Peace in the midst of Worli

 So today (22 January 2022) I had gone to Nipponzan Myohoji, it's a Japanese Buddhist Temple in Worli. The energy, the aura this place had reminded me of the monasteries and temples I had visited in Bhutan, Nepal and Sikkim. 

It is mainly taken care of by its resident monk Bhikshu T Morita. Sir is such a humble, beautiful and profound soul. He greeted the four of us with some chai and then spoke - "chai pijiye". I was amazed and astonished by listening to him talk in Hindi. We talked about Buddhism, cultures, healing for the world, peace. We talked about technologies, about his feelings of his birthland Japan. About his stay in India.

Sir also gifts everyone who visits the temple with some cute tittle souvenirs and that shows he never lets anyone go without anything. He gave me an ancient Japanese juggling balls kit (otedama) with its cute bag, some hair clips, a pair of slippers and a Japanese traditional cuisine magazine.

When you enter the temple, a pleasant fragrance of incense and portraits of Buddha and his life acknowledge you at first. Then as you go towards the shrine, the temple gets more and more peaceful and somewhat surreal, as the sounds of traffic behind begin to fade. The six-and-a-half feet statue of Buddha in marble in sitting posture is the idol that holds the temple together on the bustling Worli Naka.

The resident monk, Bhikshu Morita, has been in India for over 30 years and has become something of a local legend after he fearlessly walked through streets dredged in communal riots in 1992, beating his drum and loudly chanting ‘Na Myo Ho Ren Ge Kyo’ as a call for peace. The chant, he says, is the key to total salvation. It’s not what you should understand but what you should adopt. 

After meeting him, I sat for a short meditation in the main hall. The energies and the vibrations I felt there totally reconciled me with my self and made my heart heal. I'm grateful for getting the opportunity to visit this beauty. 

Thank you Universe!

Love,

Shristi