Feature: Living Buddha at Boao Forum for Asia

　　BEIJING, April 20 (Xinhuanet) -- Wearing a red robe and Buddha beads, the Living Buddha Zhangjia of Zhaga Monastery of Tibet listened attentively to international political figures and entrepreneurs at the Boao Forum for Asia(BFA) Annual Conference 2009. On hearing an interesting remark, he would clap his hands and laugh heartily together with other audiences.

　　Delegates attend the opening plenary of Boao Forum for Asia (BFA) Annual Conference 2009 in Boao, a scenic town in south China’s Hainan Province, April 18, 2009. The BFA Annual Conference 2009 opened here on Saturday with the theme of “Asia: Managing Beyond Crisis”. (Xinhua/Zhao Yingquan)

　　"Guests at BFA are always in the spotlight of the media. Only with optimistic minds can they bring about positive influence to more people, " he said at Boao, a scenic spot in south China's island province of Hainan.

　　The Living Buddha said he attended the forum to learn more about and from others, so that he can better exert his influence on them.

　　"Those experts are textbooks for me, and I prefer imported textbooks," he said humorously.

　　Having attended a forum entitled "the Power of China in the New Globalization Era", Living Buddha Zhangjia said, "the internationalization of religion is already one step ahead of economic globalization."

　　Recently the Second World Buddhist Forumwas held in Wuxi and Taipei, where eminent monks from all corners of the world exchanged views in a sincere and friendly way.

　　Participants listen at the opening ceremony of the Second World Buddhist Forum (WBF) held in Wuxi, east China's Jiangsu Province on March 28, 2009. (Xinhua Photo)

　　As an honored guest of BFA, Living Buddha Zhangjia partook in related activities of forums concerning corporate social responsibility, the financial crisis and so on.

　　"The financial crisis can't stop the spring from coming, the flowers from blossoming, and the grass from turning green, " he said.

　　He added that at present the economic crisis is always seen as an enemy to be beaten and defeated. While he thought the right thing to do is to learn more about it, to understand it and live with it other than panicing and being pessimistic.

　　"As far as I can see, the financial crisis to a large extent is brought about by a mental crisis. Our spirits must not sink into crisis together with the economy. We should always look on the brighter side," he said.

　　"While focusing on the material aspect of life, we should also pay attention to the mental side. Now in many big cities there are traffic jams everyday, but we should not let our minds be jammed," the Buddha concluded.