Jaipur, Rajasthan, India, 13 February 2011 (TNN) - Tibetan spiritual leader and Nobel peace laureate the Dalai Lama said the "just cause of Tibet" is a lifetime commitment for him.
The Dalai Lama was addressing the public on 'Ethics for the new Millennium' at the Clarks Amer on Saturday, after recovering from viral infection that forced him to stay indoors on Friday.
"We are simply trying to gain our basic human rights and full guarantee of preservation of Tibetan-Buddhist culture, Tibetan language and environment and not a mere separation from the People's Republic of China. There are many versions of the past history and everyone, but we are trying to seek autonomy of the entire Tibetan area," he said.
The Dalai Lama arrives at the Sanganer Airport in Jaipur (Photo Courtesy TNN)
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"One of the accusations the Chinese government has levelled against us is that we are demanding a greater Tibet. But, we have never used this word. It is the Chinese government that has used this word. There is some kind of a misunderstanding," he said.
"The Chinese are insisting on one particular part of Tibet called She tang (West Tibet) but we Tibetans come from all over the Tibet -- the eastern, north eastern parts. We simply want the entire Tibetan area to enjoy the same right to look after themselves. And this would mean the 6 million Tibetans comprising 2 million living in autonomous Tibet and the rest in the four provinces of China," he enumerated.
On his other commitments, the Nobel laureate said that promotion of human values and religious harmony are two goals that he is committed to for his entire life. Lauding the technological advancements made in the past two centuries, he however felt, it is also the cause of widespread destruction, and aggravated the sense of fear.
"Since human history started there has always been incidents of organised violence but the suffering was limited. But in the 20th century, with the use of nuclear power, the ability to cause destruction has increased manifold," he said.
Describing himself as a messenger of India and a son of the Indian soil, the Dalai Lama said India is a model for the rest of the world. "Ahimsa based on compassion and religious harmony are the guiding ethics for the new millennium. I learnt religious tolerance and Ahimsa from this country," he said. But he felt that the real transition of India must take place in its rural areas. He also advised that spiritual leaders of the country must advocate to do away with caste and the dowry system.
"Now, I am looking for complete retirement and it will be clear in a few more months. But I assure to those who are concerned that I am a Tibetan and whatever be the political situation my commitment to Tibet will be there till death," he said.
