Dalai Lama calls inter-faith meeting in India amid rising tension

[DharmaSpace]

The Dalai Lama is to convene an unprecedented meeting of Indian faith leaders this weekend in an effort to encourage religious harmony in the emerging economic power.

Aides said the Buddhist spiritual leader was concerned about rising communal tensions in India as well as a number of other issues, from environmental degradation and natural disasters to discrimination against women.

"His Holiness is concerned by the things that are happening. The aim is to come up with an action plan to promote religious harmony," said Gelek Namgyal, a spokesman.

Though aides stressed that the initiative was apolitical, it comes amid concern at increasingly fractious relations between majority Hindu and minority Muslim populations in the country.

In the election campaign this year candidates from the Hindu nationalist Bharatiya Janata party (BJP) were accused of playing on deep-seated sectarian prejudices to boost support. Narendra Modi, who took power after a landslide victory in May, told supporters during the campaign that refugees from Bangladesh, who are largely Muslim, should be deported, while suggesting that India was the "natural home" of Hindu refugees. A key aide, Amit Shah, is facing criminal charges of hate speech.

Supporters say Modi believes in true equality for India's minorities by ensuring fair opportunities and development for the country's 1.6 billion people. His critics accuse him of undermining decades of official secularism.

One BJP minister said recently that profits made from slaughtering cattle for export – a trade dominated by Muslims – funded terrorism, while another BJP official said Muslim religious schools were "manufacturing terrorists".

Politicians and activists from a variety of hardline Hindu organisations have claimed that Muslims in India engage in "love jihad", a supposed systematic campaign to convert Hindu women through marriage. Some Christian groups have backed the allegation, which is denied by Muslim community leaders.

Since fleeing to India from Tibet in 1959, the Dalai Lama has scrupulously avoided any intervention in Indian domestic politics. Aides said the meeting had "nothing to do with any political party being in power" and simply stemmed from the Nobel peace laureate's concern for the country which has hosted him for decades.

"Religious leaders have a great role and influence here in India. After living here for so long he wants to do something for this country," one said.

When "politicians disharmonised" it was possible for religious leaders to "bring harmony", the aide explained.

Representatives of all faiths are expected to participate in the meeting this weekend. They include the Hindu guru Sri Sri Ravi Shankar, a senior Shia Muslim cleric, the archbishop of Bombay, and leaders of India's small Jewish community.

At the top of the agenda is "promoting such human values as kindness and compassion, tolerance and forgiveness" and "fostering inter-religious harmony and understanding".

The Dalai Lama, who is revered by his followers as the 14th reincarnation of the Buddha Avalokiteshvara, who achieved spiritual enlightenment, gave up his political functions in 2010.

Beijing considers the 79-year-old, who left Tibet after an abortive uprising against Chinese rule, to be a violent separatist.

The conclave was originally scheduled early this week but would have clashed with the first visit to India of China's president, Xi Jinping. Indian media reported that it was postponed after a request from the prime minister's office.

Modi used his Twitter feed on Monday to issue a statement welcoming Xi to Ahmedabad, the capital of Gujarat state, which will be the Chinese leader's first stop on Wednesday. Xi is on a week-long tour of South Asian states including the Maldives, Sri Lanka and Nepal.

"Am sure his visit will strengthen India-China ties. Buddhism is a very strong bond between China & India. In fact, Gujarat too has a very rich Buddhist heritage," Modi tweeted.

Modi has previously been accused of failing to prevent rioting in Gujarat when he was chief minister there in 2002. An estimated 1,000 people, largely Muslims, died in the violence. A supreme court judicial inquiry found no evidence to substantiate the charge.

I don't think it is a good idea for the Dalai Lama to mediate, the CTA and the Dalai Lama have collaborated to bring separatism to the Tibetan people and Tibetan buddhists. If the CTA lifts the ban then that is a different thing altogether. CTA stands to gain much prestige and recognition if they are brought in to help with Muslim Hindu Issue plaguing India. So CTA quickly raise the ban, so you can qualify and do great merit for yourselves and your people. Lifting the ban cannot be more important for the Dorje Shudgen people and CTA.

Do not screw up this great opportunity CTA.

[Blueupali]

Oh boy.  This is more hypocrisy from Dalai.... look how wonderful--- how he causes peace--- for everyone except people close to him.
  I don't know if a Buddhist person would be the right one for this, or I'd suggest Karmapa (Thaye Dorje) the legit one as he is a Chenresig emanation:).  I think maybe an Islamic leader and a Hindu leader, no Buddhists for this one? 

[prodorjeshugden]

Hmmmm... The Dalai Lama calling for dialogue between different faiths? Unbelievable. He should call for dialogue between the CTA and Dorje Shugden practitioners!
Many people call him the peace holder and from the front he does look like a holder of peace, but from the other side he is one of the few people behind the one of the world's greatest religious conflict. Thousands upon thousands of people suffer at the hands of the CTA and the Dalai Lama because of the great Dorje Shugden Ban. A real Buddhist should not cause sufferings for others, only someone who worships satan will create suffering for others.

I really hope that the Dalai Lama can stop with all of the hypocrisy and bring down the Ban. _/\_