英文演讲稿：

As Chinese Buddhism Faces the World

Presented by Miao Guang (Fo Guang University)

Distinguished Guests, Venerables, Ladies and Gentlemen,
    A warm greeting to you all! It is an honor to be here to share my humble views on Buddhism with all of you from different parts of the world.
Through out the past years, we have witnessed the rapid growth of China in many aspects. China is now blessed with the fastest growing economy, an abundance of natural beauty, the world’s most popular first language - Mandarin, a five-thousand-year-old culture and resplendent treasure of civilization; Chinese Buddhism has certainly made contributions to the beauties of all these blessings. As China continues to open up, Chinese Buddhism will no doubt reach further into the world and exert greater influences on how the world shapes its future thinking modes. Therefore, what role should Chinese Buddhism play in a time of cries for world peace, and environmental preservation?
Today, we live in the era of global village that has brought us closer to one another. However, this also means we are confronted with global issues including the threats of war, economic crisis, racial conflict, environmental destruction, and natural disasters all together. The human race can no longer neglect the fat that what happens on one part of the earth exerts tremendous effects on the other. For example, in 2004, the earthquake and tsunami in Sumatra, Indonesia struck India, Malaysia, Sri Lanka and other Southeast Asian countries very hard. The earthquake in Sichuan this year shook the whole Asian Continent and brought forth the whole world’s love and concern for their fellow human beings.
It cannot be denied that the shared-karma of the whole human race is the main cause for both natural disaster and man-made calamity. We must also admit that it is the greed, anger and ignorance in human beings that gave birth to natural disasters far beyond men’s ability to counteract. Human beings have indulged themselves in excessive exploitation of the earth’s resources, thereby causing nature to pounce back on us.
Being a part of one of today’s most influential countries of the world, Chinese Buddhism carries the unshirkable responsibility to call for equality, respect for lives, compassion, and coexistence in the world.
Venerable Master Hsing Yun has once introduced very wise views regarding how Buddhism should face global issues. Please allow me to elaborate:

1) World Peace Derives From Equality
The brighter side of human nature is expressed through our love for peace, and every human being has the right to demand for a stable and happy life free from the shadows of war. However, peace cannot be achieved through individual endeavors, nor through banning force or nuclear weapons. The prerequisite for peace is in fact equality.
Equality and peace are two sides of the same coin. Today’s world is still chaotic simply because inequality exists. The reason for the weak being prey to the strong in politics, uneven distribution of wealth, religious and racial conflicts, gender and geographical prejudice is the absence of a consensus on coexistence which exists along side of equality. When we hear protests against inequality, we must realize that true peace can only be achieved through equality.
True equality comes from putting oneself in another’s shoes, for example, when seeing others suffer, we need to consider their needs and problems, and think from their point of view. Only by doing so will equality be achieved between oneself and others.
Equality is a fundamental concept of Buddhism. When the Buddha established the Sangha community, he introduced the Six Points of Reverent Harmony to make a perfect demonstration of democracy and equality achieved through a set of common ideas, laws, language, conducts and thoughts. Another example of equality is demonstrated by the Samyuktagama, where it tells us not to underestimate the power of the Four Small Things. The Buddhist theory on equality between the relative and absolute, between principle and phenomenon, between self and others, between foes and family, and between the Buddha and the ordinary are the ultimate concepts of equality. Only equality can enable every living being to be respected, and only peace can deliver a sense of glory to everybody’s heart. In order to achieve world peace, people need to first develop a mind of equality. Not only should nations treat each other equally, races should also do the same. The greater must respect those smaller than them, the strong must respect the weak, and the superior must respect their inferiors. Only with the concept of equality and respect for all can a peaceful world be found.

2) Environmental Preservation Derives From Respect for Life
Environmental preservation is another major issue that requires the world’s immediate attention. Animal extinction, deforestation, excessive mining, excessive extraction of groundwater, burning of toxic waste, improper disposal of industrial wastes have caused erosion, landslides, pollution of the air, water and environment, as well as abnormal natural phenomena such as global warming and sandstorms, each imposing serious threats on the survival of human beings.
According to scientific research, if the human race keeps at its current resource consumption and population growth rate, in fifty year’s time, two earths’ resources will be required to satisfy their needs. Serious resource crisis and ecological destruction have finally awakened man’s awareness in environmental protection.
Buddhism is a religion that is fully aware of the need for environmental protection. Not only does it urge people to protect human lives, it also encourages protection for nature, because every being on earth possesses the Buddha nature. For this reason, Buddhism advocates no killing out of respect and compassion for other beings, because all living beings are entitled to the right of life.
Not killing is a sign of compassion and respect for life. The respect and care for life demonstrated by Chinese Buddhism can be proven by the following verses composed by great masters from the past, “My flesh and sentient beings’ flesh, although different in name and form, are the same nature in nature. Animals suffer pain and agony while we enjoy their sweet and tender flesh. There is no need for Yama to judge; we ourselves can imagine what the consequences shall be.”  “Who says the lives of this flock of birds are insignificant?  They are also flesh and blood. Please do not aim your shots at the birds resting atop those branches, because their sucklings are awaiting their mother’s return to their nest.”  King Asoka, a pious believer of Buddhism also created forests to provide better shelters for animals. He even set up animal hospitals and ordered his imperial chefs not to kill animals. All of the above are ideal examples of how Buddhism protects life.
By replacing killing with protection for life, and then progress to advocating the right for life in all animals, it will be an ideal demonstration of environmental protection. Only by raising people’s awareness in the right for life and environmental protection will we recover a healthy earth and bright future.