Tibetan spiritual leader, the Dalai Lama, has formally inaugurated an International Buddhist Convention in Patna.
Apart from Tibetan monks, Buddhists of other sects, spiritual leaders and devotees of various faiths congregated at the venue yesterday.
Among those who attended the inaugural function of the three-day event were Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar and also the Prime Minister of Tibetan government-in-exile, Lobsang Sangay.
Monks and delegates from other Buddhist countries such as Thailand, Japan, Sri Lanka, China, Myanmar and Cambodia are also taking part in this convention that would conclude on January 7.
Sharing his views with the mediapersons, a monk Tenzin said that thousands of people have flocked to attend this Buddhist conference.
“We have International Buddhist Conference. All Sanghas in all around the world have come to meet to talk about how to improve Buddhist in India and how to solve the problems of all monks in India. So today is very important day for Buddhists in Patna,” said Lama Tenzin, a Tibetan Buddhist monk.
The Dalai Lama would also be addressing the monks on the life and teaching of Buddha.
He also led in conducting mass prayers in which spiritual leaders and followers of other faiths participated for the benefit of mankind and all other living beings.
Another Tibetan monk Khempo said that the Dalai Lama is expected to speak on issues like world peace, benefit of mankind and other living beings among others.
“The Dalai Lama would be discussing lot of things today, he would be talking about world peace and every religion talks about one thing that is ”Karuna”, so today, Dalai Lama would be expected to talk over these issues,” said Khempo, a Tibetan Buddhist monk.
In his speech, the Dalai Lama said that the world is facing a moral crisis, and emphasised on self-discipline on the basis of moral ethics to combat it.
The Dalai Lama and Bihar”s Chief Minister Nitish Kumar jointly consecrated a Buddha statue at the venue.
The Nobel Peace Prize-winning spiritual leader Dalai Lama has for years said he seeks autonomy and religious freedom in his homeland of Tibet and not necessarily independence.
However, this ”middle path” policy has never convinced Beijing that has been ruling Tibet since 1950. (ANI)