International Association for Religious Freedom

Masuo Nezu

The noted British historian Arnold Toynbee (1889-1975) once said something to the effect that in future centuries historians will mark the twentieth century as "the century of interreligious cooperation." The International Association for Religious Freedom (IARF), founded in 1900, began as a dialogue among religious liberals. Cooperation begins with dialogue. The IARF celebrates its one hundredth anniversary this year as "the first international organization of religious cooperation in the world."

The IARF will hold its World Congress in Vancouver, Canada in July to commemorate the Centenary Anniversary. At the same time, this year marks the thirtieth anniversary of Rissho Kosei-kai's affiliation with the IARF.

A Fine Day Today

I would like to reflect on the Japanese commitment to the IARF. The first person to become involved was the late Dr. Shin'ichiro Imaoka (d. 1988), then head of the Japan Free Religious Association. He thought it appropriate to introduce Rev. Nikkyo Niwano, the founder and then president of Rissho Kosei-kai, to Dr. Dana McLean Greeley, who was then president of the Unitarian Universalist Association (UUA) of North America.

In the first half of his life, Founder Niwano devoted himself wholeheartedly to spreading the teachings of the Lotus Sutra. In the second half, his activities in the social sphere have deepened and widened to become international in scope, with emphasis on interreligious cooperation. He has had a number of important "encounters" with other people.

In addition to his private meeting with Pope Paul VI at the Second Vatican Council in 1965, which raised the founder's expectations for interreligious cooperation from a mere possibility to a firm conviction, one encounter deserving special mention was the one with Dr. Greeley, with whom he began a lifelong devotion to peace activities with a strong sense of unity of purpose.

On January 22, 1968, the Japanese-American Inter-religious Consultation on Peace (which later gave birth to the World Conference on Religion and Peace, or WCRP) was held in Kyoto. Following its conclusion, Dr. Imaoka brought Dr. Greeley to the Great Sacred Hall in Tokyo, where they met Founder Niwano. On this occasion the Founder and Dr. Greeley, following up on their initial meeting in Kyoto, talked for more than three hours frankly and openly and cemented their lasting friendship.

"Some people say that Unitarians are Christians, while others say they are not," Dr. Greeley said, as he sought a "truth" that transcends individual faiths and sects. "The goals of all religions are the same. All religious people should cooperate in their common tasks," Founder Niwano responded. The two men found they had much in common in their religious views and, with the joy that came from finding strong colleagues in each other, they felt there was a bright future for interreligious cooperation. After seeing Dr. Greeley off, Founder Niwano looked very happy in the elevator returning to his office and said, "It is a fine day today." Dr. Imaoka remembered the encounter as a fortunate and dramatic one. My serving as interpreter for the two men made the day unforgettable for me.

In the summer of that year, the General Assembly of the UUA was held in Cleveland, Ohio. With letters of introduction kindly given to me by Dr. Imaoka, I attended the Assembly and read a message from Founder Niwano at a plenary session. Rev. Yukitaka Yamamoto, chief priest of Tsubaki Grand Shrine in Mie Prefecture and now president of the IARF, was also present and offered a Shinto prayer in his formal Shinto robe.

After the General Assembly I traveled to several cities in the United States and visited the UUA headquarters in Boston, where I spoke personally with Dr. Greeley. When I arrived at the airport on my return to Tokyo, I was surprised to find the elderly Dr. Imaoka waiting for me. I was very grateful, and realized how enthusiastic about interreligious cooperation he was.

IARF for "Dialogue," WCRP for "Action"

In July 1969, the Twentieth Congress of the IARF was held in Boston. Founder Niwano attended for the first time. Rev. Toshio Miyake, senior minister of the Konkokyo Church of Izuo in Osaka, also was present, as he was to attend the WCRP Executive Committee meeting with Founder Niwano. Dr. Imaoka attended the Congress accompanied by his much-loved younger brother's grandson as his personal physician.

The theme of the Congress was "Encounter with Change." Dr. Greeley was elected president of the IARF at that time. Rissho Kosei-kai became formally affiliated as a member organization and Founder Niwano was elected a member of the Executive Committee. After some serious discussion, the words "Liberal Christianity" were deleted from the name of the IARF. The theme "Encounter with Change" was symbolic because the IARF was soon to expand among various religious faiths.

During the Congress a Sunday service was held at a historic Unitarian church in Boston. Representatives of the participating countries all offered lighted candles. When he offered his candle, Dr. Imaoka said, "I brought this light all the way from Japan." Those words, reflecting the deep sentiments he had held for decades, greatly impressed us. Dr. Imaoka had studied at the Harvard Divinity School in 1915 and 1916. In addition to hisreligious studies, he had friendly exchanges with many Unitarian and Universalist leaders and scholars. His wish for international interreligious cooperation seems to have started in those days.

Following the Congress, the first International Executive Committee Meeting of the WCRP was held in Cambridge at Endicott House on the campus of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, across the Charles River from Boston. Both Founder Niwano and Dr. Greeley attended. From that time on, for some twenty years, they worked together, hand in hand, for interreligious cooperation and world peace, attending world conferences and congresses of the two organizations, U.S.-Japan bilateral conferences, United Nations-related activities, and more, playing central roles in them.

The IARF has historically emphasized "dialogue," while WCRP has been more "action-oriented." The two organizations have their own distinctive features, but at the same time they emphasize interreligious cooperation as the crux of their work and have certain similar aspects. There have been and still are many religious leaders who join both. Among those in Japan who have done so are Rev. Miyake, who joined the WCRP on its founding, Rev. Yamamoto, and many other leaders of various religious groups.

With Seminarians in Montreal

Founder Niwano attended consecutive IARF Congresses in Heidelberg, in 1972; in Montreal in 1975; in Oxford in 1978; and in Holland in 1981. The Twenty-second Congress was held in Montreal under the theme "Our Unity in Diversity." It marked the first time that students from Gakurin, the Rissho Kosei-kai seminary in Tokyo, attended an IARF Congress.

Ten of the students introduced the organization under the title "Meet Rissho Kosei-kai" by means of slides, role-playing on such topics as "Hoza, its function and history" (hoza is the term for the organization's group counseling sessions, in which participants sit in a circle), chanting the Lotus Sutra in the manner of daily devotionals, followed by a question-and-answer session.

Founder Niwano watched them with rapt attention, and many of the Western participants expressed deep interest in this new religious movement from Japan. Despite his own busy schedule at the Congress, the Founder invited the students to dinner at a Japanese restaurant and gave personal guidance to each of them in a relaxed atmosphere. The seminarians were touched by his consideration and warm encouragement.

Among the students were two who were then studying at U.S. graduate schools. One day Founder Niwano called them to his room and presented them some cordial handwritten instructions, saying, "As I awoke at four this morning, I pondered over how you students can explain the essence of the Lotus Sutra so that Westerners will genuinely understand its spirit. On this piece of paper I have put down what I think is most important."

One of the two is now dean of the seminary. Many of the other nine are serving as ministers of local or overseas branches or heads of various departments and sections of Rissho Kosei-kai.

UUA Emissaries

Unitarian Universalist minister Dr. Felix D. Lion, now retired, taught English at Gakurin in 1970. Decades later, he recalls Founder Niwano's warmth toward and expectations for its students. Here is what he wrote in his diary for March 1 that year: "New students enter Rissho Kosei-kai Seminary." Followed, he remembers, by "this very poor attempt at a haiku:

Beaming Niwano,
Feast for ten. Last Supper? No.
Radiance melting snow.

A light snow had fallen during the night, Dr. Lion recalls, but, near noon, it was melting, which he attributed, in poetic fashion, to Rev. Niwano. In his recent letter, Dr. Lion wrote, "The head of the seminary and his assistant had met Founder Niwano at the seminary entrance and escorted him upstairs to a large room with cushioned Western-style chairs surrounding a low table. Tea was brought in. The two seminary officials and Founder Niwano's chauffeur or secretary left. So remaining were Founder Niwano, the ten students (I think all were new first-year students), including two women, and myself. I remained totally silent, but the students, encouraged by Founder Niwano, soon were asking questions. Rev. Niwano spoke and listened in turn, as if among equals.

"I particularly remember one student asking which among all the religions of the world was the true one. Founder Niwano answered along these lines (although of course I did not catch every word, nor could I remember exactly at this late date): The great religions of the world developed out of varying civilizations and varying human experiences. It is as if a number of people from widely scattered villages started to climb a sacred mountain like Mount Fuji. The higher they climbed, the closer their paths approached each other. The sages and prophets of each faith, as they ascended the heights and gained larger truth, became very close, regardless of whether they started as Buddhists, Hindus, Christians, or members of some other faith.

"That was my first close contact with Founder Niwano, except for a formal handshake in Boston in July 1969. I came away profoundly impressed by his humanity and the depth of his concern." Like earlier emissaries from the UUA to Japan, Dr. Lion's time at the seminary contributed to strengthening the relationship between that organization and Rissho Kosei-kai.

Here I want to introduce briefly other emissaries of the UUA to Japan. They were the Rev. Robert Swain, 1964--65; the Rev. Dr. Robert Green and Mrs. Carole Green, 1965-66; the Rev. John Goldthwait and Mrs. Barbara Goldthwait, 1966-67; Mr. John Flaherty and Mrs. Marjorie Flaherty with their two sons, 1967-68. Along with interfaith activities with several Japanese religious groups, they taught English to Rissho Kosei-kai staff and lay members, and helped as proofreaders at the Kosei Publishing Company during their stays in Japan.

Rev. Swain studied the Japanese language, traditional calligraphy (shodo), and the Japanese tea ceremony. After returning to the United States, he even built a room for the tea ceremony in the attic of his house in Bellingham and, from time to time wrote us letters in Japanese. He also practiced calligraphy, taking back Japanese brushes (fude), and ink sticks (sumi) with him.

Dr. Green studied the history of Japanese religions while serving in Japan. When he returned to the United States, he made an extensive presentation at the UUA General Assembly on Japanese religions both contemporary and those of centuries ago, using many slides and other helpful materials. Many who were interested in Japanese religions gathered and listened attentively.

The Goldthwaits continue to exchange Christmas cards with Rissho Kosei-kai friends every year even now, though he is no longer in the UUministry. The Flahertys, after going back to their home in Stockton, California, invited a series of Rissho Kosei-kai seminarians to stay at their residence so that they could study at a college nearby. This helped develop international educational programs of the seminary in various ways, such as sending students to many universities overseas for their post-graduate studies, particularly those in America.

The Flahertys' sons, Sean and Casey, were young boys when they first came to Japan. They soon started practicing Japanese swordsmanship(kendo), at the Kosei Martial Arts Hall. After going back to America, they returned to Japan several times. Casey, the younger son, practiced Shinto at the Tsubaki Grand Shrine and appeared on Japanese TV wearing Shinto robes. He married a Japanese girl and settled in Japan, while Sean, the elder son, continues to live in Stockton. His wife is Japanese-American.

An Aloha Shirt and a Suit

Among the many memories shared by Dr. Greeley and Founder Niwano, who worked together in many corners of the world, is an episode that took place at the Second U.S.-Japan Inter-religious Consultation in Hawaii in 1972.

Dr. Greeley showed up for a meeting wearing a Hawaiian aloha shirt. Founder, Niwano like a proper Japanese gentleman, appeared in a suit and tie. As they exchanged greetings, they noted the difference in their attire. Following a lunch break, they returned to their rooms before continuing their meeting. Now, Founder Niwano appeared wearing an aloha shirt, while Dr. Greeley was in a suit and tie. Though this caused a big laugh among the others present, the episode shows the attitude of the two men: always think about things from the standpoint of others, try to understand others, and make an effort to promote interreligious cooperation that will be fitting for others.

In meetings for peace activities over many years, Founder Niwano thought highly of Dr. Greeley's views. The latter, too, listened carefully to what Rev. Niwano said and often supported him by expressing agreement.

First Congress in Asia

Another highlight of the IARF's history was the Twenty-fifth Congress, held in Tokyo from July 23 to Aug. 10, 1984. The theme, "Religious Path to Peace: Eastern Initiative, Western Response," was epochal. Several months before the Congress, I received a letter from Dr. Imaoka in which he wrote, "Eastern initiative is the will of Shakyamuni Buddha" and he quoted the words of the Buddha: "Make of yourself a lamp, . . . make a lamp of the Dharma." As a Buddhist, I was much impressed. Dr. Imaoka genuinely sought religious truth and desired a future in which religion transcended sectarianism. It was such a desire, I suppose, that led him to arrange the first "encounter" between Founder Niwano and Dr. Greeley, who then worked together for interreligious cooperation and world peace.

During the Congress, Dr. Imaoka delivered an address in Rissho Kosei-kai's Fumon Hall. He had prepared a Japanese text, and read a sentence or two of it. But then he stopped, set the text on the lectern, and improvised his talk in English. At that time he was well over one hundred years old. The participants from many countries made a great stir, and when he finished his speech, applause echoed throughout the hall.

"Japan is the most appropriate place for mutual understanding among religions," he had thought, and with that in mind for several decades had wanted to hold the Congress in Japan. His address sounded like an expression of his own deep feelings about this.

What were the special features of the Japan IARF Congress? There were three main ones: (1) as the first ever held in Asia, it reflected Asian thought and spirituality; (2) it marked the first time an IARF Congress included peace in its theme; and (3) eight hundred participants, about half from overseas and half from Japan, came together from twenty-two countries. Rev. Diether Gehrmann, then the IARF general secretary, with his wife, Dorle, and their sons, and the International Secretariat came to Tokyo a couple of weeks early and worked very hard on the preparations with the Japanese staff.

The programs were rich in content. Tours to Japanese religious sites were arranged before and after the Congress sessions so that overseas participants could learn firsthand about Japanese religions. They visited the Buddhist temple Enryaku-ji and Ittoen in Kyoto; Tsubaki Grand Shrine and Ise Shrine, in Mie; the Konkokyo Church, at Izuo; Toshogu Shrine, at Nikko; and various local branches of Rissho Kosei-kai. Their experiences were reflected in the discussions at the Congress. Workshops on traditional Japanese culture also were arranged in facilities at Rissho Kosei-kai headquarters.

Two hundred and forty people from overseas took part in a "home visit" program to experience everyday Japanese life. In groups of two or three they visited homes of Rissho Kosei-kai members in Tokyo, greatly improving mutual understanding at the grassroots level.

Congress participants enthusiastically discussed their views and exchanged ideas each day. Their dialogue helped people of different faiths from both East and West to deepen their understanding of each other and reflected one aspect of the IARF spirit, "learning from one another." At the Congress service in the Great Sacred Hall, some 7,000 people prayed and rededicated themselves to the one single purpose common to all-world peace. A Buddhist sutra was chanted, and devotions were offered by Hindu, Christian, Shinto, Islamic, and Sikh representatives.

As the twenty-fifth president of the IARF, Founder Niwano delivered an address entitled "Today's Perspective on Our Religious Mission." He said in part: "Before the dangers that face the entire human race, I believe that there can be no greater joy and comfort than the consciousness that religionists must put aside their differences and unite in their attempts to force open the heavy door on a new era."

The "Festival of Japan" held during the Congress aroused excitement and enthusiasm. In addition to the Congress participants, 3,700 young members of Rissho Kosei-kai joined in and danced hand-in-hand, bringing everyone a feeling of deep unity.

"When you come to Japan, visit my home." "Please send me a letter telling me something about your country." Children from Rissho Kosei-kai families all over Japan sent paintings and drawings to the Tokyo headquarters with their names and addresses and such messages on the back. These were presented to the overseas participants, who expressed great appreciation.

On Aug. 5 and 6, about 260 overseas IARF Congress participants visited Hiroshima and attended the annual memorial service for the atomic bomb victims and renewed their vows for peace, adopting the IARF Hiroshima Appeal.

Eyes Were Opened

What fruits did the 1984 Japan Congress bear? Here, I would like to mention a few of the comments and letters of thanks that were received from many of the overseas participants.

We thank you, out of [our] whole heart for the wonderful hospitality, the warmth, openness, friendliness, and readiness of service that we experienced from all of you during the whole time of our stay in Japan, which made this Congress memorable for us for the rest of our lives.

Lajos Kovacs and Janos Erdo, Romania

Paul M. Morse, Sepulveda Choir

It is difficult to find words to express our gratitude for the many special arrangements and kind and thoughtful acts. We were deeply impressed by the organization of the events and the content of the workshops and services. We renewed our determination to work for peace in the world.

Harlings F. Litton and Norman Heys, Canada

It was a "dialogue" through meeting people by which I myself could be changed.

Dr. George Rupp, then dean of the Harvard Divinity School

As tokens of the spirit of the Congress, four images remain in my mind: 1) the children's smiles during our visit to a Rissho Kosei-kai branch; 2) the staff members who led the Congress to great success from behind the scenes; 3) the experiences of overseas participants in hoza, misogi, and other Japanese religious practice; and 4) Dr. Imaoka's presence and his speech.

Prof. George Williams, California State University

The "home visit" was wonderful. I can bring many spiritual souvenirs back to my country and my own home.

John Eceneza, India

Official Rissho Kosei-kai participants in the 1984 Congress numbered fifty. However, those who worked as staff members and volunteers, such as the members of the "Language Service" (LS) who served mainly as interpreters between English and Japanese, visitors to the Prayer Service, along with those involved in many other ways meant that the number who committed themselves to the Congress amounted to several tens of thousands.

Among their reactions were these: "I really sensed that people from all over the world were sharing the right Dharma"; "Through meeting with the foreigners who asked serious questions in hoza, I renewed my awareness of the true faith"; "Meeting with people of other faiths from many countries made my own faith much stronger"; "By describing the teaching of the Buddha to overseas participants, my understanding and faith become stronger. With more confidence, I have become able to disseminate the teaching of the Buddha"; and "Foreign participants were 'blue-eyed bodhisattvas.'"

Since the time of the Japan Congress, from the top to the grassroots level wider participation in the various international activities of Rissho Kosei-kai has increased remarkably.

Always Thinking of Others

In his last years, Dr. Greeley suffered from cancer. Hearing that he had undergone surgery, Founder Niwano frequently wrote to him expressing concern and encouragement, along with his with prayers for a full recovery.

It was said that Dr. Greeley underwent several operations, both major and minor. A strong-willed man, he once seemed to have made a miraculous recovery. Surprisingly, he was even able to attend the IARF Congress in Tokyo, together with his wife, Deborah. At the Congress, he was honored with the 1984 IARF Distinguished Leadership Award (the first recipient in 1981 had been Dr. Imaoka). The award was presented by Rev. Niwano, as the IARF president.

Less than two weeks after the Japan Congress had ended, Dr. Greeley traveled to Nairobi to attend WCRP IV. At these two world meetings, he continued his passionate, almost superhuman efforts for peace, without showing any signs of weakness, thus touching the hearts of the other participants.

In the United States at that time (although not in Japan), informing cancer patients about their disease was already standard practice. Therefore, people's eyes were wide with astonishment at the activities of this man with an incurable disease. The general feeling was that even in such poor health, he always thought of other people instead of himself.

One day in Nairobi, when too many people showed up for a workshop, there were too few seats. Dr. Greeley brought a chair from the next room, carrying it on his shoulder, and handed it to a participant who was standing. As this seemed quite an ordinary gesture, the recipient may not have been aware that it was Dr. Greeley who gave him the chair, or that he was a man fighting a fatal disease.

Over the next two years his condition worsened. He was unable to attend the 1986 Asian Conference on Religion and Peace (the third such conference, held in Seoul). Participants were informed of his passing during the conference. Several days before his death, Dr. Greeley recorded a final message on tape. Dr. Malcolm Sutherland, a close colleague, brought the message to the conference. The international officers gathered in a room to hear the tape, along with an explanation by Dr. Sutherland.

The recording began with Dr. Greeley saying, "Rev. Niwano" and then in turn reciting the names of the other officers who had worked with him from the beginning of the movement. His message continued with words of farewell to his colleagues and a prayer for the success of the Conference. Dr. Greeley's voice was hoarse, and he seemed to be having some difficulty breathing, so that speaking required great effort. Everyone in the room was deeply moved and prayed from the bottom of their hearts that Dr. Greeley's soul would rest in peace. Founder Niwano, after returning to his hotel room, recited from the Threefold Lotus Sutra as a further prayer for Dr. Greeley.

Dr. Greeley's Spirit Is with Us

The Dana MacLean Greeley Foundation for Peace and Justice was established in 1985 to honor and continue Dr. Greeley's efforts. Dr. Greeley assisted in its formation and his spirit continues to be embodied in the Foundation's work for justice, as well as in the IARF and the WCRP.

"Dr. Greeley's spirit surely is with us still, and his activities will continue for years to come," Founder Niwano said at that time. With this thought in mind, Founder Niwano has detected Dr. Greeley's farsighted intelligence in subsequent WCRP activities, and he has encouraged the leaders of WCRP/USA from time to time.

"To hold a World Conference on Religion and Peace it is necessary to have enthusiasm, wisdom, and funds." Those significant words were uttered by Dr. Greeley in Istanbul, a historic point of contact between East and West, in 1969 when the very first Interim Advisory Committee meeting of the WCRP was held there.

One day during WCRP II in Louvain, Belgium in 1974, the discussion continued until very late at night. Addressing Founder Niwano, and shaking hands with him, Dr. Greeley said, "Since it is already well after midnight, we should say 'yesterday was a very great day!'" When reflecting on those days as he looked over old photographs of the conference, The Founder's heart seemed very full.

To the UN with Passion

In June 1988, when he traveled to New York to address the Third Special Session of the United Nations General Assembly Devoted to Disarmament, Founder Niwano paid his respects at Dr. Greeley's grave. On the day after his arrival, he made a one-day visit to Boston. It happened to be the Sunday nearest the second anniversary of Dr. Greeley's death. In the First Parish in Concord, Mass., where Dr. Greeley served for many years as senior minister, his widow, Mrs. Deborah Webster Greeley, and many others who deeply admired Dr. Greeley and worked closely with him, were awaiting Founder Niwano's arrival.

At their request, Rev. Niwano spoke from the pulpit Dr. Greeley had used to deliver his sermons. "This week, I am going to make an appeal for the third time at the Special Session on Disarmament of the UN. I want to do that with the passion of the late Dr. Greeley," he said. Then he visited the offices of the Greeley Foundation and the Lexington cemetery where Dr. Greeley is buried, along with several historically prominent American writers. Founder Niwano offered flowers, burned incense brought from Japan, and prayed wholeheartedly.

At the Greeley home, some seventy distinguished people who had been close to Dr. Greeley gathered to share memories of him with Mrs. Greeley and Founder Niwano. All were in a reminiscent mood, recalling bygone days and Dr. Greeley's great personal magnetism. Founder Niwano ended his busy one-day trip by visiting Dr. Edwin O. Reischauer, who served as United States ambassador to Japan between 1961-66, whom he had visited with Dr. Greeley two decades earlier.

"Many people welcomed me warmly in Concord," Rev. Niwano remembered. "It was almost as if Dr. Greeley had been there. I felt that his spirit protected us all day." Mrs. Greeley had an herb garden at her home from which she picked some rosemary to present to the Founder in symbolic memory of her husband. After Rev. Niwano returned to Japan, the rosemary was replanted in the Horin-kaku garden at Rissho Kosei-kai headquarters. Although the latitude of Boston is close to that of Hakodate in Hokkaido, Japan's northernmost island where the temperature and climate are very different from those in Tokyo, the plant thrived for years.

Centenary of World's Parliament of Religions

When the World's Parliament of Religions was held in Chicago in 1893, Dr. Imaoka was a 12-year-old boy. Along with holding an IARF World Congress in Japan, another dream that he cherished for many decades was that the IARF should plan something very special for the centenary of the Parliament.

Between August and September 1993, three commemorative events to mark the one hundredth anniversary were held in Bangalore and New Delhi, India, in Chicago, and at Ise in Japan. Of course, the IARF played an important role in all these events.

The International Interfaith Organizations Coordinating Committee (IIOCC), comprising four religious and interreligious organizations (IARF, WCRP, the Temple of Understanding, and the World Council of Faiths) organized a multireligious conference in Bangalore.

The IARF held its 28th World Congress there for four days from Aug.15. Most of the participants also attended the Centenary of the World's Parliament of Religions that followed between Aug. 19 and 22. One hundred and five religious organizations representing 12 religions from 39 countries were represented. As many as 670 people took part.

Rissho Kosei-kai held a workshop on its founding principles, on the teaching of the Lotus Sutra, and on interreligious activities at its branches. The 80 attending religionists heard how members apply Buddhist teachings in their daily lives.

During the centennial celebration in New Delhi on Aug. 25, the IIOCC presented a Centennial Award to Founder Niwano. Rissho Kosei-kai's chief director, Rev. Motoyuki Naganuma, accepted the prize on Founder Niwano's behalf from India's Prime Minister at the time, P. V. Narasimha Rao.

The 1993 Parliament of the World's Religions was held in Chicago between Aug. 28 and Sept. 5, with some 6,000 people participating, including representatives from the IARF, WCRP, and Rissho Kosei-kai. On Aug. 31, Rissho Kosei-kai conducted a two-hour program entitled "The Contemporary Interpretation and Application of the Lotus Sutra." Four presentations, "Interreligious Cooperation," "Modern Interpretation of the

Lotus Sutra and its Practice," "The Donate One Meal Campaign," and "Efforts as a Religious NGO for Global Issues" were offered by a department head from Tokyo headquarters, ministers of the U.S. branches, and myself. It was the first time the Chicago Branch had taken part in such a large convention.

Together with the Buddhist Council of the Midwest, Rissho Kosei-kai Chicago one evening sponsored a reception for mutual communication and understanding in honor of the delegates. More than 200 people attended and exchanged views.

IARF member organizations in Japan sponsored an interfaith conference at Ise on Aug. 29-30 under the theme "Toward the Twenty-first Century: the Role and Responsibility of Religionists" to mark the centenary. It drew some 1,200 participants. Addresses were delivered by prominent scholars, and a symposium with five panelists including a Rissho Kosei-kai member was held. At the conclusion, the "Ise Appeal" was adopted, calling on people of religion to repent their past dogmatic rivalries and meet their responsibilities for fostering the spiritual and social progress necessary for human harmony.

Inheritance of the Lamp of the Law

The First Inheritance of the Lamp of the Law Ceremony in Rissho Kosei-kai's history was conducted solemnly at the Great Sacred Hall in Tokyo on Founder Niwano's eighty-fifth birthday, Nov. 15, 1991. The organization's presidency was entrusted to Rev. Nichiko Niwano, Founder Niwano's first son, on that day.

To further celebrate this historic installation of Rissho Kosei-kai's second president, three commemorative events were held: a reception on Nov. 21, a consultation with foreign religious leaders on Rissho Kosei-kai's past and future contributions to world peace on Nov. 22, and a symposium on Nov. 23, with the participation of many distinguished guests from at home and abroad.

Rev. Nichiko Niwano had attended the IARF World Congress in Holland, in 1981, and of course the 1984 Congress in Japan, and had visited the International Secretariat in Frankfurt during his 1988 trip to Europe. When Dr. Robert Traer, the IARF general secretary, or other officers visit Tokyo, President Niwano always meets with them.

With the rapid development of Rissho Kosei-kai's international activities, a division of labor gradually has taken place. Since being elected Rissho Kosei-Kai's second president, Rev. Niwano is now also an international president of the WCRP, and chief director Norio Sakai is a member of the IARF international council.

Juzu

In June 1998, thirty full years after the first meeting between Founder Niwano and Dr. Greeley, I contemplated a trip to visit those with whom I had become acquainted and worked closely when I assisted Founder Niwano. (I also wanted to let my wife see with her own eyes some of the people of my 30 years of international activities, for which she had long provided background support.)

The major reason for the trip, however, was to pay our respects at Dr. Greeley's burial place for a second time. We also hoped to meet Mrs. Greeley, if she was in good health. When we arrived in Boston, our good friend Rev. Richard Kellaway kindly informed us of the arrangements that had been made. We were scheduled to visit Concord on June 13. On that day the Greeley Foundation was holding its board meeting, at which Mrs. Greeley and the other directors would be happy to meet with us.

June 13 was the exact date of Dr. Greeley's passing twelve years earlier. Buddhists traditionally hold a special memorial service for the deceased on the date of death at that time, marking the start of the thirteenth year after the decease. My wife and I were very surprised at the coincidence of the date of our visit, and even felt that it was somewhat of a divine arrangement. Rev. Kellaway and his wife Jean drove us to Concord. When we arrived at the First Parish Church, Mrs. Susan Foley Larson, chair of the Greeley Foundation, was at the entrance and cordially guided us to the meeting hall, where Mrs. Greeley and the others welcomed us with smiles.

In the center of a huge table, around which some 20 people were seated, was a string of juzu (Buddhist prayer beads) made from seeds of the Bodhi tree in Bodh Gaya, India. These beeds had been presented by Founder Niwano to Dr. Greeley when they were devotedly working together for peace. It is said that after Dr. Greeley's death, the foundation began to place the beads on the table whenever they held board meetings, beginning their meetings with a prayer and continuing their activities in the spirit of the two men. The meeting place at the First Parish in Concord thus served as a symbolic remembrance of their friendship. A life-sized portrait of Dr.Greeley hangs in the center of one wall. A Unitarian, he had received the juzu from Founder Niwano, a Buddhist, whose hopes they embodied. The leaders of the foundation, headed by Mrs. Greeley, had inherited the spirit of Dr. Greeley and treasured the inspiration of Founder Niwano. We were deeply moved.

Although it was an important meeting, I was given a little time to speak and talked briefly about the relationship between the two men. Absenting themselves from the meeting for a while, two of the Greeley daughters, Faith and Penelope, kindly accompanied us to the cemetery, where we offered incense, flowers, and our prayers.

After leaving Concord, we visited Dr. and Mrs. Sutherland at their home. They, too, are 30-year acquaintances and good friends. We chatted about our joyful first encounter. On the following day, the Kellaways took us to the UUA headquarters in Boston, where we met Dr. John Buehrens, the current president. In the evening we met with Rev. Kenneth MacLean, Mrs.Natalie Gulbrandsen, Rev. and Mrs. Herbert Vetter, and others. We then flew from Boston to Victoria, Canada, where Dr. and Mrs. Lion warmly welcomed us. We had a good cordial meeting after so many years.

Two months after our reunion with her, Mrs. Greeley, who was well advanced in years, became ill. She died in October 1998. It is admirable that, together with her four daughters, she supported the great work of her beloved husband until the very last day of her life.

Rev. Niwano and Dr. Greeley

Among the progressive religious leaders of the United States, Dr. Greeley endeavored from early on to establish the WCRP. Even earlier than that he devoted himself to IARF activities and continued to do so for many years. The IARF was one of the seeds that led to the formation of the WCRP. As I noted earlier, many people work for the world congresses and other activities of both organizations. Occasional correspondence and contacts between the general secretary of the IARF and the secretary general of the WCRP indicate their awareness of the need for cooperation. The "Boat People Project" and many other action programs demonstrate the characteristics of the WCRP. Although the IARF puts emphasis on dialogue, it also expanded its programs into a social service network beginning in the 1980s. Many years ago, the Donate One Meal Campaign that started in Japan was taken up and put into practice at the world congresses of both bodies.

In Japan, the Niwano Peace Foundation seeks the sound and stable development of a peace movement based on interreligious cooperation. In the United States, the Greeley Foundation manifests the will of a late great religious leader. Born from dialogue mainly among liberal Christians, the IARF gradually advanced into cooperation on an interfaith basis and began interchanges with other organizations devoted to interreligious cooperation. When we reflect on these two men working together on the concrete tasks of interreligious cooperation, we should note the following points:

1. The two made the IARF and the WCRP two pillars of their cooperative activities. They recognized the need for mutual activities in which the two would complement each other for a greater purpose.

2. They sought to cooperate by finding the common values of the two bodies.

3. To achieve this, they solicited the participation of many religious leaders.

4. Transcending the boundaries of their own religious organizations, they had a much wider vision in which people think of the entire world and all of humankind. This required activities on a larger scale, and one result was that their own organizations also bore new fruit.

5. From decades ago, they were always forward looking and positive thinking, linked by their global vision. The IARF, which was mainly centered in Europe and North America, has been expanding for more than 30 years among various faiths in Asia and elsewhere. From the inception of the WCRP, Japan, the United States, and Europe have been considered its three main areas of support. After WCRP II, the Asian Conference on Religion and Peace (ACRP) was born, and gradually most of the world has become involved. Many of the officers of both the IARF and the WCRP are basically of the same mind.

For the Future

From the beginnings of Rissho Kosei-kai, Founder Niwano has consistently emphasized that "interreligious cooperation is the destiny and the mission given to our organization," and he has taught its members that "interreligious cooperation is our sacred duty."

After inheriting the Lamp of the Law, President Nichiko Niwano declared, "I inherit the road of interreligious dialogue and cooperation that Founder Niwano has trod and will do my utmost for its further development." President Niwano often tells Rissho Kosei-kai leaders, "Think globally, act locally."

Interreligious cooperation is spreading horizontally and inter-organizationally among the IARF, the WCRP, and other interfaith groups, as well as among people in different fields, such as UN officials, scholars, social workers, diplomats, and the like. Vertically, the movements started by top religious leaders are now putting down deep roots at the level of ordinary members. In the twenty-first century, these trends must be further strengthened.

"The world is my home." Thinking in that way, Dr. Imaoka was fond of reading books on history, in particular following Toynbee's belief that there is no need for distinctions between the ancient, medieval, and modern ages, since all ages are the present to a historian.

When Dr. Imaoka sat in contemplation in his study, he thought, "When I am alive to history, the actions of heroes, saints, wise men, and ordinary people, throughout the world and from ancient times to modern days, appear before my eyes. It is the greatest happiness to be able to be in contact with the whole of humankind."

Dr. Imaoka was an individual who transcended the size of the globe and thought about things in cosmic proportions. What do you suppose he would foresee for interreligious cooperation in the twenty-first century?