Earth Day: Clean the Mind, Clean the World
Monday, 22nd April 2013 (2556 B.E.) at Wat Phra Dhammakaya
Earth Day in its modern form was initiated by the Honorable Gaylord Nelson, a United States senator from Wisconsin, who strived to raise awareness and gather political support for the environmental issues of the day. The first Earth Day was held on 22nd April 1970 in the U.S. with more than 20 million Americans participating. Nowadays, Earth Day continues to be observed internationally on the 22nd of April of each year by more than 500 million people in 175 countries worldwide. It is a day on which people voice and address concerns about environmental issues, with the hope of making this world a better place.
At Wat Phra Dhammakaya, Earth Day is observed in the spiritual context as we believe that all types of problems on earth, whether environmental, political, economic, or social, stem from the polluted human mind. It is believed that through this polluted mind all sorts of problems are generated on this planet. In order to rectify these problems, we have to tackle them at the root cause, which begins at the mind. Therefore, we take this opportunity to promote spiritual values, moral standards, meditation, and ethics among humankind.
Clean the Mind, Clean the World
In order to clean and safeguard the world in a sustainable manner, it is necessary to start by purifying the mind. Once the mind is purified, we can instill virtues in people and motivate them to perform only wholesome deeds. As a consequence, they will not have the desire to harm others nor the willingness to damage the environment.
The best tool for purifying the mind is the practice of meditation. Meditation allows our mind to enter a state of calmness and liberate us from greed, anger and hatred. Furthermore, a calm and still mind is a state conducive for generating the pure energy that can be used to purify the world. As more and more people meditate and reach this mental calmness, the unification of their powerful minds are able to create incredible amount of positive energy that will benefit both the practitioners and those around them. Such collective energy can even lead to the reduction of disasters and other calamities on earth.
The Dhammakaya Foundation and Wat Phra Dhammakaya, under the leadership of Most Venerable Phrathepyanmahamuni (Luang Por Dhammajayo), President and Abbot, respectively, understand the importance of cultivating wholesomeness in human beings - our true natural resource. Their joint objective is to develop inner peace for all humankind and the world. Therefore, on Earth Day of each year, Buddhist monks and thousands of Buddhists across Thailand congregate to meditate together and spread the inner purity arising from within to purify the world and to foster peace. On Monday, 22nd April 2013 (2556 B.E.) there will be meditation sessions and a great offerings ceremony made to the Buddhist monks from over 24,000 temples throughout Thailand. In addition, there will also be a grand procession for the Gold Image of the Great Master Phramongkolthepmuni (Sodh Candasaro) and circumambulation of the Great Dhammakaya Cetiya.
Schedule for Earth Day 2013
- 08.40 ~ Morning chanting
- 09.30 ~ Morning meditation session led by Phrathepyanmahamuni (Luang Por Dhammajayo)
- 10.30 ~ Presentation of grants to support the teachers in the four southern provinces of Thailand
- 11.00 ~ Ceremony to Offer mid-day meal to the Monastic Community
- 13.30 ~ Afternoon meditation session led by Phrathepyanmahamuni (Luang Por Dhammajayo); dedication of inner purity to protect the world
- 14.00 ~ Great Offerings Ceremony to over 24,000 Buddhist temples throughout Thailand, including the 323 Buddhist temples in the four southern provinces
- 18.00 ~ Procession for the Gold Image of the Great Master Phramongkolthepmuni (Sodh Candasaro) and circumambulation of the Great Dhammakaya Cetiya
- 19.45 ~ End of the ceremony
Those in attendance are encouraged to come dressed modestly in white attire. The event will be broadcast in English on FM 94.75 MHz; international guests joining the ceremony can borrow translation devices from our service center at pillar M 10 of the Dhammakaya Meditation Hall. The ceremony will also be televised live worldwide on the Dhammakaya Media Channel (DMC) at web URL www.dmc.tv/en
For more information, please call (662) 831-1000 or at one of our Dhammakaya Meditation Centers in your state/country.
