Developing
Lumbini as Epicenter of World Peace
(Published in The Kathmandu Post, June 9, 2016)
Sandhya Regmi
sandhyaregmi2000@gmail.com
Recently, the third International
Buddhist Conference in Kathmandu on 19-20 May, followed by the 2560th
Buddha Jayanti celebration in Lumbini concluded, with the central theme:
Lumbini as the birthplace of Buddha, the fountain of Buddhism and world peace.
Its participants included venerable
monks and respectable nuns, professors, educationist, cultural experts &
archaeological, artists, research scientists, dignitaries, Buddhist scholars, devotees,
enthusiasts from over 32 countries, and the government-level delegations from
28 states.
Discovering
the Epicenter of World Peace
The conference was special in many ways.
Based on the archaeological evidences, and historical facts, and relying on the
scientific principles, the event reaffirmed Lumbini as the birthplace of
Buddha, and origin of Buddhism and the fountain of world peace.
Presenting his research paper “New
Archaeological Discoveries in Nepal’s Natal Landscape of the Buddha”, Professor Robin Coningham of UK’s Durham University
concluded—based on the historical facts and their calibration with other
contemporary archaeological evidence—that Buddha was born in Lumbini. He revealed
that in 1896 General Khadka Shamsher and Dr. Anton Fuhrer had uncovered in
Rumindei in the Terai a stone pillar with an inscription carved in early Brahmi
script that read: “Beloved of the Gods, King Piyadasi (Ashoka) when 20 years
consecrated came to worship saying here the Buddha Sakyamuni was born.” Belonging
to the corpus erected by the Mauryan emperor Ashoka across South Asia, the
pillar’s inscription confirmed the site as Lumbini, the birthplace of the
Buddha.
Another research paper on the birthplace
confirmation was presented by Professor Anil Shakya - Bhikshu 'Sungandha' - of
Thailand’s Mahamakut Buddhist University. In proving the case, he highlighted the
fact that the inscription engraved on the Lumbini pillar in 5 lines consists of
93 Brahmi characters, which includes: ‘HidabhagavamjatetiLumminigame: Lumbini
village where the Buddha was born.’
The participants converged on the point
of oneness of Buddha and Buddhism, and considered Lumbini to be the epicenter
of world peace.
Being a deep admirer of Buddha’s
teachings & philosophies, and being an artist of Buddha portraits, I felt privileged
to take part in the conference. Besides, this conference provided me an
opportunity to display my creations of Buddha portraits on canvas in the grand
conference hall of Soaltee Crown Plaza.
The conference concluded in Lumbini on
21st May with a 10-point Declaration, endorsing a plan to promote
Lumbini as the centre of Buddhist faith.
Tasks
Ahead
The greatest challenge ahead is the effective
execution of the Lumbini Declaration. At its core lies the issue of how to
achieve the timely implementation of Lumbini World Peace City Master Plan. While
the funding sources and investment modalities are expected to play critical
role in shaping the process, importance of the following matters should not be
underestimated.
1) Conserving Lumbini’s Environment
First and foremost, Lumbini should be
free from environmental hazards. The main threat comes from the proliferating carbon
emitting factories—particularly, cement, brick and steel industries—in the
periphery. The emissions are putting both the social and the natural
environmental health under serious threat of degradation in general, and the
temples, monasteries and the 20 century old Ashoka pillar, in particular.
A comprehensive air quality assessment
conducted at the Lumbini World Heritage Site and its vicinity by the WHO in
2013 showed that the PM2.5 (fine particles) touch unhealthy level of 270 µg/m3
which is 11 times higher than the WHO permissible level. The noise pollution
too exceeds the standard of 50 dB and 40 dB at day and night-time respectively.
The solid waste is ever increasing in Lumbini. As an Environmental Engineer, I am
convinced that these conditions pose serious health hazards especially the respiratory
and heart diseases on human beings and threats to biodiversity, and the ancient
monuments.
Immediate and stringent legal actions
should be thus taken by government, concerned ministries and Lumbini
Development Trust to exclude all carbon-emitting industries established within
the Lumbini Protected Zone - which is the region covering a 15 km aerial
distance from the Lumbini Project Area. Furthermore, less polluting technologies,
such as solar PV and electric vehicles should be promoted in the heritage site.
2)
Globalizing Buddhist Education System
Buddhism’s another unique attribute to
the society is education. In fact, the heart of Buddhism is education, and
Buddha is synonym to Teaching.
The Lumbini declaration endorses to
promote Lumbini as the centre for International Buddhist studies with Lumbini
Buddhist University as an international centre for its excellence.
Lumbini should be developed as an academic
hub, establishing institutions covering studies and researches on Buddhism. Besides,
it should be made obligatory to include Buddha and His Teachings in the
curriculum of the educational institutions throughout the world, starting from
the primary level. This would help induce and enhance students’ high moral
principles.
Buddhist
teachings go beyond formal educations in universities and institutions—where
one earns degrees merely for bread-and-butter and for comfortable and luxurious
physical life. In contrast, the Teachings have their own philosophy of holistic
education that help understand the whole process of life through the
inner-intelligence. They are solutions to ever-increasing human sufferings. Buddhism
shows a secular and universal path to mankind in the most scientific approach
for establishment of sustainable peace, happiness and prosperity. Albert Einstein
once said - “If there is any religion that could respond to the needs of modern
science, it would be Buddhism.”-
3)
Promoting
Buddhist Culture and Heritage
Buddha was arguably the first scientist
in the world to give scientific vision to humanity. To sustain Buddha’s
teachings we have to promote and protect the historical sites, and also
preserve them for the future generation.
Nepal should promote more academic
researches, archeological excavations, restoration and conservation works and
scholarly engagement in Lumbini, Kapilvastu, Devdaha, Ramgram, Tilaurakot and
all the Buddha-related religious historical places, and develop them as tourist
destination.
Besides, co-operations and coordination
throughout the world are needed to preserve and promote Buddhist temples,
monasteries, pagodas, sculptures, libraries, museums and art galleries. Most
importantly the state needs to have strong political commitment and allocate
necessary funds for these purpose.
More interactions, communications and
events organization in collaboration with the international communities are
needed. This could include seeking UN’s endorsement for celebrating Buddha
Jayanti day and organizing international Buddhist conference annually in Nepal,
and developing Lumbini as the Mecca of Buddhist Pilgrimage.
(The author is the founding Chairperson of
Buddha Harmony Academy)R
