Let us soften the hardest of hearts, and bind one to another with cords of understanding, love, kindness and compassion. Let us eliminate the barriers of class, creed and race among the peoples of the Earth.
by Ven. Dr. Walpola Piyananda
I have been a Buddhist monk for sixty-seven years. I am also an American citizen. I am so saddened by the disregard of life that occurred in Minneapolis by four police officers that led to the death of George Floyd.
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| Protest in USA |
In Buddhism, we learn that each one of us is accountable for our actions; that a human being is responsible for their actions or inactions. The Buddha taught and we should remember that:
All tremble at violence; life is dear to all.
Putting oneself in the place of another,
One should not kill nor cause another to kill.
Those people in positions of power should not abuse their power, but use it to promote understanding through communication to generate mutual respect.
During this time of great stress because of the Covid-19 and injustice towards our fellow human beings, it is important to remember and practice what the great teachers of non-violence such as The Buddha, Jesus Christ, Mahatma Gandhi and Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. taught. Let us show others that we can, in the spirit of true democracy, have respect for our fellow human beings to work together, live together and to solve our problems peacefully together.
Let us soften the hardest of hearts, and bind one to another with cords of understanding, love, kindness and compassion. Let us eliminate the barriers of class, creed and race among the peoples of the Earth.
I ask each person to let wisdom and compassion guide our actions. Let all humans be treated with kindness; and let peace and harmony reign in our hearts. Please for the sake of our loved ones: “Do unto others, as you would have them do to you.”
The writer is the Chief Sangha Nayaka of America
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