How can we establish peace in this world?
1. Compassion will help us to create peace.
In Chinese, the word for compassion is tz'u bei. Tz'u means that we give others happiness, and bei means that we give others happiness, and eradicate their suffering. Through her compassion, Kuan-yin Bodhisattva is able to enter the hearts of all who believe in her. She is able to enter their homes, and if we want her to, she will also enter every nation in this world. Even if we are not capable of bestowing wealth and glory on others, we still must make ourselves responsible for helping to eradicate the suffering of others.
When King Asoka conquered many small states in India, he caused immense suffering and generated resentment among the people. Only after he changed to a compassionate approach, were the people finally won over and became peaceful. It is only through compassion that we will finally overcome the cruel and violent tendencies of the human heart.
Only a victory through the Dharma is a perfect victory. The greatest force in the world is not to be found in guns and bullets; it is to be found in compassion and patience. Only through compassion and patience can we achieve true victory.
A compassionate mind enables us to become tolerant. Through tolerance, we will succeed in being in harmony with others, and thereby achieve peace. If we have a large piece of land, we can construct great buildings. The ocean is broad and deep, beneath its surface it holds immense variety and splendor. If one If one can tolerate an entire nation, then he or she will be able to lead the nation. If we can tolerate the great absolute, which permeates all things, then we will become the kings of the Dharma! The world we live in is only as big as our hearts.
Today our world is full of disputes and deception because people's capacities to tolerate normal human differences have been shackled by the desire for wealth and fame. We need to take a broader view of time and a wider view of space. We need to use these to enlarge our hearts. We need to learn to appreciate others' points of view, and tolerate those who are different from ourselves.
2. We must increase our sense of community to bring peace into the world.
We should be very grateful that this world has so many races and nations. These differences help teach us to accept one another, and to form harmonious friendships. There are many religions in the world, including Christianity, Islam, Buddhism, and Taoism, among others. These various religions provide a home for the human spirit and a resting-place for all types of beliefs. Each part of the world has different resources, different plants, and different animals. Different foods are served in different countries. There are flavors and sentiments for everyone. This world provides us with all that we need in abundance and in immense variety. How can we work together so that all of us can share in this vast gift and live contentedly and peacefully?
Red flowers are beautiful, but they need green leaves to enhance their beauty. Our facial features may be attractive, but we need to have healthy bodies to enhance our overall appearance. A grand structure is more impressive when mountains and streams surround it. In today's world we all want peace, but peace, too, must be supported by compassion, by a sense of equality among all of us, and by a strong sense of integration and coexistence. With all these fundamental conditions we can successfully create a peaceful and harmonious world for all of us.
If we can overcome our greed and ignorance, we will be able to expand our hearts to include the rest of the world. Then we will learn a true and lasting happiness that will abide with us forever. One of the Six Harmonies advocated by the Buddha is the Harmony of the Community. This reminds us to help one another through our actions. We must show respect for one another at all times.
Many nations in the world today are actively implementing very productive policies on which a better future can be built. Material aid is being given to third world countries, scientific and industrial skills are being shared around the world, religions are carrying on active dialogues with one another, and policies that protect the environment are being implemented in many countries. Private business, too, has begun to realize the importance of doing things that are good for society. In all, these tendencies are bringing into the world a climate of civilized responsibility and caring that can only be of great benefit to the welfare of everyone.
In the long history of humanity, these efforts are just a beginning, we are just starting to step out of our narrow circles of self-interest into the much wider circles of compassion for all living beings. Nonetheless, we must persist in our efforts, and with determination, promote compassion and tolerance through education. We can promote the virtue of mutual respect and thinking of others through spreading the truth of our inherent interconnectedness and interdependency. If we can do that, we will succeed in making this world a place of equality and tolerance for all to live in peace!
Our meeting here today is indeed wonderful because China has been a homeland of Buddhism since it transmitted from India almost two thousand years ago. This event symbols equality and peace across boarders, cultures, thoughts and religions. Today, the whole world is desired for real peace and hope for genuine happiness. Religion has the responsibility in promoting world peace. In conclusion, I have humbly presented four aspects for the theme on "How to construct a harmonious society with equality and peace:"
For establishing equality in life, we shall (1) have mutual respect; (2) interpret it causes and conditions.
For building a peaceful world, we shall (1) cultivate compassion; (2) increase community awareness.
Lastly, special thanks to the organizing team for their hard work and great Bodhisattva vows in making today's event possible. I am looking forward to meeting each one of you to share your experience in Buddhism. Let's pray that the Buddha's light may shine on us all. I wish you health and joy and also great success for everyone in this conference.