I came to Tanzania on 7 November 1998. It was my first visit to Africa. After arriving, I was very afraid to see the local people. I saw that they were very black. And I could not recognize one from another. It seemed to me that everyone’s face was the same, and so were their body structures. I could not find any differences between them. So for the first several days, I did not go to out of the temple alone. At first, I went with a boy in his car to see the town. But I did not get out of the car, and did not walk around because I was so afraid of these people. One of the reasons for this is that, before I arrived, I heard that Africans eat flesh. In Sri Lanka, we still have some Africans who were brought there in war time. Our people say that they ate human flesh, and that they were very dangerous. At that time they had their mouths locked with a padlock. This is just a verbal history. It was not written. I was afraid after seeing these black Africans. I thought they would catch and eat me. Then slowly I started to go to town, and started to talk with people who passed our temple. Soon enough, I understood that they do not eat human flesh. But still I could not recognize them separately. Further, they do not know who I am, and for this reason they think about me in a very different way.

I. Masai

Some people think of me as a Masai. In Tanzania there is an old tribe called Masai. They wear red clothes, and most of them still live in the remote areas and herd cattle and goats. That is their main duty in life. They are not afraid of anybody and brave. After spotting my monk’s robe colour and way of wearing it, people thought of me as a Masai. Up to now many country people think this. If I go to a new area still they look at me as a Masai. Many times when I pass they say, “Hey, Masai unaenda wapi?” — “Hey Masai, where are you going?” Earlier, I did not give an answer because I did not know their language, Kiswahili. At this point, I decided to learn the language in order to communicate with the local people. Afterwards, I used to answer these types of questions accordingly, in Kiswahili.

There is a government hospital near our temple named Muhimbili General Hospital. It is the main hospital in the country. There are some foreign students studying, practicing, and training there. I have many foreign friends at the hospital. From there to my temple is almost half a kilometer. If any of them want to know something about Buddhism, they come to my temple and talk with me, and take some books to read and reference. Our library is a very good resource for these people, and benefits the community very much.

One evening I went to the hospital with a friend from Singapore. I chatted with him until 7.30pm and then left his third-floor room. There are iron steps going up and down. While I was coming down I met a few students there on the stairs. They asked me, “Hey Masai unaenda wapi? Kwa nini uko hapa saa hivi?” — “Hey Masai where are you going? Why are you here now?” I replied, “Bwana, mimi nimekuja kumwangalia rafiki yangu. Ninarudi nyumbani yangu sasa. Asante.” — “Mister, I came to see my friend. Now I am going back to my home. Thank you.” As I came down, my friend wanted to follow me up to gate because I was unsure how to go out. The students who had asked me the question stopped him and asked him, “Why did that Masai come here? Where you did find him? Do not bring him here.” Then my friend said, “He is not a Masai. He is a Buddhist monk who is living in the Buddhist temple near the hospital. I am going to his place sometimes to get information and do meditation.

So he came to see me today.” The students responded, “Okay, my friend, very sorry about that. He knows Kiswahili well!” My friend: “Yes, because he has now been here a long time. Thanks!” Finally, I headed back to the temple. It is in this way that many people still use the Masai name with me. But I do not get angry, because normally local people are afraid of Masai. And others think they are very brave. Thus, I also feel I am a very brave person. So, others are therefore not coming to do anything wrong to me.

II. Shaolin Temple

While some say “Masai,” some people say “Shaolin Temple.” Who has not seen Chinese and martial arts films? Everyone has noted some people wearing clothes like me doing so many amazing things like fighting, jumping, flying, and many other activities. Logically, people thought of me as one of them. They used to call the temple the Shaolin Temple. Most of the time they say “Hey, bwana, usicheze na yeye. Yeye shavoling. Hatari sana.” — “Hey friend, do not play with him. He is a shavoling. Very dangerous!” Some times some young people have asked me, “Do you know shavoling? Can you teach us?” I tell them to come to the temple, and then I will guide them. If they come to temple, I can connect them with the Chinese temple in South Africa.

III. Hare Rama, Hare Krishna

Some people also think I am from the Hare Rama Hare Krishna group. Especially near the Tanzanian and Kenyan border do they make this association because Kenya has some branches of this group? Whoever has seen them thinks I am also one of them because they at times wear similar clothes.

IV. How I learnt the Kiswahili language

In Tanzania there are nearly 120 tribes. In the past, tribal languages were the main form of communication. Recently, Mwalimu Julius K. Nyerere selected Kiswahili as a national language after Tanzania got freedom in 1964, and since the language has become widespread. Kenya and Uganda also use this language to a lesser extent. However, if one learns Kiswahili, he or she can easily work in three countries amongst a majority population that does not know English.

So I decided to learn this language, but I did not go to classes for this purpose. I started by speaking with a guard at the temple. While he was cleaning and working, word by word I learned from him. He knows English. I talk with him in broken Kiswahili. In this way, I began to learn the basics of the language from him. Afterwards, while I was riding the bus and doing some work with other people, I learned more. Now I can manage to speak Kiswahili with people. This is a big benefit in understanding local people’s feelings, and in helping them. Most of the time now I am using their language. This makes people think I am really African. They do not see me as a Sri Lankan or other outsider, partially because my body structure is also similar to that of Tanzanians. And, of course, when they ask me anything I answer in Kiswahili! This has made people like to work very closely with me. Without knowing their language, we cannot help people properly. After I learned Kiswahili I could visit many local people and do good works to help them.

1. Power of Chanting Pirith

I. Twelve-year-old child’s life saved

One day in September 1999 I was talking with somebody at the temple around 7.00pm. At that point, one white car arrived with an African couple inside. I thought they were husband and wife, but later I understood that they were just friends.

Upon coming, they asked me, “Is this the Buddhist Temple?” I said, “yes.” “Can we meet a lama here?”

“Here we do not have lamas. I am living here. Lamas belong to Tibetan Buddhist sects, but they are not here in Tanzania. I myself also belong to one of the Buddhist sects. If you need any help, I can try to assist you.”

“Yes, we need your help. We have a problem to talk about with you. Is this possible?” “Yes, you can talk with me. If I can help you I will do so. I’d also like to know from where you got the idea about Buddhist temples and lamas.

“Okay, this is my friend here who came from Congo. He has a tourist magazine. We found Buddhist and Lama Names in it, but we really do not know anything about Buddhism. We are Christians.”

“Ok. No problem about that. Tell me about your problem, and then we will see what we can do.”

“Yes, sir. I have twin daughters. They are 12 years old. One of them got sick six months ago. We gave her many medicines and said lots of prayers for her, but nothing works. Now she is almost dead. For six months she has not been to school, and medicine does not seem to work.”

“Ok. I understood a little bit of what you said. But I’d like to know more about the history of what did you did for her, and what where the results leading up to the current situation.”

“Ok, sir, my two kids go to school together. One day they came back from school and the elder one started to do some unusual, nonsensical things. Her behavior was changed. We could not understand what she was doing; so then we decided to carry her to the hospital. They gave us many medicines. There were sleeping tablets, neuron control medicine, and other things, too. She took them many times, but day-by-day the sickness worsened. So we started to try other African medicines and traditional healing systems. We went to get African medicines up to Moshi, 500 kilometers from our home. They did many things up there, including presenting some flowers and other things to get her nose to smell properly, amongst other attempts. We did them all in good faith to cure our daughter, but we did not see any difference. Thus, we stopped those types of medicines also. We thought to go to our church and perform some prayers for her. We did so many prayers for her but nothing happened. Now, there is nothing left to try. We are suffering so much. After seeing that tourist news magazine we decided to try to find a lama around here.”

“Yes mama, I understand now…you are trying to figure out what to do. I can do something for you. What is your daughter’s present situation?”

“She is now not going to school, instead lying at home. In the evening she is doing many bad things, all the time trying to commit suicide. Some times she gets a rope and tries to hang herself from the roof. Some times she attempts to burn her body by using electrical power by putting her fingers inside the plug points. She breaks things inside her room, and cries and cries up to 1, 2am. She is always fighting with us, and she cannot understand what we say. We also cannot understand what she is saying. Only after a long time spent crying does she go to sleep. Then she sleeps as if she were a dead body up until 11am, 12pm the next day. Up to that time she does not wake up nor react to any sensation, just like a dead body. We can carry her body here and there, but she does not feel anything. Then next day she wakes up, but not in a normal way. Rather, it is as if she is afraid of something. She is in a very bad way.”

“Thanks mama for your explanation. I think this is not a sickness as you have thought. I think this another kind of sickness. That is why she was not cured through those medicines you have used. We will try to use our Buddhist blessings for her sickness. I believe we will see some benefit from them. But this Buddhism, how it works and who I am, are very new things for you. But we can do an experiment. It will not be bad; we just are using pure water, flowers, thread, and lights. There is no harm in it for anybody. I will use the Buddha’s word (Pirith) for the blessing. After chanting three times in your home near the child she can drink this water and tie a piece of thread on her hand. That is all. We do it in this simple way. Let us go now.”

First we went together to the Bodhi tree. I tied a coin covered with a piece of cloth as a vow to the sacred tree, and to present her problem and request help from the noble triple gem. Then we went to the sick girl’s home and began with the white blessing thread. Everyone sat down. I told the family to keep bottles of water, joss sticks, an oil lamp, a Buddha’s picture, flowers and other things on the table. Then I told them to hold the thread, and explained what I was going to do. I said, “These chants you will not understand, but I know all their meanings. I believe that bad spirits plagues this child. After finishing this chanting they will be driven away. They will not be able to stay with your daughter in your home. You can properly hear the blessings with faith.”

Then I performed the chanting as usual for about one hour. I used many sutras from Buddha’s teaching. After finishing that evening, I gave some water for drinking to the child and tied a small piece of thread on her hand to begin. I then returned to the temple.

The next day I went again to do a second prayer at 6.00 am. Before starting I asked the mother if she saw any difference yesterday night. She said, “She did not do many things. Just cried a bit and said that somebody was beating her. ‘Some body is beating me!’ Then she went to sleep.” It was at that point that I understood that my chanting would work. I began the preparations for the second round of blessings. The child was still sleeping as before. Her mother carried her daughter and put her on the chair, still sleeping like a dead body. I did the chanting and came back to the temple.

Again that evening I went to the home for a final chanting at 7.00 pm. I asked the mother, “How did she wake up to day ? Did you see any difference there?” She replied, “She woke up without any frustration, just in the normal way at 10am.” I started to do the chanting. After finishing, I gave holy water to everyone and tied the blessed thread on his or her hands. Then I sprinkled spring water inside and outside the home. Before leaving, I advised the mother to come to the temple tomorrow morning.

She came in the morning and said now her child is behaving in a normal way. I explained to her the situation: “This child had something wrong caused by bad spirits. Now these spirits have gone away. They will not come back again. You need not give her any medicine anymore. Just stop all the medicines and other cures. And try to make her mind and her work as usual. We have to change her behavior because for six months she hasn’t woken up early or gone to school. Give her positive ideas to change her time to wake up. Day by day make the time change. For example, tomorrow she should rise at 11am, the next day 10am, and so on. Then tell her that next week has to go to school. And have the teacher prepare an examination. She will start school again.”

The mother followed this advice, and the girl started to go to school. Up to now she is doing well. I am very happy to see that child’s good behavior. She is improving every day. She was saved because of the power of the Buddha’s chanting. The family did not know the meaning of the words or who I am, but the power of the Buddha saved her life. Afterwards, the family understood something about the Buddhist way. This incident gives us an idea as to how Buddhist chanting can help to cure some kinds of disease

II. Another student cured

After finishing the healing chanting, two or three days later another child of one of our devotee’s had a problem. The family regularly comes to the temple, but they were born in and grew up in Tanzania. The woman’s mother, however, was born in Sri Lanka as a Christian, and grew up in Italy. Therefore, the family was not familiar with Buddhist works.

One day evening around 8pm all the family members were watching television. Then suddenly the daughter ran away to her room and then went out from the house. After waiting for a while, the family realized that she had not come back. The mother went to see what happened to her. Then she saw that the daughter had fallen down in front of the toilet door. Her body was very hot. They carried her to the doctor, who gave her medicine for a high fever, malaria and to help fall asleep. The doctor advised them to collect her tomorrow morning and take her to Muhimbili General Hospital to check her brain. Before going to the hospital, the mother came to me and explained what had happened. I said to wait for a while, as the sickness may not be a malaria or brain problem. We will check for ourselves before going to the hospital, I advised her. Immediately we went to her home and three times did chanting for the ill daughter. We gave her water and tied a thread on her hand. I advised them to stop giving her the medicine. And in this way, she became cured.

III. A university student cured of her sickness

One student who was studying at the university college in Morogoro suddenly got sick, on the right breast and in that general area. While she was in the university she had some wounds appear on her breast which burned like boiling water. For this, she got some English medicine from Morogoro, but she was not cured. Then, to find a solution for the illness, she decided to come to her home near the Dar es Salaam airport

While she was getting medicine and trying other traditional systems of healing, one of her friends, who know a little bit about the Buddhist temple, saw her. The friend discussed with sick woman and came to my temple to explain the situation. Thinking I may be able to help her, I went to her home to see her condition. I saw realized how serious it was, since she could not wear a shirt for her sore upper body. It was a big wound, which was not cured by the medicine. I told her that it would be difficult to cure, since maybe some kind of poison liquid has been rubbed into her, or some bad spiritual power has embraced the wound and is preventing her from healing. I told her that we can do some blessing which would help to remove bad spiritual things from her body, allowing her to heal

The first blessing just as before was given. The next day, in the morning and the evening the final blessings were performed. After finishing the three blessings, I gave her sacred water to drink, applied water to her body, and tied a piece of thread on her hand. I advised her to drink medicine continuously and at the same time drink and apply water for few days. Fortunately she started to heal and went back to university. Up to now she is feeling better.

2. Teaching

a. Botswana

I went to attend a religious service in Botswana in September 1999. At that time I went to a place 1200 kilometers from Gaborone, to a city named Moun. After going to that area I visited a school. They are teaching students there despite a lack of facilities. I talked with the principal and he took me to the highest class in the school. The students asked so many questions about me, my robe, baldhead, and about several other topics. I explained to them about Buddha and his duty, and about his teachings. The students were very happy with the discussion.

During the same trip, we got an invitation to go to the University of Botswana in Gaborone city. The Buddhist lecturer there is a Christian father. He wanted me to be a guest in his class to have a discussion about the topic of dharma with his students. We talked for about two hours, and once again the students were happy with the discussion.

b. Malawi

In 1999 I got an invitation to go to Malawi to perform some religious services there. First I went to Blantyre city and on the way back to Tanzania stayed few days at Lilongwe city. While I was in Lilongwe I visited one school near my residence. I met the principal and told him that I would like to see the highest class in the school. He was very pleased with this idea, so we went to that class. When we arrived, the teacher was lecturing. The principal stopped the teacher and asked the students if they wanted to gain an understanding about Buddha from this father. The teachers and students asked me many questions about Buddha and his teachings. In fact, they had never seen what Buddha looks like! I drew the Buddha’s picture on the blackboard and explained his biography. They asked me if Buddha is a lady or man! And also queried me about my robe, shaved head, Buddhists’ conception of God, how I became a monk, and so on. Some body asked me if, after shaving and putting on this type of robe, anybody could become monk. So I explained the full procedure. Everybody asked many questions. After listening and discussing with me they attained some knowledge about the Buddha and Buddhist monks.

That same day I was standing on the road while students left to go back home. They said to me that Buddha and his worship are like normal followers of any religion. I thought that if we taught them a lot about Buddhism, then they would be good Buddhists in future.

c. Tanzania

My residence is the Tanzania temple. If somebody comes to ask about Buddhism at any time, I am happy to teach him or her about different topics. Many people come to ask about meditation. Some others come to get general knowledge in order to understand these unfamiliar ideas. After coming one day, often they come again and again to talk with me. They hold different ideas about Buddhism. Most of them are young or middle aged, such as secondary school students or university students and lecturers. There is not another place to get information about Buddhist teachings. In particular, it is important to be able to talk face to face with a monk. They can also read books from the temple’s library, but after reading about new teachings like these then so many questions come to their mind. At that point, they need a qualified person to get a deeper understanding. Without this human interaction, many people become stuck and are not successful gaining an understanding of Buddhism simply from reading. After a discussion with me about dharma, for example, many visitors come to do meditation. Every Sunday we have meditation classes at the temple. Afterwards, we hold a class for one hour on dharma.

Sometimes I go to the University of Dar Es Salaam thanks to invitations from the Department of Religious Studies. Normally they teach only western philosophy in the university. But occasionally they also like to give students a chance to understand other teachings. I have gone many times to the university to give a lecture introducing Buddhist teachings. It is not difficult to teach the students, because all of them are beginners. They do not need deep teachings about dharma. Most of the time first I explain the biography of the Buddha and secondly, the concept of the middle way. Then they come to understand many things about these topics. After finish the introductory lecture many students write me emails and come to the temple to get books and clarify other details. I understand that many of them now like to follow Buddhist teachings, in part because they said it is scientific and logical.

3. Group Meditation

Most people come to the temple to ask about Buddhist meditation. Their first inspiration is learn more about it: how to do it, what is the benefit, and other details. However, according to our Buddhist way, meditation is the third step. Before it we have to practice the other two main things named Dana (generosity) and Sila (morality). Thus, if somebody comes to practice meditation straightaway it is not always easy.

Meditation is working with the mind, learning to control and develop our mind. Before control of mind is accomplished, we must first be in control of our speech and actions—and this also means control of the body. Body control is easier than mind control, because the body is tangible and the mind is intangible and immaterial. Before learning to control invisible things it is easier to begin with material and tangible things. After practicing control of these things, it is easier to gain control over the mind.

To get a good result from meditation we have to come to it step by step:

i. Sila (Morality) = right speech, right actions and right livelihood.

ii. Samadhi (Concentration) = right effort, right mindfulness and right concentration.

iii. Panna (Wisdom) = right view and right conception.

These main teachings also include the middle way and the eight-fold path as main teachings in Buddhism. Wisdom is generated through the insight meditation provides. Before this insight is achieved, meditation has to practice Samatha, or concentration meditation. To perform Samatha we must be have good morality within oneself.

All of these aspects link together, and must come step by step. We cannot skip any one of them. Most of the time people like to do meditation on its own, without morality and concentration. Then it will not successful, but at the same they also need this meditation. This is one problem we face with beginners. We can guide them to practice meditation alone, but then most of the time they will not be enjoying good results from it.

In our center every Sunday we have public meditation classes. Some people like to do group meditation, in which case we then can arrange the time. One group of young people also came in 2002 to practice and get benefit of meditation, and these visitors numbered 100 young boys and girls. They came to learn about Buddhist practices, and gained many benefits from the lessons.

4. Counselling

i. One day one lady came to the temple.

She wanted to marry a person who had divorced his first wife. He had one child who is almost ten years old. This lady had never been married before. She decided to marry this person without a care about his divorce or the child. On her wedding day, the child was presented to everyone because she also loved the child. After marriage she started to live with his parents. What followed were some misunderstandings. The parents started to say that this lady did not like the child. This led her to become very confused in her mind

When she was crying and crying, she came alone came to the temple and went inside the Buddha’s room to sit. I spotted her inside Buddha’s shrine room. I reached to her, sat down, and started to ask what was the cause for all the crying. According to her explanation, she had a family problem that I knew all about. Both parties couldn’t understand each other properly. I started to try to make her understand: “You got marry this man with the boy. If you did not love him you could have refuse them earlier. You did not do this. You loved the child as your own. That is why you decided to marry this person with the child, as you already had accepted them earlier. There is not anything wrong there. But your father-in-law and mother-in-law still do not understand who you are. That is why this problem has started. Do not worry about this situation. Do not think about what others are saying or what they are thinking and doing. We cannot control them or their intentions, but you can control your ideas and yourself. That is what we have to do to resolve this situation. One day they will understand you. Do not be confused in your mind. Purify your mind and work properly.” Then she understood the situation and went back home, with a deeper understanding about life.

ii. Another evening a different lady came to the temple.

She is not African or Indian, but Chinese. She is married to an Indian man. I saw her when she sat down in front of the Buddha’s statue. I went to her and started to talk with her. She told me about her Indian husband, and how they waited for a baby. Sadly, she suddenly she got in a car accident and the unborn child died. Her husband and his parents were unhappy and blamed this lady. After this happened there was no peace in the home. Thus, she came to get some blessings from the Buddha.

Fortunately I was at the temple that day. I explained to her about life, impermanence, and karma. Everything in this world is impermanent. We cannot have children, for example, if we do not have good karma for it. Everything depends on karma. We could not blame her according to this philosophy: if you have good karma you can get a child in future. If the karma is bad, you will not. In this world everything is impermanent, meaning that we can plan but not everything happens in this way. Unplanned things occur, and this is life and its nature. One cannot worry about these things. You should be worried because of a lack of understanding about these laws of karma and dharma. They also blame you because of this ignorance. Try to understand things as they are. Then you can live without any worry in this world.

After finishing this explanation I did some chanting to her give blessings and to calm down her mind. She went back home and started to live with a peaceful mind. Up to now she is doing well and does not worry anymore about life.

iii. Here in Africa it is a huge problem for people to understand why they are sick or what is happening to their health.

Without a real understanding about diseases, they have many practices to try to heal the sick. Unfortunately, then the final result is that the sick person dies. One day I got a message from an African woman that her elder sister, after delivering a child, became ill after one week. One breast was swelling larger and larger. Instead of taking her to the hospital, they kept her home to do some rituals involving witchcraft and other things. Her husband is Muslim. They brought one Muslim woman who practices witchcraft to do many superstitions things. One of the sick woman’s sisters called me to do some blessings to save her life. When I went there she had a very high fever. I started to do the blessings to destroy fever and other illness. After finishing chanting I gave water and other things as usual. The next morning I went to check what happened. I saw that the high fever is still there, and nothing good had happened. I advised them to take her to the hospital as soon as possible, but they continued with the witchcraft. I came back to the temple and met one of my Tanzanian doctor friends. I explained the situation to him and took him to the ill woman’s home. When he checked on her he understood that the patient was in a very serious condition, and it was too late to save her. He still tried to have them take her to the hospital and to give her some medicine, and the doctors there tried many things to cure her sickness. After that she slept through the night. The next morning she felt well, but just before 1pm she passed away. She was brought to hospital too late, so doctors could not do enough. If they had taken her in at least one week before they could have saved her life, according to the doctor. This kind of thing happens too often in Africa. Without true understanding, it is natural to try many superstitious things. But the final result too often is death.

5. Library

In our temple we have a small library. There are some books there donated by the Sri Lanka community and by other foreign donors. These books help to get information to needy people in Africa. Not only Tanzanians, but also people from other neighboring countries come to get some information. Sometimes they come to the temple to ask us for some information. Then we guide them by writing something or sharing some books. It is very important to have a complete library. If a visitor would like to know something about Buddhist teachings, it is very important to be able to provide some books to answer their questions. Then they can come a second time with many questions for discussion. This is a very fruitful way to teach and learn. The problem is that most people do not like to return books, but instead keep them to read again and again. I also like to allow visitors to keep these books with them, but we do not have enough books in our library for everyone to own them.

6. Nursery School

In Tanzania free education is not easily available. Most of the time students have to pay school fees to study at school. For this reason many students do not go to school. They have no money to pay school fees. Unless the family can afford to pay school fees, the children must stay at home. If children must stay at home, then their life will go to hell. This is the one of main reasons for the growth of HIV-AIDS and the problem of street children in many poor countries. Without school, automatically children enter a sexual life and get into more trouble in their lives. Still, countries do not have a good plan to give free education to the whole population. Instead, people have to find their own way.

In particular, a private institution also runs every nursery school. They charge large amounts of money for entrance fees and study fees. It is not easy for poor local parents to afford to send their children to these nursery schools.

Therefore our Buddhist community decided to start a nursery school as a way of helping the local community. It started in 1996. We do not get a significant admission fee or other large amount of money from the people, but just the bare minimum in order to pay the teachers’ salaries. Parents can pay the small fee monthly, and we even allow some students to come without any payments. We do not teach religion in the nursery school, but just basic instruction using the English medium. We understand that if we can give free education more students will come to study. If they study well most of young generation will not become street children or fall into prostitution. They will be able to maintain their lives in a proper way.

7. WCRP

The World Conference on Religion and Peace (WCRP) is sponsored by a famous organization headquartered in New York, USA, after getting its start in Japan. One branch of it started in Tanzania in 1998. From the beginning up until now I have been working with them. A few top religious leaders as trustees maintain the branch. All the religious leaders are from the country and contribute their valuable ideas to make peace in the in the region. If any sort of conflict happens in the country, we gather and brainstorm solutions to bring peace. We have been very successful in this way. If every individual follows his or her own way, there will be no peace here. When we come together to find a good response to a crisis, solution will arise to end the conflict in question. After coming together, we all agree that everybody can follow one shared solution. This is a very successful way to make peace anywhere. We live in a multi-cultural, multi-religious, and multi-national society. To achieve peace between everyone we have to honour all faiths. And everyone has to agree to one decision built on a consensus of all members of society. If we follow this path, then there will not be conflict again. Without this strategy, again and again conflicts will come up with no end in sight.

To WCRP-Tanzania my contribution is very valuable. Others involved like our teachings of cause and effect, among other Buddhist social teachings. I give my contribution to them through a Buddhist view. Participants really appreciate this and gain a new perspective for their work in making peace in the country. Once I explained to them how five Buddhist precepts can help to control HIV-AIDS and how Buddha’s advice can contribute to economic development and poverty eradication in the country. Following this strategy, we have decided to target five main areas in the country.