Praying with the Religions of the World

The SOPP proceeded with its first core program, Praying with the Religions of the World. This multi-faith prayer ceremony, in which participants join in prayers for peace from various religious and spiritual traditions, sends a powerful message of respect and harmony, with the recognition that all prayers are noble and sacred, filled with love for humanity and a deeply shared aspiration for peace.

An international group of prayer leaders representing nine different faith traditions was introduced on stage. In turn, each of them offered a prayer on their own, and then invited all participants to join in a shorter prayer, which was repeated several times. Participants followed along with the prayers in their program booklets. We are pleased to publish these prayers here, beginning on the following page.

 

Rev. Masafumi Suzuki (Shintoism)
Gonnegi (Priest) at Fujisan Hongu Sengentaisha Shrine (Japan)

Prayed by Rev. Suzuki alone
(English translation)
The numerous wars that have regretfully been inscribed in the pages
of history have been caused by people’s forgetting to look beyond differences in ideology, faith, status, and merit and to respect all cultures, seeing one another as comrades and reflecting this in our actions.
The passing of time has brought us to this day, to this celebration at sacred Mount Fuji, where people gather in harmony and mutual benefit, making a declaration for eternal peace on earth and praying for the blessings of all the gods and goddesses.

Prayed by all participants together

HARA E TAMA I
KIYO ME TAMA E
MAMO RI TAMA I
SAKI WA E TAMA E

(English translation)
Please cleanse us / purify us / protect us / bless us

 

Rabbi Ted Falcon, PhD (Judaism)
Spiritual Guide, Author, Teacher and Therapist; Member of ‘Interfaith Amigos’ (USA)

Prayed by Rabbi Falcon alone
(English translation)
Eternal Source of peace, grant all peoples of the earth peace, goodness and blessing, grace, mercy, and compassion. Bless us, our Creator, for we are united by the Light of your Presence. In that Light, Eternal One our God, You give us a Way of life: loving kindness, justice, blessing, a compassion for all life, and peace. Blessed are You, Eternal One, You are the One Who blesses all who dwell on earth with peace.
May the One Who makes Peace in the heights create peace for us, for all the household of Israel, for all the household of Ishmael, and for all humankind. And let us say: Amen.
The Eternal One blesses and keeps you always.
The Presence of the Eternal brings you Light and Graciousness. The Eternal Presence supports you always and brings you peace.

Prayed by all participants together

SHALOM

(English translation)
Shalom means ‘the Peace that arises naturally from the awareness of our wholeness.’

 

Imam Jamal Rahman (Islam Sufism)
Co-founder, Interfaith Community Sanctuary in Seattle; Member of ‘Interfaith Amigos’ (USA)

Prayed by Imam Rahman alone
(English translation)
God is Greatest.
I bear witness that there is no reality, but One reality.
I bear witness that Mohammed is the messenger of God. Come, come to prayer.
Come, come for your highest spiritual enlightenment. God is greatest.
Nothing exists separate from God.

Prayed by all participants together

SUBHAN ALLAH AL-HAMDULILLAH ALLAHU AKBAR

(English translation)
Glory be to God / Praise be to God / God is Great

 

The Reverend Canon Dr. Charles P. Gibbs (Christianity—Episcopalian)
Founding Executive Director Emeritus, United Religions Initiative (USA)

Prayed by Rev. Dr. Gibbs alone

Oh gracious Giver of Life, the outflowing light of your limitless love creates and sustains this vast and awesome cosmos. Your incomparable artistry blesses humankind. This precious Earth sustains us with its abundance, inspires us with its beauty and fills us with awe at its power to destroy and create.
You ask of us only that we live in gratitude, love and sharing to honor, protect and preserve this mystery you have created. Tragically, we have fallen far short of honoring you and your creation, and of living into our true nature.
Too often, we have ripped up the beautiful blossoms of love and peace, replacing them with piercing thorns of violence and hatred. Too often, we have built dams of greed that distort the flow of your generosity, claiming too much for ourselves and denying even the barest measure of sufficiency and dignity to myriad sisters and brothers. Too often, we have embraced the plague of domination, devastating our fellow humans and desecrating this sacred Earth.
We gather before you this day in the spirit of humility and repentance. We ask for your forgiveness. We gather before you this day with deepened commitment to honor our true nature as beings of love, made in love and called to manifest love that all may live as one in sufficiency and harmony.
Inspire, guide and sustain us, oh Divine Beloved, that peace and joy may prevail in this sacred Earth community.

Prayed by all participants together

Loving One help us to become true human beings who cultivate love, peace and joy for this blessed Earth community.

 

Bibi Guru Inder Kaur and Hari Ji (Sikhism)
Co-founders and Directors, Yoga Dharma Community (Italy)

Prayed by all participants togethe
(sung with musical accompaniment)
WAHE GURU
SAT NAM SAT NAM SAT NAM JI
WAHE GURU WAHE GURU WAHE GURU JI

(English translation)
The experience of Divine wisdom is ecstasy, the Infinite Lord is always with us, you are the Pure Energy within us.

 

Maulana Syed Muhammad Abdul Khabir Azad (Islam)
Grand Imam and Khateeb of Badshahi Mosque;
Chairman, Interfaith Council for Peace and Harmony (Pakistan)

Prayed by Maulana Abdul Khabir Azad alone
(English translation)
“Oh God, You are Peace, From You comes Peace, To you returns Peace. Revive us with a salutation of Peace and lead us to your abode of Peace.”
Oh Almighty God I thank you for sending the Holy Prophet Muhammad (Peace Be Upon Him) on earth. He gave us the message of peace and our religion Islam is the religion of peace. Islam teaches us that we as Muslims become a source of peace blessings not only for us but for the entire world. Oh God I praise you for the different religions and their basic message of peace, harmony and acceptance of one another. As we are faced with the challenges of terrorism, hatred and a culture of violence, help us to promote a culture of peace, tolerance and unity. We as Muslims believe that you will hear our prayers and we will find its effect upon us and in the whole world. I beg you that you grant us inspiration and guidance so that we may remain committed to this noble cause and promote it in our societies.

Prayed by all participants together

AE ALLAH TAMAAM DUNYA KO AMAN ATA KAR

(English translation)
Oh God, grant peace to the entire world.

 

Fr. Dr. James Channan, OP (Christianity—Roman Catholic)
Director, Lahore Peace Center;
Regional Coordinator, United Religions Initiative (Pakistan)

Prayed by Fr. Dr. Channan alone

Most loving and kind Almighty God I thank you, I praise you, I adore you and I glorify you for this grace-filled opportunity which you have granted me at the foot of Mt. Fuji in the premises of Fuji Sanctuary, where people of many different religions, spiritual traditions, ethnic backgrounds and countries have gathered to pray. I can see your beauty, loving care and peace in all of them. We are gathered to pray for peace and harmony in our hearts and around the globe. I believe that whatever I ask, you will grant as you have assured us through your son Jesus Christ who said:
“Ask, and it will be given to you; search, and you will find; knock, and the door will be opened to you. Everyone who asks receives; everyone who searches finds; everyone who knocks will have the door opened.”
(Matthew 7:7-8)
Almighty God I do very humbly request that our Symphony of Peace Prayers may reach you. I pray there may be no more violence in the world, no more war in the world, no more discrimination in the world. Grant that all of us may live like a family and that peace, love and tolerance may flow from our lives.
Heavenly Father, help us to act upon the Fuji Declaration. Inspire and guide us to play our full role in bringing healing, reconciliation, justice and peace on earth. I ask and offer this prayer through our Lord Jesus Christ, who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit—one God for ever and ever. Amen!

Prayed by all participants together

Oh God Make Us Channels of Peace!

 

Ms. Shantisree Goswami (Hinduism)
Managing Director, Japan Business Services Ltd. (Japan)

Prayed by Ms. Goswami alone
(English translation)
May there be tranquility on the earth. May there be tranquility in the water. May there be tranquility in fire. May there be tranquility in the wind. May there be tranquility in the sky. May there be tranquility in the sun. May there be tranquility in the moon. May there be tranquility on our planet. May there be tranquility in all living things. May there be tranquility in the body. May there be tranquility in the mind. May there be tranquility in the spirit. Tranquility of all. May that tranquility be everywhere and in everyone.
You are my father and mother, You are my relative and friend, You are my learning and wealth, You are my all in all.
Salutations to OM which Pervades everything (the three realms—that which is below, that which is earthly, that which is heavenly). May we meditate on the Sun. May the Sun stimulate our Intellect and set us in the right direction so that the right learning can be had, for the benefit of all.

Prayed by all participants together

OM SHANTI SHANTI SHANTI

(English translation)
Om — peace, peace, peace

 

Rev. Kocho Sasaki (Buddhism)
Choro (Priest of the highest order) at Hieizan Enryakuji Temple; Principal and Director of Enryakuji Academy (Japan)

Prayed by Rev. Sasaki alone
(English translation)
Saicho, a great teacher and the founder of the Tendai Sect of Buddhism, said:
“When we take revenge, our hatred still remains. When we face our hatred with love and benevolence, it is sure to disappear.
Do not make a statue or copy a sutra for me after I die. Please follow my will to spread the teachings of Mahayana Buddhism.
If you devote yourself to pursuing and spreading the Buddhist teachings, your basic needs will be provided. If you pursue profit and pleasure, you will never know the Buddhist way.
Since I was born, I have spoken no harsh words and committed no violent acts. To you, my fellow monks, I ask that you never hurt those who are below you. For my sake, please strive to adhere to this principle.
Though I will die here in Japan, I am not leaving Japan forever. I will be born in this country again and again, to master the Buddhist teachings and bring them to every corner of the world. If you share my will, do not grieve for me. Continue your studies and training, and await the day we will be born here again. Let us join hands and devote ourselves to our country and to the Buddhist way.”

Prayed by all participants together

ÔINARU INOCHI NI YUDANE YASURAKESHI

(English translation)
Entrusting all to the great source of life, I am at peace.

 

Lastly, Byakko Chairperson Masami Saionji offered a universal prayer for the peace and awakening of humanity:

(English translation)
Originally, every human being is a divine being—
Truth itself, Infinite life itself,
Shining radiantly.
We are interconnected and perfectly integrated
with all living things and divinely created nature.
In the divine realm, the world is originally at peace.
We are here to express this truth in this present world.
May peace prevail on Earth.

Prayed by all participants together (in Japanese and English)

May peace prevail on Earth.

 

After each prayer leader had offered their prayer, all eleven prayer leaders stood at the front of the stage in a semicircle. One by one, each of them once more offered the short prayer that they had prayed in unison with everyone. As their voices rang out in prayers for peace, participants listened intently and absorbed the prayerful vibrations.

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