All-Embracing
The Hindu tradition prescribes a way of life that instills inner peace and outer harmony; a life of balance and equanimity on the one hand and friendliness and understanding with the followers of other traditions on the other. It provides countless inspiring examples. When Jews (after the second destruction of the Temple in Jerusalem by Roman tyranny) and Zoroastrians (in the 7th century, when Persia was invaded by Muslims) sought shelter in India, they were received with warmth and understanding and were granted facilities for and freedom of worship. The same spirit continue through the ages. In 1961, India offered refuge to the Dalai Lama and 100,000 of his followers from Tibet in the face of the threat of the Chinese communist army. For those who questioned the wisdom of this action, the then President of India, Dr. Radhakrishnan said: “We cannot go against our own tradition and history.