Dalai Lama, Karmapa, Richard Gere to attend Nalanda discussions

Buddhists from over 30 countries are expected to be part of the three-day international Buddhist conference beginning at Nalanda from March 17.

Tibetan spiritual leader Dalai Lama, the American actor and humanitarian activist Richard Gere and the 17th Karmapa, the head of Karma Kagyu sect of Tibetan Buddhism Ogyen, Trinley Dorje , will be at Nalanda to discuss relevance of Buddhism in the 21st Century, considered widely as the age of aggression and violence.

The Dalai Lama (right) with Hollywood actor Richard Gere at Bodh Gaya. (HT file photo)

Buddhists from over 30 countries, including the supreme Buddhist patriarchs from Mongolia, Russia, Sri Lanka, Cambodia, Vietnam and Bangladesh, are expected to attend the discussion, which will be part of the three-day international Buddhist conference, hosted jointly by the ministry of culture and the Nav Nalanda Mahavihara, beginning March 17.

While the Dalai Lama will inaugurate the event, President Pranab Mukherjee is expected to attend the valedictory function.

The session would focus on issues like perspectives and responses to global challenges and crisis, conflicts, peace building and Buddhist responses, environment and nature conservation and Buddhist perspectives, women and Buddhism, among others.

The 40-volume of Pali Tripitaka, which has been reprinted by the Nav Nalanda Mahavihara after a gap of nearly six decades, will also be released on the occasion.

Buddhist scholars will also discuss how Buddhist philosophy could be helpful in creating a balance between economic development and conservation of nature and environment and in maintaining secular ethics.