Improvement of workshops in settlements would benefit local Indian villagers

[Monday, 7 February 2011, 12:37 p.m.]


His Holiness the Dalai Lama during the inauguration of the newly built Government Industrial Training Institute at an
Indian village located near Doeguling Tibetan Settlement in Mundgod, in Karnataka, south India, on 1 February 2011

DHARAMSHALA: Offering a financial contribution to the newly inaugurated 'Government Industrial Training Institute' at an Indian village neighbouring Doeguling settlement in Mundgod, His Holiness described it as “the Tibetans' contribution to the transformation of India's rural areas.”

Addressing the inauguration of the training institute last week, His Holiness said: “I am indeed very happy that our aim has now materialised with the start of this training institute. As I had promised earlier, I will send a contribution of Rs 100 lakh to the institute. As I knew that there are around 200 students in this institute, I also want to give a separate of Rs 10,000 for a one day picnic with meals and fruits.”

Underlining for the need of more efforts in the rural areas, His Holiness said the real transformation of India must take place in rural areas. "We need to modernise the farming system for which, technology, such as machineries and training are very crucial. So I really appreciate your initiative to start these kind of training centres in the rural areas, which I think is extremely necessary and important in order to transform India in economic field.”

His Holiness the Dalai Lama also expressed gratitude to the Indian government for their support to the establishment of Tibetan settlements. “Initially we Tibetans came here empty handed, but gradually with the support from the government of India and NGOs there is much improvement in the Tibetan settlements. So it is a duty on the part of our community to serve and help you when and wherever possible. For instance in Orissa, the Tibetan community helped in the construction of school buildings in the neighbouring tribal areas. It is our contribution to the transformation of the rural areas of India.”

His Holiness the Dalai Lama recounted his penchant to play with machines in his childhood days. “Since my childhood I love [working] with machines. Instead of studying texts and teachings, I spent more time in working with the machines.”

“The workshops in the Tibetan settlements, including tractor repairing centres, should have improved and extended so that we can help the local Indian villages with these facilities. But I really feel sorry that there is no active work in these workshops. I suggested that our workshops should reach a certain level of standard so that we can not only earn for ourselves but also serve to the local Indian community,” His Holiness said.

“I also very much appreciate the state government for taking serious concern for developments in the rural areas,” His Holiness added.

His Holiness further said: “While you work hard to modernise India, you should not neglect the thousands of year old India's own spiritual tradition. This is very important. The spiritual education is not only for the monastic community, but India's sophisticated inner science such as human emotions and mind should be taught in the schools. Nowadays, some of the world's well known scientists are really showing genuine interests about inner science. In order to develop and promote inner peace, we need to train our mind by knowing the system of human emotions. Inner peace can never be brought about by drugs and money, which may possibly bring more jealousy to the contrary. Some of the top modern scientists began to realise the need for inner peace through the training of mind.”

"I always have a view that India is a big country with over a billion population. Apart from being the world's second most populous nation, India has deep rooted democracy with independent judiciary, free press, freedom of expression and religion among others. In comparison to other neighbouring countries, India is a very very stable and peaceful of the last 60 years,” His Holiness said.

His Holiness praised India for its genuine democracy, and peace and harmony between different religious traditions. “India has a large Muslim community but they are very peaceful. Of course, few individuals including Hindus and Muslims create some problems which is quite understandable, but over all it is very peaceful.”

“India is a very important nation in the whole world because of its millennia-old concept of ahimsa or non-violence with which all major religious traditions live together in genuine harmony. All the homegrown religions such as Hinduism, Buddhism, Jainism and Sikhism coexist very well with Zoroastrian. Christianity, Islam and Judaism. So there is genuine harmony in India, which serves as an example and model for the rest of the world,” His Holiness said.