A couple of years ago, I attended Amma’s Japan programs. After Amma’s program in Tokyo, I went to see the local temples. I went to the Sensō-ji temple, which is an ancient Buddhist temple located in Asakusa, Tokyo, Japan. It is Tokyo’s oldest temple, and one of its most significant. The temple is dedicated to the Bodhisattva Kannon. It was formerly associated with the Tendai sect, it became independent after World War II.

While going around the temple, I was pleasantly surprised to see a statue of Mother and her children. The statue reminded me of Amma and Amma’s logo!

The name of this statue is ‘Bo-shi Jizò’. Jizo is a very common statue in Japan. ‘Bo-shi’ means Mother and child. The writings under the statue and on the red flag next to this statue reads “this Bo-shi Jizo is has been erected in order to comfort the spirits of mothers and children in the confusion of the end of World War II, who were not able to go back to Japan from China”. This statue represents the prayer of “we do not repeat the mistake(of war) again” as well as comforting the spirits of mothers and children those who lost their lives in the war.

Amma does the same thing – comforting her children all over the world!

– Sudhakar