GUWAHATI: Close on the heels of China renaming 11 places in Arunachal Pradesh, top Himalayan Buddhist leaders attended a national conference at Zemithang, the last Indian village in the Tawang sector of the LAC.
“Zemithang, as you might all know, is the last Indian border through which His Holiness the 14th Dalai Lama entered India in 1959. Therefore, holding this conference here is significant,” Arunachal Chief Minister Pema Khandu said addressing the gathering.
The conference was held on Monday at the Gorsam Stupa on the theme “Nalanda Buddhism – retracing the source in footsteps of Acharyas: From Nalanda to Himalayas and beyond”. Khandu subtly laid facts that buttressed Arunachal’s inherently Indian identity. He stressed that the Buddhist culture – which thrives on peaceful co-existence of every sentient being – should not only be preserved but also propagated.
“The main pillar on which Nalanda Buddhism stands is the principle of reasoning and analysis. This means we can even bring the teachings of Lord Buddha under the ambit of reasoning and analysis. This logic is based on science and perhaps, Buddhism is the only religion that gives its followers this liberty,” the CM, who hails from Tawang, said.
He said Arunachal is home not only to Buddhism but also to several religions, including those who follow indigenous faith. He expressed gratitude to the Indian Himalayan Council of Nalanda Buddhist Tradition for organizing the conference at Zemithang, ‘one of the holiest places of Buddhism’.
He said Buddhism is expanding globally and witnessing important resurgence in traditional areas. He stressed on making its presence vibrant, roots connected to Nalanda Buddhism. The conference was attended by 600 delegates, with 45 Buddhist leaders and scholars from all Himalayan areas.