Vesak was celebrated this year, at an international level, with Sri Lanka as the sacred venue. As a Sri Lankan Buddhist monk resident in Japan, I have been able to see the new and profound interest the world took in the practice of the eternal law proclaimed by the Buddha.
Almost the whole world has now awakened into the spiritual system that was endowed upon mankind by the Supremely Enlightened Buddha, about 2600 years ago.
Many people in the modern world, need the guidance of the Buddha. His Teachings are for all time and for all places.
Today, everywhere, in the world, anxiety reins supreme. Men and women experience harrowing tensions. Their minds are not calm. They find it difficult to experience a moment of serenity.
They yearn for a tranquil mind. But, it is extremely difficult to remain unshaken in mind, as things are in the world today.
In such a troubled context, people, especially those who inhabit sophisticated societies, discovered the remedy that was presented to the people of those times, by the Buddha.
In an utterly strange manner, the mindfulness meditation proclaimed by the Supreme Buddha has become phenomenally popular in the US and many other western lands.
We can sense this new awakening and the eagerness with which sophisticated men and women of the western world seek the healing powers of Buddha’s mindfulness meditation system.
A course of practice titled ‘Mindfulness Meditation for Tension Reduction’, is taught in all the fifty states in the United States of America.
The ‘Anapanasati’ (Breath Meditation) is avidly practised by these masses in the West, making us wonder, why we in lands like Sri Lanka failed to make use of such a miraculous treasure though we have known it for at least 23 centuries.
When I took an international perspective on this development, I was persuaded to bring this message of peace and compassion to the people of this great country, and to turn the Vesak festival into an occasion to re-discover this eternal treasure of the Buddha word.
May All beings be Happy and Well.
(The prelate is domiciled in Japan).