![]() The suffering of people is really beyond imagination! However, with suffering comes strength. Jetsunma Tenzin Palmo, founder of the Dongyu Gatsal Ling Nunnery in Himachal Pradesh, expressed sympathy and support for the people of Ukraine and invoked the responsibility of the world at large to help Ukrainians find strength. Learning to be present with it all - from the horror of hate to the wonder of beauty - is a huge relief. Practices to cultivate mindfulness and compassion open the inevitably narrow frame of an individual perspective to a vastness of peace and well-being, a space where all opposites can rest in the infinitely tender embrace of a wide open heart. ![]() But he asks, “How can we use our energy wisely so that we have inner resources to offer when needed? He will offer a dharma talk this Sunday titled “ Cultivating Wise Energy.”Īlso on Lion’s Roar, Trudy Goodman reminds us of the power of Buddhist wisdom and mediation at times like these. In an email, meditation teacher Oren Jay Sofer also reminds us of our interconnectedness and that engaging in suffering is an expression of compassion. We have to ask what is our part and our country’s part in feeding the demon of hatred and violence? And, at the same time, we must work actively for nonviolence toward all and deep and true dialogue with respect for and appreciation of differences and plurality. We can nurture peace by transforming our own lives. Roshi Joan Halifax wrote on Lion’s Roar that by recognizing our interdependence, we’ll be moved to act in a compassionate way. Find more information, including how you can support the foundation’s efforts, here. The dharma masters at the foundation’s headquarters are also currently chanting a portion of the Lotus Sutra called the “Universal Gate,” which is supposed to bring peace and protection. We do not know what their destination is. Looking at them fleeing-some carrying young children on their backs, holding them in their hands, older ones holding smaller ones-large families are escaping in crowds. A few days prior, Tzu Chi founder Master Cheng Yen voiced her concern for those forced to leave their homes: On March 2, the Buddhist Tzu Chi Foundation, a global humanitarian organization based in Taiwan, began fundraising for Ukrainian refugees fleeing their country for Poland. ![]() This is how we will build a more peaceful world. We need to develop a sense of the oneness of humanity by considering other human beings as brothers and sisters. War is outdated-non-violence is the only way. Our world has become so interdependent that violent conflict between two countries inevitably impacts the rest of the world. The Dalai Lama released a statement on February 28 in which he called war “outdated” and said nonviolence was the way forward. Responses from Buddhist teachers and organizations range from formal public statements to heartfelt pleas on social media. On March 2, the UN High Commissioner for Refugees reported that one million refugees have fled Ukraine. Though Russian and Ukrainian reports on military deaths and injuries differ, the numbers are in the hundreds to thousands. The growing number of civilian and military deaths are unknown, but early reports estimate over 230 civilian deaths so far and over 525 civilians injured. As the Russian invasion of Ukraine continues to unfold, Buddhist leaders around the world are offering pleas for peace and messages of support to the Ukrainian people and those watching from afar who feel helpless but eager to take action.
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