On behalf of the International Buddhist Association of America, it is my great honor to join the White House Faith Office and all of you gathered here today for this Fifth White House Vesak observance as we commemorate the birth, enlightenment, and passing of the Buddha.

Today we pay homage to the Three Jewels: the Buddha, the Enlightened One; the Dharma, the teachings that guide us toward wisdom, compassion, and inner freedom; and the Sangha, the community that has preserved and transmitted these teachings from generation to generation for more than twenty-six centuries.

I would also like to express my sincere gratitude to the White House Faith Office, especially Pastor Paula White-Cain, for creating opportunities such as this, where people of different faiths and traditions can come together in a spirit of friendship, mutual respect, and understanding.