Nishikant Khajuria
JAMMU, Mar 18: Rejecting violence of all sorts, Nobel Peace Prize winner and spiritual leader Dalai Lama today called for making 21st century as the century of peace by resolving all issues through dialogue.
“The 21st Century must bid for the century of peace and dialogue not through prayers but actions by the young people, who need to play their role through determination and will power,” he said while addressing the pass-outs and gathering at first Convocation of the Central University Jammu, here today, in the presence of Union Minister Dr Jitendra Singh, former Chief of Army Staff, General (Retd) N C Vij and Prof Amitabh Mattoo, Advisor to the J&K Chief Minister.
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Maintaining that the difference of opinion was always there but using force to face these differences was not justified, Dalai Lama stressed, “Once you resort to violence, there will be counter violence and unpredictable consequence.”
The spiritual leader quoted the example of United States’ response to 9/11 terror attack and expressed his reservations to the offensive launched even as he termed then US President George W Bush as a very good human being.
Lamenting that violence and civil wars claimed 200 million human lives in the world, the Nobel Laureate suggested that all challenges should have been tacked through non-violent means and not through the force. “Because of that use of force, almost whole Arab world has something different view and a factor towards increased hatred against America,” he explained.
“For creation of peaceful world, we must have willpower no matter what complicated situation is. Try it to solve through dialogue. Respect seven billion human beings on this planet. Different views are always there but use of force is not the right way,” Dalai Lama said and added that more nuclear weapons were not the guarantee for more protection but only disaster.
Maintaining that basic human nature is more compassionate and no one dares to risk own life, Dalai Lama stressed that the time has come when education should be a tool to further nurturing these basic human values. “Each educational institution should take responsibility of not only to brain development of the students but also to develop basic human values, enshrined in India’s thousands year old traditional system based on secularism and non-violence,” he said.
Terming religious harmony in the country as marvelous, the Nobel Laureate said that India is the only example in the world where all different religions live together and same is clearly demonstrated in J&K where Buddhists, Christians, Hindus and Muslims are also living together.
“Real India’s strength is its thousands year old traditional system of Ahinsa (non-violence), secularism of respecting all religions and even respect to non-believers, which is something unique in today’s world,” he said and stressed the need for combining modern education with ancient Indian knowledge of `Samata Vibhsana’ including Yoga for bringing inner peace.
“In order to achieve the peaceful 21st Century, India’s thousands year old traditional knowledge is very very relevant and that is why many schools in America have started education about compassionate and education about non-violence,” he informed while terming India as historically ‘Guru’ (teacher) and himself as its ‘Chela’ (student).
Asking youth to use human intelligence for investigation and have logical approach with no blind faith, Dalai Lama stressed that old knowledge must be revived with determination. “India can truly become significant country to world people if you think seriously and recognize great potential of the Indian knowledge,” he added.
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