The Royal Grand Hall of Buddhism

Author: Ven. Hiroshi Fujikura,
Secretary General of the Buddhist Summit World Buddhist Supreme Conference

The Buddhist Summit

The Buddhist Summit, World Buddhist Supreme Conference, for which I serve as Secretary General, is the supreme Buddhist conference representing the 370 million Buddhists in the world. With the cooperation from the United Nations as well as supreme Buddhist leaders of the world including those of you who are here today, Buddhist leaders of the world have united and have been working together in order to spread Buddhism towards the realization of world peace and serenity for humanity, by returning to our origin, that is, Lord Buddha, overcoming differences in nationalities, languages, or traditions.
The Buddhist Summit has shown an amazing development since the First Buddhist Summit held in 1998. We now have as members supreme Buddhist leaders of 33 countries in the five continents of the world, and the Fifth Buddhist Summit will be held in November of this year.

What wc Buddhist monks should humbly regret about the 2,500 years of Buddhist history is that, although we are all equally Buddhists, we had forgotten the original teachings of Lord Buddha, had adhered to our own traditions, and had not cooperated with one another. As the result of our self-righteous belief, having been prepossessed with our own traditions, Buddhism has lost people's support and followed the course of decline.

We are all equally disciples of Lord Buddha. The base of our belief is the precious teachings of Lord Buddha that is the Dharma. We may be bom in different countries, speak different languages, live in different cultures and environments, and follow different traditions of Buddhism. However, when we return to the original teachings of Lord Buddha, we are all his disciples as well as Dharma friends equally seeking for nirvana, which is the ultimate purpose of Buddhism.

Now we must realize this fact afresh, shout in a loud voice to let the world know, and overcome the long history of wrong conventions among us Buddhist monks. Now is the time for us Buddhists of the world to join hands as the fellow disciples of Lord Buddha, deepen mutual understandings, and cooperate with one another to spread his teachings of compassion and benevolence, aiming for true world peace and serenity and happiness of humanity. And now is the time that we recommence expounding the way to attain nirvana to the people of the world.

The Royal Grand Hall of Buddhism

We, the Buddhist Summit, are in the process of constructing the Royal Grand Hall of Buddhism for the 370 million Buddhists of the world, with the help and support of Mis Holinesses and Most Venerables of 33 countries of the world. The grand inauguration ceremony will be held in November of this year. The Royal Grand Hall of Buddhism will serve as a meeting place for the Buddhist leaders of the world to overcome any differences in nationalities or traditions, and as a spiritual base for Buddhists to unite as one and work together in order to spread Buddhism to the rest of the world.

Concluding Remarks

Finally, I sincerely wish that this United Nations Vesak Day 2008 Celebration and the International Buddhist Conference will be a great success, proving to be a significant step forward towards the realization of true world peace and serenity for humanity.

Under the protection of Triple Gem, I wish you all the best for your health and happiness. Thank you very much for your attention.

The Royal Grand Hall of Buddhism, the spiritual base of Buddhists worldwide, is a long-time dream brought into reality for His Holinesses the supreme patriarchs and supreme Buddhist leaders of the world. It is the place where Buddhists in the world will work and strive together for the realization of Lord Buddha's ideals.
Nalanda University

At the Fourth World Buddhist Summit, His Holinesses the supreme patriarchs and supreme Buddhist leaders of the world resolved upon re-establishing Nalanda University of Buddhism on the land adjacent to the Royal Grand Hall of Buddhism, and we have started our work on this project. Nalanda University in ancient India played a very significant role in propagating Buddhism to the world. It is said that if there had not been this university. Buddhism would not have enjoyed prosperity of today.

In the past. Buddhism had split into Theravada, Tibetan Esoteric, and Mahayana Buddhism, and it was not until the First Buddhist Summit that the three major traditions of Buddhism met to talk and cooperate with one another. We will return to the origin of Lord Buddha and work together as his fellow disciples in order to open Nalanda University of Buddhism, with the purpose of propagating Buddhism again in this present world.

Nalanda University of Buddhism is an educational organization to tram true Buddhist leaders who will lead Buddhists worldwide. It will unify Lord Buddha's wisdom, which was inherited in different ways in various Buddhist traditions during the past 2.500 years and pass it down to the next generation of Buddhist leaders who will guide Buddhism of the 2151 century. This is our mission and one of the most important responsibilities of us living in the world today.
Importance of Mutual Understanding and Respect for Strengthening Our Unity

It is by no means an easy task for Buddhists of the world to cooperate, unify their wisdom and bequeath it to future generations. That is because the wisdom inherited in different traditions had developed to adapt to the regional characteristics. Vietnam has its own form of Buddhism and so does Japan, in accordance with the Japanese nature, culture, and character of the nation. In this way. we now have a great variety of Buddhism in the world.

Thus it is most important for us to first examine closely the nature of Buddhism in each country or region, and then to look for and pursue together the path to nirvana, the only and ultimate purpose of being born as a human being. It is by going through this very process that we, as the disciples of Lord Buddha and fellow Buddhists, will be able to respect one another's traditions, deepen our mutual understanding, and strengthen our unity in order to step forward towards propagation of Buddhism.

Seeking for Your Support lor the Fifth World Buddhist Summit

As I said earlier, we, members of World Buddhist Summit including His Holinesses supreme patriarchs and supreme Buddhist leaders of the world, have been steadily working together in order to unite Buddhists of the world and to realize the ideal state of the world as expounded by Lord Buddha.

I believe thai the Buddhist leaders who are participating in this conference also uphold the same ideal and are pursuing the same goal seriously. I would like to express my gratitude again for having been given this opportunity to contribute in this Vesak Day Celebration as a Vice Chair of the International Organizing Committee. Now please allow me to speak as Secretary General of World