by Masuo Nezu

These are personal reminiscences about the late founder Rev. Nikkyo Niwano from his former chief secretary, Masuo Nezu, now in retirement. During his years of service, the writer accompanied Rev. Niwano on dissemination tours, interreligious cooperation activities, and peace promotion work, both in Japan and overseas. This series recalls not only heartwarming episodes from the founder's everyday life, but also the spiritual insights derived from his words and deeds.

16

Interreligious Cooperation Is Possible--
Meetings with Pope Paul VI

During the first half of his life, Founder Niwano devoted himself wholeheartedly to spreading the teachings of the Lotus Sutra. In the second half of his life, his activities in the civic sphere, with the emphasis on religious cooperation, both deepened and widened to become international in scope. There were a number of important "encounters" with prominent world figures.

Among Rev. Niwano's many encounters, the one with His Holiness Pope Paul VI was especially important because of the opportunity to meet with the pope in a private audience at the time of the Second Vatican Council. Rev. Niwano became convinced that world peace was not only a possibility but a necessity for which religious people should make their best effort.

On September 15, 1965, Rev. Nikkyo Niwano met with Pope Paul VI privately during the period of the Second Vatican Council. It was said that the pope did not shake hands with Rev. Niwano as a mere courtesy, but continued to hold his hands firmly during their conversation.

The founder had four opportunities to meet and talk with Pope Paul VI. The first was on September 16, 1963 at the Vatican during a tour of the Peace Delegation of Religious Leaders for Banning Nuclear Weapons, consisting of sixteen delegates from Japan.

The second was at the time of the Second Vatican Council in 1965, which Rev. Niwano later saw as the encounter that determined the second half of his life. On September 14, 1965, the session of the Vatican Council which Rev. Niwano attended started with an opening Mass. It was reported that the pope told the participating bishops from around the world that throughout history the popes had been guilty of causing schisms in the Christian faith. It was no time for divisions in Christianity or disagreements among world religions, he told them. Now was their chance to join hands and walk together in the direction of peace.

After being greatly moved and excited by these words, Rev. Niwano had an opportunity to meet with Pope Paul VI privately on the following day. The founder later reflected, "The pope extended his hand and shook mine. We exchanged a firm handshake. He spoke with shining eyes about religious freedom and peace in the world. That firm handshake symbolized cooperation, friendship, and mutual understanding between Buddhists and Catholics, transcending differences of language. The pope said that for religious people, there is no better way to contribute to humanity than by walking hand in hand in the way of peace. I replied that I would make the utmost efforts for the sake of world peace. This firm conviction spread through Rev. Niwano's entire being and carried him into the activities to establish the World Conference on Religion and Peace (WCRP).

Later, Rev. Niwano reminisced about the event and told me the following:
"If it were not for that encounter with the pope and his words, my determined efforts on behalf of the WCRP might not have started so early. It can well be said that the pope's conviction was responded to by my conviction. I felt that the message of the Buddha and of God are substantially the same."