Search Buddhist Channel
Buddhist club exhibit brings peace to GW
by Virginia Wei, GW Hatchet, Oct 13, 2008
Washington, USA -- It seems that everywhere you turn lately, everyone is either talking about the election or the economy. Yet GW Buddha Nature Club members don't want to talk about any of that. They want to talk peace.
<< Sophomore Anne McGinnis, PR director for the Buddha Nature Club, browses the displays at the student organization's exhibit in the Marvin Center Thursday evening.
Media Credit: Anne Wernikoff
The club worked with SGI, a Buddhist organization, to hold an exhibit on the third floor of the Marvin Center. The exhibit included photographs of children living in war zones, memorable quotations on peace and a list of goals that society needs to meet in order to achieve peace.
Topaz Terry, a representative of SGI, said the "main purpose of this exhibit is to bring together … hundreds of people dedicated to finding a path to lasting peace."
Finding a path to lasting peace is what brought one of the club's founders, Daniel Perez, to Buddhism. Perez said he founded the club with fellow graduate student Skyler Tulchin four years ago because he felt that Buddhism was underrepresented at GW. He said a lot of students might have Buddhist principles and do not know it.
The exhibit, which is meant to get people thinking about how they fit into society, displayed detailed descriptions on the eight action areas the United Nations plans to promote peace, including education on different cultures and disarmament. It highlighted 10 role models and what they did to improve society, including Gerson Andrés Flórez Pérez, a college student from Colombia who wrote a proposal titled "Children of Peace" that helped pass a referendum demanding peace in his home country. Pérez was nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize, but his actions also showed that students can make a difference.
But the club isn't all about Buddhism. Members said it is more about the Buddhist principles of peace rather than the religion itself.
"It's for the happiness," Perez said, adding that the groups members "cover various Buddhist concepts and philosophies with the purpose to apply them to everyday life and become happier and more compassionate young adults."
The club has had more than 150 members from both the GW and Foggy Bottom communities over the years. There are currently about 15 to 20 members regularly attending meetings.
Apart from hosting the Marvin Center exhibit, the club holds weekly meetings every Thursday night at HellWell. They have a list of events planned, including a trip to New York and a Fall Party dubbed "Buddhaween."
"We are a small club," said co-president Mackenzie Drutowski, "but we are also very close."
Buddhist AI Chat Bot NORBU!
(Neural Operator for Responsible Buddhist Understanding)
For Malaysians and Singaporeans, please make your donation to the following account:
Account Name: Bodhi Vision
Account No:. 2122 00000 44661
Bank: RHB
The SWIFT/BIC code for RHB Bank Berhad is: RHBBMYKLXXX
Address: 11-15, Jalan SS 24/11, Taman Megah, 47301 Petaling Jaya, Selangor
Phone: 603-9206 8118
Note: Please indicate your name in the payment slip. Thank you.
Dear Friends in the Dharma,
We seek your generous support to help us train NORBU, the word's first Buddhist AI Chat Bot.
Here are some ways you can contribute to this noble cause:
One-time Donation or Loan: A single contribution, regardless of its size, will go a long way in helping us reach our goal and make the Buddhist LLM a beacon of wisdom for all.
How will your donation / loan be used? Download the NORBU White Paper for details.
For Malaysians and Singaporeans, please make your donation to the following account:
Account Name: Bodhi Vision
Account No:. 2122 00000 44661
Bank: RHB
The SWIFT/BIC code for RHB Bank Berhad is: RHBBMYKLXXX
Address: 11-15, Jalan SS 24/11, Taman Megah, 47301 Petaling Jaya, Selangor
Phone: 603-9206 8118
Note: Please indicate your purpose of payment (loan or donation) in the payment slip. Thank you.
Once payment is banked in, please send the payment slip via email to: editor@buddhistchannel.tv. Your donation/loan will be published and publicly acknowledged on the Buddhist Channel.
Spread the Word: Share this initiative with your friends, family and fellow Dharma enthusiasts. Join "Friends of Norbu" at: https://www.facebook.com/groups/norbuchatbot. Together, we can build a stronger community and create a positive impact on a global scale.
Volunteer: If you possess expertise in AI, natural language processing, Dharma knowledge in terms of Buddhist sutras in various languages or related fields, and wish to lend your skills, please contact us. Your knowledge and passion could be invaluable to our project's success.
Your support is part of a collective effort to preserve and disseminate the profound teachings of Buddhism. By contributing to the NORBU, you become a "virtual Bodhisattva" to make Buddhist wisdom more accessible to seekers worldwide.
Thank you for helping to make NORBU a wise and compassionate Buddhist Chatbot!
May you be blessed with inner peace and wisdom,
With deepest gratitude,
Kooi F. Lim
On behalf of The Buddhist Channel Team
Note: To date, we have received the following contributions for NORBU:
US$ 75 from Gary Gach (Loan)
US$ 50 from Chong Sim Keong
MYR 300 from Wilson Tee
MYR 500 from Lim Yan Pok
MYR 50 from Oon Yeoh
MYR 200 from Ooi Poh Tin
MYR 300 from Lai Swee Pin
MYR 100 from Ong Hooi Sian
MYR 1,000 from Fam Sin Nin
MYR 500 from Oh teik Bin
MYR 300 from Yeoh Ai Guat
MYR 300 from Yong Lily
MYR 50 from Bandar Utama Buddhist Society
MYR 1,000 from Chiam Swee Ann
MYR 1,000 from Lye Veei Chiew
MYR 1,000 from Por Yong Tong
MYR 80 from Lee Wai Yee
MYR 500 from Pek Chee Hen
MYR 300 from Hor Tuck Loon
MYR 1,000 from Wise Payments Malaysia Sdn Bhd
MYR 200 from Teo Yen Hua
MYR 500 from Ng Wee Keat
MYR 10,000 from Chang Quai Hung, Jackie (Loan)
MYR 10,000 from K. C. Lim & Agnes (Loan)
MYR 10,000 from Juin & Jooky Tan (Loan)
MYR 100 from Poh Boon Fong (on behalf of SXI Buddhist Students Society)
MYR 10,000 from Fam Shan-Shan (Loan)
MYR 10,000 from John Fam (Loan)
MYR 500 from Phang Cheng Kar
MYR 100 from Lee Suat Yee
MYR 500 from Teo Chwee Hoon (on behalf of Lai Siow Kee)
MYR 200 from Mak Yuen Chau
We express our deep gratitude for the support and generosity.
If you have any enquiries, please write to: editor@buddhistchannel.tv