Open Letter to H.H. the Dalai Lama
Mumbai; May 10th, 2007
Your Holiness,
I address to you as to one of the greatest spiritual leaders of this contemporary world. I have some apprehensions and want to convey my feelings to you.
Yesterday (May 9) Hindustan Times, Mumbai edition published a report on the front page titled "Nation's largest religious conversion at racecourse" (http://ht09may.notlong.com). I came to know that on 27th of May, 2007, India's biggest religious mass conversion will be held at Mahalaxmi Racecourse, Mumbai, where more than one lakh people including 1000 nomadic tribes' families will embrace Buddhism. The report contains the following statements: "People from 42 nomadic tribes will convert to Buddhism", "The Dalai Lama will perform the rites", "We tribal never followed Hinduism, so there is no question of relinquishing it" "Conversions were a protest against the government apathy; don't even get shelter and food, and literacy rate is just 0.06%."
Hinduism, at no point of time, could to be defined under a fixed set of principles and beliefs. Hindus are so diverse and far from each others in terms of practices, customs and beliefs that it is very difficult to summarize what Hinduism exactly stands for. One accepted definition is that who ever was born and lived in this land called Hindustan or India, are Hindus. Tribal and nomads, in my opinion, are more Hindu than people who regularly visit temples. They worship the sun, rivers and natural forces, which is a part of the Hindu custom and practices everywhere. They may not be as educated as or as settled as common societies, but they are all Hindus by nature. The difference in skin colors or dialect doesn't matter; they are all my brothers and sisters. Everyone born in Mother India and whoever has drunk her water and ate what comes out of her soil are her own sons and daughters. I don't understand how someone can say that the tribal are not Hindus. They may not know a word called Hinduism, but they have lived it for generations.
The government apathy over development in tribal areas is a real concern. Even after 60 years of freedom, the tribal people have not seen the life which populace in cities enjoys. We could have done so much to make their lives more comfortable and happier; alas, we have not done enough. But to use religion as a means of retaliation don't seem logical. We need to be part of the system to bring changes.
From my childhood, I have been inspired by the struggle of the Tibetans for their independence. Whenever I see your picture, I feel a feeling of reverence. The atrocities in the hands of China have made Tibetans depart from their own motherland. But I have this solace that India has patronized your cause; it has not back tracked and is second motherland to the Tibetan Buddhists. India has helped Tibetans preserve their free spirit, culture, tradition and education, and their existence has never before posed any threat to the local culture and tradition so far.
As you know, India and Hinduism are so close and engraved into each other that you hit one and the other bleeds. How can your Holiness be part of such an agenda? Religion is a personal matter, but such mass conversions are more politics than religion. Buddhism is not alien to India and even Hindus have learnt a lot from Buddhist ideas. But such mass scale religious conversions make many like me uncomfortable. Are these nomads educated enough to decided about leaving their age old beliefs to accept new ones now, or is their decision a real retaliation against neglect? Why should your Holiness be involved in these events? I love my motherland, and I consider all Indians my brothers and sisters, irrespective of their religion or belief. But I feel shattered when I come to know that my motherland which supported you as her child, suffers in the name of religion. No one can separate India and Hinduism. Hinduism is not merely a religion; it is a way of life for all who consider India as motherland. I pray to you please don't be part of such mass scale conversions. This is my sincere request to you as to the highest figure in Buddhism today.
If anywhere in this letter, I have been less than devout reverent to you please excuse my naivety.
Yours truly,
Kumar Rahul
HI RAHUL…..a very genuine concern u have shown….i personally feel that in the nameof religon ..now a days its either conversion theory or divison in to minorities and upper castes….an me almost an atheist…….and believe in following allthe good things i can pick from the different headers given to the religions which follow and say the same…
@ KR: Thanks, I forwarded the letter to editors also. @ SS: ….. @ Bajaj: I have the address of Dalai Lama in HP, but I haven”t sent the letter to him. @ Prudent: I hope you are right. Anyhow, I will track what actually happens on May 27th. @K: You are right. but I didn”t want to use hard logic, as I thought that may inflame those who are organising this event. @Pavement: Thanks. I am only an engineer yet. @ angel: Even I share your feelings, but what I was trying to convey here was that religious conversions in the name of something other than inner voice should not happen. Converting to Buddhism in order to teach Hinduism a lesson is not justified. @ Satyaj..: Thanks, you have made a very important point: that there is a difference between the Tibetan Buddhism and the kind of Buddhism being promoted in India. It is an irony that a faith based on self realisation and deep thinking and philosophy, i.e. Buddhism is being “used”.
Although this was a nicely written article/open letter, but I felt there was more of an emotional content in it, can you try to make it more objective?
The sentiments expressed here are absolutely valid; Dalai Lama needs to understand the Hindu/Indian sentiments before participating in such a congregation for conversion. He needs to understand the difference between the Buddhism of Dalailama(Tibetian) and Ambedkars Buddhism, where the former has a natural origin, on the contrary, later has a reactionary origin against the contemporary society. This type of conversion will be good only for the number games, but will have adverse repercussionʼs for the Indian society as such.
Rahul, I slightly differ on the issue, hinduism or budhist, whatever, ultimately the essentials are same buddy. Afterall, what have we given to the man kind in the name of the religion? The institutionalization and promotion of certain beliefs for vested interests that has created divides among the people? the bloodshed in Gujarat is still live in people’’s mind. I am myself Hindu and m proud of its certain essentials but never agreed with institutionalization and rituals of any religion that creats hatred and lack of tolerance as well as respect for diversity.
Hey KR…I agree with K…these conversions are simply to benefit from the reservations that are magnanimously doled out to the so called Backward classes…it is a shame that people are so eager to be branded backward…we truly live in weird times…you write really well…are you a journalist?
K,damn right!
anil.
I appreciate your concerns and stand by your views. There is something else which i believe should be mentioned in that letter to His Holiness Dalai Llama.
Mass conversions are not just petty politicking in India. The more pertinent fact as to why so many people rally behind bhuddism in India is because they are
a) considered minorities and b) they are given privileges due to lower castes (MBCs) in India.
The more prominent question becomes thus: is it right to change one’’s faith (namesake) for petty materialistic gains when the highest teaching of Lord Bhuddha was to denounce material world.
Rahul,these type of stories are politically motivated and to taken with the ”contempt” they deserve.If I remember right then some time back the same type of claim was made and not more than 10 people actually turned up.HH Dalai Lama is too great a man to do any thing like that.Rest assured.
<<< SS:Thanks but no thanks.Only if you had some pride or self respect you would not have commented like you did,
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That’s good one.
But where have u sent this?
Sorry if I am mentioning some thing wrong.
I guess u need to pay attention to some which will be fruitful to u in our day to day activities and to ur future also. Waisting time like this in these subjects ( which I find absolutely worthless) is not going to help u in any sence. Its good to keep urself busy by doing some thing….but at the same time u should be in a position to define the subject properly before devoting ur time to the subject.
It is really a matter of shame that such an event is going to be held. your article is great and you should send the zest of it as letter to editors also.