Chief guest Dr Arun Kapur with other dignitaries at the inaugural session of the conference
Photo: tibet.net
Around 300 health practitioners, educationists, and specialists gathered at the Tibetan Medical and Astrological Institute (Men-Tsee-Khang) in Dharamsala from June 26-28. The three-day conference on body, mind, and life was aimed at better understanding oneself and the nature of human beings from the perspectives of Buddhist philosophy, Tibetan medicine, Tibetan astrology & astronomy, and modern science.
Following a moment of silence in memory of the self-immolators and the Uttarakhand floods, Geshe Tenpa Tashi opened the conference with a speech about relations between medical science and Tibetan herbal medicine.
Participants listened to 20 speakers including Geshes from all four sects of Tibetan Buddhism, a nun from Dolmaling Nunnery, five Tibetan doctors (Menrampa) and five Tibetan astrologers (Tsirampa) and American scholars. Dr Arun Kapur, Executive Director of the Vasant Valley School in New Delhi, was the chief guest. He stressed the significance of reforming education and expressed optimism that the conference will “sow the seeds for us understanding ourselves and those around us better.”
Participants and speakers deliberated on five main topics relating to body, mind, and life: their general concept; their seeds; their inter-relationships; factors responsible for their disturbance and their maintenance and restoration. Eric Goh, a participant from Edinburgh, said, “It has been wonderful and the speakers have made really good points. I’m grateful to have this opportunity to be here.”
The conference was implemented on the advice of His Holiness the Dalai Lama to instigate a large exchange with different health providers across the globe. The Men-Tsee-Khang Institute was established in 1961 under the guidance and patronage of His Holiness.
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