Prime Minister Narendra Modi meditating at the Mahabodhi Temple in Bodh Gaya, Bihar. (Agence France-Presse)
Prime Minister Narendra Modi today said while there is no problem in practicing one's religion, the potential for conflict arises when radical elements try to force their own ideologies on others.
Speaking to delegates of a Hindu-Buddhist conference at the Maha Bodhi Temple here, he said scholars of the two religions, who attended the just-concluded deliberations in Delhi, have also promised to deepen the notion of conflict avoidance philosophy and environmental consciousness in Asia and beyond.
"The two day conference seems to have arrived at a broad consensus on both issues. On the issue of conflicts - most of which are being driven by religious intolerance - the participants in the conference seem to have agreed that while there is no problem about the freedom to practise one's religion, it is when the radical elements try to force their own ideologies on others, that the potential for conflict arises," he said.
Mr Modi said the themes of the conference, informed and shaped by the Hindu-Buddhist civilisational and cultural perspectives, promise to deepen the notion of conflict avoidance, philsophy and environmental consciousness in Asia and beyond.
The Delhi conference was hosted by Vivekananda International Foundation and Tokyo Foundation with support of International Buddhist Confederation and concluded in Delhi two days ago.
"This is an extraordinary development which coincides with the rise of Asia as an economic and civilizational phenomenon," he said citing the decision of the two-day conference to hold similar conferences in other Buddhist nations including the one by the Tokyo Foundation in January next year.
The Prime Minister described Bodh Gaya as the "land of enlightenment" and said his government would develop the site as the spiritual capital for it to serve as a civilizational bond between India and the Buddhist world.
"I recognise how Buddhists all over the world revere Bodh Gaya as a place of pilgrimage. We in India would like to develop Bodh Gaya so that it can become the spiritual capital and civilisational bond between India and the Buddhist world.
"The government of India would like to provide all possible support that its Buddhist cousin nations need for the satisfaction of their spiritual needs from this holiest of holy places for them," he said after visiting Mahabodhi Temple.
Mr Modi said both Gautama Buddha and Lord Krishna taught the world so much, as Lord Krishna gave his message before the start of the war in Mahabharata and Buddha repeatedly emphasized on rising above warfare.
"The message by both of them was about establishing Dharma," he said, adding that both of them gave great prominence to principles and processes.
"Gautama Buddha gave the eight-fold path and the Panchsheel, while Shri Krishna gave invaluable lessons of life in the form of Karma Yoga. These two divine souls had the strength to bring people together, rising above differences. Their teachings are most practical, eternal and are more relevant in this day and age than ever before," he said.