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NEWS | EASTERN HORIZON 55

His Holiness the Dalai Lama with young people of Zanskar. The local Imam offers a prayer at the start of the Dalai Lama’s
Photo by Tenzin Choejor. From tibetpost.com meeting with members of the Muslim community in Zanskar.
Photo by Tenzin Choejor. from dalailama.com

had with Tibet, where flourished a profound Buddhist natural appreciation of compassion seems to fade
culture derived from the historic Nalanda tradition that once we go to school. We need to be reminded that
we are striving to keep alive.” (His Holiness the 14th good health and a peaceful state of mind are founded
Dalai Lama of Tibet) on love and compassion. Modern education would be
more complete if it were to incorporate ancient Indian
The Dalai Lama also shared words of wisdom for more knowledge, including the long-standing principles
than 4,000 assembled students and young people on the of karuna (Skt: compassion) and ahimsa (Skt:
need for Social, Emotional, and Ethical Learning (SEE nonviolence), from the standpoint of secular ethics.”
Learning), which emphasizes educating and developing (His Holiness the 14th Dalai Lama of Tibet)
the heart together with the mind:**
His Holiness concluded with an oral transmission of the
“Time is always moving on. Nothing can stop it. We mantras of Manjushri and Arya Tara, noting that reciting
cannot change the past, but we can shape the future,” His Manjushri’s mantra would help the students to learn
Holiness explained. “The more compassionate you are, and, in the long term, lead them toward buddhahood.
the more you will find inner peace. However, education
systems today tend not to adequately enhance basic Perched high on the Tibetan Plateau, Ladakh, which
human nature. Nevertheless, since human beings have a translates as the Land of High Passes, extends from the
natural ability to think things through, education is a key mountains of the Himalaya to the Kunlun Range and
factor in creating a better future. includes the upper valley of the Indus River. Much of the
region stands at elevations in excess of 3,000 meters. In
“Whether you believe in religion or not is a private 2019, Ladakh became the largest union territory in India
matter. However, we have a collective responsibility after the government reconstituted the former state of
to create conditions that are conducive to peace in the Jammu and Kashmir.*** Spread across more than 59,000
world. Since conflict cannot be settled by force, our mountainous square kilometers, much of which is arid
target should be a demilitarized world. and inhospitable, the culture and history of Ladakh is
closely interwoven with that of Tibet—so much so that
“It is our essential nature to be compassionate. From Ladakh is sometimes known as “Little Tibet.”
the moment we’re born, our mother takes care of
us. Without this care we would not survive. This Ladakh’s population is divided between the districts of
experience is our first opportunity to learn that Leh and Kargil. In Kargil, 76.9 per cent of a population of
compassion is the root of all happiness. However, this about of 140,800 are Muslims (mostly Shia), according