DDM Global News
DDM Representatives Attended Vesak Festival in Thailand
From May 19th to May 20th, 2024, Venerable Yan Qing (演清法師) and Venerable Yan Gu (演鼓法師) of Dharma Drum Mountain (DDM) Sangha attended the annual Vesak Day celebrations in Bangkok, Thailand, organized by the United Nations (UN) on behalf of the Abbot President of DDM.The celebration began early in the morning of May 19th at Maha Chulalongkorn Rajavidyalaya University with an unveiling ceremony as well as a keynote address by the Supreme Patriarch of Thailand. Later, six to eight Buddhist Elder Venerables and representatives of Buddhist communities from various countries offered their blessings for the celebration. In the afternoon, a forum was held on topics such as how mindfulness can improve health and human well-being, how Buddhism can enhance trust and cooperation in a global sense, and how the Buddha's teachings can prompt social harmony. The speakers revealed the efforts and dedication of Buddhist communities in propagating Buddhadharma by sharing the work of their respective organizations.
On May 20th, after a speech from the event organizer and a video expressing good wishes from the UN Committee, founders of Buddhist organizations from various countries were invited to the stage to offer blessings to the world. In the afternoon, a flag presentation ceremony was held for the current organizer to hand over the flag as a token to Vietnam, the country organizing the Vesak Celebration next year. At the end of the day, attendees gathered at Buddhamonthon to invoke blessings for the King of Thailand on the occasion of the King's 72nd birthday anniversary. The atmosphere of the ceremony was moving with the sounds of Southern, Tibetan, and Chinese Buddhist chanting.
During the two-day event, DDM representatives took advantage of the opportunity to learn about the development of Buddhism around the world through exchanging experiences with Buddhist monastics and lay practitioners from other countries, such as Malaysia, Lithuania, the Netherlands, Sweden, and India. While listening to the presentations and discussions at the forum, the DDM representatives deeply felt the power of the Buddha's teachings, and hoped that the DDM Sangha would continue to bring tranquility and harmony to the world.
Original Chinese text / Venerable Yan Gu (演鼓法師)
Translation / Li Siang-ling
Editing / Keith Brown, YKL