New Delhi, Nov 5: President Droupadi Murmu attended the first Asian Buddhist Summit, organised by the Ministry of Culture in collaboration with the International Buddhist Confederation (IBC), in the capital on Tuesday.

Speaking on the occasion, President Murmu said that India, being a blessed land of Dharma has been home to many masters and mystics, seers and seekers, who have shown the humankind a way to find peace inside and harmony outside.

“The Buddha holds a unique place among these pathfinders. The enlightenment of Siddhartha Gautama under the Bodhi tree in Bodh Gaya is an event unparalleled in history. He not only attained incomparably rich insights into the working of the human mind, he also chose to share them with all people in the spirit of “Bahujana sukhaya bahujana hitaya cha” – for the welfare of the masses,” she told the gathering.

The President said that today the world is facing an existential crisis on many fronts and in such circumstances, the large Buddhist community has much to offer to humankind.

“The various schools of Buddhism show the world how to counter narrow sectarianism. Their central message remains focused on peace and non-violence. If one word can capture the Buddha Dhamma, it has to be ‘karuna’ or compassion, which is what the world needs today”, she remarked.

Emphasizing on the preservation of Buddha’s teachings, she said that she was happy to note that the government has granted the status of ‘classical language’ to Pali and Prakrit, among other languages. She said that Pali and Prakrit would now receive financial support, which will contribute significantly to the preservation of their literary treasures and to their revitalisation.

President Murmu further said that there was a need to discuss the role of Buddha Dharma in strengthening the Asian continent.

“We need to expand the discussion to see how Buddha Dharma can bring peace, real peace, to Asia and the world – a peace free from not only physical violence but also from all forms of greed and hatred – the two mental forces at the root of all our miseries, according to the Buddha,” she pointed out.

She expressed confidence that the Summit will go a long way in strengthening our cooperation, based on our shared heritage of the Buddha’s teachings.

--IANS

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