Myanmar's prominent Buddhist monk talks peace and unity

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Yangon, Myanmar -- Bhante Ashin Nyanissara, commonly known as Sitagu Sayadaw, one of the most prominent Buddhist monks in Myanmar, has urged the government and the people to work together to safeguard the religion and the nationality in the country.

<< Sitagu Sayadaw giving speech at the ceremony (Photo - EMG)

Speaking at a special ceremony held at Aung Sann Tet Monastery in Insein Ywama, Yangon on June 27, Sitagu said, “The objective is good enough. We need to choose a word wise enough to capture the whole process of protecting the country as well as safeguarding the religion and the nationality. In front of the respected monks here, I would like to announce to you [the monastery's head] that a leading committee will be formed, and its organizational rules, structure, and title will be decided soon. The unity is very important," said Sitagu Sayadaw.

He also urged the monks attending the ceremony to be patient, forgiving, and united in accord with the Buddha teachings regarding the current situations.

"I'd like to request from here to all people from different religions such as Buddhism, Islam, Hinduism, and Christianity not to turn small incident into a bigger one. The ones who take refuge under a tree should not destroy it. What should not be retaliated must not be exaggerated. The wild exaggeration is the main cause behind the destruction of peace and unity. Nowadays the incidents like those have happened often in our country. We all should not take part in those incidents. If we do, we will be the same as the Time Magazine's cover story accused [of the Buddhism]," he added.

He also said the Buddhist monks should be aware of those who are behind the recent incidents and to act wisely.

Support from those persons having international outlook and the law experts is essential for the Buddhist monks to be able to protect the nationality and the religion. The government and the people must also cooperate in it, Sitagu Sayadaw said.

He also questioned the coincidence of religious riots with the peace talks between the government and the ethnic groups. He believed this is an attempt to derail the government’s peace effort, and he urged his fellow monks not to become the tools of the riot-inciting people.

“In our noble country, while the government is trying to build national unity and reconciliation with ethnic peoples, I think incitements to religious riots have come about to disrupt the peace process. Don’t be moved by the incitements. Our monks, be cautious not to become the tools of inciting people,” Sitagu Sayadaw told an audience of over 1000 monks.

During the occasion, Sitagu Sayadaw also condemned the cover story of TIME magazine’s July issue, which referred to a senior Myanmar Buddhist monk with the title “The Face of Buddhist Terror”. He said he opposed all the contents of the story, and took a vote on his opinion. All of the monks joined him to condemn the TIME’s story.

In his conclusion, Sitagu Sayadaw repeated the importance of unity, forgiveness and patience among the Buddhist monks, the government, and the law experts to protect the nationality and the religion.

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Failed talks over statue by Korean and Japanese Buddhist monks

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Japanese monks seeking return of Gwaneum Bosal statue, while Koreans say it could have been plundered from Korea

Tokyo, Japan -- Monks from Buseok Temple in Seosan, South Chungcheong Province, visited Kannon Temple on the Japanese island of Tsushima to discuss the issue of the Buddha (Gwaneum Bosal) statue, but the talks failed when Japanese Kannon Temple monks declined to meet.

According to reports by Japanese media including Kyodo News and the Tokyo Shimbun, a group including a monk from Buseok Temple named Wonu, another monk, and former lawmaker Kim Won-ung visited Kannon Temple but the monks there refused to discuss the issue. Later, the Kannon Temple monks were quoted in Japanese media as saying, ?The statue of Buddha must be quickly returned.?

The Buseok Temple monks said that they had visited the Japanese temple to communicate the message that it would probably not be possible to return the statue, considering that it was believed to have been plundered from Korea and taken to Japan.

The Japanese government has also made several requests for the Buddhist statue to be returned. ?We are asking the Korean government to return the statue of Buddha according to the bilateral agreement between our two countries,? said Yoshihide Suga, Japanese chief cabinet secretary, in a press conference. The position of the Japanese government is that, regardless of the circumstances through which Kannon Temple came to possess the statue, since it came into Korea after being stolen from Kannon, it should be returned according to the agreement governing cultural items.

The Buddhist statue was made at Buseok Temple in Seosan around AD 1330, but it was subsequently taken to Japan and enshrined in Kannon Temple. In Oct. 2012, it was brought back into Korea by thieves. When the Korean government nabbed the thieves and confiscated the statue, Japan requested its return.

However, in Feb. 2013, a Korean court issued an injunction forbidding the statue to be returned to Japan until such a time as a lawsuit confirms that Kannon Temple acquired the statue through just means.

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Kashmir solution thru talks: Dalai Lama

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Islamabad, Pakistan -- The patron Buddhists spiritual elder Dalai Lama predicted that the solution to Kashmir dispute would come via “talks” and “understanding”, recalling that Ambaran was the ancient Buddhist site and diverse religions co-existed in Kashmir for centuries.

Dalai Lama’s maiden visit to occupied Jammu Wednesday had sprung many surprises at a crucial time when three countries – Pakistan, China and India – hosting the Kashmir dispute together, are moving simultaneously towards trade and travel rapprochement in the region, a move looking rare against the bloodiest of battles fought in the past.

The Lama, reports say, evaded any direct question regarding Tibet advising media to ask political queries from the politicians only. The major events he went through his day-long visit to occupied Jammu area Akhnoor were opening of a photo exhibition, address to the youth and media interaction.

This elderly Lama had self-exiled himself to India around 1959 and since then is a guest there. The fact that he did not show any high sounding tone towards China despite sharp media pointers is in itself a healthy message. The late Kushuk Bakaula, Dalai Lama’s disciple, remained member of Srinagar assembly for over a decade representing his Ladakhi Buddhist community. Bakaula had under Nehru influence tabled in mid-fifties a strange resolution for economic integration of occupied Kashmir and Ladakh with the east Punjab.

Kashmir circles have welcomed Dalai Lama’s advice over Kashmir issue to settle it through talks and enlarging understanding.

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