|
|
Hope Blooms
Through the Lotus - Inauguration of the Lotus Sutra
Exhibition
An exhibition highlighting the relevance of Lotus Sutra in contemporary society,
held under the aegis of the Daisaku Ikeda Corner on Culture of Peace, IGNCA
in April 2008 |
 |
The inaugural function of the exhibition “Lotus Sutra – A Message of Peace and Harmonious Coexistence” was held at 5:30 pm at IGNCA. In attendance were distinguished guests, representatives of the press corps and members of Bharat Soka
Gakkai.
SGI President Ikeda’s message was read out by Ms Naveena Reddi, Director General Bharat Soka Gakkai. Expressing his hopes for the success of the exhibition, Dr Ikeda said, “Your country is the birthplace of the Buddhist philosophy, and hence a source of great spiritual significance. It is in fact the spiritual homeland for people like myself, a land to which we are deeply indebted, the land of our teachers. Now, on the occasion of this Lotus Sutra exhibition, I hope we can in some small way repay that debt we owe you.”
|
The Chief Guest, Dr Yoganand Shastri, Minister of Health & Family Welfare and Social Welfare, Government of Delhi, speaking in Hindi said, “There was a time when Buddhism, Buddhist art and culture were at their highest glory. Buddhism has given a lot to humanity. India, too, has gained a lot from Buddhism – specially the two art forms – Gandhara and Mathura Schools.”
Eminent Indian scholar of Buddhism and Buddhist art, Prof Lokesh
Chandra, the guest of honour, delivered the key note address. “The Lotus Sutra has been a central point in India’s freedom movement. The recitation of the title of the Lotus Sutra was introduced into the daily hymnal at Gandhiji’s ashram in Wardha by Japanese monks. Gandhiji was moved to enquire about the meaning and expressed interest in the Lotus Sutra. My father, Prof
RaghuVira, managed to get a copy of a Sanskrit manuscript printed in Russia for
Gandhiji.”
Prof Chandra elaborated the significant aspects of the Lotus Sutra which make it an eternal text rather than an ancient scripture. He hailed the Lotus Sutra as a feminist sutra as it promised the attainment of enlightenment by women, and egalitarian as it eliminated all distinctions of class. Prof Chandra also saluted SGI President Ikeda as the greatest interpreter of the Lotus Sutra whose interpretation correlates a very classical text, a text of veneration into a text of action.
|
|
|
Giving the concluding remarks, Dr KK
Chakravarty, Member-Secretary, IGNCA highlighted the role of upaya kaushalya or expedient means in the Lotus Sutra and shared that the Buddha adopts demonstration as a means to lead human beings to the ultimate.
The visitors were awestruck by the beauty of the murals depicting the parables of and impressed by the universal messages conveyed by the Lotus Sutra. The volunteers from Bharat Soka Gakkai helped visitors understand the significance by sharing details about the different panels and the exhibits on display.
The exhibition garnered good pre publicity and was well covered in all leading dailies, magazines, electronic and web media. The exhibition is open to the public from April 17-23 between 10AM and 6:30PM each day. A seminar titled “The Wisdom of the Lotus Sutra: A Teaching for All Ages” will be organised on April 19 at IGNCA featuring imminent speakers including Prof Lokesh
Chandra, Dr Chakravarty.
|
|
|
