In Brisbane these Buddhist organizations serve people who are not necessarily from any specific ethnic group. These activities focus on education and social welfare programs. Every week there are Chinese lessons and culture-oriented classes for the general public. About 10,000 children participate in such classes every year. Some temples devote most of their time to these programs. Temples that belong to the Phat Quang Son School in Brisbane, Perth, Melbourne hold big ceremonies on Vesak Day, so that everybody, including the natives, can join. This enhances understanding among various ethnic groups. An organization named Hospice of Mother Tara in western Austtralia holds public discussions about current ethical issues from Buddhist perspectives in hope that local community members may benefit and develop sound understandings. There are also meditation retreats for those who are interested. Since the past decade Buddhist Peace Fellowship and its branches in Melbourne and Sydney have had community educational programs about key issues for public welfare, including issues related to the rights of the Aboriginal Australians and the East Timorese, and the impact of globalization. These discussions also aim at solving problems through non-violent means and measures, promoting peace, nuclear disarmament, and protecting human rights for the Aboriginals. Some of these organizations mention Buddhist teachings such as the Four Noble Truths as the driving force of their activities. Tibetan groups , on the other hand, said that they simply carried out their Boddhisattva vows, while Chinese Buddhists mentioned that they followed their Avalokitasvara's and other compassionate Bodhisattvas' examples. Theravada Buddhists emphasized the Eight Noble Paths (right view, right thought, right words, right action, right profession, right effort, right attention, and right meditation). Following the Middle Way each person may enhance the quality of his/her life. The Buddha once taught: "With such a vast understanding and wisdom, the practitioner never harms him-/herself nor others, never harms both. S/he only thinks about what is beneficial to him-/herself, what is beneficial to others, what is beneficial to both, and to the whole world. That way the practitioner's immense knowledge and wisdom is revealed." Other important community education
activities include interfaith dialogues and conflict reconciliation.
Bhikhuni Sumedha from the International Buddhist Center in Darwin
actively participated in these multicultural and interfaith activities.
This Center promotes the idea of a harmonious society with multicultural communities.
Hence its members are engaged in national reconciliation programs with
the Aboriginals. These programs are based on the fundamental philosophy
of interconnectedness in Buddhism, and on the belief that if we practice
this philosophy with wisdom, we can create a harmonious society. The
Tara Project in Sydney has actively been engaged in such interfaith
dialogues and reconciliation. However, not all Buddhist groups in
Australia are participating in Engaged Buddhism.
Source:
