Pilgrims thronging Bodh Gaya today witnessed their supreme leaders, the Dalai Lama and the 17th Karmapa, kick off the Kalchakra festival and joined a mass initiation ceremony later, but missed a glimpse of the "holy ashes" of the Buddha, which are preserved in Patna Museum.
Tibetan spiritual leader, the Dalai Lama, left, gives a sermon as other Buddhist monks listen during the inauguration of the Kalachakra festival in the town of Bodh Gaya, believed to be the place where Buddha attained enlightenment, in the Indian state of Bihar, Sunday, Jan. 12, 2003. The Kalachakra is the most important ritual of the Mahayana sect of traditional Buddhists. (AP Photo/Vikram Kumar)
World peace can be attained only through Lord Buddha's path of "ahimsa", Tibetan spiritual leader the Dalai Lama said on Sunday. "Lord Buddha's preaching of ahimsa (non-violence) is relevant today as several countries have developed weapons of mass destruction.
A section of neo-Buddhists sitting on a "fast-unto death" here protesting the alleged "pro-China" bias of Dalai Lama and 17th Karmapa Ugyen Trinley were taken into custody last night even as the 28th Kalchakra puja began here today amidst tight security arrangements.
Amid threats and allegations of spying and sacrilege, the Dalai Lama led Tibetan Buddhists' highest worship ceremony on Sunday, calling for the rejection of materialism, greed and violence.
Even as the Dalai Lama spoke of world peace through ahimsa at the inaugural session of the nine-day Kalchakra Puja here, thousands of Tibetan refugees raised free-Tibet slogans outside.
In 1959, China invaded and occupied the resource-rich Buddhist homeland of Tibet, and they continue to operate a brutal domination of the once peaceful land. In spite of this, Western leaders have refused to cut ties to China, for fear of alienating a huge trading partner.
The Dalai Lama leads Kalachakra prayers during a ceremony to purify the ground where religious festivities will be held in the town of Bodh Gaya, believed to be the place where Buddha attained enlightenment, during the Kalachakra Buddhist festival in the Indian state of Bihar Friday Jan. 10, 2003. (AP Photo/Elizabeth Dalziel)
The three-day preliminary teachings of the Kalachakra puja by His Holiness the Dalai Lama begins tomorrow at one in the afternoon. His Holiness will teach on the 37 Practices of Bodhisattva and Lamp of the Path to Enlightenment.
