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S. Kuanyun: Address to Peace Summit 2023, Session III-A
Written by Venerable Shi Kuanyun, President, Hong Kong Buddhist Association
Wednesday, May 3, 2023
Address to Peace Summit 2023
May 2-5, 2023
I’m very happy to participate today in the Peace Summit through this video on the topic of “Contemporary Challenges to Global Order: Toward a World Culture of Peace.”
The current world is very diverse, and the prospects for world peace are facing very big challenges. I remember that US President Roosevelt sent a telegram to China at the end of World War II. He asked the eminent Chinese monk, Master Taixu, “What is Buddhism’s plan for world peace?” Master Taixu replied that only when people deny the existence of the self, only when there is a non-self, can peace be obtained.
In fact, this statement is really true. We all have a self now. Only if each of us achieves selflessness and compassion will the world be peaceful forever. Compassion means that each of us must achieve the sublimation of small love into great love. The sublimation of great love becomes compassion. The sublimation of compassion becomes great compassion, and compassion brings happiness to others. Compassion can relieve suffering. If we can all help others resolve their pain and treat everyone with a loving heart, this world will attain lasting peace.
The reason why we can’t be peaceful now, the Buddha said, is because we have a self. My self wants to have everything and to get what I desire. The Buddha spoke of Nine Principles of Desire. What did he say? Out of desire, there is seeking. Out of seeking, benefit. Out of benefit, usefulness. Out of usefulness, there is desire to possess. Out of desire to possess, there is jealousy. Out of jealousy, there is guardedness. Out of guardedness, there is protection. People do all kinds of evil because of relationships based on desire. In our society, mothers argue with their sons and sons argue with their mothers. What about others? Because of relationships based on desire, there is fighting among people, fighting between countries, hatred of one another, and even using weapons to hurt others.
It can be seen that because we are greedy, there are many obstacles and relationships between families, countries, political parties and even associations. If each of us could start from selfless compassion, compassion would have no enemies and wisdom would have no troubles. If everyone believed in karma, in cause and effect… As it says in Kisha Lun, if we could keep the precept of not killing day and night, we would be able to live in the world. We would not die by the sword. One who provides practitioners with advice with a pure heart will not encounter disease in a future life. If one feeds others and devotes himself to practice with a pure heart, he will not encounter famine in his next life.
Therefore, each of us can refrain from killing, stealing, committing adultery, lying and drinking alcohol with a selfless heart. If these five precepts are fulfilled, it will be an important element in bringing peace to this world.
In the Aja Xijing, there are seven ways to prevent decline. The author said that if we can hold meetings regularly, then all problems, big or small, can be resolved through negotiations. We should respect the ancient systems and not change them easily. We must maintain the monastic path in the old schools where women are respected. And finally, let those who have become enlightened with peace of mind run the educational institutions. Only in this way can the world attain eternal peace.
Moreover, since we are dependent on each other, we can only hug and embrace one another. I hope that everyone will take advantage of the opportunity provided by this meeting to awaken our humanity so that the world can attain lasting peace without wars and disasters. Once again, I wish everyone good health, good luck and joy.
I wish the conference great success. Thank you. Amitabha.
To go to the Peace Summit 2023 Schedule page, click here.