Amaravati to be made intl Buddhist learning centre

---

Amaravathi January 10, 2006 (Business Standard) - The state government will
spare no effort in developing Amaravati as an international Buddhist
learning and tourist centre, said Andhra Pradesh chief minister Y S
Rajasekhar Reddy while addressing the media here on Monday.

The chief minister was responding to the sentiments expressed by the Tibetan
spiritual leader the Dalai Lama for the glorious future of Amaravati,
particularly after the Kalachakra festival.

Answering a question, YSR said the government was not displeasing the
Chinese government in any way by extending what was considered in some
circles as 'excess' hospitality to the Dalai Lama and thousands of monks,
Buddhists and Tibetans.

"The Dalai Lama has been a revered guest of the Government of India for
almost five decades. As a refugees' leader, he is entitled to the
hospitality. He is not a political adversary of the Chinese, but only a
religious head."

Earlier, addressing about 10,000 monks and thousands of people at the
Kalachakra preaching site, Rajasekhar Reddy hoped that the state would
benefit out of the international Kalachakra empowerment congregation as the
holy mantras recited by a sea of monks would charge the environment with
positive energy and do good to people.

"The state is full of innumerable Buddhist holy sites and shrines, including
the recently excavated Thotlakonda and Baavikonda, and has a vast potential
to attract world tourists," he said.

The Dalai Lama, while blessing the chief minister and thanking him for the
cooperation extended by the state in holding the tantrik meet, expressed
confidence that the state administration was capable of developing Amaravati
as an international learning centre of Buddhism with stress on Nagarjuna's
philosophy.

He said there were Tibetan settlements in Karnataka, which housed monastic
universities exclusively on Nagarjuna's Buddhism. Nagarjuna was called the
second Buddha.

He stayed at Amaravati for a long time, learning, teaching and writing
books. The Buddha taught Kalachakra for the first time at Amaravati 2,550
years ago, hence the town was the most sacred shrine for Buddhists the world
over.

The Dalai Lama, who continued his discourse on Nagarjuna's middle path on
Monday, the fifth day of the Kalachakra festival, released, along with the
chief minister, a special commemorative postal cover on Kalachakra-2006. V
Sudhakar, postmaster general, Hyderabad, was present on the occasion.

The Dalai Lama also consecrated the Dhyana Buddha statue and opened the
Buddhist Interpretation Centre. The chief minister unveiled Dr B R Ambedkar
statue at Sattenapalli road junction and laid stone for a colony named after
Kalachakra-2006.