Singing, listening and taking notes, the 11th Panchen Lama, Bainqen Erdini Qoigyijabu, attended a forum Sunday with businessmen and monks, where they discussed Buddhist philosophies related to business.

At the beginning of the sub-forum at the second World Buddhist Forum, the 19-year-old Tibetan Buddhism leader joined other attendees in singing a Buddhist song that urges people to enjoy the simple beauty of nature and stop worrying unnecessarily.

More than 1,700 Buddhist monks and scholars from about 50 countries and regions attended the ongoing forum, which has the theme of "A harmonious world, a synergy of condition." They discussed how to better preserve Buddhist music and the Tripitaka, considered the encyclopedia of Buddhist culture, and talked about the relationship between Buddhism and science, public welfare, environmental protection and business in eight sub-forums.

"It was beyond our expectations that he would choose to attend this one among all eight sub-forums," said Buddhist master Zhan Ru, who is also deputy director of Peking University's Institute of Orientology. "It was a great encouragement for all present. Everyone was happy and honored.

"Compared with other sub-forums, many attendees here are businessmen. Maybe the Living Buddha thought they would have more troubles and problems than other people and was willing to give his blessing to them," Zhan Ru said.

During the three-and-a-half-hour forum, the Panchen Lama carefully listened to the businessmen who shared their stories and ideas about learning Buddhism and applying Buddhist thoughts in their business.

When other Buddhist masters elaborated on Buddhist philosophy or when lecturers discussed puzzles in their lives, he took notes.

"Although quite young, he looked very elegant and dignified," said Yan Wangjia, who runs an information technology firm in Wuxi. Yan met the Panchen Lama in person for the first time.

"His presence is an encouragement to us. This showed that he was interested in our lives and problems and also had expectations of us," he added.

The Panchen Lama gave a speech in English on Saturday in the opening ceremony of the second World Buddhist Forum here.

"The forum is a very good platform, through which he could communicate with people from other Buddhist schools and other circles," Zhan Ru said.

The Living Buddha left Zhan Ru with the impression that he was always willing to learn. "He was very much focused on the forum. After the forum closed for lunch, he held my hand and told me that he had learned a lot and hoped to have other chances like this in the future," he said. "In him, I see the hope of Tibetan Buddhism and future of Buddhism in China."

The Panchen Lama will play an important role in building a harmonious society in China, he added.

Lobsnag Tenzin, a Tibetan Buddhist monk from Dokar Khamtsen Monastery in southwestern Yunnan Province, was at the same sub-forum and listened to the Panchen Lama's speech on Saturday.

"I am so happy to see that he has grown up to be talented and intelligent," he said. "He is young but has a big heart. I regard him a hero of the Tibetan people."

The Panchen Lama made an appearance after a Buddhist performance titled "Blessing Ode" on Sunday evening, during the ongoing Second World Buddhist Forum, offering blessings in Tibetan, Chinese and English to an audience of about 1,000. "I pray for peace for the world. Buddha, bless the world," he said.

"I hadn't expected that he would come. I'm so lucky to see him in person," said a young girl in the audience.

The 11th Panchen Lama was born in Lhari County, Nagqu Prefecture in northern Tibet, on Feb. 13, 1990 under the name of Gyaincain Norbu. He won recognition from the central government of China as the reincarnation of the 10th Panchen Lama in November 1995 after a lot-drawing ceremony among three candidates in the Jokhang Temple in Tibet's capital Lhasa.

Drawing lots from a gold urn to choose the reincarnation of a high lama has long been a tradition in Tibetan Buddhism, and the custom of seeking approval from the central government dates back to the Qing Dynasty (1644-1911).

The Panchen Lama studies Buddhism in Beijing and frequently visits Tibet and other Tibetan ethnic areas in Qinghai, Gansu, Sichuan and Yunnan.

(Xinhua News Agency March 30, 2009)