China's efforts to destroy Buddhism won't succeed: Dalai Lama in India

Spiritual leader Dalai Lama said that China will not succeed in destroying Buddhism.

New Delhi, Jan 01: Tibetan Spiritual leader Dalai Lama has come down heavily on China, saying that it is trying to destroy Buddhism, but it will not succeed in it.

Dalai Lama said that China considers Buddhism as poisonous and trying to systematically weed it out from China, but it has failed in doing so, he said, according to a report in ANI.

"We have strong faith in Buddha dharma, when I visit trans-Himalayan regions, I find local people very devoted to dharma and it is the case in Mongolia and in China too though the system (Chinese government) sees dharma as poison and tried to destroy it, but they are not successful. Buddhism was harmed by the Chinese government. Buddhism could not be destroyed from China. Even today, there are many people who believe in Buddhism in China," the Tibetan spiritual leader said last day teaching program at Kalachakra Maidan in Bodh Gaya on Saturday.

According to him, there are many monasteries in China and people have a deep connection with Buddhism. "Those who are showing faith in me as well as faith in Buddhism, must accept the Bodhicitta (spiritual awakening) that I am imparting. Be it Tibetan or Mongolian or China, there are many Buddhist monasteries in China. I have been to China many times. Many Buddha Viharas exist there even today. People have Buddhism and Buddha in their minds. There is a lot of attachment towards Buddhism. The Chinese have an ancient relationship with Buddhism," he said.

The Dalai Lama has been living in India ever since he fled Tibet in 1959. The Tibetan government-in-exile operates from India and over 1,60,000 Tibetans live in the country.

Days ago, the Tibetan spiritual leader had appealed to people across the globe to "collectively" take a stand against weapons of mass destruction.

Recalling the massive destruction wrought by atom bombs during the Second World War in Japan, the Dalai Lama said during his public discourse here that he had the opportunity to visit Hiroshima and see for himself the level of massive devastation there.

The Dalai Lama also expressed his concern about the COVID pandemic, recalling that it originated in "China but spread to India and other parts of the world".

"The pandemic is quite serious. It gives anxiety to people. We offer our prayers so that it subsides", said the Buddhist leader.

With inputs from PTI