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A Buddhist scholar, on Wednesday stressed on the importance of modern education, primarily science, for monks and nuns along with traditional study, while addressing a conference at Dharamsala.
The third edition of 'Cosmology and Consciousness' conference that hosted international scientists, Buddhist scholars and Tibetan monks, concluded on Wednesday.
It was organised by the Library of Tibetan Works and Archives under its Science for Monks Program and was flagged off by the education minister in exiled-Tibetan government, Ngodup Tsering.
The conference focused on 'Harmony and Happiness' and delved into Buddhist concept of connections. It was open to students, monks and people from all walks of life.
Panel discussions were held and presentations were screened by top Indian and western scientists and senior Tibetan Buddhist scholars.
Director of Library of Tibetan Works and Archives, Geshe Lhakdor, said it was important to have such seminars to educate monks and nuns.
"Science education is very important for laypeople as well as for monks and nuns because science is a subject which today has an impact on everybody's life.," said Lakhdor.
"So, therefore, for the Tibetan community also it is very important to be well versed in science and particularly in the monasteries, the monks and nuns because they are more or less confined to their traditional study, so it is important for them to also have modern education and primarily science," Lakhdor added.
The library, inspired by Tibetan spiritual leader, the Dalai Lama, has been teaching science to Tibetan monks since 2001.
Dharamsala has been the global headquarters of Tibetan exiles since 1959. Many settled there after walking for weeks across the Tibetan plateau, bringing with them tales of torture.
Thousands of people, including spiritual leader, the Dalai Lama, had fled into exile in India after a failed uprising against Chinese rule and since then have been living in various refugee colonies, settlements across India.
