Education will Help Tibetans to Fight for Their Rights: H.H. the Dalai Lama

His Holiness the Dalai Lama expressed the hope that the Tibetan refugees scattered throughout the world will soon return to Tibet and join their own compatriot in their own homeland.

His Holiness the Dalai Lama said, 'we do not mind uniting with China.' His Holiness said the world was fast changing and prayed for the day when Tibet and China worked together for their own common interest.

Throughout His Holiness the Dalai Lama's last address to the Tibetan crowd from Tibet, thousands of Tibetans wept.

His Holiness the Dalai Lama stressed on the importance of studying and understanding Buddhism deeply. His Holiness the Dalai Lama also stressed on the importance of modern education. His Holiness said since our struggle is non-violent, we have no need for the use of knives and guns. Rather, His Holiness the Dalai Lama said, it is modern education, which will enable the Tibetans in Tibet to fight for the rights, which are enshrined in the Chinese constitution.

His Holiness the Dalai Lama said that he is not seeking independence for Tibet and that he is working for a solution to the issue of Tibet based on the Middle Way Approach and within the constitutional framework of the People's Republic of China.

His Holiness the Dalai Lama wished safe return to the roughly 9,000 Tibetans from Tibet. His Holiness the Dalai Lama said that he hoped to see them again in Tibet under happier circumstances.

Yesterday morning, His Holiness the Dalai Lama accepted a joint long-life offering from the general public, former Kalons of the Central Tibetan Administration and a former abbot of Sera Monastery. His Holiness the Dalai Lama said that it is his wish to live as long as possible. For this, His Holiness the Dalai Lama said everyone should offer prayers.

At the end of the long-life ceremony the state government of Andhra Pradesh organised a function where His Holiness the Dalai Lama was the chief guest. Present at the function were the ministers for finance, tourism and development, and MPs and MLAs and other important local dignitaries. The minister for tourism thanked His Holiness the Dalai Lama for giving the Kalachakra teachings in Amaravati. His Holiness the Dalai Lama in turn thanked the state government for providing all the necessary facilities for the smooth running of the Kalachakra. Later at another function His Holiness the Dalai Lama donated rupees thirty lakhs as his contribution for the construction of the statue of the Buddha.

Earlier on, at a press meeting His Holiness the Dalai Lama expressed his happiness that this was the best organized Kalachakra and he thanked the state government and, the Norbulingka Institute and the Japanese sponsors for making this possible.

His Holiness the Dalai Lama will leave Amaravati today to New Delhi and will arrive in Dharamsala on 18 January 2006.

This is the 30th Kalackakra teaching to date and the 18th one in India. His Holiness the Dalai Lama gave the first Kalachakra teaching at Norbulingka in Lhasa, the capital of Tibet in 1954. The just concluded the Kalachakra teachings were simultaneously translated into English, Chinese, Japanese and Telegu. According to the organisers, about 90,000 people received the teachings.