PM Lee Hsien Loong at the Singapore Buddhist Federation SG50 Vesak Day Celebrations

新加坡佛教总会会长释广品法师

新加坡佛教总会全体人员

各位善信、各位嘉宾

大家晚上好！

今晚，佛总举行了这场别开生面的音乐晚会来庆祝卫塞节和新加坡金禧年，可说是意义非凡。卫塞节是纪念佛陀出生、成道、涅槃的节日；新加坡的金禧年则是新加坡历史上的重要里程碑。两千五百多年来，佛教秉持慈悲平等的精神，为构建和平和谐的人类社会作出了巨大的贡献。新加坡则在建国之初，就以建设公正平等的民主社会为目标，要使国家繁荣、人民幸福。

50年前，新加坡这个没有天然资源、只有人力资源的弹丸小岛被迫独立。建国的工程可说十分艰难。当时政府的首要任务是要把基础设施建好，为经济发展铺路，以改善国人的生活。而另一个挑战，就是要确保新加坡这个多元种族、宗教的社会保持稳定和谐 。幸好，新加坡佛教总和本地其他宗教总会，向来提倡和谐共处、互相了解，并通过不同渠道和活动，加强各宗教之间的联系和信任。 这也是新加坡得以构建和谐社会的一个重要因素和必先条件。

今年，我们欢庆建国50周年，可是，这也是我们为下一个50年开始做好准备的时候。我们要确保新加坡这个小红点在未来半世纪，能继续发光发热。要做到这点，办好教育是非常重要的。这样才能协助下一代改善生活，让他们更有能力应付未来的挑战。佛总在这方面下了不少功夫，除了创办菩提学校和文殊中学之外，佛总也开设托儿中心和托管中心，帮助年轻一代奠下良好的教育基础。

此外，本地佛教团体在关怀社会方面也不遗余力。例如：全岛七所新加坡佛教施诊所提供的义诊服务，多年来帮助了很多有需要的人士。并且是不分宗族，不分宗教，一视同仁。除了在国内提供各种慈善福利活动之外，本地佛教团体也把援助之手伸向海外，包括到其他国家参与赈灾活动，发挥人道主义精神。

我非常感谢佛总、各佛教团体、佛教徒对国家的支持和关怀，给我们的社会增添了许多正能量。

新加坡迈向建国百年的旅程已经开始了，希望大家继续团结一致，以智慧和慈悲关怀他人、帮助他人离苦得乐，继续把新加坡构建成一个温馨的人间乐土。

谢谢大家！祝大家卫塞节快乐！

Venerable Seck Kwang Phing, President of the Singapore Buddhist Federation, distinguished guests, ladies and gentlemen.

I am very happy to join you to celebrate Vesak Day, and also commemorate SG50. This year, we have much to be thankful for. Singapore celebrates its 50th birthday as a harmonious, multi-racial, multi-religious society. We have shown over the last half century that with mutual respect and understanding, different religions can come together to build trust and harmony. That people from different religions share common values that inspire us to look beyond ourselves and care for the others who are around us. I am very grateful that as the largest religious group, the Buddhist community has set the tone of tolerance and acceptance of other faiths, and does good works to help Singaporeans regardless of race, language or religion. For example, the Singapore Buddhist Free Clinic, with seven branches, provides free medical services to sick and needy persons. The Maha Bodhi School, Mee Toh School and Manjusri Secondary School provide good education to children. The Metta Welfare Association runs nine welfare centres island wide, providing disability care, special education, and community care for the elderly, students and children. Thank you all for your very good work!

The Singapore Buddhist Federation has also contributed much to our religious harmony. It is a member of the Inter-Religious Organisation and sits on the National Steering Committee on Racial and Religious Harmony. A few nights ago, I hosted the Inter-Religious Organisation 66th anniversary dinner at the Istana. I was very pleased to see many Buddhists attending, sharing food with so many other religious leaders of different faiths. I am very happy to learn that tonight many of the IRO members are here with us celebrating this happy occasion with the Buddhists in Singapore. Thank you IRO!

The Buddhists contribute too in many ways to our religious harmony. Venerable Seck Kwang Phing is a member of the Presidential Council for Religious Harmony. This year, the SBF have collaborated with MUIS Harmony Centre on the Building Bridges Programme that promotes inter-faith understanding.

Gautama Buddha, 2500 years ago, led an exemplary life and taught his disciples by words and deeds. His teachings have endured for now two and a half millennia. When we think of Buddhism, we think of what Buddha taught us about kindness, tolerance, compassion, selflessness and moral integrity.

As Singapore celebrates our 50th birthday, Singaporeans should too reflect on the values that brought us here and the values that will keep us going. Values like being an inclusive society, where the strong and the better-off step forward to help the weak and less-fortunate among us, so that all enjoy the fruits of progress. Like staying one united people, where different races and religions work together for the common good. And we must uphold these important values because if we stay together and stay harmonious, we will build a stronger and better Singapore for all of us.

Thank you very much, and I wish you a Happy Vesak Day.

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