Dharamshala: Tibetan’s spiritual leader, His Holiness the Dalai Lama gave an audience to the students of Woodstock School at his residence in Dharamshala today.
The students visited Dharamshala as a part of their school’s academic tour. Likewise, the students took an excursion around Central Tibetan Administration yesterday.
Speaking to the students, His Holiness the Dalai Lama emphasised on the importance of religious harmony to co-exist in a community. Citing India as the living example of one such community where different religious traditions coexist in harmony, His Holiness was optimistic that the rest of the world could follow India’s example.
However, His Holiness lamented on the violence and conflicts erupting in the name of religion while referring to the religious dispute between the two major denominations of Islam’s Shias and Sunnis.
“ Therefore, Indian Muslims should make some effort to reduce conflict between Shias and Sunnis and then show to the world that religious harmony is possible” advised His Holiness.
His Holiness the Dalai Lama was pragmatic when he suggested that Indian Muslims should organise a national level Muslim conference to address religious disputes.
Following His Holiness brief interaction with the students, a Q/A session ensued between His Holiness and the students.
One student from Afghanistan asked His Holiness how one should continue to hope when the endlessness of struggles makes life begin to seem pointless. His Holiness coherently answered that one’s struggle is a part and parcel of one’s karma and god has no control over it. His Holiness further attributed one’s action dictates the circumstances of one’s karma.
“Emphasise not on god but emphasise on one’s own way of life” suggested His Holiness.
Another student from South Korea asked His Holiness how today’s youth should find a purpose in life, to which His Holiness affirmed that hygiene of emotions should also be prioritised vis a vis physical hygiene in the education system today. His Holiness asserted that within the whirlpool of emotions, the counter-force tackling negative emotions exists which has to be channelised through secular education.
The interactive session with His Holiness concluded with His Holiness advising the students to become the best version of 21st-century people and create a better and peaceful world to live.