Buddhist Faith: Buddhist Action Day 3rd July
WHAT IS BUDDHIST ACTION DAY?
Earthkind – Buddhist Action Day is a time when the Buddhist community engages collectively in social action projects. The aim is to bring the community together locally and to encourage people of all backgrounds to work together for the common good.
RELIGIOUS BACKGROUND
And what is the middle way … that — producing vision, producing knowledge — leads to calm, to direct knowledge, to awakening, to enlightenment? Precisely this Noble Eightfold Path: right view, right aspiration, right speech, right action, right livelihood, right effort, right mindfulness, right concentration.
Dhammacakkappavattana Sutta: Setting the Wheel of Dhamma in Motion – The First Discourse 23a
Buddhism includes many teachings that encourage generosity, compassion, kindness and selfless action. It also has a highly developed range of ethical teachings and precepts, the first of which is to avoid harm to living beings, and this includes the animal realm and their habitats.
Buddhist Action Day is inspired by the first discourse of the Buddha. This is traditionally regarded as the first sermon he offered after his enlightenment and which introduces the middle way, and the eightfold path to awakening. One factor of the eightfold path is ‘right’ or ‘skilful’ action.
In many Asian and Western countries, Asalha Puja or Dharma Day commemorates the first discourse of the Buddha and generally falls within July.
Earthkind – Buddhist Action Day – on July 3rd is inspired by Asalha Puja and emphasises ‘right action’ to encourage all responsible humans (earthkind) to develop and express compassion and kindness for the welfare of all living beings and for our world.
Buddhist Action Day is an opportunity for Buddhists from all backgrounds and traditions – all those who are inspired by the possibility of awakening – together with well-intentioned people from all faiths and none, to join together in helping our local communities and fellow citizens.
Get Involved in Buddhist Action Day for project ideas, information and contacts details.
EarthKind Gallery Page for pictures.
