All humans are same; no one religion is greater than the other: Dalai Lama

By A Staff Reporter

IMPHAL | Oct 18

“No one religion is greater than the others. Everyone should respect every religion for they all have the potential to bring peace”, said Tibetan spiritual leader Dalai Lama while addressing a global peace conference at the city convention centre Imphal.

A public convention was held for the visiting spiritual leader by the state government at the City Convention Centre where he addressed the media followed by a public convention on the topic “On peace and harmony”.

Responding to queries on the growing right wing religious intolerance in India, he said “India historically is a multi-religious country and everyone has their own belief and they have right to preserve it but no one religious group has right to forcibly convert or propagate their religion,” he said.

He did not directly answered queries on his opinion on the struggle in the Northeast region, but indirectly indicated how a European Union model can resolve many of these issues in a multi-cultural country like India. “People should have a broader prospective on what constitute greater common interest just as is the case with the European Union. Otherwise, it will only result in prolonging confrontation.

The formation of European Union has guaranteed peace between the conflicting Europeans countries and since the entire region has marched ahead towards development. Similarly the Indian union has also much better potential for development of all within the Union as a truly democratic nation, said the Dalai Lama.

He said there could also be union of the Asian countries, African countries and eventually of the world. This is his dream, he added.

The Dalai Lama further said that India has great potential to contribute in bringing world peace, provided it revives its rich ancient values.

The visiting Tibetan spiritual leader said that his visit is focused on bringing oneness and religious harmony in times when conflicts between different religious faiths are widespread.

He said that compassion is the ultimate source of inner peace and happiness. Every individual has different techniques and ways to achieve inner peace. Compassion is an important one among them. In the same breath he said violence is wrong and is against human nature.

Media also has responsibility to promote the sense of oneness of seven billion human beings and promote a sense of concern for wellbeing of the human race, asserted the spiritual leader.

In response to a query on the prospect of the 15th Dalai Lama, he said that the decision rests on the Tibetan people adding that his 1969 statement clearly mentioned that the very institution of Dalai Lama is the concerned of the Tibetan people.

With regards to the bitter relationship between Tibet and China, he said Tibet has stopped raising its issue in the UN since 1974 and rather focus on preserving tradition. Nevertheless, the only complain remains the suppression by not granting the autonomous status as mentioned in their (China) constitution.

He attributed his retirement from politic to attainment of Tibet’s democratic status which has always been his childhood dream.

The global conference was attended by people from many different place and from different walks of life. They included the Manipur Legislative Assembly Speaker Y. Khemchand Singh and other politicians, school students, religious leaders, scholars and journalists.