Dalai Lama begins three-day spiritual discourse in Dharamsala

New Delhi: Tibetan spiritual leader, the 14th Dalai Lama began a three-day spiritual discourse in Himachal Pradesh' Dharamsala on Tuesday.

Around two thousand people including exiled Tibetans, monks, nuns and followers from across the world gathered at Tsuglagkhang monastery to attend the session.

Tibetan parliamentarian-in-exile, Dawa Tsering who was present at the occasion, said Tibetans were grateful to India for giving them the religion of Buddhism.

"There is a big significance for all, particularly to the Indian people because Buddhism come from the Indian. It is born in India. So, it was preserved by the Tibetan, in Tibet by the Tibetans. So, now is a great opportunity to his holiness or to the Tibetans that we are able to pay back that religion, that culture that we got from Indian," Tsering said.

People participating in the discourse were excited to be part of the three-day long session, which will conclude on June 9.

"People who have respect for Dalai Lama and who want to know about Buddhism have gathered here to listen to the teachings," said Manender Shakya, a follower from Madhya Pradesh.

Dalai Lama gave teachings from the text Shantideva's Bodhicaryavatara.

Dharamsala is home to millions of exiled Tibetans who fled to India in 1959.

More than five decades after he fled into exile in India following a failed uprising against Chinese rule, the Dalai Lama still exerts considerable religious authority over many of the six million ethnic Tibetans living within China's borders.

China considers the Dalai Lama a violent separatist. However, the Dalai Lama denies espousing violence and says he only wants genuine autonomy for Tibet.