UNITED NATIONS: Speakers at function marking Vesak Day that commemorates the birth, enlightenment and passing of the Buddha paid high tributes to the spiritual leader's teaching on the need for compassion and solidarity with those less fortunate.
Permanent Representative of Pakistan, Masood Khan. From http://www.adaderana.lk.
They also highlighted Buddha's message of peace and tolerance, with Pakistan UN Ambassador Masood Khan calling for resolving conflicts and disputes justly; and addressing the root causes of strife and hostilities.
The function, organized by the Permanent Mission of Sri Lanka, had the support of the missions of Pakistan, Bangladesh, Bhutan, Cambodia, China, India, Japan, the Lao Democratic People's Republic, Mongolia, Myanmar, Nepal, the Philippines, South Korea, Thailand and Vietnam.
The Pakistani ambassador complimented his Sri Lankan countepart Palitha Kohona on the well-organized event in ECOSOC Chamber where diplomats stressed the need to learn from the spiritual leader's sense of compassion. In a message on the occasion, Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon said the teachings of Buddhism can offer significant insights on how to face today's most pressing challenges.
Now more than ever, we need the spirit of non-violence to help inspire peace and quell conflict, Ban said. This year's observance, falling at a time of widespread strife and misery, is an occasion to examine how Buddhist teachings can inform our response to prevailing challenges. Ban noted that confronting troubling problems is a big part of Buddhism as the Buddha himself when he was a young prince left the safety of his palace to discover the four sufferings of birth, sickness old age and death.
While such painful realities cannot be avoided, Buddhism offers insights into how to cope with them. Its history is replete with inspiring examples of the transformative power of Buddhist philosophy, he said. The secretary-general offered his best wishes to Buddhists and expressed his sincere hope that we may all draw on spiritual ideals to strengthen our resolve to improve our world. By its resolution 54/115 of 1999, the General Assembly recognized internationally the Day of Vesak to acknowledge the contribution that Buddhism, one of the oldest religions in the world, has made for over two and a half millennia and continues to make to the spirituality of humanity.
PAKISTAN & BUDDHIST CIVILIZATION
In his speech, Ambassador Masood Khan said Pakistan has a special association with Vesak. The land of Pakistan, Taxila, Pashawar, Mardan, Swat, Lahore, to name a few cities has been a cradle of Buddhist civilization for centuries, he told delegates from around the world. Masood Khan said, Our land has nurtured the fusion of Greco-Buddhist civilization which we call Ghandhara civilization. Stupas and monasteries still adorn our landscape. From our land, Buddhism travelled to Central Asia, China and East Asia.
Asia and all other continents have imbibed rich Buddhist culture and art. Pakistan has been a home for many civilizations and religions: for Buddhism, Hinduism, Sikhism, and Islam. Islam teaches peace, love and kindness. Islam enjoins tolerance and harmony. Islam respects other faiths and religions.
Today is a good day to reach out to other religions, faiths, beliefs and cultures. Today is a good day to cement our bonds for one humanity. As we celebrate this Vesak Day, we are conscious that we are living in troubled times. People are being killed in the name of religion. People are being killed because they are practicing a particular religion. Sociopaths are trying to masquerade their senseless crimes and killings as religious ideology. On this day, the Pakistani envoy called for sending a clear message the wider world: - We all believe in the purposes and principles of the UN Charter. - We uphold life; we oppose forces of death and destruction; and - We the Peoples, and indeed all nations, stand for the fundamental human rights and the dignity and the worth of the human person. He called for eliminating abject poverty and saving the fragile planet, resolving conflicts and disputes justly; and addressing the root causes of strife and hostilities. Vesak Day at the United Nations should serve to unite us in our common desire to create tolerant, respectful and peaceful societies, the ambassador added.