Page 32 - EH75

30 EASTERN HORIZON | FACE TO FACE

H.H. Dalai Lama received a traditional welcome on his arrival at Three NTI students went to Hsuan Chuang University, Taiwan for higher
Nagaloka in January 2014. studies in December 2021.

over India, especially Dalits who had plan the next three months syllabus. reshape the broader discourse on
been considered Untouchable in the After 6 months, they would move on caste and social justice in India?
caste system, began to take an interest to other localities while maintaining
in Buddhism. It was to respond to ties with the old localities. In this Buddhism died out as an organized
this interest that we developed the way over 5 years, we were able to religion in India 700 years ago. It
th
Nagarjuna Training Institute (NTI) at train over 50 people in this work began to revive in the 19 century
Nagaloka, Nagpur campus. In 2002, and introduce basic Buddhism to in various ways which involved
we started the training program and about 200 localities in villages and several Indian monks connected to
invited young people from all over towns. We also started a training for Burma and Sri Lanka, Dharmapala
India for our one-year residential people interested in social action, to (founder of Mahabodhi Society)
training course in basic Buddhist help them work with local people, and many others, but it was really
teachings, meditation, and Buddhist the government, police, and other Dr Ambedkar who developed
community life. This has been going agencies. We ran these programs Buddhism into a movement. The
on ever since. In 2012, we also started for 5-6 years, and they were very revival of Buddhism is already
a BA course in Buddhist studies effective, but they are now stopped having an impact. Dr Ambedkar was
associated with Nagpur University. due to lack of funding. a great democrat who was mostly
Our alumni from both courses total responsible for drafting the Indian
around 1,600 and are now spread all There are regular Dharma Constitution, which was why he was
over India in 25 states. classes, retreats, workshops and highly respected by many people.
conferences at Nagaloka campus. He told Mahatma Gandhi that he
We had been working with the We used to organize international had found the least harmful solution
NTI alumni network on various conferences most year before the to the question of untouchability for
projects. One of them was the Covid pandemic. The Dalai Lama, India in converting to Buddhism. To
Ashoka Dhammaduta program. Thicht Nhat Hanh, and many him, the values of liberty, equality
We trained our alumni to teach teachers from different parts of the and fraternity were very much in
basics of Buddhism in slums and Buddhist world visited. Recently, we tune with basic Buddhist principles.
villages. They worked in groups of acquired land near Nagpur where He said he derived them from his
3, each group covering 6 different we plan to develop a retreat center, Master, the Buddha. People are
classes a week if possible. Every and eventually a training center to starting to appreciate him more
three months, I and other seniors train Buddhist teachers. and more. Even though Dalits are
would meet with them altogether so socially disadvantaged, many
for a retreat and a review of their How does the revival of still suffer from discrimination
experiences, after which we would Buddhism in India influence or and violence, they do not seek