Dr. Singh began his presentation by referring to the Indian celebration of Vesak: the Buddha Poornima; which is considered to be very auspicious in India. The fact that this year’s celebration is linked with the 2600th anniversary of the Buddha’s enlightenment makes it all the more propitious.
Noting that we live in a world of contradiction where on the one hand, science and technology give us the possibilities to put an end to poverty but yet on the other hand we find that the world is still under “violence and turmoil”, he believes that it is in times like this that we seek the courage to move into the future.
Reciting the Sanskrit Shanti Mantra, he stated that the “Buddha’s message reaches to us across the centuries”:
“May all be happy; may all be healthy; May all see only auspicious sights; May none ever be sorrowful!” (Sarvepi sukhinassantu | sarve santu niraamayaah |Sarve bhadraani pashyantu | maa kashchit duhkhabhaag bhavet ||Om Shanti Shanti Shanti)
Following this sacred chant, he described India as a country containing four great coexisting religions –Buddhism being one of them. India comprises some of the main Buddhist pilgrims since all the historical places related to the Buddha’s life are there (his birth place, enlightenment place, etc.)
A description of the project of a green world sponsored by UNESCO, “The Green Bodhgaya” was then made. Dr. Singh confirmed the Indian Government’s willing support and active participation in this initiative.
Along with this he also, referred to the project in regard to the University of Nalanda, known as one of the world’s greatest past university, which also contained the largest amount of Sanskrit manuscripts (2 000, teachers, 10 000 students, and a library of over hundred millions of manuscripts). Demolished by an “act of destructive iconoclasm”, the Indian Government along with other Buddhist countries of the project has taken the initiative to build a new international university and ultimately restore Nalanda’s status.
With reference to Mahatma Gandhi’s fight for non-violence that led millions toward peace he highlighted the Buddha’s contribution to peace through the acceptance of multiple paths to the divine. According to Dr. Singh, the divine efflorescence cannot be captured in one path.
In that regard, Religion has a very mixed record in history as each of us claims that our version of the divine is the best; whereas we should welcome plurality and diversity. The simple fact that one does not share the same religion as us does not give us the right to kill him, persecute him in the name of a God. As long as religion is misused there will never be peace in our planet.
For Dr. Karan Singh, the Buddha highlights the importance of peace not only around us but also within our own consciousness. If we are at war with ourselves we will never be able to build peace. We have to look within, hence the importance of meditation and yoga.
Concluding on the remark that this Symposium is a small but concrete contribution to the world’s peace, Dr. Karan Singh, ended his discourse on the Indian chant of peace “Om shanti shanti shanti! “ – The Threefold Peace of the body, speech and mind.
A statement issued by the Permanent Delegation of Sri Lanka to UNESCO, Paris
 O pening the UNESCO symposium held on the occasion of the 2600th Sambuddha Jayanthi, Dr. Karan Singh, d...){kind=link}
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