Buddhist monks hold summit

By The Nation

Celebrations for Visakha Bucha Day, which falls on May 17 this year, began yesterday with a summit of chief Buddhist monks and scholars from 85 countries held at a Buddhist university in Ayutthaya province.

The Royal Consort, Her Royal Highness Princess Srirasmi, presided over the inauguration ceremony at the Mahachulalongkornrajavidyalaya University attended by 1,785 foreign and Thai monks and scholars, including Somdej Phra Maha Ratchamangkhalajarn, who represented His Holiness the Supreme Patriarch.

The princess's speech highlighted the importance of the development of individual minds in terms of wisdom and morality based on Buddhist teachings, as the key to a country's prosperity and sustainable development.

A special Buddhist prayer will be said at the Emerald Buddha temple today to mark His Majesty the King's 84th birthday and to wish the King, who last week underwent surgery, a speedy recovery.

This prayer, to be either said or attended by all the participants, will be presided over by Her Royal Highness Princess Somsavali and is scheduled for 5pm.

Visakha Bucha is an annual holiday observed traditionally by Buddhists in Nepal, Sri Lanka, and the Southeast Asian countries of Singapore, Vietnam, Thailand, Cambodia, Malaysia, Burma, and Indonesia, which marks the birth, enlightenment and passing away of the Buddha.

At yesterday's inauguration, two senior monks from Cambodia praised His Majesty for practising dharma and applying Buddhist teachings in his projects. A message of admiration from Sri Lanka's President, Mahinda Rajapaksa, was read out in His Majesty's honour.

The closing of the threeday summit will be held at the United Nations building in Bangkok, along with a seminar entitled Buddhist teachings with social and economic developments during which successful royal projects will be described.

스리랑카 - 5월 17일부터 23일까지 절강성 중국불교협회 부회장 장광천 단장을 중심으로 한 “중국불교 교향악단” 43명의 대표단은 부처님 성도 2600년을 기념하는 축하공연을 위해 스리랑카를 방문하였다. 이 기간은 스리랑카의 웨삭데이(부처님 오신 날)이며, 부처님 성도 2600년 기념축하를 위한 다채로운 문화공연 행사가 기획되었다.

18일에는 반다라나커 문화센터에서 국제불교영화제를 개최하였는데, 중국 대표단은 개막식에서 다채로운 공연을 선보여 참석한 대중들에게 열렬한 환영을 받았다. 20일에는 스리랑카 불치사에서 개최된 국제불교 박물관 건립식에도 참석하였다.

중국 대표단은 양국간 우호 교류차원에서 ‘스리랑카․ 중국 우호협회’측에 1만 불을 전달하였으며, 스리랑카 사찰소속의 학교에 기자재 및 학용품 구입을 위해 사용해달라고 부탁하였다.