Japanese Peace Pagoda in Ampara
This Pagoda is a part of larger peace movement which built under the guidance
of Nichidatsu Fujii (1885-1985), a Buddhist monk from Japan and founder
of the Nipponzan-Myōhōji Buddhist Order. Fujii was greatly inspired by
his meeting with Mahatma Gandhi in 1931 and decided to devote his life
to promoting non-violence. In 1947, he began constructing Peace Pagodas as
shrines to World peace.
The first Peace Pagodas were built as a symbol of peace in the Japanese
cities of Hiroshima and Nagasaki where the atomic bombs took the lives of
over 150,000 people, almost all of whom were civilian, at the end of World
War II.
Wild Elephants waiting to cross the temple grounds at dusk
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Fujii traveled all over the world, usually on foot, to preach his message
of peace. By the time of his death in 1985, peace pagodas had been established
in the U.S., England, Australia and India.
By 2000, 80 Peace Pagodas had been built around the world in Europe, Asia,
and the United States. There are 4 Peace Pagodas built in various places
around Sri Lanka. They are Ampara, Roomasala ( Galle), Sri Pada, Walapane
and Bandarawela. The Ampara Pagoda was opened on February 27th in 1988.
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Wild
Elephants crossing the pilgroms path in front of the Stupa
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The temple comsists of a Stupa, A Mahayana style Image House and a small
Bodhi Tree. From the entrance a stright path leads to the Stupa. This
path is protected by a small paraphet wall. Half way down the this path
you will see a sign indicatiing elepahts crossing. The area between the
end of the paraphet wall and the stupa is a regular path for elephants
to cross the temple. And if you go there during dusk, you can be almost
sure to come face to face with some wild elephants on this path.
How to get there
The temple is located on the border of the Ampara Tank on the D. S. Senanayake
Road leading to Inginiyagala. After Travelling 3 km from the Ampara City
Center, A board maked Nipponzan-Myōhōj Peace Pagoda can be found.
Turning right to a by lane from here, the entrance to temple lies about
200 meters down this lane.
Map
Video of Elephant Crossing
See Clip at :
http://www.lonelyplanet.tv/
Created : November 12, 2009
Updated :
November 12, 2009
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