Seminar on Buddha, non-violence at Parchor school

Under the art and culture dissemination campaign, NGO Himalayan Foundation organised a seminar on “Mahatma Buddha and non-violence for building healthy values among the youth” at Government Senior Secondary School, Parchor, in the neighbouring Sihunta Education Block on Wednesday.

Himalayan Foundation is a state-level NGO working in Chamba and Kangra district for the all-round development of youth and the promotion of art, culture and social welfare.

During the seminar, educationist Ramesh Kumar said Mahatma Buddha, the founder of Buddhism, was a great philosopher and social reformer. Buddha was an icon of Indian cultural heritage, he added. “His ideology is relevant to our society even today,” he said.

Academician Bhavan Kumar, talking about the Buddha’s life, said, according to Buddha, non-violence was not limited to just avoiding war or violence.

“It is a broad approach that emphasises the need to avoid all forms of violence in our thoughts, words and actions. Buddha believed that non-violence was the key to peace, happiness and prosperity,” he said.

He added that, according to Buddhist philosophy, when we harm others, we also harm ourselves. Foundation president Raghubir Singh said in order to create healthy values among the youth, they were sensitised about the teachings of Indian saints and mahatmas, especially Buddha.