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Prime Minister Narendra Modi said on Friday that many of the world's conflicts are an outcome of taking extreme positions instead of a balanced approach, asserting that Buddha's teachings of following the middle path and avoiding extremes offer solution to numerous global challenges. In a video address to the fourth edition of Samvad, a global Hindu-Buddhist initiative for conflict avoidance, organised in Thailand, Modi said the shared traditions of Asia rooted in the principles of Dhamma provide answers to the environmental crisis plaguing the world. Hinduism, Buddhism, Shintoism, and other Asian traditions teach people to live in harmony with nature, he said, adding they do not see themselves as separate from nature but as a part of it. According to a statement, Modi highlighted the concept of trusteeship, as advocated by Mahatma Gandhi, and emphasised that when using natural resources for progress, one must also consider our responsibility to future generations. This approach .
Prime Minister Narendra Modi asserted on Thursday that the recognition of Pali as a classical language honours the great heritage of Lord Buddha, as he took swipe at past Congress governments for its neglect of India's cultural legacy after Independence. Speaking at a programme on the occasion of International Abhidhamma Divas, Modi said while every nation associates its heritage with its identity, India was left far behind. Invaders tried to erase India's identity before its Independence, and those suffering from "slave mindset" did so afterwards, he said, adding that an ecosystem captured the country which took it in an direction opposite to its its heritage. He said his government's policies and programmes have been guided by the teachings of Lord Buddha, reiterating that the world plagued by instability and insecurity can find solution to its problems in his teachings. World can find solution not in "yuddh" (war) but in Buddha, and it should learn from his teachings to pave the
India has signed an additional grant of Sri Lanka Rupees 150 million to build houses and infrastructure facilities in the Buddhist sacred town of Anuradhapura, the Indian High Commission has said. Santosh Jha, the High Commissioner of India, and the relevant Sri Lankan officials on March 21 exchanged letters about the grant to the island nation. With this, the Indian government's total commitment to the project currently stands at SLR 450 million for the construction of houses and infrastructure facilities in Sobitha Thero village of Anuradhapura. The late Sobhitha Thero was an iconic Buddhist monk in the island nation's good governance movement. Responding to the drastic changes in the economic landscape of Sri Lanka, the Government of India decided to infuse additional funds into nine ongoing grant projects to expeditiously complete these projects, while also minimising the impact of the sharp rise in the cost of construction materials on the original scope of projects. The exten
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday said Vipassana is a unique gift of ancient India and also a modern science whose application can help young and elderly people tackle "stress and distress" in their lives. In a virtual address to mark the birth centenary celebrations of Vipassana teacher S N Goenka, Modi said meditation and Vipassana were once seen as a medium of renunciation but now it has become a medium of personality development in practical life. "Stress and distress are common in the present-day life of young people and senior citizens, and Vipassana teachings can help them find solutions to their problems," Modi said. He said S N Goenka was a perfect example of 'one life one mission'. His teachings and commitment to the welfare of society are a source of inspiration as India is moving fast to fulfil the goals of Viksit Bharat, Modi said. "Inspired by Lord Buddha, Guruji would say when people meditate together the result is very effective. Such power of unity is the gre
Lord Buddha is the inspiration for India's Constitution even today, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said on Wednesday. Addressing a gathering at the Abhidhamma Day programme here, he also asserted that the 'dhamma chakra' on the tricolour is the driving force for the country. The day symbolises the end of the three-month rainy retreat 'varshavaas' or 'vassa' during which Buddhist monks stay in a monastery to pray and meditate. "Even today, when someone enters Parliament (of India), they see the mantra 'Dharma Chakra Pravartaanye'," the prime minister, who inaugurated a new international airport here, said while contemporising the message of the Buddha. "Buddha is global because he talks about starting from within. Lord Buddha's Buddhatatva is the sense of ultimate responsibility," he added. "Today, when the world talks about climate conservation and expresses concern over climate change, then many questions come up. But if we adopt the message of Buddha, then the path of what has t