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6. Taiseki-ji Plans to Demolish
Sho-Hondo |
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Soka
Gakkai Issues Strong Protest
On April 28, Shizuoka-based Nichiren Shoshu Head Temple
Taiseki-ji, currently embroiled in a dispute with the
Soka Gakkai, announced its decision to begin in mid-May
the demolition of the Sho-Hondo, the Grand Main Sanctuary,
which was built through donations made by the Soka Gakkai
membership. The Soka Gakkai, in turn, has denounced the
move.
The Sho-Hondo is a large-scale facility boasting 35,156
square meters that was completed in 1972. Housing the
sect's object of worship, the grand main sanctuary was
site of pilgrimages by the Soka Gakkai membership. With
the Soka Gakkai and Taiseki-ji involved in a dispute over
religious doctrine, however, the head temple transferred
the object of worship in early April and intends to spend
some ¥4.85 billion [US$36.4 million] to tear the Sho-Hondo
down.
We cannot maintain the object of worship, the fundamental
basis of our faith, in the facility, explained temple
officials. An empty Sho-Hondo serves no purpose. In response,
Tokyo-based Soka Gakkai officials sharply criticized the
decision: The Sho-Hondo was built through our donations.
It was constructed with the latest architectural know-how
of that time, and expected to last for more than 500 years.
It defies reason that they want to tear it down after
just 25 years.
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| (Unofficial translation from
April 29, 1998 Mainichi Shimbun, Daily Newspaper,
Tokyo) |
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