Leh/Jammu: Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Friday described the return of sacred relics of Lord Buddha to Ladakh after 75 years as a “historic reunion” and said that the Union Territory has remained a “living land of dharma” that preserved and nurtured Buddhist knowledge for centuries.
Stressing the relevance of Buddha’s teachings in modern times, Shah said the message of peace, compassion and the middle path was even more important today than it was 2,500 years ago.
Speaking after inaugurating the exposition of sacred holy relics of Tathagata Buddha and the 2569th Buddha Purnima celebrations at Jivetsal in Leh, Shah said, “Ladakh has been a living land of dharma for centuries. When the Dalai Lama comes here, he says this land is not merely a geographical land but a living laboratory of Buddhist culture and compassion.” Calling Ladakh a land of compassion, he said this land has preserved and nurtured knowledge. “Whenever Buddhism faced crises, this land worked to protect the teachings of Buddha. And when peace returned, it helped to expand and carry forward that preserved wisdom,” he added.
Shah said that unless one internalises knowledge and makes it a part of oneself, liberation is not possible.
“Knowledge is incomplete without spiritual practice, while spiritual practice without knowledge is blind. Therefore, the union of spiritual practice and knowledge is the right path. Even with these, if there is no moral discipline, one cannot lead a truly wise life. The basis of a life of wisdom is moral discipline,” he said.
Shah said it was through Ladakh and adjoining routes that the teachings of Tathagata Buddha, which originated in India, spread to China and several other countries.
“The message that emerged from the land of Ladakh has become a guiding force that helps many people around take their lives forward. The presence of these sacred relics in Ladakh reminds us that India’s civilisation has, for thousands of years, given the message of peace and coexistence,” he said.
He said in a diverse region like Ladakh, this message becomes even more relevant. “This heritage still tells us that amidst conflict and unrest, only the path of peace and compassion can provide solutions.” He said the return of the relics has boosted the significance of Buddha Purnima for the people of Ladakh.
“These sacred relics have come to Ladakh after 75 years. It is as if Buddha himself is present here today,” Shah said, adding that followers of Buddhism and other religions in Ladakh and Kargil would draw spiritual energy from the relics alike.
Highlighting Ladakh’s role in the spread of Buddhism, Shah said Kashmir was once an ancient centre of Buddhist studies, Mahayana philosophy and Buddhist art, from where Ladakh first came into close contact with Buddhism.
Emperor Ashoka’s envoys laid the foundation of Buddhist influence in Ladakh through Kashmir and Gandhara, while Mahayana Buddhism expanded in the region during the Kushan period between the first and third centuries CE.
The Silk Route linking Kashmir, Leh, Yarkand, Khotan and Tibet became a channel not only for trade but also for ideas, monks, manuscripts and artistic traditions.
Later, Tibetan influence between the seventh and tenth centuries further enriched Ladakh through Mahayana and Vajrayana traditions, Shah added.
Stressing the relevance of Buddha’s teachings in modern times, Shah said the message of peace, compassion and the middle path was even more important today than it was 2,500 years ago.
“Amid conflict and unrest, only the path of peace and compassion can provide solutions,” he said.
Shah also appealed to the Ladakh administration to ensure smooth arrangements so that followers of all faiths, especially Buddhists, could visit and pay obeisance to the relics.
Later, addressing another gathering in Leh after launching several dairy projects, the home minister praised the people of Ladakh and Kargil for their patriotism and sacrifices in safeguarding the country’s borders.
Whenever danger came from across the border, he said, the people of Ladakh stood in defence of the nation before the Army reached.
“The Army reached later. First, the people of Ladakh took bullets on their chests to protect the nation,” Shah said, adding that the whole country — from Kashmir to Kanyakumari and from Dwarka to Kamakhya — knows and appreciates this history.
The home minister, who is on a two-day visit to Ladakh, said he has visited the Union Territory after seven years and was glad to be there on Buddha Purnima. PTI AB AB RUK RUK
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