Worldwide Scope of BDK Activities
With our primary goal of promoting the teachings of Buddha, Bukkyō Dendō Kyōkai, and our affiliated organizations throughout the world are involved in a variety of activities and programs (more). Due to the dedicated and tireless efforts of our staff, friends and supporters of BDK, we find many people throughout the world who have gained a sincere appreciation or realized a profound change in their lives due to this introduction to Buddhism.
Foremost, is our distribution of “The Teaching of Buddha” to hotels, hospitals, schools, libraries, prisons and other facilities throughout the world. To date, about 7.9 million copies of this book have been published and distributed in 46 different languages and versions, including an edition for the sight-impaired.
We are engaging in many international promotional activities such as the supporting of the Numata Center for Buddhist Translation and Research in Berkeley, California, USA, whose main objective is to translate and publish the Taisho Tripitaka Buddhist Canon into English. BDK established the Numata Chair in Buddhist Studies Program at 15 major universities in the world. The BDK Fellowship for research in Japan is an annual post-graduate fellowship awarded to an international student, enabling them to come to Japan for one year to pursue further Buddhist studies at a Japanese academic institution. BDK also sponsors a Buddhist Music Contest in Japan, inviting and recognizing original compositions and arrangements with a contemporary Buddhist theme.Buddhist theme.
More recently, BDK has funded the Mugen Project Foundation which will make available a vast Buddhist studies database for material in various major languages of the world. BDK is also involved with Buddhist missionary activity having established several Ekoji temples in America, Mexico, and Germany (Washington D.C. Eko-ji temple, Mexico Eko-ji temple, and Germany Eko-ji temple. Inevitably, our efforts are to continue the goal of our founder, the late Rev. Dr. Yehan Numata to contribute to the creation of a peaceful human society by making a sincere effort to spread an understanding of the teaching of Buddha to our diverse 21st century world.
| BDK America ｜ Numata Center ｜ Washington D.C. Eko-ji Buddhist Temple ｜ BDK Hawaii ｜
| BDK Canada ｜BDK Mexico ｜ BDK Germany｜
| BDK Brazil｜ BDK U.K. ｜ BDK Asia ｜ BDK Taiwan ｜
BUKKYO DENDO KYOKAI AMERICA, INC. (BDK America)
BDK America was founded in 1978 by the late Rev. Dr. Yehan Numata as the first overseas affiliate of Bukkyō Dendō Kyōkai. The main emphasis of the foundation’s work in America includes supporting the BDK English Tripitaka Series project and the distribution of “The Teaching of Buddha” books to hotels, prison inmates and public facilities throughout the country.
Seven Numata Programs in Buddhist Studies have established in the USA and BDK continues working with major institutions such as UC Berkeley, Harvard, Chicago, Hawaii, Smith College, the Institute of Buddhist Studies and UCLA in advancing Buddhist Studies in the USA. Major academic conferences on various Buddhist topics are also organized and supported by the foundation as well. The foundation also supports the MUGEN PROJECT, an academic database resource project based in Berkeley, California. BDK America supports the Ekoji Buddhist Temple in the greater Washington D. C. area which is the first Shin Buddhist temple in the northeastern section of the USA founded by Founder Numata and the late Rev. Kenryu Tsuji.
For several years, BDK America produced a weekly television show on Buddhism which was broadcast in Southern California and is now being turned into a DVD series and appears on the internet for viewing from throughout the world （DharmaNet）.
The foundation also supports and works together with Buddhist temples, institutions and centers in the promotion of the Buddha-Dharma in America.
Numata Center for Buddhist Translation & Research (Numata Center)
The Center was established in 1982 by the late Rev. Dr. Yehan Numata with the monumental mission to make available in the English language the complete Taisho Edition Buddhist Canon. Founder Numata thought that in order for Buddhism to continue its eastward spread from Asia through North America and into Europe, the original teachings needed to be made available in English. Using the Taisho Tripitaka as its basis, the Center has been translating and publishing English translations in beautifully bound versions known as the BDK English Tripitaka Series. Most recently, these translations will now be made available to the whole world free of charge through the Center’s on-line website.
- Numata Center for Buddhist Translation & Research
Address;
2620 Warring Street, Berkeley,
CA 94704-3415
U.S.A
Washington D.C. Eko-ji Buddhist Temple
In 1981, Rev. Dr. Yehan Numata and Rev. Kenryu Tsuji established the first Jodo Shinshu Buddhist temple in the southeastern part of the USA, in the greater Washington D.C. area. Founder Numata thought that America’s capital needed to have a Buddhist presence from which the teachings could be heard and shared. A beautiful temple complex was built in 1998 in Fairfax Station, Virginia, about 20 minutes outside of Washington D.C. The temple’s membership is diverse and multi-cultural and ever expanding as more and more Americans come in touch with Buddhism through the workings of the Ekoji Temple.
- Washington D.C. Eko-ji temple
Address;
6500 Lake Haven Lane
Fairfax Station, VA 22039-1879
U.S.A
Bukkyo Dendo Kyokai De México, A.C. (Asociación Promotora de Budismo de México)
BDK Mexico was established in 1985 by the late. Rev. Dr. Yehan Numata. Currently, the BDK Mexico office is composed of three staff members, and one of its main efforts is the distribution of “The Teaching of Buddha” books to hotels and public facilities throughout the country. Over 800 hotels in Mexico have placed the book in their rooms, and the number of distributed books is nearly 150,000 copies. BDK Mexico also operates a non-sectarian Buddhist temple called Mexico Eko-ji in Mexico City. Temple activities are conducted in the Spanish language and include a weekly Sunday service, bi-weekly meditation sessions, weekly Buddhist seminars, and a Buddhist Studies camp called Vārṣika, held four times a year. Additionally, the temple conducts Buddhist weddings, funerals, memorial services, etc. on a regular basis. BDK Mexico and Mexico Eko-ji also introduce various cultural activities such as Kendō, Karate, Igo, Yoga, and Aikidō to the local community. For over 20 years, BDK Mexico has been making an effort to share the humane heart and spirit of Buddhism with the people of Mexico.
- Bukkyo Dendo Kyokai De México, A.C. (Asociación Promotora de Budismo de México)
Address;
Prolg.Eugenia No.17, Col. Nápoles,
C.P. 03810
México, D.F.
Society for Buddhist Understanding (Germany) e.V.
(BDK Germany/Germany Eko-ji temple)
The EKŌ temple, Japanese cultural centre and kindergarten are located in Düsseldorf, on the left bank of the Rhine River. The EKŌ temple, which is unique to Europe because of its traditional Japanese Buddhist temple architecture, was consecrated in September 1992 by the Zenmon-sama Kōshō Ōhtani, the retired head of the Jōdo Shinshu Hongwanji-ha Buddhist denomination. Since that time the temple has become a spiritual oasis for all Buddhists and many Buddhist activities are hosted at the temple and Centre.
The EKŌ Japanese Cultural Centre presents programs on Japanese culture, which is based on the Buddhist tradition, to German and other European people. To deepen the cultural exchange between East and West, the center hosts a wide range of activities: it organizes academic symposiums, publishes the Buddhist journal “Hōrin” and publishes a German translation of a Japanese encyclopedia of Buddhism, furthermore EKŌ Centre offers exhibitions, concerts, as well as courses in Japanese dance, Ikebana, etc.
In 1999 the EKŌ kindergarten was established and provides pre-school education for thirty German and thirty Japanese children. The pedagogic goal is to raise open-minded international citizens in the hopes of creating a peaceful society in the future.
Visitors can also enjoy the beautiful Japanese Gardens planted with seasonal local flora in front of the temple and surrounding the re-assembled old Japanese guesthouse brought from Japan.
- Society for Buddhist Understanding (Germany) e.V.
(BDK Germany/Germany Eko-ji temple)
Address;
Brüggener Weg 6,
40547 Düsseldorf,
F.R. Germany
BDK Asia Ltd. |
BDK Taiwan |
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