16 March 2003: Living in Harmony

The Buddhist Hour Radio Broadcast Archives

The Buddhist Hour

Radio Broadcast Script 268
Sunday 16 March 2003

Today’s script is entitled: Living in Harmony

Literati Charles Lamb once wrote, “I even think that sentimentally I am disposed to harmony. But organically I am incapable of a tune.” (Charles Lamb, 1775-1834)

“Calm is his mind, calm is his speech, calm is his action who, rightly knowing, is wholly freed, perfectly peaceful, and is unshaken by the ups and downs of life.”
Dhammapada 96

This Friday is Harmony Day, promoted as part of the Commonwealth Government’s Living in Harmony initiative.

The celebration of Harmony Day 21 March each year coincides with the International day for the elimination of racial discrimination declared by the United Nations.

The Federal Minister the Honourable Gary Hardgrave MP, Department of Immigration, Multicultural & Indigenous Affairs has declared that the theme for this year is to wear orange in support of harmony day.

At the Chan Academy Australia we will be wearing orange to celebrate this national day.

We are an active local organisation implementing initiatives to promote harmony in our local community the Shire of Yarra Ranges.

Although this is a one-day event our Centre acts on this 365 days a year and 366 in a leap year.

As a Regional Centre of the World Fellowship of Buddhists we work for securing peace and harmony amongst men and women and happiness for all beings and to collaborate with other organisations working for the same ends in accordance with the World Fellowship of Buddhists’ Aims and Objectives.

A letter to the Most Venerable Achariya Karuna Shastri by John and Anita Hughes on 9 March 2003 outlines some of our activities that promote harmony. The letter can be read online in the Buddha Dhyana Dana Review at www.bddronline.net.au

The letter includes the message from our Minister the Honourable Gary Hardgrave MP as published on the Internet government web site at www.immi.gov.au/harmony

Most Venerable Achariya Karuna Shastri,

You will remember several of my students met with you at the World Fellowship of Buddhists 22nd General Conference in Malaysia, December 2002.

I thought it was time I wrote to you to refresh your spirit in your dedication to human kind. I am recovering well from my recent illnesses with pneumonia in September 2002 and again with heart troubles this year.

My wife Anita is a great help and cares for me well.

Please send us your most recent information about your projects so that we can publish them on our Internet web sites.

In your letter of 23 December 2001 you listed under proposed activities: Buddha Bhumi and opening a branch of the Indra Ghandhi National Open University. Perhaps you may like to detail some information on these activities so we can publish them on our Internet on line journal of Buddha Dhyana Dana Review.

I am the owner of a very powerful well connected Tibetan image of the God of Wealth who has been helping us for many years to get the goods and services we need to help us propagate the Buddha Dhamma in this country.

Today I made requests to this High God of Wealth to help you provide places and food for your ever-increasing number of orphans.

In your letter mentioned earlier, you wrote "We therefore fervently hope that you will be compassionate enough to take stock of the real state of affairs and share the responsibility with us to make of them responsible and scrupulous citizens of the country".

I wish you long life, good health and harmony.

On the 21st of March this year, there is the United Nations International day for the elimination of racial discrimination. This is being promoted in Australia as harmony day. Harmony Day falls on the 21st of March each year.

Here is a message from our Minister the Honourable Gary Hardgrave as published on the Internet government web site at www.immi.gov.au/harmony

The theme for this year is to wear orange in support of Harmony Day. We will be wearing orange on that day.

"Harmony Day 2003

A message from the Minister Community harmony is a hallmark of our Australian identity.

We are one of the most successful multicultural countries in the world with more than 40 per cent of the population either born outside Australia or with at least one parent who was.

The Commonwealth Government's Living in Harmony initiative provides opportunities for Australians to show who we are by getting to know each other and seeks to tackle issues of racism in our community where they arise. Living in Harmony emphasises the common values which unite us and strengthens our ability to resist those who may want to divide our community on racial lines.

Harmony Day is part of the Commonwealth Living in Harmony initiative and each year provides Australians with an opportunity to get to know each other better by:

promoting our community's success as a multicultural society;
re-committing ourselves to respect, goodwill and understanding between all Australians of all backgrounds; and saying no to racism.

Harmony Day is in its fifth year. This year Harmony Day is more important than ever because recent world events have unfortunately aroused some fear, doubts and prejudices. As individuals and communities across Australia, we are all challenged to engender respect for each other, with an overriding commitment to Australia.

A growing number of individuals, community organisations, businesses, schools, local Governments and other Government agencies will come together this Harmony Day to show support for our peaceful and harmonious society. The continued success of Harmony Day is due to their enthusiasm and hard work.

I thank all those involved in organising this year's events and I encourage you to use Harmony Day to show your personal commitment to Australia as a progressive, peaceful and cohesive nation.

Gary Hardgrave"

Please see their web site at www.immi.gov.au/harmony for more information.

We are including your International Brotherhood Mission as part of our program in Australia for Harmony Day 2003. The merit we make on harmony day is dedicated to you and like minded organisations.

With blessings from the Triple Gem

Yours in the Dhamma

Anita & John D. Hughes DipAppChem TTTC GDAIE
Founder, Buddhist Discussion Centre (Upwey) Ltd.
Former Vice President, World Fellowship of Buddhists.
Council Adviser, World Buddhist University

The letter was emailed to:

1. Venerable Suddhananda Mahathero, President, Dhammarajika Orphanage, Bangladesh.
2. Venerable Bhikkhu Var Sambodhi, Pati Vihara Maddhyapur-Thimi, Nepal.
3. Venerable Buddha Priya Bhikshu, General Secretary, Siddharth United Social Welfare Mission, India.
4. Dipak Barua, Bangladesh Buddhist Welfare Association Patherghata, Chittagong, Bangladesh.
5. Smt. Chandana Khan, I.A.S., Secretary to Government of Andhra Pradesh, Youth Advancement, Tourism & Cultural Department, India.
6. Bukkyo Dendo Kyokai, Society for the Promotion of Buddhism, Tokyo, Japan
7. Venerable Geshe Ngawang Jangchup, Lingshed Area Education & Charity Society, Lingshed labrang, India.
8. Damian Gauci, Dharma Drum Mountain, Chan Meditation Centre, Australia.
9. Venerable Reverend Bhikkhu Dharmeswar, Chittagong Buddhist Monastery, Chittagong, Bangladesh.
10. Professor N.H. Samtani, Sugata Kutir, India.
11. Jagesh Meshram, President, Samajik Bahuuddeshiya Sanstha, India.
12. The Honourable Gary Hardgrave MP, Department of Immigration, Multicultural & Indigenous Affairs, harmonyday@immi.gov.au

UNESCO was founded for the specific purpose of promoting world peace. The pre-amble to its constitution, therefore, says thus:

“Since wars begin in the minds of men, it is in the minds of men that the defences of peace must be constructed”. Here men, of course, means men and women (Hewage, 1999).

“According to the Buddha, war and peace too, begin in the minds of men. Therefore most of his teachings, if not all are directed towards understanding, developing and controlling the mind, eventually leading to perfect purity of conduct, perfect peace of mind, and perfect wisdom.

Metta, [loving kindness], is only one such method prescribed by the Buddha for the purpose of this mind culture (Hewage, 1999).”

The panca-sila or the five precepts are the primary ethical code cultivated by Buddha Dhamma practitioners.

The first precept is the abstinence from killing any living being, man or animal. The first precept in the panca-sila, spoken in the Pali language is panatipata veramani sikkhapadam samadiyami.

The second of the panca-sila precepts is directed towards the preservation of the sanctity of rightful ownership. The formula, addinadana veramani sikkhapadam samadiyami, enjoins a Buddha Dhamma practitioner to abstain from appropriating anything not willingly given to him or her.

It may be mentioned here that Buddha Dhamma does not decry the possession of wealth, it only condemns ill-gotten wealth.

The third precept, kamesu micchacara veramani sikkhapadam samadiyami, enjoins a Buddha Dhamma practitioner to abstain from wrongful sexual indulgence. According to this precept no individual has any right whatever to disturb the harmony and serenity of the family life of any other person through misconduct in sexual behaviour.

It is not necessary here to narrate the numerous calamities presenting themselves in society all around us, and the degrading consequences that emerge as a result of the violation of this essential code of social ethics, so detrimental and baneful to the existence of a harmonious and peaceful social climate.

The fourth precept, musavada veramani sikkhapadam samadiyami, expects an individual to refrain from uttering falsehood. Since one's speech is of vital importance in the transmission of cultural traditions, and the maintenance of a social equilibrium, it is very necessary that one's speech should be a source of well being and solace to society.

Abstinence from lying generates harmony in social living by not only accepting the value of truthful speech, but also extending a sense of trust and confidence in it. Gentle and truthful speech is a great blessing to all alike, and a highly desired boon to treasure.

As our present day society is widely rampant in distrust, suspicion and ill-will, it is highly necessary that such baneful attitudes should be eradicated as soon as possible in order to provide the necessary social climate for peaceful living among individuals.

The fifth and the last precept in the panca-sila code, surameraya
majjapamadatthana veramani sikkhapadam samadiyami, abstinence from taking intoxicating drinks, ensures a healthy, balanced and unperturbed mental state in the individual, so very necessary for living a harmonious life.

An unbalanced and ill-functioning mind manifesting itself with the ill-effects caused by the consuming of baneful alcoholic drinks, prevents a person from conducting himself as a normal mentally healthy being, preventing him from being able to distinguish between good and bad, right and wrong, virtue and vice, and making him behave in a most ludicrous manner in society, destroying his sanity and balance almost completely.

Their universal beneficence is clearly discernible when we look around and observe the alarmingly abundant calamities and misery manifesting themselves in society due to very many
transgressions in this direction.

No reasonable person can find fault with requesting persons to observe these Precepts.

For those of us who observe these Precepts there will be loving kindness, as well as peace and harmony.

All Buddha Dhamma practitioners take refuge in the Triple Gem.

We will now read the Triple Gem in Pali and English:

Buddham Saranam Gacchami
To the Buddha I go for refuge
Dhammam Saranam Gacchami
To the Dhamma I go for refuge
Sangham Saranam Gacchami
To the Sangha I go for refuge

Dutiyampi Buddham Saranam Gacchami
For the second time to the Buddha I go for refuge
Dutiyampi Dhammam Saranam Gacchami
For the second time to the Dhamma I go for refuge
Dutiyampi Sangham Saranam Gacchami
For the second time to the Sangha I go for refuge

Tatiyampi Buddham Saranam Gacchami
For the third time to the Buddha I go for refuge
Tatiyampi Dhammam Saranam Gacchami
For the third time to the Dhamma I go for refuge
Tatiyampi Sangham Saranam Gacchami
For the third time to the Sangha I go for refuge

Master Chin Kung says taking refuge means to return and rely. From where do we return from and to what do we rely upon?

When we take refuge in the Buddha, we are returning from our deluded state of mind and relying upon an Awakened, Understanding mind.

When we take refuge in the Dharma, we are returning from deviant views and relying upon proper views and under-standing.

When we take refuge in the Sangha, we are returning from pollution and disharmony and relying upon Purity of Mind and the Six Principles of Living in Harmony taught by the Lord Buddha.

Taking refuge in the Triple Jewels restores the complete wisdom and abilities of our Self-Nature. We will attain Purity, Equality, Honesty, Contentment, Compassion, and overall, True Happiness.

Taking refuge in the Triple Jewels helps us live by these principles by restoring the complete wisdom and abilities of our self-nature.

Sangha means 'purity and harmony'. Today's world is full of pollution. Pollution of mind, spirit, views, and body. Even the earth and atmosphere are hazardly polluted.

The Buddha taught, "The environment changes according to our state of mind." We should return from all these pollutions and rely upon purity of mind. Purity of Mind is the key to saving our Earth.

There is also great disharmony in our world today, among spouses, families, friends, societies, and countries, which has brought us much suffering and disasters.

The Buddha taught us to rely upon the Six Principles of Living in Harmony to establish harmonious relationships between ourselves and others.

The Six Principles of Living in Harmony are:

(1)purity
(2)equality
(3)honesty,
(4)freedom,
(5)compassion, and
(6)true happiness.

It is up to you to achieve peace and harmony within your own life.

The Buddha advocated meeting methods having 'no altercations, no contentions, no disunion, no quarrels' for the purpose of maintaining harmony.

The seven conditions for communal stability explained to Venerable Ananda by Buddha at Digha-Nikaya are:

to assemble repeatedly and in large numbers,
to assemble in harmony and disperse in harmony,
so long as they do the business of the Order in harmony, introduce no revolutionary ordinance,
break up no established ordinance,
but live in accordance with the appointed charges,
to honour the elder brethren,
men of many days and long ordained, fathers of the Order and men of standing in the Order,
to not fall subject to that craving which arises and leads back to rebirth,
so long as there shall be brethren who are fond of the forest life and lodging,
to establish themselves in mindfulness with the thought:

“Let goodly co-mates in the righteous life come here in the future, and let those that have already come live happily”.

The wording is expressed in quaint language of “co-mates” because the translation was done about 80 years ago but to us, it has a deep field of meaning.

Over many years our Teacher John D. Hughes has taught our Members the five styles of Friendliness, Professionalism, Practicality, Cultural Adaptability and Scholarship.

The conferring of the Visuddhananda Peace Award (1999) to our Founder, John D. Hughes, recognises the value of his "radical Buddhist Missionary activities belonging to upliftment and propagation of Dhamma, Peace, Harmony through Buddhist Philosophy and idea in Australia and different parts of the world".

Everyone desires a comfortable and happy life.

In recent years the rapid advance of science has brought many material advantages in an attempt to satisfy the human hunger for comfort and happiness. Unfortunately modern science does not have the capacity to solve all physical and psychological problems.

Human beings are capable of manipulating both physical and mental health. Each of us has an inherent mental power, including will-power.

We can apply positive mental energy to gain both, mental and physical health. Through this process we can also enjoy the inner harmony, peace and happiness we make for ourselves. The most effective method embraces analytical and reflective self-awareness.

We must strive to achieve peace and harmony in our lives.

For further information on our activities for Harmony Day you can contact our Secretary Ms Pennie White at the Chan Academy Australia on 9754 3334.

May the merits of today’s Buddhist Hour radio script and broadcast be dedicated to the long-life and health increasing of John D. Hughes.

May you have long life, good health and harmony.

May you be well and happy.

This script was written and edited by: Julian Bamford, BA(AppRec), Evelin Halls, DipFLC and Pennie White, BA DipEd.

References:

Dhammamanda, K. Sri. (1988) The Dhammapada, Sasana Abhiwurhi Wardhana Society, Malaysia.

ISYS text retrieval on ‘harmony’ of Chan Academy Australia LAN1 16 March 2003.

Lamb, Charles. (1989) cited in The Oxford Dictionary of Quotations, 3rd Edition, Oxford University Press.

Chan Academy Austraila (2001) Buddhist Hour broadcast script 185, "Avoiding mental weakness arising from poor choices in friendship" 19 August 2001, available at www.bdcublessings.net.au
Chan Academy Austraila (2001) Buddhist Hour broadcast script "Musings towards a conceptual solution for our production and publication of Buddha Dhamma" 21 April 2001, available at www.bdcublessings.net.au

Hardgrave Gary (2003) Harmony Day Message http://www.immi.gov.au/harmony

Hewage, Prof. L.G. (1999) “Metta (Loving Kindness - The Buddhist Approach)”, Siri Jayanti Youth Section, Kuala Lumpur.

Hughes, John D. and Anita (2003) Letter to the Most Venerable Achariya Karuna Shastri 9 March 2003, LAN 2 I:\let00063.txt and www.bddronline.net.au

Kung, Master Chin, http://www.amtbweb.org/tchet112.htm, accessed 15 March 2003.

Readability Statistics

Counts
Words: 2666
Characters: 14048
Paragraphs: 144
Sentences: 117

Averages
Sentences per paragraph: 1.7
Words per Sentence: 18.3
Characters per word: 5.1

Readability Statistics
Passive Sentences: 8%
Flesch Reading Ease score: 38.7
Flesch-Kincaid Grade Level score: 12.0

Readability Statistics

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Flesch Reading Ease score

Rates text on a 100-point scale; the higher the score, the easier it is to understand the document. For most standard documents, aim for a score of approximately 60 to 70.

Flesch-Kincaid Grade Level score

Rates text on a U.S. grade-school level. For example, a score of 8.0 means that an eighth grader can understand the document. For most standard documents, aim for a score of approximately 7.0 to 8.0.

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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 Chan Academy Australia (Buddhist Discussion Centre (Upwey) Ltd.)

This Radio Script is for Free Distribution. It contains Buddha Dhamma material and is provided for the purpose of research and study.

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