Most Venerable Professor Phra Brahma-pundit, President of International Council for Day of Vesak, President of International Association of Buddhist Universities, and Member of Supreme Sangha Council of Thailand,
Most Venerable Professor Phra Dham-vajra-bundit, Rector of Maha Chula-long-korn-raja-vidyalaya University
Most Venerable Warakagoda Gnana-rathana Maha Nayaka of Asgiriya chapter of Siyam sector
And Most Venerable Anu Nayaka theros from Sri Lanka
Most Venerable Sangha Raja theros, and Venerable Maha Sangha,
Madam Armida Salsiah Alisjahbana, United Nations Under-Secretary-General and Executive Secretary of ESCAP and other UN officials,
Distinguished Guests, Ladies and Gentlemen,
Dear Friends of the Dhamma,
It is with deep respect and honour that I express My kind thoughts and well wishes to Maha Chula-long-korn-raja-vidyalaya University, the MCU, for organizing the United Nations Day of Vesak in Thailand, in celebration of the Thrice Sacred Day of Vesak full moon Poya day, of Buddhist era 2567 (common era 2023), as this year we gather in re-congression to celebrate important milestones in our journey together.
My sincere gratitude goes to the Most Venerable Maha Sangha, International Council for Day of Vesak, International Association of Buddhist Universities, the Maha Chula-long-korn-raja-vidyalaya University (MCU) in Ayutthaya, to the United Nations ESCAP Centre in Bangkok, and to the organizers of the UN Vesak Day for inviting me to deliver this speech.
Prince Siddharta Gauthma destined to be the greatest religious teacher of the world was born on a Vesak day. Though, brought up in lap of luxury, he clearly understood sorrow of humanity, and after a super human struggle of years, unaided and unguided, but with his own efforts and wisdom eradicated all defilements in the process of grasping, realizing pain as true they are on his own knowledge, on the full moon day of Vesak, and he became Buddha- the enlightened one. He was not born “a Buddha”, but He became “the Buddha”.
For forty-five years the Buddha taught and worked for good and happiness of all beings-human and other, and passed away on the full moon day of Vesak. Leaving to his disciples the doctrine and discipline as their “only teacher”. The teaching compliments & emphasises the importance on integration of human activity in Madhayama Pattipaja, the moderate or middle path, and Parat-tham Pati-pajjatha, to engage in the service of others, which, collectively protects and serves all ecology.
As we are gathered here in Thailand this year, we celebrate the 20th anniversary and the 18th occasion of ’United Nations Day of Vesak’. It is an important milestone in our journey as Buddhists gathered from all parts of the globe in fostering and propagating the teachings of the Enlightened One, as over one-fifth of population of today’s world regard the Buddha as their supreme teacher.
Let us take a moment to remember that today we celebrate this great day for Buddhists world over, because of a resolution moved on behalf of the Maha Sangha and followers of the Buddha world over, by an exemplary son of Sri Lanka, an international diplomat of par excellence, Late Hon. Lakshman Kadiragamar. Let us also remember the immense blessings continuously given by the late King of Thailand His Majesty Bhumi-bol Athul-yadej.
Relations between Thailand and Sri Lanka are over millennia, as we exchanged teachings of the Buddha to establish and to revive the Buddha-sasana, over and over again. Sri Lanka is always grateful to Most Venerable Upali Nayaka Maha Thera from Siam for reviving the Sangha order in Sri Lanka.
Infact this year Sri Lanka celebrates the 270th Anniversary, efforts of Most Venerable Upali Maha thera of Thailand, and Most Venerable Saranankara Sangaraja of Sri Lanka, together they revived the Sangha Order of Sri Lanka, and established the Siyam Sector of Sangha in Sri Lanka.
This august gathering and our journey so far would have not been possible if not for the farsighted guidance and blessings of Most Venerable Sangaraja Maha Thero. On behalf of His Excellency President Ranil Wickramasinghe, the Government, and the People of Sri Lanka, as Prime Minister of Sri Lanka, I extend warm wishes for best of health, happiness, and long life to His Holiness Somdet Phra Ariya-vangsa-gatayana the Sangaraja of Thailand.
The success of this annual assembly is also mainly due to the farsighted patronage of the King of Thailand His Majesty Maha Vajira-long-korn. His Majesty is special to Maha Sangha and People of Sri Lanka, as we remember His Majesty visited Colombo, Kandy, and Galle in Sri Lanka in 1993. 30 years ago, as then Crown Prince visited Deepa-duptama-arama temple in Colombo, where since 1897 Royal ancestors of His Majesty’s family were ordained and lived in Bhikkuhood.
While in Kandy, His Majesty visited the most Sacred Tooth Relics of the Buddha at Sri Dalada Maligawa. As Prime Minister of Sri Lanka, I convey best wishes of the President of Sri Lanka to His Majesty the King, for long life, best of health, and happiness.
It is a delight to observe yet again as UNDV has shown a glowing example in the sincere interest of the United Nations to understand deeply how “Buddhist Wisdom can Cope with Global Crisis”, and thereby bring fresh remedies for a new way forward. All of us who are gathered here understands that Mindful citizens across today’s world engage in Enlightened discussions in Buddhist Responses.
to “Sustainable Development”, to “Social Change”, to “Global Warming”, to “Environmental Protection”, to “Healthy Living”, to “Peace-Building”, to “Post-Conflict Recovery”, and similar discussions.
Of course, there is no greater crisis than Sansara, this endless cycle. This, the Enlightened One mindfully critically analyzed through the application of “Cause and Effect”, realizing the true nature of things as they truly are. Then understood the “Middle Path”, as the only moderate pragmatic way forward, and the need to “Mindfully be Engaged” with one’s self in the path until cessation or end was reached.
As Buddhists for us, every other crisis, is only a new opening to engage solving and managing issues with a Fresh State of Mind.
A lifelong engagement in deep thoughtful establishment of practices, towards caring for the environment -human, animal, & plants- was founded by the Enlightened One. The importance of “being content”, is only echoed in Buddhist teachings underlining the responsible & moderate use of time, and resources for human progress.
Wisdom words of “health is the greatest wealth” was taught 2600 years ago to the world by the Enlightened One. It was Siddhartha Guathama the Buddha who began the greatest revolution in history of mankind by challenging & revolutionizing, the then established social structure towards “responsible upliftment of individuals” and “society’s sustainability” through the moderate path.
Today, we are meeting after a global pandemic of unprecedented scale, where loss of human lives was counted in millions, in all corners of the world, of all walks of life, from affluent to the poor. It opened minds of the world to realise that no longer sole survival through material wealth alone was possible, and overcoming a crisis of such magnitude was only through collective reach out in service of others.
Aftermath of the pandemic was soon followed by a global economic crisis. Contributing to a tremendous slowdown of economic activity around the world. Pushing more People below the poverty lines. This includes families consisting children, elderly, women, and other vulnerable sections of society. This furthered scarcity of essentials across the world. Neither Governments, Private sector, nor any establishment was able to find a reasonable solution.
On the other hand, as US President Biden clearly exposed, during the same period, the global shipping magnets were making unreasonable profits of over 1000 per-cent. Causing further disruption and shortages in distribution of essentials, like food, medicine, and key exports world over. To level the situation, President Biden had to intervene with a tax remediation. That was to bring things closer to a Middle Path; to lessen worries of those suffering, and moderate over indulgence in unethical super gains.
Sri Lanka in the last 10 months have let go of decades long extreme economic policies, and have adopted the Center Path. This has tremendously helped Sri Lanka to show great resilience and regain global confidence to continue steer ahead in the Center Path.
Gauthama the Buddha, in Angut-tara Nikaya Anana Sutta talked about indebtedness. The meaning of the word Anana is debt free. If an individual or a nation could live Anana, or debt free, the individual or the country could attain four kinds of happiness. Atta Sukha, Happiness of ownership of wealth by righteous means, Bhoga Sukha, Happiness of using the wealth so earned properly, Anana Sukha, Happiness of being debt free, and Anawajja Sukha, Happiness of leading a blameless life. That is the culmination of a Happy State.
Therefore, let this august assembly unanimously call for a universal Moratorium, or any similar remedy, on all debt and unserviceable financial commitments accumulated on Nations as a result of unprecedented covid pandemic which was never heard-seen-or-imagined by humankind. This is fundamentally the most ethical relief that could be granted to millions of worried minds world over.
Modern crisis begins with an ever-growing human population. Today, the world has more than 8 Billion People. This phenomenal growth has to continuously grapple scarcity of Water, Land, & Food, in their struggle to fulfil essential needs to sustain life. This is amidst global pandemics, natural calamities, financial meltdowns, & destructive wars.
World’s most populous nation till beginning of this year was China, with over 1.4 Billion people, and they had to carry out a specifically targeted poverty alleviation program, in recent past to uplift over “Few Hundred million People” out from “absolute Rural poverty”. Their success is a valid example in history of mankind and important in poverty alleviation. Tackling issues with a Fresh State of Mind.
80 million Rural farmers of India were directly paid by the PM’s Office, electronically dispatching nearly over 2 Billion US dollars, recognizing the village agriculture production as a backbone component in the food production, to serve today’s world’s most populous nation. Again, tackling with a Fresh State of Mind.
Most recently Spain was able to continuously power 100 per-cent of electricity demand, during a heavy week day, purely through renewable energy sources of hydro, solar, & wind. Thereby being considerate of the environment as well as public demand, marking what should come in essential energy formulas of tomorrow’s world over. Once again, tackling with a Fresh State of Mind.
Similarly, Sufficient Economic Policy of Thailand is a good example providing a linkage between Buddhism and Sustainable Development. This is a unique sustainable framework where Sufficient Economic philosophy is based on Buddhist world’s view on inter-relationships with economy, society, and environment which has been extended to public, private, and citizen organizations.
Therefore, clearly Asia is showing way to the world how this fundamentally most essential crisis has to be met with a Fresh State of Mind. It has been said in many times, in many forums, that “this Century belongs to Asia”. Asia is where historical wisdom and practises must be discovered essentially for world’s future. And ASEAN is an integral part of Asia. ASEAN is a doorway Buddhist Wisdom for the mind, and sustainable agriculture practices in global food production.
The Theravadha Tradition is the most sorted after wisdom in the world. Mindfulness through Vipassana Meditation is the core synergy for Theravadha countries to be in service and heal many crises of the world. Towards this endeavour a broader corporation among Theravadha Nations, namely Sri Lanka, Thailand, Myanmar, Vietnam, Cambodia, and Laos, is vital. We must further strengthen greater free movement, or mobility, and interaction among our nations.
The other importantly essential is the Dhamma Schools world over, where the FUTURE, the Youth, both girls and boys, are nurtured in the most wholesome education focusing the “humane” aspect in global scale and mindfulness in a modern civilization.
On behalf of the Government and as Prime Minister of Sri Lanka, I wish to inform this august assembly that Sri Lanka is willing to take this step forward, and wish for blessings of all of you to host the UN Day of Vesak in Sri Lanka after 2025. This will be a great strength and blessings for Sri Lanka and her People.
Penultimately, let us remember that this is the Age of Information, or even call it the Age of Mis-Information. As information is powerful, it can be used for betterment and for the worst. Misinformation can bring more danger than ever before. The Buddhist world should be mindful of this, and I wish to quote from late Dr. Ananda Guruge, an eminent Buddhist scholar;
“…In the twenty-six(26) century Buddhist history, no major wars, invasions, coercion or use of force had taken place in the name of Buddhism or on account of the rise of Buddhist tradition.
…The recent and current conflicts in traditionally Buddhist countries are in no way connected with Buddhism even though Vested media sometimes so “mis-represent” them.
…On the contrary, the Buddhist communities are inspiring example of selfless assistance to victims of prejudice and violence. This is the impact of Buddha’s precept and practise.”
Remember to always emphasis that Buddhists have historically and world over practised “Non-violence” as a foremost principle.
In conclusion, I wish to express my sincere gratitude and pay my humble veneration to Most Venerable Professor Phra Brahma-pundit, President of International Council for Day of Vesak, for his continued untiring efforts and commitment towards achieving great success in organizing and leading this assembly of world Buddhist brotherhood.
May All beings be Safe
May All beings be Well
May All beings be HappyMay Blessings of the Noble Triple Gem be with You All!