WITHOUT PREJUDICE

Paper delivered at the Conference "Racism and anti-Semitism in Contemporary Australia" sponsored by the Australian Institute of Jewish Affairs and the Jewish Board of Deputies

Of all of the religions represented here today, Buddhism is alone in not being a 'Religion of the Book'. This can seem to place Buddhism in a difficult position where inter-religious dialogue is concerned. This difficulty can arise both from the Buddhist side and from those with whom we wish to converse. When it is suggested to many Buddhists that they have a discussion with 'Christians', for example, they will throw up their hands and say "How can we - we don't believe in God." Followers of other faiths feel that dialogue is not possible because the Buddhist teachings are so alien to their own. They would say "How can we have dialogue with people whose belief - or lack of belief in God, is an anathema to us?" Both sides, I feel, are demonstrating a total lack of understanding - an ignorance of what the others really believe.

In the case of the Buddhists, they should ascertain what the person from the other faith means by "God". Too often, arguments are purely semantic. What one calls "God" may be covered by another term by your opposite number. A fundamentalist Christian, for example, would view God in an anthropomorphic way which is totally different to that of a mainstream Christian. A Jew or a Muslim would view God in a totally different sense to the average Christian. Indeed, an anthropomorphic view of God would be considered by Jews and Muslims to be idolatrous. If, as is the case with many modern theologians, one holds the Tillichian view that God is the "Ground of Being" - the very fact of existence - then no Buddhist could argue with this. However, a Buddhist would be hesitant in using the term 'God'. The Buddhist concept of Nirvana, the highest state attainable is described in the Itivuttaka, one of the books of the Buddhist canon thus:

'Monks, there is an unborn, a not-become, a not-made, a not-compounded. Monks, if that unborn, not-become, not-made, not-compounded were not, there would be apparent no escape from this that here is born, become, made, compounded. But, monks, since there is an unborn, not-become, not-made, not-compounded, therefore the escape from this that here is born, become, made and compounded is apparent.'

In Indonesia, for example, where five religions are officially recognised on condition that they express a belief in God, the above definition from the Itivuttaka is accepted as the Buddhist definition of God. This to a Buddhist is the ultimate reality - and is not the ultimate reality to most religious people an unborn, uncreated, not-made and not compounded, which is beyond description. To a Christian, a Jew and a Muslim, this may be termed 'God', whereas a Buddhist would use the term 'Nirvana'. I feel that we are talking about the same concept. A Buddhist may not accept the concept of a God who created the world, but I know of many Christians, including Paul Tillich, who consider that when it is said that god created the world -that is not to be taken literally but as symbolic speech. Tillich says:

'If it is taken symbolically, it is a profound expression, the ultimate Christian expression of the relationship between God and man in the Christian experience.' Again, a Buddhist would not argue with that idea. All religions exhort their followers to conduct themselves in a moral way - not to kill, not to steal, not to commit adultery etc. Buddhism is no exception. Buddhism teaches that we should not perform any act of body, speech or mind which can harm ourselves or others. Is this not the same as saying: "Do unto others as you would have them do unto you"? "That may be all very well ", says the follower of the religions of the Book, "but Buddhists are idol worshipers, so dialogue is not possible." It may surprise many of you to know that the Buddha forbade reproductions of himself. He said that those who practice his teaching remember him best. Images of the Buddha arose some 500 years after his passing away and were introduced at the time of the Bactrian Greeks. Idol worship became a part of the institutionalised religion called "Buddhism" but plays no part in the original teaching. So you see, we really are not so far apart from our brothers and sisters represented here today.

Divisions, whether they be on religious or racial grounds are generally based on a lack of understanding and appreciation of what our opposite numbers are about. How many of those who express racist views have bothered to get to know people of other races. If they do they will come to know that we all share the same feelings, emotions, desires and ambitions. Perhaps, we may detect differences in outlook or attitudes but this is not due to race but to conditioning in a specific culture. If our own race or culture were capable of producing a perfect world then, perhaps a case could be made for asking others to conform, but, unfortunately we all have failed to overcome the greed and anger which poison our minds and create disharmony in this world. It is so easy to blame others for our own failings. It is even easier if those others look different from ourselves or follow another culture, lifestyle or religious practice. We fear what we don't understand. As leaders in our own religious traditions, we must not isolate ourselves from our brothers and sisters in other traditions. In the ultimate sense, we are all working towards achieving the same goal, albeit by different paths. We must avoid what is often promoted as 'religious tolerance'. 'Tolerance' infers a disapproval of but unwillingness to oppose those who we perceive to be different. Even if we cannot bring ourselves to agree on many points of doctrine, what we need is respect and appreciation rather than tolerance. This year, the Ashfield Uniting Church invited some Tibetan monks to chant in the church as part of the Easter celebrations. Just a few weeks ago, the Buddhists celebrated Vesak, the most important celebration in the Buddhist calendar and the Buddhist Library and Education Centre, was pleased to have a Christian minister give a talk as part of its observance. He spoke on 'loving-kindness' which is common to both spiritual paths. So well received was his message that other Buddhist groups invited him to come and speak at their temples. One of the mosques in Sydney, each year, has invited me to come and address their congregation on their 'Religious Founders' Day'. The Amir of this mosque attended the opening ceremony of the Buddhist Library & Education Centre. Rabbi Apple, from the Great Synagogue in Sydney, has also addressed an Inter-faith Forum in the library. None of these religious leaders seemed the least bit uncomfortable in being in a Buddhist centre. By sharing our religious experiences, rather than feeling that we are under threat from those of other faiths, we can learn from each other and, as a result, enhance our appreciation and understanding of our own tradition.

The recent introduction of religious courses in secondary schools, 'Studies of Religion' in New South Wales, 'Religion and Society' and 'Texts and Traditions' in Victoria and similar courses in other states, despite their Christian bias, are making a worthwhile contribution to understanding the many religious expressions found in Australia's multicultural society. In New South Wales, the 'Studies in Religion' course is taught mainly in religious schools, notably Catholic and Jewish. I am not aware of any State high school which offers this course. This is rather a pity because such courses broaden the outlook of the students and such an understanding can break down the barriers of suspicion surrounding those of other faiths. problem facing the State schools is that they currently have no trained teachers for this subject area, whereas religion has been a part of the curriculum in church schools for many years so a little in-service training can equip them to cover other religions as well. Departments of School Education are reluctant to expend their limited funds in appointing teachers to a subject which, although examinable for the Higher School Certificate, is considered of a low priority. Fortunately, Australia has been relatively free of serious religious conflict with the possible exception of the attacks on synagogues and on Muslims during the Gulf conflict. These incidents are totally unacceptable in a country which prides itself on a policy of a "Fair go" for all. Education in religions other than their own will go a long way to creating an appreciation and acceptance of Australia's religious diversity. In a recent pilot study on the attitudes of Year 11 & Year 12 students towards other religions, Professor Sister Patricia Malone, of the Australian Catholic University, found 'a high level of prejudice but also indicated a strong relationship between prejudice and lack of knowledge of the traditions.' She is now working on a major study but it needs financial support. May I commend this research for your consideration in offering such support. Sister Malone's study, so far, has been restricted to religious schools. Do we have to wait until more serious religious conflicts arise in our society before Governments realise the importance of religious instruction in all schools? Education should not solely be concerned with equipping our young people in skills for use in earning an income. School is the perfect place to train students to be good citizens and to appreciate Australia's cultural and religious diversity so that these problems are less likely to arise in the future. Apart from the hurt and humiliation suffered by racial and religious conflicts, their prevention by force can be counterproductive and can be at a high economic cost to the nation. Why wait until Australia is confronted with the level of racial and religious violence that we hear about in Europe, the U.K. and the United States before we take action. We can take preventative measures today for very little cost but with a big saving in lives, property and racial and religious harmony in the future. I offer these thoughts for your earnest consideration.

Back to Articles and Sutras

Back to Home Page