Bukkyo Dendo Kyokai

Society for the Promotion of Buddhism

Here are contact addresses for Bukkyo Dendo Kyokai (The Society for the Promotion of Buddhism). The organization's most important project is its book The Teaching of Buddha. The BDK web site does not have a link to get books, but free copies (a $7.00 donation is requested) are available by contacting your local office.

The book is available in any of the following languages from any of the above offices:  

Japanese-English, Japanese, English, French, Portuguese, Spanish, Indonesian, Nepali, German, Italian, Korean, Esperanto, Norwegian, Chinese, Finnish, Rumanian, Polish, Persian, Vietnamese, Swedish, Tagalog, Danish, Serbo-Croatian, Hindi, Dutch, Turkish, Thai, Russian, Tibetan, Cambodian, Singhalese, Arabic, Greek, Myanmar, Urdu, Mongol, Kyrgyz, Swahili, Dzongkha, Kazakh, Uzbek and Bengali.

The B.D.K. is a group of Buddhist businessmen whose main purpose is the dissemination of this book, and of course promotion of Buddhism in general. The foundation to engage in the propagation of Buddhism was started in 1965 by Mr. Yehan Numata, the founder of Mitutoyo Corporation, and the work is still carried on by the Corporation (Mr. Numata is deceased). In 1966, a committee to revise the The Teaching of Buddha was organized and the popularization of the English text all over the world was planned, Members of the committee were Professors Kazuyoshi Kino, Shuyu Kanaoka, Zenno Ishigami, Shinko Sayeki, Kodo Matsunami, Shojun Bando, and Takemi Takase. Prof. Fumio Masutani, Mr. N. A. Waddell, and Mr. Toshisuke Shimizu also worked on the revision. Thus, an English- Japanese edition of The Teaching of Buddha was published on modern principles.

Wheel of Dharma: The Wheel of Dharma is the translation of the Sanskrit word, "Dharmacakra". Similar to the wheel of a cart that keeps revolving, it symbolizes the Buddha's teaching as it continues to be spread widely and endlessly. The eight spokes of the wheel represent the Noble Eightfold Path of Buddhism, the most important Way of Practice. The Noble Eightfold Path refers to right view, right thought, right speech, right behavior, right livelihood, right effort, right mindfulness, and right meditation. In the olden days before statues and other images of the Buddha were made, this wheel of Dharma served as the object of worship. At the present time, the Wheel is used internationally as the common symbol of Buddhism.

From The Teaching of Buddha:

• Hatreds never cease by hatreds in this world. By love alone they cease. This is an ancient law.    (5)
• A fool who thinks that he is a fool is for that very reason a wise man. The fool who thinks that he is wise is called a fool indeed.    (63)
• Though he should conquer a thousand men in the battlefield a thousand times, yet he, indeed, who would conquer himself is the noblest victor.    (103)
• Though he should live a hundred years, not seeing the Truth Sublime; yet better, indeed, is the single day's life of one who sees the truth Sublime.    (115)
• Hard is birth as man, Hard is the life of mortals, Hard is the hearing of the Sublime Truth, Hard is the appearance of a Buddha.    (182)
• Not to do any evil, To cultivate good, To purify one's mind, - This is the advice of the Buddhas.    (183)
• There are no sons for protection, neither father nor even kinsmen; for him who is overcome by death no protection is there from kinsmen.    (288)

Some facts about the Dalai Lama:

His Holiness the Dalai Lama (Tenzin Gyatso) is the spiritual leader of the Tibetan people. He was born in a small village called Takster in northeastern Tibet. Born to a peasant family, His Holiness was recognized at the age of two, in accordance with Tibetan tradition, as the reincarnation of his predecessor the 13th Dalai Lama. The Dalai Lamas are the manifestations of the Bodhisattva of Compassion, who chose to reincarnate to serve the people. Dalai Lama means Ocean of Wisdom. The 14th Dalai Lama has resided in exile in Dharamsala, India, since 1959. His tireless efforts on behalf of world peace and human rights have brought him international recognition, including the Nobel Peace Prize in 1989. The 14th Dalai Lama began his education at the age of six and completed the Geshe Lharampa Degree (Doctorate of Buddhist Philosophy) when he was 25. Unlike his predecessors, His Holiness has met and talked with many Westerners and has visited the United States, Canada, Western Europe, the United Kingdom, Russia, Mongolia, Greece, Japan, Thailand, Malaysia, Singapore, Indonesia, Nepal, Costa Rica, Mexico, the Vatican, China and Australia. He has met with religious leaders from all these countries. Since his first visit to the West in the early 1970s, His Holiness' reputation as a scholar and man of peace has grown steadily. In recent years, a number of western universities and institutions have conferred Peace Awards and honorary Doctorate Degrees upon His Holiness in recognition of his distinguished writings in Buddhist philosophy and of his distinguished leadership in the service of freedom and peace.