Thailand, Cambodia join 'Dhamma Yatra' call for peace

MCOT Online, May 16, 2011

SA KAEO, Thailand -- A Thai Buddhist group and its Cambodian counterpart joined with 'Dhamma Yatra' Buddhist pilgrims to urge their compatriots to use dhamma as a means to end the armed conflict between the two neighbouring countries.

Dhamma, the teaching of the Lord Buddha, joined with Yatra means walk, so Dhamma-yatra is a Dhamma walk or march.

The Thai Buddhist group led by Sulak Sivaraksa, a prominent Thai intellectual and social critic, known for his outspokenness, marched from Wat Mai Sai Thong in Aranyaprathet district of Sa Kaeo province to the Thai-Cambodian Friendship bridge on the border to welcome a Buddhist group from Cambodia which marched from a temple in Ou Chrov district of Banteay Meanchey province to the bridge.

The groups held joint activities, including prayers, and lighting candles for peace and unity before proceeding to Wat Mai Sai Thong for more activities scheduled to be held until Wednesday.

Thai and Cambodian Buddhist monks and academics were to attend forums and discussions on Buddhism and and seeking together the means to find solutions to the conflicts and obstructions to building peace.

The Joint Dhamma Yatra was a cooperation between Buddhists in Thailand and Cambodia to create friendship and peace; and ease the conflict and mistrust between the two countries.

The move was being held to coincide with Visakha Bucha Day Tuesday which marks the birth, the enlightenment and the passing away of Lord Buddha, which according to tradition miraculously fell on the same month and date in each of the three years.

In a related event, the Royal Government of Thailand supported the Eighth International Conference of the United Nations Day of Vesak at the UN regional headquarters for Asia on Saturday, where 1,700 Buddhist monks and lay persons from 85 countries prayed for worldwide peace and the well-being of Thailand's monarch His Majesty King Bhumibol Adulyadej for his 84th birthday this year, ending with candle-lit ceremonies at Buddhamonthon on Saturday evening.

The Buddhist Channel - Donate to Support Our Work



An Appeal

In deep gratitude for your support! We are half way to meeting our target (US$ 10,400 of US$ 18,000 already achieved)!

The Buddhist Channel is a dedicated group of "mindful communication practitioners" striving to make a positive impact on the Buddhist community. We deeply believe in the power of mindful journalism and are reaching out to you with a heartfelt request for your support. Your donation, no matter the size, can make a tangible difference in the lives of countless Buddhist monastics, local communities and other dedicated engaged workers. With your help, we make their stories known, and thereby opening up avenues for them to obtain sustainable support for their work.

Please indicate whether your support will be a donation or a loan. We will get back to you via email. We thank you in advance for providing us financial relieve. May the Buddha Dharma ever be your guide and protector.

Note: To date, we have received the following:

US$ 900 from Esa Myllykoski (donation)
US$ 9,500 from Lance Edwards/Kau Soo Kin (loan)

We express our deep gratitude for the support and generosity.

If you have any enquiries, please write to: editor@buddhistchannel.tv

TOP