By Kelsang Rinchen,
Phayul Reporter
Dharamsala, January 3 – The 4th General Meeting of Tibetan school teachers was yesterday opened by His Holiness the Dalai Lama at the lower T.C.V school auditorium. More than four hundred school teachers from various Tibetan schools in India have gathered at lower T.C.V School to attend the 4th and perhaps the largest gathering of school teachers organised by the Department of Education.
His Holiness the Dalai Lama arrived at 9 in the morning as the Chief Guest for the opening function. Talking to an audience of more than five hundred people, he said that education forms the backbone of a country and that without a strong educational base a nation is not going to advance.
Referring to few Muslim Tibetans he sighted in the audience, he said compassion and kindness is preached by all religions and that they should believe in compassion, kindness and Tenjhung (dependency) not because they are principles of Buddhism but they are the essence of humanity.
Applying his belief in the fact that the whole of one is better than little bit of everything, His Holiness said that specialisation in a particular field is imperative these days.
Prof. Samdhong Rinpoche laid emphasis on the overall development of Tibetan education which he said, is not measured in terms of percentages or marks in the school results.
Expressing concerns at the diminishing education standard in Tibetan schools he questioned the failure of the post independence Tibet to produce genius intellectuals like it had before Chinese invasion.
His Holiness the Dalai Lama will leave Dharamsala today for the Kalachakra initiation in Bodhgaya.
Kelsang Rinchen can be contacted at kalsangr@yahoo.com