03

Founder & President, Mahabodhi International Meditation Centre (MIMC), Leh, Ladakh, India

Buddham saranam gacchami, Dhammam saranam gacchami, Sangham saranam gacchami. May all the Bodhisattvas, devas, nagas, saints and sages kindly look at us and shower their blessings upon all of us for the success of this great confluence.

First of all, let me bring the warmest greetings from the coldest lane of Ladakh to all of you. I welcome you to Ladakh. Before I proceed further, may I humbly request Dr. Kanoria to organise this conference next time in Ladakh. I hope that the message from the top of the Himalayas will travel faster throughout the world.

I  call upon the supremely enlightened masters of the ten directions and also of the past, the present and the future to earnestly appeal that they shower their blessings upon humanity around the globe. Let us also reflect wisely on what happened through the course of the previous year – good and bad, positive and negative. Let us recollect the passing year with proper mindfulness and with a real eagerness to learn the lessons that it has for us. Many good things will certainly come to our mind when we recall 2017.  Let us remember all the good times and rejoice in their occurrence. Many bad things may also come to our mind when we recall 2017. Let us remember all those bad times – the dirty, ugly and unpleasant, unfortunate things that occurred, that caused sorrow, pain, grief and despair. And in our regret, let us try to rectify those errors. Let us commit to develop and maintain the wholesome activities that we have undertaken through the previous year.

I must thank Dr. Kanoria for organising this wonderful confluence which has a huge relevance. I feel if you miss spirituality you miss living life to its fullest. It is spirituality that brings colour, fragrance and beauty to human life. Without it, we are no way different from animals. Spirituality is a science of mind and as we need food, water, medicine, and other things available in the market to keep the body healthy and clean, you need spirituality to keep your heart, your soul clean and healthy. Without spirituality, our life is like a flower tree without flower, leaves, colour, and fragrance. What kind of flower tree is that which has no leaf, no colour, no beauty and no fragrance?

India, our great country is the mother lane of spirituality. Our country has been the spiritual superpower for ages. Young generations now are making progress in the fields of science, technology and economy but they should be careful in not neglecting the spiritual aspects. Only when we bring science and spirituality together can a healthy country be created. You can’t buy peace and happiness with money. India has to lead the whole world, spiritually, culturally, inwardly.

When we think of spirituality, we have to go beyond our nationality, our religion and open our hearts for the whole world. No matter whether you born in the US or Asia, no matter if you are a Buddhist or a Muslim or a Christian, first of all we are human beings. We are all born in a similar way; grow in a similar way and one day all of us will die. We are all sharing this earth, the same air and the same water. We have the same body and we all desire to live happily and safely. We wish to avoid all sufferings. We have to change our attitude towards others. Look at different religions like different flowers. More flowers, more beauty, and less flowers, less beauty and no flowers, no beauty. Let us look different countries like different gardens. More gardens, more flowers, and more fruits.