The Most Venerable Yicheng, Presiden Buddhist Association of China，

 Members of Sangha,

Distinguished Guests,

 After three busy days of enthusiastic speeches, comments made on the speeches, a round table discussion and specialist presentations, the Seminar on Buddhist Studies in Foreign Languages 2008 has been successfully completed.  The past three days passed quickly since there has been so much going on, it has been filled with an impressive program and unforgettable experiences. First of all, on behalf of China Religions Culture Communication Association, I would like to extend my most sincere gratitude and the warmest congratulations to all the participants and judges. Also I would like to take this opportunity to thank the staff of Shanghai Ethnic and Religions Affairs Committee,  Buddhist Association of China and Shanghai Jade Buddha Temple, for their support and dedication to the success of this seminar.

Shanghai is an international metropolis where the east meets the west, and contains the well known Jade Buddha Temple. Venerable Taixu, who previously lived in Jade Buddha Temple, put a lot of emphasis on the strengthening of Buddhist education, and made every effort possible to enhance communications with the world outside China. As a result, it has brought about a large number of members of the Sangha who are talented in a variety of foreign languages. Mr. Zhao Puchu, who cared a lot about the Jade Buddha Temple, also paid great amount of attention to training talent among members of the Buddhist clergy. He repeatedly stated that the first pressing task of Chinese Buddhism was to cultivate talent, the second was still to cultivate talent, and the third was to cultivate talent as well. The talent Mr. Zhao mentioned include ability in preaching, management and international exchange. In order to engage in international communication, what we need the most is those who are fluent in foreign languages. Following this instruction, Venerable Juexing, President of Shanghai Buddhist Association, has sent a group of young Buddhist clergy to Eastern China Normal University to study foreign languages. This is a worthy of note.

 In April this year, we held a competition on teaching dharma from the Chinese Buddhist Canon. Now, for the first time ever, we have held a seminar on Buddhist studies in foreign languages, and it is on such a scale that it has attracted Buddhist monastics and lay followers from the three areas cross the Strait and abroad. This seminar marks a very promising beginning. One of the purposes of this seminar is to select foreign language talent for the world Buddhist forum. Over the past three days, we have not only engaged in friendly discussion, improved our knowledge and ability of foreign language communication, but also we have discovered and selected a highly skilled group of people who have mastered foreign languages and thus laid very firm groundwork for the translation work of the Second World Buddhism Forum. It is my belief that this seminar is bound to be remembered in the history of Buddhism and to have a lasting and deep impact on developing specialists in foreign languages, and enhancing the efforts of studying abroad and paving the way for international exchanges.

In summary, we have several feelings towards this seminar:

 Firstly, over 100 participants, both laity and monastic, from various Buddhist groups, monasteries, schools and research institutions, some seventy participants are from the Chinese mainland and over thirty participants are from Hong Kong and Taiwan. We have found from the seminar that Buddhist circles in Taiwan and Hong Kong have been in the front rank in fostering foreign language talent, and have reached a considerably high level with abundant experience.

 The second feature of the seminar is that all of the speeches have been rich in content and creative in style, all comments are have been both appropriate and intelligent. The theme of the seminar is: “Chinese Buddhism meets the world” and “The past and future of Chinese Buddhism”. The speakers gave their speeches in original styles and new techniques such as PPT. The most wonderful point I want to mention, is that the comments given by our moderators have been brief and to the point, and have made the seminar lively and colorful.

 Thirdly, I want to specially point that this seminar has used as many as eight foreign languages for the speeches, including English, Japanese, Korean, French, Thai, German, Spanish, and Mongolian. Such a large scale, multi-lingual Buddhist exchange is unprecedented in China.

 I hope every participant will summarize the main points of this seminar when you return home, and that local Buddhist Associations will seize the golden opportunity to pay more attention to fostering Buddhist foreign language ability, to promote foreign language level in general throughout Buddhist circles. In this way we will surely be able to strengthen ourselves, to hand down the Buddha’s light, to prolong the BUDDHA’S wisdom and to march on down the road towards the whole world.

 The preparation of the second World Buddhist Forum is now underway. Compared with the first Forum, the coming forum will have a richer and more colorful content. So much outstanding foreign language talent has come out from this seminar, and many will surely play important roles in laying down a firm foundation and offering foreign language service for the Second World Buddhist Forum.

 It can be seen that another successful World Buddhist Forum is fast approaching.

 It is said: “It is not easy to follow the truth, it is more difficult to seize the proper opportunity.” The development of the times has raised new demands to the propagation of the Buddha Dharma and international exchange. To meet such requirements Chinese Buddhism has to develop itself, to play a greater role, to go out from our own country, and to spread throughout the world.  Chinese Buddhism will greatly contribute to social harmony, to national prosperity, and to world peace, with its brilliant light of wisdom.

 Last but not least, we want to express our gratitude especially to the Jade Buddha Temple. The time given to set up this seminar was short, the participants are many and the logistics involved is difficult. However, the work done by the Jade Buddha Temple is of a very high standard and thus has won the hearts of all the participants. It is fair to say that without the efforts made by the Jade Buddha Temple the successful completion of the Seminar would not have been possible. Also, I want to thank the hard-working media circle friends for their industrious and excellent performances; thank all the venerables and laity who have gone such lengths to come to this Seminar during these hot summer days. Your active participation has been the true inspiration for all the speakers! 

 Finally, may you be happy and healthy, with the auspicious blessings of the Buddhas.