Supreme patriarchs -Buddhist congregate plans unified body

Supreme spiritual leaders representing most nations with a large Buddhist population are close to deciding on the creation of a new international body based in India that aims to give a united voice to Buddhism in international meetings like the United Nations (UN).

The first ever congregation of Buddhist spiritual leaders, “supreme patriarchs” and representatives of Buddhist divisions that began in New Delhi today also saw most leaders accusing Beijing for mixing religion with politics. The four-day meet began in the shadow of the cancellation of Sino-Indian border talks following New Delhi’s refusal to interfere with the conference.

However, Indian leaders like New Delhi Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit and Leader of the Opposition Sushma Swaraj who were scheduled to speak stayed away from the conference, as did government officials and diplomats expected to attend. A sizeable delegation of 35 representatives from China also didn’t make it despite confirming their attendance.

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