News and Views on Tibet

Dalai Lama concludes teaching for Indian Buddhist group

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By Tenzin Monlam

DHARAMSHALA, June 9: The Tibetan spiritual leader His Holiness the Dalai Lama concluded the three-day teaching on ‘Conscientiousness’ from Shantideva’s Bodhicharyavatara for Indian Buddhists known collectively Nalanda Shiksha at Thekchen Chöling Tsuglakhang today.

“Tibetan tradition is true lineage of Nalanda tradition. I consider myself a student of these masters and particularly of Nagarjuna,” the Dalai Lama said adding that it were the Nalanda masters who explained all the teachings of Buddha in detail.

He urged the Indian Buddhists present at the teaching to pay more attention to texts wrote by the ancient Indian masters and philosophers. He stated that they were not just spiritual practitioners, but top scholars.

“One way to look at Buddha from an ordinary human being, he achieved enlightenment. So Buddha is an example for us. If we utilize our intelligence to purify the destructive emotions based on wrong view. Once that is removed and purified, we achieve the ultimate reality of the mind called Nirvana,” the spiritual leader said.

He further added that the basis of Nirvana is our mind and the only barrier is impure mind or kalesh.

Religious harmony being one of His Holiness’s key commitments, he stressed that he is not portraying Buddhism as the best religion. He said that the best is determined according to different individuals. For some the concept of creator is very powerful and effective and for some the concept of Athma.

“The concept of one religion, one truth is applicable for an individual to strengthen his/her single-pointed faith. However, for humanity and community the concept of several truths, several religions is more relevant. So we have to accept there are different religious traditions but the important thing is, all teach us to be a nice, sensible and kind human being,” he said.

His Holiness leaves for the United States, where he will give teachings beginning at Washington DC on June 13 and also take part in events in different cities throughout the month.

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