Tu Viện Quảng Đức

 
 
Hình ảnh
 Ðại Ðức Phó Trụ Trì
Tu Viện Quảng Ðức Thích Nguyên Tạng
tham dự Họp mặt giữa các tín đồ từ nhiều tôn giáo khác nhau tại
Thành Phố Whittlesea, tiểu bang Victoria, Úc Châu
được tổ chức tại Epping Memrial Hall
từ 10.30am đến 1.30pm ngày 21-8-2004
(Xem bài phát biểu của ÐÐ Nguyên Tạng)

 

 

Nhiếp ảnh: Steve Lowe Nguyên Thiện Bảo

ĐĐ Nguyên Tạng đang thảo luận Phật Pháp cùng các Thầy Cô tại phân khoa Social Work
thuộc Đại học Latrobe, Melbourne, Uc Châu

ĐĐ Nguyên Tạng cùng các Thầy Cô tại phân khoa Social Work
thuộc Đại học Latrobe, Melbourne, Uc Châu

ĐĐ Nguyên Tạng và cô Magarette tại phân khoa Social Work
thuộc Đại học Latrobe, Melbourne, Uc Châu

---o0o---

‘The lanterns are different
but the light is the same’

Honourable Guests, Ladies and Gentleman,

                                                First of all I would like to express my gratitude to the organizers of this conference. I deeply appreciate the aim of Whittlesea Community Faith Day and I am pleased indeed, to join the other religious and community leaders attending in our common efforts to strengthen community. We do this through faith and promoting a harmonious community, as this is indeed the light, banishing the darkness of ignorance, bias and misinformation about our various communities, cultures and religions. It is to further improve this wonderful country in which we generally live in such good relations through continuing dialogue with our entire respective communities sharing a common aim.

 As a Buddhist Monk, I am a student of the educational program as designed by the historical Buddha Sakyamuni, the founder of Buddhism, some 2628 years ago. I am charged as a Monk, as the Buddha’s student, as a servant for society, and as a Buddhist teacher to students and I am to respectfully shed light on certain subjects.  I have been instructed and trained on the very things that faith and community harmony hinge upon such as through developing Mindfulness Training. This is being aware of myself, my motivations, and intentions and desires to keep them in check, lest I myself cause suffering to others. It’s useless that I complain about the state of the world and not do anything about it. I must act and make an effort to improve things no matter how small, through being aware of my own actions…

 The first of my Training on Mindfulness is the awareness of the suffering and asperity caused by the destruction of life, that I must be committed to compassion and dedicated to learn ways to protect life. Not just of human life but also of animals, plants and non living things such as the environment as a whole. We are all linked, dependent on and related to each other in the wholeness of life. Thoughtlessness and selfishly being unconcerned with other sentinent beings is bound to cause suffering to all, including ourselves. As one we all have a duty to care for and be concerned for all around us, in everything we do.  

 Secondly as a monk or as an Australian citizen, I must be aware of the suffering caused by exploitation, the problems of social injustice and the crisis of theft and oppression. I must cultivate loving kindness and equanimity to everything and everyone, practice indiscriminating generosity and work for the well being of others, particularly those in sincere need, not to profit at their expense and this includes other creatures apart from our species.

 Thirdly I must be concerned to protect the safety and integrity of individuals, of couples, families and society. I must encourage people to engage in loving relationships, not those that are lustful, exploitative and cruel. I try to promote and preserve happiness in others and indeed within myself, through respecting and maintaining commitments I make and not to take important things nonchalantly or lightly. I try to preserve the common family through advising marriages to consider the method of loyalty through the hard times as well the good for the sake and benefit of children and society as a whole.

 My fourth Training on Mindfulness is to watch our speech, in which what comes from the mouth is most of the time unmindful. To be aware of others and to listen to them closely, to practice loving speech and to listen intently results in joy and happiness for others and relieves many of suffering. Through being aware that words can create joy or its opposite is being conscious at a level that contributes to a better world. I must speak in ways that inspire self confidence, joy and hope through not spreading rumors and news I am not sure of, or that will cause discord and division.

 The fifth Training on Mindfulness is about being aware of mindless consumption, watching and taming typical human greed and uncontrolled desires. Mindfulness is of being committed to a healthy lifestyle, to be in good health, both physical and mental.  This is achieved by practicing moderation in mindful eating, drinking and general food intake. This also includes what I indulge in, what I watch such as TV programs that may be unhelpful, unconstructive and detrimental such as programs that show wild violence and sexual exploitation with entertainment and profit in mind. “Diet” then is not just about individual food and drink habits but includes what society consumes in the widest possible sense and that what we take in is what we become. A proper diet is crucial for the transformation of society from one that lacks compassion and concern for its citizens to one that’s health is reflected by the well being of those citizens.

 Finally as I conclude, as a Buddhist committed to the Training of Mindfulness, I must respect other faiths, religions and methods of responsible social cohesion and harmony. I acknowledge that other religions are to be respected and encouraged as they promote social well being and self improvement, they are inclusive and responsible to care for particularly those in need such as the poor or those in anguish and suffering due to unfortunate life style circumstances. Religions advocate community health, and have over the centuries  been significant contributors to law and justice, through keeping us aware of our human aspirations of  better societies and improving life for all, not just the elite. It’s in this light I will conclude in being honored in joining you all here today and with my fellows from the Indigenous community, those of the Muslim, Hindu, Roman Catholic, Greek Orthodox and all respected others. Whom in which are committed to spiritual and sensible, down to earth aspirations, this Community Faith Day, I want to thank you all for your past and continuing efforts in maintaining this wonderful society in which we all live surrounded by harmony. It is an honour in which to share and contribute to such a wonderful community. Indeed, ‘The lanterns are different but the light is the same’….it’s our job to keep it burning brightly and resplendently’...

By Venerable Thich Nguyen Tang

 (This speech has been presented at the Whittlesea Community Faith Day ( Faith and Spirituality in Whittlesea) Epping Memrorial Hall, 827 High St, Epping, Friday, 10.30am-01.30pm, August 20^th 2004.  For further information on the  conference, please contact Michelle Harmer, +61-3-9401 1100; email: michelle_harmer@hotmail.com , or: Bernadette Hurley at the Northern Hospital on 8405 8005, email: bernadette.hurley@nh.org.au)

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