2014 Multi-Faith Forum Activity Journal
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1 Name : Galvihara Seated Image of the Buddha Time : 12th Century A.D. Location : Polonnaruwa (North Central Province-Sri Lanka) Founder : King Parakramabahu A Harmonious World Begins with Education 2558th Vesak Day Celebration: Learning from the Buddha's Inspirational Teachings Resolving Conflicts and Facilitating Peace and Security................................ 4 Religion and its Teachings are the Most Important Education for All Humanity...................................... 5 Religious Unity and Religious Education Can Facilitate World Peace...................................................... 5 Establishing a Religious Sacred City to Realize Religious Education....................................................... 8 Establishing a Multifaith University and Strengthening Religious Education and Religious Exchange.. 8 Wonderful New Development in the Revival of Religious Education in Indonesia.................................. 9 Indonesian Guest Photos............................................................................................................................ 11 2 “What Should We Do When Hearts are Corrupted and Society is in Chaos? —On Toowoomba, Australia as a Model City of Peace and Harmony........ 16 Unkind Human Mindset is the Root of the Chaotic Society...................................................................... 17 Religious Education is Crucial in Resolving World Crises........................................................................ 19 Cooperation between Religions is the Critical Step................................................................................... 21 Toowoomba as a Model City of Peace and Harmony................................................................................ 26 Traditional Chinese Culture and the Theory and Experience on Harmonious Society.............................. 29 A Suggestion on a Model Country of Peace and Harmony........................................................................ 37 Discover the Buddhist Contribution to Humanity Celebrating the 2550th Birth Anniversary of the Buddha Learning from Buddha Sakyamuni: Reconciling Conflict and Promoting Social Stability and World Peace Through Teaching.............................................................................. 42 Desire for Selfish Gain Is the Origin of All Conflicts................................................................................ 43 Education Can Help Reconcile All Conflicts............................................................................................. 45 The Chinese Educational Ideas Are Developed from Love....................................................................... 47 God Teaches People by Means of Different Forms.................................................................................... 53 Practice of The Standards for Being a Good Student and Child Lays the Foundation for Moral Conduct..... 56 Education Can Preserve Social Values....................................................................................................... 58 Sri Lanka..................................................................................................................................... 62 Where Buddhism is Implemented The Country that Practices the Buddha’s Teachings........ 63 Education is Essential in Building a Nation and in Guiding its People—A Free Education System........ 63 Virtuous Mothers Create Saints—Education Begins at Conception.......................................................... 64 Being Filial to Parents and Respectful to Teachers—Good Family Education and Academic Education.... 65 3 Popularizing the Teaching of the Buddha—Sunday Buddhist Schools..................................................... 67 A Typical Buddhist Nation—Buddhism in Daily Lives............................................................................. 68 Nature Loving—To Care for All and Persist on Traditional Agriculture................................................... 70 Bringing Religion Back to Education—International Buddhism University and International Religion University... 71 Looking Forward—A Buddhist Model Nation of Peace and Harmony..................................................... 72 A Trip of Teaching in Sri Lanka.................................................................. 74 Toowoomba Model City of Peace and Haromny.................. 86 Pure Land College, Toowoomba, Australia Multicultural Model City of Peace and Harmony............................................................. 87 Traditional Chinese Cultural Practices............................................. 90 Traditional Chinese Culture in Modern Setting................................................................. 91 Happy Enterprise Made Possible by the Teachings of the Saints and Sages The “Family Culture” of a Happy Enterprise―Suchou Good-Ark Electronics.. 92 A Harmonious World Begins with Education 2558th Vesak Day Celebration: Learning from the Buddha's Inspirational Teachings Resolving Conflicts and Facilitating Peace and Security 4 Respected Venerables and participants, I am honored and grateful to be part of the event today, celebrating the 2558th Vesak Day with you. Throughout his life, Sakyamuni Buddha promoted and taught the revered teaching that can help all beings break free from delusion to attain enlightenment and alleviate suffering to gain happiness. Today, ■On 3 November, 2012, Master Chin Kung presented the Buddhist teachings are well inherited in Sri Buddhist Canon, the Complete Library in Four Branches Lanka. Sri Lankan people earnestly practice of Literature, The Governing Principle of Ancient China, and The Governing Principle of Sinology to the the Buddha’s teachings and lessons, which president of Sri Lanka. lead to social stability and happiness for all. They demonstrate to the world a harmonious religion means “vital education, important and peaceful example that deserves to be teachings, and revered transformation.” modeled after and learned from. I cannot This definition of religion is the same think of a better way to celebrate Vesak as the original nature of all religions at their Day than with the world peace-promoting, founding. Originally, all major religions were multifaith forum hosted by Sri Lanka here educational. The founder of each religion, today. This is the best opportunity to let our such as Moses, Buddha Sakyamuni, Jesus international friends better understand how Christ, and Prophet Mohammed, were all 5 Sri Lanka, a Buddhist nation that leaves great social educators. Religious education lasting impressions, successfully implements includes and covers teachings in morality, religious education. virtues, causality, science, and philosophy. All I am also happy to report to you that major religions promote justice, honor, and I was recently informed of Indonesia’s universal values of benevolence, compassion, significant national effort and progress and universal love. These teachings are to revive religious education. All these the good medicine that can purify people’s determinations and dedications will generate mindsets and help mold the world into a better catalytic effects to make world peace a reality place. They are the most urgently needed and sooner. vital education that humanity needs today. Religion and its Teachings are the Religious Unity and Religious Most Important Education for All Education Can Facilitate World Humanity Peace In the Chinese language, the word Our world today is experiencing a religion is comprised of two characters: zong dramatic decline in morality. Everywhere, and jiao. Zong means “vital, important, and people’s mindsets are corrupted. Social unrest revered.” Jiao means “education, teachings, and conflicts seem never-ending. When we and transformation.” Thus, in Chinese, trace back to the source of the problem, ultimately it is the lack of proper education. Mohamad, the former Prime Minister of With the rapid advancements in technology, Malaysia. With grave concern, Dr. Mahathir civilization continues to grow increasingly asked me, “You have been to many countries. materialistic as people become more caught up From your perspective, is peace still in their chase for fame and materialistic gain. possible for our world?” I answered, “If four We have neglected the spiritual development conditions can be fulfilled, the world will of our civilization and forgotten our traditions be peaceful.” He asked me what the four of benevolence, honor, virtue, and morality. conditions were. I answered that the first was The highly unbalanced development between that all countries had to treat one another with a materialistically-oriented civilization and true equality and harmony. Second, the same a spiritually-oriented one, together with must apply to different ethnic groups. The the negative transmission of violence and third was that political parties must do the sexuality by the major media, have led to the same. The fourth was that all religions and overall decline of people’s mindsets. Chaotic faiths had to treat each other with equality, events are increasingly unfolding all the time. peace, and harmony. Such phenomena are creating social disorder, When all four conditions are met equally and societies are facing the real possibility and harmoniously, then conflicts will be of breakdown. People who care about our resolved and world peace will be a reality. Dr. world are starting to have doubts about the Mahathir remained very thoughtful and silent 6 attainment of