New world body based in India to represent Buddhists from across the world
Posted on November 30th, 2011
Courtesy: Indian Express
New Delhi, India — Supreme spiritual leaders representing most nations with a sizeable Buddhist population are close to deciding on the formation of a new international body based in India that aims to give a united voice to Buddhism in international forums like the United Nations (UN).
ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ The first ever congregation of Buddhist spiritual leaders, ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ…-supreme patriarchsƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”š‚ and representatives of Buddhist sects began in New Delhi on November 28.
ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ Lama Lobzang, the President of Asoka Mission that is organising the event, said it was the first time that spiritual leaders belonging to all Buddhist traditions were meeting at a common platform.
ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ The first day saw a closed door meeting of top spiritual leaders – from Vietnam, Sri Lanka, Myanmar, Thailand as well as from Taiwan, Malaysia, Mongolia and Bhutan – on the formation of an International Buddhist Confederation based in India that would act as an umbrella body for Buddhism.
A top aide of the Dalai Lama also said that the event was purely religious. ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ…-It should not be used by any nation or individual for a political purpose,ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”š‚ Tempa Tshering, a representative of the Tibetan spiritual leader in New Delhi, said. He added that the only motivation for Dalai LamaƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢s scheduled attendance at the event was to meet religious leaders.
However, the conference has the tacit support of the Indian government and the plan reportedly was to turn it into a major symbolic event that would for the first time bring together the three strands of Buddhism ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢¢”š¬‚ Theravada, Bodhisattvayana and Vajrayan ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢¢”š¬‚ and announce the creation of a unified Buddhist body.
In his message to the congregation, the Dalai Lama too lent his tacit support to the unified body by saying that there is a need to improve communication in the Buddhist world. ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ…-There have not been many opportunities for Buddhists to come together and discuss issues of common concern. Now and in the future we need to encourage and foster an exchange of knowledge and experience among our different traditions and improve communications amongst us,ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”š‚ he said.
The event will conclude on Wednesday (November 30) with an address by the Dalai Lama and the expected announcement of a new world body to represent Buddhists from across the world.
December 1st, 2011 at 3:14 am
This is Buddhism, so we don’t have “spiritual” leaders as in the evangelical societies. It could be a committee or සංගමය of leading Buddhist monks and laymen, men and women of all nations, as Buddhism is free for everyone. One does not have to act like a celebrity get attention of other Buddhists. The amount of Buddhists grows slowly but surely in the world with or without UN, as it is a religion/philosophy to the mind, rather than for show. A Buddhist does not have to advertise his “faith” as in other religions.
I wish them all the luck to be able to organize this event.
December 1st, 2011 at 7:12 am
We extend to the International Buddhist Confederation our very best wishes. It is wise to form such an organisation in times such as the present.
Apart from the sense of Unity & Sharing of Knowledge, and offering of other wonderful services such a Buddhist Organisation will give to Buddhists all over the world, they could also gently deter the use of the Buddha image in advertisements (except in tourism), and commercial products. I was appalled to see the Chinese inspired Laughing Buddha on a porcelain butter dish (advertised in a catalog).
December 1st, 2011 at 8:06 pm
This sounds good but India involvement casts real doubts.
“The first day saw a closed door meeting of top spiritual leaders – from Vietnam, Sri Lanka, Myanmar, Thailand as well as from Taiwan, Malaysia, Mongolia and Bhutan – on the formation of an International Buddhist Confederation based in India that would act as an umbrella body for Buddhism.
A top aide of the Dalai Lama also said that the event was purely religious. “It should not be used by any nation or individual for a political purpose,” Tempa Tshering, a representative of the Tibetan spiritual leader in New Delhi, said. He added that the only motivation for Dalai Lama’s scheduled attendance at the event was to meet religious leaders.”
This is wrong. I see India playing politics here.
Remember India used Dalai Lama in IPL a few years ago? India is manipulating Buddhists especially Dalai Lama and his supporters to get even with China.
We should NOT be part of ANY such strategy.
ANY world Buddhist organisation MUST be beased in either Thailand, Burma or Sri Lanka.