The participants included members of the International Association of Buddhist Universities from all over the world, experts and scholars in Buddhism and its application, as well as delegations of masters and laypeople from all over the world. The delegation of the Buddhist Association of China was headed by Venerable Master Xiang Xue, the Vice President of the Buddhist Academy of China, together with Dharma Master Yuanci (圆慈), the Director of the Education and Training Department as well the Secretary-General, Dharma Master Sihe (思和), Lecturer at the Buddhist Academy of China and Editor of ‘Chinese Buddhism’ (中国佛学 - Zhong Guo Fo Xue) as well as Dharma Master Zhenyu (振宇) the Vice President of Fujian Buddhist College - comprised the group that were cordially met (and cared for) by Elder Fanzhi (梵智) during their stay in Thailand.
On the afternoon of the 5th of May, 2017, Master Yuanci and Master Sihe attended the meeting of the Executive Committee held in the Meeting Room of the President's Building of Mahachulalongkorn University. The meeting discussed the content development of this session and the work arrangement of the specific person in charge. At 9 am on the 6th, the Opening Ceremony was held in the Conference Hall of Mahachulalongkorn University. The Thai Sangha delivered a welcome speech, and the President of the Hungarian Mindfulness Training Application Association delivered a keynote speech, introducing mindfulness-based stress reduction therapy, the comparison of modern and traditional mindfulness training, and the latest developments in the combination of Dharma and modern science in Hungary and the world at large. In the afternoon, five different sessions were held simultaneously on various aspects of the development of Buddhist universities. At these branching-out meetings, under the auspices of experts from various countries, the participants had heated discussions on topics such as curriculum development, practice setting, responsibilities confirmation of members of the International Association of Buddhist Universities, and teaching supervision, and achieved substantial results.
On the morning of the 7th, delegations from various countries participated in the Unveiling Ceremony of the new Teaching Building of the International Buddhist College of Mahachulalongkorn University. The International Buddhist College is a training centre of the University specially established to provide international students with the ability to research and apply teachings of Buddhism in both the Northern and the Southern traditions. Due to rapid development in recent years, the University specially raised funds to build a new Teaching Building to house the College. It is reported that due to the continuous deepening of exchanges between Buddhists in China and Thailand, the number of Chinese monks and laypeople studying here is also increasing. After the unveiling ceremony, all the participants were engaged in intensive thematic seminars. There were three Conference Halls in use during the seminar, and the three major themes of Buddhist texts, meditation training, and contemporary application of mindfulness were discussed at the same time. Dharma masters, meditation masters and scholars from all over the world shared their achievements in specific fields, and received warm responses from the audience. This sharing involved the most cutting-edge research and application results of Buddhist studies around the world. Buddhist texts included "Common Buddhist Texts", which selects the most important scriptures in Chinese, Tibetan and Pali, presenting them in English and in modern discourse, and actively translating the content into other languages; First of all, meditation masters from Myanmar, Thailand, Britain, Cambodia, India and other places, gave a detailed introduction to various meditative methods of as practiced within Southern Buddhism. Next, were meditation masters and scholars from Hong Kong, South Korea, Vietnam and other places. They discussed the Mahayana meditation method, whilst finally, a Bhutanese meditation master from Germany shared the Tibetan meditative method; in the application of contemporary mindfulness, the speakers were mainly from Australia, India, the Netherlands, Sri Lanka, the United States and other countries. The speeches mainly included Psychotherapy, hospice care, and Dharma dissemination from specific cultural contexts based on Buddhism and meditative development.
On the 8th, the participants went to the United Nations Conference Center in Bangkok to participate in the celebration of the Buddha's Birthday - Vesak Day. At the ceremony, important figures such as the Secretary-General of the United Nations, the Director-General of UNESCO, the Princess of Thailand, the Minister of Organization of Thailand, the President of the International Association of Buddhist Universities and the President of Maha Chulalongkorn University attended and delivered speeches. During this period, the Chinese delegation and the princess exchanged gifts, and the President also had friendly talks with the Chinese delegation and took a group photograph.
This conference not only broadened the horizons of the participants, but also enhanced the friendship between the Buddhist representatives from various countries and regions, providing a rare opportunity to promote Buddhist exchanges and educational cooperation throughout the world. (Text: Sihe - 思和))
Chinese Language Article:
http://business.fjnet.com/hwjj/haiwainr/201705/t20170511_244533.htm
中国佛教协会代表团赴泰国出席第三届佛教大学国际协会会议
2017年05月11日 10:51:00 中国佛教协会
中国佛教协会代表团赴泰国出席第三届佛教大学国际协会会议
摩诃朱拉隆功大学国际佛学院新教学楼揭牌仪式合影
佛教在线海外讯 2017年5月4日至8日,应佛教大学国际协会主席、泰国摩诃朱拉隆功大学校长梵智长老邀请,中国佛学院副院长向学法师一行4人赴泰出席佛教大学国际协会第三届会议。本次会议主旨为“促进世界各地佛教大学的相互交流与共同发展”。
与会者有来自世界各地的佛教大学国际协会职事会成员,有佛学及应用方面的专家学者,也包括来自各国的法师、居士代表团。中国佛教协会代表团以中国佛学院副院长向学法师为团长,教育培训部主任圆慈法师为秘书长,中国佛学院讲师、《中国佛学》编辑思和法师与福建佛学院副院长振宇法师等参团,在泰期间受到梵智长老的亲切会见。
5日下午,园慈法师、思和法师参加了在摩诃朱拉隆功大学校长楼会议室举行的执委会会议。会议讨论了本届会议的内容开展和具体负责人的工作安排。6日上午9时,在摩诃朱拉隆功大学会议厅举行开幕式。泰国僧王致欢迎辞,匈牙利正念训练应用协会主席发表了主题演讲,介绍了基于正念的减压疗法、现代和传统正念训练的对比,以及匈牙利乃至整个世界在佛法和现代科学方面结合的最新动态。下午则针对佛教大学发展的各个方面同时进行了五场不同的分会。分会上,与会者在来自各国专家的主持下,分别就课程研发、实修设置、佛教大学国际协会成员职责确认、教学监管等议题进行了热烈讨论,并取得了实质性成果。
7日上午,各国代表团参加了摩诃朱拉隆功大学国际佛学院新教学楼的揭牌仪式。国际佛学院是该校一所专为国际学生提供南北传佛学研究与应用而设立的学院。由于近年来发展迅速,学校专门筹资为该院修建了新教学楼。据悉,由于中泰佛教的不断深入,目前在此就读的中国法师和居士的人数也在不断增长。揭牌仪式之后,全体与会者投入了紧凑的主题研讨会。研讨会共有三个大会场,分别就佛教文本、禅修训练、当代正念应用三大主题同时进行研讨。来自世界各地的法师、禅师及学者们就自己在特定领域所取得的成果进行了深入的分享,并获得了在场听众的热烈反响。这些分享涉及到了全球范围内佛学最前沿的研究与应用成果。佛教文本方面包括“共同佛教文本”,该项成果精选了汉语、藏语、巴利语中最重要的经文,以英文和现代话语形式进行呈现,并积极向各国翻译推广;禅修方面,首先由缅甸的帕奥禅师以及泰国、英国、柬埔寨、印度等地的禅师们对南传佛教各种禅法进行了详细的介绍,接下来由中国香港、韩国、越南等地的禅师和学者们对大乘禅法进行了探讨,最后来自德国的不丹籍禅师对藏传禅法进行了分享;当代正念应用方面,演讲者主要来自澳大利亚、印度、荷兰、斯里兰卡、美国等国家,演讲主要包括基于佛学和禅法的心理理疗、临终关怀、脱离特定文化语境的佛法传播等内容。
8日,参会者前往首都曼谷联合国会议中心参加南传佛教佛诞日—卫塞节庆典。庆典上联合国秘书长、联合国教科文组织总干事、泰国王妃、泰国组织部长、佛教大学国际协会会长兼摩诃朱拉隆功大学校长等重要人物一一出席、致辞。期间中方代表团和王妃之间互赠礼品,会长也与中方代表团进行了友好洽谈、合影留念。
此次会议不仅开阔了参会人员的眼界,还增进了与各国各地区佛教代表之间的友谊,为促进世界佛教交流与教育合作提供了难得的机会。(文:思和)