“I’ve been aware of Manipur since I was a child,” said His Holiness the Dalai Lama at the City Convention Centre hall in Imphal, Manipur. His Holiness arrived in the state on Tuesday and he spoke first to the members of media and then at the City Convention Centre hall yesterday in the morning.
“I’ve been aware of Manipur since I was a child,” he told them in his introduction. “And now I am extremely happy to actually be here among you. Wherever I go, I always stress that as human beings we are all the same. We all want to live a happy life, which is our right, and the key to doing so is developing compassion for others.”
His Holiness the Dalai Lama was extended a civic welcome at the City Convention Center yesterday and he has come to speak at the International conference on Peace and Harmony at Imphal City Convention Center organized by the Speaker of the Manipur Legislative Assembly. His Holiness also spoke to the members of the media that they too have a responsibility to promote a positive outlook, not dwelling solely on negative stories.
“As a Buddhist monk, I believe all major religious traditions can help people find inner peace. They may employ different approaches and techniques, but each of them has the potential to help us become better human beings. Therefore, it’s important that there is harmony and respect among them. India is a living example that this is possible. Indigenous religions as well as traditions from elsewhere have lived here for centuries side by side in harmony.” His Holiness the Dalai Lama added.
While His Holiness also answered to the question about whether there would be 15th Dalai Lama, the Tibetan spiritual leader also told the audience of more than 700 people “Many of the problems we face today are of our own making. Why is this? Because we are subject to emotions without properly using our intelligence. Human beings are not fundamentally negative, but are prone to be swayed by anger and fear. We take such emotions for granted without realizing how destructive they can be.”
The event concluded with the Chief Secretary offering words of thanks on behalf of the people and government of Manipur. His Holiness had lunch with a group of political and religious leaders before returning to Raj Bhavan. He will leave Manipur tomorrow en route to Dharamsala.
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