Bangalore: Spiritual Leader Dalai Lama Graces Josephite Summit
News: Melwyn Pinto SJ
Daijiworld Media Network – Bangalore (VA)
Bangalore, Jan 30: They had heard of him, seen him on television and read about him. But most of them had not seen him personally; neither did they know that he could be so unassuming, down to earth and self effacing.
Masses of audience, over 3000 of them, mostly students and alumni, erupted in ecstasy when, spiritual leader Dalai Lama climbed the dais to take part in the Josephite Summit at St Joseph’s College, Bangalore, here on Sunday January 30.
What attracted the audience, among other things, was his great appreciation of India, Indian traditions and culture and, of course, his adulation of Christian community which, he said, had contributed a great deal to education.
‘India, a model to the world’
The Tibetan spiritual leader termed India as a model to the world as regards ahimsa and religious harmony were concerned. “Though there have been sporadic incidents of communal disharmony in India, everyone knows that these are caused by some mischievous elements. By and large India is a great land where multiple traditions have lived together for centuries,” Dalai Lama said.
However, he raised concern over India’s caste system, dowry and other discriminations and called upon the young generation to put an end to all that.
Inner strength and wholistic perspective
Addressing the students who were listening to him with rapt attention, Dalai Lama said that inner strength and wholistic perspective were the two important elements that everyone in general and students in particular must cultivate in his or her life. “The inner strength of a person is determined on the basis of honesty, truthfulness and transparency.
A person with real inner strength will not exploit others,” the seer said. He further added that all must cultivate multiple dimensions to see reality, as just one dimension may not give one a fair idea of reality. “Things are inter-connected. Hence we must see them from multiple dimensions. And that is when issues like environment, religious harmony etc. become important for us,” Dalai Lama said.
He lamented the growing gap between the rich and the poor in India. “Only a wholistic perspective can reduce such a gap among people. With inner strength and wholistic vision we can tackle any problem,” he said.
‘Son of India’
The entire discourse of Dalai Lama was filled with numerous lighter moments. On one occasion he called himself a ‘son of India’. “I am indeed a son of India. Spiritually I have been brought up in the great Nalanda traditions of India while physically I have grown eating Indian daal, chapathi, rice etc,” he said to the thunderous applause of the audience.
On another occasion the spiritual leader said that the real beauty of a person is the inner beauty. “Though physical beauty is important, the real beauty is the inner beauty. No cosmetics in the world can give you such beauty,” he said with a toothy smile
‘Ring will not respond’
Taking a grind at the Catholic bishops who take much comfort in allowing people to kiss their golden ring, Dalai Lama said that kissing a ring was indeed meaningless. “If you kiss a puppy or a kitten they respond. But if you kiss a ring will it respond,” he questioned, once again to the cheer of the audience.
The mahatma of the world
Earlier welcoming the Dalai Lama, principal of St Joseph’s College, Fr Ambrose Pinto described him as the Mahatma of the world. “Today (January 30) we commemorate Gandhi’s death. Gandhi was Mahatma of the nation. You too are a Mahatma to the world for you have propagated peace always. We are with you in your struggle for a free Tibet. Our college has over hundred Tibetan students and we share our solidarity with all Tibetans,” Fr Pinto said.