Indian ambassador to the US Taranjit Singh Sandhu said on Friday that Buddhism is one of India’s greatest contributions to the globe and that New Delhi is eager to improve the connection that people have with one another via this faith.
He was giving a speech during a celebration honouring Buddha Purnima.
“With more than 2,500 years of history, Buddhism is one of India’s greatest contributions to the world. It is now used in more than 100 nations. It serves as a potent unifier. I have seen how powerful our common Buddhist tradition is during my prior jobs in Sri Lanka, said Sandhu.
“Under the leadership of Prime Minister Modi, the Government of India, is keen to strengthen the people-to-people linkages, weaved through the common thread of Buddhism,” he stated.
Renowned Buddhist monks from the Greater Washington, DC, region attended the event.
The development of the Buddha Circuit in India and Nepal, the revitalization of pilgrimage centres like Sarnath and Kushinagar, the opening of the Kushinagar International Airport, the India International Centre for Buddhist Culture and Heritage in Lumbini, and the International Buddhist Confederation are a few examples of India’s efforts, according to Modi, who was speaking about his 2017 visit to Sri Lanka on International Vesak Day.
In addition, Sandhu cited cooperation initiatives to establish worldwide centres and museums for Buddhist culture and history as well as India’s aid to its neighbours and Southeast Asia in the building and refurbishment of Buddhist temples.
He noted that India conducted the first Global Buddhist Summit last month, which was attended by academics from all around the globe.
“Pandemics, terrorism, and environmental degradation are just a few of the problems the globe is now dealing with. However, there is no issue for which the Buddha’s teachings cannot provide remedies. The Buddha told us to “be our own light” and demonstrated the way by which he himself lived.
According to Sandhu, Buddhism and cooperation with like-minded nations, such as the United States, in solving the many challenges we confront have had a significant effect on India.
This is demonstrated in a variety of ways, including being one of the first to respond to disasters, exporting vaccines to more than 100 nations to combat the COVID-19 pandemic, promoting millets and yoga, driving sustainability through Mission LiFE, or the unifying spirit of India’s G20 Presidency, Vasu-dhaiva-kutum-bakam – One Earth, One Family, One Future. said Sandhu.
