The current status and progress of the construction of the Ground Zero-Pacific Northwest Peace Pagoda, February 21, 2024
By Senji Kanaeda
In February 2024, we started building the niche in front of the pagoda that houses the Buddha statue. It is the figure of the Buddha who first preaches after attaining enlightenment. When visitors come in from Clear Creek road to Ground Zero Center, it faces southeast so that it heads straight to the front and is at its sunniest.
The conductor of all the construction is Jim Lyman, a local builder who met Fujii Guruji, the founder monk of Nipponzan 44 years ago. Jim has been associated with the Nipponzan Myohoji Temple on Bainbridge Island, and is working with his childhood friend Dale, an excellent mason, and carpenter Allen from Bainbridge Island.
The next step is the pouring of concrete on the first platform (cloister), which is five and a half feet wide and when it is finished, the dome is concreted. In early summer, at dawn, you can almost see the frame of the pagoda. After that, we will add three layers surrounding the hemisphere, cap heito (flat box head) on it and Sorin will be stood at the center of heito.
The design of sorin was originated from the Kofuku-ji temple‘s 5 stories pagoda, one of the oldest temples in Nara, Japan established in 7th century. That decoration was originally the protected umbrella for Buddha’s body and spirit and spreading the idea of Ahimsa, non-violence. I visited Japan this new year time for it. The sorin will be made in Kobe, a sister city of Seattle and I hope it will be shipped from Kobe to GZ through Seattle or Tacoma harbor in the coming October. We put the lightening rod together.
Senji Kanaeda is shown with a sorin in the same shape and size as the one that will be built to be placed on to of the Peace Pagoda
The Buddha statue will be carved by the Massachusetts sculptor Tom Matsuda, and the kohai, which is the flower petal behind it is being made by Eguchi in Tokyo area, and the foundation and 3 reliefs are being created by local Quaker artist Craig.
This dream come true project was originated by American Grass roots citizen’s spirits and the spiritual leadership of one 96 years old Buddhist monk from Japan in 1980, 44 years ago. The second building permit was obtained on May 17, 2019. The ground purification ceremony was held on August 24, and then the Covid 19 epidemic started 4 months later.
However, the Ground Zero Center, which has agreed to build the pagoda on its land, has helped facilitate the construction of the Pagoda. Thanks to the service and dedication of many local people who have come to help with construction. It is literally a bodhisattva practice, and it continues to this day. In other words, I believe that all of the people involved in the construction in various ways have done things that eventually become Buddhas (precious one as human) and apostles of peace. Financially, it was based on donations by monks and lay people in Japan and ordinary good citizens & friends in the United States. That’s exactly what it is; literally “Jozai” – the budget from the pure hearts.
The pagoda is a large semicircular mound that enshrines the remains of the Buddha. The supreme wisdom for this earth and for all living beings is non-killing and non-violence. I believe that the thoughts and hopes of the Buddha welled up on the earth and are crystallized in this form. That is also embodiment of the Lotus Sutra Chapter 16 which emphasizes the Buddha’s nature belongs to all including animals and fruits.
The Buddha-nature preached in Chapter 16 is not limited to the life of the Buddha as a historical human but is the eternal life that exists and flows in all universes beyond time and space. It must be the “goodness” that should be found at the root of all lives. Recently, I personally thought that the pagoda is the exact embodiment of the concept of the Lotus Sutra Chapter 16, the core of it as king or queen of all Buddhist texts.
Editor’s Note: Click here to learn more about the Pacific Northwest Peace Pagoda and see progress photos. Click here to learn more about the Nipponzan Myohoji Buddhist Temple on Bainbridge Island.
