DHARAMSHALA: Over 1,350 Indians from different parts of the country, who take interest and practise Buddhism, have gathered in Dharamsala to attend His Holiness the Dalai Lama’s three-day teaching which began today. His Holiness is giving Introductory Buddhist Teachings which include Kamalashila’s The Middling Stages of Meditation (gomrim barpa) at the request of Nalanda Shiksha, a group formed by Indian Buddhists.

“Many among the 1,000 Indian devotees who are attending the teaching have developed interest and faith in Buddhism. They have come from different Indian regions such as Bangalore, Chennai, Pune, Goa, Delhi, Hyderabad, Rajasthan and Himachal Pradesh,” said Mr Thubten Tsewang, Co-ordinator for the Foundation for Universal Responsibility of His Holiness the Dalai Lama (FURHHDL).

He said FURHHDL has co-ordinated with seven or eight associations in India in organising the teaching.

Speaking to Tibet TV about the teaching, several Indians who’ve come all the way from Rajasthan said, they found the Buddhist teachings highly valuable, especially which preaches righteousness and positive human values. They said they will spread the Buddha’s teachings far and wide.

In his introductory remarks, His Holiness the Dalai Lama extended his special greetings to the Indians, saying as they have been able to maintain interest in Buddhism since it was founded in India many millennia ago.

His Holiness said Tibetan Buddhism has originated from India, and it is still intact and developing through our complete study and practice of teachings of remarkable masters of Nalanda tradition. “So, Indians are not only senior disciples of Buddha, but also teachers of Tibetans. We have still kept alive what we’ve learnt from our Indian masters thousands of years ago. Today, we feel very happy and proud to be able to return it to you,” His Holiness said.

He underlined the need to develop firm conviction and faith in ones’ religion through analytical study and practice of the teachings, but not through merely following it as an ancestral tradition. “Those who indulge in lying and fooling others reflect their lack of pure faith and realisation of their religion,” he said.

His Holiness reiterated that those who follow Buddhism must become 21st century Buddhists through developing clear understanding of the Buddha’s teachings.

He praised the organisers for arranging discourse by Indian professors on philosophies of India’s different religious traditions during the teaching. He said studying of these philosophical traditions is very essential.

Besides Indians, around 1,800 foreigners from 60 different countries across the world are also attending the teachings.