Dhamma for Politicians

Wesak Day falls on May 9 this year.

Malaysian Buddhists will be celebrating this Triple Holy Day that commemorates the Birth, Enlightenment and Maha Parinibbana (death) of the Lord Buddha. Preparations are currently underway in Buddhist viharas and centres all over the country.

Amongst the to-do-lists will be invitations to VIP and VVIPs to grace this most important occasion in the Buddhist calendar.

For temples in states governed by the Pakatan Rakyat alliance, it will be interesting to observe how the temples decides on their guest of honours. Previously it will be an obvious choice when VIPs are drawn from assemblymen, members of Parliament or Cabinet members from the Barisan Nasional fraternity. The political scenario now had changed. Some of those in BN already fallen from their political seats. The choices of the Buddhist temples on the VIP list will be affected too.

If a temple is within a PR represented constituency, will the temple invites only the ADUN or MP of the day or will it also includes the area former BN ADUN or MP who has been helping the temples previously even if they act on their official capacity.

Buddhists need to be not only colour and party blind but have a sense of gratitude to those that have assists them in the past. Buddhists need to show the way that the Dhamma is to be shared with everyone disregards of the person or persons political stand or affiliation.

Whether they are frm BN or PR, they are still living beings that need to walk the path of purification. It is a Buddhist vocation to share the Dhamma and make Dhamma known, far and wide even to the heart of each and every politician that walks through the gate of the temple. Buddhist temples need to educate all of them to understand the Teachings of the Buddha.

What will be the best option if not inviting them to listen to the Dhamma. Once, maybe it is just a usual function for them. Twice they may just remembers Buddha is actually not a God but the Fully Enlightenment one. Thrice they will be able to mental recite the Ti-Sarana. And so on... No one knows where they will be heading next. The seed of Dhamma need to be planted and nurtured.

Ehi Passiko. Come and see. That's our clarion call. We are the missioners that will seek out those with dust in their eyes and share with them, the Noble Teachings of the Buddha, which is good in the beginning, good at the middle and good at the end. We seek not for them to change their faith but to build their lifes and others better through Buddhism.

So, by this Wesak Day hope to see the PM and his line-up of cabinet members; Menteri Besar and his troop of exco members joining the Buddhist congregation in listening to the values of the Teacher of mankind and all beings.

The gift of Dhamma excels all other gifts. - Loka