Chinese, Korean and Japanese Buddhists vow to work for peace

Buddhist delegates from China, the Republic of Korea (ROK) and Japan have pledged to strengthen cooperation, accelerate the process of social harmony in Asia and safeguard world peace.

New Delhi, Oct.27 : Buddhist delegates from China, the Republic of Korea (ROK) and Japan have pledged to strengthen cooperation, accelerate the process of social harmony in Asia and safeguard world peace.

More than 300 Buddhists from the three countries attending the 10th tripartite Buddhism Friendly Exchange Conference in Beijing said world peace and human happiness were their common aim.

"We vow to purify the human mind, make new contributions in preserving social harmony and world peace," said a declaration at the conference.

"It has been the fundamental demand and also a vivid reflection of Buddhism's fiery spirit to accelerate harmony among the family, community and society and also to establish a harmonious world," the China daily quoted Xue Cheng, vice-president of the Buddhist Association of China, as saying.

Buddhists from other countries hailed his views.

The Buddhist delegates held a grand assembly where they prayed for world peace. Experts in religious studies described the annual exchange program as an effective means to promote peace.

The representatives pledged support to the second World Buddhism Forum scheduled for November 2008. It will be held simultaneously in two cities: Hong Kong and Wuxi in Jiangsu Province.

China sponsored the first World Buddhism Forum in April 2006, attracting at least 1,000 monks, researchers on Buddhism and dignitaries from more than countries.

Buddhism was introduced to China from India in the first century A.D. from where it spread to Korea and Japan.

China has more than 13,000 Buddhism monasteries, the Republic of Korea 5,000 and Japan 80,000.

ANI