News

The three-day preliminary teachings of the Kalachakra puja began yesterday in the afternoon at the Kalachakra Maidan in Bodh Gaya. Over a hundred thousand devotees from all over the world attended the teachings by His Holiness the Dalai Lama, which continued this afternoon.

The Dalai Lama conducting the Kalchakra prayers

More than 100,000 Buddhists have gathered for the Kalchakra festival at Bodhgaya in the northern Indian state of Bihar. The festival was opened by the Buddhist spiritual leader, the Dalai Lama.

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.

Neo-buddhist monks on a fast-unto death in Gaya after they were arrested by the police for demonstrating against the Dalai Lama. (PTI photo)

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.