Ambassadors for compassion

The Venerable BHIKKU SANGHASENA founded the Mahabodhi International Meditation Centre (MIMC) in Ladakh in 1986. Since then he has worked tirelessly and selflessly to put the Buddha's Teachings on loving kindness and compassion into action and now MIMC has become one of the leading NGOs in India. At the Global Spirituality Mahotsav, he challenged us all to walk the talk on peace and to balance our time and create space in our lives for peace and compassion.

May all the Buddhas and Bodhisattvas, Devas and Nagas, Saints and Sages from all directions of the Universe kindly look at us and shower their blessings upon us for the success of our coming together in this beautiful place.

Dear seekers of truth and lovers of peace, please accept my loving greetings. Also let me bring you the warmest greetings from the followers of Lord Buddha. Let me also bring you the warmest greetings from the coldest land of Ladakh in the high Himalayas. 

I will not take much time, but I have a lot to share. In modern times in a big city, you have expensive watches, but no time. In the Himalayas, we don’t have expensive watches, but we have time. If you are interested to listen more, welcome to the Himalayas, where we will sit leisurely without a watch—spending time without time.

As we know, world peace begins in the mind. The harmonious world starts in the mind. Even the UNESCO constitution mentions that wars start in the human mind, therefore peace has to be established in the human mind. We need to think deeply on this topic. 

In the name of development, we may have too much time; too much for the material aspect of life, the physical aspect of life, money, technology. It is time to think of balancing the inner and outer, spirituality and materiality, science and religion, psychology and ecology, physics and metaphysics, meditation and medication. It is time to synthesize the polarities: if scientists meditate so they become spiritual scientists, it will bring a great blessing; and spiritual people, religious people need to be scientific, so that they avoid blind faith.

What happened at the World Trade Centre in New York was a result of blind faith. And blind faith is more dangerous than bombs and guns. So Buddha and Einstein have to come together, work together. It is very sad to hear that more than 30,000 brilliant scientists are working day and night to improve our bombs and guns. This is a horrible thing. If these great scientists are guided by spiritual values, they will not misuse their knowledge for destructive purposes; they will use their knowledge to serve humanity. 

We are grateful to Western society for developing science and technology; it has brought a lot of comfort to the physical body. But, sorry to say, the West has failed miserably to bring peace to the world. Now it is time for the East. We now must train ourselves as messengers of peace, ambassadors of compassion, as Bodhisattvas to lead the world peacefully. We cannot remain spectators to the ongoing wars. 

Look at the Russia-Ukraine war. Thousands of people have been killed, including mothers and children. People have lost their homes and become refugees. Thousands of lives have been lost between the Palestinians and the Israelis. Each one of us has a responsibility to stand up, raise our voices, and join together.

Those of us who talk about world peace must come together to do whatever we can. Wars are created by human beings, therefore they can be stopped by human beings. We cannot go on watching as if it’s on TV; it is real killing going on. So, I appeal to the young generation: don’t just think of passing exams, facing interviews, getting jobs, earning money, going shopping, and drinking Coca Cola and Pepsi. 

I wish you would stand up and think something higher, greater, wider than just seeking jobs for your survival. Millions of youth can become messengers of peace, and ambassadors of compassion, ready to lead this world. The real wealth of India is Vasudeva Kutumbakam (one humanity), Karuna (mercy), and Mithiri (friendship).

I wish you would stand up and think something higher, 
greater, wider than just seeking jobs for your survival. 
Millions of youth can become messengers of peace, 
and ambassadors of compassion, ready to lead this world.

The world is going in a very dangerous way; therefore all of us here who take this seriously may take a vow from today onward that we are messengers of peace, ambassadors of compassion, and Bodhisattvas. Let us join together and pray for peace. Human life is precious, the world is beautiful.

Illustrations by LAKSHMI GADDAM