The Religious Forum of Boao Forum for Asia 2023 Raises Human Civilization to a New Level

BOAO, China, April 3, 2023 /PRNewswire/ — Boosting Mutual Learning Among Civilizations & Promoting Religious Unity talk at the Boao Forum for Asia (BFA) Annual Conference 2023 was held in Boao, Hainan province, China. Chen Ruifeng, Deputy Director of the United Front Work Department of CPC Central Committee and Director of the National Religious Affairs Administration, Miao Yanhong, member of the Standing Committee of the Hainan Provincial CPC Committee and Director of the United Front Work Department of Hainan Province, joined more than 100 guests from global religious communities in attending the event, which was presided over by Tian Wei, leading anchor on China Media Group’s international television channel CGTN.

Venerable Buddhist Master Yin Shun, Vice President of the Buddhist Association of China and President of the Buddhist Association of Hainan Province, Elias Szczytnicki, Secretary General of the Latin American and Caribbean Council of Religious Leaders (LACCRL), Liu Chengyong, President of the German Taoist Association, and Sainbuyan Nergui, Chief of Mongolian Sangha Federation and Abbot of the Sain Nomuun Buddhist Monastery of Mongolia, engaged in an in-depth discussion on the theme of “Religious Harmony and Mutual Learning among Civilizations“.

“The reason why everything in the world is so unique is that each object has its own origin and corresponding shape, allowing for the creation of the vast array of shapes that make up the world,” Buddhist Master Yin Shun commenced his speech with a Zen poem to explain a profound truth.

Citing scriptures, Master Yin Shun described how Chinese culture has been assimilated into other civilizations through the process of mutual learning for thousands of years, and advocated for the idea that Buddhistic thought should be aligned with all the world’s great cultures such as the traditional Chinese culture and the core values of socialism. He said that all regions of the world, despite their differences in opinion, need to work hand in hand to create a better world for all. 

President Liu Chengyong shared his efforts in promoting Taoism in Europe over the last several years. He quoted the famous proverb from the Tao Te Ching — “The supreme goodness is like water. It benefits all things without contention” to explain the fact that just as water nourishes all things, so too does civilization. No civilization is superior to others; they only vary from one another. What we need is to respect each other and treat each other as equals, so we can work to promote interaction, dialogue, and harmony among civilizations. Mr. Liu brought his speech to a climax by standing up and guiding the audience through the Taoist stake-standing exercise, earning him a standing ovation.

Starting by relating a brief history of the South American continent, Secretary General Elias Szczytnicki noted that despite the geographic distance between South America and China, both regions share the goal of promoting religious unity and world peace. Through platforms such as the Boao Religious Forum, we can discover these shared human values and work to advance our mutual development and cooperation.

Abbot Sainbuyan Nergui reviewed the three prosperous periods of Buddhism in Mongolia, making special note of the third period of its spread after the country opened itself up to the world. This demonstrated that inclusiveness and openness not only promote the development of religion but also the prosperity of global civilization.

At the conclusion of the Forum, Master Yin Shun stated that he would remain steadfast in his commitment to the localization and internationalization of Buddhism, integrating China’s future-oriented modern approach to Buddhism with society to serve the public, while also doing what he could so that this updated form of the religion could travel the world, inspire the world, and have an impact on the world.

SOURCE The Buddhist Association of Hainan Province