Dalai Lama speaks on compassion, wisdom at Global Buddhist Summit 2023

Tibetan Spiritual Leader the Dalai Lama on Friday participated in the Global Buddhist Summit and addressed a group of monks and other delegates who have gathered here for the two-day event, sources said.

He spoke for about half an hour and emphasised on Buddhist philosophy and values.

The first-of-its-kind summit began on Thursday with Prime Minister Narendra Modi addressing the inaugural session.

Modi in his address said the world is passing through challenges such as war, economic instability, terrorism, religious extremism and climate change and asserted that Lord Buddha's ideas offer a solution to these problems.

The summit is divided into two segments, academic and Sangha sessions.

Media was allowed only for the inaugural session, the rest of the sessions are not open to the press, an official source said.

The source, however, confirmed that the Dalai Lama attended the summit on Friday morning and addressed gathered monks and other delegates.

"In his nearly half-an-hour address, the Tibetan spiritual leader spoke of compassion, wisdom and meditation," he told PTI.

The three values are integral to the teachings of Lord Buddha and the philosophy he espoused.

On Monday, at a press conference here, organisers had said that invite was sent to the Dalai Lama, but till that time it wasn't confirmed whether he would attend the event.

An official source in the Dharamshala-based Central Tibetan Administration or CTA (government in exile) had early on Friday morning told PTI that "His Holiness will attend the event".

The conference is being hosted at The Ashok Hotel from April 20 to 21 by the Union Ministry of Culture along with the International Buddhist Confederation (IBC).

The 87-year-old Tibetan spiritual leader has been in the news recently over a viral video linked with him and a boy.

The Dalai Lama on April 10 apologised to the boy, his family and friends for the "hurt his words may have caused" after the video clip purportedly showing the Tibetan spiritual head asking him to "suck" his tongue sparked a row.