Finally Australia Admits: While Christianity Declines, Buddhism grows Rapidly 

Finally It's official. There are now more Buddhists in Australia than Baptists. 

The census figures show that we have not become more godless in the past five years. If anything we have become more spiritual or more confused, depending how the data is interpreted.
What is both undisputed and expected is that all main Christian denominations are in continued decline, with significant desertion from Anglican and Uniting Church denominations and, to a lesser extent, Roman Catholicism.

Somewhat surprisingly, however, is that fewer of us are prepared to label ourselves atheists or agnostics than we were five years ago. In 2001 just over 15 per cent of the population classified itself as having no religion, compared to 16.5 per cent in 1996.

The winners in the spirituality stakes are the eastern religions, but with immigration factors accounting for much of the increase, most notably with Islam and Hinduism.

There are now more Australian Hindus (.50 per cent) than Australian Jews, (.44 per cent) at least in a religious as opposed to cultural context. Not even migration patterns, however, can account for the growth in Buddhism. In 1996 just under 200,000 people identified themselves as followers of the Buddha. That number has since risen to 360,000, outnumbering Baptists by more almost 50,000.The president of the Baptist Union of Australia, the Rev Tim Costello, said yesterday that the figures were not surprising.

"The Christian churches' failure to deal with sexual abuse has enormously damaged their credibility, and that's where I think Buddhism has gained the edge," he said.

"Buddhism is personal, not collective, it doesn't have a heavy institutional framework - at least not in Australia - so on the surface it's probably much more appealing today.

"And there has not been betrayal of trust, which has happened with the clergy."
Roman Catholicism remains the largest single religion with more than one in four Australians identifying themselves as Catholic, lapsed or otherwise. And one in five cite Anglicanism as their faith of choice. Somewhat inexplicably, however, is a noticeable growth in the number lumped into the "inadequately described" category, which jumped from 54,000 in 1996 to more than 350,000 in 2001. 

This does not include the undisclosed number of saboteurs who chose to list Jedi Knight, despite pre-census warnings of possible prosecution. The undisclosed number of Star Wars Jedi worshippers was apparently included in the "other [non-Christian] religions" category.

So have many of us just become less articulate in describing our religious status?
Possibly not, says Paul Molloy, assistant director of the Bureau of Statistics' economic and population statistics unit, who admits the jump in invalid entries is more than a little perplexing.

But it is likely to have more to do with the failure of the bureau's new computerized handwriting-recognition system, he said, than any inability on the part of people to adequately express their burgeoning spirituality.

This story was found at: http://www.smh.com.au/articles/2002/06/17/1023864406040.html 

A Conversation with the Dalai Lama

TIME talks with the Tibetan spiritual leader 

A Gradual Awakening

With his shaved head and tattoos, Noah Levine is right at home on the Warped Tour with hard core punk bands like Rancid, Poison the Well and Suicide Machines. But Levine is a punk rocker with a passion for more than angry, defiant music. A self-described "spiritual revolutionary," he has "wisdom" and "compassion" tattooed on his hands and images of Buddha on his arms.

"When I met the Dalai Lama, he took my hands into his, looked at my tattoos and then into my eyes and exclaimed, 'Very colorful!', Levine said, laughing at the memory. The 32-year-old Levine is the son of the renowned spiritual teacher and writer Stephen Levine, author of the best sellers "A Gradual Awakening," "Embracing the Beloved" and "A Year to Live." 

That the younger Levine, a meditation teacher-in-training at Spirit Rock Meditation Center in Woodacre with a new book of his own, would follow in his famous father's footsteps was hardly a given. Once a teen-age drug addict and street punk, Levine tells his story of youthful rebellion, self-destruction and redemption in his memoir "Dharma Punx" (HarperSanFrancisco, $23.95), the title inspired by Jack Kerouac's "Dharma Bums."

"This honest, page-turning confession is a measure of the adaptability and usefulness of the Asian tradition of Buddhism for the young and the restless of contemporary America," Publishers Weekly said in its review. Mike Ness, lead singer of the punk band Social Distortion, said in an endorsement, "This book is a great success story that shows that violence, negativity and self-destruction don't accomplish anything."

As part of his book tour, Levine is traveling with the Warped Tour to promote "Dharma Punx" and to talk to young people about the salvation he found in Buddhism and spirituality." I'm selling books and making myself available, maybe doing some meditation classes for the bands and production staff," he said by phone from a tour stop in British Columbia. "And I'm getting out there and talking to the kids."

Levine has a cautionary tale to tell. After his parents divorced when he was a child, he was shuttled between his mother's home in Santa Cruz and his father's in New Mexico. Hostile and outraged by his broken home and what he perceived as the hypocrisy of the '60s generation and of American society in general, he lashed out and acted out, turning to drugs, alcohol and the fury of punk rock bands like Black Flag and Suicidal Tendencies to relieve his unhappiness.

In "Embracing the Beloved," Stephen Levine wrote of his son: "As our youngest child, Noah, dutifully rebelled, he rejected 'meditation and the lot.' Having mutinied with considerable energy and originality in our youth, we could not imagine how he might 'get to us' as we had 'gotten' to our parents ...Until the afternoon he came home from school with a tattoo and nailed me."

Incorrigible, young Noah became a child of the criminal justice system, sent to juvenile hall, group homes, drug and diversion programs. He would be released on probation only to end up in jail again. When he was 17, he found himself locked in a padded cell after a suicide attempt, and only then did he begin to turn his life around.

"I had an extreme adolescence, for sure," he said. "I got into drugs and stealing and anger that was somewhat alleviated and somewhat fueled by my obsession with punk rock. It was both the solution for me for a long time and a problem. I just hit such a rock bottom place of demoralization, being institutionalized over and over, that at 17, I knew I had to try something else, that what I was doing wasn't working and that it was going to get me locked up in prison for the rest of my life."

When his father called him in jail, offering some simple meditation instruction, Levine was finally desperate enough to surrender and listen. Aided by a 12-step program to deal with his addiction and travels in India and Asia to study with the masters, he found a measure of peace, beginning what is now a 15 year spiritual practice. 

"The first noble truth of the Buddha is that life is suffering," he said. "So that moved me and still moves me. I feel like I understand what are the real causes of suffering and what is the solution to get free, to end suffering. That's where the Buddhist path has inspired me and taught me."

Part of the solution for Levine has been to dedicate himself to serving others, particularly young people who may be as troubled and lost as he was. He notes in his book that most practicing Buddhists are aging baby boomers, and that people his age or younger are underrepresented in spiritual practice. That's one reason he's on the Warped Tour, to reach out to them.

"When I started practicing, I certainly felt like the only young person, and certainly the only tattooed punk rock person," he said. "That is slowly changing. As I get older, there are more thirtysomethings coming around to meditation. But you go to a retreat or a Buddhist center, the median age is going to be late 40s to 60s.

"A big part of my intention in writing the book was taking the baby boomer hippie stigma off of meditation and trying to make it accessible and applicable to my generation, saying this isn't just some mystical Asian tradition that's inaccessible. These are psychological, spiritual practices that lead to a greater sense of well-being, ease and happiness in our lives."

Seven years ago, Levine began teaching meditation in the very juvenile hall where he had been incarcerated. And for the past two years, he's led a weekly meditation group inside San Quentin Prison. Next month, he will finish his studies for a master's degree in counseling and psychology, and plans to work as a psychotherapist as well as a meditation teacher.

Spirit Rock in Woodacre has been an important part of his spiritual development. He has been Spirit Rock's director of family and teen programs and now studies under noted meditation teacher Jack Kornfield and leads daylong meditation classes and retreats. Kornfield describes "Dharma Punx" as "honesty and wildness that become transformed and inspiring."

In addition to his work at Spirit Rock, Levine leads a meditation group in San Francisco that he calls "Buddhism for the Next Generation."

"Honestly, I've connected personally with hundreds of young people who have been introduced through my efforts, I guess, through finally seeing a teacher of their own generation appear," he said. "I think I translate the Dharma in a way that's accessible for our generation. I speak a lot from how I directly practice with it and really bring in my life as an example ... the real nitty gritty."

Solution to Ayodhya possible: Dalai Lama

Tibetan spiritual leader the Dalai Lama on Wednesday said the 'master key' to solving the Ayodhya issue lies in the country's 'tradition of religious tolerance'.

"I am optimistic about a solution to the Ayodhya problem because India is the only country with centuries-old tradition of religious tolerance. Here, all religions exist together, something impossible in other countries," he told reporters in Raipur during a brief stopover.

"Unfortunately, in few cases, some concerned people have politicised such issues. It involves too much of politics and emotions because of which I was hesitant to touch it earlier," he said.

The spiritual leader denied he had any 'proposal or agenda' to solve the issue. "After reaching Delhi and Dharamshala and talking to my 'Buddhist brother' S N Goenka, some new ideas may emerge."

The Dalai Lama was on his way to Mainpat in Sarguja district in Chhattisgarh to visit a Tibetan settlement. During his brief stopover, he had a discussion with Chief Minister Raman Singh about the problems of the local people.

Let Peace Prevail on Earth

By Ven. Dr. K. Sri Dhammananda

The belief that the only way to fight aggression is by applying more aggressive methods has led to the arms race between the great powers. And this competition to increase the weapons of war has only brought mankind to the very brink of total self-destruction. If we do nothing about it, the next war will be the end of the world where there will be neither victors nor victim... only dead bodies. 

Hatred does not cease by hatred; By love alone does it cease. 

Such is the Buddha's advice to those who preach the doctrine of antagonism and ill-will, and who set men to war and rebellion against one another. Many people say that the Buddha's advice to return good for evil is impracticable. Actually, it is the only correct method to solve any problem. This method was introduced by the great Teacher from His own experience. Because we are proud and egoistic, we are reluctant to return good for evil, thinking that the public may treat us as being cowardly people. Some people even think that expressions of kindness, honesty, patience and gentleness are signs of weakness. But what harm is there if we could settle our problems and bring peace and happiness by adopting this cultured method and by sacrificing our dangerous egoism? 

Tolerance

Tolerance must be practised if peace is to come to this earth. Force and compulsion will only create intolerance. To establish peace and harmony among mankind, each and everyone of us must first learn to practise the ways leading to the extinction of hatred, greed and delusion, the roots of all evil forces. If mankind can eradicate these evil forces, tolerance and peace will come to this restless world.Today the followers of the most compassionate Buddha have a special duty to work for the establishment of peace in the world and to show an example to others by following their Master's advice

Peace is always obtainable. The way to peace is not only through prayers and rituals. Peace is the result of man's mental development, harmony with his fellow beings and with his environment. The peace that we try to introduce by force is not a lasting peace. It could be likened to a truce between the conflict of selfish desire and fleeting worldly conditions.Peace cannot exist on this earth without the practice of kindness and tolerance. To be tolerant, we must have proper understanding, with unbiased mind. The Buddha says, 

No enemy can harm one so much as one's own thoughts of craving, hate and jealousy. 

Buddhism is a religion of perfect understanding because it preaches a life of self-restraint and self-reliance. Buddhism teaches a life based not on rules but on principles. Buddhism has never persecuted or maltreated those whose beliefs are different. The Teaching of the Buddha is such that anyone can practise the Noble religious Principles even without any religious labels. 

The world is like a mirror; if you look at it with a smiling face, you can see your own, beautiful smiling face. On the other hand, if you look at it with a grim face, you will invariably see ugliness. Similarly, if you treat the world kindly the world will also certainly treat you in like manner. Learn to be peaceful with yourself and the world in return will also be peaceful with you. 

Man's mind is given to so much self-deceit or egoistic ideas that he does not want to admit his own weaknesses. He will try to find some lame excuses to justify his wrong action so as to create an illusion that he is blameless. If a man really wants to be free from problems, he must have the courage to admit such weakness. The Buddha says: 

Easily seen are other's faults; Hard indeed it is to see one's own faults.

The history of mankind is a continuous manifestation of man's greed, hatred, pride, jealousy, selfishness and delusion. It is mentioned that during the last 3,000 years, men have fought 15,000 major wars. Is this the characteristic feature of man? What is his destiny? If they are really human how can they bring destruction to their fellow beings?

Although men, have discovered and invented many important things which people have not known before, they have also made great advances leading towards the destruction of their own kind by misusing this new discoveries. Many human dignity and civilisations have been completely erased from this earth. Modern man has become so sophisticated in his art and techniques of warfare that it is now possible for him to turn the whole of mankind into ashes within a few seconds. The world has become a storehouse of military hardware as a result of a little game called 'Military Superiority.'

We are told that the prototype of a nuclear weapon is more powerful than the atomic bomb which was dropped at Hiroshima, Japan in August, 1945. Scientists believe that a few hundred thermonuclear weapons will chart the course towards, universal destruction. just see what human beings are doing to their own human race! Think what sort of a scientific development it is! See how cruel and selfish man has become!Man should not pander to his aggressive, intrinsic attitude. He should instead uphold the noble teachings of the religious teachers and display justice with morality to enable peace to prevail.

Treaties, pacts and peace formulae have been adopted and millions of words have been spoken by countless world leaders throughout the world who pro. claim that they have finally found the way to maintain and promote peace on earth. But for all their efforts, they have not even succeeded in removing the threat to mankind. The reasons for this is that we have all failed to educate our young to truly understand and respect the need for selfless service and instill in them the danger of selfishness. To guarantee true peace, we must use every method available to us to educate our young to practice love, goodwill and understanding. 

The Buddhist Attitude

Buddhists should not be the aggressors even in protecting their religion. They must try their best to avoid any kind of violent act. Sometimes they may be forced to go to war by others who do not respect the concept of the brotherhood of man as taught by the Buddha. They may be called upon to defend their fellow men from aggression, and as long as they have not renounced the worldly life, they are duty-bound to join in the struggle for peace and freedom. Under these circumstances, they cannot be blamed for their actions in becoming a soldier or being involved in defense. However, if everyone were to follow the advice of the Buddha, there would be no reason for war to take place in this world. It is the duty of every cultured man to find all possible ways and means to settle disputes in a peaceful manner, without declaring war to kill his fellow men. The Buddha did not teach His followers to surrender to any form of evil powers. 

Indeed, with reason and science, man could conquer nature, and yet man has not yet even secured his own life. Why is it that life is in danger? While devoted to reason and being ruled by science, man has forgotten that he has a heart which has long been neglected and been left to wither away and be polluted by selfish desire. 

If we cannot secure our own lives, then how can world peace be possible? TO obtain peace, we must train our minds to face facts. We must be objective and humble. We must realise that no one person, nor one nation is always wrong. To obtain peace, we must also share the richness of the earth. We should not deprive the living right of others.

It is simply inconceivable that five percent of the world's population should enjoy fifty percent of its wealth, or that twenty-five percent of the world should be fairly well-fed and some over-fed, while seventy-five percent of the world is always hungry. Peace will only come when nations are willing to share, the rich to help the poor and the strong to help the weak, thus creating international good will. Only if and when these conditions are met, can we envision a world with no excuse for wars. 

The madness of the armaments race must stop! The amount of money and human lives that various governments waste in the battlefield should be diverted to build up the economies to elevate the standard of living of the people.The world cannot have peace until men and nations renounce selfish desires, give up racial arrogance, and eradicate crazy attitude for possession and power. Wealth cannot secure happiness. Religion alone can affect the necessary change of heart and bring about the only real disarmament... that of the mind. 

All religions teach people not to kill; but unfortunately this important religious principle is conveniently ignored. Today, with modern armaments, man can kill millions within one second. Very unfortunately some people bring religious labels, slogan and banners even into their battlefields. They do not know that by so doing they are only disgracing the good name of religion. 

Verily, 0 Monk,' said the Buddha, 'due to sensuous craving, kings fight with kings, princes with princes, priests with priests, citizens with citizens, the mother quarrels with the son, the son quarrels with the father, brother with brother, brother with sister, sister with brother, friend with friend. Majhhima Nikaya

We can happily say that for nearly 3000 years there has never been any serious discord or conflict created by Buddhists that led to war in the name of this religion. This is the result of the dynamic character of the concept of tolerance contained in the Buddha's teaching. 

People today are restless, weary filled with jealousy. They are intoxicated with the selfish desire to gain more fame, wealth and power. They crave for gratification of the senses. People are passing their days in fear, suspicion and insecurity. In this time of turmoil and crisis, it becomes difficult for people to coexist peacefully with their fellowmen. There is therefore, a great need for tolerance in the world today so that peaceful coexistence among the people of the world can be possible. 

The world has bled and suffered from the disease of dogmatism and of intolerance. The land of many countries today are soaked with the blood needlessly spilled on the earth. Whether in religion or politics people have been conscious of a mission to bring humanity only to their own way of life and have been aggressive towards the ways of life of others. 

Let us look back on this present century of highly publicized 'Progress'... a century of gadgets and inventions. The array of new scientific and technical devices is dazzling... the hand phone, facsimile, telephone, electric motors, aeroplanes, radio, television, computers, internet, space ship, satellites and electronic devices... 

Yet in this same century the children of the earth who have developed all these inventions as the ultimate in progress, are the same people who I-lave butchered millions of others by bayonets or bullets, gas or bomb. Amidst all the great 'Progress', where does the spirit of tolerance stand? 

Today man is interested in exploring outer space when he is totally unable to live even as man-to-man in peace and harmony on the earth. Man will eventually desecrate the other planets. 

For the sake of material gain, modern man violates nature. His mental activities are so preoccupied with his pleasure that he is unable to discover the meaning of life. This unnatural behaviour of present day mankind is the result of his wrong conception of human life and its ultimate aim. It is the cause of the frustration, fear, insecurity and intolerance of our present time.

In fact, today intolerance is still being practiced in the name of religion. People merely talk of religion and pro. mise to provide short cuts to paradise. If Muslims really follow the concept of Brotherhood, if Christians live by the Sermon on the Mount, if the Hindus shape their life in oneness and if Buddhists follow the Noble Eightfold Path, definitely there will be peace and harmony in this world of ours. In spite of the invaluable Teachings of the great religious teachers, people have still not realised the value of harmony and understanding. The intolerance that is practised in the name of religion is most disgraceful and deplorable. 

The Buddha's advice is 

Let us live happily, not hating those who hate us. Among those who hate us, let us live free from hatred. Let us live happily and free from ailment. Let us live happily and be free from greed; among those who are greedy.

Our Duty

Today, more than at any other time in history, peace seems remote and has become the most unattainable commodity in the world. There have been wars and conflicts before, there have also been terrible tyrants and oppressive governments, but never have there been these forces which seem bent on wrecking human lives been so effective on a global scale. As Buddhists, we too have a great responsibility to support all right thinking men who endeavour to join hands to stop this madness which is threatening to destroy our planet. 

Is there a phase in human history when people are contented after getting what they desire? Is it possible to satisfy the insatiable thirst of man's craving and anxiety? Is it not so that the more we feed our senses, the more the craving grows? How good will it be if men can develop contentment that the Buddha had appreciated. 

Millions of innocent human beings now have to flee from their homelands as refugees. There are no words in the human vocabulary that can fully describe the sorrow and agony inflicted by war on the people. 'War', according to Albert Einstein, 'Is a savage and inhuman relic of an age of barbarism.' And he is right. 

It seems to me today that man is a creature that finds greater pleasure in destruction than creation. Is it in man's intrinsic nature to fight? No, it looks more like men finding peace so boring and war is exciting. 

The Buddha has clearly stated in the Dhammapada. 

Though one should conquer a million men in the battlefield, Yet he, indeed is the noblest victor who has conquered himself. 

It is easy to kill, rob and threaten, but it takes greater strength to control the mind when it is influenced by anger and jealousy. Love and compassion are not symptoms of weakness but of strength. It takes a truly strong man to refrain from taking revenge. 

The Buddha says in Dhammapada 

Self-conquest is, indeed far greater than the conquest of all other folk, no other supernatural being can win back the victory of such a person who is self-subdued and ever lives in restraint. 

Such sentiments have been echoed in the teachings of other religious leaders who came before and after the Buddha, but the Buddha alone has stated in no uncertain terms that there can be no excuse whatsoever for attack or even retaliation. There is no excuse for aggression of any kind for the Buddhists. He says: We should not be the aggressors but the defenders. 

Racial arrogance, religious discrimination, traditional and customary practices, language and cultural differences, political conflicts, superiority and inferiority complexes, capitalism and poverty are some of the main causes which arouse man's prejudice capable of persuading him to inflict violence and bloodshed on others. Selfishness or egoistic ideas will only further aggravate the situation. 

So as human beings, our task is to convince the world that peace is something which can be achieved not by conquering others but by conquering our own selfishness. 

The Buddhist way is not to increase the numbers of those who label them. selves 'Buddhists' but to increase the number of noble human beings who do not fear to speak out against war and reject hatred. By realizing the dangerous situation of the world today, we hope that Buddhists all over the world, irrespective of their religious denominations or sects, will contribute something within their capacity to maintain peace and harmony for human beings to live without fear and worry. 

All tremble at punishment, All fear death; Comparing others with oneself, One should neither kill nor cause to kill. 

For More Articles of Dr.K.Sri Dhammananda kindly connect to

http://www.ksridhammananda.com   &     http://www.buddhist-book.com/massege.htm

Why Buddhists are Calmer?

That transcendental smile on many a Buddhist's face could hide a deeper truth: their religion appears to be the secret of long-term happiness. Researchers in America have found that a spot in the brain called the left prefrontal lobe which is associated with positive emotions and good moods, is unusually active among practicing Buddhists.

Richard Davison, a researcher at the Laboratory for Affective Neuroscience at the University of Wisconsin, made the discovery after scanning the brains of committed Buddhists. Owen Flanagan, professor of philosophy at Duke University in North Carolina, writing in New Scientist, said the results were "tantalising".

He said: "We can now hypothesize with some confidence that those apparently happy, calm Buddhist souls really are happy." Behind those calm exteriors lie persistently frisky left prefrontal lobes. If these findings are widely confirmed, they will be of great importance."

He said the prefrontal lobes had long been known to play a major role in foresight, planning and self control. They were now also known to be crucially involved in emotion, mood and temperament. Prof Flanagan said he did not think it reasonable to suppose that Tibetan Buddhists were born with a "happiness gene" that activated their left prefrontal lobes.

A more likely explanation was there was something about Buddhist practice that produced happiness, he said. Prof Flanagan said that other research suggested Buddhists might be able to control a second part of the brain's emotion system which is normally automatic. The amygdala - twin almond-shaped structures in the forebrain - act as a quick trigger that deals with fear, anxiety and surprise, and also probably helps to make us angry. It is hard to override the amygdala's 'feelings' simply by thinking rationally.

Tibetans to expose 'real face' of China during Kalchakra

Tibetans are trying to expose the "real face" of China during the nine-day Kalchakra festival, which starts on January 11 in Bodh Gaya.

"We will certainly use the Kalchakra festival to propagate our cause by distributing booklets, pamphlets, photographs and showing documentary films," says an official of the department of information and international relations of the Tibetan government-in-exile.

The Dalai Lama leads the special Kalchakra prayers. About half-a-million Buddhists from all over the world are expected to attend the festival this year.

A large number of propaganda materials have been brought from Dharamshala, Himachal Pradesh. "It is the cheapest way for Tibetans to narrate their tale of woes before a largely sympathetic audience," official said.

There will be a photo-exhibition depicting Chinese oppression in Tibet, destruction of monasteries and other holy places and harassment of the locals. Last year, too, such an exhibition was organised.

A 38-page publication in English and Tibetan titled 'Beijing needs the Dalai Lama for Peace and Stability in Tibet', one among the many being distributed, makes it clear that peace and stability cannot return to Tibet without the Dalai Lama's participation in governance.

"The basic flaw in China's new policy in its efforts to solve the problem of Tibet is the thinking that the solution can exclude the involvement of His Holiness the Dalai Lama. The other is in attempting to solve the problem over the heads of Tibet's citizens," it says.

The booklet quotes the Dalai Lama as saying, "I am not seeking independence. As I have said many times before, what I am seeking is for the Tibetan people to be given the opportunity to have genuine self-rule in order to preserve their civilisation and for the unique Tibetan culture, religion, language and way of life to grow and thrive. My main concern is to ensure the survival of the Tibetan people with their unique Buddhist cultural heritage."

The booklet says that China's policy of forcing Tibetans, particularly monks and the nuns, to denounce His Holiness will prove counterproductive.

Tibetan autonomy: Dalai Lama seeks active role of India

Ahead of Chinese Premier Zhu Rongji's visit to India, Tibetan spiritual leader Dalai Lama on Saturday said India should play a more active role in realizing the Himalayan state's long-standing demand for autonomy. 
The Chinese premier is to reach India on January 13, on his first official visit. 

"After years of failed peace talks and violent suppression of Tibetans, I feel the international community, especially India should play a more active role in facilitating autonomy to Tibet," the spiritual head of the Tibetans said at a seminar 'Tibet and India - Shared concerns' in Delhi. 

Emphasizing that his 'ceaseless efforts to free Tibet from Chinese rule would continue", the Nobel peace prize winner said he had toned down the demand from 'complete independence' to just 'autonomy', so that a 'compromise deal could be struck' and the state's heritage and the ecology could be 'saved'. 

"What is happening in Tibet is a mindless assault on our religious freedom. Lamas are being arrested, monasteries shut down and there is degradation of the ecology of the Tibetan plateau due to deforestation and dumping of nuclear waste" by China, the Dalai Lama said. 

The Unrecognized Sacrifices of Buddhist Women During the Vietnam War

Robert Topmiller, Ph.D

Introduction 

In May 1967, a young South Vietnamese Buddhist woman named Nhat Chi Mai penned a series of letters to the combatants in her homeland and the president of the United States and then immolated herself in an attempt to stop the conflict in her nation. In her message to Lyndon Johnson, she asked the US leader, “Do you realize that most Vietnamese in the bottom of our hearts feel hatred towards Americans who have brought the sufferings of the war to our country?" In many ways, her self-sacrifice expressed Buddhist distress over the war while also indicating that women stood at the forefront of antiwar activism in South Vietnam. Yet, although much has been written in recent years about the military contributions of American and Vietnamese women during the conflict, little has been said about Vietnamese women in the peace movement. This essay seeks to demonstrate that their toils conformed to a long tradition of feminine service to Vietnam that reflected the highest traditions of Buddhism while also challenging common stereotypes of southern women as hapless victims, revolutionary fighters or sex workers. Instead, it shows them actively working to determine the future of their country. 

Historians, who have noted the elevated status of women throughout Vietnamese history, ascribe this condition to a number of factors. Peasants in the Red River Delta, the cradle of Vietnamese civilization, practiced a rough form of egalitarianism due to the incessant labor demands of working smallholdings in one of the most densely populated areas in the world. Vietnamese women could inherit property and keep their names after marriage. Often women exercised leadership in commercial and economic ventures because of the Confucian view of trade as an activity not conducive to achieving social harmony. Males, on the other hand, dominated politics. 

The enhanced position of women particularly emerged during times of war and foreign invasion. One Vietnamese proverb holds, “When war comes, even the women must fight,” illustrating the need for every Vietnamese to resist external threats. The use of guerrilla warfare to defeat aggressors placed a special burden on women, who had to support the soldiers in the field, tend businesses, care for families and provide intelligence for the insurgents.

The exploits of heroic women appear throughout Vietnamese history. The Trung sisters stand as the great cultural heroes of Vietnam. For many Vietnamese, they personify the most powerful symbol of Vietnamese nationalism since they led a popular rebellion against China in 40 CE, ruling an independent Vietnam for three years until they committed suicide rather than submit to an occupying army. Their revolt carries significant emotional and patriotic weight as an illustration of Vietnam’s long history of resistance to foreign invasion. 

The country’s foremost literary work, The Tale of Kieu, tells the story of a beautiful young woman engaged to be married when misfortune befalls her family. To fulfill her filial duty, Kieu becomes a prostitute to save her family from financial ruin. When she finally reunites with her fiancé, they pledge to remain forever celibate to honor their reunification. Many commentators believe that Kieu represents Vietnam, a nation forced constantly to prostitute itself to resist foreign domination. One historian even argues that Vietnamese have developed a feminine self-image as a result of their heroic characterizations of women.

Women participated in the formation of the National Liberation Front (the NLF, better known as the Viet Cong), and some historians estimate that they made up as much as 50 percent of the NLF. Women also fought in large numbers North Vietnam during the war with the Americans.  Since women performed many critical wartime tasks, it remains unsurprising that some worked to end the conflict and bring peace to their country as well. In fact, their political and social activism can be seen as a continuation of their long history of battling to save their nation.

Women And the Buddhist Peace Movement 

The three mottos of Vietnamese Buddhism are compassion, wisdom and involvement, which means that Buddhists cannot ignore pain or suffering, but must actively work to end it. While non-violence and empathy represent the essence of Buddhism, Vietnamese particularly expect women to serve humanity. The Vietnamese Bodhisattva of Compassion is Quan The Am. According to some scholars, the Vietnamese altered her gender from a male to a female “to better fit the needs of the people” since “a female Bodhisattva has more compassion." Quan The Am represents the epitome of Buddhist benevolence in that she remains intensely interested in ending human suffering, reinforcing the image of women as saviors of the nation.

Driven by a desire to practice compassion, South Vietnamese Buddhists launched a nationwide peace campaign from 1963-67.  Led by their charismatic leader, Thich Tri Quang, Buddhists dreamed of sparking a social revolution that would eradicate poverty and injustice while bringing relief to Vietnamese whose lives of extreme poverty rendered them susceptible to NLF promises of a future egalitarian society under its tutelage.The growing war in the countryside particularly concerned Buddhists because of the suffering involved and its potential to derail their social transformation. They concluded that a democratic government, reflecting the popular will to end the war, remained the most effective avenue to peace.

Hence, when Buddhist compassion intersected with a desire to save their people, Buddhist women joined the peace movement in large numbers. Yet, their entry into the political realm represented a significant departure from their normal roles, especially on the part of nuns. Vietnamese Buddhism has attracted more women than men since the Le Dynasty in the 15th Century and has long been considered the religion of women perhaps because it “deals more with the heart and mind” and focuses on “compassion, on emotions, [and] on loving and caring.”  Nevertheless, women have traditionally accepted a subordinate position, partially because of the Buddha’s ambivalence over their admission, but also reflecting the secondary position of many women in Asian society. Most Vietnamese assume that nuns will shun political activity and worldly concerns since many join Buddhist orders to escape earthly problems and have little outside contact after they enter a nunnery. 

Expected mainly to serve Buddha and the people, the status of women in Vietnamese Buddhism remains one of subservience and ambivalence. Families generally express regret when an offspring joins the temple because of her lost earning ability and separation from the family. Yet, they also feel pride that a daughter has decided to work for their religion. Nuns follow arduous monastic regulations, which include strict dietary rules and highly structured daily schedules, and have to conform to more policies than monks in similar capacities. More importantly, they must project love and kindness at all times and shows no anger or hostility towards any creature. 

Despite the fact that many felt great ambivalence about entering the political arena, the Buddha’s injunction to always practice compassion forced them to no longer remain silent and apolitical. As one nun pointed out, “when the US military left, the people were poor but they didn’t care, they had what they wanted: peace, independence and freedom." Although many Vietnamese condemned women for engaging in political activity, their history, religious and cultural orientation and belief in their obligation to their people left them no choice. They had to try to stop the killing. As one Buddhist pointed out, “You cannot be silent and be a religious leader." Hence, Buddhist women participated in demonstrations, helped place family altars in the streets, led students out of classes to protest against the war, made efforts to lessen burdens created by the conflict, and volunteered to immolate themselves to call attention to the plight of their nation. While it is never easy to defy long-held social and cultural conventions, particularly in a tradition-bound society like Vietnam, thousands did. In the words of Cao Ngoc Phuong, “How could we educate young people to respect life while ignoring the killing of human beings? . . . Even at the risk of arrest or torture, we had to work for peace.”

Women followed countless paths to peace. Tran Hong Lien, a noted scholar and historian of Vietnamese Buddhism, joined the peace movement to resist a foreign invader - the US - while Dan Thi Lau Anh, a university professor, claims that many women went to jail during the war “because they wanted to serve the Buddha.” Duong Van Mai Elliot embraced the growing Third Force movement, a group that believed in a non-American, noncommunist solution to the war. One militant who helped “build temporary homes and . . . collect donated clothes for the war victims in Saigon,” subsequently became an antiwar campaigner at Cornell University and a member of the Third Force. Another Buddhist woman allied with the movement and gained a stay in prison after witnessing the self-immolation of Thich Quang Duc in 1963. She became a social activist after the Communist victory in 1975. One nun joined the 1963 Buddhist agitation against Ngo Dinh Diem and served a jail term until Diem's removal in late 1963. Later on as the war expanded, she headed an orphanage until the Communist victory in 1975. After the war, she came to the US and continued her activities in America. Another nun worked for four years as a teacher to take out a personal loan, which she used to open a medical clinic for the poor that also educated young women to work in the medical field”

The Government of South Vietnam (GVN) treated members of the peace movement harshly, often confining them in its worst locations for years. Yet, many women talk about their time in prison with a stunning casualness, especially when considering the horrific conditions that existed within the South Vietnamese penal system. American peace activist Alfred Hassler argues that the GVN arrested “five thousand Buddhist monks, nuns, lay leaders and students” after it crushed the 1966 movement in Danang and Hue. Religious historian Sallie King claims that in 1968, “of 1870 prisoners in Chi Hoa Prison, Saigon, 1665 were listed on the daily census as Buddhists, fifty as Communist.” Journalist Stanley Karnow maintains that the GVN locked up hundreds of peace activists and held them in prison for years without due process or trial, while Asian political scientist George Kahin asserts that many Buddhists remained jailed until 1975.  Moreover, Amnesty International estimated that over 200,000 political prisoners remained incarcerated in Indochina by the end of 1972, with the majority being held in South Vietnamese prisons.

Cao Ngoc Phuong and the SYSS 

The ultimate failure to achieve popular democracy led many Buddhists to embrace the Third Force concept. They claimed to be neither anti-NLF or anti-US but pro-peace since “the Buddhists sided with neither [of the combatants] but with their shared victims: the Vietnamese masses." Rejecting the idea that the conflict had to be settled on the battlefield, many saw the Third Force as a way for the US to withdraw from South Vietnam with its honor intact while allowing the Vietnamese to determine their own fate.

Sensing significant war weariness after a quarter-century of conflict, in the early 1960s, Buddhist monk Thich Nhat Hanh helped found Van Hanh University, a Buddhist school still operating in Vietnam, and the School of Youth for Social Service (SYSS). Yet, he spent most of the war outside South Vietnam, leaving the leadership and dangerous work to Cao Ngoc Phuong. While Thich Nhat Hanh got the lion’s share of the credit for the SYSS, Cao Ngoc Phuong served as its inspirational leader and the person most responsible for its success. Under her tutelage, women constituted 25 percent of the SYSS student body. 

In her memoir of the SYSS, Cao Ngoc Phuong lays particular emphasis on Engaged Buddhism, a tract written by Thich Nhat Hanh in 1964 calling for radical activism to lessen the suffering of the Vietnamese people. Despite the fact that the GVN outlawed this work, Buddhists smuggled over four thousand copies out of Saigon and spread them all over the country. The document electrified much of the Buddhist organization and a significant portion of the urban population with the hope that the Buddhists could bring relief to the people.

Cao Ngoc Phuong understood that inchoate feelings of helplessness and rage had been produced by an extreme demographic and price revolution, which exerted intense pressure on many people. The explosive growth of cities had an especially overpowering influence on Vietnamese society and drove SYSS efforts to relieve these conditions.While the movement of so many people to urban areas enabled the GVN to maintain better control over the population, it also produced demands for additional services in the midst of a general deterioration of living conditions during a time of seeming prosperity, particularly as inflation eroded wage increases among white-collar salaried workers. Growing municipal populations created enormous slums, while a general breakdown in urban services plagued Saigon, where crime and prostitution soared, garbage was never collected, roads never repaired and busses never ran on time. 

The SYSS represented the culmination of Cao Ngoc Phuong's belief in Engaged Buddhism. Disagreeing with the militancy of Thich Tri Quang, she argued for a Buddhism bereft of political action that focused on remedying the people’s suffering.She saw the SYSS as a Third Force inside South Vietnam neither supporting nor opposing the GVN or the NLF while training young people to alleviate the pain caused by the fighting. Eventually, despite the war going on around them and under her tireless leadership, members of the SYSS opened schools, built hospitals, fed the hungry, housed the homeless, cared for refugees, arranged for local truces during natural disasters, worked for peace and tried to keep the light of compassion glowing in a war-torn society suffering significant economic dislocation.

Cao Ngoc Phuong did not confine herself to social action, however. Kahin, one of the foremost Southeast Asian scholars in the world and an outspoken opponent of the Vietnam War, visited South Vietnam at the end of 1966 as part of a US effort to get antiwar intellectuals like him on board. Instead, he traveled around the country and discovered an active underground network trying to achieve peace and open talks with the NLF.

At one point, Buddhists asked Kahin if he would like to meet representatives of the NLF. They instructed him to go to a pharmacy in Saigon and request a certain prescription. When he did, Cao Ngoc Phuong escorted him to the meeting. Although an extremely dangerous task on his and her part, the meeting confirmed to Kahin that large segments of the NLF did not adhere to Communism and mainly joined the movement to oppose US intervention. Understanding the need for the American people to hear Vietnamese opinions, Kahin later brought Cao Ngoc Phuong to Cornell University to give the other side of the story. 

Eventually the Saigon regime threatened to imprison Cao Ngoc Phuong for her peace activities. After escaping from South Vietnam, she toured the US, calling on Americans to oppose the war and later joined the Buddhist Peace Delegation to the Paris Peace talks.  Although the Communists branded her a war criminal after 1975, she still attempts to help her people by leading campaigns to aid victims of natural disasters and displaced boat people, while calling for human rights and religious freedom in Communist Vietnam. 
Self-immolation

Self-immolation, which emerged from traditional Buddhist beliefs on the importance of compassion and non-violence, remains the most enduring symbol of Buddhist opposition to the war. While most historians agree that the Vietnamese paid a ghastly price for America’s obsession with Communism, few acknowledge the presence of an independent peace movement in the country. Why is it that historians can accept the deaths of millions to fight the war yet find it so hard to believe that some died for peace?

In many ways, self-immolation represents the highest manifestation of non-violence since the person committing the act chooses to harm herself rather than another being. In addition, the Buddha’s injunction always to act with benevolence could be fulfilled by a person willing to sacrifice herself to call attention to the plight of the Vietnamese. While the positive karma gained from dying for Buddhism seemed sure to benefit the people, Buddhists argued vigorously that self-immolation did not constitute suicide. Rather than the act of a despondent person fleeing the problems of the world, it sought to liberate the people from a ruinous war. Moreover, attempts by Buddhist women to end the war by immolating themselves remained consistent with Buddhist precepts wherein they felt compelled to sacrifice themselves to end the killing. Seen in this light, it becomes easier to understand self-immolation, although the grim nature of the act gives further evidence of the torment felt by Buddhists over the conflict.

The first and most spectacular self-immolation during the 1963 Buddhist Crisis stamped an image on the Vietnam War that has never faded away. In June 1963, as the Buddhist rebellion against Ngo Dinh Diem gained momentum, an elderly monk named Thich Quang Duc calmly sat on a busy Saigon street and set himself on fire. While his act electrified world opinion, he died believing that he would become a bodhisattva for calling attention to the desperate conditions in South Vietnam.Women also joined the 1963 protest. In August 1963, an eighteen-year-old Buddhist girl attempted to cut off her hand “as a humble contribution while our religion is in danger,” two other Buddhist nuns immolated themselves and, Do Thi Thea, a member of the Vietnamese royal family publicly offered to burn herself to support the Buddhist cause. 


During the Buddhist Crisis of 1966, the most serious Buddhist challenge to the war, women again sacrificed themselves to express their anguish over the continuing conflict. In May 1966 nursing student Do Thi Bich “used her own blood to write letters” denouncing the Saigon regime. A week later, Thich Nu Thanh Quang set herself on fire to make the world hear “the tragic voice of my people” bemoaning the fact that “For twenty years . . . much of the blood of our compatriots has flowed because of a war without reason.” The same day, Ho Thi Thieu burnt herself to oppose “the inhuman actions of Generals Thieu and Ky, henchmen of the Americans,” and nineteen-year-old Thich Nu Vinh Ngoc immolated herself. On May 31, seventeen-year-old Nguyen Thi Van sacrificed herself. On June 4, Thich Du Dien Dinh set herself on fire, twenty-four year old Thich Nu Bao Luan burnt herself, and Dieu Nu also sacrificed herself.  On June 17, another girl set herself on fire. [lix] More women would have sacrificed themselves, but Thich Tri Quang halted the immolations when he realized that the GVN aimed to destroy the movement and pursue the war

Yet, women still attempted to bring peace to Vietnam. Although demoralized by GVN constraints, Buddhist peace advocates gained new life from Nhat Chi Mai's 1967 self-immolation. Despite severe GVN repression, fifty thousand Vietnamese marched in her funeral procession, a potent indicator of the antiwar feelings of many and an acknowledgment of the depth and importance of her sacrifice. [lx] When the GVN announced plans to hold elections for a Constituent Assembly in September 1967, Buddhist leaders proclaimed they would boycott the voting since the GVN banned peace and neutralist elements from running for office. [lxi] The voting set off another round of immolations, mostly by women, who objected to the "mandate" supplied to a government that gained less than 35 percent of the vote. In quick succession, Thich Nu Tri immolated herself on October 3, another nun sacrificed herself on October 8, Thich Nu Hue committed the act on October 22 and Thich Nu Thuong burnt herself on November 1.

As long as the war continued women showed their disgust with the ongoing conflict. On June 4, 1970, Thich Nu Lien Tap immolated herself, and in May 1971, Nguyen Thi Co and Thich Nu Tinh Nhuan sacrificed themselves. In October 1971, Thich Nu Tinh Cuong burnt herself; in 1972, Thich Nu Dien Han set herself on fire and in 1974 Thich Nu Du Dieu burnt herself. Buddhist women did not shrink from committing the most horrible forms of self-sacrifice to bring comfort to their people. At the same time, other women continued to protest against the war despite extreme GVN suppression of the movement. 

Conclusion 

In the four-year period from 1963-67, Buddhist women made extraordinary efforts to halt the conflict in their country, including no less than fifteen self-immolations, while others performed additional forms of non-violent protest. In the end, many suffered imprisonment and persecution because of their beliefs. Despite the fact that their labors have received little attention, women constituted the critical core of Buddhist efforts to end the war. Women who joined the peace movement risked prison, defied social norms, endured enormous pain, placed themselves in jeopardy and made extraordinary sacrifices to save their country. Unfortunately, as Karnow argues, their “zeal could not stop the American and Communist machines that were . . . tearing the country’s social fabric to shreds.” But their struggle to stop the war and end the suffering remained a valid pursuit for religious figures. Their entry into the political realm proved unsuccessful. But how else could they stop a war others were determined to fight?

How should their efforts be judged? As a political movement they failed because the war continued for many years. Yet, as King argues, “theirs is one of the great examples of courage, altruism, and activist spirituality of all time . . . . The Buddhists who participated in the Struggle Movement, who worked in the countryside to help peasants survive, who immolated themselves for peace - these people were moved, in fact, by the ideals of their Buddhist faith.”

“I want to use my body as a torch . . . 
to dissipate the darkness . . . and to bring peace to Vietnam.”

- Nhat Chi Mai (Woman Patriot)

Conversations with a Dhayanist Monk

Nguyen Tien Doan

In the early 80s, I had the occasion of reading the French version of Zen doctrine by the Japanese professor D.T. Suzuki, a book lent to me by writer Nguyen Huu Dang. A volume of that work, "Satori" catches my attention. I have consulted many French and Vietnamese dictionaries in my possession and acquired a clear enough explanation of that key-word of Buddhism. One day, I was informed from a carpenter in the neighbourhood that a monk of Ho Chi Minh City just came to settle down in the pagoda of Vu Doai village (Vu Thu district) in my Thai Binh province. According to the rumour, this religious Doctor in Buddhism had undertaken studies in several countries. The desire for knowledge took me to seek his lights.

That was in June 1982, while I was undertaking research on the village of Hanh Dung Nghia in Vu Thu which accommodates the fortifications of the hero-gangster Phan Ba Vanh, and on many patriot scholars of the XIXth century.

I arrived early at the pagoda of Vu Doan with the intention of asking the real meaning of "Satori". The small temple is located separately, in a very quiet place. A twisted path covered with grass leads to it. The morning breeze brings the fragrant perfume of betel nut flowers, ngau and almond trees. The moss draws mysterious designs on the tiles on the ground, on the walls and the roof. Next to the ground is an old thatched house with three compartments and two sloping roofs. I pushed my bicycle and waited, intrigued by the deserted atmosphere. A moment later, an old woman came out from the kitchen and asked me:-May I help you Sir?

-Can I meet with the Venerable?

-He is in the pagoda. Please wait a minute.

The Venerable finally presented himself. He is a man of over fifty, calm and nimble, with very clear eyes which seem to read in your soul, with a brown beard recalling that of Bodhidharma. He made me feel quite easy with his natural approach.

-Venerable, you come from the South? - I asked him.

-Just a few days ago, What makes me the honour….? O I read books on Thien (Zen). I meet with a word that I don’t understand well. Would you be kind to…Knowing that I am a researcher in history, the monk smiled and gently said:

-You better consult the libraries. I hurriedly left the South without carrying documents, even forgetting to take my reading glass. My mother and I have only few possessions and a rosary. Excuse me…I insist, a little embarrassed:-It would not take you long, Venerable. I only want to ask you the meaning of just one word.

-Which word?

-"Satori"! In the book by Suzuki on the Zen doctrine.-In what language is it?

-In French. Published in Paris.

-You know Chinese characters?

-Not much.

The monk invited me to sit. He began talking, carried away by the subject. He expressed with ease and conviction of a Nagorika Convinda (Character from "The Way of the White Clouds").He began to evoke the theory of knowledge by K. Marx and Bertrand Russell in which certain approaches meet. That of Buddhism is not very far off but its rationalism and abstraction seems more complex and more varied to me…After having tasted some tea to hear his voice, the monk told me about Eight knowledge’s (Bat Thuc) in the theory of Buddhist knowledge. He gave me in Chinese ideogram the word "Giac" (awareness).According to him, the objective perception concerning outside objects and especially of oneself is very difficult. One can think of the wins over by Lao Tse: "He who knows is clear-sighted, he who wins over oneself is strong". The "Giac" (awareness) must reach a degree of maturation to the point of bringing the subject to the highest point of concentration, which provokes explosion of knowledge, the ngo (prefect knowledge, awakening)…That is the answer to your question. Thus, Thien, Gyo, Ngo or Satori are but one, but they vary according to subjects. In each subject, there should be explosion of knowledge, illumination, to have satori. After the stage of explosion of knowledge, the subject changes entirely, it becomes another one, one can imagine.-I would like, I said, to ask you to explain some more things.

The monk offers me a cigarette, excusing himself of the humidity which has altered it.

-In 1963, I said, when I was in the army, I learned that researcher Tran Dinh Ba had discovered a statue with a foot wearing a mandarin’s boot, the other foot naked, at the Boc pagoda, near Dong Da in Hanoi. He had identified it as Emperor Quang Trung, the victor of Tsing invaders in 1719.The monk followed my remarks with an amusing smile. I continued:

-I conceive some doubt regarding this subject. I have seen statues of this kind in other pagodas. Quang Trung would have been worshipped like someone along the line of Buddhas?

-Your story, he replies, is known among Buddhist circles in South Vietnam during the American occupation in Vietnam. The interpretation is an error. The statue is that of the Indian monk Bodhidharma who went to China at the time of Emperor Luong Vo De, in VIth century…In face of the lukewarm reception by the Emperor of the Luong, he passed over to the Nguy to propagate Buddhist faith. He was the founder of the Thien Sect (Dhyana, Zen). You probably know the two Chinese verses which say how hard is the road to Awakening:Hoan Du, a well of science who only knew the Buddhist way very late in his life,

At the end of quibbles, Emperor Luong Vo had to recognize the truth of sutras.

These are examples of belated Satori.

-Better late than never, I commented.

We all laughed.

The monk carried on:

-Lets go back to the Boc pagoda. After having terminated his apostolic mission, Bodhidharma died. According to legend, people saw him return with a ceremonial boot on one foot, the other foot naked and another shoe hanging on his friar stick. This detail characterizes very much the status of Bodhidharma which figure on the altar of monk patriarchs. That is the case with the Boc pagoda statue.

The explanation makes me smile when I think of fanciful explanations of some researchers who, carried away by their patriotic ardor, believed that Quang Trung has become a democrat Buddha because one of the feet wears no shoe.

I switched to another question:

-Venerable, I said, could I ask you what this magic incantation means: "An ma ni bat minh hong" so valued by all Buddhist sects including that of La To not to say of some followers of Yoga in the South of our country?After having shown a kindly sign on the corners of the lips as if to feel ironical at my greed for knowledge, the monk seriously replied:

-A Frenchman had spent twenty five years of his life to work on the origin and meaning of this incantation formula. For this purpose he had visited India, Sri Lanka, Burma, Buddhist countries of central Asia, even the Himalayas. The fruit of his strenuous labour was a book of a thousand pages. 1000 copies were printed at the author’s charge and freely distributed to most important libraries of the world. This formula has a content so rich that it would be impossible to make a presentation of it this morning. In a word, it is destined to help us realize the serenity of the soul, to relieve our heart and mindful from all trouble, to keep its purity in a polluted social environment. Its fundamental meaning is: "He is in Me, Me in Him".

" Him"could designate the ideal, the transcendental God, the Eternity, the Light, the Good…As for "Me", it could be the real Me or the illusory Me, the pre-Me and the post-Me…The integration and disintegration of Him and Me in different places and conjunctures becomes an extraordinary force, capable of dominating permanent or unforeseen obstacles of the mind and matter. Also social or natural obstacles. Leaving the philosophical ground, I approached another subject. I learnt that the Venerable was born in Nam Hai village, Tien Hai district, Thai Binh province and entered religion since childhood. He then left Thai Binh under the French occupation in 1950 to stay in many pagodas of Hanoi and Saigon before going to learn Buddhism during six years in India and visiting several countries.

-Have you met with Suzuki, I asked?

-Yes, I had the occasion of talking about Thien with him. He was very old. He has passed away.

-Have you written or translated?

-I have made a dozen works by myself?

-Do you feel bored now that you lack books for reading?

-No, the books are in nature, in the mind, the cogitation. The Ancients talked about "books with characters" and "books without characters". I now read these.After a conversation of two hours, I left the Buddhist friar, full of respect and admiration for a son of my native province, a province that had given birth to scholars like Le Quy Don and Ky Dong.

I learnt later that this monk was no one else but Venerable Thich Quang Do, ex-General Secretary of the Dharma Institute of South Vietnam.

What Buddhism can contribute for the World's Peace?

In a few days, May 26, the full moon of May (Vesakha month) will come to us, to commemorate the birthday of the 7th Buddha of our globe, who was born 2,600 years ago in Nepal, near the Himalayas. This year, we celebrate His Birthday in the situation where the world is facing a deep crisis. With the increasing tension in the Middle East, if Israel fails to apply self-restraint, there is a potential where the Arab world and the USA might be involved in a war; and then, China, Pakistan, India might also get involved. The involvement of all these countries, with their nuclear capability, might lead to a complete destruction of life and civilization on this earth. Humanity is living in a sense of helplessness as the diseases such as "greed", "hatred" and "ignorance" has widely developed in the mind of all parties concerned.

As the crisis is largely related to the Muslim world, it is not possible to overlook the influence of religion behind the present conflicts. Dangerously, all parties concerned (including the Bush administration) are those who have strong religious faiths, and these faiths make them more discriminative, separate, and difficult to reconcile with each other. Although religions praise Love, in the history, all except Buddhism, have been actively involved in bloody religious wars. Buddhism was once a victim, in the 12th century, when Muslim armies killed many Buddhist monks and destroyed Buddhist educational institutions in the Indian sub-continent, including India and Afghanistan. However, there has never been any revenge from the Buddhist communities. Is it true that Buddhism has something to offer, to assist its followers living peacefully with others, to assist humanity to live in harmony?

According to Buddhism, the world suffers because of the three basics, "Greed", "Hatred", and "Ignorance" (lack of wisdom). In which Ignorance is the root of all three. Lack of wisdom to clearly see the true nature of things, man has confusing thoughts and actions causing suffering for himself and others. The Buddha reminded us to penetrate many truths which have more convincing power than moralities in conducting a "right living". Among these truths, the following three can be applied as the principles to establish a peaceful world:

1) The first truth, also the foundation to derive other truths, is the "Law of Cause-Effect" (also known as "Law of Kamma") which has a cyclic nature (cause->effect->cause). This truth is the principle of changing of all things in the universe.

"All things (dhammas) are derived from conditions, they cease to exist when the conditions cease to meet"

This is the truth from which no one, including powerful celestial beings can escape. Subject to this Law of Cause-Effect, when we are sick, we go to the doctor or hospital to find the cause of sickness and its remedy. We do not pray for a cure (even praying may cure by some reason, it is not an acceptable solution because its effectiveness may not exceed 1% of the cases). Based on this Law of Cause-Effect, civilized societies create justice systems, which is not based on religion for any judgment. This "Law of Cause-Effect" clarifies that "It is one's own thought and action that determines one's happiness or suffering, not from punishment or reward from any Savior". If we do bad things, we will suffer bad consequences. If we do good things, we will reap good rewards. Understanding this basic truth, a Buddhist never uses the Buddha or any other celestial being to justify his action in causing infliction’s upon others.

The Buddhist also receives thorough instruction about the Law of Cause-Effect on loves. In simple cases, when we offer happiness to others, others will bring happiness to us. If we create suffering to others, others will bring suffering back to us (or to our family, our country). In this relationship, the Buddha taught:

"Using enmity to revenge enmity, enmity will continue to accumulate, Only when using love to respond to enmity, enmity will cease."

"Love" has the capacity to eradicate "Enmity" as water has the capacity to extinguish fire; this follows the Law of Cause-Effect. Understanding this, the Buddhist does not think of revenge, because it will only lead to continuing suffering, that is not the action of the wise.

The Buddha’s teachings also include many examples of forbearance of the Bodhisatvas, to remind the Buddhists of the value of love. Because it has the capacity to create happiness, for each one of us in all situations, much better than any other gemstones in the world, the Bodhisatvas (wise beings who will become Buddhas in the future) always maintain their loving-kindness as the rich protect their wealth. Even in extreme pain threatening their life, they always pray for the well-being of their enemies, never let the animosity and hatred degrade their love. When love could be developed at such high level, no one can cause suffering to us, and we would be happy in all circumstances (similar to a rural peasant, because of his love, he always sees his poor country the most peaceful and happy place on earth). That is why the wise layman knows that by loving his enemies, not only he can transform them but can also create immediate happiness for himself.

2. Everything in this world is "impermanent". That is the second truth, which the majority of Buddhists understand. By knowing impermanence is unavoidable, the Buddhist readily accepts any loss occurred to him, with less suffering and less hatred. Because of this truth, the Buddha taught us not so attached to anything in this world, including His true Teaching: "My teaching is like a raft which should be left behind once you reach the other shore". His teaching is the teaching for "liberation", not for "attachment". He never declared "I am the Way, I am the Only One". In contrast, He advised: "Burn your own torch". That’s the reason why Buddhists are not fanatic, knowing all perceivable things in this world are not permanent, seeing all values, right or wrong, good or bad, are only relative, conditional and temporary, and thus, they are easily accommodating, living harmoniously with other schools of thought.

War and dictatorship are usually caused by a man misusing his power to force others to follow his desires. If his desire is prevented, he could easily become angry and could sometimes become cruel, destroying the feeble without hesitation. The Buddhist, understanding the truth of impermanence, knowing that no power can last forever, and by abusing his power, he is preparing for his own suffering in the future. That is not the action of the wise. In addition, even if he can get what he wants, one day it will be lost, and he will suffer anyway. Thus, when seeing his desire may cause suffering to others, the Buddhist easily drops that desire. The wise action is: when we can, we should use our capacity to help others. That is the way to prepare for us a long lasting happiness, a long lasting power, because it does not contain any "destructive seeds". This explains why religions (with true loves) last longer than any "super power" on this earth.

3. The third truth is the most important truth to completely end personal suffering and the conflict between groups (countries, religions). That is the nature of "Non-self" (insubstantiality) of all things. It means that the so-called "Ego" (the self) is only an illusion, not a real existence. This is hard to believe, to penetrate, because it goes against the phenomenon of "Self" as we see in daily life. It is difficult to believe this fact, as difficult as in the old time, when Galileo declared to the Pope that "the earth revolves around the sun", while everyone perceived that "the sun revolves around the earth" (rising in the east and setting in the west).

However, with perfect Buddhist wisdom, there are two ways to see the so-called "self" as really not a self: a) it is created from and cannot be separated from the "non-self". We would not exist without the existence of "non-self" parts (such as water, sun, etc.); b) it is a collection of 5 components: materiality, feeling, perception, volition, and consciousness. These 5 components are not created by us, nor unique to us. There is no boundary separating our materiality and the materiality of the universe. That is why although we do not want to be old, our body still degenerates; although we do not want to be sick, our body is still subject to sickness; we do not want to loose our memory, it is still fading with time.

In the absolute meaning of liberation from suffering for each individual, it means that we are not of any thing. We are external to everything, and that is why we have the ability to see everything. In fact, we should say that: "We see the pain but we are not painful, we see the suffering but we do not suffer", we were never born and thus have nothing to die (not born, not ending). That is the total liberation from the power of wisdom, right in this life, not waiting for the after-death as in other religions. However, it is not easy to get out from the attachment in order to penetrate the wisdom of "Non-self". People always asks "Thus, where are we?" because deep down inside, we always look for some place to hang on, from deep-rooted consciousness of the illusion of the so-called "self". It is similar to a person who has been living for long time on his land, his eyes are used to see the scenery of his country (eye consciousness), his ears are used to hear his country's language (ear consciousness), his tongue is used to his country's food (tongue consciousness),..., his mind is used to think according to the culture and religion of his country (mind consciousness), and thus, it is difficult for him to leave his attached country. If he happens to go away, he usually has a tendency to come back (rebirth), and thus the attachment keeps on and tighter.

For a practical and easy application to contribute to the world peace, the truth of "Non-Self" means that the discrimination between countries is "ignorant" (not according to the truth) and thus, creates suffering. That discrimination stems from the "selfish" consciousness in human mind as the earth actually does not have any boundary separating territories. Rightly, everyone must be a "Citizen of the world". If we are not criminal, we must have the right to travel anywhere on earth. The United Nations (UN), with agreement of its nation members, must, at least, issue this "world citizenship" to all scientists, businessmen, well-known former country leaders who do not have any racial discrimination, as they have worked for the benefit of humanity. If the UN has a "Supreme Advisory Committee" consisting of those capable and well respected members, the United Nations would gain more power than now.

If the country leaders have this wisdom of "Non-Self", their selfish nationalism would diminish, and they would not abuse their power to suppress other countries. They would love and wish happiness and peace to their neighboring people as if to their own people. It would be easier for them to work together for a common government of the whole humanity, create sufficient power and capacity to restraint the powerful countries, the populous countries who intend to exploit the weaker ones. When the powerful countries cease to be greedy, then the smaller ones cease to be hateful. The costs of war, of maintaining the army, could then be used for other beneficial purposes. Different races will work together to maintain and develop human Wisdom (for less ignorance). The decrease in Greed, Hatred, Ignorance would lead to the elimination of war, starvation, disease, and thus would establish a "Heaven on Earth" for all races. That is the source of happiness which country leaders could establish for future generations, more significant, more lasting, and greater than any type of "hegemony" built on suffering and hatred toward other countries.

In the urgency of the critical situation in the Middle-East, although all parties are devoted faithfully of different religions of love, the true love cannot exist if we are too attached to our "self" (this also holds true in the marriage). In the Diamond Sutra, the Buddha clearly taught that: "A Bodhisatva (the one who has wisdom and love) is not a Bodhisatva if "Non-self" has not been penetrated". In fact, when the self still exists, there is still discrimination, still greed, still conflict, and still difficult in accepting the goodness of others and still easy to abuse the power. If Israel and Palestine understand this principle of "Non-self", it would be easier to throw away their own self, so that they can work together to build a common country, more powerful, more praise worthy, with much brighter future for many generations to come. That is also the re-building of their warm family when they were still brothers from the same father. If this can be realized, the whole world will be joyful, will do the most for the well-being of this "sacred" nation.

On the celebration of the birth of Sakya Muni the Buddha, may humanity remember the priceless teachings of the Enlightened! May Israel and Palestine live in love! May the whole world will be truly united in this century!

Homage to our Teacher, Sakya Muni the Buddha.

This work was contributed by Mr.Chung Cao from Vietnam