Shimla (Himachal Pradesh) [India], January 12 : The Indian Himalayan Council of Nalanda Buddhist Tradition (IHCNBT) is organising a National Seminar-cum-Workshop at Bar Council Hall, Shimla on January 12, 2025.
Titled Nalanda Buddhism in the Himalayan region of India: Emerging Trends & Development in 21st Century, the Conference will be inaugurated by Shriman Vikramaditya Singh, Minister for PWD, Government of Himachal Pradesh and presided over by Lochen Tulku Rinpoche (Lotsawa), and graced by Scholars, Spiritual masters and Geshes, Khenpos and Rinpoches from different Monasteries of Himachal Pradesh.
The primary objective of the conference is to facilitate debate, discussions, research and cultural exchanges related to the Nalanda Buddhist tradition, with a specific focus on its influence, preservation, and retracing the footsteps of the great Acharyas from Nalanda to the Himalayas and beyond.
Through this Seminar, the IHCNBT intends to foster a deeper understanding of this ancient Indian tradition of Nalanda and its relevance in the modern world and highlight the role of monasteries which a play vital role in strengthening the Sangha.
The seminar will also discuss the introduction of the Monastic Education Curriculum (recognized by NIOS Education Board, Ministry of Education, Government of India) to inculcate modern education in monastic learning, as per a statement.
The conference will see deliberations across several topics revolving around the larger theme of Nalanda Buddhism and the great Nalanda Masters contribution. These include -- history and development of Nalanda Buddhism, monastic education curriculum and the core philosophy and practice of Nalanda Buddhist tradition, the statement noted.
Buddhism in Himachal Pradesh has a long history and is practised in many parts of the Himalayan region.
The spread of Buddhism in the region has occurred intermediately throughout its history. Starting in the 3rd century BCE, Buddhism was propagated during the Mauryan Empire under the reign of Ashoka. After a brief break in the spread of Buddhism in the state during the 10th century, renowned Tibetan scholar-translator Rinchen Zangpo laid the institutional foundations of Buddhism's revival in Himachal Pradesh.
Zangpo was one of the 21 scholars (of which only two survived) sent by the Tibetan King Yeshe O'd to revive Buddhism in the trans-Himalayan region.
Known as "Lotsawa" or the "Great Translator", Zangpo built 108 monasteries in the trans-Himalayan region to spread Buddhism, which are considered the mainstay of Vajrayana Buddhism. Zangpo even invited Kashmiri artists who created wall paintings and sculptures in these monasteries; only a few of them have survived in Himachal Pradesh namely, the Lhalung Monastery, the Nako Gompa in Spiti and the Tabo Monastery in Spiti, the latter monastery also known as the Ajanta of the Himalayas.
Apart from the monasteries founded by Zangpo, his contemporaries and their successors from other sects built numerous other monasteries, namely the Gandhola Monastery, Guru Ghantal Monastery, Kardang Monastery, Shashur Monastery, Tayul Monastery and Gemur Monastery in the Lahaul Valley, Dhankar Monastery, Kaza Monastery, Key Monastery, Tangyud Monastery, Kungri Monastery, Kardang, Monastery and Kibber Monastery in the Spiti Valley, and the Bir Monasteries (Tibetan monasteries of the Nyingma, Kagyu and Sakya sects) in the Kangra valley, the statement noted.
Buddhism has spread far and wide and today it is one of the most studied and followed religions in the developed world. With the guidance of Nalanda's masters, this legacy is still thriving as a living tradition and this great human wisdom is well preserved to date. Such a great repository of precious human wisdom accumulated over the past thousands of years.
Thus, it becomes crucial to preserve, promote, and propagate the precious Nalanda Tradition in universities and monasteries as well as among the general public.