The Hindu : Tamil Nadu News : Meet calls for wider spread of Buddha's teachings

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Friday, Sep 09, 2005

Tamil Nadu

Tamil Nadu

Meet calls for wider spread of Buddha's teachings

Special Correspondent

CHENNAI: Speakers at a meeting held at Buddhavedu village near Kunrathur on the outskirts of Chennai on Wednesday called for reaching out to different sections with the teachings of Gautama Buddha, in view of their eternal relevance.

Former Governor of Mizoram, A. Padmanabhan, said Buddha's teachings were not meant for scholars alone. Books highlighting the teachings should be brought out in a simple, readable and perfect manner to enlighten people, more particularly students. Children should be told that Buddha was born in this part of the world, he said.

The essence of Buddhism was incorporated by Tamil savant Tiruvalluvar in the `Tirukkural', which has been acclaimed as a common scripture applicable to all communities, Mr. Padmanabhan said.

Sumith Nakandala, Deputy High Commissioner of Sri Lanka, said the 2550th Buddha Jayanthi would be celebrated all over the world next year. The Sri Lankan Government would celebrate it in a grand manner.

Buddha was the first to underscore the importance of political, cultural and religious pluralism; he said this was the key to success in the present liberal democracies.

It was Buddha, who identified the socio-economic dynamics of society, much ahead of many other social reformers, he said.

Sri Lankan donors thanked

He also thanked the Sri Lankan donors who had contributed to the Buddha Vihar buildings that had come up in the village.

Venerable Welimada Dhammagavesi Maha Thero of Sri Lanka, who presided over the function, where a new building of the Buddha Vihar was opened, appealed to the people to learn to co-exist with nature.

Dispelling misconceptions about Buddhism, he said it showed a peaceful way of life to people.

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