U Kovida's Speech at USF Ceremonty

Commencement Speech by Sayadaw U Kovidabhivamsa

Dear Venerable Sangha (monks) in Burma,

Today is the 5^th waxing day of the month of Natdaw, B.E. 1369 [according to the Burmese calendar] and December 14, 2007 [according to the Gregorian calendar].

From the Commencement Ceremony for USF Graduate Students currently being conducted at the Saint Ignatius Church on the USF (Jesuit University of San Francisco) campus, I am letting all the monks – hundreds of thousands -- in Burma know that you have been collectively awarded an Honorary Degree in recognition of your courage, loving kindness, compassion and commitment to conduct non-violent protests against a brutal, repressive, military regime.

I am thrilled and honored to accept the Honorary Degree on your behalf.

You should feel extremely honored because USF has a long tradition of recognng the heroic efforts of people, who – like all of you -- are willing to give up possessions and make the supreme sacrifices in order to secure the human and democratic rights of people especially those living “in constant fear” under oppressive dictators.

USF honored six members of the Society of Jesus were killed in El Salvador – nearly twenty years ago -- for their courageous denunciations of a repressive government. In 2003, USF conferred an honorary degree to His Holiness the Dalai Lama.

USF is continuing the tradition by honoring you – all the courageous monks in Burma – for upholding your noble beliefs and actions. On your behalf, I would like to express my heartfelt thanks to USF.

Dear Members of the Board of Trustees, Faculty members, Family members of Students, and Honored Guests,

This honorary degree being conferred to the courageous monks of Burma is living proof that people all around the world do care about the plights of those being brutally tortured and killed by repressive military dictatorships that have no conscience about human and democratic rights.

This University is leading by example to other institutions in the free world – academic, religious, social, local, regional, global – that they should recognize the hardships of people “forced to be voiceless and suffer silently for decades” and that they could and should help the courageous people who have put their lives on line to lead non-violent protests against the heartless regimes especially those who consider “chanting of loving kindness a crime”.

The Burmese monks all over the world are unified under the recently formed International Buddhist Monks Association called Sasana Moli. To help the noble cause of the courageous monks inside Burma (who constantly face torture and death), the monks outside of Burma are working with people and organizations wishing to bring back peace and happiness to the world in general, and Burma in particular. The honorary degree given by USF definitely gives all of us – inside and outside Burma – much needed encouragement and conviction to carry on our noble tasks.

Dear Graduate Students attending Commencement,

On behalf of the monks of Burma, I would like to congratulate you for completing graduate studies from USF, which is known not only for its excellent academic and extracurricular programs, but also for its mantra: “educating minds and hearts to change the world.”

The University mantra is in complete agreement with the teachings of Buddha. He said, in “Thera” verse 141

A paraphrase is as follows:

If one studies [diligently] under a mentor, one gains bahusuta (general knowledge).

Bahusuta gives rise to nana (wisdom) and learning (education).

Wisdom and learning enables one to reason: differentiate the good and the bad, the right and the wrong.

An educated mind, then, is able to do good things not only for one, but for others as well.

May you be able to use the University mantra, the education provided by the University and the faculty, and words of wisdom provided by the monks and other religious practitioners to lead good lives and to help work for the benefit of your families, your organizations, your nation, and the world. May you have the courage to make sacrifices – if and when needed – to help bring peace on earth.

On behalf of the monks in Burma, I wish physical and spiritual well-being for all working or studying in USF, to all those attending this ceremony, and to the people all over the world.

I hope that in the not-too-distant future, the monks in Burma will be able to reciprocate the generosity of USF by inviting all of you over to Burma to attend a “Thanksgiving” ceremony.

Thanks.

Signed – U Kokida