Bukkyo Dendo Kyokai charitable gift

M. Editor  |  July 27, 2009

Bukkyo Dendo Kyokai has pledged $500,000 to further support the goals of the professorial chair for the Yehan Numata Professor of Buddhist Studies at the Institute of Buddhist studies.

The Numata Chair was initially established in July, 1986 by the late Rev. Dr. Yehan Numata, founder of the Bukkyo Dendo Kyokai (Society for the Promotion of Buddhism). Dr. Richard K. Payne currently holds the Chair.

Brian Nagata, BDK America Director, said: “Dr. Numata strongly believed that the attainment of world peace is possible only by the perfection of the human mind which can be educated and benefited from the teachings of the Buddha. One of his major endeavors was to place the ‘Teaching of the Buddha’ in as many hotels as possible. He began this project in 1965 by establishing the Bukkyo Dendo Kyokai in Tokyo, Japan, to promote a wide range of activities and projects in the hope of contributing to world peace and mutual understanding among humanity.”

In 1984, Dr. Numata founded the Numata Center in Berkeley for Buddhist translation and research. His goal was to translate all of the Buddhist canons (Tripitakas).

In 1986, he founded BDK America for the promotion of Buddhism. He is the recipient of many honors for his work.

“We are deeply grateful for the generosity of Dr. Numata for his work for the sake of the Buddha-Dharma, and BDK America for their support of the IBS as a Buddhist educational institution,” said Dr. Richard Payne, IBS Dean.