Mr. President,

We would like to associate ourselves fully with the statement just made by the Permanent Representative of Sri Lanka.

Prince Gautam Siddharth, or the Buddha, that is, the Enlightened One, as he came to be known, is among the rare individuals who have exercised a profound formative influence on human civilization itself. Since 6th century B.C., when the imperishable events of his life were enacted, his teaching, precepts and example have been a beacon for the spiritual salvation of countless individuals and have provided the ethical and moral underpinning to vast segments of human society. In one of the earliest works on the Buddha, the writer Edwin Arnold ennobled him as ‘The Light of Asia’. As the perfect embodiment of enlightened knowledge, personal sacrifice in the attainment of the highest ideal and as a font of universal compassion, the Buddha will always be a leading light to mankind. His universalism is exemplified through the lessons he drew for all human beings from the passage of human life through pain, sickness, old age and death. He renounced the luxuries of Shakya Kingdom at the age of 29 in search of enlightenment, not only for himself but, as the working of his colossal influence ensured, for humanity. His preaching was universal, transcending any social distinction whatsoever. Thus Buddhism was embraced by the high and low, the rich and poor, the intellectual and layman. The teachings of the Buddha spread from Himalayas to Kanyakumari and across the frontiers of India to Sri Lanka, Myanmar, Thailand, other regions of South East Asia and Nepal, Mongolia, Korea, China and Japan to the North and North East. These teachings have enormous influence and following in the West as well.

The essence of the teachings of the Buddha, which is Dharma, or the Highest Law and Morality, is based on the law of release from suffering, leading to spiritual enlightenment, and based on abjuration of force, violence or any form of persecution and brings a message of universal compassion and peace. As such, it is an eternal message for humanity and completely appropriate for recognition and honour being accorded to it within the gathering of the world community represented in the United Nations. It embodies the highest form of aspiration for humanity. The Bodhi-sattva is the perfect embodiment of knowledge, courage, love and sacrifice, who defers his own Nirvana or release, in order to liberate those still entangled in the web of suffering. Such ideals and inspiration are a heritage of all mankind, as all great religions of the world.

The Explanatory Memorandum and the Draft Resolution before us are clear. They seek only recognition of the Holy Day of "Vesak" and, in the climate of scarce financial resources, request for appropriate arrangements for its observance, without cost to the United Nations. We strongly commend them for adoption by the General Committee for consideration by this General Assembly in a Plenary Meeting.

In his life and teaching, the Buddha represented the spirit of universal brotherhood, which is the UN’s mission to promote. Nothing would be more appropriate for the UN than to commemorate his life and ideals.