Benedict XVI speaks of importance of ‘an emptying of self’ in letter to Buddhists
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Vatican City, Apr 3, 2009 / 10:02 am (CNA).- Touching on the importance of  emptying ourselves in order to listen to God and to respect our brothers and sisters, the Holy Father addressed Buddhists in his annual message for the Buddhist Feast of Vesakh.

Vesakh, the main Buddhist celebration, marks three fundamental moments in the life of Gautama Buddha. It is held during the full moon of the month of May because, according to tradition, the Buddha was born, achieved enlightenment, and passed away during this period.

This year's message - published in English, French, and Italian - is entitled "Witnessing to a Spirit of Poverty: Christians and Buddhists in Dialogue." In the message, Benedict XVI recalls that he recently affirmed that there is a "chosen" poverty, "which allows one to tread in the footsteps of Jesus Christ. ... We understand this poverty to mean above all an emptying of self, ... creat[ing] in us a willingness to listen to God and to our brothers and sisters, being open to them, and respecting them as individuals."

The Pope also refers to "a poverty, a deprivation, which God does not desire and which should be fought; a poverty that prevents people and families from living as befits their dignity; a poverty that offends justice and equality and that, as such, threatens peaceful co-existence."

The message closes by thanking Buddhists for their "inspiring witness of non-attachment and contentment. Monks, nuns, and many lay devotees among you embrace a poverty 'to be chosen' that spiritually nourishes the human heart, substantially enriching life with a deeper insight into the meaning of existence, and sustaining commitment to promoting the goodwill of the whole human community."

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Subscriber comments:
Published by: Michael
Pittsfield, MA 04/07/2009 10:15 AM EST
There is one very important aspect missing in the letter...That Outside the Catholic Church there is No Salvation...
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Published by: Leo Petit, M.S.C.
Center Valley,PA USA 04/03/2009 05:31 PM EST
You wonderful people at CNA are to be thanked and praised for being the salt of the earth and light to the whole world. I pray as a Catholic priest and a Missionary of the Sacred Heart that you all open your hearts and minds to the power and wisdom of the Holy Spirit. I'm a fan of Thomas Merton. I see you as I see him--a bridge between us Catholics and Eastern people who are searching to know the true God as revealed in Jesus. Our founder saw the pierced heart of Jesus as the only Gate through Whom we can really and fully come to know the Father's love for each and every one of us. You of course already know better than I do the truth of what I say (I don't want to "preach" to you.)
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