Taiwan-Mainland co-host Buddhist forum

By Mu Qian (China Daily)
Updated: 2009-03-28 09:28

WUXI: For the first time, a religious conference is being held across the Taiwan Straits, as Wuxi of Jiangsu province and Taipei co-host the second World Buddhist Forum.

The Panchen Lama, Gyaltsen Norbu, delivers a speech during the opening ceremony of the second World Buddhist Forum at the Buddhist Palace in Wuxi, east China's Jiangsu province, March 28, 2009. [Agencies]

Opening today at the Brahma Palace of Lingshan Mountain in Wuxi, the forum will move to Taipei on March 30 and conclude there on April 1.

Over 1,000 Buddhist monks, academicians, lay Buddhists and social elites from both sides of the Taiwan Straits as well as nearly 50 countries and regions in the world have gathered at the forum.

Participants include such famous figures as the Panchen Lama, and Venerable Master Hsing Yun, founder of the Fo Guang Shan Buddhist Order in Taiwan.

The forum, organized by the Buddhist Association of China, Buddha's Light International Association, the Hong Kong Buddhist Association and the China Religious Culture Communication Association, has "A harmonious World, a Synergy of Conditions" as its theme.

"Conditions are the core and foundation of Buddhist teachings. Everything rises and falls according to the law of conditions and dependent origination, and a harmonious world depends on the synergy of conditions," said Ming Sheng, vice-chairman of the Buddhist Association of China, at a press conference Friday.

"The theme of this forum not only adheres to the concept of synergy in traditional Chinese culture and the core teachings of Buddhism, but is also in accordance with the international trend of dialogue, communication and cooperation."

Panel discussions on nine topics, including "the opportunities and challenges faced by Buddhist education", "Buddhism and environmental preservation", "Buddhism and science", and "a harmonious development of Buddhist thoughts and business", will be held at the forum.

"Buddhism in Taiwan and the mainland are of the same origin. We have been carrying on communication and exchange for a long time, but this is the first time that we are holding a Buddhist forum together. With the synergy of conditions, we will continue to do so in the future," said Yi Kung, spokesperson of the Taiwan part of the forum.

The agenda of the forum will include five exhibitions of Buddhist culture, a Buddhist-themed performance and "thousand monks' meal", a Buddhist rite featuring prayers for the good of all creatures.

The first World Buddhist Forum was held in April 2006, in Hangzhou and Zhoushan of Zhejiang province.

It was the first major religious conference since the founding of the People's Republic of China in 1949.