Congratulatory address by Cambodian Princess on Dhamma Chakka Day, New Delhi
Congratulatory Address by H.R.H. Samdech Reach Botrei Preah Anoch Norodom Arunrasmy, High Privy Council to H.M. the King of Cambodia, on Dhamma Chakka Day, 4th July 2020, organised by International Buddhist Confederation (IBC), New Delhi, India. The video was live on Facebook page International Buddhist Confederation.
Samdech Norodom Arunrasmy said that "Cambodia shared culture, relations, history, trade and people-to-people relations with India as existed for over a millennium. This has made both countries and people the older and closer friends as well as long-term partners."
She also expressed her sincere gratitude to the organisers for inviting her to speak on the sacred day of all followers of Buddha Dhamma around the world.
She congratulated the IBC and its leadership for the wonderful organisation of this event, especially during this unprecedented and difficult time. She emphasised that the IBC's efforts must be commended not only for being a commemoration of the historical events during Buddha first sermon but especially because it is a time we call for Buddhist wisdom and value and responses to the fundamental questions and needs of the current global crisis.
She also expressed her sincere gratitude to the organisers for inviting her to speak on the sacred day of all followers of Buddha Dhamma around the world.
She congratulated the IBC and its leadership for the wonderful organisation of this event, especially during this unprecedented and difficult time. She emphasised that the IBC's efforts must be commended not only for being a commemoration of the historical events during Buddha first sermon but especially because it is a time we call for Buddhist wisdom and value and responses to the fundamental questions and needs of the current global crisis.
Full Transcript
Congratulatory Address
by H.R.H. Samdech Reach Botrei Preah Anoch Norodom Arunrasmy
High Privy Council to H.M. the King of Cambodia
on Dhamma Chakka Day, 4th July 2020
organised by the International Buddhist Confederation (IBC), New Delhi, India.
Your Holinesses, Most Venerable, Your Royal Highnesses, His Excellencies, Ladies and Gentlemen, namaste!
It is an honour for me to deliver an address on occasion of the Dhamma Chakka Day in the virtual presences of most respected honourable the President, the Prime Minister, and the Ministers of Republic of India, the most venerated Maha Sangha and other distinguished participants, and speakers from friendly countries.
This opportunity to partake in such a significant event that is held at the presidential palace of India is truly an exceptional one.
Cambodia shared culture, relations, history, trade and people-to-people relations with India as existed for over a millennium. This has made both countries and people the older and closer friends as well as long-term partners.
Allow me to also express my sincere gratitude to venerable Dr Dhammapiya, Secretary General of the International Buddhist Confederation (IBC) for inviting me to speak today [on] the sacred day of all followers of Buddha Dhamma around the world.
I congratulate the IBC and its leadership for the wonderful organisation of this event, especially during these unprecedented and difficult times. Your efforts must be commended not only for being a commemoration of the historical events during Buddha first sermon but especially because it is a timely call for Buddhist wisdom and value in responses to the fundamental questions and needs of the current global crisis.
Buddhism has always had a prominent place in the ancient and contemporary history of my country. Cambodian society continues to be largely Buddhist with Buddhism constitutionally the religion of the state.
The Kingdom of Cambodia is ready to make further contributions to the noble cause of Buddhism in promoting humanism and global cooperation in order to better respond to the crises that our world is facing.
Your Holinesses, Most Venerable, Excellencies
For thousands of years, humankind has made considerable progress, yet much of this progress has been contradictory in term of human affairs. We, human, have also matter worse both by what we have done through economy, technology, religion and by what we have failed to do for the sustainable ecosystem and against the existential risk of humanity.
We live today in an age where value and ideology we once thought were irreversible, have proven to be otherwise. What is happening now resembles a new world disorder with almost no remedy insight. Rivalry between great powers returns with unprecedented spectres of war haunting this already troubled world. The threats of Covid contamination, cyberspace and technological disruption continue to grow as the violence, racism, poverty, hunger, and systemic destruction of the planet. At the national level, domestic political consequences of slowing growth compromise peace, prosperity and freedom.
Our failure today at the consequences of our model of development which is based on rampant consumption, frantic pursuit and accumulation of wealth and power, desire and pleasure these have been responsible for today global upheaval. We thus need to think seriously and urgently on this vital issue. This flaw in development that has caused a harmful imbalance of growth to the detriment of civilisation, otherwise development itself will have no value or meaning.
Humanity will continue living an uncertain insistence and face the same problems using the same systems, methods and thoughts to solve them and only being content with what is available as short-term solutions.
Your Holinesses, Most Venerable, Excellencies
Commemorating Dhamma Chakka Day today plays role in helping the world recognise that a Buddhist diagnosis of humanity predicament is fundamentally correct and that its prescription is contemporary appropriate and urgently important for the world in disarray.
As Buddha said, life is dukkha, sufferings or pains, which are about unfulfilled desire or unsatisfactoriness, which is a question of passion and emotions. Therefore, the crises we are faced, they are not simply economical, ecological or technological. They are first and foremost the crisis of, and cause by, our wishful thinking, uncontrolled passion and emotion, and excessive desire. The crises are thus philosophical and psychological and must be solved respectively to the very nature of the causes.
It is the four noble truth that brought the enlightened Buddha to realise that all is impermanent and that the impermanent that feeds desire is the main cause of sufferings and pains. (06:51) The origin of dukkha is thirst that is desire and the mean of removing it is the noble eightfold path.
There is nothing born or condition that is not subject to the four noble truth. This truth can guide human through their woes at all time and in all areas. If properly understood and applied, they can bring real positive change into our live and thus the entire world order. World peace and prosperity cannot be ensured and sustained without this universal truth being properly observed as such, for our failures thus far have been due to the lack of understanding of the reality of the problem and the origin of its cause.
However, Buddhism cannot be an inspiring spiritual force for global peace and prosperity but that all its Buddhist leaders and practitioners reaching a common devotion to preserve the origin Dhamma and to share the universal truth with all sentient beings and turn dukkha in the world both individually and collectively into sukkha.
Buddhist concept of compassion, voluntary simplicity, altruist, motivation and reduction of sufferings those constitute the heart of Buddhist practices and [are] often studied in psychology remain unfamiliar to economic knowledge as well as to the world of applied economy which generally concerns itself with the pursuit of material wealth, comfort and wellbeing.
However, despite being too divergent topic, the economy and Buddhism have one important thing in common; they are designed to promote and achieve the human sukkha or happiness. It is therefore imperative to study and promote the possibility of reconciling happiness based on materialistic values of modern society with happiness based on Buddhist values.
Dhamma practice will help leaders, society and individual reduce desire and calm the mind. It is in the teaching of the enlightened Buddha that rational and compassionate thoughts and actions may resecute.
The human (Buddha), the nature, (Dhamma) [and] the society (Sangha) are the triple gem [that] must be reconciled and converged in oneness.
Your Holinesses, Most Venerable, Excellencies
I strongly believe that the successful commemoration of Dhamma Chakka Day today is an occasion to bring together and strengthen Buddhism in all its varying forms and traditions for the sake of more sustainable and peaceful world and for the serenity for humanity.
In closing my speech, may I pray to the Buddha for the good health and longevity and success of all the distinguished participants, speakers and organisers of this event, for the continued success of the International Buddhist Confederation in carrying out noble and altruistic contribution to the propagation of the teaching of Buddha, for unity among all Buddhist traditions as well as for peaceful and harmonious world.
May the Lord Buddha bless our beautiful world with longevity, health and happiness. My best wishes to the internal friendship between our respective country and people of Cambodia and India.
Thank you very much for your kind attention.
Yours in Dhamma
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