Diary 1963 - Murshid Sam's Living Stream

Diaries 1963March 9My dear Jack:This is as much my diary as a letter and I am going to ask you to abstract as you will. Therehave never been so many Buddhistic affairs in all my life. Between volunteer work at the UniversalChurch and the ceremonies for Phra Sumangalo anal collecting materials for my book, I can assureyou I cover only a small number of items.Universal Buddha Church. The formal opening ceremonies took place on Friday, March 1. Besidesthe entire congregation there was an overflow audience of about a hundred people. Both thatweekend and this a multitude of visitors have been coming and large donations are being received.Cables and wires came from all parts of the world—literately. Three Chinese mainland Preceptorssent greetings as well as many from Taiwan. I was more interested in the greetings from Penang,Singapore and other places which had been under Phra Sumangalo. President Kennedy also wired,but I think this was lost among a stack of others.There is a contradiction in their Buddhism. On the one hand they announce that they have thePristine Orthodox Teachings. There are two valid “pristine orthodox teachings,” one which includesthe Benares Sermon and the other the Avatamsaka Sutra. They meant neither. Instead of the ThreeJewels they place family fealty first which is not Buddhistic. They also announce their main scripturesare the Diamond Sutra and the Hui-Neng (Sixth Patriarch). These are certainly not “pristineorthodox.” I have begun ribbing them softly.One way is that I have found my picture at the Stupa on Mount Takao in Japan with the ashesof Lord Buddha. I had been the only outside to go there, and I think you know some of the history. Ifnot, it will keep now.Between the Fung effort and the general tenor of affairs there has been an immense growing ofstudies in real Buddhism here.The Buddhist Assn. of America, 109 Waverly Place. They gave a service for Phra Sumangalowhich I attended and reported. Later I met Ven. Shih Sheng-Kang, who speaks English and gaveme the Lotus material I have been seeking. I call this a Tien Tai (Tendai) sect and I see no reason tochange after the services last night. They have a new compendium of Mahayana Scriptures whichis to me the best yet seen. The others take such abstractions and selections that one does not get apicture.The Buddhist-Taoist Assn. is 146 Waverly Place (The Zendo in New York is also WaverlyPlace!) Here Iru Price holds forth. Last night, March 8, they gave their regular service and a specialmemorial for Phra Sumangalo. This ceremony was given by three Americans—Iru Sushiddi (Goode)and James Wagner. I have known about Wagner for years but never met him before. I was at the lastservice by Sushiddi before he left for Penang four years ago.