Lama Choedak Rinpoche speaks at The Fourth Global Conference on Buddhism

Perth is the host city of the 4th Global Conference on Buddhism organised
by The Buddhist Soceity of Western Australia under the guidance of Venerable Achan Brahm. Confronting Controversies and modern world's problem with fundamentalism, feminism and euthanasia were some of the topics discussed at this historical conference ever to be held in Australia. The conference attracted 900 strong participants coming from many parts of the country particularly from South East Asian cities. There were speakers representing various schools and traditions of Buddhist faith.

On the glorious winter day of 11 June 2006 the conference was graced by the visit and speech of Ven. Lama Choedak Rinpoche, the most prominent Tibetan Buddhist teacher in Australia. Although Rinpoche was busy conducting an annual Vajrayogini Retreat at Virupa Retreat centre, his seat in Canberra, he could not refuse the invitation as it co-incided with the full moon of Saga
Dawa, the most auspicious day in the Tibetan Buddhist calendar. Speaking on the issue of meditation, Lama Choedak Rinpoche highlighted the importance of the Buddhist contribution to the world troubled by violence and conflict due to religious fundamentalism. He said that the practice of meditation has
proven to have the practical benefit of making people calmer, more compassionate and intelligent in choosing emotions before acting out thoughts and feelings which are often misguided by afflictions and over reactions. He said that meditation can help people have both compassion and wisdom like two wings of a bird. He urged conference participants to cultivate ways to change their ability to practice kindness and tolerance in every day life whether they meditated daily or not. He said without being able to practice
compassion and tolerance in this life to fellow sentient beings, seeking Nirvana and better rebirth in the future life can be seen as merely idealistic. He said Tibetans who have learned to practice this over the 1300 years are now starting to make a valid contribution to the world under the guidance of His Holiness the Dalai Lama.

Lama Choedak Rinpoche came to Australia in the mid 1980s and has founded over 20 Buddhist centres around Australia and New Zealand. He served as Board Director with the Australia Tibet Council for five years and is a leading exponent of independent Rangzen Tibet without any compromise.