Global Buddhist Summit 2023

The Global Buddhist Summit in New Delhi was more than just a showcase of India’s deep associations with Buddhism. It also permitted Prime Minister Modi to demonstrate his dedication as a faith advocate. 

Highlights of the Global Buddhist Summit 2023

The Press Information Bureau issued a digital collection comprising extracts from 20 of Modi’s talks highlighting his relationship with Lord Buddha. Over 100 images were included in the e-book, although only a small percentage depicted Lord Buddha. The remaining photographs were of Prime Minister Modi, taken while attending various engagements.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi underlined two personal links he mentioned in nearly all of his addresses on Buddha during the recent two-day Global Buddhist Summit held in Delhi. He noted that his Lok Sabha seat of Varanasi, located near Sarnath, where Lord Buddha delivered his first sermon, has a rich Buddhist heritage. Second, Modi mentioned that his birthplace, Vadnagar in Gujarat, was visited by the Chinese Buddhist monk Hiuen Tsang, who is well-known for chronicling his voyages to India to pursue Buddhist scriptures.

Furthermore, in an address delivered at the Summit on Thursday, Prime Minister Modi emphasised the world’s various concerns, including the Russia-Ukraine war, economic insecurity, and climate change. Despite this, Modi expressed optimism that millions of Buddhists worldwide will bring strength during these difficult junctures. Modi stated that the current period is considered one of the most difficult of the twenty-first century, with humanity under siege from challenges like terrorism and religious fanaticism. According to the Prime Minister’s Hindi speech, the increasing impact of climate change is endangering humanity’s survival.

During his address to the congregation of participants from 30 countries at the recently concluded two-day Global Buddhist Summit, Prime Minister Modi emphasised the strength of the hope and faith that millions of Buddhists propagate in a world that faces climate change and environmental disasters is so valuable. He noted that people’s united hope and faith could make the Buddha’s Dhamma a belief system for the whole world. 

Who all participated in the Global Buddhist Summit 2023

The Dalai Lama participated in the Global Buddhist Summit on the second day and addressed a group of monks and delegates assembled for the two-day event. His half-hour speech focused on Buddhist philosophy and values.

The summit, held in collaboration with the International Buddhist Confederation, was organised by India’s Ministry of Culture with the theme “Responses to Contemporary Challenges: Philosophy to Praxis.” Over 170 foreign nations participated in the summit, including significant delegations from Cambodia, Laos, Thailand, Japan, South Korea, Mexico, Vietnam, and Sri Lanka.

Modi highlighted the importance of peaceful coexistence in Buddhism. However, the absence of China was an important aspect of the Global Summit’s first edition. No response was received despite invitations being sent to Buddhist institutions in China. 

The two-day summit was seen as a strategic move by the Indian government to strengthen its position as a crucial player in Buddhism, especially as China had been organising similar summits. During the event, Modi quoted the Buddha’s teachings, highlighting the importance of living in harmony with all people to achieve happiness. He emphasised that imposing one’s thoughts and beliefs on others was becoming a significant problem for the world. The Buddha’s teachings emphasised examining one’s behaviour before attempting to preach to others.

In addition to his speech, Modi also visited a photo exhibition and presented monk’s robes to 19 distinguished monks from different countries, including Australia, Mexico, Nepal, Myanmar, South Korea, Mongolia, Bhutan and Bangladesh. The summit concluded with releasing a New Delhi declaration on Friday, reinforcing the points Modi highlighted in his opening address.