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I am India's messenger: Dalai Lama

By Lobsang Wangyal | Tibet Sun

The Dalai Lama speaks during the conference on The Indian View for Global Peace as Jagadguru Shankaracharya Swami Divyanand Teerthji Maharaj and industrialist Bhupendra Kumar Modi looks on in Mcleod Ganj, India, on 5 April 2009.Tibet Sun/Lobsang Wangyal/India

The Dalai Lama asked India to take the lead in promoting the religious tolerance, non-violence and compassion that is inherent in Indian civilisation.

He said there is no other country in the world that has as diverse language, culture, and religion as India.

India, therefore, has a moral responsibility to share and promote these values.

Saying he is a ‘chela’ (student) of Indian ‘gurus’ (masters), he said that he acts as a messenger of India.

“Wherever I go I talk about these values that I have learnt from Indian gurus.”

However, he said the gurus need to take an active role in promoting these values. “Mere recitation of scriptures is not enough.”

He said more efforts should be put in to promoting humanity and the secular values first, irrespective of which faith is followed.

The Dalai Lama was speaking during “The Indian View for Global Peace” organised by India Splendour, an organisation owned by the industrialist Bhupendra Kumar Modi. Others who attended the conference included: Jagadguru Shankaracharya Swami Divyanand Teerthji Maharaj, the Karmapa, Swami Chidanand Saraswati, Jain Muni Acharya Sri Roopchandra and Lama Chosphel Zotpa.

Modi asked the Dalai Lama to take Indian citizenship, and said that the same status would be offered to all Tibetans in India, should the Dalai Lama accept the offer.

Modi said different Indian religious leaders have raised the issue of Indian citizenship for the Dalai Lama. “It is a wish of the people of India.” He added that if the people of India wish, and should the Dalai Lama accept, the government of India would honour the offer.

Citing Jews as an example, Modi said, “Jews were in different parts of the world, but they were citizens of the countries they lived in, and still didn’t forget Israel.”

“His Holiness the Dalai Lama can be a Tibetan at heart, but he can have Indian citizenship, and this will make many things easier for him,” Modi said.

The conclave awarded the Karmapa the India Splendour Award 2009 for his contributions toward world peace.

Copyright © 2009 Tibet Sun

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