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Vesak thoughts

Millions of Buddhists all over the world will be celebrating Vesak, the most important event in the Buddhist calendar, today. Vesak marks the Birth, Enlightenment and the Passing Away of the Thrice Blessed One.

We see Vesak as a colourful celebration, with pandals, lanterns and decorations at every street corner. Although these are a manifestation of our immense faith in the Buddha, the real meaning of Vesak can only be perceived through spiritual means. Vesak is a time to engage in meritorious deeds and religious observances. It is an opportunity to reflect on the hollowness of our lives and to conduct ourselves according to the Buddha's words of wisdom.

Buddha's doctrine, though enunciated more than 2,500 years ago, is still apt. His sayings and teachings have withstood the ravages of time and still ring true today. There is a common belief that Buddhism is a complex philosophy that only a few can comprehend and that it offers no useful advice for our day-to-day lives. Nothing could be further from the truth. Many of Buddha's discourses, such as the Singalovada Sutta, centred on how lay people could lead contended lives with their families and others around them.

The Buddha did dwell on the complexities of life. He showed us that we would suffer through the journey of Samsara as long as we harbour sinful thoughts. He urged fellow humans to turn towards merit and to live in harmony with one another.

This message of kindness and compassion towards fellow beings could not have been more appropriate for the times we live in. This country has suffered for decades as a result of an ethnic conflict.

Worldwide, hundreds of wars are being waged, where man's inhumanity to man is clearly expounded. Buddhism teaches us to treat all communities and religious groups equally. The Buddha himself stepped in to resolve disputes between kings peacefully.

These are lessons that we can draw inspiration from as we search for a lasting settlement to the vexed ethnic conflict.

The Buddha's disciples - the Maha Sangha - have a major role to play in guiding our fortunes, be they national issues or our day-to-day lives. The rapid commercialisation of society, where 'money is everything', has ruined many lives. People pursue material wealth at the expense of spiritual strength. Many have veered away from the village temple.

This is why the Maha Sangha should get closer to the people in order to guide them on the correct path. The temple should again become the prime focus of the town and the village. It should work closely with schools and prominent lay people.

The inculcation of Buddhist values in the younger generation is of paramount importance. Today's society has become a den of vices from which we should strive to save the next generation. Schools, Dhamma schools and temples should work in unison to fulfil this onerous task.

This Vesak, we should endeavour to uphold Buddhist ideals and to live by them. The country will be a much more pleasant place to live in if we practise what the Buddha has espoused. That is the greatest tribute we can pay to the Buddha.

Revival of world economy

Despite facing risks from steep oil prices, terrorist attacks and the prospect of rising interest rates, the global economy is doing better than it has in years. This was the sentiment expressed by world finance chiefs at a series of meetings that ended last week.

The World Bank and the International Monetary Fund project world growth to speed from 3.9 per cent last year to 4.6 per cent in 2004 - the fastest since 2000 - and 4.4 per cent in 2005.

Beneath this veneer of fast economic growth lies the fact the poorest nations are not sharing in the improvements and that goals agreed upon at the UN Millennium Summit to ease poverty are not being met.

While there have been impressive gains, notably a near halving in the proportion of people living in absolute poverty from 1981 to 2001, millions have been left out in Africa and Latin America, two of the poorest regions of the world.

The world must unite to achieve the Millennium Development Goals, specific targets which should be met at least by 2015. Banishing poverty is one of them. We live in an unequal world, where some developed countries consume more resources and energy than several developing countries put together. Many developing countries are neglected in the global trading scenario.

Factors such as subsidies for farmers in rich nations have affected exports from developing countries. In short, low income countries have been largely bypassed in the recent global economic upturn.

Nevertheless, several Asian countries are leading the economic growth race. Apart from Japan, China and India, two of the most populous countries in the world, have recorded impressive growth rates. The SAARC region collectively has the potential to become a major player in the world economy especially if a borderless Free Trade Area is established.

With a new government at the helm, Sri Lanka too is poised to accelerate its economic development. President Chandrika Bandaranaike Kumaratunga and Finance Minister Dr. Sarath Amunugama have clearly spelled out the government's economic policies and its determination to speed up development. Donor countries and agencies have also assured their continued assistance to Sri Lanka.

We must bear in mind that Sri Lanka has become the gateway to India and to the SAARC region with the implementation of the Indo-Lanka Free Trade pact. We must gain the maximum advantage from this status quo in our quest to become an Asian economic powerhouse.

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