I am a son of India,
says His Holiness The Dalai Lama of Tibet
19 March 2017 Jane
Cook, Tibet Post International
Bhopal, Madhya Pradesh,
India – The spiritual leader of Tibet, His Holiness the Dalai Lama
described himself as a "son of India" and hailed the secularism
prevailing in the country. "I am living in India for the past 58
years and hence, I am a 'son of India'. In the field of secularism
there is no other country like India," the Noble Peace Prize
laureate said in his speech after inaugurating an international
seminar on Buddhism in Bihar's Nalanda district, on Saturday,
2017.
“India is the only country where all the
world’s major religious traditions live together. Now Indians need
to be more active in promoting religious harmony, especially in
those places where conflict is going on in the name of religion.
The time has come to share your longstanding traditional values of
religious harmony and secularism.
His Holiness observed that a special feature
of Buddhism is that it takes a scientific approach. “No other
religious tradition states so clearly that simple faith is not
enough. The Buddha encouraged his followers to examine and
investigate what they are told. This is why Einstein suggested that
Buddhism can augment modern science," he said.
"Indeed, many scientists today are showing
genuine interest in Buddhism in general, and particularly in what
Madhyamaka philosophy and the Buddhist science of mind have to say.
“Over the last 1000 years we Tibetans have kept the Nalanda
tradition alive. Now the time has come for us to share this
knowledge with our Buddhist brothers and sisters, with
non-Buddhists and even those who have no particular religious
faith. “
Sunday morning His Holiness the Dalai Lama
drove to the nearby Nava Nalanda Mahavihara, which was established
as a university in 1951. He was welcomed by the Vice Chancellor,
Shri M.L. Srivastava. Before addressing more than100 students and
faculty in the University's conference hall, His Holiness planted a
Bodhi Tree Sapling and unveiled a commemorative plaque on a new
administrative building.
"When I was in Tibet my thoughts were narrow.
But when I moved out of my homeland and came to India, I developed
a broader thought about Tibet as well as about the entire world.
The Nalanda school of thought was an important aspect of Buddhism.
"Whatever I am today is due to the Nalanda thoughts", he said. The
spiritual leader of Tibet stressed that good education would help
develop tolerance among mankind and inculcate the habit of
forgiveness. "Today's system of education is making us a consumer.
The traditional mode of education was good," His Holiness added at
Rajgir that is known globally for the Nalanda University, a
historic seat of learning. The new Nalanda University, which has
come up near the historic site, is also drawing international
attention.
His Holiness recalled visiting the University
in 1956, when he was in India participating in the 2500th Buddha
Jayanti Celebrations organized by the Mahabodhi Society of India.
"Chinese Premier Chou En-Lai was supposed to visit Nava Nalanda
Mahavihara, but for some reason he was not able to do so. I was
asked to go in his stead. At that time I was a Vice Chairman of the
Standing Committee of the National People Congress of the People's
Republic of China. Today, I visit you as a refugee."
Stressing the importance of applying
themselves in their studies, His Holiness advised the students:
"Merely wearing the robes of a monk or nun is not sufficient. You
must also study seriously. Today, Tibetan nuns, having spent 18 to
20 years in rigorous study, have achieved the highest degree of
Geshe-ma. They have become equal in scholarship to their monk
counterparts who are Geshes. On the one hand Buddhism focuses on
our inner world through the practice of meditation, but we also
make extensive use of logic and reasoning. As a result, Buddhists
in India, and here at Nalanda in particular, were able to rise to
challenges from non-Buddhist traditions, taking them as an
opportunity to develop and deepen their understanding.
"You should deepen your knowledge through
listening to your teachers and reading a broad range of books. It
is by comparing one point of view with another that you come to
understand the subject matter more extensively."
Before returning to Rajgir, His Holiness
presented the University with a statue of Buddha Shakyamuni and a
Tibetan Thangka (scroll painting) that he commissioned featuring
the Buddha in the centre surrounded by 17 great masters of
Nalanda.
Back in Rajgir, His Holiness participated in
the morning session of the second day of the International
Conference on The Relevance of Buddhism in the 21st Century. He and
nine senior monks from Sri Lanka, Thailand and Malaysia, and one
senior nun from Thailand, took turns addressing the
audience.
"I have really enjoyed this meeting," His
Holiness told the conference. "I'm especially pleased to see how
many people have come from different Buddhist countries. It's not
an easy journey, yet the fact that so many of you have come shows
your concern for the Buddhadharma.
"In this 21st century we are facing many
problems of our own making. Humanity as a whole has a
responsibility to find solutions to, for example, the violence and
killing that is going on in many places and the unnecessary
starvation stalking parts of Africa. Similarly, we have to learn to
do more to take care of our environment," he said.
He added: "If the Buddha were able to transfer
us to another planet once this planet becomes uninhabitable we
could relax. But that isn't possible. This planet is our only home,
so we have to take care of it. As Buddhists I believe we also have
a responsibility to promote religious harmony. We should create
opportunities to meet more regularly to exchange ideas. We can
learn from each other."
His Holiness pointed out that observance of
the Vinaya or monastic disciple and teachings like the Four Noble
Truths are fundamental to all Buddhist traditions. He suggested
that some followers of the Pali tradition might also find it
helpful to pay attention to Sutras from the Sanskrit tradition,
such as the Heart Sutra.
In conclusion, His Holiness thanked the
Government of India, and the Ministry of Culture in particular, for
organizing this important conference. As the session came to an end
he presented each of his fellow speakers with a statue of the
Buddha and a white silk scarf.
Buddhist monks and scholars from various
countries are participating in the seminar 'Buddhism in 21st
Century' being held at International Convention Centre, about 100
km from the capital Patna.
After a quick lunch, His Holiness left for
Gaya. From there he flew to Bhopal where he was received on arrival
by the Honourable Chief Minister of Madhya Pradesh, Shri Chouhan
Singh, who welcomed him on behalf of the people of the
state.
Monday morning, His Holiness has visited
Turnal to participate in the Narmada Sewa Yatra, an initiative of
the Madhya Pradesh State Government dedicated to the saving of
water and the conservation of the Narmada River. In the afternoon,
the spiritual leader has delivered a talk on the 'Art of Happiness'
in the auditorium of the Vidhan Sabha---the State
Assembly.
Last Updated ( Monday, 20 March 2017 17:36
)