By Tenzin Monlam
DHARAMSHALA/GAYA, JAN 6: His Holiness the Dalai Lama today participated in an interfaith event with religious leaders from different faiths before commencing the second day of the four-day teachings at Kalachakra puja ground in Bodh Gaya.
“In front today’s gathering of respected gurus of various faith I vow to carry on my pledge of religious harmony till my last breath. I know that you have worked hard till now and I hope you will continue to do so,” the Tibetan spiritual leader told the representatives of various faiths.
The Dalai Lama candidly stated that by harmony he meant acknowledging the differences between various faiths while spreading the core message of every religion, which is love and compassion. He highlighted that even in Buddhism there are various types explaining the need for variety in a world of over seven billion human beings.
“India is the one of the only countries today where all the major religions of the world coexist. There will be few problems in a country of over one billion people since every Indian is not Bodhicitta,” the Dalai Lama said.
He also urged India to maintain its diversity in religion and be a shining example for the world.
Attended by Gurbachan Singh, Jathedar of Akal Takht (supreme temporal seat of Sikhs), Maulana Asinur Rahman, Acharya Lokesh Muni, and Swami Chidananda Saraswati, who were all in Patna to participate in the 350th death anniversary celebrations of Guru Gobind Singh at Patna Sahib in Patna.
At the end of the gathering, the 81-year old Tibetan spiritual leader was honored with a silver coin marking the 350th death Anniversary of Guru Gobind Singh. The religious leaders along with the Dalai Lama also poured water into a globe as a symbolic gesture of wishing every human being to have ‘access to life’.
