CUHP hold first convocation, confers honorary DPhil degree on Dalai Lama

Dharamsala, HP, India (By Naresh K. Thakur, Hindustan Times) – The Central University of Himachal Pradesh (CUHP) conferred the honorary degree of Doctor of Philosophy (DPhil honoris causa) on Nobel laureate for peace and Tibetan Spiritual Leader, the Dalai Lama on its first convocation ceremony held at Temporary Academic Block (TAB), Shahpur here on Thursday.

Member of Planning Commission and Chancellor of CUHP, Arun Maira, presented the degree to the Dalai Lama, who was also the chief guest on the occasion.

Delivering his convocation address, the Dalai Lama called upon the students to preserve India’s ancient treasure of knowledge and combine it with modern education for a better future.

“Though modern education is essential for development, you should also treasure your traditional knowledge which is thousands of years old,“ the Dalai Lama said adding that modern education is oriented towards materialistic values and could only provide physical comfort instead of mental peace.

Maintaining that everyone on earth wants to lead a happy and sensible life, the Dalai Lama said there was a big difference in appearance and reality and the very purpose of education was to reduce ignorance and lead us towards reality.

“I do pray and do analytical meditation everyday but I think the affect must come from action not just from desire,” the Dalai Lama said.

Addressing students who were awarded degrees, the Dalai Lama said that they have reached a crucial level in their life and that it was now time to face the real world.

“Life is not easy and it depends on yourself how you want to live it. Things will be more complicated now onwards and you will have to prepare yourself. If you take things for granted there will be a lot of disturbance in life,” the spiritual leader said.

Terming India as Tibet’s guru, the spiritual leader said that this country – the Aryabhoomi has given the world some of the great philosophers and thinkers and some extremely sophisticated philosophical thoughts developed in this part of the world.

Giving an example, the Dalai Lama said that the concept of quantum physics, which the western world came to know in the last century had been described in the text of Nagarjuna which is almost two thousand years old.

He said Buddhism was introduced in Tibet by great masters from Nalanda University of India in the 8th and 9th century.

Concerned over the prevailing corruption in India, the spiritual leader said Indians were known for their values before independence.

“After independence we gradually started losing our values such as truth and honesty. The symptoms are not good,” the Dalai Lama expressed adding that the younger generation especially the 21st century generation and their teachers should pay more attention towards this.

“You are the 21st century people and should make this a century of peace, love and compassion,” he said.

Expressing gratitude for the degree conferred on him, the elderly monk said he didn’t like too much formalities (referring to the long process of the convocation function) as it creates additional barriers.