Buddhist Monks March for Peace – and Their Message

Perhaps many of you have seen on TV news the story about the Buddhist monks who are on a peace march from Texas to Washington D.C. 

It is not a protest march, but is simply a march for peace. Nineteen Buddhist monks have undertaken this trek, walking every day, this journey of some 2,300 miles, from Texas to Washington D.C. They walk all day long and sleep either outdoors or in tents. They are Theravadan Buddhist monks of various ethnic backgrounds, from Thailand, Vietnam and Sri Lanka.  

Their march has attracted the attention of not only the national news media, but of people all across the country, and in the cities and towns that they have walked through. 

People are touched by their simple gesture for peace. Now, they are gathering a following, many who join them for parts of their march for peace. People are giving them food and water. They are helping to support their journey.

In the early days of their trek, they had a tragic incident. A car lost control and ran into their support escort car, injuring several of the monks, one whom lost his leg. Their support car was totaled, but a good Samaritan who saw it on the news donated a car for the rest of their journey.  

The “star”of their group is their pet dog named Aloka, which means “light” in Sanskrit. Aloka joined this group, not in Texas, but in India.  

In India, a group of monks were on a similar journey, a similar march for peace of 112 days through India. Aloka was a stray dog who followed them along their journey. Every day, Aloka walked with them. Aloka was then brought to the states and has been on their new peace march from Texas to Washington D.C. 

Along the way, Aloka has developed a bad leg and had to have surgery, but has recovered and is now back on the journey with these monks. Aloka makes friends with the crowd, especially children who come to see him.  

To see the faces of the people who come to see these monks is amazing, as their simple silent march for peace has given people hope, peace and has instilled feelings of compassion and unity.  

Personally, I wouldn’t last one day on such a march, but I deeply admire the efforts of these monks to promote peace, to bring compassion and unity to the world. It is a powerful message that they impart from their silent march for peace.  

How is it that when society tries to use words in the form of debates, treaties, laws and proclamations, we can never seem to achieve lasting peace. But when monks march in silence, that does more to promote peace than words ever could.  

I learned that one of our Orange County Buddhist Church members has a son who lives in North Carolina, and when he heard on the news of the Buddhist monks that were on the peace march, he went to the trouble to make “onigiri” or rice balls for the monks. He drove to where they were and gave them his homemade onigiri for their journey. He was struck by their peace march and wanted to do something to support them.  

We are sometimes overwhelmed by the goings on in the world today, the senseless killings, the injustices, the unending conflicts and wars that abound. Is there no way to find peace we might think?  

But Buddhism teaches us that peace is within each of us. We can each bring a heart of peace to the world around us. We can be the silent voice of compassion and understanding. We can be the messenger of the silent light of the Dharma that brings warmth and wisdom to the world.  

The efforts of these 19 humble monks is a testament to that. Nineteen  simple monks are bringing more peace, compassion and unity to the world than any efforts of any government or political party. Their march for peace can be contagious. May the whole world catch on to it.