Concluding Remarks
H. Em. Cardinal Jean-Louis Tauran

Dharma Master Ven. Hsin Tao, Eminence,

Excellencies,

Distinguished Buddhist and Christian leaders, 

Ladies and Gentlemen

We have reached the end of the 6th Buddhist-Christian Colloquium. Even though, I was not present at the beginning, I was told that it has been a great suc- cess. I would like to thank all of you for participating actively in this Colloquium as well as for the quality and variety of your presentations. I also take this oppor- tunity to greet the distinguished authorities who honour us with their presence to- day. I am sure that your minds and hearts are filled with joy and happiness for the opportunity to make new friends and renew old acquaintances as well as to discuss and exchange ideas and experiences related to a culture of peace.

After three days of enriching exchanges on the general theme Christians and Buddhists Walking Together on the Path of Nonviolence, we are about to go back to our respective countries and institutions. At this point, we need to ask how can we go beyond the exterior surface of our interfaith encounters and use the knowledge and experiences we received at this Conference to fashion a world that is free of violence.

In my Vesakh Message for 2017, I mentioned that:

“Though we recognize the uniqueness of our two religions, to which we remain committed, we agree that violence comes forth from the human heart, and that personal evils lead to structural evils. […]” (n. 6).

Violence, in other words, is manifested not only at the individual and social levels; it is also manifested structurally through socio-economic, political, cultural, and media forces. We are, therefore, called to work together to dismantle the evil that operates in us as well as in our social structures by:

1.  Speaking truth to power;

2. Speaking truth in charity;

3. Overcoming a ‘culture of indifference’ and building a ‘culture of encounter’;

4. Moving from a ‘culture of reaction’ to a ‘culture of prevention’;

5. Ending a culture of impunity and promoting ‘a culture of respect’; and

6. Social peace through inner peace. 

1.   Speaking truth to power

Speaking truth to power means that we speak out in defence of the powerless, calling for justice, and denouncing the situations that perpetuate injustice. We do so because of our inner conviction that the religious truths we profess call us to speak out on behalf of the victims of the misuse of power. When Lord Buddha spoke truth to power, there were attempts on his life. Speaking the truth to power cost Jesus Christ his life. As followers of Buddha and Jesus, we must have the cour- age to decry the evils we see. Such words and deeds comfort the afflicted; they also afflict the comfortable.

During the Vietnam War, the Buddhist monk Thich Nhat Hanh was judged a traitor by both sides in his country’s conflict because he had called for peace in Vietnam. Thomas Merton called him “My Brother”. Their interfaith friendship strengthened their determination to speak with one voice, the voice of love and compassion. In so doing, they became a voice for the voiceless. The example of this remarkable interfaith friendship and solidarity can inspire us as we face situations of injustice, oppression, and exclusion.

2.   Speaking truth in charity

When we speak the truth, how we say it matters? Weneed to learn how    to speak the truth of nonviolence with charity. Angulim?la was a ruthless serial killer, but Buddha was able to redeem him, and he later became an arahant, a saint. Mathew was a tax collector who was despised by his fellow Jews because he was collaborating with the Roman occupation force. Yet, when Jesus invited him to be his follower, Matthew not only became one of the twelve close disciples of Jesus but also one of the four Evangelists who preserved the teaching and deeds of Jesus. These transforming experiences show us that the human person has the capacity for spiritual progress, regardless of his or her past. In other words, we can and should judge evil deeds, but we must do so without condemning the evildoer.

3.Overcoming a ‘culture of indifference’ and building a ‘culture of encounter’

Pope Francis warned that we have fallen into a globalisation of indifference that is causing individuals and communities to withdraw into themselves, closing out the “other” (Cf. Message for Lent, 2015). As a remedy, he invites us to work for a culture of encounter, as Jesus did. He emphasizes how different a culture of encounter is from a culture of indifference when he says that it involves “not just seeing, but looking; not just hearing, but listening; not just passing people by, but stopping with them; not just saying “what a shame, poor people!”, but allowing yourself to be moved with compassion; “and then to draw near, to touch and to say: ‘Do not weep’ and to give at least a drop of life” (Morning Meditation in the Chapel of the Domus Sanctae Marthae, 13 September 2016).

I am well aware that the Lord Buddha and many of his disciples in the past and in our own time have worked to foster a culture of encounter in place of a culture of indifference. The culture of encounter denounces the exclusion and isolation of the poor and the marginalized. It promotes hospitality by recognizing that we and the “other” share a common humanity, regardless of ethnic, religious, cultural, or socio-economic differences.

4.  Moving from a ‘culture of reaction’ to a ‘culture of prevention’

When faced with violence, people often react violently and seek freedom  from discrimination and oppression. Violence only perpetrates more violence, cre- ating a vicious circle. In many parts of the world, there are political situations that lead to untold acts of revenge. The 21st century has been marked by identity-based conflicts, conflicts that are related to ethnic, cultural, and religious affiliations and identifications.

Jesus opposed use of violence when he said, “All who will take up the sword, will die by the sword.” Buddha said, “Hate is never ended by more hate, but by friendship; that is an eternal law.” They were promoters of a culture of prevention, a culture that addresses the socio-economic and political roots of conflicts and ten- sion and seeks to provide protection for the afflicted and vulnerable parties. It op- poses indiscriminate offensive military actions; tackles self-directed, interpersonal, and collective violence; averts verbal, physical, sexual, and psychological abuse; develops safe, stable, and nurturing relationships between children and their par- ents and caregivers; promotes gender equality to prevent violence against women; safeguards the environment, our common home; and fosters dialogue at all levels to build inclusive societies.

5. Ending of a culture of impunity and promoting a culture of respect

In the Vesakh Message for 2017, I noted that “many of our societies grapple with the impact of past and present wounds caused by violence and conflicts” (n. 5). Majoritarianism, that is, rule by a majority at the expense of minorities, leads to relentless violence. In time of conflicts, when the state sanctions discriminatory laws, when it convicts and subsequently carries out arbitrary executions, it breaks the rule of law and creates a culture of impunity. In such a culture, people come to believe that they are free to do whatever they want, without having to face any consequences for their actions.

Pope Francis notes that “War ruins everything, even the bonds between brothers. War is irrational; its only plan is to bring destruction: it seeks to grow by destroying.” (Military Memorial in Redipuglia, Saturday, 13 September 2014). Wars and conflicts have huge human, economic, social, and political costs. In post-con- flict situations, the wounds of wars and conflicts often continue. Therefore, the social, economic, and political realities in our respective countries call upon all of us to engage in a spiritual battle within ourselves, within our religions, and within our societies. We need to reconcile our polarized societies. Violent conflicts inflict wounds on everyone, and therefore all are in need of healing. The victim suffers from being treated as less than human, while the perpetrator often suffers from guilt.

The Golden Rule, “Do unto others as you would have them do unto  ou,” lays the foundation for a culture of respect. Such a culture flows from an inner dis- position that calls us to look upon and treat the “other” as a true sister or brother, not as an enemy or rival.

6.   Social peace through inner peace

Pascal, the French philosopher, used to say; “All of humanity’s problems stem from man’s inability to sit quietly in a room alone.” Abba Moses, one of the great Desert fathers, would counsel his monks: “Go, sit in your cell, and your cell will teach you everything.” ‘Cell’ means ‘self ’ or ‘heart’. Violence that is present in our hearts is also manifested in our society. By changing our inner worlds, we can positively influence our outer world. Through prayer, silence, and meditation, let us cultivate inner freedom, purity of heart, compassion, forgiveness, and the gift of self, all of which are essential conditions for the inner peace of the individual as well as for social peace.

Conclusion

Because violence shatters human lives, our common task is to heal a fractured world. Interreligious dialogue is the antidote to today’s violence. Our reactionsto violence must avoid contradictions and inconsistencies. Sometimes, we have a tendency to be vigorous in condoning the violence that was perpetrated in one in- cident, and then are equally passionate about condemning the violence in another incident. Our reaction to violence must be based on the dignity of the human  person and not on our cultural identities and prejudices. What is needed today to foster a nonviolent world is a socially engaged Buddhist-Christian dialogue. Let us commit ourselves to cultivating within our families and within our social, political, civil, and religious institutions a new style of living where violence is rejected and the human person is respected!

I thank you once again for your presence at this important dialogue. I value strong and friendly relations between the Pontifical Council for Interreligious Dia- logue and our Buddhist friends. I express my sincere gratitude to all those who made this event a reality, in particular, the Chinese Regional Bishops’ Confer- ence (CRBC), Ling Jiou Buddhist Monastery, the Government of the Republic of China (Taiwan), and also its embassy to the Holy See. It is very important today to disseminate the message of nonviolence to a wider audience. Let us do it together while walking on the path of nonviolence.

During the 9th Colloquium between Iran’s Center for Interreligious Dialogue (CID) of the Islamic Culture and Relations Organization (ICRO) and The Pontifical Council for Interreligious Dialogue (PCID) which took place in Teheran on November 25th and 26th, Cardinal Jean-Louis Tauran made the following address. The theme of the meeting is “Christians and Muslims in Constructive Dialogue for the Good of Society.”

Your Excellency Dr Abuzar Ibrahimi Turkaman,
Your Excellencies,
Ladies and Gentlemen,
Dear Friends,

First and foremost, I raise my heart in thanksgiving to God, the Almighty and All-loving, in Whom we, Christians and Muslims, believe with similarities and differences that make our respective religious traditions inseparable parts of the great family of the Abrahamic monotheism.

In my name and also in that of my delegation, I wish to thank Dr Ali Muhammad Helmi, the Director General of the Center for Interreligious Dialogue, and his staff for all what they have done to make this important meeting possible.

From the Pontifical Council for Interreligious Dialogue, its Secretary, Fr. Miguel Ayuso, was here in Iran for a preparatory meeting of the Colloquium, while Mons. Khaled Akasheh, the Bureau Chief for Islam, has been coordinating the event.

The contribution of speakers, participants, the Apostolic Nunciature in Iran, and of the Chaldean, Armenian and Latin Churches, has been of great importance for the preparation and the carrying out of this event.

This is our ninth colloquium. However, some of us had occasions to meet during similar initiatives in other countries. These meetings, we can say, have generated confidence, mutual esteem and collaboration. It is hoped that the III Christian – Muslim Summit that will take place in Rome next December, to which some of the participants of this Colloquium, will only enhance these aspects necessary for peace-building.

As we are all aware of, mutual knowledge and cooperation, especially in times of crisis is of great importance. The very fact that religious leaders and scholars from different religions traditions are meeting together is an eloquent message to respective religions.

However, once we are back to our respective communities, the questions normally put to us are: What are the advantage of your dialogue for us, Muslims and Christians, at the grass root level? What kind of changes can we expect in our daily life? These questions become more pertinent for religious communities particularly for those that are small in number in a society that has a strong majority belonging to another religion. This is true in the case of Muslims in Italy, of Christians in Iran, and both for Muslims and Christians in India.

An easy ‘temptation’ in this context can be that of speaking for those communities saying, well, they are fine; they enjoy many privileges, therefore, they should not complain of anything. It would, however, be more opportune to give these little communities the possibility of speaking about their situation openly, without fearing any negative reactions either from the political authorities or from their neighbours. Self-criticism and constructive criticism by others are very useful. Through them either we open our eyes to the reality or are helped to open to the same.

This leads me to an important aspect of being believers and also of being believers in dialogue. It is the question of credibility. Am I credible as a Christian or as a Muslim? And to be credible, I have to ask myself whether I am consistent. Are my deeds in compliance with my words or are they contradictory to one another? This is obviously true also for our dialogue: Is it credible? Is it useful?

We are all aware of the necessity of dialogue of specialists, as ours. We should also be aware of our responsibility of bringing the finding and fruits of our meetings and deliberation to all spaces where Muslims, Christians and other believers, and also persons of good will who do not profess any religion live, work, study together. Education, especially through text books, has the moral obligation to present religions and their followers in an objective and respectful manner. Also, religious discourses, in all their spaces and forms, have the obligation of speaking about others as brothers and sisters. The words of Imam Ali "Know that people are of two types: they are either your brothers in religion or your equals in creation." (Nahjul Balagha, Sermon #53), are of great significance. We can add a third category: brotherhood in Abrahamic monotheism, that includes the Jews as well. This reminds us of what Saint John Paul II said to the Christians of Istanbul in respect to Muslims: let us remember the spiritual bonds that unite us. Promoting these kinds of relations is one of the major reasons for the existence of the Commission for Religious Relations with Muslims at the Pontifical Council for Interreligious Dialogue. Obviously, while remaining brothers and sisters in humanity and in the Abrahamic monotheism, we constitute two distinct religions, that are called to thank God for what we have in common, while knowing and respecting our differences.

“Christians and Muslims in Constructive Dialogue for the Good of Society” is the theme of our Colloquium. “Construction” normally refers to the building of a house on strong foundations, layer by layer. We are continuing to construct on what many other Muslims and Christians have already done or are doing so. We need to be sure that we are doing good work, on solid foundations, to be sure of the hoped results for our present and our future.

While speaking of the good of the society, we refer to all its components, without excluding any one. In this, we imitate God Who, according to Jesus’ words, shines his sun on the good and on the evil, and sends his rain on the good and on the evil alike. Let us therefore prove by our deeds the usefulness of our deliberations and discussions.

The sub-themes that have been agreed upon and that will be presented during our meeting are interesting and important at the same time: Spirituality, religious values as a response to extremism and violence and the role of media in promoting a culture of dialogue.

When these sub-themes were agreed upon during the preparatory meeting, no one thought that the one regarding extremism and violence would become so dramatically phenomenal. We cannot remain silent or indifferent to the extreme, inhuman and multi-form violence of which Christians and Yezidis have been subjected. Many of them, as we know, have preferred death to renouncing their faith. They are true martyrs. The sacrifice of those who were driven out of their homes, often carrying but only the dress they were wearing, should not be forgotten. Nothing can justify these heinous acts. Invoking religion to justify these crimes would be a crime against religion itself as well.

Dear brothers and sisters,

Muslims and Christians, and, in fact, all of humanity, need abundant and concrete fruits of our dialogue. This meeting is like a star in a dark night. Let us pray and work, in particular through our dialogue, for a world of justice, peace, security, fraternity and prosperity.

Message of Cardinal Jean-Louis Tauran,

President of the Pontifical Council for Interreligious Dialogue 

To the participants of the Anglican-Lutheran-Buddhist Consultation, 

16-20 January 2017 in Yangon, Myanmar

Excellencies, Respected Religious leaders, Distinguished Ladies and Gentlemen,

It gives me great joy to convey my heartfelt  greetings  and cordial best wishes to all of you gathered, on the occasion of the Anglican-Lutheran-Buddhist Consultation  in Yangon, Myanmar, with the hope of enhancing Christian-Buddhist relations in Southeast Asia and around the world. I would also like to express my sincere appreciation for your ecumenical endeavours, along with Buddhists, to foster peace in the spirit of the Gospel Beatitude: "Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called sons of God" (Mt 5:9).

We are daily confronted with the reports of the enormous hardships and sufferings of our brothers and sisters due to the global problems of domestic violence, the actions of organized crimes, natural disasters, conflicts and wars, refugees fleeing from violence, human trafficking, economic poverty, the ecological crisis as well as many others. Needless-to-say, we live amongst a wounded humanity in great need. 

Recently Pope Francis offered the  Message for the 50th World Day of Peace entitled Non-Violence: A Style of  Politics for Peace. Pope Francis notes: “Jesus himself lived in violent times. Yet he taught that the true battlefield, where violence and peace meet, is the human heart: for ‘it is from within, from the human heart, that evil intentions come’” (Mk 7:21) (n.3) […] He unfailingly preached God’s unconditional love, which welcomes and forgives. […] He taught his disciples to love their enemies (cf. Mt 5:44). […] He walked that path to the very end, to the cross, whereby he became our peace and put an end to hostility (cf. Eph 2:14-16) (ibid.,). Therefore, to be a follower of Jesus is to walk in the path of nonviolence. 

Nonviolence (Ahimsa) and compassion (karuna) towards all beings are at the heart of the teaching of the Buddha as well: “Never by hatred is hatred appeased, but it is appeased by kindness. This is an eternal truth” (Dhammapada I, 5). Even though many of the founders of the various different religions promoted nonviolence and compassion, this century has seen the growing phenomenon of religious fundamentalism and the misuse of religion to justify violence by some of its members.  This has tarnished the image of our respective religions, historically as well as today.

Dear friends, it is all the more urgent that our genuine and fraternal dialogue foster the mission that we Buddhists and Christians have in common.Non-violence and compassion are the key to healing our societies caught in cycles of hatred engendering violence. How can we better live and transmit these ideals to all, especially to children, so as to build a harmonious world capable of sustaining peace? 

Inspired by these common values in our respective spiritual traditions, let us find ways to foster building trust and relationships instead of tearing them down, accepting one another instead of rejecting those who are different so that violence can find no place in our world. The Theme for the Week of Prayer for Christian Unity 2017 is “Crossing Barriers”. May this Anglican-Lutheran-Buddhist Consultation be a bridge across the barriers of mistrust and prejudice, demolishing the walls of fear and ignorance, bringing forth a new culture of encounter and peace!

With this fervent hope, I offer all of you once again my heartfelt, fraternal good wishes, and I assure you of my prayerful support for an effective, successful and productive Conference!

Cardinal Jean-Louis Tauran, President

Vatican City, 13 January 2017