Past Speeches


Establishing Global Ethics through Education

January 28, 2004
Master Sheng Yen

Although an important reason for establishing a global ethical standard is to counter and prevent the depredations of terrorism, this is not the only reason to do so. We need to pursue this
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Violence and Terrorism in Religion

May 21, 2003
Master Sheng Yen

We believe that all religions of the world advocate that human beings should live together in harmony. We should accept that all religions in the world believe that the God they worship is
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Crisis and Peace

January 29, 2003
Master Sheng Yen

Ladies and gentlemen, First of all, I’d like to wish the best to all of you and the whole world: peace, happiness, and well-being for everyone in 2003. According to statistics released by
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Combining the Power of Women in the Pursuit of World Peace

October 7, 2002
Master Sheng Yen

Women religious and spiritual leaders of the world: 
First, I would like to wish success to all the women religious and spiritual leaders of this Global Peace Initiative. I pray that the convocation
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Providing Economic Aid and Educational Support to Transform the Outlook of Fundamentalists

February 3, 2002
Master Sheng Yen

I. In principle, it is natural for there to exist fundamentalists. In fact, to stick to any kind of religious value system, academic theory, or political ideology can be considered a form of
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The “Sacred” in a Pluralistic World: Seeking Common Ground While Preserving Differences

February 1, 2002
Master Sheng Yen

The definition of the “sacred” varies according to time, place, and individual. This is something of which we must be aware in a modern, pluralistic, and globalized society.
 Most religions derive their understanding
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Interreligious Understanding and Cooperation

September 20, 2001
Master Sheng Yen

I. Interreligious Respect During the time of Shakyamuni Buddha, there was once a layman who, originally a devotee of another Indian religion, converted to Buddhism after meeting the Buddha. This layman was uncertain
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Eliminating Barriers, Enhancing Mutual Respect and Love

August 29, 2000
Master Sheng Yen

Most honored religious and spiritual leaders of the world, dear brothers and sisters: Thanks to the joint efforts of humankind on earth, the movement toward world peace has been promoted extensively. Today, however,
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