His Holiness the Dalai Lama visits Jain pilgrim town of Palitana Monday, 4 January 2010, 10:26 a.m.

His Holiness the Dalai Lama visits the Jain pilgrimage town of Palitana near Bhavnagar in Gujarat on 3 January/Photo: DeshGujarat

Dharamshala:
His Holiness the Dalai Lama yesterday visited the Jain pilgrimage town
of Palitana near Bhavnagar in Gujarat and delivered a religious
discourse along with Jain scholars, the Press Trust of India reported. “The
20th century belonged to science and technology. The present 21st
century would belong to spirituality and non-violence,” His Holiness
the Dalai Lama told reporters. His Holiness said Jainism and Buddhism are in the forefront for promoting peace and non-violence around the world. “Jainism
and Buddhism are like twins who have brought along with them the
message of oneness and non-violence for the world,” His Holiness said. His
Holiness the Dalai Lama also visited a camp for the physically
challenged where over 25,000 disabled people are being treated free of
cost. The camp, called ‘Mobility Camp’ being held in Palitana began on
23 December and would continue till 9 January. His Holiness later visited the Jain temples in Palitana town and interacted with Jain scholars.“There
can never be world peace till there is no inner peace so we have to
first achieve that,” said His Holiness the Dalai Lama interacting with
about 1000 Jain monks.“World peace can be achieved only if all the religions get together,” added His Holiness. His
Holiness the Dalai Lama will return to Gujarat again on 16 January when
he is scheduled to grace the International Buddhist Conference in
Vadodara.His Holiness will leave Palitana for Bodh Gaya where he will give a five-day sermon.Over 50,000 devotees throng Bodh Gaya to hear His Holiness the Dalai Lama

Over 50,000 pilgrims from across the world are expected to attend a five-day sermon by His Holiness the Dalai Lama at Bodh Gaya, due to begin Tuesday, 5 January 2010

His
Holiness will give teachings at Bodh Gaya, India, from 5 – 8 January.
Audio webcasts in English, Tibetan and Chinese will be available. There
will be a live audio webcast in Tibetan language only. (click here for webcasts)His Holiness will preach ‘Nagarjuna’s In Praise of the Transcendental’ (jigten ley depar toepa); Atisha’s ‘Lamp of the Path to Enlightenment’ (jangchup lamdron); Longchen Rinpoche’s ‘Mind In Comfort and Ease’ (semnyid nyelso) and Tsongkhapa’s ‘Short Version of the Stages of the Path To Enlightenment’ (lamrim dhuedhon).Over
50,000 people from all over the world are expected to assemble at Bodh
Gaya’s Kalachakra ground to hear a discourse by His Holiness the Dalai
Lama, IANS report said.Thousands of Tibetans have
already arrived in Bodh Gaya from all across India to attend His
Holiness Dalai Lama’s teachings. A local police officer said Bodh Gaya
has turned into a mini-Tibet with the huge gathering of Tibetans.The
1,500-years-old holiest Buddhist shrine Mahabodhi temple at Bodh Gaya,
110 km from Patna, is where the Buddha attained enlightenment 2,550
years ago.