Dalai Lama says time would come when Ladakhis will be able to visit Lhasa

Leh: Addressing a gathering at Thupstanling Gonpa, Diskit Tsal in Leh, Tibetan spiritual leader Dalai Lama on Tuesday said that the time will come soon when Ladakhis would be able to visit Lhasa again. "Times are changing, and that a time would come when Ladakhis would be able to visit Lhasa again. Tibetans are seeking genuine autonomy rather than complete independence" the 14th Dalam Lama said.

"Before I retired from political responsibility, we adopted the middle way approach according to which we are seeking a mutually acceptable solution to the issue of Tibet. This means that we are seeking genuine autonomy rather than complete independence, primarily concerned with preserving our identity, language and rich Buddhist cultural heritage in all Tibetan-speaking areas," said the Tibetan spiritual leader while addressing the audience as he inaugurated a new centre of learning at Thupstanling Gonpa, Diskit Tsal in Leh. 

The Tibetan leader emphasized the importance of caring for the environment. He recommended planting and caring for trees and taking steps to protect the local ecology. Dalai Lama further said that he is glad that the people of the Himalayan region, from Ladakh in the west- to Arunachal Pradesh in the east, are also making a valuable contribution to protecting and preserving the Nalanda Tradition."It is because of this logical, reasoned approach that many scientists today can take an interest in Buddhist psychology with its methods for training the mind and emotions. I`d like to commend you for your efforts," he added.

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After this, the Tibetan spiritual leader went to a farewell luncheon at the Sindhu Ghat, on the banks of the Indus River. The 14th Dalai Lama praised India`s age-old principles of `ahimsa` and `karuna`, which have great potential to create a more peaceful and harmonious world. He noted that Mahatma Gandhi had propagated `ahimsa`, and leaders such as Martin Luther King and Nelson Mandela had learned from this example. 

(With ANI inputs)