[After that in the same year of 1973 Ven. Master Fuji returned to Japan around the autumn season, say September/October. What an utter disappointment ! A terrible mishap befell on the World Peace Pagoda of Pokhara that had already been built 35 feet tall all against his ambition. The Local Administration arrested the Chief Founder of the World Peace Pagoda, Mr. Min Bahadur Gurung, under the Law of Security and sentenced the latter to a prison term of 18 months in Pokhara Jail from the 4th of Shrawan 2031. Following that his son namely Krishna Bahadur Gurung was too detained on the 26th of Kartik 2031. He got jailed in Lamjung for 6 months and imprisoned elsewhere as well in secrecy all summing up to a period of 1 year. How merciless !]
By Bhikkhu Nichidastu Fuji*
Translated by Amrit Ratna Tuladhar
Translated by Amrit Ratna Tuladhar
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| The World Peace Pagoda, Pokhara Nepal. Image Courtesy Pokhara Nepal: A Beautiful Place In The World To Visit |
Venerable Master Fuji
from the Great Land of the Rising Sun happened to spend some months in
Kathmandu Valley, Banepa, Tansen, etc. performing sentimental prayers and
worship rituals in the different monasteries plus lamaseries all for the sake
of promoting universal peace.
Simultaneously he soon after reported to Pokhara Valley as well where he
had a hearty opportunity of meeting Rev. Mother Dharma-Sheela and Mr. Min
Bahadur Gurung (Ex-Minister) through Mr. Prem Bahadur Shakya - the Chairman
cum Patron of “Nepal Buddhist Society.”
Heavily shocked by the sudden demise of his aged beloved mother, Min
Bahadur Gurung possessed the sole intention of earning merits in fond memory of
and in moral dedication to his deceased maternal parent. It was a firm determination indeed. An active team of three including Ven. Father
Fuji, Rev. Mother Dharma-Sheela and Mr. Min Bahadur Gurung then held a meeting
of mutual understanding whence they virtually arrived at a fruitful negotiation
of establishing a World Peace Pagoda in Pokhara. Min Bahadur Gurung suggested that the pagoda
be constructed in Andu Thumko Hill across the Fewa Lake where he owned a
personal plot of land property that could willingly be contributed to the noble
cause. The proposal was duly sanctioned
that ultimately urged the senior monk or the high Lama of Japan to decide
laying the technical foundation of the World Peace Pagoda on the 27th of Bhadra
2030 Wednesday. The relevant plan in
event got materialized, starting with the preparation of a big prayer hall, and
later a guest-house and one separate vihar for the Ven. Guru himself all which
saw three housings in general.
A standing artistic statue
of large size of Lord Shakya-Muni Buddha meant for the Prayer Hall was brought
all the way from Patan, the City of Fine Arts.
On the 13th of Mangsir 2030 amidst a sanctified public function led by
an interesting musical band, the titanic idol made a complete round of the
bazaar before getting installed in the newly constructed Prayer Hall. It was a grand ceremonial procession
conducted the formal way.
Funds of cash and kind
and labor donation offered by the sincere devotees of Pokhara Valley, Kathmandu
Valley and Palpa District enabled the authority to seek a rapid progress of the
erection of the World Peace Pagoda.
Feeling gladly satisfied then Ven. Master Fuji returned to Kathmandu
Valley assigning behind the responsibility of the onward construction of the
World Peace Pagoda to the Nepalese authority concerned. On the 6th of August 1973, his 89th
Auspicious Birth Anniversary was celebrated with zeal and enthusiasm in the
Memorial Hall of Ex-Gorkha Army Association in Pulchowk of Lalitpur. A certain Indian intellectual who also
happened to be a chief disciple of Hon. Master Fuji called Upendra Maharathi
was too one of the trusted invitees to the jubilant birth anniversary. He has made the following comments on the
birth anniversary being put on in Nepal:
“When I along with
brother Durga Prasad Sharma were invited to the 89th Birth Anniversary of Ven.
Master Fuji in Kathmandu on the 6th of August 1973, I was highly impressed by
the paramount respect shown to the Great Japanese Lama by different devotional
citizens and residents. I have never
witnessed such a superb presentation being initiated elsewhere all my life
besides Japan.”
After that in the same
year of 1973 Ven. Master Fuji returned to Japan around the autumn season, say
September/October. What an utter
disappointment ! A terrible mishap
befell on the World Peace Pagoda of Pokhara that had already been built 35 feet
tall all against his ambition. The Local
Administration arrested the Chief Founder of the World Peace Pagoda, Mr. Min Bahadur
Gurung, under the Law of Security and sentenced the latter to a prison term of
18 months in Pokhara Jail from the 4th of Shrawan 2031. Following that his son namely Krishna Bahadur
Gurung was too detained on the 26th of
Kartik 2031. He got jailed in Lamjung
for 6 months and imprisoned elsewhere as well in secrecy all summing up to a
period of 1 year. How merciless !
The Local
Administration dispatched the Royal Gorkha Army up the hill, ordering them to
launch an imminent assault on the World Peace Pagoda. Heavily booted soldiers scaled the pagoda,
kicked hard and pulled it down the roughest way. They totally dismantled the beautiful
Buddhist shrine till the foundation beneath.
In other words, it got smashed into minor pieces by the brutal force. The Buddha-Monastery (decked with the
glorified Buddha Statue), Prayer Hall and Guest Houses already built long
before and already in daily use as well were completely destroyed. Construction
materials were looted and dispersed here and there. There wasn’t any need of military action upon
the universal peace monument at all which but means top aggression. Trees were cut down against any reforestation
policy or afforestation thinking. It was
a sinister combat sparked by the obnoxious Hindu fundamentalists indeed.
The Local Administration fostered a wrong
interpretation and their remark went beyond any good reason. They blamed the World Peace Pagoda authority
for failing to fetch the official consent of the Town Planning Executive Committee
towards the subsequent erection of the universal peace monument whilst the
basic fact goes: The Town Planning was implemented on the 17th of Mangsir 2030
only prior to which the Buddha-Statue was done building and the construction
task of the World Peace Pagoda had solely progressed far in advance in a
radical step.
The authentic truth
very obviously - “The sovereign power of Brahmanism stood at its zenith in
Nepal !”
Had the Local
Administration the real intention of not granting the authority the rightful
permission of creating the World Peace Pagoda, the former ought to have stopped
the feasible movement of the Prayer Hall in a sharp manner at the time
concerned than lag behind. Setting an
instant attack at an area where 3 houses had been finished proves to be a
helpless situation rather. This is a
point to be seriously taken not only by the Buddhists but by the intellectual
Hindus as well. There incurrs an absolute
want of deep contemplation.
After the dawn of
democracy (the ultimate fall of the Panchayat Regime), happiness fills our
bosoms when we come to hear of the re-construction of the World Peace Pagoda in
Andu Thumko Hill of Pokhara that was cruelly destroyed 18 years ago. Not only are all the Buddhists but the entire
civil humanitarians (particularly the Hindu intelligentia) also are delighted
much to witness the project. The removal
of the World Peace Pagoda that was erected in the birth-land of Siddhartha
Goutam Buddha in the name of Lord Shakya-Muni Buddha has left the Buddhists
along with their witty Nepalese counterparts broken hearted. Unnecessary
doubts, fear and suspicions have crept on the minds of many. There existed a sheer loss of common faith in
the talk of religious tolerance and equality.
The pitiful incident became a national distress which also brought
global disturbance making headlines in prominent international journals.
On the other hand, it
would be too foolish on our part to guess that the destruction of the World
Peace Pagoda has hampered the Buddhist Philosophy alone. It has in time diminished the religious
importance of Pokhara, has blocked the rapid development of a particular
region, has left many behind jobless and unemployed. A poor impression got drastically cast in the
scene of international affairs while the national property has been badly
misused.
At present with the
generous cooperation and full effort of all Dharma comrades following the
aftermath of the People’s Revolution, His Majesty’s Government gave a
ministerial decision on the re-establishment of the World Peace Pagoda. The plan of second time was resolved
officially on the 8th of Ashwin 2048 the invaluable outcome or the effective
feedback of which saw the Right Honorable Prime Minister Girija Prasad Koirala
laying the auspicious foundation on the 7th of Jestha 2049 and the task of
re-construction then commencing spontaneously.
The “World Peace Pagoda Re-Construction Committee, Pokhara” wishes to
tender a most humble appeal to all national, international Buddha Dharma friends,
donors, development oriented individuals and progress loving residents to pay
strict attention on extending all the needed moral support towards the punctual
accomplishment of the World Peace Pagoda that had been a common heritage of
priority of all the Buddhists and Nepalese.
It is a matter of fortunate pride for us all to be able to lay our
decent hearts on the pious deed with a combined commitment of mobility, will
and wealth. The ardent responsibility of
the finalization on the construction of the World Peace Pagoda and worship
rituals in Pokhara.
* This article was written by Bhikkhu Nichidastu Fuji (6th August 1885 – 6th August 1985) A Renowned Figure of the Buddhist Land & A World Peace Marcher In Special Reference to Pokhara and translated into English by Amrit Ratna Tuladhar.