United Nations: Buddha’s principle of the middle path is relevant in today’s time of global uncertainty, India’s Permanent Representative to the United Nations, P. Harish, said here at the commemoration of Vesak.
“The teachings of Lord Buddha can be a guide in today’s times of uncertainty,” he said.
“The principle of moderation, or the middle path, remains more relevant today than ever before. The Buddha’s teachings, simple yet profound, encourage us to transcend our differences and embrace a universal bond of loving kindness,” he said.
The UN’s Economic and Social Council chamber resonated with the chants of monks and nuns in their ochre and white robes, and the invocation of the Buddha’s blessings for global peace at the Commemoration of International Day of Vesak 2025, co-hosted by Thailand and Sri Lanka.
In a video message to the meeting, Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said, “The Buddha’s teachings of compassion, tolerance and selfless service resonate deeply with the values of the United Nations.”
“In an era of profound global challenges, these timeless principles must guide our shared path forward,” he said.
Harish noted that India was the cradle of Buddhism and said, “Vesak is an occasion for us to celebrate the shared heritage of Buddhism, an occasion to reaffirm and strengthen the cultural and civilisational ties that bind nations of our region.”
He said that Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visits to Buddhist shrines in Thailand and Sri Lanka last month emphasised this shared heritage.
During the visit to Thailand, Harish said, Prime Minister Modi visited Bangkok’s Wat Pho temple, along with Thailand’s Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra, and paid homage to the statue of the Reclining Buddha and offered ‘Sanghadana’ to senior monks.
While in Sri Lanka, PM Modi offered prayers at Jaya Sri Maha Bodhi temple at Anuradhapura in the company of Sri Lanka’s President Anura Kumara Dissanayake, Harish said.
The temple “holds special significance for India’s civilisational ties with Sri Lanka”, he said.
The temple holds a tree that was grown from a cutting of the bo tree under which the Buddha received enlightenment.
On Thursday, India’s UN Mission is sponsoring a meeting on ‘Teachings of Gautama Buddha – A Path to Internal and Global Peace’.
(IANS)
