Wesak Day 2019 message
Dear Brothers and Sisters in the Dhamma,When The Buddha was Enlightened, he taught his earliest disciples the Four Noble Truths which remains as The Buddha’s core Teachings
Dukkha - the truth of suffering.
Samudaya - the truth of the origin of suffering.
Nirodha - the truth of the cessation (end) of suffering.
Magga - the truth of the path to the cessation (end) of suffering.
Understanding the cause of suffering is part of the route to enlightenment. The Buddha further expands that the three ultimate causes of suffering are greed, hatred and ignorance. These manifest as violent acts around the world and division among once-peaceful neighbors.As we celebrate the Birth, Enlightenment and Passing of our Teacher, let us really reflect on the greed, hatred and ignorance that are present in all of us – whether it is unconscious bias or outright hostility.Subsequently, let us work to remove these ultimate causes of suffering from our lives. As individuals, we will be happier. As neighbors, we will be more harmonious. As a society, we will be even more peaceful.This ties in to this year’s theme for Wesak Day that is, “Collective wisdom for the well-being of all.”Wisdom is not exclusive to anyone. We are all born different. There are lessons to be learned from this diversity. Mutual Respect, Mutual Understanding and Mutual Learning. When we understand and acknowledge this, only then can we truly harness our collective wisdom for the well-being of all.This Wesak Day, may we continue to learn from each other and support each other’s paths to enlightenment – no matter how different these paths may be.I wish you a very Happy Wesak 2019.Brother Tan Leng HuatPresident,Theravada Buddhist Council Malaysia-posted by Terence Seow