Vatican’s message to Buddhists for Vesakh

(May 17, 2010) The Vatican has called for greater cooperation between Christians and Buddhists to help create a greater “sense of ecological responsibility,” in their common quest for respect for human life and dignity. The call came in a message the Vatican’s Pontifical Council for Inter-religious dialogue released on Monday, to wish Buddhists around the world on the occasion of their feast of Vesakh, which this years falls on May 21, Friday. Vesakh commemorates the principal events in the life of Buddhism's founder, Gautama Buddha. The pontifical council’s message pointed out that “the Catholic Church considers the protection of the environment as intimately linked to the theme of integral human development; and for her part, she is committed not only to promoting the protection of land, water and air as gifts destined for everyone, but also to encouraging others to join the efforts to protect mankind from self-destruction.” “Our responsibility to protect nature,” it said, “springs, in fact, from our respect for one another.” “Consequently, when human ecology is respected within society, environmental ecology also benefits.” The Vatican’s message for Vesakh noted that both Christians and Buddhists have a profound respect for human life. “It is crucial therefore that we encourage efforts to create a sense of ecological responsibility, while at the same time reaffirming our shared convictions about the inviolability of human life at every stage and in every condition, the dignity of the person and the unique mission of the family, where one learns to love one’s neighbour and to respect nature,” the message said. The pontifical council thus urged Buddhists and Christians to promote “a healthy relationship between human beings and the environment,” by enhancing their efforts in promoting “ecological consciousness.”