New Delhi, 21 January 2013: This year the Nobel Peace Prize laureate, His Holiness the 14th Dalai Lama, will honour the DSC Jaipur Literature Festival 2013 with his presence. “Literature has played a major role in my life,” the spiritual leader said. “Since childhood, reading has been of great importance to me and I am often reminded of the immense kindness of the scholars of the past who translated a vast array of Buddhist literature into Tibetan. I look forward to attending the Jaipur Literature Festival and meeting people writing and reading today.” The Festival is scheduled to take place from 24th to 28th January 2013 at Diggi Palace, Jaipur. The Dalai Lama’s visit would be a prelude to discussions and readings on the theme ‘The Buddha in Literature’. Festival Co-Director Namita Gokhale said, “Gautama the Buddha’s impact on humanity lies beyond religion and theology. The entire fabric of Asian society – from Central Asia and Afghanistan to China and Japan – has been deeply influenced by the philosophy of Buddhism. Today Buddhism is a way of life for many people around the world. The internal journey of awakening and personal evolution is mirrored in the literature, art and cultural practice of Buddhism. Our sessions on ‘The Buddha in Literature’ are a tribute to the way of seeing and knowing taught by the Buddha.”