Darjeeling, March 29: Subash Ghisingh has decided to deliver a talk on Buddha Purnima at Mirik tomorrow, at a time when the GNLF chief has antagonised the Tamangs who are predominantly Buddhists.
The programme is being organised by the Buddha Purnima committee and indications are that Ghisingh will celebrate the religious festival ? almost two months away ? with much gusto this year.
In the past few months, the GNLF chief has launched a series of vitriolic attacks on the Tamangs for following ?traditions under the influence of foreign power?. Though the Tamangs, one of the largest hill communities, stand antagonised, sources maintain that the GNLF leader is unlikely to use tomorrow?s occasion to pacify them. Rather, the purpose will be to prepare the ground for imposing new strictures on the festivity.
Deepak Gurung, the president of the GNLF Darjeeling Branch Committee, confirmed that Ghisingh would be the lone speaker at the programme. Asked if the GNLF chief would allow the worship of an idol of Buddha on Buddha Purnima, especially when he has issued a diktat to replace statues with shilas, Gurung replied in the affirmative.
However, it was learnt that Ghisingh would urge the Buddhists to worship a ?living Buddha? that he has recently ?discovered?. The concept of the Living Buddha is prevalent in Southeast Asia and is usually identified with the Theravada form of Buddhism which is different from the Mahayana form. The important difference between Theravada and Mahayana is that the former follows the original teachings of the Buddha and regards him as an enlightened sage. The Mahayanas believe that Buddha is a part of god.
However, given Ghisingh?s own understanding of various religions, it is likely that he will come up with his own interpretation of the ?right way to worship? Buddha, which would not be either on the lines of the Theravadas or Mahayanas. Many believe that Ghisingh will merely try to test the waters tomorrow before actually imposing his diktat on Buddhists.
Apart from the Tamangs, the other hill communities that follow Buddhism include the Tibetans, Sherpas, Yolmos and even the Gurungs.
Observers, however, believe that Ghisingh cannot afford to antagonise the other communities as blatantly as he had done the Tamangs.
