Dalai Lama at a Buddhist temple in McLeod Ganj

DHARAMSHALA: Indian caste system is very bad which creates differences between the society, at a younger age nobody cares but at the later stage people realise about its bad effects. This is the only backwardness in this country despite the constitution giving equal right to everybody here, said Tibetan spiritual leader Dalai Lama in Mcleodganj on Monday morning.

Office of the Dalai Lama had organised a special program where hundreds of tourists from various parts of the country underwent a dialogue with the Dalai Lama at main Buddhist temple near his exile residence.

"At the emotional level we all are the same human being. We have same potential of forgiveness, compassion and tolerance. Also we all have anger, hatred but there are two types of emotions, one is destructive and constructive emotion," said Dalai Lama adding that ancient Indian psychology states that destructive emotions were the result of ignorance.

Talking about the inequality notions spread in other parts of the world, Dalai Lama said that he was once in South Africa and a person started arguing about the difference between black and white.

"I told him to get brain specialists and get a test of difference between the brain of a white and black person," he said adding that God has made no difference in human beings.

On lighter vein, Dalai Lama said that he thought that showing his face to tourists coming to meet him was not enough. "I thought I should show you how brilliant this brain is," he said.

He praised India for religious harmony. Budha laid emphasis against the caste system 2,000 years ago, this is the only backwardness left in this country which divides it, he told tourists. "This is high time to give up this old notion of caste system," said Dalai Lama.

