By Team ICM –
Last week, the Vatican reached out to the Buddhists and Christians and urged them to help eradicate corruption.
On the occasion of upcoming Buddhist festival of Vesakh, the Pontifical Council for Interreligious Dialogue (PCID), extended its greetings and prayerful good wishes on the occasion of Vesakh. The Vatican is inviting the world’s Buddhists and Christians to work together to combat and prevent the “heinous crime” of corruption by eradicating its underlying causes.
In a message signed by PCID President Cardinal Jean-Louis Tauran, and Secretary, Bishop Miguel Ángel Ayuso Guixot MCCJ said, “We wish to reflect this year on the pressing need to promote a culture free of corruption. Corruption involving the abuse of positions of power for personal gain, both within the public or private sectors, has become such a pervasive scandal in today’s world that the United Nations has designated 9 December as International Anti-Corruption Day. As the phenomenon of corruption becomes more widespread, governments, non-governmental organizations, the media, and citizens around the world are joining together to combat this heinous crime. As religious leaders, we too must contribute to fostering a culture imbued with lawfulness and transparency.”
Referring to Pope Francis’ monthly prayer intention for February 2018 that’s reflected on “Say ‘No’ to Corruption” theme and denouncing “the sin of corruption,” the message said the Pope recognized that corruption was found throughout the world among politicians, business executives and clerics. Those who ultimately pay the price for corruption, he observed, were the poor.
Recalling the words of Jesus to his disciples, “Whoever wants to become great among you must be your servant” (Matthew 20:26), the Pope insisted in the message that, “the only road leading out of corruption […] is service. Because corruption comes from pride, from arrogance, and service is humbling: it is precisely the humble charity of helping others” (Morning Meditation, Domus Santae Marthae, 16 June 2014).
Bishop Miguel Ángel Ayuso Guixot in the message said, “Dear friends, as Buddhists, you regard corruption as an unwholesome state of mind that causes suffering and contributes to an unhealthy society. You identify three principal toxins – greed, hate, and delusion or ignorance – as sources of this social scourge that must be eliminated for the good of the individual and society. The Second Precept of Buddhism, “I undertake to observe the precept to abstain from taking that which is not given,” teaches Buddhists to discern whether those things that come into their possession are indeed meant for them. If such things have been taken from others illicitly, they may not rightfully be kept. Buddhist teachings and practice not only disapprove of corruption but also seek to transform the unhealthy state of mind, intentions, habits and actions of those who are corrupt.”
He elaborated further, “Even though, both religious traditions firmly denounce the evil of corruption, we sadly acknowledge that some of our followers participate in corrupt practices and this leads to bad governance, corporate bribery and the pillaging of national assets. Corruption puts lives at risks for it is connected to low economic growth, weak investment, inflation, monetary devaluation, tax evasion, great inequality, poor education, sub-standard infrastructure, and the degradation of environment. It also threatens the health and safety of individuals and communities. People are scandalized by incompetent and corrupt politicians, ineffective legislation and the failure to investigate major corruption cases. Populist movements, sometimes motivated and sustained by religious fundamentalism, have arisen to protest the breakdown of public integrity.”
“We Buddhists and Christians, rooted in our respective ethical teachings, must work together to prevent corruption by eradicating its underlying causes and to root out corruption where it exists. In this effort, our main contribution will be to encourage our respective followers to grow in moral integrity and a sense of fairness and responsibility. May we actively commit ourselves to fostering within our families, and social, political, civil, and religious institutions an environment free of corruption by living a life of honesty and integrity. It is in this spirit that we wish you once again a peaceful and joyful feast of Vesakh!,” the message concluded.
The Vesakh message thus calls on Buddhists and Christians to combat the evil through concrete measures such as exposing corrupt people and holding them accountable, creating public awareness about fiscal integrity, encouraging more women in politics and introducing transparent and inclusive institutions.