Ordained monk.
Nipponzan Myohoji order
colleague of Jun San
Helped build Grafton Peace Pagoda.
“Junji’s austere lifestyle, the open simplicity of his spiritual practice have earned him wide respect in Indian Country.”
stood in strength and peace
with traditional Navajo and Hopi
several years.
Many don’t know this, but he insisted people teach him to build a single man’s Hogan where he lived for many years at Black Mesa.
..experience, ..equanimity, ..dignified heart
Also, I used to love letting him borrow one of my 1960s guitars because his heartfelt versions of Bob Dylan’s “Just Like A Woman” and John Lennon’s “Imagine” in a very thick Japanese accent were so much fun to sing along with and enjoy immensely.
I miss you even more today than many years ago when you passed away Junji. Rest In Peace.
http://www.8thfire.net/Day_178.html
Adding the following for historical purposes:
Jan 9 1992, 4:47Â am
SPRITUAL WALK: 1992 AND BEYOND
NA MU MYO HO REN GE KYO
I  am  Junji  Shimanuki, a Japanese Buddhist  monk  of  Nipponzan
Myohoji. I come to offer a message to those who would here.
Our Teachers tell us that a great time of change is upon us, Â and
that  we  must move forward with true compassion  to  meet  these
challenges.
It was the Most Venerable Fujii Guruji’s belief that the American
Indians  who  have  preserved a spiritual  way  of  life  against
humiliation  and oppression have a mission. He believed that  our
mission is to liberate humanity from the danger of  annihilation,
to  correct the wrong doings of the United States, to show a  way
to  break through its deadlock and to see that the cruel  history
will never be repeated. Fujii Guruji had high expectations of the
Bodhisarttya practice of the American Indian people.
It is in this spirit that I began to organize a ” Spiritual Walk”
to  begin  in  San  Francisco, Jan 1,  1992,  and  to  arrive  in
Washington  D.C. on October 12, 1992, the “International  Day  of
Solidarity with the Indian People of the Western Hemisphere.”
I  had hoped to organize an Indian walk… like the Longest  Walk
of 1978. I spoke to many native people and groups. Of course they
said  it  was  a good idea but many of  these  organizations  are
currently  focusing on their community. There are so many  things
to be done and everybody is doing their best.
We must move forward in this. This “Spiritual Walk” will  include
all  People  of  the Four Colors. WE WILL  WALK  AS  A  SPIRITUAL
OFFERING TO CORRECT THE EFFECTS OF COLONIZATION AND GENOCIDE UPON
AMERICAN INDIAN NATIONS.
We will do our best to speak out, to educate the American public.
1992  is a time for All People To Walk On This  Beautiful  Mother
Earth…  to  correct  the  injustices  done  by  the  American
Government not only to the Indian Nations but also to the world.
We  are a small group of people who have committed  ourselves  to
walk 5400 miles across the United States. We go through 17 Indian
Nations to gather prayers, spiritual strength and unity.
We  will  be  passing through California,  Nevada,  Arizona,  New
Mexico, Â Texas, Oklahoma, Kansas, Iowa, South Dakota, Â Minnesota,
Illinois,  Indiana,  Ohio, Pennsylvania, New  York,  New  Jersey,
Delaware, and Maryland.
We could use any support along the way including, Â accommodations
and  food, organizing visits to schools, churches  and  community
groups,  media outreach, organizing gatherings or prayer  vigils,
or joining us in our walk for what ever time is possible.
For more information and a detailed itinerary please contact:
Nipponzan Myohoji, 82 Flora St. S.F. CA 94124 (415) 822-9471
