Information service of the Pontifical Mission Societies since 1927
Vatican City (Fides Agency) - The Pontifical Council for Interreligious Dialogue sent a message to the Buddhists for the Day of Vesakh, the most important Buddhist celebration. This year the countries of Theravada tradition will celebrate it on 12 May. The Day of Vesakh commemorates the main events in the life of Buddha. In all countries of Mahayana tradition, the various events of Buddha’s life are celebrated on different days. The most important celebration, though, remains the Day of Vesakh, which remembers the birth of Siddharta Gautama (8 April).
In its Message, titled “Buddhists and Christians at the service of humanity”, the Pontifical Council for Interreligious Dialogue offers some reflections coming from the first Encyclical of Pope Benedict XVI, Deus caritas est, in order to “strengthen the relationships between our two communities”. “Pope Benedict speaks about two types of love: first eros, the love between a man and a woman, a love which seeks personal satisfaction; then agape, a love which seeks the good of the other, although that person may not be liked or even not known. For Christians this second type of love is only possible if it is grounded in love for God, in response to God's love for human beings. So love of God and love of one's fellow human beings are inseparable, forming one single commandment. [...] We Christians believe that the perfect manifestation of agape is founded on Jesus Christ, the Son of God made man, who spent his whole life spreading the Good News of God's love in both words and deeds. The ultimate expression of this love was when Jesus gave his life for the whole of humanity. Moreover Jesus is the source of agape, in particular through the gift of himself in the Eucharist. Drawing from this source, Christians strive to follow in the footsteps of Jesus by showing love for their brothers and sisters, especially for the poor and suffering”.
The Message highlights the appreciation for the importance Buddhists attribute to loving one’s fellow human beings, expressed in the concept of “metta”, “understood as a love which is willing to sacrifice self-interest for the benefit of humanity”, extending “to the performance of charitable deeds, to the service of one and all”. Finally, it advances the proposal that Buddhists and Christians, starting from their respective religious traditions, rediscover and share the original meaning of the word love, which is so much abused in the world today. The text ends wishing that this Day of Vesakh “may be a time when the friendship between Buddhists and Christians is consolidated and collaboration in the spirit of agape and metta is strengthened”. (S.L.) (Fides Agency 5/5/2006)
