Contents Vol.32 No.1 January-April 2016 (2559) Publisher INTERNATIONAL NETWORK OF 3 Editorial Notes ENGAGED BUDDHISTS (INEB) 6 Country Reports Editorial team Sulak Sivaraksa (advisor) 6 Burma: Anti-Muslim Buddhist Group Moves toward Harsha Kumara Navaratne (advisor) Myanmar’s Mainstream, Timothy Mclaughlin and Hnin Somboon Chungprampree (editor) Yadana Zaw Theodore Mayer (assistant) 7 France: Love Letter to President Hollande, Sister Mai Narumon Paiboonsittikun (assistant) Nghiem Napawan Sittisak (assistant) 8 Korea: Seoul Temple Drama Ends in Activist Arrest Cover 9 Laos: Laos Must Come Clean on Sombath, Andrea Painting given by Metta Development Giorgetta Foundation, Burma 10 Siam: Monk protest misguided 11 Siam: Truth Is Best, Mom Oui Tells Regime, Nauvarat Lay-out Suksamran, Surapong Petnamlai 11 Siam: His Holiness in conversation with HM the King Distributed by 13 UN: The Problem with Saving the World, Jason Hickel Suksit Siam 16 USA: Socially Engaged Buddhism at the United Nations 113-115 Fuangnakorn Rd., Matteo Pistono Bangkok 10200 Tel. (662)2259536-40 18 INEB [email protected] 18 Buddhist Climate Change Statement to World Leaders Baht 100 per issue 20 repreStatement of Faith and Spiritual Leaders Suggested annual subscription US $50 22 The 6th Auspicious Birth Cycle of Most Venerable Bhikkhuni Dhammananda, Payment info: 24 Conference on Social Engagement and Liberation • A cheque payable to “INEB” Personal cheques from the UK, US, 26 INEB Institute and Euro are accepted. • Paypal, please go to the INEB website 26 MA In Socially Engaged Buddhism Seeds of Peace 28 SEM 666 Charoen-Nakorn Road, 28 Adventure in Empowerment Education: Our Reflec- Klongsan, Bangkok 10600 Siam tions Tel. (662)860-2194 29 Some Inspirations, Peter Swan Fax. (662)860-1277 [email protected] www.inebnetwork.org 32 Sulak Sivaraksa 32 “Uniting Around the Principle of Humanity in the Seeds of Peace is published thrice annually Mekong Region” in January, May and September, in order to 34 Inequality, Violence and Climate Change through a promote the aims and objectives of the International Network of Engaged Buddhists Buddhist Lens (INEB) and its members around the world, and the organizations under SNF including Spirit in Education Movement (SEM) and the School for Wellbeing Studies and Research. 2 Editorial Notes Editorial Notes 40 Articles The recent period has been a very active one for INEB, and upcoming months will likely be equally so. One notable 40 A New Growth Paradigm ? Ranil Senanay- event over the past few months has been INEB’s partici- ake pation, along with the Inter-religious Climate and Ecology 42 Awakening in the Age of Ecological Crisis, (ICE) network, in the climate change meetings in Paris David Loy known as COP21. INEB led a meditation session at one of 46 Sorry, You Can’t Get There From Here: the venues, and joined in talks and activities with other Problems Versus Quandaries, Richard L. Clinton interfaith leaders. INEB’s participation is one indicator of 51 Remembering a Great Scholar, Chris Baker a growing presence of faith-based groups around the world in pressuring for genuine action on climate change. 53 Obituary INEB also played a leading role in organizing 53 Ajarn Ben’s Southeast Asian Analyses Still and hosting a major public speaking event by Sogyal Enlighten, Philip Cunningham Rinpoche on “The Art of Living and Dying” in Bangkok on December 19. In a packed auditorium at Thammasat 55 Letters University, Sogyal Rinpoche brought an engaging talk to conclusion with a beautiful description of the death of his aunt, who was widely known for her humility and Book Review 56 profound knowledge of the Dhamma. 56 In Search of a Communist Bodhisattva We are now energetically completing the organizing Soravis Jayanama for what will be a really excellent biennial conference in Sri Lanka from 22 to 28 January 2016, entitled “Converging 60 Recommended Readings Streams: Engaging for Holistic Development – An Interfaith Dialogue for Peace and Sustainability. The INEB Institute team is equally busy preparing for the first term of the English for Engaged Social Service program, to start 22 February. The INEB Institute is also making very good progress in its curriculum proposal with Arsom Silp Institute of the Arts. The collaboration with Arsom Silp will allow us to offer our MA in Socially Engaged Buddhism as a recognized degree-granting program. We hope to begin our inaugural year in August of 2016, in a program that will take a comprehensive look at the work of engaged Buddhists in the modern period. The program will also take students to meet with engaged Buddhists of all major traditions in Thailand and Taiwan, as well as in Nagpur and Bir, India. Vol.32 No.1 January-April 2016 (2559) 3 9 th March 2016 Puey Ungpakorn’s Birth Century The Quality of Life of a Southeast Asian (From womb to tomb) While in my mother’s womb, I want her to have good When I leave school I want a job, a meaningful nutrition and access to maternal and child welfare care. one in which I can feel the satisfaction of making a I don’t want to have as many brothers and contribution. sisters as my parents had before me, and I do not want I want to live in a law and order society, without my mother to have a child too soon after me. molestation. I want my country to relate effectively and I don’t care whether my father and mother are equitably to the outside world so that I can have access formally married, but I need them to live together in to the intellectual and technical knowledge of all mankind, reasonable harmony. as well as the capital from overseas. I want good nutrition for my mother and for I would like my country to get a fair price for me in my first two or three years when my capacity for the products that I and my fellow citizens create. future mental and physical development is determined. As a farmer, I would like to have my own plot I want to go to school, together with my sister, of land, with a system which gives me access to credit, and to learn a trade, and to have the schools impart to new agricultural technology and to markets, and a social values to me. If I happen to be suitable for higher fair price for my produce. education, that opportunity should be available. As a worker, I would want to have some share, 4 some sense of participation in the factory in which I work. As a human being, I would like inexpensive newspapers and paperback books, plus access to radio Remembering a and TV (without too much advertising). I want to enjoy good health, and I expect the Government to provide free preventive medical service Great Scholar and cheap and readily available good curative service. I need some leisure time for myself, and to enjoy Book Review of Exploration and my family, and want access to some green parks, to the Irony in Studies arts, and to traditional social or religious festivities. I want clean air to breathe and clean water to of Siam Over 40 years drink. I would like to have the security of co-‐operative mechanisms in which I join to help others do things which they cannot do alone, and they do the same for me. I need the opportunity to participate in the society around me, and to help shape the decisions of the economic and social as well as the political institutions that so affect my life. I want my wife to have equal opportunity with me, and I want both of us to have access to the knowledge and means of family planning. In my old age, it would be nice to have some form of social security to which I have contributed. When I die, if I happen to have some money left, I would wish the Government to take some of it, leaving an adequate amount for my widow. With this money the Government should make it possible for others to enjoy life too. These are what life is all about, and what development should seek to achieve forall. Did you renew your “From Womb to Tomb” have been translated subscription? into 13 languages, which are Karen, Burmese, May we remind our readers to renew your subscription or help others who cannot afford to Khmer(Cambodia), English, French, Bahasa pay for Seeds of Peace, so that the publication will (Indonesia), Japan, Korean, Lao, Thai, Tibetan, be available to all who seek something to read Vietnamese. Hopefully, it will continue to beyond what is provided by the mainstream mass be translated into numerous other languages. media. The suggested rate is USD 50.00 per year. If you can provide more support, we would be very grateful for your generosity. Your money Those whom interested for translating, please will go to support INEB activities for grassroots contact : [email protected] people in SE Asia. Vol.32 No.1 January-April 2016 (2559) 5 Country Reports Burma : Ashin Tilawkar Biwonsa (top), Anti-Muslim Buddhist Group 77, Ma Ba Tha’s founder and chairman, talks during a Moves toward Myanmar’s Mainstream meeting at Ma Ba Tha’s head office in Yangon August 26, Timothy Mclaughlin and Hnin Yadana Zaw 2015. REUTERS/Soe Zeya Tun Yangon (Reuters) : Swathed are reliable for the country,” in crimson robes, 77-year- Ashin Tilawkar Biwonsa old Ashin Tilawkar Biwon- said in an interview. “There sa shuffles through a crowded might be some people, conference room with the especially Muslims, who help of an aide, his supporters are working on weakening standing in respect as he Buddhism, so we need takes a seat at the head of a strong people for our table under a portrait of his religion.” own image.