"SAMVAD highlights Asian century social values, not only economic values": PM Modi

Times of Oman

14-02-2025

New Delhi: Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday stated that the SAMVAD (Global Hindu Buddhist Initiative) programme in Thailand highlights the concept of the Asian century extending beyond economic values to encompass social values.
In a video message during the programme, the Prime Minister underlined that the teachings of Bhagwan Buddha can offer guidance in creating a peaceful and progressive era, promoting a human-centric future.
"This conference highlights that the Asian century is not just about economic value but also about social values. The teachings of Bhagwan Buddha can guide the world in creating a peaceful, progressive era. His wisdom holds the power to lead us towards a human-centric future," the Prime Minister said.
PM Modi further explained that one of the core themes of the SAMVAD conference is conflict avoidance and pointed out that conflicts often arise when people believe that only their perspective is correct and all others are wrong.
"One of the core themes of SAMVAD is conflict avoidance. Often, conflicts arise from the belief that only our path is correct while all others are wrong. Bhagwan Buddha offers insight into this issue... Some people cling to their own views and argue, seeing only one side as true. But multiple perspectives can exist on the same issue," he added.
He quoted a verse from the Rig Veda, "Ekam Sat Vipraha Bahudha Vadanti," which highlights the idea that truth can be seen from different viewpoints, and recognizing these diverse truths can help avoid conflicts.
"This is why the Rig Veda states, 'Ekam Sat Vipraha Bahudha Vadanti.' When we acknowledge that truth may be seen through different lenses, we can avoid conflict. Another cause of conflict is perceiving others as fundamentally different from ourselves. Differences lead to distance, and distance can turn into discord. To counter this, a verse from the Dhammapada states that everyone fears pain and death. By recognising others are similar to ourselves, we can ensure that no harm or violence occurs. If these words are followed, conflict can be avoided," the PM added.
This year, the two-day SAMVAD (Global Hindu Buddhist Initiative) programme is being held in Bangkok, Thailand, under the banner "Samvad IV: Global Hindu Buddhist Initiative for Conflict Avoidance and Environmental Consciousness - The Century of Dharma - Dhamma."