Dalai Lam graces Josephite Summit

He is acknowledged to be the universal apostle of peace and compassion. He calls himself a simple monk, but his ideologies and teachings are anything but simple. Addressing a gathering of over 3000 eager people at the SJC College grounds, His Holiness the 14^th Dalai Lama of Tibet, imparted his experiences about peace and harmony as the honoured chief guest at the Josephite Summit held on Sunday.

The Dalai Lama touched upon a wide spectrum of topics that centred on humanity. His speech was punctuated with a sense of humour, in addition to providing an in depth insight into the human condition. Speaking foremost about the contemporary times, he stated that the 20^th century had witnessed more than 200 million people being massacred through violence. “Highly advanced technology was used for destruction rather than to fix human problems. Whether the 21^st century is more peaceful, compassionate and constructive or repeats the mistakes of the previous century is a responsibility that rests on the shoulders of today’s youth,” he said.

Urging the young students to carry the fragile mantle of the future forward, he mentioned the tenets that are essential for this purpose. “Inner strength and self confidence are the qualities that every individual must possess. In order to achieve these two, one must have the basics of honesty, truth and will power.” He further said, “If a person is self-centric, he cannot have true concern for the well being of others.”

Reflecting on the importance of education in modern context, he said, “The very purpose of education is to reduce the gap between appearance and reality. According to Buddhist perspective, ignorance is the root of all misery.” He added, “Knowledge exists in three levels. Firstly, learning from others, followed by self-analysis and introspection and lastly, conviction to what is learnt. This knowledge should be applied in a holistic way in order to create a happier and more meaningful society.”

Calling himself a “son of India”, he shed light on the country that had paved the way for the existence of multiple religions. “For virtues of ahimsa and religious harmony, India is the best example for the rest of the world,” he added.

Speaking to the Tibetan student community in particular, he encouraged them to keep the spirit of the Tibetan struggle alive, and said, “Practice self-discipline. Be aware not only of your immediate surroundings, but the larger picture as a whole”

- Parinitha and Shoaib, I M S Com