Mount Hiei World Religion Summit
Pope John Paul II, who was deeply committed to interfaith dialogue and cooperation, invited representatives of world religions to gather in Assisi on October 27th, 1986 for a World Day of Prayer for Peace. Prayer services for world peace were conducted by each of the different faiths.
Yamada Etai (1900–1999), the 253rd Tendai Abbot of Enryakuji, participated, and he later announced that he would also convene a prayer gathering for world peace in Japan. Representatives of various religions in Japan were already involved in an array of activities promoting world peace, and at Abbot Etai’s request, they became co-sponsors of the event. The first “Mount Hiei World Religion Summit” took place at the top of Mount Hiei in August 1987. Leaders of faiths gathered from many countries and prayed together for world peace. Prayers for peace are offered every year, and a commemorative assembly is held on every tenth anniversary.
However, in contrast to these ideals, an increase in inequality and the concentration of wealth globally have led to discrimination and terrorism, and the democratic values of freedom and equality are under threat. Dictators and exclusionary movements that seek to assert their superiority by oppressing the weak, minorities, and refugees, are gaining social acceptance and expanding their power. Despite all obstacles and dangers, it is the duty of religious people to work for the realization of world peace through dialogue and prayer.
The earth is a “shared boat” on which we all ride, and we must transcend selfish desires and face the world’s problems with wisdom. The Mount Hiei World Religion Summit seeks to define what world peace means, and to confirm the duty and responsibility of all religions to work to achieve it.
Images of the seals |
The Chinese characters that are stamped on seals.* |
Chinese characters of the seals with English translations |
The Buddha represented on the seal |
Places to receive seals |
「醫王殿」 |
Io-den (Hall of the Medicine King) |
Yakushi Nyorai (the Buddha of healing) |
Konpon Chudo |
|
西国四十九番薬師霊場第四十九番「醫王殿」 |
Io-den forty-ninth station on the Saigoku Forty-Nine Yakushi Pilgrimage |
Yakushi Nyorai (the Buddha of healing) |
Konpon Chudo |
|
（御詠歌） |
Seal Stamp for Eika Poetry |
Konpon Chudo |
||
「星峯稲荷」 |
Hoshi no Mine Inari (Star Peak Inari Shrine) |
Inari |
Konpon Chudo |
|
「文殊菩薩」 |
Monju Bosatsu (Bodhisattva Manjusri) |
Monju Bosatsu (Bodhisattva Manjusri) |
Monju-ro (Manjusri Tower) |
|
「大黒天」 |
Daikokuten (Three-Faced Mahakala) |
Daikokuten (Three-Faced Mahakala) |
Daikoku-do |
|
「大日如来」 |
Dainichi Nyorai (S. Mahavairocana) |
Dainichi Nyorai (S. Mahavairocana) |
Daiko-do (Great Lecture Hall) |
|
「大悲殿」 |
Daihi-den (Hall of Great Compassion) |
Senju Kannon (S. Thousand-Armed Avalokitesvara) |
Manhai-do |
|
「五智如来」 |
(Buddha of Five Wisdoms) |
Gochi Nyorai (Buddha of Five Wisdoms) |
Hokke Soji-in in the Todo district |
|
「寂光殿」 |
Jakko-den (Hall of Tranquil Light) |
Amida Nyorai (Buddha Amida) |
Amida-do |
|
「大雄殿」 |
Daiyu-den (Great Hero Hall) |
Shaka Nyorai (Buddha Shakyamuni) |
Shaka-do |
|
「大辨財天女」 |
Dai Benzaiten-nyo (S. Sarasvati) |
Dai Benzaiten-nyo (S. Sarasvati) |
Shaka-do Minobuchi Benten-do |
|
「大悲殿」 |
Daihi-den (Hall of Great Compassion) |
Sho Kannon |
Yokawa Chudo (Main Hall of Yokawa) |
|
近江湖西第二十七番「大悲殿」 |
Daihi-den and the Twenty-Seventh Station of West Omi Lake (Sho-Kannon) |
Sho Kannon (Noble Avalokitesvara) |
Yokawa Chudo (Main Hall of Yokawa) |
|
新西国霊場第十八番「大悲殿」 |
Daihi-den as the Eighteenth Station of the New Saikoku Pilgrimage (Sho-Kannon) |
Sho Kannon (Noble Avalokitesvara) |
Yokawa Chudo (Main Hall of Yokawa) |
|
「元三大師」 |
Gansan Daishi (Ryogen) |
Gansan Daishi (Ryogen) |
Shiki Kodo (Four Seasons Lecture Hall) |
|
「大辨財天女」 |
Dai Benzaiten-nyo (S. Sarasvati) |
Shiki Kodo (Four Seasons Lecture Hall) |
||
「法然上人」 |
Honen Shonin |
Honen Shonin |
Honen-do (Honen Hall) |
|
「文殊大士」 （文殊菩薩） |
Monjyu Daishi(S.Manjusri) Monju bosatsu (Bodhisattva Manjusri) |
Monju bosatsu (Bodhisattva Manjusri) |
Honen-do (Honen Hall) |
|
「不動尊」 |
Fudo-son Shokaku-in Fudo (Acalanatha Temple of Correct Awakening) |
Fudo-son Shokaku-in Fudo (Acalanatha Temple of Correct Awakening) |
Enruyakuji Kaikan (Enryakuji Hall) |
|
近畿三十六不動尊霊場大二十六番「不動尊」 |
Kinki sanjuroku Fudo-son reijo dai-nijuroku-ban (Acalanatha of the Twenty-Sixth Station on the Kinki Thirty-Six Acalanatha Pilgrimage) |
Fudo-son (S. Acalanatha) |
Mudo-ji Myoo-do |
|
「大辨財天女」 |
Dai Benzaiten-nyo (S. Sarasvati) |
Dai Benzaiten-nyo (S. Sarasvati) |
Mudo-ji Benten-do (Temple of the Unmovable) |
|
「大悲殿」 |
Daihi-den (Hall of Great Compassion) |
Ju-ichi-men Kannon (Eleven-Faced Avalokitesvara) |
Shogenji |
|
「薬師如来」 |
Io-den (Hall of the Medicine King) |
Yakushi Nyorai (the Buddha of healing) |
Shiga-in Monzeki |
|
「無動尊」 |
Mudo-son (The Unmoved), Fudo Myo-o (S. Acalanatha) |
Fudo Myo-o (S. Acalanatha) |
Ritsu-in (Temple of Precepts) |
|
「元三大師」 |
Gansan Daishi (Ryogen) |
Ryogen |
Guho-ji (Temple for Seeking the Law) |
* The parts in the square brackets are the main characters and appear largest