A Buddhist's Perspective about the Charter for Compassion
As we are preparing for our Global Gala on November 20th, and enthusiastic responses arrive from everywhere, I am drawn to share this letter with you by this week's guest author Michael Lisagor. Our Charter family blankets the world and therefore includes a great variety of people. Some are religious and some are not, but we all share the Charter's core value The Golden Rule; treat others as you would like to be treated.
I hope you will join us and celebrate compassion!
By Mike Lisagor
Why do two 50+ year practitioners of SGI Nichiren Buddhism strongly support the Charter for Compassion? The short answer…because it represents the basic essence of the Buddhist principle of dependent origination which teaches that, ultimately, all life is interconnected…an integral part of a universal tapestry of life. And, that the real nature of human beings can only be correctly understood in the context of their connection with others whose sufferings are also our own. This is just one reason why it's so important to treat others as we would like to be treated.
My wife and I have known the Charter's Director, Marilyn Turkovich, for 18 years. We have watched with immense joy the exponential growth of the organization's global outreach through the efforts of its many many volunteers.
There are hardly words to describe the accomplishments of the nine individuals to be honored. For instance, Cynthia Sears, the founder of the Bainbridge Museum of Art and a fellow Bainbridge Islander, has been an ally and supporter of the Charter's efforts for many years. Magdalena Whoolery, one of the most delightful and committed individuals we have ever met, founded Botho Compassion Movement in Botswana, empowering communities to nurture compassion. And The Parents Circle – Families Forum (PCFF), a joint Israeli-Palestinian organization of over 600 families, all of whom have lost an immediate family member to the ongoing conflict. Like our lay Buddhist organization, the SGI, the PCFF believes in peace through dialogue and uses education, public meetings, and the media, to spread these ideals.
By embodying the spirit of the Golden Rule and doing what Daisaku Ikeda, the president of the SGI, calls an inner 'Human Revolution', each of us can, in our own unique way, have a profound impact at our job, school, community and the world. So, change ourselves…change the world!
Please join us and thousands of others on November 20th with both your virtual and financial presence. I can't think of better use for our dollars!
We continue to offer a glimpse of those we will honor at the Gala in two weeks' time. Today, we highlight The Parents Circle—Families Forum and September 11th Families for Peaceful Tomorrows, both organizations comprised of people who chose compassion over revenge and channeled their grief into healing.
Laila Al-Sheikh and Robi Damelin will accept a humanitarian award on behalf of The Parents Circle – Families Forum (PCFF), a joint Israeli-Palestinian organization of over 600 families, all of whom have lost an immediate family member to the ongoing conflict. Their focus is on promoting dialogue, tolerance, reconciliation and peace, to end bereavement.
On behalf of September 11th Families for Peaceful Tomorrows, Rev. Dianne Hudder will accept a humanitarian award. The organization's name comes from a statement made by Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., "Wars are poor chisels for carving out peaceful tomorrows." It was started by a small group of family members of those killed on 9/11, when they read each others' pleas for nonviolent and reasoned responses to the terrorist attacks.
Join us. Visit our Gala pages and purchase tickets.
We don't want anyone to be excluded.
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