8/8/2019 ngha Ha Bnh trong dp l Pht Ngc ti Sacramento

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8/8/2019 ngha Ha Bnh trong dp l Pht Ngc ti Sacramento

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The PEACE MESSAGE of the VIETNAMESE BUDDHIST COMMUNITY inNORTHERN CALIFORNIA during the JADE BUDDHA for UNIVERSAL PEACE

Exhibition in Sacramento

After nearly three months of preparation to bring the message of peace to northernCalifornia in general, and for the Vietnamese Buddhist Community in northern California in

particular. The opening ceremony took place in a beautiful day with about 6,000 worshipers

gathering to pay homage to the Jade Buddha at Kim Quang Temple on 3119 Alta Arden

Expressway in Sacramento. The organizing committee has worked tirelessly in a spirit of

harmony to get the message of peace across.

Venerable Thich Nhat Hue, Chairman of the organizing committee emphasized the

meaning of peace, according to the Buddhist teachings, can be achieved only through the

transformation of the individuals mind, from impurity to purity. This is exactly what the Buddha

says in the Holy Teaching of Vimalakirti: The purity of the world reflects the purity of ones

mind.

The most Ven. Thich Minh Dat, one of spiritual advisors gave some significant thoughts

on this occasion: "I believe that the energetic waves of wisdom and compassion which manifest

through our one-minded prayers today will pulse rhythmically with those of people's prayers

around the world, so that human beings might be inspired to transform hatred into love and

suffering into true happiness.

Without wisdom and compassion, it is impossible for us to bring peace to the world;

therefore, it is important that each of us should cultivate and practice wisdom and peace in our

daily lives."

By the same token, the most Ven. Thich Thang Hoan offered some suggestions on how to

basically transform ourselves: "Peace is a part of the Buddhist's daily prayers. The meaning of

peace, according to Buddhism, can be achieved by transforming the defiled mind into the pure

one, or from the disturbed to the peaceful. In particular, peace can be achieved through the

following ways:

1) Practicing peace for oneself: lessening desire by practicing moral precepts, controllinghatred by being mindfulness, and liberating ignorance by understanding.

2) Practicing peace for people: not take what is not given to one, not do things that areharmful to people and living things, and not holding prejudices against other people.

3) Practicing peace for environment: thinking of the hunger and famine of other people bypracticing a life of self-sufficiency, to love and protect the environment by not wasting and

destroying natural resources.

In this spirit, let us cultivate the meaning of wisdom and compassion and actualize it into

our daily lives so as to make this world a peaceful place to live.

Secretary Committee