Statement of the Nichiren Shu Order of Buddhism
Praying for Peace in Iraq

Today, the attention of people in the world as well as in Japan is focused on Iraq. The situation in Iraq has bogged down. Weapons of mass destruction, the sole justification of the War on Iraq declared in disregard of the Charter of the United Nations and International Laws, has not been found. In addition, precious human lives are being lost every day including two Japanese diplomats.

At the brink of the war in March, 2003, we in the name of the Nichiren Shu Order made a statement in opposition to the war declaring, "The war ruins the land, sacrifices a number of precious human lives and gives rise to endless war and terrorism in retaliation." The current situation in Iraq seems exactly as we predicted.

Reflecting on World War II, which caused the people in the whole world to suffer from massacres and destruction, we have continued to pray for world peace and developed World Peace by Establishing Righteousness Movement ever since the end of World War II. We cannot accept a war for any reason, not to speak of our deep fear and resentment toward the use of additional military pressure to deal with the situation caused by the war.

Our Founder, Nichiren Shonin, submitted the "Treatise Spreading Peace Throughout the Country by Establishing the True Dharma" and showed the way to found a righteous religion and secure peace in the nation to the military government of his time. Regarding what Japan is going to do in Iraq, we cannot help but strongly doubt whether it will be for the cause of peace in the world.

The Nichiren Shu Order which adheres to its basic principle of establishing world peace based on the Lotus Sutra, proposes the way to contribute to the world with the Buddhist value judgement inherited since the time of Prince Shotoku. Japan should take the position to respect and worship the lives of all people in all countries without using military power. Let us widen the call for sincere prayer for peaceful Iraq, so that Iraqis all will restore peace without war and life with safety and comfort as soon as possible.

On the holy day of Enlightenment of Sakyamuni Buddha, December 8, 2003
Tansei Iwama, Chief Administrator
Nichiren Shu Order of Buddhism

The Statement of the Nichiren Shu Order on the
Peaceful Solution of the Iraq Issue

Today the whole world is paying attention to Iraq. While the U.N.
investigates the suspicion that Iraq has been developing weapons of mass
destruction and patient discussion continues in the U.N. Security
Council to avoid the crisis. The military tension is rising more and
more.

A highly volatile situation heading for a war is now upon us on a
global scale. Should the war break out, many lives will obviously be
lost. Furthermore, we cannot even imagine how many people will be killed
if the weapons of mass destruction are employed. Worse still, a war may
not only cause a massacre of people but also have the worst effect on the
environment, politics, economics, and many other fields.

We, who profess the teachings of the Lotus Sutra and Nichiren Shonin,
cannot stand still to face such a crisis of human beings.
Sakyamuni Buddha held the precept of "no killing", saying that there is
no one who does not treasure his own life, so we must not kill others or
make people commit murder, and that we should think what it is like to
be killed. Nichiren Shounin insisted how precious life is, saying that
life is the most valuable thing of all the treasures.

We, Nichiren Shu Order, reflecting and destruction, have campaigned for
world peace by establishing righteousness since the end of the war,
praying that peace will prevail on the entire world.
Whatever the reason may be, we cannot accept a war as a means of
solving a problem. A war lays the land to waste, loses many precious
lives, and brings about another war and terrorism in retaliation, which
will be repeated continuously.

Our creed is to spread peace throughout the country by establishing
righteousness and to ensure the world peace. We hereby insist that each
country should comply with the Charter of the United Nations and the law
of nations and achieve a world peace, not by any military action but by
peaceful means
..

March 13, 2003

Revered Tansei Iwama, Chief Administrator
Nichiren Shu Order of Buddhism