Independence Day message: Together Action Fosters Harmony

At the inaugural Zen retreat in Penang, it was good to see people of different traditions coming together to practice meditation and to attend the Kung-an interview given by the Zen Master. There were even two monks - one wearing a Theravada robe and the other a traditional Chinese Mahayana robe. There were a few people who came wearing Tibetan Buddhist centres' t-shirts. There may be others who cannot be distinguished by their clothes. But I know that the people who attended the retreat were practitioners from other traditions or using different meditation techniques other than pure Zen/Ch'an. However, like the Theravada robed monk said, these are just labels. Yes, the clothes we wear are just outer labels. It does not mean we are practising Tibetan Buddhism if we are wearing Tibetan Buddhist clothes.Same with others. The important thing that Zen Master Dae Kwang said last Thursday was that despite all the different Buddhist meditation techniques, all of them have the same objective. And coming together to practice and sit together despite practising different techniques, in our Zen school we call that "together action". "Together action" fosters "harmony". In light of our nation celebrating her 57th year of independence today, we can see the emphasis on "HARMONY" everywhere. However, only by putting down our personal opinions and acting together as one, can true harmony be achieved. If only we can put down our racial, religious, political and social differences down, then a lot of conflict in our society, our community, our country and our world can be avoided. 

With that, I want to take this opportunity to wish HAPPY MERDEKA to all MALAYSIANS!

and  "Well Done" to Haeng Won Zen Centre!