New Delhi: "I am a hopeless professor," this what Tibetan spiritual leader the Dalai Lama said at a function at the Delhi University, sending the entire audience into peals of laughter.
The Dalai Lama's remark came after Vice Chancellor of the University introduced the spiritual leader as the "most liked visiting professor" of the premier institute which "many people may not know."
"I am an honorary professor here...but in reality I am a hopeless professor because at first I find no time to carry on with the duties of professorship and secondly, I am lazy," the Dalai Lama said.
The spiritual leader was addressing the valedictory session of a three-day conference on Tibet's history and culture attended by scholars and students from 17 different countries.
Noting that Tibet has a distinct cultural identity, he said many scholars believed that translation from Indian language about Tibetan history and Buddhism was more authentic then translation from Chinese which was very "difficult to understand."
In a lighter vein, the spiritual leader said the entire world knows him as the Dalai Lama of Tibet but China wants him to be known as "the Dalai Lama of China's Tibet."
"They want the Tibetan Buddhism to be known as China's Tibetan Buddhism," the Dalai Lama said.
Speaking about Tibetan culture, he appealed to the young Tibetans to study the history of Tibet to "get the real truth."
"Most intelligent Tibetans spend most of the time studying about Buddhism and political history of Tibet... But it is very necessary to get information about ancient Tibet...We must get the real truth about Tibet," he said.
Emphasising the need for more research on Tibetan history, the Dalai Lama said "sometime we find a distorted picture of Tibet which complicate things. So we need unbiased study to get the clear picture."
"Tibetan Buddhism is quite authentic..You people should study our centuries-old spiritual values," he said adding, they may even study the rebirth theory also.
"That way you can even prepare for the next birth," he said evoking another round of laughter from the audience, which comprised mostly students.
Bureau Report
First Published: Saturday, November 21, 2009, 21:18