IBC to host international conference on Guru Padmasambhava at Nava Nalanda Mahavihara

Nalanda (Bihar) [India], August 26 (ANI): A two-day international conference titled “Exploring the Life and Living Legacy of Guru Padmasambhava” is set to take place at Nava Nalanda Mahavihara in Nalanda, Bihar, on August 28-29.

The event will delve into the life, teachings, and enduring influence of Guru Padmasambhava, revered as the second Buddha.

Guru Padmasambhava, also known as Guru Rinpoche, is a legendary figure in the Himalayan region, credited with spreading Buddha Dhamma across Tibet, Nepal, Bhutan, and the Himalayan states of India.

The conference will provide a platform for experts from Sri Lanka, Bhutan, Nepal, and India to present papers and discuss various aspects of Guru Rinpoche’s life and contributions.

The event will be inaugurated by the Governor of Bihar, Rajendra Arlekar, who will serve as the Chief Guest. Distinguished guests of honor include Most Ven Khenpo Ugen Namgyel, Secretary/Chief Monk of the Royal Bhutan Temple, Central Monastic Body, Bhutan, and Most Ven Khenpo Chimed, Vice Chairman of the Lumbini Development Trust, Lumbini, Nepal.

Participants will explore a range of themes, including Guru Padmasambhava’s biographical insights, the teachings of Vajrayana Buddhism, and his cultural and artistic contributions. The conference will also examine his extensive travels across Tibet, Nepal, Bhutan, Pakistan, and India, which left behind numerous significant monuments and relics.

Guru Padmasambhava’s legacy encompasses Yogic and Tantric practices, meditation, art, music, dance, magic, folklore, and religious teachings. The conference will celebrate his contributions through an exhibition of manuscripts, relics, paintings, and monuments.

The event will highlight Guru Padmasambhava’s ability to adapt the core tenets of Buddha Dhamma to local cultures and sensibilities, using local symbols and rituals to make the teachings of Lord Buddha accessible to diverse communities.

Organised by the International Buddhist Confederation (IBC), New Delhi, in collaboration with Nava Nalanda Mahavihara, this conference promises to offer profound insights into the life and legacy of Guru Padmasambhava, whose teachings continue to resonate across the Himalayan region and beyond.

Jamyang Dorjee Chakrishar, master Calligrapher made a Calligraphy of Guru Padmasambhava in Kyug’ style. The miniature scripts contain the ‘Seven-line Prayers’ offered to the Guru.

Chakrishar is a founding member of IBC and Chairman of the Buddha Dhamma and Heritage (including Heritage sites), Art & Architecture Preservation and Development Committee of IBC. He is based in Sikkim, India.

He has taken the Bhoti calligraphic art to its zenith, transforming the simple, straight Buddhist script forms into works of art with figures of the Buddha and other Buddhist deities as their core. Bhoti script was created based on Dev Nagari script of Bharat by Thonmi Sambhota, minister of king Songtsen Gampo of Tibet during the reign of Raja Harshavardhan.

He holds the World record for creating the longest calligraphy scroll, using handmade lokta paper measuring 163 meters long, with 65,000 Tibetan characters.