Updated: December 02, 1997 05:00 PM GMT

Orthodox Christians in India have honored the Dalai Lama, the exiled spiritual leader of Tibet, with an award recognizing his work in interfaith dialogue, peace and justice.

Accepting the award from the Sophia Society, founded to promote socio-philosophical exchange and religious dialogue, the Dalai Lama stressed the importance of harmony and cited the role of religion in achieving peace.

Catholicos Moran Mar Baselius Mar Thomas Mathews II, the Orthodox Church´s 89th head, presented the inaugural annual award established in memory of the late Orthodox Bishop Paulos Mar Gregorios of Delhi, who began the society.

Religion can help to solve existing problems and to “reach real harmony in society” by filling the “widening gulf between spiritual needs and materialistic comforts” the Dalai Lama said in his acceptance speech Nov. 25.

“As a Buddhist, for me Buddhism is the best. For you, your religion is the best. When we are together, we need understanding of each other,” the 62-year-old Nobel Peace Prize laureate said.

The challenge is to sustain “basic human values of affection, sharing, caring and humility,” he observed.

Delhi Orthodox Bishop Job Mar Philoxenos, who currently heads the Sophia Society, said interfaith dialogue is not a “conclave of theologians (making) competing claims to truth” but a “humble process of mutual understanding.”

A society statement said that the award committee chose the Dalai Lama for the award to recognize his “quest for peace and reconciliation.” The Buddhist leader has lived in India since fleeing Chinese rule in Tibet in 1959.

Also at the ceremony, Hindu philosopher and Divine Light Mission head Swami Chidanandiji Maharaj said that the experience of hunger and pain is the same everywhere, and that religion should aim to instill joy in people´s lives.

Christian and Hindu leaders and diplomats attended the presentation of the award, which comprises a citation, a medal and 100,000 rupees (US$2,650).

Bishop Mar Gregorios, who died in 1996, was the first metropolitan of Delhi Orthodox diocese and the founder the Delhi Orthodox Center, which regularly organizes interfaith seminars and theological and philosophical exchanges.

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His Holiness the Dalai Lama was presented the Paulos Mar Gregorios Award in 1997 for his exemplary contribution to inter-faith dialogue and religious harmony. His Holiness Baselios Marthoma Mathews II, the Catholicos of the East, head of the Indian Orthodox Church, presented the award to the Buddhist spiritual leader.

His Holiness has emerged as one of the greatest men of our time, a world leader and a figure of great moral authority, who has been a rare example in launching a non-violent struggle for the rights of the Tibetan people.

A dear friend of Mar Gregorios, the Dalai Lama has devoted his entire life to the furthering of the well-being of humanity. He has travelled all over the world sharing his message of universal responsibility and compassion. A spokesman for peace and a champion of human values, his message of compassion has touched the hearts of countless men and women, for whom he is a source of hope and courage.

One of His Holiness’ great contributions to the world has been his dedication to non-violence, during the long struggle of the Tibetan people for their rights and freedom. He has been greatly inspired by the life-long struggles of Mahatma Gandhi, Nelson Mandela and Martin Luther King. Acknowledging that we live in a period of great crisis, his message is that of hope, without which it is not possible to find security and harmony between people. And his example has inspired people in every part of the globe in their own aspirations for freedom. In his view of the world, the Dalai Lama has always emphasised the inter-dependence of all the elements of the universe: how we are all deeply connected with one another and with our environment. The heart of His Holiness’ message is how we can train our mind-that is, transforming our attitudes and ways of thinking by training the mind to discover inner peace.

Accepting the Paulos Mar Gregorios Award, The Dalai Lama in his speech underlined the importance of promoting spirituality in this technological era for the inner peace and holistic sanctity of humanity. He stressed that religion, by nurturing values such as love, tolerance and compassion, should strive to eliminate divisions and conflicts in society. A living example of tolerance and forbearance, the Dalai Lama’s message of plurality and diversity grows more important and relevant as each day goes by. In many ways, the award honoured not just the man but also the sincere motivation of altruism that his very being embodies.

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