Kia ora koutou and Sawasdee.
A very warm welcome to everyone here today. It is my great privilege to host
- our Thai Ambassador, Your Excellency Waravuth Pouapinya and your colleagues;
- Phra Khru Buddhinyanavithet Andrew Nyanadipo, Abbot of Bodhipala Monastery in Adelaide; and
- representatives of our Buddhist community;
as we celebrate this special moment in the relationship between Thailand and Aotearoa New Zealand.
Ours is a country blessed to be home of very many different religious faiths and spiritual practices. Today, it is my great honour, on behalf of the people of New Zealand, to receive the gift of these sacred Buddhist texts from the Government of Thailand and the World Tipitaka Foundation.
We see this gift as a tangible expression of the deep friendship between Thailand and New Zealand – and I know it will be particularly appreciated by the Buddhist community in New Zealand.
Buddhism is our nation’s third-largest religion, and the majority of Buddhists in New Zealand have Asian ancestry. However, it’s worth noting that New Zealanders from a wider range of backgrounds are increasingly drawn to adopt Buddhist practices.
Research into the effects of Buddhist practices has confirmed measurable improvements in stress levels, cognitive functions and physical and mental wellbeing. But of course, those impressive benefits are only part of the story.
We cannot readily measure intangibles such as love, compassion, and human dignity – or the ability to make sense of the world and the realities of human experience.
The Buddha himself said: ‘Teach this triple truth to all: a generous heart, kind speech, and a life of service and compassion are the things which renew humanity.’
It’s a message that has resonated across time and space for two and a half thousand years, and it will continue to inspire people to show kindness and generosity to others, to act with integrity, and live their lives in a state of mindfulness.
Your Excellency, on behalf of the people of New Zealand, please convey my very best wishes to the World Tipitaka Foundation and the Government of Thailand for the gift of these sacred texts.
And my thanks to you for facilitating the delivery of these volumes of spiritual wisdom to us today.
Kia ora huihui tātou katoa.