Daijokyo Buddhist Temple

The Shakado, established in 1983, is the main building of Daijokyo Buddhist Temple. The Main Hall on the first floor enshrines the principal images of Daijokyo: the Eternal Shakyamuni Buddha, Visistacaritra, Anantacaritra, Visuddhacaritra and Supratisthitacaritra. The three-story pagoda atop the rooftop contains Reliquary Hall (third floor) which enshrines holy relics of Buddha, and Founder's Hall (second floor), which houses a bronze bust of the Most Rev. Tatsuko Sugiyama, the founder of Daijokyo.

Bodhgaya, the place of Buddha's Enlightenment (attainment of Buddhahood by Sakyamuni under the Bodhi Tree), is one of the holy places in Buddhism where Buddhist countries around the world have their own temples. As a member of this international circle of Buddhists, Daijokyo established the Shakado to contribute to the prosperity of Bodhgaya and overcome the barriers of differences in tradition and culture.

Everyone is welcome to visit during open hours, regardless of nationality or religion.

Hours: 7:00 to 12:00, 14:00 to 18:00 (to 17:30 in winter)

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The Great Buddha Statue in Bodhgaya, India

Shakado

In the precincts of the Great Buddha Statue, the Statues of Ten Great Disciples of Buddha stand on either side of the Great Buddha, as if protecting or following him. Of the ten standing statues, those of Sariputta and Mahamoggallana were unveiled and consecrated in November 1993. The statues of the other eight great disciples, namely Mahakassapa, Subhuti, Punna, Mahakaccana, Anuruddha, Upali, Rahula and Ananda, were consecrated in March 1996. The ten statues are made of sandstone from Chunar, near Benares - the same material as was used for the Great Buddha Statue.

Seeing the Great Buddha Statue and the Statues of Ten Great Disciples, worshipers familiar with the Lotus Sutra might recall a scene in Chapter 1 - the scene of Buddha surrounded by a large audience, including the Ten Great Disciples, on the summit of Gridhakuta mountain. 

It is indeed a moment of mysterious tranquility, in which Buddha is just about to begin preaching the truth: the Lotus Sutra.

The Great Buddha turns damask when the sun rises in the east, and the tuft of white hair between his eyebrows bears a golden glow. The view almost represents the world of the Lotus Sutra, which begins with the scene in which a ray of light, emitted from the tuft of white hair between Buddha's eyebrows, illuminated all the eighteen thousand worlds in the east and made all sentient beings visible from this world.

Statue of Founder Tatsuko Sugiyama

Statues of Ten Great Disciples of Buddha

In 2001, a statue of the Most Rev. Tatsuko Sugiyama, the founder of Daijokyo, was erected in the precincts of Daijokyo Buddhist Temple to complete a string of facility improvements. The 6-meter statue (including a 2-meter pedestal) was produced in Japan and shipped to India. With her hands clasped in prayer, the founder stands gazing far into the East. Looking up at her noble figure, we Daijokyo believers pray for the eternal divine protection of the holy place Bodhgaya, as well as for the realization of the founder's great ideal to "be the Sun to light the Embudai."

Bronze busts of the late Most Rev.Hozan Sugisaki, former President of Daijokyo (right), and the late Rev. Horyu Shibagaki, former Vice−president of Daijokyo (left)

History of Daijokyo Buddhist Temple

１９７７	Dispatching of Daijokyo missionaries to India commenced
１９８３	Shakado completed (completion ceremony attended by then-President Zail Singh)
１９８５	Daijokyo Vocational School founded
１９８８	Buddhist House completed
１９８９	Consecration of the Great Buddha Statue (consecration ceremony attended by the 14th Dalai Lama)
１９９３, １９９６	Consecration of the Statues of Ten Great Disciples of Buddha
１９９８	Ananda School founded in Miyabigha village
２０００	Daijokyo Health Care Centre (for free distribution of medicines) opened in Sujata village
２００１	Consecration of the Statue of Daijokyo Founder Tatsuko Sugiyama
２００４	Received a commemorative gift from Dr. A.P.J. Abdul Kalam, President of India, at the International Conclave on Buddhism and Spiritual Tourism held in New Delhi (see photograph), for contribution to the promotion of Buddhism in India