Love and kindness, key to harmonious living

Aug 26, 2022

By Marilyn Menezes Simon
It was a special and memorable occasion seeing representatives from different religions coming together with the common intention of harmony. The Second K Sri Dhammananda Peace Conversation held on August 20 at the Buddhist Maha Vihara in Brickfields saw speakers from various backgrounds participating in a discussion centred around the theme Loving kindness to enhance harmonious living.

Most Venerable Datuk K. Sri Dhammaratana, the Buddhist Chief High Priest of Malaysia, made the opening remarks and welcomed everyone to the interfaith meet.

Ranee Sreedharan, a member of the Baha’i community, highlighted that we are all created in the image of God and that God has taken care of us all along. However, man has created boundaries – among families, among races, among communities etc. The Baha’i faith teaches Oneness of God, Oneness of Religion and Oneness of Humanity.

Archbishop Julian Leow, President of the Regional Episcopal Commission for Ecumenism and Interreligious Affairs and Vice President of the Malaysian Consultative Council of Buddhism, Christianity, Hinduism, Sikhism and Taoism, stressed on the love of God and love of neighbour and how being a community of love is important. The archbishop shared the parable of the Good Samaritan (Luke 10: 25-37) to highlight that the Jew was helped by a kind Samaritan and that we are called to do good to all, irrespective of race or religion.

Archbishop Julian subscribes to the concept that it is possible for people living in a multiracial, multi-religious society to achieve peace and harmony through mutual respect, acceptance and understanding of one another’s faith.

Dr K Thilagawathi, adviser of University of Malaya Hindu Sangam and adviser of University of Malaya Tamil Language Society and a contributor of articles to the Tamil Daily, shared her views on Hinduism – Love is divine. All are our countrymen and all are our relatives. All religions pray to the same truth but address it differently.

Ven Prof Dr M Seevali Thera is an author and a lecturer and travels to spread the message of Buddha. He shared how the religion focuses on peace and harmony towards all and we have to work towards it. He also mentioned that gatherings of this kind were a good start.

Zaid Kamaruddin, who is associated with a number of organisations and represented the Islamic faith, highlighted that the purpose of religion is to bring us back to the Creator by detaching from the world. We can all come together to discuss issues and find a solution. The discussion was moderated by Dr Amir Farid Isahak, a medical doctor practising holistic integrative medicine and a promoter of interfaith harmony.

Also present at the session were several Parish Ministry of Ecumenism and Interreligious Affairs members and representatives from the different faiths.