FROM CORONA to KARUNA : Global prayer to eradicating the Coronavirus
The Mahakaruna Foundation, New Delhi and Mahabodhi International Meditation Centre, Ladakh headed by our Founder President Bhikkhu Sanghasena organized a special Global prayer on the full moon day of 9th March, 2020, dedicated to eradicating the Coronavirus (COVID-19), and to alleviating the sickness, grief and loss, and general suffering it has left in its wake, under the holy Bodhi tree at Mahabodhi Vihara, which is the most sacred seat where Bodhisatva Prince Siddhartha Gautama accomplished the Supreme enlightenment.
A huge congregation of people including over 700 holy Sangha members, representing the three major Buddhist traditions of Theravada, Mahayana and Vajrayana, and hundreds of lay devotees had gathered for this solemn Dhamma service to pray collectively for the early restoration of normalcy and peace in the world, in the wake of outbreak of the Deadly Coronovirus (COVID-19) epidemic. The holy gathering offered the compassionate prayer for those affected by the epidemic and for the safety and peace of the rest of the people who are in a state of fear, worry and despair as a result of this problem.
The Mahakaruna Foundation, New Delhi was established by Bhikkhu Sanghasena with an objective and a specific intention of calling upon all, not just followers of the Buddha, to put into effect the timeless and essential teachings of Mahakaruna or Great Compassion, for the benefit of human beings, wildlife, plants, and the planet in its entirety.
Under its aegis the Mahakaruna Diwas is also being observed annually in different parts of the country and different parts of the world with the message to spread Mahakaruna – Great Compassion, which is growing very popular and bigger every year.
While addressing the solemn gathering at Bodhgaya today Bhikkhu Sanghasena said we should make earnest efforts to reaffirm and strengthen our noble intentions to make compassion more pertinent to our services and relevant to the world. He also urged everyone to adopt vegetarianism and an eco-friendly life style for peaceful coexistence and harmony in world. He further shared how each time he gets an opportunity to visit the Holy Mahabodhi and seeks the blessings of the Buddha to take a fresh vow to give up certain things and to achieve certain things. Recalling this, he urged everyone present under the holy Bodhi tree to pledge to be a messenger of peace, ambassador of compassion and as Bodhisatvas before returning back from the holy land of Buddhagaya.
He said that after offering the sincere prayer and with the blessings of the Sangha members present under the most Holy Bodhi Tree, the Mahakaruna Foundation hopes to organise and launch a worldwide campaign with the message of Mahakaruna. Mahakaruna seems to be the only panacea for all the ills, unprecedented violence’s, hatred, greed and egotism of the present world. He expressed his heartfelt thanks and gratitude to all those inside and outside Buddhagaya who have extended their unreserved help in making this auspicious event a truly great success.
Prayer has its own benefit and power, a genuine prayer of compassion, offered with a fullness of heart and an absence of self-regard, can certainly play a very great role in overcoming the many physical, mental, emotional and spiritual ailments that afflict our human experience.
We are very glad to share with you that we were informed that so many people in different part of the world joined in absentia and offered their prayer at the same time in their respective homes, temples and places. Special Messages from different religious leaders including that of H.H Drikung Skyabgon Chetsang Rinpoche and H.H Master Hsing Yun from Fo Guang Shan, Taiwan were read out during the special ceremony.
A Special Dana was offered (Food & Cash) to all the sangha members who participated in the prayer.
Bhikkhu Sanghasena sincerely appeals to everyone to continue their prayer till the deadly Virus is completely eradicated thereby converting CORONA to KARUNA.
The program was concluded in a very solemn and successful manner.
