The Center of Spreading Amida’s Vow around the Capital

Saitama-Kumagaya Center Opening Soon A New Buddhist Castle in Kanto

A new center for spreading true Buddhism is about to open in Kumagaya City, Saitama Prefecture. The site is located in the Kanto region, where Master Shinran walked around teaching Buddhism. The Buddhist castle bestowed upon us by Amida Buddha is located in a perfect place for listening to Buddhism― surrounded by lush greenery in the vicinity of the exit of Kan-Etsu Expressway. Shinran followers in Kanto stand up to spread the teachings, “Now is the time for us to ‘let the sweet rain of the Buddhist teachings fall on people in the capital area and satisfy their thirst to know ‘the purpose of living’.”

Kumagaya City has a connection with Kumagaya Renshoubou, Master Shinran’s Buddhist friend. Rehshoubou is very popular among the citizens and a statue of Renshoubou on horseback stands in front of JR Kumagaya Station. The Kumagaya Center is about six kilometers south of the station in the midst of a rural landscape.

Local followers are now preparing for the grand opening lecture. Meanwhile, at the webinar on June 16, the Center was host to attendees from various prefectures such as Gunma, Tokyo, Kanagawa, and Chiba. People there are especially pleased with the convenient location of the center―about a ten-minute drive from Higashi- Matsuyama Exit of Kan-Etsu Expressway.

“We can easily gather here and so this center marks a new chapter in our missionary activities in Kanto.” Kazue Kimura from Saitama Prefecture talks about her joy, “We are so happy to be able to get together in such a large tatami-mat hall and listen to Takamori-sensei’s lecture together. I want to convey Master Shinran’s teachings through the story of Kumagaya Renshoubou.” Makoto Nishiya of Tokyo thinks of the range of the Buddhist teachings expanding like billows in every direction from Tokyo, where Master Shinran walked around teaching Buddhism.“I’m looking forward to having a lot of discussions on Buddhist teachings in this center with other followers from all over the Kanto area. Now that we have the first Shinran Center in Kanto, we can hope for other new centers in this district, including Tokyo.”

Source: The Buddhist Village Times #31 | 2013, The Center of Spreading Amida’s Vow around the Capital

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The Buddhist Village Times #31

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