Buddhism has flourished in Malaysia with various schools of Buddhism. Even though the Buddha has left us for more than 2600 years, we are blessed to have chances to learn Buddhism in this multi-cultural society. This is not a coincidence but started from the compassion of the Buddha to bring the Saddhamma to the worldlings, as well as the continuation of such Saddhamma by the sangha members. As such, the sentient beings are able to see the light and hopes through the Dharma, leading to the countless number of people cultivating Buddhism around the world today.
The most precious gift from the Buddha to the world
Wesak Day celebrates the birth, the enlightenment and the nirvana of the Buddha. On the night of the enlightenment of the Buddha, the earth shook and shone brilliant lights, enabling sentient beings to enjoy peace and happiness. After his enlightenment, the Buddha continued to enlighten Panca Bhikkhu at Sarnath, and then Buddhayasas and friends, with his initial words to the 60 disciples:
‘Go forth for the good of the many, for the happiness of the many, out of compassion for the world, for the welfare, the good and the happiness of gods and men. Let no two of you go in the same direction. Teach the Dharma which is beautiful in the beginning, beautiful in the middle and beautiful at the end. Proclaim both the letter and the spirit of the holy life completely fulfilled and perfectly pure.’
Since the Buddha delivered his first sermon to his disciples, with the lineage of more than 2000 years, today, we have such blissful opportunities to listen to the Dharma. The Dharma has brought blessings to the world, where people are able to see the ultimate truth of life, to practice towards the attainment of Samadhi. This is the most precious gift from the Buddha. We should be grateful on this occasion, to remember the Buddha, for him to point us to the road to Samadhi.
Vow to be a Practitioner and Propagator of the Truth
The Buddha is out of compassion to the worldlings and vowed to let the sentient beings to listen to the Dharma and be enlightened, so he shared the joy of the Dharma with others. Today, we are benefited from the Dharma, and practice the Dharma to attain the ultimate peacefulness. Hence, we should share this joy of learning with others and move towards the attainment of Samadhi together. This ultimate happiness is to be obtained through the cultivation and sharing of the Dharma with others.
We need to vow to be a practitioner and propagator of the Dharma, regardless of our location and position. Through our abilities and efforts, we contribute to the lineage of the Dharma, enlightening others while seeking enlightenment for ourselves. As a Dharma practitioner, we need to set an example for others, refrain from wrongdoings, promote the right actions, and use the Dharma to light up the lives. The light of the Dharma once lit, then we are able to bring the compassion and loving kindness to the people around us, and slowly spread to friends and relatives, and even the society.
May everyone be able to become an example to others;
Let us remember the compassion and wisdom of the Buddha;
Let us cultivate the gratitude and loving kindness in the society.
President of Young Buddhist Association of Malaysia (YBAM), Tan King Leong
