Namo Shakyamuni Buddha,
To the Venerable Sangha,
Dear fellow citizens and Buddhist practitioners,
Time flows endlessly like a river. The tumultuous year of Dragon (2024) has passed, ushering in the year of Snake (2025), filled with hope and aspirations for peace and happiness. Across the globe, humanity is welcoming a new spring—a season of joy, achievement, and opportunity.
On this auspicious occasion, on behalf of the Executive Council of the Overseas Vietnamese Unified Buddhist Sangha, we respectfully extend our heartfelt wishes for health and well-being to the Venerable Sangha. We also offer our blessings and warm regards to all devoted Buddhist lay practitioners and fellow citizens, both within Vietnam and abroad.
This past year, the world has witnessed extraordinary progress in various fields, including economics, education, science, and technology. The advancements in artificial intelligence have opened new frontiers, and the ongoing quest for space exploration reflects humanity’s relentless aspiration to transcend limits. However, alongside these accomplishments, humanity continues to face significant challenges, such as wars, conflicts, global climate crises, natural disasters, pandemics, and irreplaceable losses.
These events serve as a powerful reminder that progress must be coupled with responsibility toward nature and all forms of life. They reveal humanity’s unbridled ambition and underscore the grave consequences of unmindful decisions.
From the perspective of Buddhism—a tradition deeply compatible with modern science and attuned to societal needs—human beings are both the source of the world’s challenges and the key to its transformation. To build a brighter future, each individual must begin with self-transformation, reducing greed, hatred, and ignorance while cultivating a life grounded in Morality (Śīla), Concentration (Samādhi), and Wisdom (Prajñā). Through this path of inner transformation, we can foster peace, non-violence, and mutual respect.
As Buddhists, we are called not only to propagate the Dharma but also to inspire humanitarian ideals, bridging divides among individuals, communities, and nations. The year of Snake must foster dialogue, advance cooperation, and promote lasting peace whether ordained monastics or lay practitioners; every Dharma messenger should nurture the Bodhi mind and embody the Bodhisattva path, contributing to protecting human and animal rights and reduce violence stemming from racial, ethnic, or religious differences. Furthermore, we must work collectively to address global threats, including armed conflicts and nuclear weapons. These efforts are critical to building a compassionate, enlightened society and strengthening the Sangha, ensuring the flourishing and endurance of the Dharma.
On behalf of the Executive Council, I sincerely express our gratitude for the dedication and contributions of the venerable Sangha and all devoted Buddhists in their tireless mission to preserve and propagate the Dharma. Your efforts in promoting peace and advancing humanity’s welfare are deeply appreciated. May today’s accomplishments provide a strong foundation for an even brighter future.
We respectfully extend our best wishes to the Venerable Sangha, lay practitioners, and fellow citizens for inner peace, wisdom, and enduring spiritual fulfillment. May the Buddha’s teachings continue to thrive, bringing harmony to the world and happiness to all beings, and may all sentient beings be guided toward enlightenment.
Wishing you all a New Year filled with boundless joy, an everlasting spring in your hearts, and the transformation of all suffering into serenity.
Namo Maitreya Buddha of Future Compassionate Descent
Buddhist Calendar 2569 – United States, January 28, 2025
(29th day of the 12th lunar month, Year of The Dragon)
President of the Executive Council,
Bhikshu Thích Viên Lý
