'Younger generation has special responsibility to continue Tibet's quest for justice'

Friday, June 04, 2010

Tibet.net
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His Holiness the Dalai Lama (R) speaks to over 2,300 Tibetan school and college students at the Tibetan Children's Village School in Dharamsala on 2 June 2010. His Holiness delivered two days of discourse on Buddhism to the students/Photo: OHHDL

Dharamshala: His Holiness the Dalai Lama yesterday told a large gathering of Tibetan youngsters that they have the "special responsibility to carry forward the Tibetan people's struggle for the just cause of Tibet.”

His Holiness said the Tibetans belonging to his generation are gradually phasing out, so the younger generation which is in the age group between 20 and 30 has the bounden duty to continue the efforts made by the previous generation.

His Holiness said the Tibetan people is presently passing through the most critical phase in the more than thousand years of its history. Moreover, in the case of Buddhism, the Tibetan language is the only language capable of retaining the complete set of teachings of Buddha. The Tibetan language in turn is language of the Tibetan people. So, in order to perpetuate the promotion and preservation of Buddhism in this world, the survival of the Tibetan people is of paramount importance.

His Holiness emphasised that the younger generation shoulder the responsibility to make efforts to free Tibet from its critical phase. 

Expressing optimism that the truth will gradually  prevail over the issue of Tibet, His Holiness said there  is not a single Tibetan who hopes or dreams of  reviving the old and backward society of Tibet. In  future when the Tibetans reunite in their homeland, it  will be of utmost importance for the Tibetan  people  to develop a modern Tibetan society for  which they must learn modern education and artistic  skills. Such a modern Tibetan society with the  Tibetan language, religion and culture as its  foundation would contribute to the happiness of both  the individual and society.

Urging students to take interest in Buddhism, His  Holiness said Buddhism is one of the important  aspects of Tibetan people's prestige and one of the  fields through which Tibetans could bring effective  change. He, therefore, underlined that the Tibetan  youngsters must become well-learned in modern  education in order to promote and preserve Tibet's  rich culture and religion.