WFB Regional Centre Report on our participation and support of the Australian Buddhist General Conference
Written by Julian Bamford, BA, App.Rec.
The Australian Buddhist General Conference, was held 20 to 22 February 2004 at Victoria University, St Albans Campus and was convened by The Buddhist Federation of Australia, Victoria University and Buddhist Council of Victoria.
The conference was titled 'Engaging Buddhism in Australia'.
The opening day was attended by around three hundred persons, including VIPs, special guests and presenters, members of the public and volunteers.
The Most Venerable Thich Phuoc Hue, Head of the United Vietnamese Congregation of Australia and New Zealand, and over fifty members of the Sangha, Monks and Nuns, from the traditions of Theravada, Mahayana, Vajrayana and Zen traditions attended and blessed the conference over the three days.
The Prime Minister of Australia, Mr John Howard's Message sent and read to the Conference was:
"I have great pleasure in providing this message on the occasion of the Australian Buddhist General Conference to be held at Victoria University in Melbourne.
"This general Conference has as its overall theme, 'Engaging Buddhism in Australia'. It is an opportunity for all Buddhists across Australia to get together to discuss issues of importance to the Buddhist community, while continuing to work towards promoting greater peace and harmony in the broader community.
"Occasions such as this remind us that Australia is home to a diversity of faiths, encompassing all the world's major religions. Australia's diversity is one of our most important attributes as we face the challenges of a rapidly changing world. As a nation we respect the rights of citizens to maintain and develop their cultural and religious beliefs. It is one very important way in which we seek to address issues of conflict and intolerance. We are united by our commitment to our nation, its democratic institutions and laws and a sense of a "fair go for all". I welcome this opportunity to express appreciation for the significant and much valued contribution that the Buddhist community has made to the social and cultural development of Australia.
"I send my best wishes to the Buddhist Federation of Australia and all those participating in the General Conference."
Messages were also recieved and read from:
His Excellency Major General Michael Jeffery the Governor General of the Commonwealth of Australia.
Mr Steve Bracks, Premier of Victoria and the Minister for Multicultural Affairs.
Honourable Gary Hardgrave MP, Federal Minister for Moreton, Minister for Citizenship and Multicultural Affairs, Minister for Assisting the Prime Minister attended and addressed the opening ceremony.
The Chair of the Organising Committee Venerable Thich Phuoc Tan, Abbott of the Quang Minh Temple at Braybrook serving over 10,000 members, said that "Buddhism engages with the real issues in peoples lives".
The conference met its objective to provide an interchange of ideas and research between representatives of the Buddhist communities, academics and representatives of relevant government agencies on the issues and challenges facing Buddhist communities within the framework of present day multicultural Australia.
The conference was an important milestone in Buddhist history as it was the very first time that Buddhists from all traditions and from all states of Australia and other parts of the world have met together to celebrate working together harmoniously in engaging Buddhism in Australia.
The Sangha Members in attendance included:
Venerable Thich Phuoc Huu, Nth Sunshine, Victoria
Venerable Thich Phuoc Than
Venerable Sundtha
Venerable Lobsang Tendar
Venerable Sathindriya, Samadhi Buddhist Meditation, Victoria
Venerable Thich Phuoc Sun, Phouc Hue Monastery, New South Wales (NSW)
Venerable Ajan Brahm, Bodhinyana Monastery, (Western Australia (WA)
Venerable Thong Dung
Venerable Phuoc Vien
Venerable Sujato, Santi Forest Monastry, NSW
Venerable Pannyavaro, Buddha Dhamma Education Association, Sydney, Australia and Vice-President World Fellowship of Buddhists.
Venerable Thich Phuoc An, Sydney, NSW.
Venerable Thich Phuoc Hoan, Sydney
Venerable Thupten Lekshe, Jamchen Buddhist Centre, Melbourne
Venerable Lama Choedak Rinposhe, Virupa Retreat Centre, NSW.
Venerable Sao Hindriya, Yuroke, Victoria
Venerable P. Devarakkitha, St Albans, Victoria
Venerable Phra Nibuls Laporn, NSW
Venerable Lama David Christensen, Odinyana Buddhist Meditation Centre, Hawthorn
Venerable Kalupatana, Sri Lanka
Venerable Somanand, Sri Lanka
Venerable Sudham Sudhammophikhi, Dhamakaya International Society of Australia,
Venerable Kaset, Struathfield, NSW, Australia
Venerable Sister Vayama, Dhammasara Nun's Monastery, WA
Venerable Miao Yu, IBCU, Yarraville, Victoria
Venerable Thich Phouc Hy, Phuoc Hue Monastery, Sydney and
Venerable Thich Phuoc Man, Phuoc Hue Monastery, Sydney
Venerable Thich Phuoc Chieu, Phuoc Hue Monastery, Sydney
Venerable Thich Phuoc Hong, Phuoc Hue Monastery, Sydney
Venerable Thich Phuoc Thanh, Phuoc Hue Monastery, Sydney
Venerable Thich Phuoc Niun, Phuoc Hue Monastery, Sydney
Venerable Thich Phuoc Bieu, Phuoc Hue Monastery, Sydney
Venerable Thich Phuoc Thues, Phuoc Hue Monastery, Sydney
Venerable Thich Phuoc Nu Nhu Tai, Hue Nghiem Nunary, Victoria
Venerable Phuoc Sinh, To Hoe Nghiem, Springvale
Venerable Chi Kinan Suninm, the Seon Centre, King Lake
Venerable Lozang Tenzin, Bendigo, Victoria
Each day of the conference began with chanting homage to Buddha the enlightened one:
Namo Tassa Bhagavato Arahato Sammasambuddhassa
Namo Tassa Bhagavato Arahato Sammasambuddhassa
Namo Tassa Bhagavato Arahato Sammasambuddhassa
Venerable Pannyavaro guided metta (loving kindness) meditation and this helped all participants to calm their mind and promote good will for others.
Over the three day conference program presentations and talks were given by:
Venerable Lama Choedak, Founder and Spiritual Director of 12 Buddhist Centres in Australia including Sakya Losal Choe Dzong, Ponton Buddhist Training College, Virupa Retreat Centre and Jamchen Buddhist Centre.
Allison Ribush, Director of Mandala Books, spoke about publishing initiatives in Australia including Mandala Books and Lothian Books.
Brian Ashen, Chairperson, Buddhist Council of Victoria.
Dr Patricia Sherwood, Director of Sophia College of Counselling, WA,
Michael Wells, Buddhist Chaplain, Buddhist Council of Victoria.
Venerable Thich Phuoc Tan, Buddhist Federation Australia and Abbot of Quang Minh Temple in Braybrook, Melbourne.
Venerable Ajahn Sujato, Santi Forest Monastery, NSW.
Jill Jamison, Community Development Facilitator, Member of the International Network of Engaged Buddhists.
Professor Padmasiri De Silva, Research Fellow, Monash University, Melbourne.
Dr. Ranjith Hettiarchi, Chairman, Buddhist Federation of Australia.
Petra King, Quest for Life.
Venerable Chi Kwang Sunim.
Venerable Pannyavaro, Buddha Dhamma Education Foundation and Founder Buddhanet
Judith McDonald,Buddhist Council of Victoria.
Mr Luu Tuong Quang, Head of SBS Radio, Order of Australia 2002.
Venerable Ajahn Brahmavamso, Abbot Bodhinyana Monastery.
Venerable Ajahn Vayama, Abbot Dhammasara Nun's Monastery.
Venerable Traleg Rinpoche, President and Director of Kagyu Evam Buddhist Institute.
On the final day facilitated group discussions were generated a set of recommendations including:
A Sangha Day will be held in Australia each year for the Sangha from all traditions to meet and discuss amongst themselves.
That dana be offered to monks and nun's in the community.
That an Annual Australian Buddhist Youth Conference be organised.
Each Day the Conference concluded with the Merit Dedication, with all persons in attendance invited to read the dedication together:
"The purpose of our lives is to free all sentient beings from all suffering and its causes, to bring temporal and ultimate happiness to all sentient beings, and especially to bring them to the ultimate happiness of enlightenment.
In order to do this we must achieve enlightenment. Therefore, we are going to do service for suffering sentient beings who are most kind, from whom we have received all our happiness in the past, present, and future.
May we continue to live in pure moral conduct, listening to many teachings.
May we train the mind in pure conduct and pure view without corrupting the wisdom teachings of the Buddha.
Due to all these merits, may all the lower realms be empty forever.
Wherever there are people working to benefit others, may all their vows be accomplished immediately."
Through the merits of participating in this conference may we quickly attain enlightenment and lead all living beings, without exception into that awakened state."
As part of the concluding ceremony on the final day Certificates of Appreciation were presented by Venerable Thich Phuoc Tan, Chairman of the Organising Committee, to each of the Volunteers in recognition of their help with the Conference.
A special thank you was made to the Members of the Quang Minh Temple, Braybrook, Victoria who provided food and refreshments to all conference participants and meals to those staying at the Temple and Student Village over the three days.
Seven Members from our Centre attended the Conference, providing support as Volunteers on all three days. Their major responsibility was as attendants to the Sangha (monks and nuns) throughout each the day, offering dana and responding to the Sangha's needs as appropriate. Other tasks fulfilled by our Members included: photographing, rapportuering, ushers, drivers and workshop participants.
Pennie White participated as our representative and Liaison Officer for the World Buddhist University, and Vice-President International Dhamma Activities. A report on the Conference proceedings was prepared and has been forwarded to the World Buddhist University.
To read the full report on the Conference proceedings and view photographs go to the Buddha Dhyana Dana Review most recent addition published online at www.bddronline.net.au (our file reference: LAN 2 File reference I:\abgcrtp.rtf).
Over three hundred photographs were taken during the three days, which will be loaded to our BDDR Online website over coming weeks. A CD of the photographs will also be made and sent to Venerable Thich Phuoc Tan.
Through the dana of many beings our Members were able to offer many new Buddha Dhamma books to our John D.Hughes Collection Library. The books were offered at the conference as dana for participants.
Thank you to our Members and Friends, Julie O'Donnell, Julian Bamford, Lisa Nelson, David Ley, David Igracki, Frank Carter, Pennie White and Xiao Yan and the many others who helped to the make the conference a success.
Through the merits of participating in this conference may we quickly attain enlightenment and lead all living beings, without exception into that awakened state.
Sadhu Sadhu Sadhu