Mindfulness and Liberation True Love Global Sangha: - The ...

global SANGHAphoto by Deny Hermawansay to each other, “Because I love you and your God is Allah, I alsolove Allah as my God,” and “because I love you and your teacheris Lord Buddha, Buddha is also my teacher.” Thay shared that asBuddhists, we can very well understand Islamic proclamationsfrom the Koran such as “Allah is God, there is only one God,”in the light of the Buddhist insight that the one contains the all.Thay said, “As Buddhists we should study Islam. Thay has studiedand sees the five pillars of Islam can be compared with the FiveMindfulness Trainings.”On the last day, Thay invited the Muslim Dharma discussiongroup to share with the whole Sangha about their experience andthe initiative, following Thay’s request, to establish an interfaithgroup in Indonesia. One young Muslim lady shared that sadly,the country’s motto, “Unity in Diversity,” does not reflect the realsituation. She shared that this retreat gave her hope and a way tocontribute to making the motto something to believe in. Separatelyfrom this sharing to the whole Sangha, a Muslim lady shared withme about a transformation she experienced. “The ethnic Chinese,although a minority of twenty to twenty-five percent, use economicdominance to discriminate and this causes bad feelings among theMuslim community. But here it is clear everyone is good-heartedand I can relate them to as brothers and sisters on the path. I feelvery at ease here.”I had numerous conversations with our hosts, Chinese Indonesiansand Malaysian Chinese, during the stay in these countriesand discovered there is a lot of resentment regarding the many waysin which they suffer discrimination by the governments, whichfavour the Muslim majority. Underneath the occasional eruptionsof violence that make the news, there is a pervasive tension amongdifferent ethnicities and religions of the Indonesian people. Povertyand overpopulation exacerbate the situation. Misperceptionsand discriminatory behaviour fuel more resentment. It seems allthe more important to find ways for the two communities to findcommon ground from which to build mutual respect and love.Conditions seem more favourable in Indonesia compared withMalaysia, where Muslims are barred by law from attending anyBuddhist events. Under these kinds of restrictions it is hard to seehow interfaith groups can form openly. Yet during the retreat itseemed everything was possible; indeed, understanding, love, andunity manifested palpably.Back in Plum Village, Brother Phap Tu informed me that theinterfaith group in Jakarta is meeting regularly, and Plum Villageis to sponsor a Muslim practitioner from this group for a long-termstay in Plum Village.Thay wrote to his children on the tour, “The Southeast AsiaTour is blooming as a beautiful flower. The flower has five petals.The first three petals are Singapore, Malaysia, and Indonesia, andthey have manifested elegantly. The happiness of the Sangha hasbeen nourished by the happiness of the local Buddhist practitioners.As teachers and students, we have learned many wonderfulthings on this trip, being able to drop many of our preconceivednotions about these countries.”Brother Phap Lai is from the United Kingdom and is currentlyresiding in Upper Hamlet in Plum Village, France.In the Footsteps of the Buddhaand other journeysPilgrimages with Dharmacharya Shantum Sethacross India and South AsiaBuddhapath journeys have beenhighly acclaimed for over 20years. Now offering mindful andtransformative journeys in all‘Eleven Directions’.Dh. Shantum Seth"With each step and breath the Buddha comes alive.Shantum's knowledge, insight and humor brings joyto those journeying with him in the footsteps of theBuddha."-Thich Nhat Hanh, Zen MasterContact us at:info@buddhapath.cominfo@elevendirections.comwww.buddhapath.comwww.elevendirections.comMindfulness Bell 3.5” x 4.75the Mindfulness Bell 39