Sangha, The Dharma Holders
For the past two and half millenniums, ethical disciples of Buddha Dharma have maintained the pure teachings based on the idea of altruism, wisdom, compassion, truth, non-violence and peace. These Sangha members are exemplar of the truth in the teachings. It has never been easy to practice these virtues, as human beings are too attached to a self and selfishness that their nature being contaminated by the conflicting emotions. This tendency has always made those faithful to their religions to go killing others not believing in their religion, bringing wars to those states that has a different faith. These tragedies have unfolded so many times in our history but we are proud that Buddhist Sangha members have never involved in any sort of bloodshed in the name of religion.
The extraordinary thing about Buddhism is that it has unswervingly stood by the conviction of believing in the peace and non-violence throughout the history where religions have been fighting each other; nations have been conquering each other and individuals plotting on each other. Something more extraordinary than that is Buddhism teaches how to love and pity those who try to destroy their monasteries and kill the members and just to say "Oh poor people! You have destroyed a common wealth of wisdom and it is a greater sin that you made." No better example of Buddhist achievement of non-violence and peace is there than the story of king Ashoka. The wrathful Ashoka was full of desires and anger before he started practicing Buddha's teachings, but after became a follower of the Buddha, the wrathful became the virtuous and greatest king in the history, who was immensely praised by the people and a hero among peers.
Geoffrey Mortimeer, a famous Western writer, says: "Turn to Buddhism, and you will read that Asoka not only preached a lofty morality, but exercised the power of kingship in a manner that shames our modern sovereigns of others faiths" Thus, followers of the Buddha Dharma have taken the responsibility of holding up moral and ethical characters of mankind for centuries and centuries. These excellent teachings of tolerance, justice and indiscrimination by the Buddha are the most marvelous things ever happened to the mankind.