Clad in brown robes, some barefoot, with simple packs in their shoulders, 19 Buddhist monks began their 2,300 miles walk of peace from Fort Worth to Washington, D.C., to promote national healing, unity and compassion.
Community members lined up outside the Huong Dao Vipassana Bhavana Center in Fort Worth on Sunday morning to bid them farewell. As the monks set out on their walk some community members bowed and touched their feet in respect while the chant “Buddham Saranam Gachhami” echoed through the temple.
Along with the monks, a dog found by Bhikkhu Pannakara, vice president of the Huong Dao Vipassana Bhavana Center and spiritual leader of the walk, during a similar walk in India, joined them on the journey on Sunday.
Bhikkhu Pannakara and fellow monks pray before beginning their walk for peace.
“I ask for your permission to lead this journey,” Bhikkhu Pannakara said as he sat before a statue of Lord Buddha to pray before leading the walk. “In this journey, we have two senior monks —one from Laos who is 70 years old — and monks from Taiwan and Vietnam. Wherever we go, monks from that location will join us for two to three days,” he said.
During the 110 days journey the monks will travel across 10 states stopping at state capitols, historic landmarks, and local communities, said Dr. Neeraj Bajracharya, General Secretary of the Nepalese Buddhist Association.
Nineteen Buddhist monks began a 2,300-mile walk from Fort Worth to Washington, D.C., promoting national healing, unity and compassion.
They are planning to walk at least 20 miles per day, Bajracharya said. “Since today is the first day, and we started at 9:30 a.m., today’s journey will be about 14 miles.”
Following ascetic practices, the monks will sleep under the trees and eat one meal per day, Bajracharya said. Two RVs will ride along in the journey where the food for the monks will be prepared, he said.
“The reason we walk like this is because, over the last several decades, with all the wars, people have lost respect for life. Buddhism teaches respect for life and peace. In today’s society, people are angry, burned out, and killing each other. That’s why they hosted this walk for peace,” Haltom City Mayor An Truong said.
“When I heard about this 2300-mile walk I was amazed,” Texas Rep. Nicole Collier said. “It really touches the hearts and minds of people.”
The city of Fort Worth understands the importance and strength that comes from diversity, Collier said.
“We live in a time when the noise often drowns out understanding, where division can feel louder than unity – but this is what the community and interfaith solidarity looks like,” Collier said.
“This walk is about a vision for unity that doesn’t embrace our differences, but celebrates them.” Collier said.
“I’m so honored to be invited to your beautiful facility today and to feel of the peaceful spirit that all of you have as you are helping to prepare these amazing people to take this journey to Washington D.C.,” said Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints interfaith representative for the Fort Worth area, Christine Sturgeon.
“People of any faith make our community better, and your dedication and compassion for everyone is so inspiring to me,” Sturgeon said. “As my brothers prepare to take this arduous journey, I pray for their safety and for the weather to cooperate with their walk.”
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Texas is home to an estimated 1.1 million Buddhists from diverse backgrounds, including Thailand, Vietnam, China, Japan, Korea, India, Nepal, Tibet, Bangladesh, Cambodia, Myanmar, Sri Lanka, and Laos, according to a news release from Huong Dao Vipassana Bhavana Center.
The Texas State Legislature recognized May 15 as Vesak Day during “Buddha Day at the Capitol,” celebrating interfaith harmony and cultural diversity, the release stated.