Dalai Lama lauds Christian missionary work

He said different religions may have different philosophies but their ultimate goal is love.

Shillong:  Tibetan spiritual leader the Dalai Lama lauded the work of Christian missionaries promoting education and improving health care in remotest corners of the world

"I think Christian missionaries make the greatest contribution in education and improving healthcare in remote corners of the world," the Dalai Lama told an inter-faith meet in Shillong yesterday.

"I have traveled to different parts of the world and I have also been to remotest tribal area in Orissa where there are Christian missionaries," he said.

Stating that the Catholic nuns sacrificed their comfortable life serving people and providing education in remote areas, he said even a Buddhist monk lacked the kind of service they render at times.

Addressing some 1,000 people of 13 different religious groups at an auditorium here, the Dalai Lama slammed religious conflicts' arising out of differences in ideology and philosophy.

The Tibetan spiritual leader, on a three-day visit, his first to Meghalaya, said different religions may have different philosophies but their ultimate goal is love.

He dubbed corruption as "something like modern day cancer" and modern education "as materialistic."

The spiritual leader wanted people to learn about the meaning of 'Ahimsa'." According to him, "We are lacking firm conviction about value of ethics and therefore religious teachings will not be adequate.

"We must educate people from kindergarten up to university levels" to create a cleaner society, he said.

Source: business-standard