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RELIGION
(Left) Archbishop Nicholas Chia
greets a Buddhist monk at an Inter-
Faith dinner in January 2007.
VATICAN CITY – Conflicts between
Buddhists and Christians can be
resolved through peace education,
said the Pontifical Council for
Interreligious Dialogue.
The “sad reality” of continued
prejudice and misunderstanding
can be overcome by educating
people about other faiths and
by helping families and schools
reinforce the value of peaceful
coexistence, the council said in a
message to Buddhists preparing
for the feast of Vesak.
The feast, which commemorates
the principal events in the life of
Siddhartha Gautama, Buddhismʼs
founder, is celebrated on May 31
in Singapore.
“Even in places where people
experience daily the ravages of
war, fuelled by sentiments of
hatred and vengeance, trust can
be restored,” the message said.
Civil and religious leaders
from both faith communities need
to work together “to create the
space and the opportunities for
people to talk, listen, share regrets
and offer forgiveness for each
otherʼs past mistakes”, it said.
The message made no mention
of specific areas of concern, but
relations between Buddhists and
Christians in some parts of Asia
have been tense. Some Christians
have led attacks against Buddhist
temples in parts of South Korea,
for example, while some Christian
churches in predominantly
Buddhist Sri Lanka have been the
targets of violence.
The violence and some
government efforts to limit
religious freedom, such as the
right to convert, are sometimes
linked to what is seen as
aggressive proselytism by some
Christian groups.
The Vatican message said
educating for a peaceful and
harmonious society “starts in
ordinary homes” with families
trying to pass on traditional and
moral values to their children.
It said public and faith-based
schools need to support parents in
their task of forming their childrenʼs
The largest Buddhist temple in Singapore is the Kong Meng San Phor
Kark See Monastery (1920) located in Bishan which can hold thousands
of devotees for its wide range of spiritual activities. (For information on
the monastery and the Vesak celebrations visit http://www.kmspks.org/)
THERE ARE MANY Buddhist
festivals celebrated throughout
the year but the most important
feast for all Buddhists is Vesak
Day. It commemorates the birth,
enlightenment and death of the
Buddha.
Many Asian countries with
sizable Buddhist populations mark
the event as a public holiday.
However, the date varies from place
to place due to the prominence
of various branches of Buddhism
consciences as well as offer a
“value-based education which
reinforces respect, acceptance,
compassion and equality”.
The message encouraged
people working in the mass media
to “exercise their moral conscience”
and help “dispel ignorance and
impart knowledge, preserve social
values and portray the transcendental
dimension of life” arising from
peopleʼs spiritual beliefs. ■ CNS
and differences in local tradition.
This year, the commemoration
is marked on May 31 in Singapore.
On Vesak Day, devout
Buddhists assemble in their
various temples to chant sacred
texts, meditate and bring
offerings to the Buddha.
Acts of generosity known as
Dana are also observed which
include the freeing of caged birds
and animals, and visiting and giving
alms to the poor and needy. ■
A statue of the Buddha with hands rested gently in the lap
and a compassionate smile serves as a reminder to develop
peace and love within oneself. Buddhist monk Venerable K.
Gunaratana expresses his gratitude for this teaching at the
Sri Lankaramaya Buddhist Temple, Singapore.
BUDDHISM IS THE largest
religion in Singapore with 1.1
million followers (representing
42.5 percent of the adult
population). There are an
estimated 400 million Buddhists
worldwide.
The word Buddhism means
“the teachings of the awakened
one”. It is a dharmic, non-theistic
religion, often described as a way
of life or a practical philosophy.
Dharmic religions are a family
of religions (with origins in the
Sunday May 27, 2007 ■ CatholicNews
PROMINENT
RELIGIONS
The worldʼs most
prominent religion
is Christianity. Its
adherents make up
about a third of the
worldʼs population,
according to the
CIAʼs World
Factbook. Islam
is the second
most prominent
religion with its
followers – Muslims
– accounting for 20
percent of the world
population. There are
about 400 million
Buddhists. CNS graphic
Indian subcontinent) based on
the concept of dharma, a Sanskrit
term for “fixed decree, law, or
duty”.
Buddhism focuses on
the dharma or teachings of
Siddhârtha Gautama –“the
Buddha” – who was born in
Lumbini (todayʼs Nepal)
around 580 years before
Christ. The Buddhaʼs quest
for Enlightenment attracted
followers, and Buddhism
spread throughout the Indian
subcontinent in the five centuries
after his death, then to the rest
of Asia. It has attracted some
following in the West in recent
years too.
Buddhists do not believe in a
personal god. They believe that
all life is interconnected and
that compassion is a way of
life. Buddhists believe in karma
(the concept that oneʼs life is
conditioned by oneʼs past actions)