Lucknow: A two-day international seminar on the significance of Dharmachakrapravartana Divas began at Mulagandha Kuti Vihara in Sarnath on Wednesday, bringing together Buddhist monks, scholars and researchers from India and abroad.The seminar is being jointly organised by the International Buddhist Research Institute, Lucknow, under the UP culture department and the Mahabodhi Society of India, Sarnath.The event comes less than a week after Sarnath was inscribed on UNESCO’s world heritage list on July 25, becoming India’s 45th and UP’s fourth world heritage site. The recognition is expected to boost the state’s Buddhist circuit and enhance Sarnath’s appeal among international pilgrims and cultural tourists.Tourism and culture minister Jaiveer Singh, who inaugurated the seminar and felicitated Buddhist monks, said the UNESCO inscription marked a new chapter in Sarnath’s global recognition.“Sarnath is the sacred land from where Lord Buddha’s message of peace, compassion and Dhamma spread across the world. The UNESCO recognition will give fresh momentum to UP’s Buddhist tourism and strengthen efforts to promote the state’s Buddhist heritage internationally,” he said.The programme also highlighted Buddhist literary heritage with the release of Mahapandit Rahul Sankrityayan’s Sanskrit translation of the Dhammapada from the original Pali. Another book, Remembering Yugpurush Kosetsu Nosu by Prof Siddharth Singh, was also released.The seminar is being attended by monks and scholars from institutions including the Mahabodhi Society of India, Nava Nalanda Mahavihara, the University of Calcutta and the International Buddhist Research Institute. Technical sessions on Thursday will focus on the significance of Dharmachakrapravartana Divas and various dimensions of Buddhist philosophy, with research papers to be presented by scholars from leading universities and Buddhist institutions.
