A file picture of His Holiness The Dalai Lama at the launch of the Tibetan Awareness Campaign in New Delhi

Dharamsala: His Holiness The Dalai Lama addressed a 10000 strong gathering at the inaugural of the 45th founding anniversary celebrations of Tibetan Children’s Villages (TCVs) at upper TCV School. While exhorting students to be good productive members of society, His Holiness also expressed concern over the increasing display of ostentatious jewellery and wildlife products.

His Holiness said, “I have seen photographs of Tibetans inside Tibet wearing expensive jewellery that is unnecessary, as one should aim for internal development and not outward show of wealth.”

His Holiness’ speech in Dharamsala reinforced his message delivered at the launch of a campaign for nature conservation that he blessed at New Delhi on 6th April this year. The joint campaign run by the Wildlife Trust of India and Care for the Wild International with additional support from the Rowell Fund aims to spread the message on nature conservation, to build awareness in the Tibetan community and remind the ones who have veered away from the tenets of compassion and respect for all living beings.

At the gathering in Dharamsala, His Holiness expressed concern over Tibetans being involved in smuggling and trading of wildlife skins and appealed to his people to refrain from using pelts of endangered species such as tiger, leopard, bears, otters, etc. Condemning the killing of wildlife in Tibet and elsewhere, His Holiness appreciated the Chinese government’s initiatives in curbing wildlife poaching.

He also called upon monks in Tibetan monasteries to follow the practices mentioned in Buddhist scriptures and not to deviate from such traditions adding that monks should follow highest standards of discipline and not lead an ostentatious lifestyle which send wrong signals about Buddhist traditions the world over. He also laid stress on imparting both traditional as well as modern education to Tibetan students.

The inaugural day of the three-day celebrations of TCVs was attended by the top echelons of Tibetan society, heads of various Tibetan monasteries and associations, representatives of various NGOs and foreign sponsors of TCV schools. With a recent expose on the use of wildlife products among certain communities, this timely address by His Holiness the Dalai Lama would provide the impetus to many of the community leaders present at the function to carry his message forward.

Pix credit: WTI