Dalai Lama Inaugurates Buddha Smriti Park in Patna
On the occasion of Buddha Purnima, Nobel laureate and Tibetan spiritual leader the Dalai Lama has inaugurated the Buddha Smriti Park, a sprawling 22 acre park dedicated to Lord Buddha in the heart of Patna, said media reports.
Delegations from four predominantly Buddhist countries – Sri Lanka, Burma, Japan and Thailand – attended the inauguration of the Buddha memorial park, reports said.
The Dalai Lama showed gratitude to Bihar chief minister Nitish Kumar for inviting him to inaugurate the park built to commemorate the 2,554th birth anniversary of Gautam Buddha and termed his visit to the state as a pleasant one, said reports.
The foreign delegations, which attended the prayer ceremony during the inaugural function, brought consecrated Buddha urns and gifts, and the Dalai Lama kept them at the memorial park, reports said.
The spiritual leader also planted a sapling of the tree under which Lord Buddha is believed to have attained enlightenment in Bodh Gaya, said reports.
A branch of the original Mahabodhi tree is believed to have been taken to Anuradhapura in Sri Lanka by Emperor Ashok’s son Mahendra.
The Sri Lankan delegation had brought a sapling from this tree to be planted at the Buddha Smriti Park, reports said.
On occasion, governor D Konwar and ministers and top authorities were present.
(Based on internet reports)
