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The two-day Global Buddhist Summit was held on 20-21 April 2023 at Hotel Ashok in New Delhi under the theme "Responses to Contemporary Challenges: Philosophy to Praxis".
The summit explored ways in which the fundamental teachings and values of Buddha can be an antidote to contemporary universal challenges and concerns. The summit was an effort towards engaging the global Buddha Dhamma leaders and scholars on matters of Buddhist and universal concerns, and to come up with policy inputs to address them collectively under the motto 'United Voice and Collective Wisdom'. The summit saw participation of eminent scholars, Sangha leaders and Dharma practitioners (both monks and nuns) from all over the world. The conference, overall, was divided into two sections -- the inaugural session and the technical session. Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated the summit and addressed the participants from across the globe. On the second day, the Dalai Lama blessed the summit and the participants with his holy presence and inspiring address. The technical session was held in two parallel sessions -- the Sangh and an Academic where Sangha leaders and erudite Buddhist scholars across the world deliberated on various topics associated with environmental crisis, world peace, preservation of Buddhist Heritage and Pilgrimage etc. At this summit, a special consideration was given to ensure that there was representation from both the genders as speakers in the technical sessions. Dharmachakra Mudra, the logo of the Global Buddhist Summit, signifies the first turning of the Wheel of Dhamma by the Shakyamuni Buddha after attaining enlightenment. The subject matter of the First Turning of the Wheel of Dhamma was the Four Noble Truths and the Noble Eight-Fold Path, which are the essence of the teachings of the Buddha and are the foundational tenets of all the Buddhist Schools. The mudra conveys the profound meaning of the various topics dealt with at the Global Buddhist Summit. Therefore, the organising committee selected the Dharmachakra Mudra as the logo of the Global Buddhist Summit, 2023. A source said, "The mudras are the peculiar hand gestures of many Buddha statues depicting the Buddha in various positions and performing different hand gestures. They are the non-verbal mode of communication and self-expression consisting of hand gestures and figure postures." Among various Mudras of the Buddha Statues, the five most common ones are Abhaya Mudra, Bhumisparsha Mudra, Dhyana Mudra, Dharmachakra Mudra and Varada Mudra. It says that each of the mudras has its own meaning and ways of depiction in Buddhist art. Dharmachakra mudra is one of such interesting and unique hand gestures used in Buddha statues, which means the wheel of Dharma in Buddhism. The source added, "The Dharmachakra mudra is formed when the thumb and index finger of both the hands touch at their tips to form a circle. This particular circle symbolises the Wheel of Dharma." Similarly, this circle also means, in the metaphysical term, the union of method or Upaya and wisdom or Prajna. Both hands are held against the chest in Vitarka, while the left hand is facing inward which covers the right hand facing outward. The three remaining fingers of both hands remain extended and they have their own symbolic importance -- the middle finger of the right hand represents the 'hearers' of the teachings of the Buddha, the index finger represents the 'realizers' of the teachings and the little finger represents the Mahayana or 'the great vehicle. Similarly, the three extended fingers of the left hand represent the three jewels of Buddhist principles -- the Buddha, the Dharma and the Sangha. As the gesture is performed with the hands held in front of the left side of the chest, or in front of the heart, the Dharmachakra mudra represents the teachings are straight from the Buddha's heart". With the participation of over 600 delegates from across the globe, the two-day Global Buddhist Summit was a grand success. (ANI)
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