ACTIVE CONTEMPLATION AND CONTEMPLATIVE ACTION BUDDHIST AND CHRISTIAN NUNS IN DIALOGUE
13-20
OCTOBER 2018
FO
GUANG SHAN BUDDHIST MONASTERY, KAOHSIUNG, TAIWAN
It
was a historical meet because it is the first time the Buddhist and Christian
Nuns come together.
Organized by the PONTIFICAL COUNCIL
FOR INTERRELIGIOUS DIALOGUE in collaboration with the FO GUANG SHAN BUDDHIST
MONASTERY, KAOHSIUNG, TAIWAN, the meeting saw 70 Buddhist
and Christian nuns coming together to deepen the theme: Active Contemplation
and Contemplative Action. Seventy Buddhist and
Catholic nuns, mainly from Taiwan, but also from other countries such as South
Korea, Japan, India, Sri Lanka, Myanmar, Thailand, Singapore, Hong Kong,
Cambodia, the Philippines, Brazil, Italy, Germany, Norway and the United
States, took part in the international dialogue.
Representing the
Pontifical Council for Interreligious Dialogue are Bishop Miguel Ángel Ayuso
Guixot, Secretary of the Department, and Monsignor Indunil Janakaratne
Kodithuwakku Kankanamalage, Undersecretary with responsibility for Buddhism.
Father William Skudlarek Osb, Secretary General of the Monastic Interreligious
Dialogue (MID) and also consultant to the Pontifical Council, will lead a
delegation of fourteen Catholic women from Asia and Europe and the Americas. A
European delegation from the World Council of Churches in Geneva, led by
Lutheran Simone Sinn, was also present.
The agenda of the First International
Buddhist-Christian Dialogue for Nuns - explains the Vatican note - includes the
following items: The Origin, Evolution and Present-day Situation of Monastic
Religious Life for Women in Buddhism and Christianity; Buddhist and Christian
Approaches to Active Contemplation and Contemplative Action (Right Mindfulness
and Right Conduct); Buddhist Meditation and Christian Contemplation; The
Service of Buddhist and Christian Nuns to Humanity; Religious Women Promoting
the ‘Feminine Genius’; Sharing Stories of Buddhist-Christian Solidarity and
Envisioning Future Possibilities.
The international
dialogue seeks to achieve two main objectives: to promote the dialogue of
spiritual or religious experiences and to create more space for women to
participate in interreligious dialogue. The work of these days is marked not
only by discussions in plenary sessions, but also by visits to sacred places in
the region, individual conversations and small groups, testimonies of stories
of solidarity.
There
were three fma Sisters participated, Sr. Teresa Joseph, Sr. Tomassina Lee, and
Sr. Sarin Eng. it was a very enriching and learning experience. During the meet
Sr. Sarin fma, shared her story of Buddhist-Christian Solidarity. Sr. Teresa
Joseph, fma spoke on Religious Women Promoting the “Feminine Genius.”
I
was chosen to be one of the panellists to share the stories of
Buddhist-Christian solidarity; envisioning future possibilities. So I just
share my personal story of Buddhist and Christian nuns in Cambodia. That was on
the last day. From this experience, I was urged to reach out to the Buddhist nuns
in my country. I hope that in the future, I will do something which I have
learned from this conference with Buddhist religious in Cambodia. It would not
be something significant, but perhaps just a starting step. Please, pray for
me, Mother. I thank God, and thank to my Provincial: Sr. Jessica Salvana
for given me this opportunity.
- Sr. Maria D. Mazzarello Sarin Eng
