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Courtesy: www.thecatholicspirit.com
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Made public today was the annual Message to Buddhists for the Feast of
Vesakh, issued by the Pontifical Council for Inter-religious Dialogue.
The message is signed by Cardinal Jean-Louis Tauran and Archbishop Pier
Luigi Celata, respectively president and secretary of the council.
Vesakh is the main Buddhist feast and commemorates the three fundamental
moments in the life of Gautama Buddha. According to tradition, the
historical Buddha was born, achieved enlightenment and passed away during
the full moon of the month of May. Thus Vesakh is a mobile feast which this
year falls on 5 and 6 May, while in China it is celebrated on the eighth day
of the fourth month of the Chinese calendar, which this year corresponds to
28 April. On those days, Buddhists decorate their houses with flowers and
perfume them with incense, visit local temples and listen to the teaching of
the monks.
This year's message is entitled: "Christians and Buddhists: Sharing
Responsibility for Educating the Young Generation on Justice and Peace
through Inter-religious Dialogue:" Extracts from the English-language
version of the text are given below.
"Today, more and more in classrooms all over the world, students belonging
to various religions and beliefs sit side-by-side, learning with one another
and from one another. This diversity gives rise to challenges and sparks
deeper reflection on the need to educate young people to respect and
understand the religious beliefs and practices of others, to grow in
knowledge of their own, to advance together as responsible human beings and
to be ready to join hands with those of other religions to resolve conflicts
and to promote friendship, justice, peace and authentic human development.
"With His Holiness Pope Benedict XVI, we acknowledge that true education can
support an openness to the transcendent as well as to those around us. Where
education is a reality there is an opportunity for dialogue, for
inter-relatedness and for receptive listening to the other. In such an
atmosphere, young people sense that they are appreciated for who they are
and for what they are able to contribute; they learn how to grow in
appreciation of their brothers and sisters whose beliefs and practices are
different from their own. When that happens there will be joy in being
persons of solidarity and compassion called to build a just and fraternal
society giving thus hope for the future.
"As Buddhists you pass on to young people the wisdom regarding the need to
refrain from harming others and to live lives of generosity and compassion,
a practice to be esteemed and recognized as a precious gift to society. This
is one concrete way in which religion contributes to educating the young
generation, sharing the responsibility and cooperating with others.
"As a matter of fact, young people are an asset for all societies. By their
genuineness, they encourage us to find an answer to the most fundamental
questions about life and death, justice and peace, the meaning of suffering,
and the reasons for hope. Thus they help us to progress in our pilgrimage
towards Truth. By their dynamism, as builders of the future, they put
pressure on us to destroy all the walls which unfortunately still separate
us. By their questioning they nurture the dialogue between religions and
cultures.
"Dear friends, we join our hearts to yours and pray that together we will be
able to guide the young people by our example and teaching to become
instruments of justice and peace. Let us share the common responsibility we
have towards the present and future generations, nurturing them to be
peaceful and to be peace makers."
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