Mexico City Legislative Assembly Honours Indian Buddhist Spiritual Head - The Gyalwang Drukpa

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Jul 25, 2014, 11:00 ET

MEXICO CITY, July 25, 2014 /PRNewswire/ --

The Gyalwang Drukpa, the India-born spiritual head of Drukpa Buddhists, was invited and recognized as an honorary member of the Legislative Assembly in Mexico City. This was part of the Country's thrust on environment consciousness and proactive environmental initiatives. Mexico City and its Congressmen have created a law to protect Mother Earth.

The Gyalwang Drukpa and Mexico City Legislators committing to a sustainable positive approach to environment preservation (PRNewsFoto/Drukpa Lineage)

Gyalwang Drukpa (PRNewsFoto/Gyalwang Drukpa)

(Logo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20140312/674445)
(Photo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20140722/10102991)

Addressing the assembly, the Gyalwang Drukpa encouraged environmental protection and shared a message of peace. The Gyalwang Drukpa says, "As a citizen of the Mother Earth, I deeply appreciate how the Mexican government is making a concerted effort to protect the nature and to encourage fellow Mexicans to love the water, love the trees and to love our Mother Earth. In this way, the world lives in happiness, not only physically, but mentally and spiritually."

Using the full Assembly, Drukpa gave the message of protecting the environment, the earth and its elements as well as their physical and mental health. He noted that Mexico City can be an example for the entire world, and that these legislators had the power and the mandate to drive the much needed changes to the way in which we treat Mother Earth.

The Gyalwang Drukpa has been a great driving force towards various environmental initiatives. He is internationally acclaimed for taking the lead and creating awareness about environmental consciousness and driving the masses to embrace environment-friendly initiatives. Honoured as the 'Guardian of the Himalayas', the Gyalwang Drukpa has on numerous occasions been honoured and awarded by various international organisations, including the United Nations.

About The Gyalwang Drukpa

The Gyalwang Drukpa is the head of the thousand year old Drukpa Order, based in the Himalayas and has millions of followers worldwide. His mission is to promote universal harmony and inner peace by integrating the spiritual tenets of love and appreciation into daily lives. His work includes promoting gender equality; establishing educational institutions, medical clinics and meditation centres; and rebuilding heritage sites in the Himalayas. He is the founder and spiritual director of the award-winning Druk White Lotus School in Ladakh, India, which provides its students with a modern education while preserving their local culture. In 2007, the Gyalwang Drukpa founded the not-for-profit international humanitarian organization, Live to Love, which has Aamir Khan and Michelle Yeoh as its global ambassadors. In September 2010, the United Nations honoured the Gyalwang Drukpa with the Millennium Development Goals (MDG) Award for his efforts to "create compassion into action". In September 2013, he was named the "Guardian of the Himalayas" by Waterkeeper Alliance (an NGO founded by Robert F. Kennedy Jr.) for his conservation efforts in the Himalayas.

About The Drukpa Lineage

The Drukpa Buddhists follow the Mahayana Buddhist tradition in philosophy, i.e. the philosophy of "getting enlightened for the benefit of others" and the methods are based on the Tantrayana teachings passed down from the great Indian saint Naropa, born in 1016. "Druk" means "Dragon" and it also refers to the sound of thunder. In 1206, the first Gyalwang Drukpa, Naropa's reincarnation, saw nine dragons fly up into the sky from the ground of Namdruk, and he named his lineage "Drukpa" or "lineage of the Dragons" after this auspicious event. Today, the Drukpa Lineage sprawls over major parts of the Himalayas, especially in Ladakh, Kinnaur and Lahaul-Spiti in India, as well as Bhutan and Nepal. Bhutan, also known as "Druk Yul" or "Land of Thunder Dragons", honours the Drukpa Lineage as its state religion. The lineage is also widely practiced in many countries throughout the world, especially Vietnam, another nation deeply influenced by the legends of "Dragons". For more information on the lineage, please visit: www.drukpacouncil.org.