His Holiness the Dalai Lama Underlines Promotion of Gandhian ValuesSunday, 9 November 2008, 5:27 p.m.
Dharamshala: His Holiness the Dalai Lama underlined that India should strive to spread Mahatma Gandhi’s message of non-violence and tolerance, while expressing happiness that Gandhiji’s values, ideology and principles are still deep rooted in the Indian way of life.
File Photo/His Holiness the Dalai Lama
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His Holiness was in India’s western city of Pune on Saturday to inaugurate the Gita Mandir at Sadhu Vaswani Mission. His Holiness also attended the concluding day of the 42nd Sarvodaya Samaj Sammelan, reported online portal of The Indian Express.While addressing the function at the Mission, His Holiness said, India and Tibet share a teacher-disciple relationship, and if a disciple suffers, the teacher is responsible for it.His Holiness said that Tibet changed into a civilised society only when India’s message of love reached there. “Teachings of Buddha gave direction to the life of Tibetans. So, even if China has substantial control over our land, the people there look up to India for support and love,” His Holiness said. His Holiness underlined that while supporting the cause of Tibet, ecological, cultural and humanitarian grounds should be given more importance than politics. Speaking on a friendly India, China relationship, His Holiness said, “Genuine friendship between India and China will not only make the world a safer place but also help in Tibet liberation.” “People have had a century of bloodshed and killing and now they have realised the importance of peace. World peace will be achieved only when one practices inner peace.” The disarmament may also mean to practice forgiveness and spiritual reconciliation. “Dialogue can help us avoid many conflicts at home and also beyond borders,” His Holiness said. At the Sarvodaya Samaj Sammelan, His Holiness the Dalai Lama highlighted India’s long history of non violence and tolerance. “India should strive to spread these values throughout the world,” His Holiness said. His Holiness spoke about his two-point programme that should be emphasised upon — the first one is Ahimsa and the second one is promotion of religious harmony. His Holiness said, “It is gladdening to see that even after so many years, Gandhiji’s values, ideology and principles are deep rooted in the Indian way of life. It is nice to see that in India people continue to practice non-violence despite many hardships and struggles.” On the occasion, Dada J P Vaswani described His Holiness the Dalai Lama’s struggle for Tibet as a just cause.
“It
is not that truth is on his side, but he is on the side of truth. And
ultimate victory belongs to truth,” Dada J P Vaswani stressed.
The three-day long Sammelan had several Gandhian followers from India and around the world as speakers.