Speech by Samdhong Rinpoche, Sevagram, 10th October 2004
The following is the content of the speech made by Rev. Samdhong
Rinpoche, Tibetan Prime Minister in exile on the 10th October 2004 in front of
Bapu Kuti at Sevagram. 10th October happened to be the birthday of Gandhiji
according to the Indian calendar and the gathering for evening prayer consisted
of delegates from all parts of the country who were there to attend a
conference on education based on the Nai Taleem. After the evening prayers were
over, Rev. Rinpoche was requested to give a speech on his thoughts on that day.
For more than 2 years now this thought has
been in my mind. I have been thinking that I should write a letter regarding
the Hind Swaraj and the need to initiate serious debate in the society based on
this book. However, some how this could not happen. Finally, this year on the
1st of October I managed to force myself to sit and write this letter and
finish it by the 2nd of October. But even then I could not get it printed for
circulation in enough numbers to send to friends. Only coming here today I
could manage to do that and perhaps this has a meaning. I consider it a
privilege to be given an opportunity to talk in front of this kuti and perhaps
it was meant to be that way that I should share the thoughts I have expressed
in this letter first with this gathering here.
His Holiness Dalai Lama when we first came
to India, visited the Rajghat, in the 1950s and during his visit made the
following comment. He said, 'if only Gandhiji were around today, he would have
given us a non-violent way to achieve our freedom'. The more I look at the works of Gandhiji the
more I am convinced that Hind Swaraj is the major work and is becoming
increasingly relevant today. It is the
integrated framework provided in this book that provides it with an unique
quality, the quality of a shastra. In the current international context, with
lack of any kind of serious debate in the way the world is heading - the highly
consumerist and hate-filled world needs serious debate and that can be provided
through Hind Swaraj alone. It is a scripture that provides us with a
comprehensive and integrated non-violent view of the world. It also provides us
with a framework on satyagraha and science and technology. It is important for
us to seriously to look at the violent science and technology of today and
question things.
Though ahimsa is not new to India and has
been preached by Mahavira and Buddha before Gandhiji did, they provided the
solution as an individual spiritual salvation. It was only Gandhiji who could
integrate the concepts of ahimsa and individual spiritual goals and social
norms and means. It was he who managed to create models for social action based
on the premise of ahimsa.
Today it is important for all of us to
read this grantha - Hind Swaraj, to bring back to public debate and
discussion amongst people, particularly the youth, questions regarding the
world. It is important not merely as a personal knowledge or spiritual growth,
but, as a method of going about creating a more peaceful world, as a social
responsibility. In the year 2009, we will have the centenary of the Hind
Swaraj, at least by then we should have enough discussions based on this. This
is my humble request to all of you. Thank you all for listening to me and once
again for the organisers for providing me with this opportunity. Jai Jagat.
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