Dalai Lama greets PM Narendra Modi on his 70th birthday

Dalai Lama

Tibetan spiritual leader the Dalai Lama on Thursday greeted Prime Minister Narendra Modi on his 70th birthday and expressed his gratitude for the warm and considerate hospitality to his people living in exile.

In a letter to Modi, the Dalai Lama extended his greetings to the PM and prayed for his continued good health.

"This has been an exceptionally tough year," he wrote, "for people and nations across the world due to the ongoing threat of the coronavirus. It is my earnest hope that the international community working together will be able to contain its spread before long and that suitable vaccines will be developed soon.

"In India, the central and state authorities are doing whatever they can to alleviate the difficulties public face. I would like to convey my deep appreciation of the appropriate measures you have taken to meet the enormous challenges that this crisis has brought about."

"In addition to threats to their health -- mental as well as physical -- people all over the world are confronted by a loss of livelihood, while the education of their children has been interrupted," the spiritual leader wrote.

"These circumstances have brought about anxiety and a deep sense of unease, especially among many ordinary people.

"People frequently ask me how to cope with the array of challenges before them. I suggest looking at each problem from different angles in a realistic way. I keep in mind the advice of the eighth century Indian scholar Shantideva, who recommended examining whether the problem we face could be solved.

"If there is a solution, what we must do is work to put it into effect; if there is not, continuing to worry about it is a waste of time," the Buddhist monk said.

"I am convinced that in uncertain times like these, the age-old Indian practice of non-violent conduct -- 'ahimsa', backed by a compassionate motivation --'karuna', expressed as a warm-hearted concern for others, is not only relevant, but also necessary if we are to move forward in a calm and collected way."

The Nobel Peace Laureate concluded with the observation that Tibetans have long regarded India as the Arya Bhumi.

"For the last 61 years, it has also been home to us, the Tibetan community in exile. May I once more take this opportunity to express our deep gratitude to the government and people of India for the warm and considerate hospitality we have received," he added.

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