H.E. Ling Rinpoche’s Message at the International Buddhist Confederation’s Vesak Day Celebration
Dear Brothers and Sisters,
I’m delighted to celebrate this holy day of Buddha Purnima with my fellow members of the International Buddhist Confederation. This is the day that Shakyamuni Buddha was born, that He attained enlightenment and that He then passed into Mahaparinirvana.
Upon attaining enlightenment at the age of 36, the Buddha taught the Noble Truth of Suffering, as well as its Origin, Cessation, and the Path to cessation.
The world has been experiencing much suffering over this past year, and many of our loved ones have even lost their lives to this pandemic. This is very sad.
However, we are all well. I feel that this is an opportunity for us all to recognize our good fortune, to appreciate the things we have in life, and to acknowledge how fortunate we are to be alive and healthy.
We should rejoice.
So often we take our good fortune for granted. We do not rejoice in the opportunities we have. This is a time to recognize our situation, to rejoice in the material support we enjoy, such as the food we eat, the homes that shelter us, and the resources that sustain us.
For the sake of the people we live with and for ourselves, it is important that we remain positive and optimistic. There is a tendency to be negative and pessimistic, to not appreciate our fortunate situation. We complain about little hardships instead of rejoicing in how fortunate we are to be alive, to be well, and to be able to engage in life in a positive way.
A negative attitude brings unhappiness to ourselves as well as to those around us. We have enjoyed so many facilities in the past which we never really appreciated and that we even complained about. Actually, we all have enough to eat, we all have enough to wear, and our dwellings, though maybe not luxurious, are adequate.
With a positive and optimistic attitude, we will be motivated to help others, to be kind to them, and to bring happiness to those around us. We all have the capacity to contribute to our community in some way. This is a time to put our practice of compassion and love into action.
This is the message of the Buddha.
View His Eminence’s video here
