Albert Lin, The Merit Times staff writer
September 13, 2023

On September 10th, the interfaith "Path of Peace" event took place in Vienna, with the first stop being at Fo Guang Shan Internationale Progressive Buddhistische (IBPS) Gesellschaft. Dietmar Baurecht, District Leader of Vienna's 15th municipal district, and Venerable Jue Yan jointly lit the "Peace Lamp." Nearly 80 people proceeded along the route to the Turnertempel, the Itkan, the United Methodist Church (UMC), and the Catholic Church, completing the "Peace Lamp" relay ceremony.

Dietmar Baurecht, District Leader of Vienna's 15th municipal district, and Venerable Jue Yan jointly lit the "Peace Lamp." photo／The Life News Agency

The theme of this year's "Path of Peace" event is "Nature, Life, and Peace." In her welcome speech, Lin Yu Jiao, the President of Buddha's Light International Association (BLIA) Vienna, stated that Buddhism highly values the ecological aspects of nature. When building temples, there is always a principle of harmony with nature. The practice of monks also involves coexisting harmoniously with nature. Throughout history, eminent masters have often initiated tree planting, river clearing, bridge construction, road repair, and advocated for compassionate acts like non-violence, vegetarianism, and environmental conservation. Lin Yu Jiao quoted Venerable Master Hsing Yun, the founder of Fo Guang Shan, who said that Buddhism promotes peace and equality, hoping that humanity can achieve equality through "Compassion, Loving-kindness, Joy and Equanimity."

Participants and Fo Guang members recited the German version of the "Heart Sutra" together.  photo／The Life News Agency

Participants and Fo Guang members recited the German version of the "Heart Sutra" together. The choir performed "Be the Light" from Fo Guang Shan's "Sounds of the Human World," allowing more people in Austria to understand the charm of Humanistic Buddhism and experience the faith, joy, hope, and peace of Humanistic Buddhism.

The choir performed "Be the Light" from Fo Guang Shan's "Sounds of the Human World." photo／The Life News Agency

Venerable Jue Yan said that conflicts and wars stem from the greed, hatred, and jealousy inherent in human nature. Therefore, to achieve world peace, we must start by purifying our inner selves. Humanistic Buddhism, as practiced by Fo Guang Shan, emphasizes the "Three Acts of Goodness," which involve purifying ourselves through "Doing Good Deeds, Speaking Good Words, and Thinking Good Thoughts." Venerable Jue Yan expressed her honor in being a part of the "Path of Peace" event at Fo Guang Shan in Vienna, where the "Peace Lamp" was lit. She hopes that through this, the inner hearts of all individuals can be illuminated, and progress towards the path of peace.

The second stop of the "Path of Peace" event was at the site of the Turnertempel Synagogue, which holds historical significance. In November 1938, during the "Night of Broken Glass," the Jewish community suffered brutal persecution. Willy Weisz, a representative of the Vienna Jewish community, emphasized that humanity must learn to respect different ideologies, thoughts, and political attitudes for the world to coexist peacefully and eliminate misunderstandings.

The third stop of the event was at the Itkan Islamic Cultural and Educational Association. Dr. Mohammad Faroque Al-Madani, the head of the association, stated that the core of Islam is peace and tranquility. He emphasized that Itkan is an Islamic school, not a mosque. People come to Itkan not for worship but to learn Arabic and the Quran.

The fourth stop of the "Path of Peace" brought the event to the United Methodist Church in Austria. Reverend and Church Administrator Stefan Schröckenfuchs explained that the UMC emphasizes social harmony and coexistence, following the principles of "universal, gospel, and reform," for the benefit of all humanity.

The final stop of the "Path of Peace" event was the Church of the Immaculate Heart of Mary. Church representative Clemens Pollheimer said that this church had been destroyed by fire and was rebuilt in 1972, with the hope that humanity would arrive on the path of peace under the guidance of Jesus.

District Leader Dietmar Baurecht concluded that this interfaith event was quite meaningful and should be considered for an annual occurrence. Through the "Path of Peace," people could bridge religious divides and recognize the importance of dialogue and action. He stated, "After all, we must continue to promote peace."