Tibetan spiritual leader Dalai Lama on Thursday described himself as a "messenger and son of India" and urged Indian religious leaders to step out of their 'narrow confines' to spread the country's universal values - secularism, non violence, love - across the globe.
"India's spiritual leaders are my bosses. The messenger, that's me, is active, propagating Indian values. My bosses too should get active now," he said.
Addressing an august gathering comprising country's best medical brains at the Sanjay Gandhi Postgraduate Institute of Medical Science (SGPGIMS), the Dalai Lama, while speaking on 'Brain science and ancient Indian Buddhist thought', also posed a teaser for the medical fraternity.
"Can you provide happiness to your patients? No. Well, it has now been proved that physical health has a lot to do with mental happiness.
Negative emotions like anger, hatred eat up your immune system. So positive approach coupled with meditation is the key to success," he said. He asked them: "Can you answer what happens when a person dies? What happens to a person's brain and body? We have had cases where the bodies of those Buddhist monks who died remained fresh for weeks."
He said, "In one case, a US scientist wired up a body and detected electric signals for a brief while. In another case a physically weak monk's body not only remained fresh but also gained strength a couple of days after death. Do you have an answer to this? This is where the importance of research backed investigation is so crucial."
{{/usCountry}}He said, "In one case, a US scientist wired up a body and detected electric signals for a brief while. In another case a physically weak monk's body not only remained fresh but also gained strength a couple of days after death. Do you have an answer to this? This is where the importance of research backed investigation is so crucial."
{{/usCountry}}He said, "India's talent and knowledge are second to none. Your democracy is a fascinating example of your inner strength. Even leader of the opposition LK Advani told me that secularism was India's biggest strength."
On relationship between science and religion, he said, "Science doesn't distinguish between religions. That's why one needs to have a scientific temper."
He said, "Spirituality vs religiosity debate should be given a new angle. For there should be another spirituality that is rooted in country's secular ethos."
After the end of the lecture, the SGPGI medical fraternity honored him with a anga vastra. The Dalai Lama looked at the white silk cloth and remarked, "It's a made in China cloth being used by a Tibetan in India. Isn't it a fascinating example of cooperation between the three countries"?