The secret of this meeting “is to meditate and explore together the characteristics and profound relationships between ‘karuna and agape’ – the former Buddhist, the latter Christian – of compassion and selfless love.”
There is a secret to the path of spiritual dialogue and the “dialogue of life” between Christians and Buddhists in Cambodia, a small Southeast Asian country with a population of 18 million, 98% of which is Buddhist, with Muslim minorities and a small Catholic community of approximately 30,000 faithful.
This is explained by Jesuit Father Enrique Figaredo, Apostolic Prefect of Battambang, a province bordering Thailand. In recent months, tensions and clashes in the border region have erupted, temporarily halted only by a truce brokered with the mediation of Malaysia.
The secret, the Jesuit reveals, is to “meditate and explore together the characteristics and profound relationships between karuna and agape, which reflect the concepts—the former Buddhist, the latter Christian—of compassion and selfless love.” Thus, he explains, “we seek common ground between Christianity and Buddhism, two religions in dialogue that lead their respective believers to collaborate to heal wounded humanity, to spread a message of peace and reconciliation, to promote respect for creation, starting with Mother Earth.”
In a time of tension between Cambodia and Thailand, a word of healing mutual relations and reconciliation resonates strongly, hoping to influence the contenders, to put back at the centre of politics a single choice for the good of their respective peoples: peace.
Buddhists explain that karuna is inseparable from metta, translated as “loving kindness.” The latter virtue is characterised by promoting the good of other living beings, while karuna is characterised by removing the suffering of other living beings. Figaredo notes: “Metta and karuna together form a pair of virtues that seem to meet and encompass the Christian concept of agape, which refers to unconditional love that unites and heals.”
Dispensing this love is a de facto path to evangelisation: the apostolic prefect explains that Cambodians “are attracted when they see compassion, they appreciate listening when they find people in parishes willing to listen to their problems, struggles, and suffering: this is considered very important in their lives.”
“In Battambang Cathedral, when I celebrate Mass, more than half the congregation is always made up of non-baptised people. They are people searching for God, for a meaning to their existence,” he reports. “And they are struck by the fact that we care for and care for the poor, orphans, the destitute, and the disabled,” the Jesuit notes.
Working together for the well-being of society and the nation is one of the strong points of the dialogue between Catholics and Buddhists, explains Bishop Olivier Schmitthaeusler, Vicar Apostolic of the capital Phnom Penh. “This dialogue promises to be a ground for cooperation and a shared vision for the well-being of our communities,” he notes.
In 2022, Schmitthaeusler, a French religious member of the Society of Foreign Missions of Paris, received the recognition of “Great Friend of Buddhists” from the Mahanikaya Council of Cambodia, the country’s Supreme Buddhist Council, for his invaluable contribution to Cambodian society.
Among the reasons for the award, which confirms the excellent relations between the two communities, is the bishop’s support for local Buddhists and the monastic community of a specific pagoda. Venerable Nget Chamroeun, abbot of the Ang Monrei Pagoda, reiterated that “as a priest and bishop, he guided Buddhists and Christians to build bridges of peace and reconciliation.”
Today, the French bishop states: “Together, let us dream of a world where there is no hatred or violence, where there is neither rich nor poor, where no one is excluded or despised. Our shared mission today, in Asia and around the world, is to create a large family that loves, listens to, and forgives one another.”
Schmitthaeusler illustrates the spirit that inspires Christian-Buddhist relations: “Let us begin again with harmony, with peace, with sharing with others the spiritual values on which to build just and fraternal societies. This is our mission as religious communities in Cambodia.”
These are the paths followed by the Council of Religions for Peace, which includes Catholic leaders and the heads of the two Buddhist denominations in the country. After the tragedies of the past, linked to the bloody Khmer Rouge regime, Cambodia has sought a new national and cultural identity, and the various groups that make up its society have proposed a vision based on values such as honesty, generosity, respect for life, and solidarity. Christians and Buddhists, together, are walking the same path. (Paolo Affatato) – (Photo: Pixabay)
