Page 72 - Applied Buddhism

available.
We must also understand that very few people choose their own
religions. Most people inherit a religion. And when you inherit a
pluralistic religion, you need not have to offer an explanation as to
why you adopt a pluralistic religion, you simply do so proudly, very
much the same as when you inherit an exclusive religion.
This is best illustrated by the remarks made by Rigoberta
Menchu (The Nobel Prize laureate from Guatemala), “My mother’s
religion was the Mayan faith, and my father was a Catholic. We,
their children, learnt the two ways of intense prayer and belief from
them. The Creator knows how to deal with that”. So what we see as
an epistemological problem is not a problem at all, at least for the
pluralists.
The exclusivist approach – For those people who adopt the
exclusivist approach, they would like to maintain that their religion
is more superior. But is this rational? Before one can claim that
one’s religion is superior to that of others, one should study all
other religions as well, but this is not done in most cases. Most
exclusivists simply make the assertion that their religion is more
superior without doing any comparative study. This is not rational!
A more reasonable approach would be for the exclusivist to
admit that they have not done any reasonable in-depth study of
all available religions but would like to make the assertion that a
particular religion that they chose or inherited is “the best for me”
simply because that particular religion is most suitable for them.
This is akin to the language a husband would use of his wife, or a
boyfriend would use of his girlfriend, “You are the most beautiful
woman in the world… you are the only woman for me.” Such
060 Applied Buddhism
statements, in the context of the marital relationship and especially
in intimate moments, are certainly true. But the husband would balk
if asked to take an oath that there is absolutely no other woman
in the world as beautiful as his wife or no other woman whom he
could possibly love and marry. That would be using a different kind
of language in a very different context. (Quoted from Paul Knitter).
So a more rational approach would be to follow the following
advice given by the Buddha: “If a person has conviction, his
statement, ‘This is my conviction,’ upholds the truth. But he doesn’t
yet come to the definite conclusion that ‘Only this is true; anything
else is worthless.’ To this extent, Bharadvaja, there is the upholding
of the truth. To this extent one upholds the truth.” (MN95)
Conclusion
Ladies and gentlemen, I would like to conclude my short
presentation with two important messages: firstly, we must
acknowledge and accept the truth of diversity, and secondly,
whatever your approach in dealing with diversity, follow the Golden
Rule. “Do not do unto others what you do not wish others do unto
you.” Live and let live.
(A speech given to an international audience of youths at Universiti Pendidikan
Sultan Idris, in conjunction with the World Interfaith Harmony Week. Organised
by National Unity Department and Global Peace Festival. 7th Feb. 2012)
Applied Buddhism 061