The Prime Minister, Shri Narendra Modi addressing the inaugural session of the Global Buddhist Summit (GBS) here today said “the path of Buddha is the path of the future and the path for sustainability.”  Had the world followed Buddha’s teachings, it would not have faced the problem of climate change.” The problem arose, the Prime Minister explained, as nations stopped thinking about others and coming generations. This mistake accumulated to catastrophic proportions. Buddha preached good conduct without any consideration of personal gain as such behaviour leads to overall good.

 

The GBS was organised by the International Buddhist Confederation and the Ministry of Culture. The Prime Minister walked through five photo exhibitions and offered flowers to the Buddha statue. He also offered monk’s robes (Chivar Dana) to nineteen eminent monks.

 

Explaining “Lifestyle For Environment” or “Mission LiFE,” an new initiative by India inspired by the Buddha, the Prime Minister said that if people become aware and change their lifestyle, then this huge problem of climate change can also be tackled. “Mission LiFE is influenced by the inspirations of Buddha and it furthers Buddha’s thoughts”, Shri Modi remarked.

 

Highlighting how each person is impacting the earth in one way or the other, be it with lifestyle, eating or traveling habits, he said that everyone can contribute towards fighting climate change. Lifestyle For Environment or Mission LiFE, an initiative by India influenced by the inspirations of Buddha the Prime Minister said that if people become aware and change their lifestyle, then this huge problem of climate change can also be tackled. “Mission LiFE is the inspirations of Buddha and it furthers Buddha’s thoughts”, Shri Modi remarked.

 

“Buddha is beyond the individual, it is a perception”, the Prime Minister said. Buddha is a sensation that transcends the individual, he is a thought that transcends form and Buddha is a consciousness beyond manifestation. “This Buddha consciousness is eternal”, he said.

 

The presence of so many people from diverse areas represents the expansion of Buddha that binds humanity in a single thread. He also underlined the strength of the collective will and resolution of crores of followers of Lord Buddha globally will work for the welfare of the world.

 

Mentioning the event, the Prime Minister expressed confidence that the inaugural Global Buddhist Summit will create an effective platform for the efforts of all nations and thanked the Ministry of Culture and International Buddhist Confederation for this momentous event.

 

Union Minister for Culture, Shri G Kishan Reddy, Union Minister for Law and Justice, Shri Kiren Rijiju, Union Ministers of State for Culture, Shri Arjun Ram Meghwal and Smt Meenakshi Lekhi, and Secretary General of International Buddhist Confederation, Dr Dhammapiya were present on occasion.

 

On the occasion, an exhibition the Panch Pradarshan, the celebration of Five Exhibitions was organised as part of the two-day Global Buddhist Summit on the theme, Responses to Contemporary Challenges: Philosophy to Praxis".

 

These depicted the 10-years of IBC’s journey, the rich cultural legacy of Buddha manifesting in the heritage of Vadnagar city, Gujarat, travel accounts of Buddhist pilgrim Xuanzang, work of Buddhist religious leader and master Atisa Dipankara Srijana, and Ajanta Ellora cave painting of Padmapani to name a few.