M A I N   N E W S

PM visits Buddhist heartland
M.K. Razdan

Beijing, June 25
After two days of intense discussions with the Chinese leadership here, Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee today visited Luoyang, the ancient capital of the Middle Kingdom.

Taking time off from his hectic schedule, Mr Vajpayee went round the historic city in central China’s Henan province famed for its Buddhist relics.

Mr Vajpayee visited Baima Si or the White Horse Temple, considered the first Buddhist monastery built in China, one of the most venerated Buddhist shrines in the country.

It was constructed in 64 AD at imperial command to provide accommodation to the first two Buddhist monks from India — Kasyapa Matanga and Dharmaratna. The two monks travelled to China to spread the word of the Buddha and brought with them Buddhist sutras and an image of the Buddha on white horses. — PTI