Buddhist Response to Burma
May 9th, 2008 · 1 Comment
The military government in Burma is receiving an outpouring of emergency aid offers from the international community. The death toll from Saturday’s cyclone continues to rise. Foreign aid workers were told they could enter the country to assess needs and distribute supplies but now a full week after the devastating cyclone, the humanitarian aid workers are still waiting for visas. We must ask ourselves where is the effort by the government itself in helping the people of Burma. The delay in allowing foreign aid workers damages the already tarnished reputation of the Burmese government and its supporters the Chinese government
The government of Burma by its action of concealing the country and its dealing with the monks and people, has added more proof to the world, that the mountain of criticism is justified. With Burma’s tightly controlled state media offered very little to allay any fears as the the conditions of the people after the cyclone. The news coming out of Burma is so tightly controlled , that details are little and many people fear the government has no effective plan to help the citizens offering scant details, it was unclear how the government was directing its emergency response.
The Burmese Army, which mobilized quickly and harshly to suppress the monks and the democratic protests last September, has been slow to respond to the needs of the people. We must ask what are they hiding. The disaster is compelling one of the world’s most secretive and isolated regimes to swing open its doors to the international community.
The monks of Burma have gone on video and news this week to ask for help. The people of Burma trust them. A country that is so quick to suppress the move towards a fair and just society for the monks and citizens now has a golden opportunity. They can use the ample police and military resources to help restore food, shelter and basic human needs to a country now twice devastated.
This is the time when inequality and exploitation dominate parts of the worlds societies. There are new signs however across the world calling for peace, social justice and the rights of human beings and the planets ecology. In Thailand, Buddhist monks are helping to preserve forests by ordaining individual trees into the priesthood. In Thai culture, ordained priests cannot be killed, thereby, the trees and forests are protected. These acts of caring are full of passion, and need to be better integrated with similar acts happening all over the world. The common agenda for all mankind must be firmly placed on a non-violent and spiritual path. This is the only way we can overcome the violence and destructiveness of dominant nations east and west from exercising their violent agendas over those who can not protect themselves, those with opposing views, and a fragile earth we must all share. We must become a people that develops a Buddhist mindset.
In Buddhism the breath is very important to us. Mindfulness in meditation leads to mindfulness in everyday life. We breathe in for the first time as we enter the world from our mother’s womb, and we breathe out the last time when we expire from life. Yet we do not take care of our daily breathing, we breathe in suffering, anxiety, hatred and greed. But we can have a personal transformation, become less selfish and care more for others. We can also develop self awareness and as we develop personal awareness we will also develop awareness of the social problems that plague our society. In order for us to find our true potential as individual and collectively we be face the suffering both mentally and socially.
We must begin to liberate ourself and our mindset. We need to respond with compassion.From the Buddhist standpoint we could overcome the sufferings in the world through the Noble Eightfold Path. It is a non-violent means. Through non-violence we can really achieve the cessation of suffering and the way to achieve the cessation of suffering.
We must begin to liberate ourselves and our mindset. We need to respond with freedom.
As a concerned people we hear the cries of those being oppressed. We must if nothing else pray for them. Develop metta in out everyday chores. Think good and loving thoughts for those who are oppressed. We may not be able to care for them directly, but we can care about them. We can wish them Peace. The fire of tyranny, oppression and hatred is never quenched with more fire. Prayer is an act of peace.
We must begin to liberate ourselves and our mindset. We need to respond with peace.
When one person passes, it is as if a single candle flame is hushed until rebirth, and we can be saddened. When thousands perish the darkness in undeniable. Gathered here we can transcend the distance and open our hearts of compassion. We breathe into this world a hope and prayer of great peace. We may be able to do nothing more than this. But we can pray. We are able to speak. Our voices can be like a thousand shining candles, doing our part to dispel the darkness. When those who have fallen strain to hear the outcry from the world, we pray they hear our voices. We give them our compassion. We work for their freedom. We pray for Peace throughout the world.
I Wish You Peace,
Bhante Kassapa
Bhante n. Kassapa Bhikkhu
bhante_kassapa@yahoo.com
Buu Mon Temple
Port Arthur, Texas, 77640
409.982.9319
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