Greeting 1 Page

 

May the mercy of Buddha and the light of wisdom be with all of you who are present with us today.

 

I’d like to thank Dongbong Sunim, who donated the land for the school construction, the Abbot of the District Main Temple and the employee of the monastic order who have taken a long journey to be here with us today, as well as every child of Buddha who contributed to this project.

 

The reason why we, the Buddhists of Korea, have strived to establish Borigaram Agriculture Technical College so much is that because we have a desire to let the Tanzanian youth know the wisdom of Buddha so that they could be happy for long time if they learn and become literate.

 

Just like Tanzania, Korea also has a tragic history of suffering from imperialism. As a divided country, we relied on foreign aid for many years. However, with strong determination, we shed tears, sweat and toil in order to overcome extreme poverty. Around 20 years ago, Korea began its overseas aid and relief activities, and has since become a member of the OECD Development Assistance Committee, offering a helping hand and practicing compassion worldwide.

 

The driving force behind Korea’s transformation was the fervor for education among the people. Due to our lack of natural resources, the only way to guarantee a better future for our country was to cultivate and utilize human resources. With this strong belief, the foundation for self-sufficiency as a nation was created through education.

 

“Bori” refers to the wisdom of Buddha and “garam” means a temple. In other words, “Bori Garam” means the Bodhi-mandala where true enlightenment and wisdom can be sought, and a community that nurtures virtuous and competent individuals who will create a beautiful world in the future.

 

In this ever-changing world, we continually meet and build relationships with new people. Korean Buddhist sects are always endeavoring to create peaceful and harmonious communities by using their wisdom and practicing compassion to bring prosperity and harmony to all mankind.

 

At BORIGARAM, which will pass on these teachings and the share wisdom of Buddha, the youth of Tanzania will be able to find and build hope. As they experience joy and happiness, they will lift their families, neighbors, and countless others in Tanzania out of darkness. This is the true meaning of BORIGARAM, and the laughter of Tanzanian youth will inspire and touch the hearts of Korean Buddhists.

 

Buddha has taught us that anyone can awaken themselves and take control of their own lives. Happiness is not determined by race, religion or the country where you were born; it is dependent on your own words, actions, and the people whom you build ties with. Likewise, the future of mankind depends on the choices and efforts we make as a whole.

 

The Jogye Order of Korean Buddhism and Dreaminus wish to become the Dharma brothers to the people of Tanzania, and bring happiness to the global community together with you. I hope we can continue to consolidate our ties so that the talented individuals of BORIGARAM can be a source of inspiration to the people around the world as the Bodhisattva Vehicles. I wish all of you happiness and wisdom.

 

July 31, 2563 B.E. (Buddhist era)