My Vesak Day Wishes

by Alvin Wong, Singapore, The Buddhist Channel, May 12, 2006

I wish to write and share some of my thoughts and wishes in this coming Vesak Day.

Wishes are that many Buddhist groups shall focuses on Buddhist educations and mind training. And increase more Dharma teachers, especially lay Buddhists. Buddhism is not the path for the monks and nuns only, but the path the irregardless of the robes and outer appearances.

One of the reasons of the declining of Buddhism in many Asian countries are that the religion done very little for the masses in the community, focus on few limited monks and nuns and rituals. While we encourage more yogis who are monks and nuns, we shall also develope more lay yogis. The practical steps are to train the experience monks and nuns equipped with social skills, undergone good management and education programmes, and in return train more lay Buddhists to be active Buddhist workers and missionary.

Since Buddha time, the number of Buddhist monasteries in many Asia countries are tremendous. What I wish to highlight is that, there are enough temples and monasteries for the community. Thus, resources shall divert to propagations, training and mission works. If all the existing temples and monasteries are active to provide good Dharma trainings, the Buddhist community will growth. No more fund raising to build temples and monasteries, but co-operations and space sharing among Buddhist groups shall be encouraged. Fund raising shall be used for Buddhist missionary works, educations and relief works.

Old management in the Buddhist temples and monasteries shall play as advisory role, and shall paved the road for the younger and energetic Buddhist managers. Then the Buddhist groups able to be socially engaged and provide services to the community.

Lay Buddhists or monks shall relate to the contemporary needs and problems of the youth. This will enable spiritual guidance based on Buddhism to be able to reach the youth groups especially in the age region between 12 to 20 years old, as they will be a future Buddhist masters and leaders that able to contribute to the society. This can be started by a simple music party for the youth, social gathering, sport games to provide interaction, appreciating Buddhist hymns and songs and internat chat.

One more wish is a bursary and foundations to sponsor lay or clergy for Buddhist missionary training in many of the Buddhist colleges, universities, institutes and monasteries. In return, they shall contribute back to Buddhist community by training more Buddhist workers. This fund and bursary shall be raised by any Buddhist organisations and monasteries. If each organisations able to provide one candidates, within three years, we will have many great masters and yogis and one can observe a very strong Buddhist revivals especially back in Asia.

Happy Vesak!
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