Shillong: Tibetan spiritual leader the Dalai Lama on Wednesday lauded the work of Christian missionaries promoting education and improving health care in remotest corners of the world and slammed conflicts in the name of religion.
"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 here.
"I have travelled 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 missionary`s 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 over thousand members of over 13 different religious groups at the U Soso Tham Auditorium, the Dalai Lama slammed religious conflicts` arising out of differences in ideology and philosophy.
The Tibetan spiritual leader, on a three-day visit, his maiden to Meghalaya, said different religions may have different philosophies but their ultimate goal is love.
"Even the Indian constitution is secular and it pledges respect for all religion," he said averring there should not be any religious conflict.
Talking about corruption, the Dalai Lama said, "It is something like modern day cancer."
Dubbing modern education as materialistic, the spiritial leader said, "I think we should educate people 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 level about moral ethics. Then only there is possibility of a more clean society," he said.
