The Buddhist Hour Radio Broadcast for Sunday 23 June 2002

Broadcast Script 230


Today's program is entitled:
International Buddhist Leaders meet in Upwey

Glossary

sabbatical: designating a period of leave from duty granted at intervals to a university teacher for study and travel

scholar: a person receiving formal teaching from another, a learned or erudite person, a person who regards another as his or her leader or teacher; a disciple

universality: the fact or quality of being universal, the whole of a group of people or things, humankind etc. a collective whole as apart from its composite parts.

The Buddha Dhamma Chanting Vandana: Om Namo Tassa Bhagavato Arahato Samma Sambuddhassa, was heard at our Upwey Centre, on Thursday 20 June 2002, to greet Doctor Ananda W. P. Guruge, Vice President of the World Fellowship of Buddhists, First Chair Person of the World Buddhist University and Ms Piyaporn Erbprasartsook, Advisor to the World Fellowship of Buddhists.

These international Buddha Dhamma Leaders visited our Centre to meet with John D. Hughes, Vice President of of the World Fellowship of Buddhists, and Advisor to the World Buddhist University.

Doctor Ananda Guruge was visiting Melbourne to be Chairperson for the Australasian Buddhist Convention, being this weekend.

Members of the local press, the Leader Ranges Newspaper and the Ranges Trader Newspaper visited our Centre to photograph and write about our eminent international guests.

Meeting apologies were recieved from:

Honourable Phillip Ruddock MP
Minister for Immigration and Multicultural Affairs
Federal Government of Australia

Honourable Steve Bracks
Premier of Victoria
Government of Victoria

Honourable Dennis Napthine
Leader of the Parliamentary Liberal Party
Leader of the Opposition, State of Victoria

Honourable Helen Shardey
Shadow Minister for Multicultural Affairs
Liberal Party of Victoria

Honourable Andrew Olexander MLC
Member for Silvan
Federal Government of Australia

Honourable Bob Charles MP
Member for Latrobe
Federal Government of Australia

The three international leaders have a total of over 120 years of experience in Buddha Dhamma affairs. It takes many years of building goodwill in Thailand to be able to achieve this level of rapport.

One leader is former Sri Lankan Ambassador to UNESCO, Doctor Ananda Guruge. He visited the Upwey Buddhist Centre on Thursday 20 June, 2002.

His trip to Melbourne included time with his old colleague and pioneer Australian Buddhist leader John D. Hughes, fellow Vice-President of the World Fellowship of Buddhists and Advisor to the World Buddhist University. John D. Hughes is the Founder of the Buddhist Discussion Centre (Upwey) Ltd. in Australia.

Doctor Guruge was presented with a Life Membership of the local Centre for his decades of helping our Australian Buddhist Centre meet world leaders and adjust to international affairs.

Doctor Guruge is a renowned Buddhist Scholar, author of 44 books, past Diplomat, Dean of the Faculty of Buddhist studies at Hsi Lai University, USA, Vice-President of the World Fellowship of Buddhists, and its former UNESCO Ambassador.

The third Buddhist Leader, Ms Piaporn Erbprasartsook from Bangkok, Thailand, is a World Fellowship of Buddhists Head Office Advisor.

The three leaders discussed how our centre in Australia and centres in Thailand can develop more joint projects for education for world peace.

On 30 May, the Prime Minister of Australia gave the green light to begin Australia/Thailand trade negotiations.

The Australian Minister for Trade, the Honourable Mark Vail, MP, said that an earlier announcement in Canberra by Prime Minister Howard and visiting Thai Prime Minister Thaksin has given the green light to begin formal discussions that will build closer economic relations between Australia and Thailand.

“The Prime Ministers of Australia and Thailand have agreed that a closer economic relations trade agreement between our two countries will be as comprehensive as possible,” Mr Vaile said.

Australia and Thailand already have a close relationship, with two-way trade worth about $A5 billion annually. Thailand is Australia’s 14th largest trading partner.

The Buddhist Discussion Centre (Upwey) Ltd. welcomes this proposal and has been working to be closer to their Thai counterparts for some years.

The Buddhist Discussion Centre (Upwey) Ltd. is a Regional Centre of the World Fellowship of Buddhists, who has its headquarters in Bangkok, and an Associated Institute of the World Buddhist University in Thailand.

All three leaders will attend The Australasian Buddhist Convention, held at the Camberwell Civic Centre this weekend.

Doctor Ananda Guruge delivered the keynote address “Contemporary Challenges and Pathway to a Peaceful Mind” at the Australasian Buddhist Convention, yesterday, Saturday June 22, 2002.

at the Australasian Buddhist Convention Week Conference being held this weekende, Saturday 22 and Sunday 23 June 2002, World Renowned Buddhist Speakers are guiding participants through the practical experience of the Buddhist Pathway, to achieve and sustain a Peaceful mind. Over sixty Monks have been in attendance.

“The convention will focus on the Pathway to a Peaceful Mind….. my sincere prayers that your conference may be successful in contributing to a more peaceful and happier world.” His Holiness The Dalai Lama

The Conference Venue is the Camberwell Civic Centre.

One journalist asked Doctor Ananda Guruge about his connection with John D. Hughes, Founder of our Centre. Doctor Guruge said that he first met John as a delegate at an international conference of Buddhists and Buddhist scholars held in Columbo, Sri Lanka, in 1982.

When the meeting was closed, John raised his hand to make a contribution. The meeting had already closed, and the agenda already finalised, however Doctor Guruge allowed John Hughes to speak. John suggested that the documents should bear at the top, the words:

Namo Tassa Bhagavato Arahato Samma Sambuddhassa

which is used by Buddhists all over the world to pay homage to the Buddha.

Doctor Guruge moved that the recommendation be accepted unanimously.

After the meeting was over, Doctor Guruge stepped down from the dais and walked up to John and embraced him, saying, “You and I are going to be friends.”

They have been friends for 20 years, and are planning to remain friends for the next 20 years.

The profile of Pioneer Buddhist Leader John D. Hughes, Diploma Applied Chemistry, Trained Technical Teacher Certificate, Graduate Diploma Adult and Industrial Education is of world interest.

Born in Victoria, Australia on 9 September 1930, John D. Hughes is a fifth generation Australian.

He has broad industrial experience as chemical researcher and scientist, industrial property adviser and an educator.

In 1978, John D. Hughes founded one of the pioneer Buddha Dhamma organisations, the Buddhist Discussion Centre (Upwey) Ltd. in Australia, where he is Resident Teacher. He is a scholar and historian who can teach the various flavours of Buddha Dhamma. Not surprisingly, true Buddha Dhamma has one taste. He also teaches Chan (Zen) Painting.

As a Vice President of the World Fellowship of Buddhists and an Adviser to the World Buddhist University, Bangkok, Thailand, John regularly visits the headquarters of this organisation in Bangkok.

As Public Relations Officer for the World Fellowship of Buddhist Standing Committee on Women, John's wife Anita, Registered Nurse, Division One, established their website on our website at www.bdcu.org.au/scw. Anita's commitment to her practice is exemplary to many women.

John regularly makes contributions to international journals and international conferences and has taught in over 14 countries.

His organisation operates eight educational websites. Two of the website addresses are www.bdcu.org.au and www.bdcublessings.net.au

John D. Hughes strongly encouraged Members of the Buddhist Discussion Centre (Upwey) Ltd. to work on the Committee of the Australasian Buddhist Convention with Members of the Buddhist Foundation (Vic) Australia Inc.

John D. Hughes receives much encouragement from world leaders.

For example, in 1995 John D. Hughes received blessings from The Sangharaj of the Supreme Sangha Council of Bangladesh, His Magnanimous Holiness Most Venerable Shilankar Mahathero. The Most Venerable was clairvoyant and could see the future.

"You are one of the apostles of our New World Buddhist order in Australia, and one of the pioneers in the Australia – New Zealand region.

"I pray for your attainment of 'Bodhisatta Parami' in this life and may you be happy all along with your friends far and near working hand in hand with you for the spreading of Buddha Dhamma in your continent…

I'm so happy and contented to know that Buddhism continues to flourish in every corner of the world unabated even for a moment, that in the 21st Century to come will hopefully usher in a New Buddhist Era for the Benefit of all human beings living on this planet that world peace will one day in this process be achieved."

Doctor Ananda W. P. Guruge is 74 years next birthday and John D. Hughes is 72 years next birthday.

Doctor Ananda W. P. Guruge B.A. (Hons); Ph. D., D. Litt. is the Dean of Academic Affairs and the Director of the International Academy of Buddhism of Hsi Lai University, Rosemead, Los Angeles County, California, USA and Visiting Professor of Buddhist and Peace Studies at California State University, Fullerton and Northwestern University, Evanstone, Illinois.

Formerly the Ambassador of Sri Lanka to UNESCO, France and the United States of America, he is the Senior Special Advisor to the Director General of UNESCO.

Active in the international Buddhist Leadership, he is a Vice-President of the World Fellowship of Buddhists and the Patron of the European Buddhist Union. His publications include 44 books in Sinhala and English and 130 research papers.

Doctor Ananda Guruge expressed his great respect for John D. Hughes’ work to promote Buddha Dhamma, saying that even though he may not be well known locally, he has succeeded through his work in promoting Buddha Dhamma as putting Upwey and Australia on the international map.

Doctor Guruge said that he always takes every opportunity he can to promote John’s work internationally.

Doctor Guruge also spoke of how John became a Vice-President of the World Fellowship of Buddhists. At the 20th World Fellowship of Buddhists conference, held in Wollongong, Australia in 1998, Vice-Presidents of the World Fellowship of Buddhists were elected. John and one other candidate tied in the voting for the final open position for Vice-President. The other candidate then bowed out in deference to John, who made history by becoming the first Australian Vice-President of the World Fellowship of Buddhists.

To commemorate the 50th year of the World Fellowship of Buddhists, the World Fellowship of Buddhists decided to set up a World Buddhist University.

The motion to set up such a university was passed in Australia, and the World Buddhist University therefore has significant meaning for Australia. Doctor Ananda Guruge is the Chairman of the World Buddhist University Committee, and presented the World Buddhist University Charter at the 20th World Fellowship of Buddhists meeting in Wollongong, Australia.

The World Buddhist University, based in Bangkok is similar in structure to the United Nations University, which is based in Tokyo. The World Buddhist University is based in Thailand, but its main function there is as the administrative body of the University.

The University will function through the Associated Regional Centres, and wants to add many more approved associated centres to its structure.

Doctor Ananda Guruge made the decision that the Buddhist Discussion Centre (Upwey) Ltd. should be approved as an Associated Spiritual Training Centre of the World Buddhist University.

Doctor Guruge was presented with a gold plaque, admitting him as a Life Member of the Buddhist Discussion Centre (Upwey) Ltd. as a token of our heartfelt gratitude for the help he has given to our Centre.

John raised three proposals for discussion by the international leaders.

The first proposal involved the location of the World Fellowship of Buddhists, and John stressed the importance of keeping the World Fellowship of Buddhists Headquarters based in Bangkok.

He thanked the King of Thailand, the Government of Thailand and the people of Thailand for their whole hearted support of the World Fellowship of Buddhists Headquarters.

John suggested that in the future, although there may be no pressure to move the organisation’s base away from Bangkok, we ought to state that we appreciate the support factors for its residence in Bangkok, Thailand.

No other country can provide the World Fellowship of Buddhists with the official and financial support the organization receives in Thailand.

The Thai government has recently funded the World Fellowship of Buddhists to the amount of 5 million baht, up from its previous funding figure of 3.5 million baht.

In addition, the late Supreme Holiness Princess Poon Pismai Diskul was President of the World Fellowship of Buddhists for 21 years. No other country can provide such regal support.

The second proposal John put forward for similar reasons.

We appreciate that the World Buddhist University administration is in Thailand. For administrative and policy reasons, The World Buddhist University being near the World Fellowship of Buddhists Headquarters in Bangkok mean’s that the two organisations can work together with ease.

The third proposal John suggested that in order to train our Buddha Dhamma leaders of the future, our Members should develop a closeness with Thailand, (in order to acclimatize to Thai culture, which is a thoroughly Buddhist culture) and to learn from Thai Buddhists about the nature of their leadership, their thinking, their harmonious ways, and how they have managed to maintain stability of the organisation over the decades.

Doctor Guruge offered that the question of moving the World Fellowship of Buddhist Headquarters to another country is purely an academic question, as he sees that all World Fellowship of Buddhists Committee Members acknowledge that Thailand is the only country with the stability, the finances and the official backing necessary to sustain the organisation. Doctor Guruge also stressed that he wants centres for teaching/training, research, character development and spiritual development all over the world, but that the spiritual development centres are the most important.

The Buddhist Discussion Centre (Upwey) Ltd. is one such centre.

Such Centres are the feet of the organisation, but the nerve centre must remain in Bangkok, Thailand.

When she was alive, Princess Poon Pismai Diskul supported the establishment of the World Fellowship of Buddhists in Bangkok at its inauguration.

By her influence, Government funds are made available for the organisation, and subsequent Prime Ministers have backed it.

Doctor Guruge supported all three of John D. Hughes’ proposals, but also added to the third, saying that despite its assets of government and financial support, the World Fellowship of Buddhists base in Thailand lacks manpower, they lack English ability in reading, editing and drafting for international work.

Therefore, he hopes that Centre Members will not only be sent to Thailand to learn, but will also got to help the World Fellowship of Buddhists and the World Buddhist University to become a truly international centre.

John suggested that our Members may visit World Fellowship of Buddhist Headquarters in Thailand on a monthly rotating basis in the future. All agreed that this is practical, feasible and achievable.

As stated in the Karpin Report ‘Enterprising Nation’ 1995, Australia’s managers have been trained to operate at a national level, and at an international level. This has resulted in the need for some retraining by those in the 30 to 40 year age bracket in international management skills.

Our executive Members recognise and understand that we operate in a global context, and our scholars need to extend skills to an international standard of proficiency.

We plan for our Member scholars to take part in sabbaticals and study exchanges with like minded persons in Thailand, the most highly Buddhist nation in the world, where our members can gain a truly Buddha Dhamma view of world affairs and how to operate in the international environment.

Our English writing and editing skills would be most welcome.

Even a brief analysis of Buddhism in practice shows how this great religious tradition has evolved itself to meet the needs and challenges of the people of a vast continent and has progressively entered every aspect of their day-to-day life.

Its richness in diversity as far as the external or cultural aspects are concerned is, no doubt, phenomenal. But the underlying doctrinal unity, despite twenty-five centuries of change within a multitude of cultural patterns, is even more remarkable.

It is with increasing contact among adherents to different schools and sects of Buddha Dhamma and a growing interest in comparative study that this unity or oneness of the basic Buddhist tradition is becoming better understood and appreciated.

Misunderstandings, which once abounded due to either inadequate mutual communications among Buddha Dhamma practitioners or, misinformation arising from hasty conclusions of pioneering scholars, are beginning to be cleared. The historical analysis of the cultural cross-currents which Buddhism has endured makes it possible to view various aspects of the religion and its culture from appropriate perspectives.

What emerges astonishingly clear is the universality of the appeal which Buddha Dhamma makes for moderation and tolerance, peace and nonviolence, purity and piety, beauty and creativity.

Several international organisations, like the World Fellowship of Buddhists (founded by Gunapala Malasakera in 1950), maintain liaison among different nations and sponsor co-operative activities for the propagation of the religion through as many as 140 Regional Centers.

We are privileged to be a member of such a global enterprise.

We can begin working out the implementation stages of what the international leaders agreed to.

Persons who are interested in helping us can contact us on 9754 3334

May all scholars be well and happy.


This script was written and edited by John D. Hughes, Dip.App.Chem., T.T.T.C. GDAIE, Julian Bamford, B.A. App Rec., Leanne Eames, B.A., M.A., Pennie White, B.A. Dip.Ed.

References

Our eight websites are:
www.bdcu.org.au
www.bdcublessings.net.au
www.bddronline.net.au
www.bsbonline.com.au
www.buyresolved.com.au
www.companyontheweb.com/buddhamap
www.companyontheweb.com/buddhatext
www.skybusiness.com/j.d.hughes


References

1. Guruge. Ananda W.P. What In Brief Is Buddhism? with A Short Anthology of Buddhist Texts, A Brief Dictionary of Buddhist Terms and A Select Bibliography. MITRAM Books. Monteray Park CA., USA 1999


Disclaimer:

As we, the Buddhist Discussion Centre (Upwey) Ltd., do not control the actions of our service providers from time to time, make no warranty as to the continuous operation of our website(s). Also, we make no assertion as to the veracity of any of the information included in any of the links with our websites, or another source accessed through our website(s).

Accordingly, we accept no liability to any user or subsequent third party, either expressed or implied, whether or not caused by error or omission on either our part, or a member, employee or other person associated with the Buddhist Discussion Centre (Upwey) Ltd.


Document Statistics

Counts
Words: 2857
Sentences: 127
Paragraphs: 113
Syllables: 4399

Averages
Words per sentence: 22.5
Sentences per paragraph: 1.1

Percentages
Passive Sentences: 18

Readability Statistics
Flesch Grade Level: 14.6
Coleman-Liau Grade Level: 18.1
Bormuth Grade Level: 11.6
Flesch Reading Ease Score: 39.3
Flesch Kincaid Score: 12.7

Total editing time: 7 hours 10 mins
Version number: 1
Revisions of this document : 29


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© 2002. Copyright. The Buddhist Discussion Centre (Upwey) Ltd.

For more information, contact the Centre or better still, come and visit us.

May You Be Well And Happy

© 2002. Copyright. The Buddhist Discussion Centre (Upwey) Ltd.

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