Thailand and Sri Lanka have maintained good fellowship in their Buddhist faith since hundreds of years, starting from the Sukhothai era. Buddhist monks were sent to each other – between the two lands – to prolong the existence of Buddhism. This brought about the founding of Siamese and Sri Lankan Sangha Orders which last up to the present days.
During the past few centuries, it is noticeable that several Asian nations had to get confronted with several wars and colonialism that jeopardized Buddhism. The ancestors struggled and sacrificed their lives to save their religion, but many countries could not withstand and finally lost their ground on Buddhism. Although some of them could survive, the damages left unforgettable scars in the hearts of Buddhists. So, they come to realize that it is necessary to unite the four sectors of Buddhist disciples to secure their religion.
Hence, the World Buddhist Sangha Youth (WBSY) was founded on 8 February 2004 in Kathmandu, Kingdom of Nepal – the land of birth of the Lord Buddha.
WBSY comprises of members from such different countries as Sri Lanka, India, Bhutan, Mongolia, Japan, New Zealand, and Thailand who strongly hold their Buddhist faith. They belong to diverse Buddhist traditions and orders including Theravada, Mahayana, and Vajrayana.
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Novices orditation at Cambodia
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The main objectives of WBSY are to create a united network of Buddhists, encourage Buddhist leaders, promote world peace, and establish a forum for exchanging opinions and experiences in propagating Buddhism in order to improve the efficiency of their works.
The WBSY conference is organized annually. In the year 2006, the third general conference was hosted in Sri Lanka from 2-5 December 2006. Besides the delivery of speeches by representatives of different nations, a ceremony was also arranged to present awards to leaders of Buddhists who are outstanding in their world-class Buddhist propagation.
In 2006, the WBSY committee anonymously agreed to present the most honorable Universal Peace Award – the highest award in commemoration of year 2550 B.E. – to Phrarajbhavanavisudh (Ven. Dhammajayo Bhikkhu), the president of Dhammakaya Foundation whose work in dissemination of Buddhism for more than 30 years is vitally recognized.
And the “World Dhammaduta Award” was also presented to the Most Venerable Phrabhavanaviriyakhun (Ven. Dhattajeevo Bhikkhu) of Dhammakaya Temple, Thailand.
The award presentation ceremony was hosted by WBSY at the Conference Hall of Dudley Senanayaka Central College, Tholangamuwa, where VDO presentation was provided to exhibit the history and origin of WBSY. Thereafter, participants from the three Buddhist orders lighted candles and chanted verses according to their own tradition on 3 December 2006 at the Government House.
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Chanting by the three Buddhist Sects
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Then, representatives of Buddhists from different countries were invited to join a conference under the theme “Patience and Harmony” where they could freely express their opinions.
During the event, H.E. Mahinda Rajapaksa, the President of Sri Lanka, took an opportunity to offer the World Dhammadhuta Award to the Most Venerable Phrabhavanaviriyakhun from Dhammakaya Temple in Thailand.
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H.E. the President offered the Award
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Then, Phrabhavanaviriyakhun delivered a speech on “Uniting the 4 Sectors of Buddhist Disciples to Secure Buddhism.” Part of the speech is as follows:
“… Nowadays, we all realize that the world suffers heavily from the flame of defilements. Without the Dhamma teachings of Lord Buddha, there is no other way to simmer down the situation. So, this conference is organized to employ the power of the Dhamma to put out the flame sooner.
Dear all Buddhists, the time for working separately is over. The four sectors of Buddhist disciples – no matter which sect and nation they belong to – must go hand in hand to commit in studying the original teaching of the Lord Buddha. So, we can understand the teaching all alike and capable of disseminating the teaching to mankind.
So far, our assemblies have been to exchange our knowledge and experience in Buddhist propagation. Today, it is about time to dedicate ourselves for the task of a lifetime memory. As we were born to pursue perfections, let’s dedicate our lives in studying and practicing the Lord Buddha’s original teachings. So, we can spread the teaching effectively.
If the four sectors of Buddhist disciples help one another hand in hand, we will be able to see the return of world peace once again... just like when the Lord Buddha was still alive…”
After the conference, the participants made a pilgrimage to the sacred places in Sri Lanka by worshipping the Buddha’s tooth relic – the holiest relic of Sri Lanka. The group also visited temples and historical places.
For the official presentation of the Universal Peace Award to the most venerable Phrarajbhavanavisudh, the Sri Lankan government has arranged to have its representative offering the award on Magha Puja Day, 3 March 2007, at Dhammakaya Temple.
The mark of true love among mankind has powerfully extended beyond frontiers of nations, religions, and races. So, today, we foresee the bright future together as our wholehearted dedication in studying and spreading the Lord Buddha’s teachings would continue. This is the true path toward peace which will make this world a better place for all mankind.
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The Front Page of a Sri Lankan Daily Newspaper
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