Buddhist Monks Play Leading Role in the Prevention of HIV/AIDS in Asia

Under a UNICEF-sponsored program, Buddhist monks are spreading the word to communities about the growing threat of HIV/AIDS and providing hands-on support to sufferers, said Laurie Maund, leader of the Buddhist Leadership Initiative. "The AIDS crisis fits in with Buddhist teaching perfectly because . . . it is about suffering," Maund said.

Armed with Four Noble Truths of Buddhism, monks and nuns in Asia are caring for those affected by the epidemic and playing a leading role in the fight to prevent the spread of HIV/AIDS in the region. Maund and a team of monks from Thailand and Laos led a Buddhist chant for those affected by the epidemic on Sunday during the 6th International Congress on AIDS in Asia and the Pacific. The summit in Melbourne, Australia, has brought together community, political, religious and health leaders from more than 40 countries across the region, which is rapidly becoming a center of HIV/AIDS.

Maund said the UNICEF initiative is an extension of the work begun by the Sangha Metta Project in northern Thailand in 1998. The workshop has been adopted by the Buddhist University in Chaing Mai, and more than 2,000 monks and nuns have been trained on how to help HIV patients and educate the community. The monks work throughout Thailand and in neighboring Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar, Vietnam, Bhutan, Mongolia and southern China. Capitalizing on their respect as community leaders, the monks help towns manage their resources to ease the suffering of those with AIDS. They also advise on how to hinder the transmission of HIV.

Back to other CDC news for October 9, 2001

Previous Updates