2008 Experience Exchange for Foreign Language Speakers in Buddhism

Topic: Chinese Buddhism Facing the World.

Title: How to Construct Harmonious Society through Equality and Peace

Speaker: Shih, Miao Jing

June 20, 2008

Amitofo Distinguished guests, venerables, ladies and gentlemen,

I am Miao Jing, a master's candidate from Fo Guang University in Taiwan. It is very exciting to be part of this event where people put in effort and time for the development of world Buddhism. The honor is definitely mine to share your experience and vision in propagating Buddha's teachings today. My topic of talk is "Constructing a Harmonious Society with Equality and Peace."

Let's begin by talking about equality. There are several Buddhist principles, such as "All sentient beings and Buddhas are equal," "Essence and form are equal," "Self and others are equal," "Phenomena and principles are equal," and "Being and nonbeing are equal," that can help us to better understand the meaning of equality and how to practice it in daily life. Two points about equality are:

1. Equality among people completely depends on their having mutual respect for one another.

Confucius said, "He who respects others will be respected himself, and he who loves others will be loved by them." Equality among people can never be attained through the use of force. When there is full, mutual respect among people, then we will be able to create a world in which equality prevails. Like the former division between East and West Germany and the current division between North and South Korea, and also in the Balkans, as long as weapons and anger are employed to solve these sorts of problems, peace can never be attained. When people are respectful and caring of one another, miracles can happen. In 1989, the Berlin Wall crumbled. Even more importantly, at that time, the invisible walls within people's hearts also gave way. With this wall destroyed, the German people discovered a level of mutual respect and mutual concern that helped them to effect a reunification, which has been largely peaceable and equitable for everyone.

A fundamental Buddhist principal is that we all should respect and treat one another equally. Buddhists are enjoined to respect all nations of the world, all races, social classes, genders, and ages among people. Two thousand five hundred years ago in India, the Buddha said, "When the rivers run into the sea, they all lose their separate names; when the four castes enter into Buddhism, they lose all distinctions among them." Because of this inherent equality in Buddhism, Buddhism has spread easily and quickly around India and throughout the world. Because Buddhists believe in the fundamental equality of all cultures, they are able to respect and adapt readily to the ways of other people. In all of human history, there never has been a war fought over Buddhism. Buddhism teaches very clearly that when there is first respect and a sense of equality among people, there will never be war among them. This is the prescription for peace and progress.

We may be different and unique, just like shapes and sizes are different, but the essential nature of all sentient beings is the same. Therefore, we shall always place ourselves in others' positions and benefit them accordingly, then we can succeed in promoting equality and in helping others as we help ourselves. If we cultivate this thought in a flash, our lives will be greatly changed, because we will treat others with equality and respect at all times. Peace will certainly follow.

2. Equality comes out of causes and conditions.

Everything in the universe is a phenomenon created out of mutually interconnected and interdependent causes and conditions. If causes and conditions are not present, nothing exists. For example, a person once born, he or she depends on the learned people for education, farmers to grow food for sustenance, workers to make everyday goods, and businessmen to sell the goods. Another example is a flower, which needs sunlight, air, water, and earth to grow and blossom. Or a building requires metal, wood, cement, bricks, and engineers for it to be completed. Nothing comes into being by itself, and nothing exists by itself or is independent of other things. No one can escape these conditions, and were anyone to try, he or she would find that it is impossible to live without others.

The Buddhist concept of cause and effect and mutual interconnectedness is the truth that explains humankind's place in this universe. For example, when we speak of human life, we must understand that our own existence depends on the existence of other beings. Without them we could not exist. Thus The Buddha said, "This exists and therefore that exists; this was born and therefore that was born; this does not exist and therefore that does not exist; this has been extinguished and therefore that has been extinguished."

Do not think there would be anything anywhere that has no connection to you?

Everything does. A blade of grass, a tree, a person, and even a drop of water in the ocean are connected to you. All of them are truly a bounty and a blessing in our lives. Everything is important, and we should be grateful for everything and feel that it is incumbent upon us to repay the world for all the beauty and wonder it offers us. If we can find within us a deep sense of equality with all the things in this world, and if we can truly understand the significance of "one reaps that he sows", then how can peace in this world be far away.

We should look upon the suffering of others with greatest concern and compassion, and we should embrace the ideals of equality and respect whenever we encounter differences. With this kind of thinking, we will surely succeed in bringing a lasting peace into this world.

Having talk about how peace is founded on equality. We will now talk about how equality is founded on peace.

Today, because of great ideological differences, our world is scarred by the unequal distribution of wealth, separatist movements, terrorism, and vendettas born in times long passed. Iraq invaded Kuwait and caused so much destruction and suffering. There is fighting in Bosnia, Sri Lanka, and the former states of the Soviet Union. How much hatred and anger and how many deaths have these wars generated?

Should we close our eyes and shut away these calamities? Can we stand that there is none of the good but only evil? Can we stand that there is no peace but hatred?

We cannot do this. We must try instead to bring the world closer and closer to a lasting peace.

Equality and peace are two sides of the same profound truth. True equality is not based simply on appearances or words, nor can it be achieved solely by intimidation, arms control, or nuclear weapon ban measures. To achieve the goal of true peace, we must also emphasize the purification of our hearts and minds, the commonality of our thinking, and the reassessment of our ideas.