Dharma Drum Mountain Attends Buddhist – Christian Colloquium

Venerable Guo Xing (果幸法師) shared with attendees the standpoint and experiences of Chinese Buddhism in its efforts for peace. (Photo courtesy of Dharma Drum Monthly No. 427)

From May 27 to 30, the 8th Buddhist-Christian Colloquium was held in Cambodia, with Ven. Guo Xing (果幸法師) and Ven. Yan Tong (演同法師) from the Sangha representing Dharma Drum Mountain (DDM). Under the theme "Buddhists and Christians Working Together for Peace through Reconciliation and Resilience", this international Colloquium brought together religious teachers of the Southern Tradition and Chinese Buddhism, Catholic priests and scholars from Asian countries and the Holy See. Together, they raised a variety of topics to show the efforts of their respective religions for peace and the healing of wounded societies.

On May 28, Ven. Guo Xing gave a keynote speech on "The Role of Ritual and Spirituality for a Nonviolent Society", sharing the standpoint and experiences of Chinese Buddhism in its effort for peace. She specifically mentioned the repentance method in Chinese Buddhism, which is an important key in helping people transform themselves for the better.

On the second day of the event, monks and priests from six countries discussed the interreligious cooperation between Buddhists and Catholics in their respective homelands, in different fields such as education, charity, and community reconstruction, working hand-in-hand together to promote peace and reconciliation. These experiences made a deep impact on the attendees, as they realized that interreligious interaction is not only possible but necessary. Settling one's mind is essential regardless of one's religious background.

In addition to tours of local religious culture, the event also organized two experimental meditation sessions from both religions. The first, led by a Cambodian bhikshu, was Buddhist compassionate contemplation meditation, coupled with soft music which allowed the participants to settle their minds quietly. A Catholic priest led the second silent contemplation meditation, guiding everyone towards internal observation and silent prayer. Both methods offered the practitioners a means to revert back to the fundamental nature of the mind. Mutual contact and interaction between different religions and cultures allows people to re-assess their own practice methods, as well as learn to embrace and understand others with a broader mindset.





Original text in Chinese: 演同法師 (Ven. Yan Tong)  
Photos: Dharma Drum Monthly No. 427
Translation: 張振郁 (Cheng-Yu Chang)
Editing: Keith Brown, YKL