The Dalai Lama says that if China, a traditionally Buddhist nation, adopted the ancient Indian knowledge embodied in the concepts of “ahimsa” and “karuna”, and if more than 2.5 billion individuals in both nations worked to cultivate inner peace, the entire world would benefit.
India has made significant advancements over the years, particularly in the domains of science and technology, but inner disarmament is just as crucial as exterior disarmament, he observed, according to a PTI report.
In an exclusive essay in Manorama Year Book 2023, the 87-year-old spiritual head of Tibetan Buddhism wrote: “In this regard, I genuinely feel that India can play a leading role, thanks to its great tradition of peaceful understanding rooted in the treasures of ‘ahimsa’ and ‘karuna’.”
The Dalai Lama further wrote, “Such wisdom is beyond any one religion and it has the potential to encourage a more integrated and ethically grounded way of being in contemporary society. Therefore, I encourage everyone to try to cultivate ‘karuna’ (compassion) and ‘ahimsa’ (doing no harm).”
He asserted that seeking inner peace is more significant than pursuing worldly advancement and sensual pleasure if individuals are to bring about world peace.
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“Compassion is a marvel of human nature, a precious inner resource and the foundation of both our individual well-being and harmony within society. From the moment we are born, our mother takes care of us. Therefore, from a very young age, we learn that compassion is the root of all happiness,” remarked the 14th Dalai Lama, also known to the Tibetans as Gyalwa Rinpoche.
The Dalai Lama praised Mahatma Gandhi as the embodiment of “ahimsa”, and said he was tremendously moved by the ideal he upheld, which was also upheld by Dr. Martin Luther King and Nelson Mandela.
“In the past, we Tibetans frequently viewed Indians as our gurus and considered ourselves to be their ‘chelas’, or followers.” He also expressed gratitude to India for welcoming Tibetan refugees, giving their children the chance to go to school, and giving monks from Tibet’s great centres of learning the chance to resume their studies. However, over time, in some ways, the roles seem to have been reversed, and now perhaps the “chela” is in a position to return the treasures.
Despite conceptual disagreements, the Dalai Lama stated that as a person, he is dedicated to fostering the oneness of mankind and promoting harmony across the world’s religious traditions.R
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