진월 스님(동국대학교 경주캠퍼스 불교학부 교수) 바티칸 교황청으로부터 ‘베삭절’ 축하 메시지를 전달받았다.

베삭절(Vesak)이란 남방불교 전통에 따라 석가모니 부처님의 탄생과 성도, 열반을 동시에 기념하는 날로, 1999년 유엔총회의 결의에 따라 인류의 스승에 대한 존경과 감사를 표하며 가르침에 따라 자비와 평화를 이룩하고자 하는 기념행사가 2000년부터 매년 5월 보름에 맞춰 개최되고 있다.

진월 스님이 전달 받은 교황청의 베삭절 메시지에는 부처님의 탄생과 성도 및 열반을 기리는 축하와 함께 ‘불교인들과 그리스도교인들- 현대판 노예상태에 대응을 위한 동참’을 주제로 어린이와 이주민들을 포함한 남녀의 노동착취와 납치, 테러 등의 범죄행위 등 인간의 존엄성 회복을 위한 요청이 담겨있다.

진월 스님은 “근래에 동양과 서양을 대표하는 불교와 기독교계가 세계문제해결에 공동대처하려는 시도가 증대되어가고 있음은 고무적”이라며 “바티칸과 세계교회협의회 등의 불교계에 대한 협조 노력을 긍정적으로 평가하고 있다”고 말했다.

진월 스님은 2000년부터 대한불교조계종 국제교류위원회 부위원장을 맡고 있으며, 국제불교대학협회(IABU) 상임이사, 세계불교도우의회(WFB) 부회장, 국제유엔베삭절행사집행위원회(ICUNDV) 위원, 세계종교연합아시아(URI Asia) 사무총장과 조계종총무원장 국제특보 등을 맡아 불교계를 대표하여 국제 활동을 하고 있다.

다음은 교황척의 베삭절 메시지 원문 전문이다.

Dear Buddhist Friends,

1. We at the Pontifical Council for Interreligious Dialogue once again wish to extend to all of you around the world our deepest best wishes on the occasion of Vesakh. The joyful commemoration of three significant events in Gautama Buddha’s life - namely his birth, his enlightenment and his passing away – invites us to consider making special efforts to bring happiness to the unfortunate among us.

2. This year we write to you inspired by Pope Francis’ Message for the World Day of Peace 2015, entitled “No Longer Slaves, but Brothers and Sisters”. Pope Francis notes that there have been periods of history when the institution of slavery was generally accepted and resulted “rejection of others, their mistreatment, violations of their dignity and fundamental rights, and institutionalized inequality” (n. 2). Accordingly, “A slave could be bought and sold, given away or acquired, as if he or she were a commercial product” (n.3). He further argues that even though slavery has been formally abolished throughout the world, “millions of people today—children, women and men of all ages—are deprived of freedom and are forced to live in conditions akin to slavery” (n. 3).

3. Pope Francis gives examples of modern day slavery: men, women and children laborers and migrants who undergo physical, emotional and sexual abuse in inhumane conditions; persons forced into prostitution, many of whom are minors, as well as male and female sex slaves; and those kidnapped by terrorists forced to be combatants, or used as sex slaves, tortured, mutilated or killed. Human hearts lost in ignorance are, according to Pope Francis, the cause of these terrible evils and crimes against humanity which make human beings no longer see others “as beings of equal dignity, as brothers or sisters sharing a common humanity, but rather as objects.” (n. 4)

4. Dear friends, all religions condemn modern slavery and human trafficking as crimes against humanity. In this regard, in the Eightfold Path, especially Right Livelihood, the Buddha teaches that possessions are to be acquired by legal means, peacefully, without coercion or violence, honestly, without deceit, and in ways that do not entail harm or suffering (Cfr. AN 4.67; 5.41; 8.54). He
also defines five trades that are not to be taken up, one of which is dealing in living beings—including slaves and prostitutes (AN 5.177).

5. As Buddhists and Christians, we live in a world where the tragic situation of modern slavery is rampant, but we sometimes turn a blind eye to this physical, economic and sexual exploitation of men, women and children. Let us make “a shared commitment to ending slavery” by “overcoming indifference” (n. 4). We all, Pope Francis concludes, can join forces to overcome this indifference to and ignorance of our common humanity by “offering assistance to victims, in working for their psychological and educational rehabilitation, and in efforts to reintegrate them into society where they live or from which they have come.” (n. 5)

6. We pray that your celebration of Vesakh, which may also include making special efforts to bring happiness to the unfortunate among us, be a time to contemplate how we can work together so that there will be No Longer Slaves, but Brothers and Sisters living in fraternity, loving kindness, and compassion for all.

Again we express our heartfelt greetings and wish all of you a Happy Feast of Vesakh.

Cardinal Jean-Louis Tauran President
Father Miguel Ángel Ayuso Guixot, MCCJ Secretary