Fellow members of the Sangha community, both bhikshu and bhikshuni, male and female members of the Buddhist community, and representatives of different Buddhist denominations and Buddhist cultural traditions, and also my colleagues from other religious traditions such as Judaism, Christianity, and so on, and brothers and sisters.

It is a great pleasure for me to be here with you today and to receive the Bodhi Award from the American Buddhist Congress.

I feel that the fact that this award, the Bodhi Award, is being presented to me by the American Buddhist Congress in this temple, which is actually a Jewish Temple, is very significant.

Today we see a growing cooperation and interaction between the various religious traditions all over the world. And I, for my part, have also made every effort to make a contribution towards better understanding and mutual respect and reverence between the members of these religious traditions. Therefore, for me, to receive this award, a Buddhist award, in a Jewish Temple has a great significance and meaning.

I would like to take this opportunity to express my thanks and appreciation to all those individuals and all those organizations that have been involved in making this event possible.

I would also like to take the opportunity to express my thanks to the children of the two choirs here who have contributed toward uplifting the atmosphere and spirit of the festival. I would also like to express my deep thanks for the wonderful performance given to us by the native Americans. I'm not quite sure how I can play the flute they gave me!

Now I'm going to speak through my broken English. Of course, my English is very poor and the vocabulary is also very limited, and, as I get older, even the vocabulary which I knew also seems to be diminishing.

Anyway, when I speak through my broken English, the listener should be very careful; they should concentrate on the meaning rather than the words. (Laughter)

I consider myself as just a tiny Buddhist follower; just a simple Buddhist monk. So I very much appreciate your recognition of my small contribution for Buddha Dhamma and for, how do you say, human service.

Now, using my best effort, I will try to explain some of my main effort to this gathering.

First and most importantly, I always consider humanity, the happiness of humanity, and the simple peace of the world, including a safe environment, my most important concerns.

I consider myself but one human being, the same as others; all share this small planet; we are all part of humanity.

Every human being, whether Eastern or Western, Northern or Southern, rich or poor, believer or non-believer, all want happiness and to avoid suffering. All have the right, the equal right, to be happy; they also all have the same potential to create something good or to create something bad.

In order to utilize our positive potential, to create a better world, a better family, a happier family, happier individuals, it is really important to realize one's own potential and try to create or try to implement or use that potential in the right direction. It is obvious that in every human act which is done intentionally, motivation is very important. If the motivation is sincere and positive, then these actions are positive and there is a greater chance to bring happiness to one's self as well as to society or humanity in general. The main motivation should come from a sense of caring for others, a sense of sharing others' suffering and also a clear realization that we are part of humanity. Humanity is one body and we are a part of that body. So, if the body as a whole is fit and healthy, every part of that body will benefit. Similarly, if humanity becomes happier and more prosperous more equal, then certainly every member of humanity will benefit. Especially in this modern time, the individual interest very much depends on the common interest. Now, not only nations but continents are heavily dependent on each other; this is a reality. Realizing and understanding this reality and carrying on our activities accordingly is very important.

Sometimes we deliberately ignore the common interest because of shortsightedness and, seeing ourselves as most important, we do not care about others. It's really shortsighted. In the long run, if you look from a wider perspective: "Yes, I am part of the society; if the society is happier, more peaceful, all the individuals in the society are also happy," then this is obvious; there is no need to talk of proof for it. Sincere motivation based on more compassionate attitudes is the key point here. So on this level I always strive to make a contribution for the promotion of human values; sometimes I call this "secular ethics."

The second point: On the planet in the last few thousand years, there were many religions. Some may more or less e' no longer exist, neither their culture; but some are still very much alive and are living traditions. Moreover, millions of people get immense benefit from these major religious traditions - Christianity, Judaism, Islam, Hinduism, Sikhism, Jainism, Buddhism and so on; therefore, all these religions have made, are making and will make a great contribution for the benefit of humanity.

At the same time, it is also true that, in the name of religion, there are some serious divisions causing bloodshed even today. This is very tragic, very unfortunate, we human beings have enough things to quarrel about but sometimes even religion becomes another source or factor for quarreling. It is very, very unfortunate. All religions basically teach us compassion, love, forgiveness, brotherhood, sisterhood; so, the very things which carry these messages themselves become a basis for conflict. Very tragic!

As I mentioned earlier, all religions really can help humanity in many ways; therefore, unity and close understanding between the religions is extremely important and can be achieved because there are many shared values. Of course, there are differences and some of the differences are fundamental; yet, there are ways to approach these differences. In some philosophies there is a creator; in Buddhist and Jain philosophy there is more emphasis on self, on self creation. These are some big differences. But the very purposes of the basic philosophies are the same - to try to transform the human mind into a more compassionate, more sensible, more self-disciplined one; this is the same in all religions. So on that level, in that goal, though the approaches are different they have the same goal, same meaning, same target. Also though of different dispositions, different people, the different ways of approach yield the same result.

So there is common practice, common ground which we can develop so that we can understand and genuinely respect one another. Here, as a Buddhist monk, I try to make a contribution in whatever way to a promote understanding and a closer relation between different religious traditions.

I feel that at the time when many people are looking forward to the new millennium, the next century, there is a little excitement as if a new millennium itself will bring a marvelous change. I think that is a little unrealistic. (laughter) The arrival of a new year, month, day is nothing special and itself will not bring change. A new day, month, year itself will not effect our minds for the better. If you want a change, we ourselves should make an effort, tirelessly, dedicatedly. If we really are looking forward to a more happy century, then we have to make good preparation for it.

There is a basis for hope for a better century, a more peaceful century, a more friendly century because within this past century, we learned much. I think that in human history the 20th Century could be the most dramatic century; it is one of the greatest centuries in science and technology and, in another way, so very much destruction, immense destruction, including destruction due to nuclear weapons and immense destruction of the environment due to human greed or callousness about the environment.

One good thing we learned from these difficult experiences, I think, is that the human mind seems a little wiser. I found this true, particularly in Europe, in those elder generations when we discuss diversity, the attitude toward their neighbors. For example, German attitudes toward French, French attitudes toward Germans. Some of those older people told me that when they were young, in the eyes of the French the Germans were the enemy and in eyes of the Germans the French were the enemy. Now you see that that kind of mental attitude is no longer there; they now consider each other as good neighbors and clearly recognize the other's interest as there own interest - especially among the younger generations. You see in Europe nationality is becoming less important. But unfortunately now in the former Yugoslavia, narrow minded nationalism has really created a lot trouble and lots of bloodshed. It is very, very unfortunate. But generally speaking, in the coming generations, the younger generations, their attitude toward the different nations is broader.

And also the younger generations are more concerned about the environment so that now-a-days, everywhere you can see the concept of preservation of the ecology; you can see everywhere it has even become fashionable. So these are positive developments as a result of our experiences in this passing century.

Then also the attitude between religious traditions is becoming more open, more healthy, although there are still some cases of some problems in the name of religion but, in general, I think it is much, much healthier.

Also the relationship between science and spirituality is becoming closer and closer.

In all this is a basis for our hope that the world in the new century can be more peaceful, happier, more friendly and that there can be more balanced material development and internal spiritual development. Our future should be based on a more balanced material and spiritual development This I think is our future destination and it should bring more balanced material and spiritual development - these two things combined. Then I think our human life will become fuller.

When I say "spiritually", I do not necessary mean "religious faith." Of course, religious faith is very good; it is very beneficial; but at the same time even without religion you can be very spiritually minded. This can be done in the form of a warm-hearted person, a sensible person; I call this secular human ethics.

If we observe and look more closely, there are signs of hope; however, hope alone will not change reality; action changes reality. So effort, constant effort with self confidence and a clear vision of the future can change reality for the better.

We must try to develop a more compassionate attitude and reduce hatred or ill feeling toward one another. That is something like inner disarmament. At the same time, external disarmament and internal disarmament should go together side by side. Internal and external disarmament in a combined way, step by step can change the world; the world can be safer, more peaceful, more harmonious. Then the world surely can become a happy human home.

Thank you.