Thekchen Chöling, Dharamsala, HP - His Holiness the Dalai Lama wrote to the Indian Prime Minister, Shri Narendra Modi, to offer his good wishes on his 68th birthday with prayers for his continued good health.
He wrote: “I would like to take this opportunity to also share my thoughts with you that India is not only the world's largest democratic nation but also has unique gifts to offer to the world. I am confident that India will be able to play an active role in sharing treasures such as stability, religious harmony, karuna and ahimsa for the greater good of humanity. Under your able leadership the people of India will continue to prosper.
“I consider myself a messenger of India, and wherever I go I speak in praise of this country’s longstanding tradition of tolerance and inter-religious harmony. In recent years, I have also committed myself to revive interest in ancient Indian thought. I believe this can be of immense value in transforming our destructive emotions and promoting basic inner qualities. As necessary as physical hygiene is to maintaining our physical fitness, cultivating emotional hygiene and learning to tackle our destructive emotions is essential to mental fitness. In this connection, I believe that elements of ancient Indian wisdom can be immensely helpful.
“India is the only country with the potential to combine ancient knowledge with modern education in order to develop peace of mind. I am very encouraged by the growing interest in India, especially among young people, in restoring ancient Indian wisdom.”
His Holiness concluded, “India has been our home for more than 59 years. On behalf of my fellow Tibetans, I take this opportunity to express our heartfelt gratitude for the generosity of the Government and people of India. It is due to the kindness and generosity of India that we are able to preserve our ancient cultural heritage in exile.”
