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The Dalai Lama on Happiness & Responsibility

Happiness and Responsibility
September 20, 2018

Zurich, Switzerland - This morning, leaving the tranquillity of Darmstadt, where the bicycle is a favoured mode of transport, His Holiness the Dalai Lama was driven rapidly to Heidelberg. Reaching this picturesque city on the River Neckar he was taken directly to the City Hall where he was received by Mayor Wolfgang Erichson. After greeting well-wishers gathered on the pavement, His Holiness turned to wave to people watching from surrounding windows.

Inside City Hall His Holiness was given an official welcome and invited to sign the Golden Book inscribed by honoured visitors to the city. This was followed by an exchange of gifts. As His Holiness entered the auditorium and took the stage he received warm applause from the 1500 people in the audience.

In his welcoming speech Mayor Wolfgang Erichson extolled the virtues of the beautiful city of Heidelberg. The University of Heidelberg attracts an open-minded student body and is among the 50 top universities in the world. People from 160 nations live in the city, which sees diversity not as a threat but an asset. The Mayor noted that it is possible to learn how cultivate and achieve happiness and he was pleased to report that at least one pioneering school in the city is teaching just that.

During a short musical interlude a wind and string quintet played a delightful piece by Mozart.

Director of the German American Institute, Jakob Kollhofer told His Holiness it was a great honour to welcome him to Heidelberg, describing him as living reminder of peace and compassion, known for his warm smile. He observed that His Holiness has been a refugee for 60 years during which time his appearance and conduct have been consistent. Welcoming him to a festival of science in what has come to be known as a city of science, Kollhofer invited His Holiness to share his thoughts about happiness and responsibility.

“Good morning, dear brothers and sisters. I make a point of clarifying that the 7 billion human beings living on this planet today are emotionally, mentally and physically the same. We all want to live a happy life and don’t want to suffer. We have a marvellous brain which is very helpful when it comes to analysing and investigating reality. Our intelligence can bring us peace of mind, or it can destroy it. Using our intelligence to understand moral principles we can learn to cultivate warm-heartedness and infinite altruism.

“As scientists have discovered, basic human nature is compassionate. Our mother gave birth to us, then cared for us with maximum affection. If she’d neglected us instead, we would likely have died.

“Anger and fear undermine our immune system, while warm-heartedness brings peace of mind. Therefore, just as we teach children to comply with physical hygiene for the good of their health, we should also counsel them in a kind of hygiene of the emotions. If they are to be both physically and mentally fit, they need to know how to tackle negative emotions and maintain their peace of mind. And to tackle the emotions it’s useful to have something like a map of the emotions, a map of the mind.

“This is something we can learn from research conducted in ancient India through meditative practices to cultivate single-pointed concentration and analysis. The Buddha practised both, and although these practices are described in religious literature, they can be examined and employed in an academic context.

“I am a student of such ancient Indian knowledge as preserved in the Nalanda Tradition, which relies on reason and logic. The great Nalanda scholar Shantarakshita, who was invited to Tibet by the Emperor in the 8th century, established a mode of Buddhist training and practice in which reason and logic play an integral part.

“After I came to India I had opportunities to meet and hold discussions with scientists. I was inspired by the Buddha’s advice not to accept what he taught on the basis of faith alone, but to test and investigate it through reason. Consequently, the dialogue I’ve been conducting with scientists for more than thirty years has been mutually beneficial.”

Kollhofer introduced three scientists to take part in discussions with His Holiness this morning—neurobiologist Dr Hannah Monyer, gerontologist Dr Andreas Kruse, and astrophysicist Dr Matthias Bartelman.

Dr Monyer raised something she sees as a problem. “You emphasise that we are social animals and we are, but we are not so different from rats. Like them human beings naturally prefer to help members of their close family rather than others.”

“We are intelligent,” His Holiness replied, “we have seed of compassion from birth. Using reason and intelligence we can enhance our sense of compassion and come to understand how its opposite, anger, is harmful. Our biological compassionate instincts tend to be coloured by attachment. Such a biased attitude cannot be transformed into great compassion. That’s why we first develop equanimity. We can learn to extend loving kindness to the whole of humanity.

“One thing that needs to be clearly understood is that both compassion and anger are part of the mind, they belong to our mental consciousness. Some consciousnesses depend on our sense organs. In the dream state, the sense organs are dormant. In deep sleep, consciousness is subtler, while the subtlest consciousness manifests at the time of death, unrelated to the brain.”

“That’s a dualistic view,” was Dr Monyer’s response.

“In the early 20th century scientists considered consciousness was entirely dependent on the brain,” reported His Holiness. By the end of the century, neuroplasticity showed that changes in the brain could be attributed to changes in consciousness.”

Dr Matthias Bartelman asked if humility was important in the study of science. His Holiness answered “Yes”, and went on to discuss how we are all dependent on others; we depend on the community in which we live.

Gerontologist Dr Andreas Kruse told His Holiness he had three questions for him. “Do you think that the link between happiness and responsibility is meaning. His Holiness retorted that this sounded like a philosophical question like ‘why are we here?’ he said the religious answer would either be because it’s God’s will or because of karma.

Dr Kruse reported findings that older people derive meaning from being able to take care of younger members of the family. However, when they suffer degenerative conditions, such as dementia, they are excluded from such activities and younger people feel a responsibility to take care of them. Dr Kruse raised the notion of ‘border situations’ first mooted by Karl Jaspers a German-Swiss psychiatrist and philosopher educated at Heidelberg.

His Holiness retorted that it seemed to be a complicated philosophical observation. Everything is relative; nothing has independent existence. He cited the example of time. “Does time exist? Where is the present when it is always moving on?”

Answering questions from the public His Holiness touched on the need to ensure that the 21st century does not repeat the experience of the 20th century, which was overwhelmingly violent. The 21st century should be an era of dialogue. Problems should be solved by talking them over, not through the use of force.

Challenged to say why he had not intervened in the Rohingya crisis in Burma, he replied that he is an outsider to that conflict. He reported having spoken and written to Aung San Suu Kyi, who could have done more. He counselled Burmese Buddhists when moved by anger to recall the face of the Buddha.

Kollhofer brought the session to an end telling His Holiness that everyone listening had been inspired by what he told them. He thanked him once again for coming to Heidelberg. His Holiness responded, “To bring about a happier, more peaceful world, we have to start on an individual level. Change begins with individuals and spreads out into the community.”

His Holiness was invited to lunch in the vaulted foyer of the City Hall at the end of which he drove to Mannheim from where he flew to Zurich. Tibetans had mounted a traditional welcome outside the hotel, whose driveway was lined with Tibetan flags. There were Tashi Shölpa dancers and Tibetan youngsters offering the ‘Chema Changpu’.

His Holiness interacted with all who had come to greet him, happily spotting several old friends among them. In the lobby he was greeted by the Abbot, President, and Director of the Tibet Institute Rikon as well as other monks and Lamas.

Original link & photos: https://www.dalailama.com/news/2018/happiness-and-responsibility

Dalai Lama Makes Pilgrimage to Ladakh

Pilgrimage to Leh Jokhang
July 4, 2018

Leh, Ladakh, J&K, India - Following his arrival in Ladakh yesterday, His Holiness the Dalai Lama began the day today with a pilgrimage to the Leh Jokhang. Smiling people lined the streets to greet him as he approached the city of Leh. He was welcomed on arrival at the Jokhang by Tsewang Thinles, President of the Ladakh Buddhist Association and his staff. Led by monks playing horns, they escorted His Holiness to the temple while traditional Ladakhi musicians played in the temple yard.

Once inside the temple, which was packed with local people, monks and nuns, as well as laymen and women, His Holiness paid his respects before the statues of Manjushri, Thousand Armed Avalokiteshvara, the Buddha and Guru Padmasambhava. He warmly greeted Ganden Trisur, Rizong Rinpoche, Thiksey Rinpoche and other Lamas before taking his seat facing the statue of the Buddha that emulates the Lhasa Jowo.

In his introductory speech Tsewang Thinles saluted His Holiness and other eminent Lamas. He reported that, taking His Holiness’s guidance to heart, the Ladakh Buddhist Association has decided to transform the Jokhang into a centre of learning. They are providing opportunities for people to improve their command of literary Tibetan and study Buddhist teachings with the aim of becoming 21st century Buddhists—people whose faith is based on a sound understanding.

His Holiness began his remarks with the closing and opening verses of homage from Nagarjuna’s ‘Fundamental Wisdom of the Middle Way’:

I prostrate to Gautama

Who, through compassion,

Taught the exalted Dharma,

Which leads to the relinquishing of all views.

I prostrate to the perfect Buddha,

The best of all teachers, who taught that

That which is dependent origination is

Without cessation, without arising;

Without annihilation, without permanence;

Without coming; without going;

Without distinction, without identity

And peaceful - free from fabrications.

“There have been many founding teachers of religious traditions, Mahavira, Jesus Christ and Muhammad for example, who have conveyed a common message of love, compassion and tolerance. It’s on this basis that in India there is respect for all religious traditions. Inter-religious harmony has been strong here for more than 3000 years. And yet sadly elsewhere today, we see people fighting and killing each other in the name of religion.

“In terms of philosophical views, the Buddha taught how to overcome ignorance; how to eliminate the misconceptions we have about reality. In explaining dependent origination he showed that things exist in dependence on other factors. This unique point of view is today admired even by scientists.”

His Holiness reminded his listeners that Buddhism consists of the Pali and Sanskrit traditions and that the Pali tradition focuses on the explanation of the Four Noble Truths, the Vinaya and so forth. Meanwhile, the core of the Sanskrit tradition is the Perfection of Wisdom teachings that were given on Vulture’s Peak and which emphasize emptiness of intrinsic existence. In elaborating on these teachings Nagarjuna clarified dependent origination, declaring that since there is nothing that is not dependent, there is nothing that is not empty.

“I received the ‘Six Treatises on Reason’ by Nagarjuna, as well as several from his Collection of Praises, such as the ‘Praise for the Awakening Mind of Bodhichitta’, from Geshe Rigzin Tempa,” His Holiness acknowledged. “Besides these I have received several transmissions and explanations of rare texts from Khunu Lama Rinpoche and Ganden Trisur, Rizong Rinpoche.

“I remember when I was young in Lhasa seeing people in white chubas wearing boots that turned up at the toe who were clearly not well off. They came from the Himalayan Regions and Tibetans were inclined to look down on them. However, these three great masters, who have been kind teachers to me, came from among such people.

“We are incredibly fortunate to have a rich collection of literature, the Kangyur and Tengyur, more than 100 volumes of the translated words of the Buddha and more than 200 volumes of works of subsequent, mostly Indian, masters. As a follower of the Buddha, a monk, rather than just reciting the verses of refuge, it is thinking critically about works such as the ‘Five Treatises of Maitreya’ and Nagarjuna’s ‘Six Treatises on Reason’ that has had a transformative impact on my mind. When we critically appraise such texts, we use a logical approach that derives from Dignaga and Dharmakirti, which is a profound means of gaining insight.

“The Buddha himself advised his followers not to accept what he taught at face value, but to examine it, much as a goldsmith tests gold, and accept it only after rigorous investigation has shown it to be logical and of benefit. Therefore, it’s very good that you have announced your intention to make this Jokhang and other temples and monasteries centres of learning.”

The temple was filled with applause.

“The reasoned Nalanda Tradition is now only preserved among Tibetan and Himalayan Buddhists. Today, I’m talking about reviving ancient Indian wisdom in India. The Principal of the Government College in Dharamsala has spoken to me about taking the initiative to do this in an academic way. The other day at the launch of a ‘Happiness Curriculum’ by the Government of Delhi I talked about the need to combine modern education with insight and understanding derived from ancient India. I also had the chance to discuss with Abbots from Drepung and Sera how scholars from our great monastic universities can share this knowledge with Indian educators. In March, I was able to discuss this option with 150 Vice-Chancellors of Indian universities. You Ladakhis can take part too.

“We all follow the Mahayana, the Sanskrit Tradition. The explicit content of the Perfection of Wisdom teachings at its heart were explained by Nagarjuna in his ‘Six Treatises on Reason’. The implicit content was explained in Maitreya’s ‘Ornament for Clear Realization’. What this entails is cultivating an understanding of emptiness and the altruistic awakening mind of bodhichitta.”

His Holiness explained that just as we train children to be physically fit, teaching them about exercise, diet and hygiene, we also need to teach them how to be mentally fit by training the mind and learning to tackle destructive emotions. He recommended that we all try to understand what disturbs our peace of mind and what brings calm, but stressed that it can be learned not in a religious but an academic context. He further suggested that once India responds to this initiative, China will take interest too. Once that happens 2.5 billion people could be involved, which would be of significance for the world. This, he declared, would be using knowledge preserved in the Nalanda Tradition in a secular way for universal benefit.

“The world today is facing a serious crisis of emotions. People think destructive emotions are a natural part of the mind. Advice from ancient Indian psychology can show us they are not and that we can tackle and eliminate them. We need to ask ourselves how to find happiness—it’s not in money and power. As I mentioned before, we need to discover not only what disturbs our minds, but also what the antidotes to those factors are.

“As Buddhists we regularly pray to attain enlightenment for the sake of all sentient beings. However, the fact is that it is the human beings on this earth with whom we can communicate and share this understanding. It involves logic and reason. Suicide rates are increasing in a highly developed country like Japan. Even here in Ladakh I hear incidents of suicide are growing, perhaps as a result of jealousy and competitiveness. Something has to be done. We need to call on ancient Indian psychology in a secular way, relying on our common sense, common experience and scientific findings. And that’s all for today.”

Stopping to interact playfully with members of the crowd, old people and young children, His Holiness made his way out of the temple to his car. He then drove from Leh back to the Shewatsel Phodrang for lunch.

original link & photos: https://www.dalailama.com/news/2018/pilgrimage-to-leh-jokhang

The Dalai Lama on Happiness

Launch of Happiness Curriculum for Delhi Schools

New Delhi, India - To start the day, His Holiness the Dalai Lama gave an interview to Adriaan van Dis for Dutch television in connection with his prospective visit to the Netherlands in September. Van Dis opened by asking if His Holiness is ever angry and he told him that occasionally he is, but it doesn’t last. They talked about other people who may be angry and the gap between rich and poor. His Holiness remarked that historically the wealthy upper classes have exploited the poor, who, even when they enjoy equal rights, find it difficult to build self-confidence.

Van Dis mentioned the anger expressed by young Tibetan writers he’s read. His Holiness explained that Tibet is not only physically occupied, but also that hardliners among Chinese officials view any distinguishing Tibetan quality, such as Tibetan culture and language, as an expression of separatism. Consequently, study of Buddhism and Tibetan is restricted.

“There are also some who are angry with me because since 1974 I haven’t campaigned for independence. In terms of physical development we can benefit from remaining with the People’s Republic of China, but we must be able to preserve our language and culture and protect the natural environment of our homeland. This last point is not only a matter of interest to Tibetans since Asia’s major rivers rise on the Tibetan plateau and more than a billion people depend on their waters.”

The conversation turned to scientific interest in the mind and the brain.

“We have two kinds of emotion,” His Holiness explained, “those that are destructive, like anger and jealousy, which destroy our peace of mind and damage our health. But we also have other constructive emotions, like compassion, that bring us inner strength.”

Asked how we get rid of negative emotions, His Holiness replied, “Analyse them. Develop a general understanding of our system of emotions, how self-centredness and anxiety give rise to anger, for example. People need a better understanding of how things really are, the role of mental projection and the need for secular ethics.”

In connection with his own reincarnation His Holiness conceded that there have been no recognised reincarnations of the Buddha or Nagarjuna. He suggested that in some cases the system is enmeshed in feudal practices in which a Lama’s attendants are more concerned with their continuing to enjoy his property and privilege. He reiterated that as early as 1969 he made it clear that whether or not there is a 15th Dalai Lama will depend on the Tibetan people. He noted that there will be a meeting of Tibetan religious leaders to discuss the question again towards the end of the year. He pointed out that one option that has been followed in some cases is for a candidate for successor to be nominated before the predecessor has died. His Holiness also expressed approval of the way a Pope is elected from among qualified individuals.

Recommending how to create a better world, His Holiness declared that a key factor was a more general recognition of the oneness of humanity—understanding that the 7 billion human beings alive today really are brothers and sisters.

A short drive across South Delhi brought His Holiness to the Tyagaraj Stadium where more than 5000 principals and teachers from Delhi’s public schools awaited the launch of a newly configured ‘Happiness Curriculum’. He was welcomed by Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia and escorted into the building, where they were soon joined by Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal. Warm applause greeted all of them when they entered the hall and took to the stage.

Once brief introductions had been made, His Holiness and his hosts were requested to light a traditional lamp indicative of the way the light of wisdom overcomes the darkness of ignorance. A group of music teachers sang a welcome song they had composed themselves and students presented potted plants to each of the dignitaries.

In his address, Mr Sisodia thanked His Holiness for the inspiration to draw up the ‘Happiness Curriculum’. He said that after improving infrastructure and curtailing the clerical work expected of teachers, he and his colleagues had wanted to ensure better education by helping students to be happier. He cited His Holiness’s advice that India is uniquely placed to combine modern education with ancient knowledge of how to tackle negative emotions. The new ‘Happiness Curriculum’ will involve periods of meditation, mindfulness and training in universal human values. He told His Holiness that teachers were excited to be able to listen to what he had to say. He mentioned one teacher who today decided to come to listen to him rather than sit an exam required for promotion.

Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal criticized the system of education left by the British as just preparation for the passing of exams. He said that what he wanted to do was to educate students so they would be capable of taking the country forward. On that basis, he added, the Delhi Government has doubled the education budget.

He described the new curriculum as a firm step towards shaping better, happier  human beings with improved values.

Mr Kejriwal declared that there was no better person to inaugurate the ‘Happiness Curriculum’ than His Holiness the Dalai Lama. He thanked him personally for accepting the Delhi Government’s invitation. He, Sisodia and His Holiness each unwrapped a packet given to them and formally released the books related to the project.

Objectives of the new program include developing self-awareness and mindfulness in students; inculcating critical thinking; enhancing communications skills; encouraging greater empathy with others; helping students learn to deal with stress; and developing a greater sense of social awareness and human values.

In response to requests to speak, His Holiness approached the podium and began by greeting all present. “My dear respected friends the Delhi Chief Minister and his Deputy, elder brothers and sisters, as well as younger brothers and sisters, I feel this is a really meaningful occasion. I appreciate the efforts you have made and I am truly honoured that you invited me to come today. I’m convinced that it is possible to combine what’s good in modern education with ancient Indian knowledge.

“I myself am a student of ancient Indian thought. In the 8th century, despite longstanding relations with the Chinese, the Tibetan Emperor chose to develop Tibetan writing on the basis of the Indian Devanagari script. He also chose to invite qualified teachers of Buddhism from India---Shantarakshita, a pure monk, a great scholar, a philosopher and logician and his student Kamalashila came from Nalanda and established Buddhism in Tibet. These masters’ approach to study was characterized by scepticism and the use of reason. It’s a system involving 30 years of study.

“I learned to study this way too and, although I was lazy and reluctant when I was young, later I came to appreciate how useful it is. One Tibetan scholar mentioned that although it was known as the Land of Snow, until the light of knowledge came from India, Tibet was dark.

“We Tibetans think of ourselves not only as chelas or disciples of Indian gurus, but as reliable chelas because we have kept what we learned alive for more than 1000 years.

“I’ve observed that many of the problems we face are our own creation. We are afflicted by anger, hatred, jealousy and suspicion and yet modern education has little to offer in terms of achieving peace of mind. It is oriented towards material goals. Wherever I go I draw attention to the inadequacy of modern education and its failure to foster inner values. I point out that just we teach about physical hygiene, we also need to cultivate emotional hygiene, since as well as being physically fit, we need to be mentally fit too.

“The ancient Indian practices for cultivating a calmly abiding mind (shamatha) and insight (vipashyana) gave rise to a deep and subtle understanding of the workings of the mind. In addition, ancient Indian knowledge encouraged compassion and non-violence (karuna and ahimsa). These are the basis of India’s remarkable sense of religious pluralism, with many religious traditions living together in harmony—demonstrating vividly that it is possible to do so.

“The purpose of our lives is to be happy. We constantly live in hope. Pleasure based on sensory experience is short-lived, whereas the ultimate source of lasting happiness is in the mind.

“Although accounts of this and ways to tackle our destructive emotions are laid out in Buddhist texts, there is no reason why we can’t extract that knowledge and examine it in a secular academic way. Methods for tackling our destructive emotions are very relevant in today’s world. They don’t involve temples, rituals or prayers, but a rational education on a secular basis.

“Once this country has developed a more integrated education system, incorporating what is best from modern and ancient sources, I believe China will take an interest too. This could involve more than 2.5 billion people and have a far-reaching impact across the world. In this context the efforts you are making here in India’s capital take on greater significance.”

In his replies to questions from the audience His Holiness agreed that being well-off does not guarantee you’ll be happy. He mentioned an American Vice-Chancellor who was well paid and had a good reputation and yet stress and anxiety left him unhappy. By way of contrast His Holiness mentioned a Christian monk he met in Spain who had spent five years in seclusion as a hermit meditating on love. He had only the most basic facilities and yet the sparkle in his eyes revealed his experience of genuine happiness.

Finally, asked what enlightenment is and how to achieve it, His Holiness clarified that it is accomplished less by prayer than by training the mind. By study and contemplation day by day it’s possible to overcome ignorance. Combining that with altruism, it’s possible to make a start on the path to enlightenment.

As the event came to a close, His Holiness was presented with a portrait executed by an art teacher. He offered auspicious emblems and white scarves to the Chief Minister and Deputy Chief Minister. Following a vote of thanks by the Education Secretary, everyone stood for the national anthem. His Holiness then enjoyed lunch with the Chief Minister and members of his cabinet, after which Chief Minister Kejriwal and Dy CM Sisodia walked with him to his car to see him off.

original link & photos: https://www.dalailama.com/news/2018/launch-of-happiness-curriculum-for-delhi-schools

Dalai Lama on Happiness and a Stress-free Life

New Delhi, India - On arrival at the leafy IIT campus in Hauz Khas, New Delhi, this morning, His Holiness the Dalai Lama was received by the founder of Velocity 48, Ms Parul Rai and actor Tisca Chopra. They escorted him to the auditorium where an audience of 1500 were waiting.

On the stage His Holiness and his hosts lit a traditional lamp together to open the event. Moderator Sadhna Srivastav invited the Director of IIT Prof V Ramgopal Rao and IIT Executive Councillor Sanjeev Jain to formally welcome His Holiness with flowers and a white scarf. Ms Parul Rai explained that it has been her dream to provide opportunities for people to meet and listen to living legends so she was pleased that His Holiness had accepted her invitation. She added playfully that it was more by accident than design that the panel on stage with His Holiness were all women.

In her words of welcome Tisca Chopra said she found it daunting to be speaking at IIT and introducing His Holiness who the New York Times has described as the most famous man in the world. She mentioned several questions she would like to have answered—is it our goal to be happy? can compassion be learned? and what is a well-lived life?

Ms Srivastav invited His Holiness to begin his talk, which he did.

“Respected dear sisters and brothers, several of my friends and in particular former Irish President Mary Robinson have called me the feminist Dalai Lama because I support women’s taking the lead at a time when we need to give greater promotion to compassion. Experiments have shown women to be more sensitive and responsive to others’ pain. We all come from a mother and most of us have survived as a result of her affection and care.

“In human history, warriors, those who kill, have traditionally been male. Butchers are mostly male. So, as I said before, at a time when we need to make a special effort to promote love and compassion, I believe women have a special role to play.

“As to the question of happiness and a stress-free life, every sentient being that experiences pleasure or pain has a desire to be happy. There are many different levels of happiness because animals, including birds, insects and fish, do not have the brains that we have. Their lives are entirely directed towards sensory experience. It’s what their survival depends on, which is why some animals have much sharper senses than we humans do.

“We, on the other hand, have sophisticated language and thought, but that in itself doesn’t prevent our brains from sometimes creating trouble. Having too much expectation about the future or getting lost in musing about the past can bring us stress and anxiety

“Our basic human nature is compassionate and warm-hearted because that’s the way our lives begin. Without love and affection we would not have survived. Therefore, we need to combine our natural intelligence with warm-heartedness. Warm-heartedness brings inner strength and self-confidence, it enables us to be honest and truthful so our conduct is transparent, which attracts trust and friendship.

“Our survival and our future depend on other human beings, who are our source of happiness. If I smile at this flower, it doesn’t respond. But if I smile at another human being, she or he generally smiles in return. Without showing a warm-hearted concern for others we can’t be happy.

“As I already said, we have a marvellous, brilliant brain. But if this brain is driven by anger, competition and jealousy, it can be overcome by fear and anxiety. Dominated by self-centredness, we lack moral principles and a far-sighted approach. However, when we combine our intelligent brain with warm-heartedness, we respect others’ rights, sincerely wish them to be happy and never make trouble for them.

“When emotions cloud our minds we are unable to use our intelligence, are unable to think straight and can’t apprehend reality. To do that our minds must be calm, clear and unbiased. We need to look at whatever we’re dealing with from different angles to get a fuller picture. If we can do this, we’ll be happier and face less stress.”

His Holiness next turned his attention to India’s 1000 year old tradition of secularism, showing respect for all spiritual traditions and even for the views of those with no faith. All religious traditions convey a message of love and compassion, which can bring peace, happiness and satisfaction. And yet, since one billion of the seven billion human beings alive today have no interest in religion, these religious messages will not appeal to everyone. To do that requires secular ethics.

His Holiness talked about theistic and non-theistic religious traditions. How the theistic traditions like Judaism, Christianity, Islam and some strands of Hinduism believe in a creator God who is full of love. Their followers believe that they too need to relate to the other beings God has created with love and compassion. He described this as a powerful idea. He went on to explain that non-theistic traditions like one branch of the Samkhyas, the Jains and the Buddhists believe that life has no beginning, therefore there is rebirth and karma. However, where Jains and Samkhyas believe in an atman, an independent self, Buddhism teaches selflessness, that there is no independent self, but a self merely designated on the basis of body and mind.

“The purpose of teaching about selflessness,” His Holiness continued, “is to help us tackle our emotions. My American friend, cognitive psychologist Aaron Beck, who works with people who have problems with anger, has told me that the feelings of negativity they have when they are angry are 90% mental projection. This corresponds with what Nagarjuna taught in terms of conceptual fabrication. As a student of Nagarjuna, I have personal experience that thinking about his explanation that nothing has any independent existence helps reduce the strength of disturbing emotions. This is another way to bring about peace and happiness.

“At the same time, Shantideva, in his book ‘Guide to the Bodhisattva’s Way of Life’ explains how a self-centred attitude also gives rise to negative emotions like anger and that anger can be countered by altruism and warm-heartedness.

“So, something we can do is try to tackle our disturbing emotions, develop warm-heartedness and achieve peace of mind. Then we can share our experience with our human sisters and brothers.”

Ms Nivruti Rai of the IIT Bengaluru moderated a question and answer session. His Holiness advised that human beings can change. They can, for example, examine whether anger and frustration have any value, coming to understand that anger is always unhelpful. However, compassion is an antidote to many disturbing emotions. Because anger and compassion are opposites, as one increases the other is reduced. His Holiness emphasized the importance of thinking about these things, reaching a conviction and becoming deeply acquainted with it.

Asked how to remain strong when a loved one passes away, His Holiness recommended being realistic. Any living thing, he said, whether it’s a flower or our body, has a beginning and an end. Birth and death are part of life.

“When my Tutor passed away, it was like losing the rock on which I was accustomed to lean and I was sad,” His Holiness explained. “However, I realized that what I should do instead of moping was to work to fulfil his wishes.”

He told someone else who was uncertain how to decide which course to follow that the first thing to do is to use your intelligence and think carefully about it without any sense of haste. Ask trusted friends for advice. In ways like this reach a decision and, he said, when you’ve done so, act on it with determination.

His Holiness answered a question about why good and innocent people suffer by suggesting that in the case of those who are starving, it is because they are neglected by those who have the means to help them, but lack the moral principles to do so.

Finally, a member of the audience asked if we are not all fundamentally selfish. His Holiness agreed that it is natural to take care of yourself, but recommended doing so wisely not foolishly. Given how dependent we are on each other it’s unrealistic to think only of yourself, so the wise way to fulfil self-interest is to look after the interests of others.

As the meeting came to an end, His Holiness thanked people for coming to listen to what he had to say. He asked them to think about what they’d heard and to try to put into effect whatever they could of what they’d understood.

The crowd pressed forward gently as individuals hoped to interact briefly with His Holiness who gradually made his way to the door and left the building to return to his hotel. Tomorrow morning, he will fly back to Dharamsala.

original link & photos: https://www.dalailama.com/news/2018/happiness-and-a-stress-free-life

Dalai Lama Discusses Human Values

Talking to Bihari Students & Inaugurating the Wat Pa Buddhagaya Vanaram Temple

Bodhgaya, Bihar, India - A cheer went up from an estimated 7000 local Bihari students when His Holiness the Dalai Lama stepped onto the stage at the Kalachakra Maidan this morning. He had been invited to address them by the Alice Project, an educational foundation set up by an Italian,

After offerings of welcome had been made, His Holiness was requested to release Giacomin’s latest book, ‘Universal Ethics’. Giacomin then gave a welcoming speech in which he explained how he had met His Holiness in Dharamsala more than 30 years ago. His Holiness told him then that it would be excellent if he could continue to work with education in India. Consequently, the Alice Project, focused on sustainable education and a culture of peace in an intercultural and interreligious school, was launched in Sarnath in 1994 with branches established later in Bodhgaya and Arunachal Pradesh.

He said that a major aim of the project was to find a solution to the current crisis in education that results in students showing a lack of discipline, poor attention and a general fall in academic performance. One reason for this is that modern education tends to have materialistic goals with too little time given to inner values. The Alice Project schools make a point of providing opportunities for meditation and exploring ways to lead a happy life.

“We have to know our own minds and reach beyond the limits of selfishness,” Giacomin asserted, “and we have to realise there are no barriers between ourselves and others. We focus on the inner change from which discipline and altruism are born, which also provides for improved academic performance. It is possible, as His Holiness has urged, to revive the ancient knowledge of India and combine it with modern education. On behalf of the students and staff of our schools, I’d like to thank His Holiness for meeting us here in this sacred place.”

“Good morning everybody, did you all sleep well last night?” His Holiness asked from the podium, “I hope everyone’s mind is fresh and alert.

“It’s a great honour for me to be here and I’m happy to meet so many members of the younger generation, as well as my old friend from Italy who has been trying to fulfil our educational goals.

“Time is always moving on; it never stands still. The past has gone. Only a memory remains, and the future has not yet come, which gives us an opportunity to create a better world. Young people like you represent the future. It rests on your shoulders and in your hands.

“Basically, in order to be happy, every living thing, even these flowers, despite their having no mind, wants to survive. For human beings and animals trying to survive is a part of trying to be happy. All of us want to lead a happy life. Since we human beings have such marvellous brains we have the ability to think over the past, to learn from it and to plan for the future. We’re also able to look at reality from different angles. So, we need to use our brains to explore what brings us unhappiness and suffering and what makes us happy.

“Education is a key factor because education increases our ability to think and analyse how things come about. Although none of us wants problems we face a host of them, many of which are of our own creation. Our existing modern education is inadequate for ensuring that as individuals, families and communities we are happy. This is something we need to think seriously about. One of the reasons is that our existing education tends to have materialistic goals, whereas for humanity to be happy depends on peace of mind. We have to give serious thought to how to incorporate inner values into our education on a secular basis.

“These days I am committed to trying to revive ancient Indian knowledge about the workings of the mind and emotions. We need to understand better how to tackle our negative emotions through reason and analysis from a strictly secular point of view.

“There is a long tradition of karuna and ahimsa in this country and one of the ways they are expressed is in the thriving of religious harmony. At the same time India’s secular stance of showing equal respect to all religious or spiritual traditions makes it a model for others to follow.

“You young students shouldn’t just accept what you’re taught. You should think about it, analyse it, examine the reasons behind it, and compare it to other points of view. This was the spirit of Nalanda, the great University that flourished in Bihar. Think about how everything is dependent on other factors.

“As I said, the future is in your hands. You young people have the opportunity to make a better world, but you’ll have to make an effort. I may not live to see it, but if you make the attempt, in 20 to 30 years the world could become a much more peaceful place. Education is one factor, but within that we need to pay more attention to tackling our disturbing emotions. This will entail adopting a sense of emotional hygiene corresponding to the hygiene with which we protect our physical health.”

In responding to students questions His Holiness pointed out that consciousness has no beginning and that our experience of happiness and suffering is due to our own karma. He confirmed that anger is the factor that most often disturbs our peace of mind, whereas karuna or compassion is its polar opposite. With regard to religious practice he said it’s fine for individuals to think in terms of ‘one faith and one truth’. However, as far as the wider community is concerned we need to accept that there are several faiths and many aspects of the truth. He reminded his audience of his admiration for India as the only country where all the world’s major religious live together in harmony.

The practice of concentration and insight—shamatha and vipashyana—common to many of India’s indigenous spiritual traditions has given rise to experience in transforming the mind. It is understood that suffering results from mental afflictions like anger and hatred. Their source is ignorance and to counter that we need to cultivate wisdom.

His Holiness left the stage to the students’ fulsome applause. He then drove the short distance to the Thai Bharat Society’s Wat Pa Buddhagaya Vanaram Temple behind the Mahabodhi Stupa compound. He was received on arrival by Phra Bhodhinandhamunee and Dr. Ratneswar Chakma and paused to watch graceful Thai dancers reminiscent of offering goddesses giving a welcoming performance.

His Holiness turned down the offer of a ride in an e-rickshaw and circumambulated the temple on his own feet along with his hosts. He blessed the Sangharaja Kuti on the way. Inside the richly decorated new temple with its gilded statues of Buddhas and Arhats and scenes from the Buddha’s life painted on the walls, His Holiness sat with the senior monks. Verses of refuge and the Mangala Sutta were recited as the dancers performed once more.

Dr. Ratneswar Chakma formally welcomed His Holiness, who he described as a model of compassion. Phra Bhodhinandhamunee declared the Thai Bharat Society’s intention to provide opportunities for all comers to learn and practise meditation in the new temple.

When it came to His Holiness’s turn to speak, he acknowledged that historically the Pali Tradition derives directly from the Buddha’s first teachings, which make its followers the most senior disciples. Followers of the Sanskrit Tradition also rely on the Perfection of Wisdom teachings that came about as part of the second turning of the wheel of dharma.

“I have great respect for all our Dharma transmissions, just as I respect both theistic and non-theistic religious traditions, because humanity benefits from them. Today, even scientists are showing interest in what Buddhism has to say about the mind and emotions. The knowledge we’ve kept alive remains relevant because it can help reduce our negative emotions and the power they have over us.

“Discussions I’ve had with scientists have been mutually helpful. One of the few casualties has been my belief in traditional Buddhist cosmology. However, it’s clear to me that the Buddha came to teach the Four Noble Truths not to map or measure the universe. He introduced a realistic approach to suffering, an approach that is also scientific. I’d like to see scholars, scientists and practitioners gather here and sit in a circle to discuss the content of the Tripitaka, the three collections of scriptures.

“We have to study if we are to understand what the Buddha, Dharma and Sangha are, what the cessation of suffering is, how to achieve it and what the path implies. Of course, we also need to understand selflessness.

“In the 70s, some of our monks went to Bangkok where they learned Thai as well as participating in various aspects of practice. They’re old now, but we could send young monks again and welcome Thai monks to our monasteries. Tibetans could learn Thai and Thais could learn Tibetan. There are some Buddhist teachings only available in Pali and others only available in the Sanskrit tradition. We should engage in research and an exchange of experience. We need closer relations and a common effort to present Buddhism in the 21st century.

“The essence of Buddhism is compassion or karuna. Since the world needs more compassion we should look into how we Buddhists can contribute to it. It’s not a question of converting others to Buddhism, but of seeing how we can contribute to human peace of mind, by, for example, showing how to tackle our negative emotions. That would really benefit humanity.”

Following a vote of thanks and a presentation of gifts, everyone present was invited to partake in a sumptuous lunch which offered a choice of delicious Thai and Indian food. When that was over and a series of commemorative photographs had been taken, His Holiness returned to the Tibetan Temple. Tomorrow, he plans to offer Bhikshu ordination to 60 monks.

original link & photos: https://www.dalailama.com/news/2018/talking-to-bihari-students-inaugurating-the-wat-pa-buddhagaya-vanaram-temple

Dalai Lama Discusses Refugees in Europe, Human Rights, Social Media & More

Dialogue with Students and Public Talk

Frankfurt, Germany - To begin with this morning, he met with a diverse group of Chinese, Mongols and Uyghurs —scholars, students and business-people, telling them that Tibetans were willing to remain with the People’s Republic of China (PRC). He also mentioned that when he first met Uyghur leader Rebiya Kadeer she spoke of using violence to achieve independence, but he persuaded her to pursue the path of non-violence instead. In due course she also adopted autonomy as her goal.

His Holiness was asked about the declining situation of human rights in China, exemplified in the death of Liu Xiaobo. He answered that he had heard that Xi Jinping had been taken aback by the strength of opposition to reform among the old guard in the Party. He mentioned the hope that during the forthcoming Party congress, when many elderly members of the Politburo will retire, they will be replaced by new faces. Opportunities for change may then occur. He noted that many educated Chinese support the Middle Way Approach, adding that governments come and go, but the people remain. He remarked that Chinese-Tibetan relations are more than 2000 years old, whereas the Chinese Communist Party has existed for less than a century.

Asked how progress can be made, His Holiness suggested that just as he has engaged in fruitful dialogue with scientists for more than 30 years, it’s important that Chinese and Tibetans in exile, students in particular, get to know each other better. These days, as fewer people in the world talk about human rights in Tibet and Xinjiang, it would be helpful to revive the association of Tibetans, Mongols and Uyghurs, focussing on rights and the preservation of cultural identity. His Holiness approved of a suggestion to erect statues of Liu Xiaobo to prevent memory of him being erased, proposing that Chinatown in New York would be a worthwhile location.

A drive through steady rain brought His Holiness to the Jahrhunderthalle, the Century Hall. 1600 students from 60 schools in and around the state of Hesse had gathered there to listen to his conversation with 10 of their number who would put their questions to him.

“Brothers and sisters,” he began, “I’m extremely happy to have this opportunity to talk you young students. I believe all 7 billion of us are the same as human beings. Many of the problems we face are of our own making. Why? Because we continue to think in terms of my people, my nation, my religion, focussing on the secondary differences between us.

“We can’t change the past, but we’re still able to shape the future. Since I was born in 1935 I’ve been witness to continuing violence and war. We are sitting peacefully and amicably together here, but elsewhere on this planet other human beings are suffering—being killed and dying of starvation. Can we remain indifferent? We need to remember the oneness of humanity and that we are all brothers and sisters. Those of you who belong to the 21st century have a responsibility to create a more peaceful world. If you start now and make an effort you may see such change in your lifetimes, although I won’t live to see it. The peace of mind that will be its foundation will require a combination of warm-heartedness and intelligence.”

Asked how to proceed, His Holiness stressed the need to improve education. He said that where in the past the church took care of inculcating human values, religious influence has declined. Now there’s a need for far-sighted vision and enthusiasm to incorporate ethical principles into mainstream education.

Questioned about the refugee problems in Europe, His Holiness clarified that most of them have fled their own countries because of unrest there. He compared contemporary refugees to Tibetans who have always expected ultimately to return to Tibet. Refugees today, he said, should be given shelter and provided with education and training for the young so that when peace is restored in their homelands they can return to rebuild them.

His Holiness highlighted a change in attitudes between the early 20th century, when everyone proudly joined up when war was declared, to the opposition to war, violence and nuclear weapons at the end. The manifest desire for peace is encouraging, he said, noting that the Berlin wall fell not as a result of the use of force, but due to popular will. He expressed his admiration for the spirit of the European Union, which has countered a sense of ‘them’ and ‘us’, the source of division.

“Our basic human nature is warm-hearted,” His Holiness asserted. “Without it we can’t survive. But we must also use our intelligence, asking ourselves, for example if anger is of any use. The answer is that it destroys our peace of mind. Women are prone to use make up to enhance their prettiness, but if their expressions are angry, no one will want to look at them.”

In the context of learning from experience, His Holiness described three steps to developing clearer understanding. The first is to read about or listen to what others say. The next is to think about it until it is clear in your mind and the third is to become so thoroughly familiar with this conviction that it becomes part of your experience.

Challenged to say whether freedom or security was more important, His Holiness replied:

“Freedom—because of our natural ingenuity. We have great potential for creativity which requires freedom if we are to avoid stagnation. Security is sometimes cited as protecting that creativity, but it should not be in terms of restraining our thinking. Totalitarian systems typically link security to restrictions.”

His Holiness told another student that human beings’ highest goal is the achievement of happiness.

Regarding social media he said that it’s important not to become a slave to such opportunities or the technology that supports them, but to employ them with intelligence, seeking not to be manipulated by them. He ended the meeting by recommending that the students think about what they had heard. If they approved of it and valued it, he said, they should try to implement it in their lives and share what they had understood with others. He added, nevertheless, that if it meant nothing to them, they were welcome to forget it.

Addressing almost 3000 people after lunch, His Holiness again stressed the need to overcome a tendency to dwell on secondary differences and realize that we are fundamentally the same in being human. He stressed the importance of creating a happier, more peaceful world, of acknowledging the oneness of humanity. He pointed out that when we go to hospital, no one asks where we are from or what we believe. We are received as patients in need of treatment.

“Similarly, if, lost in the wilderness, we finally see someone else in the distance, our first thought will not be to ask where they are from or to what race or religion they belong to, but relief at encountering another human being.”

His Holiness repeated his admiration for the spirit of the European Union and the sense of good neighbourliness it entails. He looked forward to such a union evolving in Africa, Latin America and Asia. He suggested that the mutual respect involved naturally leads to trust and more friendly relations, whereas suspicion leads to trouble. He reiterated that seeing others in terms of ‘them’ and ‘us’ only results in further division. Therefore, cultivating a sense of the oneness of humanity is crucial for peace in the wider world.

Among questions from the audience, His Holiness was asked how to deal with fear. He answered that some fear, such as fear of a mad dog, is valuable and well-founded. However, there is also fear rooted in thinking too much about ourselves. When that arises, he suggested, it could be fun to ask yourself where or what is the ‘I’ you are so worried about.

His Holiness’s answer to why people are so greedy was that they lack basic moral principles and a respect for the rights of others. They fail to understand that real happiness is related to the mind rather than to physical satisfaction.

When a member of the audience asked him to pray for her after coming through great difficulties, he told her he would, adding that his daily prayer is:

For as long as space endures

And for as long as living beings remain,

Until then may I too abide

To dispel the misery of the world.

Finally, to end a long day, His Holiness spoke to 1500 Tibetans from various parts of Northern Europe. He praised their continuing sense of being Tibetan wherever they live now and thanked them for the loyalty and unwavering faith. He reaffirmed that it is the continuing determination of Tibetans in Tibet that enables those is exile to also keep their spirits up.

He reviewed what has been achieved in exile in terms of keeping Tibetan Buddhist culture, the Nalanda Tradition, alive by extending opportunities for rigorous study. He stressed that only Tibetans maintain an approach to the Buddha’s teachings based on scepticism, logic and reason. Besides that he asserted that the Tibetan language is the medium through which the Buddha’s teachings can be most accurately expressed. In addition, the detailed explanations of the workings of the mind and emotions found in Buddhist literature are of crucial relevance today. This, he declared, is something to be proud of.

His Holiness recounted an occasion earlier this year flying from Guwahati to Dibrugarh in a small plane during a storm when the turbulence made him fear for his life. Telling them his main concern was for what the six million Tibetans who have vested their hopes in him would do if he were to meet with an accident, the audience applauded. He assured them that his health is good and that he may live another 15-20 years, during which time there could be positive change for Tibet. Before waving goodbye, he urged them to be happy and at ease.

original link & photos: https://www.dalailama.com/news/2017/dialogue-with-students-and-public-talk-frankfurt-germany-13-september-2017-yesterday-technical-problems-delayed-his-holiness-the-dalai-lamas-fight-from-derry-northern-ireland-to-frankfurt-and-he-eventually-took-off-in-pouring-rain-when-he-landed

Dalai Lama: Launch of a Secular Ethics Curriculum

After arriving in Delhi yesterday afternoon, His Holiness the Dalai Lama drove out of the city through dense traffic to Meerut in neighbouring Uttar Pradesh this morning. As he arrived at the CJ DAV Public School, children from a variety of schools lined the road to greet him and he was welcomed by the Principal and senior staff.

After a short rest, His Holiness was escorted to the stage where an enthusiastic crowd of more than 1500 faculty, students and members of their families applauded to show their appreciation of his presence. After the customary lighting of the lamp, Dr Alpana Sharma, the Principal of CJ DAV formally welcomed His Holiness to the school. Prof Avinash C Pandey, Director of the Institute of Interdisciplinary Studies, University of Allahabad, and former Vice Chancellor of Bundhelkhand University, Jhansi, introduced Ayurgyan Nyas of which he is a founder member.

Established in 2014 with His Holiness’s approval, Ayurgyan Nyas is endeavouring to introduce training in Universal Ethics into the modern Indian education system. The goal is to develop a curriculum that will ensure students’ holistic development on the basis of innate human values.

Prof. Pandey explained,

“With this curriculum, we hope to bring about a positive transformation in the minds of children who are the future of the world.”

The curriculum was formally released by His Holiness and presented to Principals and representatives of 9 schools from Delhi, Ghaziabad, Jhansi, Kanpur, Meerut and Pilibhit who have made a commitment to teach it.

In his remarks, His Holiness explained why he felt there was a need for such a curriculum,

“Since I was born in 1935, I’ve witnessed great violence, including the Second World War. Historians estimate that more than 200 million people died as a result of war in the 20th century. Great suffering resulted from the misguided thought that the way to resolve problems was a resort to the use of force, based on seeing our human brothers and sisters in terms of ‘us’ and ‘them’.

“This way of thinking began to change during the latter part of the 20th century as people developed a desire for peace. The indiscriminate suffering that is the result of war had helped open their minds. In this 21st century, at an individual, family and national level we need to understand that the use of force to settle disputes is out of date. We must make efforts to resolve our problems through dialogue conducted on the basis of mutual respect.”

His Holiness stressed his conviction that education is the key to changing people’s way of thinking.

“Modern education tends to be oriented towards material goals and the achievement of physical comfort. It encourages people to seek happiness only on a sensory level of consciousness. The mistake is not to pay more attention to our mental consciousness. Entire generations have been brought up with a materialistic outlook, in a materialistic culture and way of life. Although they want to live in peace, they don't know how to tackle their destructive emotions, which are its biggest obstacle.

“We need to improve the current education system by introducing instructions on ways to cultivate positive emotions like warm-heartedness. Relying on religious tradition won’t appeal to everyone. We need a more universal approach based on common experience, common sense and scientific findings”.

His Holiness drew attention to ancient Indian traditions that deal with concentration and insight, shamatha and vipashyana, that have accumulated profound understanding of the workings of the mind. This ancient knowledge remains relevant today because it can equip us to deal with our destructive emotions and bring about a transformation of the mind, whether we have any religious belief or not.

“This is a country that has the potential to combine ancient knowledge with modern education to achieve peace of mind.”

His Holiness expressed his appreciation of the efforts that are being made to ensure that this 21st century becomes an era of peace and happiness, contributing to the greater joy of all 7 billion human beings alive today.

In reply to a student’s question about whether he missed Tibet, His Holiness replied,

“I was born in Tibet so of course I miss my homeland, but today I consider myself a citizen of the world. In my life I have four commitments. The first is the promotion of basic human values; the second is to foster greater harmony among our religious traditions; the third is to contribute to the preservation of Tibet’s unique language and culture, as well as the protection of the natural environment of the Land of Snow—and the fourth is to encourage a revival of ancient Indian knowledge in this country”.

After enjoying lunch with a group of invited guests at the school, His Holiness returned to Delhi. Tomorrow, he will make his first visit to the north-eastern state of Manipur, where he will participate in an international conference on peace and harmony, organized by the Speaker of the Manipur Legislative Assembly.

original link + photos: https://www.dalailama.com/news/2017/launch-of-a-secular-ethics-curriculum

Dalai Lama Teaches in Latvia

Dzogchen Teaching and Public Dialogue

Riga, Latvia - Before leaving for the teaching venue at the Skonto Hall this morning, His Holiness the Dalai Lama gave an interview to Gundars Reders of Latvian Television for broadcast in their prime slot,‘One to One’. Reders began by asking what His Holiness means about the world being in crisis.

“There is a lot of fear and anger, unfulfilled desire and exploitation, a huge gap between rich and poor—and starving children. Many of the problems humanity faces are of our own making”

Reders asked how we can tackle terrorism with compassion—isn’t it impossible? His Holiness disagreed saying that such problems will only be finally solved if we can reach out, remembering that even these trouble-makers are also human beings. He said that falling back on the use of force only serves to create more terrorists. It’s an out of date approach that reflects an education system that tends to set materialistic goals, but has little time for inner values. He mentioned ongoing efforts to create a curriculum to introduce secular ethics into contemporary education.

His Holiness was conciliatory about being unable to visit Russia and its Buddhist republics of Kalmykia, Buryatia and Tuva, acknowledging the relations that exist between Russia and China. He compared this to the fact that he is currently unable to visit any Buddhist country except Japan. Reders also observed that he will not be meeting the Latvian President.

“That’s ok,” His Holiness replied, “my visit is entirely non-political. I’m not disappointed. The world belongs to its 7 billion people and each country belongs to its population, so I consider the general public to be more important.”

Putting questions to His Holiness that he had received via social media, Reders asked him if he owned a mobile phone and if he had ever wished to be married. To both he responded with a blunt “No”. However, asked how to find lasting happiness, he replied that as a student of the Indian Nalanda tradition, he employs reason and analysis. This leads him to conclude that what disrupts our peace of mind is giving in to disturbing emotions like anger and fear. So the solution is to find and apply antidotes to them.

The short drive to the Skonto Hall took longer on a Monday morning than it had on the previous two days. Having arrived and acknowledged the audience, His Holiness lost no time in sitting down and explaining that he was first going to give some background to the day’s teaching. He mentioned that in Tibet teachings and traditions introduced before or after the time of Lotsawa Rinchen Sangpo in the 11th century are distinguished as belonging to the Nyingma or Ancient tradition.

Within the Nyingma is a categorisation of Buddhist teachings into the nine vehicles. Three outer vehicles founded on the Four Noble Truths; three outer tantras and three inner tantras. The outer vehicles—the Hearer, Solitary Realizer and Bodhisattva vehicles deal with antidotes to the negative emotions in relation to the Three Trainings. The outer tantras, kriya, upa and yoga tantras concern Vedic-like asceticism, practices such as ablutions and fasting.

The inner tantras, powerful transformative methods, are the maha, anu and ati yogas. Maha yoga includes the generation stage. Anu yoga includes the completion stage and ati yoga, the utmost yoga, because it employs the innate mind of clear light is referred to as taking pristine awareness into the path. It involves the realization that all phenomena are nothing other than the appearances of the naturally arising primordial wisdom which has always been beyond arising and ceasing. His Holiness remarked that comparisons can be made with what is described in the Guhyasamaja and Kalachakra tantras.

His Holiness mentioned related texts that include Longchen Rabjampa’s ‘Seven Treasuries’ and his ‘Trilogy on Finding Comfort and Ease’, which he received from Trulshik Rinpoche and which he encourages Nyingma centres of learning to study and uphold. He added that he has received the explanatory transmission of the ‘Treasury of Dharmadhatu’ and has undertaken the requisite 100 day retreat.

His Holiness observed that Je Tsongkhapa had a special connection to the Nyingma tradition due to the teachings he received from the Great Adept of Lhodrak. He was someone who had a vision of Vajrapani and received teachings from Manjushri himself. Je Rinpoche’s disciple Gyalwa Gendun Drup, the first Dalai Lama and his successors, the 2nd, 3rd, 5th and 13th Dalai Lamas were all non-sectarian in their approach to practice.

“In the early part of my life,” he continued, “I followed only the Gelug tradition. But a time came when I wanted to receive the Guhyagarbha - Essence of Secrets - from Khunu Lama Rinpoche. However, there was some reluctance about this because I was then propitiating Dolgyal. Later, I discovered that the 5th Dalai Lama had written that Dolgyal was a perfidious spirit arisen from distorted prayers who harms the Buddha’s teachings and sentient beings. I gave it up.

“Eventually I received Guhyagarbha and Rongzom’s commentary to it from Dilgo Khyentse Rinpoche, as well as teachings from Trulshik Rinpoche. The irony is that while I propitiated Dolgyal my religious freedom was curtailed and now that I have restricted its practice its proponents complain their freedom is limited.

“I am not able to do much Dzogchen practice, but these days I do Vajrakilaya, Hevajra, Five-deity Heruka, Vajrayogini, which comes from the Sakyas, Kurukulla, as well as the Kagye Chidril composed by the Fifth Dalai Lama. Rigzin Pema Trinley urged, ‘Though you let other teachings decline, don’t let the Kagye diminish’. I have a commitment to read daily from the ‘Treasury of Dharmadhatu’, so I’ll read the first chapter to you now.”

When that was done, His Holiness went on to read Dza Patrul Rinpoche’s ‘The Uniqueness of the Wise Glorious Monarch: Three Keys Penetrating the Core’.

He concluded, “Over the last couple of days I’ve given teachings that belong to the general structure, derived from the Nalanda Tradition. I received ‘Stages of Meditation’ from Sakya Abbot Sangye Tenzin and the ‘Concise Stages of the Path’ from Ling Rinpoche, Trijang Rinpoche and Tagdrak Rinpoche. Today’s teaching, which belongs in the specialized category, I received from Dilgo Khyentse Rinpoche and I had fruitful discussions about it with Sakya Abbot Khenpo Rinchen. I hope these instructions are of some benefit to you.”

His Holiness returned to the Skonto Hall after lunch to take part in discussions with singer-songwriter, Boris Grebenschikov; film director, Vitaly Mansky; and theatre director Alvis Hermanis, moderated by director, actor, and playwright Ivan Vyrypaev. They touched approvingly on His Holiness’s promotion of secular ethics as a more universal source of inner values.

Asked to summarize problems in today’s world, His Holiness mentioned fear, anger and short-sightedness, which arise in the absence of compassion and inner values. He declared that the best way to fulfil your own interest is to cultivate warm-heartedness. He pointed out that compassion yields a calm mind and self-confidence, which result in less fear and anxiety. Concern for others well-being naturally gives rise to trust that is the foundation of friendship.

He remarked that a doctor never advises you to be angrier—she tells you to relax, which, in addition to being physically at ease, entails having peace of mind. He further clarified that the purpose of life is to find happiness. We plan for next week, next year or even next century, but there is no guarantee about any of it. We are sustained by the hope of something good.

Replying to a member of the audience from Ukraine who asked if the world is really getting better, His Holiness pointed out that in the early 20th century, when nations declared war, their citizens joined up to fight without hesitation. By the end of the century this had changed. People protested about the Vietnam War and demonstrated in their hundreds of thousands against the invasion of Iraq. People are tired of violence and a popular desire for peace is a growing.

Finally, asked how to deal with problems and difficulties, His Holiness replied that he finds the 8th century Indian Buddhist master Shantideva’s advice to be realistic and helpful. Analyse the problem and whether you are able to overcome it. If you can, that’s what you should do and there’s no need to worry about it. If you can’t, worrying about it won’t help.

As discussions came to an end, Natasha Inozemtseva offered thanks on behalf of the organizers to everyone who contributed to the success of these three days of teachings— staff, volunteers, security personnel, translators and so forth. Then the event was brought to a poignant conclusion with a gentle song by Boris Grebenschikov. The crowd applauded and he continued to play as His Holiness left the stage. Early tomorrow, His Holiness will return to India.

original link & photos: https://www.dalailama.com/news/2017/dzogchen-teaching-and-public-dialogue

His Holiness the Dalai Lama Talks About the Environment & Happiness

India should focus on development of villages to ensure prosperity, the Tibetan spiritual leader Dalai Lama said on Sunday. “India’s prosperity depends on the development of villages instead of developing big cities. So, the journey of development should start from rural areas of the country,” the Dalai Lama told a gathering at Turnal village of Dewas district in Madhya Pradesh.

He was here to participate in the ongoing ‘Namami Devi Narmade-Sewa Yatra,’ which is aimed at conserving Narmada river.

“India is predominantly an agriculture-based economy and rural India must be transformed for the country’s development.

“The focus should be on developing basic facilities like health and education in rural areas. All the basic requirements of the people should be made available in the villages. India will transform only through the rural transformation,” the Dalai Lama said.

The Tibetan spiritual leader also stressed the need for greater participation of women in different fields.

“The women are more sensitive and full of compassion. Their enhanced participation will make the world a better place as they can ensure promoting deeper human values,” he said.

While lauding the river conservation campaign launched by MP Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan, who also participated in the programme, the Dalai Lama said the people should think holistically as far as global warming was concerned.

“The environment has been changing across the world. Our approach should be holistic. CM Shivraj Singh Chouhan has been making efforts for conservation of river Narmada. People should actively participate in such campaigns to make them successful,” he said.

The Tibetan spiritual leader said, “Our ancestors were living here on the earth. Our future generation will live here. We need to save water, carry out plantations.”

He said the people across the world have been facing problems due to racism and apartheid.

“We need to be united against the discrimination and atrocities. The racism and apartheid are behind most of the social problems across the world. Every person in the world wants to live in peace and happiness,” he added.

The Dalai Lama said the basic needs of all seven billion people of the world like water and food were same despite the technology revolution.

Violence, Starvation Exist Due to Negligence, Rich-Poor Gap: Dalai Lama

Bhopal, Madhya Pradesh, India 19 March 2017 (PTI): A lot of problems, mainly violence and starvation, exist due to negligence and a "huge gap" between the rich and the poor, the Tibetan spiritual leader Dalai Lama said on Sunday.

During his address on the "art of happiness", the monk said that harmony among different faiths exists in India, which is unique in world.

"All religions peacefully live together (in India). Occasionally, there are some problems mainly due to politicians...So that also is understandable. (There are) some mischievous persons in human beings (sic)," the Dalai Lama said in a lighter vein, evoking peals of laughter.

Acknowledging existence of strife, he said, "(In) today's world, (there are) lot of problems...From the major disasters (which are) beyond control. But many problems, mainly violence, killing and starvation, are due to negligence and (due to) a huge gap between the rich and the poor."

The Dalai Lama hailed the peaceful co-existence of various faiths in India.

"Bharat, this country..I think (since) over 2000 years, besides homegrown religions, Christianity, Islam from outside have coexisted peacefully and remained...I think that is unique. This does not exist in any other country," he said.

The Tibetan spiritual head appealed to Indians to show to outside world that different traditions can thrive together.

He advocated religious harmony in the midst of strife over beliefs in world.

"All religions preach love and compassion. No religion says that God is full of anger. The God is full of love. We are children of such a compassionate father (God). Basis of all religions is harmony.. Mutual respect," he added.

Observing that violence, killing and starvation are man-made, the Dalai Lama said, "We human being ourselves have created all this. So either we just ignore or make some effort. But any sensible human being cannot ignore. Therefore, ignoring is perfectly wrong...Remaining indifferent (to the problems) is wrong," he said.

Stating that religions act like medicines that destroy diseases, the Dalai Lama said, "I never say that Buddhism is the best religion."

He underlined the need of such education system that will be based on secularism, inner values, love and compassion, and not on any religion.

"Existing education system is materialistic which is not adequate..My first Guru to teach love was my mother. My mother was very kind. I never saw her angry, unlike my father who was short-tempered," he recalled.

At times, I use to pull his moustache and he used to beat me up, the Dalai Lama said in a lighter vein.

He said love and affection start from bosom of mother.

"Mother cuddles her newborn child and the infant starts reciprocating love. People who don't get this love get angry and (they) grow up with mistrust, according to studies," the Dalai Lama said, adding that happiness cannot be bought in any supermarket.

He lauded Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan for creating a department of Happiness last year.

Observing that "varna dharma" is outdated," he said that the caste-based system was based on a feudal mindset and was aimed at exploiting farmers.

He recalled instances of ill treatment meted out to members of so-called lower castes in India in past.

"...Now time has come for different spiritual leaders to create a voice that all are equal...Dr B R Ambedkar had made great contribution..Wonderful," he said.

original link & photos: http://dalailama.com/news/post/1549-his-holiness-the-dalai-lama-visits-madhya-pradesh-to-talk-on-the-environment-and-happiness

Dalai Lama: Countering Stress & Depression

At a fundamental level, as human beings, we are all the same; each one of us aspires to happiness and each one of us does not wish to suffer. This is why, whenever I have the opportunity, I try to draw people's attention to what as members of the human family we have in common and the deeply interconnected nature of our existence and welfare.

Today, there is increasing recognition, as well as a growing body of scientific evidence, that confirms the close connection between our own states of mind and our happiness. On the one hand, many of us live in societies that are very developed materially, yet among us are many people who are not very happy. Just underneath the beautiful surface of affluence there is a kind of mental unrest, leading to frustration, unnecessary quarrels, reliance on drugs or alcohol, and in the worst case, suicide. There is no guarantee that wealth alone can give you the joy or fulfilment that you seek. The same can be said of your friends too. When you are in an intense state of anger or hatred, even a very close friend appears to you as somehow frosty, or cold, distant, and annoying.

However, as human beings we are gifted with this wonderful human intelligence. Besides that, all human beings have the capacity to be very determined and to direct that strong sense of determination in whatever direction they like. So long as we remember that we have this marvellous gift of human intelligence and a capacity to develop determination and use it in positive ways, we will preserve our underlying mental health. Realizing we have this great human potential gives us a fundamental strength. This recognition can act as a mechanism that enables us to deal with any difficulty, no matter what situation we are facing, without losing hope or sinking into feelings of low self-esteem.

I write this as someone who lost his freedom at the age of 16, then lost his country at the age of 24. Consequently, I have lived in exile for more than 50 years during which we Tibetans have dedicated ourselves to keeping the Tibetan identity alive and preserving our culture and values. On most days the news from Tibet is heartbreaking, and yet none of these challenges gives

grounds for giving up. One of the approaches that I personally find useful is to cultivate the thought: If the situation or problem is such that it can be remedied, then there is no need to worry about it. In other words, if there is a solution or a way out of the difficulty, you do not need to be overwhelmed by it. The appropriate action is to seek its solution. Then it is clearly more sensible to spend your energy focussing on the solution rather than worrying about the problem. Alternatively, if there is no solution, no possibility of resolution, then there is also no point in being worried about it, because you cannot do anything about it anyway. In that case, the sooner you accept this fact, the easier it will be for you. This formula, of course, implies directly confronting the problem and taking a realistic view. Otherwise you will be unable to find out whether or not there is a resolution to the problem.

Taking a realistic view and cultivating a proper motivation can also shield you against feelings of fear and anxiety. If you develop a pure and sincere motivation, if you are motivated by a wish to help on the basis of kindness, compassion, and respect, then you can carry on any kind of work, in any field, and function more effectively with less fear or worry, not being afraid of what others think or whether you ultimately will be successful in reaching your goal. Even if you fail to achieve your goal, you can feel good about having made the effort. But with a bad motivation, people can praise you or you can achieve goals, but you still will not be happy.

Again, we may sometimes feel that our whole lives are unsatisfactory, we feel on the point of being overwhelmed by the difficulties that confront us. This happens to us all in varying degrees from time to time. When this occurs, it is vital that we make every effort to find a way of lifting our spirits. We can do this by recollecting our good fortune. We may, for example, be loved by someone; we may have certain talents; we may have received a good education; we may have our basic needs provided for - food to eat, clothes to wear, somewhere to live - we may have performed certain altruistic deeds in the past. We must take into consideration even the slightest positive aspect of our lives. For if we fail to find some way of uplifting ourselves, there is every danger of sinking further into our sense of powerlessness. This can lead us to believe that we have no capacity for doing good whatsoever. Thus we create the conditions of despair itself.

As a Buddhist monk I have learned that what principally upsets our inner peace is what we call disturbing emotions.  All those thoughts, emotions, and mental events which reflect a negative or uncompassionate state of mind inevitably undermine our experience of inner peace. All our negative thoughts and emotions - such as hatred, anger, pride, lust, greed, envy, and so on - are considered to be sources of difficulty, to be disturbing. Negative thoughts and emotions are what obstruct our most basic aspiration - to be happy and to avoid suffering. When we act under their influence, we become oblivious to the impact our actions have on others: they are thus the cause of our destructive behaviour both toward others and to ourselves. Murder, scandal, and deceit all have their origin in disturbing emotions.

This inevitably gives rise to the question - can we train the mind? There are many methods by which to do this. Among these, in the Buddhist tradition, is a special instruction called mind training, which focuses on cultivating concern for others and turning adversity to advantage. It is this pattern of thought, transforming problems into happiness that has enabled the Tibetan people to maintain their dignity and spirit in the face of great difficulties. Indeed I have found this advice of great practical benefit in my own life.

A great Tibetan teacher of mind training once remarked that one of the mind’s most marvellous qualities is that it can be transformed. I have no doubt that those who attempt to transform their minds, overcome their disturbing emotions and achieve a sense of inner peace, will, over a period of time, notice a change in their mental attitudes and responses to people and events. Their minds will become more disciplined and positive. And I am sure they will find their own sense of happiness grow as they contribute to the greater happiness of others. I offer my prayers that everyone who makes this their goal will be blessed with success.


The Dalai Lama

December 31, 2010