This is going to be Asian century; without Buddhism it can't be: PM

Voicing concern over violent non-state actors controlling large territories across the world and unleashing "barbaric violence", Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday said that ideologies should give way to dialogue to resolve conflicts.

"Intolerant non-state actors now control large territories where they are unleashing barbaric violence on innocent people. The severe limitations in our conflict resolution mechanisms are becoming more and more obvious. It is, thus, no surprise that the world is taking note of Buddhism," he said without naming any country.

The PM noted that ideologies, which close the gates for dialogue, have the propensity for violence. "Hindu and Buddhist religions are in that sense more philosophical than just belief systems. It is my firm belief that the solution to all the problems lies in dialogue," he added at the ‘Samvad-Global Hindu Buddhist Initiative on Conflict Avoidance and Environment Consciousness' held in New Delhi. 

He said that the world should shift from the path of ideologies that close the gates for dialogue to avoid conflict.

“It used to be believed that force indicates power, but now power must come through the strength of ideas and effective dialogue which produces no anger or retribution,” he said, citing the debate between Adi Sankara and Mandana Mishra over their conflicting versions of Hindu philosophy.

The three-day event is being held in the national capital by Vivekananda International Foundation and will shift to the holy Buddhist town of Bodhgaya on September 5.

Speaking at a gathering attended by representatives of many Buddhist countries -- including Japan, Sri Lanka, Mongolia and Cambodia – Modi made a pitch for India as a prime religious destination. "My government is doing everything possible to give an impetus to the Buddhist heritage across India, and India is taking the lead in boosting the Buddhist heritage across Asia. This three-day meet is one such effort... You are visiting a nation that is extremely proud of its Buddhist heritage," he said.

He said this century is going to be an Asian century and he was very clear that without embracing the path and ideals shown by Buddha, it cannot be.

"I see Lord Buddha doing to our collective spiritual well-being what global trade did to our collective economic well-being and the digital Internet did to our collective intellectual well-being," he said.

The PM cited the ancient Hindu and Buddhist beliefs to make his pitch for drawing upon the tenets of these ancient religions to fight climate change and avert conflicts. Insisting that the issue is not climate change but "climate justice", he said his reading of Vedic literature educated him about the strong bond between humans and nature, adding that Buddhism along with other Asian faiths like Confucianism and Taoism has undertaken greater responsibility to protect the environment.

"I want to say that we, the present generation, have the responsibility to act as a trustee of the rich natural wealth for the future generations. The issue is not merely about climate change; it is about climate justice... The most adversely affected by climate change are the poor and the downtrodden," he said.

Hinduism and Buddhism with their well-defined treatises on Mother Earth can help examine the changes in approach that need to be made, he said.

Speaking on the occasion, former Sri Lankan president Chandrika Kumaratunga said terrorism was extreme manifestation of long unresolved issues and inclusive and sustainable development was key to resolve such conflicts. Treating all communities as one was very important, she said.

A video message of Japan's Prime Minister Shinzo Abe was also played on the occasion, which was also addressed by spiritual leader Sri Sri Ravi Shankar.