Major Buddhist sect plans to open seminaries

Major Buddhist sect plans to open seminaries

JAKARTA (JP): One of Indonesia's main Buddhist sects is
planning to open up seminaries in various parts of the country.

The Niciren Sosyu announced yesterday that these seminaries,
to be called Buddhist centers, will allow its 1.2 million
followers in Indonesia to explore their religion in greater
depth.

Kresno Abianto Soekarno, head of the sect's steering committee
for tomorrow's Waisak celebration, which marks Buddha's Day of
Enlightenment, the centers will be run along the same lines as
the nation's Moslem boarding schools (pesantrens) and Catholic
seminaries.

"It's high time that we promote our religious activities
because so far Niciren Sosyu Buddhists are known only for their
social endeavors," Kresno was quoted by the Antara news agency as
saying.

Niciren Sosyu now runs one such center, the Vihara
Sadaparibhuta, in Megamendung, West Java, which will also be the
center of the Waisak celebration tomorrow.

The ceremony will be headed by its chairperson K. Senosoenoto
and attended by some 2,000 followers from all over the country,
Kresno said.

Niciren Sosyu Buddha is one of Buddhists sects recognized by
the Ministry of Religious Affairs but lies outside the Indonesian
Buddhist Council. The total number of Buddhist followers in
Indonesia is estimated at around six million. (11)