we celebrated the30th anniversary of the establishmentof the EKO-Temple. Before theservice, a commemorative camellia

Hongawanji Gagaku Kai concert

tree was planted by the 25th Head
Priest Ohtani Kojun, Gomonshu of
the Hongwanji Temple of the Jodo
Shinshu Hongwanji School, whotraveled from Kyoto, Japan for theanniversary observance. 40 children
from EKO-Kindergarten paraded ina ”Chigo” procession accompaniedby the beautiful Gagaku music of
the Tsukiji Hongwanji Gagaku-kai
from Tokyo. The Commemorative
Ser vice was then off iciated byGomonshu Ohtani Kojun, who alsopresented a special Dharma Message
in honor of the anniversary. Over 50
honored guests were invited to thecommemorative service, including
government officials from the NRW
state and the city of Dusseldorf,
as well as those engaged in the
promotion of Japanese culture in
Germany, representatives from the
Buddhist community and academia,
as well as those involved with the
EKO-Center. After a short break,Gomonshu Ohtani conducted a
special Kikyōshiki (Buddhist Name
Confirmation) Ceremony in thetemple, with 18 Buddhists from
Germany and Spain participatingin the special ceremony where theGomonshu touched the head of eachparticipant with a ceremonial razor
symbolizing the shaving of one’s
head (Okamisori) to formally receivea Buddhist Name (Homyo) from theGomonshu.
The day af ter the A n niversar yServices, a commemorative Gagaku
concert was given by the Tsukiji
Hongwanji Gagaku Kai at the RobertSchumann-Hall in Dusseldorf. An
audience of some 400 Germans
as well as others f rom several
neighboring nations enjoyed thec o n c e r t , w h ich h a d e ve r yo n eenchanted by the wonderful sounds
and solemn dance pieces. The
first half of the concert featured an
introduction to Gagaku instrumentswith Japanese-German commentary,followed by the performance of
two classic pieces, “Etenraku” and“Bairo.” During the second half ofthe concert, two traditional dance
pieces, “Ranryō-Ō” and “Ninnaraku,”
were beautifully performed and were
well received by the audience.

43

Kairyō (Improvement)
When we come to a dead end, we wonder where

The most important thing about improvement is

the problem lies and seek a way out.

to eliminate our prejudices.

Usually, we think about ways and means ofFurthermore, however valuable past experience

improving the situation. However, there are

might be or however important knowledge

often cases where the improvements worsen themight be, put them aside and start from the very

situation.

beginning, remembering your original intention.
As you go around thinking about the problem,

Improvement means eliminating defects or

you will discover points which you would nevermaking them better. But in our case, mistaking

have noticed if you had stayed in the same place.

our strong points as weak points, we erroneously
manipulate our strong points. Thus, our intention
to improve the situation make matters worse.

Taken from “Sasaeatte” authored by the late Rev.
Toshihide Numata, former chairperson of BDK

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Michi−The Path−