Himachal governor Kavinder Gupta on Sunday said that Lord Buddha’s teachings are more relevant than ever as the world faces challenges such as violence, intolerance, war, environmental damage and declining moral values.
He said that Buddha’s message of compassion, non-violence, wisdom and the middle path offers guidance for building a more peaceful and caring society. Gupta was speaking at a national seminar titled ‘From Nalanda to the Himalayas -The Unbroken Legacy of the Buddhist Knowledge Tradition’ in Tashi Jong, Baijnath in Kangra district. He quoted the message of Dhammapada and said that hatred can never be ended by hatred, but only through love and compassion.
The governor welcomed the Indian Himalayan Nalanda Buddhist Tradition Council’s initiative to introduce the National Institute of Open Schooling (NIOS) curriculum in monasteries. He said this would help young monks and nuns receive recognised academic qualifications while continuing their traditional religious education.
The seminar was organised by the Indian Himalayan Nalanda Buddhist Tradition Council in collaboration with the Khampagar Monastery, Tashi Jong and focused on modernizing monastic education and the role of Buddhist philosophy in addressing today’s global challenges.