Buddhism shows world how to counter sectarianism: Prez

The Buddhist community has much to offer to mankind at a time when the world is facing strife and climate crisis, President Droupadi Murmu said on Tuesday.

Inaugurating the first Asian Buddhist Summit, Murmu highlighted that the world, grappling with ongoing conflicts and the climate crisis, could draw valuable lessons from Buddhism’s central tenet of ‘karuna’ (compassion).

“When the world today is facing an existential crisis on many fronts, not only strife but also the climate crisis, the Buddhist community has much to offer to humankind,” she said. “The various schools of Buddhism show the world how to counter narrow sectarianism, but their central message remains focused on peace and non-violence.”

The President also stressed the need to explore how the teachings of Buddhism could help strengthen Asia and bring lasting peace to the region and the world. “Indeed, we need to expand the discussion to see how Buddha Dhamma can bring real peace to Asia, and to the world — a peace free from not only physical violence, but also from all force of greed and hatred,” she added.

Murmu’s comments come at a time when global tensions, particularly the ongoing Ukraine-Russia conflict and unrest in West Asia, are at the forefront of international discussions.

In her speech, the President also reflected on the preservation of Buddhist literature, noting the vital role played by Chinese and other scholars in translating key Buddhist texts over the centuries. “Many of the original Buddhist texts were lost in the past, but the efforts of translators have helped preserve Buddhist literature as a truly shared heritage for us,” Murmu said.

The President also acknowledged the government's recent recognition of Pali and Prakrit as classical languages, a move she said would help in the preservation and revitalisation of texts in these languages. “This will go a long way in preserving these ancient texts and in strengthening our cultural heritage,” she said.

The two-day summit, being hosted by the Ministry of Culture in collaboration with the International Buddhist Confederation, aims to foster cooperation among Buddhist communities across Asia. Murmu expressed confidence that the event would further strengthen cooperation based on the shared heritage of Buddha's teachings.