Buddhism can bridge India, China differences: Dalai Lama

Tribune News Service

Dharamsala, July 31

Buddhism can help bridge differences between Indian and China. The Tibetan spiritual leader the Dalai Lama said this during an online discussion with Indian students yesterday.

The Dalai Lama was speaking to students from the Law Faculty of Delhi University; Banaras Hindu University, Varanasi; Guru Govan Singh Indraprastha University, New Delhi, the National Institute of Technology, Yupia, Arunachal Pradesh and Chapra Central School, Saran, Bihar. The virtual conversation on ‘Compassion -the answer in a troubled world’ was live streamed on social media platforms.

He said that India and China can achieve peace through the common Buddhist culture and dwelled upon the stark differences between the world’s two most populous nations and their journey over the past 60 years.

The Dalai Lama said that China and India were the world’s most populous nations. While China has faced all kinds of ups and downs, India has steadily preserved its democracy and the rule of law. It’s a country where different peoples with their own language and culture belong to one Indian Union. He also explained his experience of living in exile in India for the past more than 60 years in India.

India and China are going through rough times with rising disputes along the borders. In one of the worst clashes along the borders, 20 Indian soldiers died while no less number of Chinese were also affected in the Galwan region of Ladakh last month. There is a growing tension between the two countries and it could lead to a huge turbulence in Asia, the Dalai Lama said.

The Dalai Lama said that China is traditionally a Buddhist country and today there are about 400 million Chinese Buddhists. Therefore, there is common culture between China and India which could be the basis for their working together to achieve peace in the world.