DHARAMSHALA, November 14: Tibetan spiritual leader His Holiness the Dalai Lama yesterday inaugurated a two – day seminar on the Nalanda Tradition of Buddhism in Asia held at Indira Gandhi National Centre for the Arts (IGNCA) in New Delhi.
Speaking at the inaugural ceremony, the Tibetan leader said, “The name Nalanda was very familiar to me as the source of the tradition we follow in Tibet. First we memorize the root text, then study it word by word and then debate it with our fellow students to penetrate the depths of its meaning.”
78-year-old Nobel laureate is himself a great admirer of the Nalanda tradition. He expressed his appreciation to the great masters of this tradition.
“The great Buddhist institution of Nalanda now lies in ruins, yet the knowledge it fostered, based on the Buddha’s teachings, contributed immensely to Buddhist understanding, particularly in its Sanskrit tradition. This was the tradition that spread to China and later to Tibet.
“Through rigorous study and practice, the Nalanda tradition was kept alive in Tibet.”
He further highlighted that ancient Indian texts contain a thorough knowledge of emotions and once the source of emotional problem is understood, it is much easier to solve it.
Calling the Tibetans ‘chelas’ (disciple) of ancient Indian ‘gurus’ (teachers), the Dalai Lama said, “I’m proud to be a chela of those great ancient India thinkers. I call myself a son of India because while my brain has been filled with ancient Indian thought, my body has been nourished for decades by Indian rice, dal and chapattis.
“Although much of the knowledge I speak of is to be found in Buddhist literature, it is not strictly Buddhist, but has a secular basis. India is multi-religious society and has long maintained a profound respect for different religious traditions,” he added.
From November 17- 25 His Holiness is scheduled to visit Japan where he will participate in public talks and dialogue with scientists.
