One Heart - Vesak 2007 - Welcoming Address by Executive Committee Chairman, Dr Yang Liang Chua

Good evening, friends and families of our Buddhist community memebers, our special guest Member of Parliament Mr Zainuddin and distinguished representatives from the Bishan - Toa Payoh North CCC, Bishan CCC and Thomnson CCC.

On behalf of the Moh Hong Buddhist Shrine Executive Committee, I extend my warmest welcome and would like to take the next few minutes to share with you some events that occurred over the last couple of days.

Our theme for Vesak this year is “One Heart”, taken from our Master’s advice at the end of last year’s celebration, reminding us to treat our family and friends with the same heart as we would with our fellow Buddhist community and with the same heart we practise the Buddha’s teachings.

Buddhism in Singapore is getting more prominent today than it was in the sixties when our society first started. Numerous Buddhist theme events have mushroomed over the island today. We are no longer alone in this celebratory week. This year, prior to the start of the three days of Buddhist chants, our society introduced a free yoga talk and demonstration conducted by the Nikam Guruji Yoga Kutir on the benefits of yoga for physical well being. We also organised a discussion forum for our members to review and discuss the philosophical issues on two Buddhist themed films. Coincidentally, this came eight days after the close of Singapore’s first Buddhist Film Festival, which was between 17 to 20th May.

Our annual three days of Thosand Buddhas event with prayers for peace and harmony will come to a close this evening with the distribution of fruits to our members and friends who have placed their orders with us. The vegetarian gala that you are partaking is just another modest way of sharing this blessing with you.

We hope the prayers and celebration will not end here but continue in your heart in the months to come. I am happy to also announce that another way to stay connected with each other and our society 24/7 is through the web at www.mohhong.org. There is a small card on every table that has our website address, feel free to take one home with your tonight and help spread the dharma.

Before I call on the Chair of the Organising Committee, I would like to share with everyone a text from our founding philosophy as inscribed on the seventh pillar: “The Buddha is within us, look no further”. As you embark on this blessed meal tonight, spare some moments to reflect on this thought.