Tibetans look to India with great hope, 17th Karmapa Ogyen Trinley Dorje today said as he praised the country for giving Tibetans a home and protection.
The 31-year-old Karmapa, who is recognised by the Dalai Lama, arrived at the McLeod Ganj headquarters of the Tibetan government-in-exile in 2000 and now lives in Dharamshala.
The head of the Karma Kagyu school of Tibetan Buddhism, who had dramatically escaped to India through Nepal at the age of 14, is here for the launch of his book 'Interconnected'.
"India has been kind in extremely important ways to the Tibetan people, offering us protection and a home. Tibetans look to India with great hope, and we are grateful for all the care we have received," the Tibetan Buddhism's third-highest spiritual leader told PTI.
His book, released in New Delhi in April, is described as an attempt at understanding the current trend towards isolationism, offering a path towards a more compassionate society in a dangerous era of "post-truth" and polarising conflict.
"This compelling and wise book serves as a roadmap for creating a more compassionate global society - starting with oneself," a statement by his publishers said.
He founded Khoryug, an eco-monastic movement which has mobilised 55 Buddhist monasteries and nunneries across the Himalayan region.
"His current initiative to grant full ordination to nuns in his lineage is a ground-breaking first step toward creating equal spiritual opportunities for women in Tibetan Buddhism," a statement said.
The Karmapa, an artist, poet and composer, has also created a new theatrical form that combined Tibetan opera with modern theatre.
Many of his poems have been set to music, and he has been working to revive the performance of the sacred "doha" songs associated with the Buddhist lineage he heads.
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