Dalai Lama Meets with Students in India

Conversation with Students from Woodstock School

Thekchen Chöling, Dharamsala, HP, India - The happy chatter that filled the meeting room next to His Holiness the Dalai Lama’s office fell silent when he walked into the room and scanned the faces of the students waiting for him. He smiled broadly, wished them “Good morning”, and sat down. There were 51 students belonging to classes 11 and 12 from Woodstock School, who are visiting Dharamsala during their extra-curricular ‘activity week’. His Holiness first made friends with Woodstock School at the beginning of his life in exile when he lived in Mussoorie, the hill-station where the school is based.

After asking how many Tibetans and Bhutanese there were in the group, His Holiness wanted to know where the rest of the students came from. The majority were Indian, but among a total of seven nationalities there were also students from Palestine, Syria and Afghanistan.

His Holiness reported that he had just been talking to a group from Indonesia about how sad he feels to witness friction between Shia and Sunni Muslims. To him it is unthinkable that people who worship the same Allah and follow the same Quran should fall out as they seem to do.

“However, I’ve never heard of such quarrels between Sunni and Shia adherents here in India,” he told them. “Indeed India is unique in that all the world’s major religions, those indigenous to the country, as well as those that came from abroad, all live here happily together. India’s long-standing tradition of inter-religious harmony is exemplary and now the time has come to share this practice with the rest of the world.”

The first of several questions from the students concerned His Holiness’s pastimes.

“When I was a boy I used to enjoy taking things apart,” he replied with a laugh, “I examined my toys and watches to see how they worked. I dismantled and reassembled a movie projector that had belonged to the 13th Dalai Lama to make it work. Since I was young I’ve also enjoyed growing plants. I grew beautiful tulips in the Norbulingka garden in Lhasa. These days, however, as I get older, I have less interest in these things.”

Another student wanted to know who decides what’s moral. His Holiness told her that all the world’s major religions teach about love, compassion, tolerance and self-discipline. Some traditions, like Judaism, Christianity and Islam, believe in a creator God and regard us all as children of that God. Other Indian traditions like Jainism and Buddhism see beings themselves participating in creation, so responsibility for change rests on our shoulders.

“We should not let ourselves be dominated only by sensory awareness,” His Holiness advised, “we should also pay attention to mental consciousness, develop a single-pointed mind and use it to analyse the nature of self and the nature of reality.

“What we experience is the result of our own actions. If it brings joy, we regard what we’ve done as positive; if it leads to misery we think of our action as negative. Just as we can’t say that one particular medicine is the best on all occasions, we cannot say that one religious tradition is best. We need our different traditions because of people’s different dispositions and therefore we need to treat all religious traditions with respect.

“Many problems we face we bring on ourselves because we are prey to destructive emotions. We tend to think in terms of ‘us’ and ‘them’ with little sense of the oneness of humanity. And yet, climate change, for example, because it affects us all, means we have to take a more global view. We can’t neglect it. We are interdependent. Consider how Tibet and its rivers are the source of much of Asia’s water. But snowfall has been drastically reduced as a result of global warming.”

His Holiness told a student who asked how to overcome apathy and be more inspired that there’s a need to improve our education systems. We’re used to instructions about observing physical hygiene to preserve our health, but we need to add to it a sense of emotional hygiene. This means learning to tackle destructive emotions like anger, fear and hatred. By training our minds, rather than turning to drugs or alcohol, we can change our emotions.”

Ancient Indian psychology has much to say about this and although he says modern India is quite materialistic, His Holiness considers India to be the only country that could pioneer a combination of modern education with ancient Indian understanding of the workings of the mind and emotions

Asked if he’d ever had doubts about the Buddha’s teachings, His Holiness replied that the Buddha advised his followers not to take what he taught at face value but to question and investigate it. Consequently, Buddhism in general and the Nalanda Tradition in particular take a realistic approach grounded in reason and logic. He explained that it’s on such a basis that he has been able to engage in dialogue with scientists for almost forty years.

“Nalanda University is now in ruins, but the traditions of study that flourished there Shantarakshita established in Tibet in 8th century. He was a great scholar and logician, as well as a pure monk, and we have kept alive what he taught us.”

Before the meeting came to an end, His Holiness drew a distinction between the generations of the 20th and 21st centuries. “I belong to the 20th century, a time that has gone. You, however, all belong to the 21st century and you need to think about how to avoid repeating the errors of the past. Where the 20th century was filled with violent conflict, there is now a need to disarm.

“At a meeting of Nobel Peace Laureates in Rome several years ago, we discussed the importance of eliminating nuclear weapons. I suggested that just talking about it isn’t enough. We need to set a timetable and stick to it. I believe it can be done because in general people are fed up with violence.

“In addition to eliminating nuclear weapons, we need a broader sense of demilitarization. Key to this is making the determination to resolve conflict and other problems through dialogue. Following such steps, you who belong to the 21st century have the opportunity to build a better, more peaceful world. Thank you.”

The students posed eagerly for photographs with His Holiness, following which he walked back to his residence for lunch.     

original link & photos: https://www.dalailama.com/news/2018/conversation-with-students-from-woodstock-school

The Dalai Lama on Ethics

Ground-breaking Ceremony for the South Asia Hub of the Dalai Lama Center for Ethics and a Public Talk

Hyderabad, Telangana, India, 12 February 2017 - A swift drive across Hyderabad this morning brought His Holiness the Dalai Lama to the site on Hitex Road, Madhapur, where the Dalai Lama Center for Ethics is to build its South Asia Hub. This will be a cooperative venture supported by the MIT based think tank and the Telangana State Government.

His Holiness and HE ESL Narasimhan, Governor of Telangana, unveiled the foundation stone together and then took part in a symbolic planting of saplings, which will grow on the campus.  They were joined in these observances by Deputy Chief Minister, Mohammad Mahmood Ali and Minister of Industries, MA&UD and IT Kalvankutla Taraka Rama Rao. The Governor remarked that peace is commonly invoked in Hindu ceremonies. His Holiness agreed and suggested that prayer also needs to be augmented by action such as training the mind.

At the Hitex Open Arena nearby Ven Tenzin Priyadarshi, founder of the Dalai Lama Center for Ethics and Transformative Values greeted an audience of more than 1000 in the marquee and another 15000 online. He requested the Deputy Chief Minister, Mohammad Mahmood Ali to formally welcome His Holiness and then invited KT Rama Rao to introduce him. His Holiness began his address in his customary way.

“I always begin by greeting an audience as brothers and sisters, because I consider myself to be just one among the 7 billion human beings who I view as brothers and sisters. The way we are born and the way we die is the same whether we are kings, queens, spiritual leaders or beggars. This is why having a sense of the oneness of humanity is important. Wherever I go and whoever I talk to I try to promote this idea in an effort to break down barriers between us. Whenever I can I smile which mostly prompts others to smile in return, making us both happy.

“Although we are physically, mentally and emotionally the same, there are differences between us. I’m Tibetan, I’m Buddhist and I’m the Dalai Lama, but if I emphasize these differences it sets me apart and raises barriers with other people. What we need to do is to pay more attention to the ways in which we are the same as other people.

“Most of the problems we face we create ourselves by stressing secondary differences of nationality, religious faith and so forth. How sad it is that today religion is becoming a cause of conflict and violence. When people are being killed in other parts of the world, we can’t remain complacent, we have to think of how to ensure the well-being of these suffering people.

“Differences of nationality and ideology that were important in the early 20th century seem less powerful today. In Europe, having fought and killed each other for generations, after the Second World War the European Union was created. My physics tutor von Weizsäcker told me that in his youth in every French and German eye the other was an enemy. But, by the 1990s, he said that had all changed. Recognising that nothing good comes from the destruction of war, people had realized that it’s better to live together. It is this spirit of the European Union that I admire and that we need to see adopted in other parts of the world—in Africa, Latin America and Asia.

“In the long run I look forward to a global union and a demilitarized world. As long as human beings are involved there will be some problems, but we need to learn to deal with them through dialogue without resort to the use of force. This will entail developing moral principles because it won’t be achieved on the basis of mistrust and jealousy.”

His Holiness observed that ahimsa is a longstanding Indian tradition that is also not based on fear, but on confidence and compassion. An example is the way religious harmony flourishes here. Indigenous faiths like Hinduism, Jainism, Buddhism and Sikhism thrive, but the flourishing alongside them of religions from elsewhere indicates real tolerance and mutual respect. Zoroastrianism came from Persia. There are barely 100,000 Parsis in their community in Bombay and yet they live without fear—this is India, he said. Likewise, Jews came and created a community in Cochin. Christians and Muslims came too. Now, Indian Muslims form the second largest Muslim population in the world, larger even than in Pakistan. His Holiness remarked that of course occasional problems crop up, but otherwise India is the only country in the world where all major religions live together in mutual respect.

Comparing the ancient civilizations of Egypt, China and the Indus Valley, His Holiness suggested that the Indus Valley ultimately gave rise to the greatest number of thinkers and varied schools of thought, including Buddhism. Ancient Indian psychology with its profound understanding of the workings of the mind and emotions has much to teach us today.

“More than 30 years ago I entered into discussions with modern scientists that have allowed Buddhists and contemplatives to learn more about the physical world, but also for the scientists to learn about the mind and emotions. Ahimsa—non-violence motivated by karuna—compassion is a way of dealing with destructive emotions. For more than 1000 years we Tibetans have kept these traditions that flourished at Nalanda alive. Modern Indians today have a special opportunity to combine modern education with the values and insights of this ancient Indian heritage. Many young people are already doing so. This Center for Ethics with its various programs and activities is making a contribution in this direction. I appreciate my friend here and the State Government for supporting it.

“The Center is named after the Dalai Lama, but I am just one student of the Nalanda Tradition, a student of Nagarjuna. Nevertheless, when I visit other countries I often tell people I meet that I’m a messenger of ancient Indian knowledge—a son of India. I justify this because my mind is filled with Nalanda thought, while my body has been nourished for 58 years by Indian rice, dal and chapatis.”

Answering the audience’s questions, His Holiness explained that since the majority of the world’s population continue to live in poverty we need to pursue material development. However, this pursuit needs to be coupled with inner or mental development. He reported that not only have scientists established that basic human nature is compassionate, but they have found that constant anger and fear undermines our immune system, while cultivating a compassionate mind strengthens it. He declared that when a significant number of people have no interest in religion, attempts to promote universal values have to take a secular approach.

A questioner who noted the role of education in fostering inner values asked about the role of parents. His Holiness told him that science has shown the positive effects of simple physical contact between mother and child, but what is additionally important is that parents shower their children with affection.

When asked how to prepare for death, His Holiness replied that to some extent it depends on what you believe. He said that if you believe in a loving God, thinking of him, his love and compassion can be helpful as you die. For a Buddhist it would be useful to keep the Buddha’s main message of compassion and things’ lack of independent existence in mind. He added that there are also ways of visualizing the process of death with its eight stages of dissolution in order to prepare for it when it takes place, ending finally with the mind of clear light.

“The best preparation for death,” His Holiness continued, “depends on the way you live, avoiding doing others harm and helping them wherever you can. If you do that you’ll be able to die without any sense of regret. So a peaceful death depends very much on how you’ve lived your life.”

Another young woman wanted to know which is the more effective way to train the mind, cultivating concentration or analytical meditation. His Holiness was forthright in his praise of analysis. He reported the way he does it himself. He analyses his body, mind and feelings. He thinks about impermanence and momentary change. He considers how past, present and future constantly shift. Past and future only exist in relation to the present, but the present is apparently impossible to tie down. He mentioned that he reflects on his body and that it consists of parts—head, hands, feet and trunk and asks himself whether any of the parts by themselves are his the body.

Finally, the moderator asked His Holiness to tell him how he manages to look so young. His Holiness retorted, “That’s my secret,” but then explained how he consistently sleeps for nine hours a night. When wakes up he engages in 4 hours of meditation which contributes to his inner peace. Sleep and meditation, he suggested, contribute to inner peace and inner strength. “If you choose, you too can do it.”

Ven Tenzin Priyadarshi wound up the session with a vote of thanks. First of all he thanked His Holiness for coming and then thanked the many people who had made this inaugural session a success: members of his team and the Government of Telangana in particular.

His Holiness attended a sumptuous official lunch as the guest of the Deputy Chief Minister, following which he drove to Rajiv Gandhi International Airport to fly to Amritsar, from where he will drive to Dharamsala tomorrow morning.

Original link with photos http://dalailama.com/news/post/1541-ground-breaking-ceremony-for-the-south-asia-hub-of-the-dalai-lama-center-for-ethics-and-a-public-talk

Dalai Lama Teaches in Riga, Latvia

Riga, Latvia, 10 October 2016 - Yesterday, His Holiness the Dalai Lama flew from India to Latvia via Helsinki. This morning, with a chill wind blowing through the streets and parks of the capital Riga, he drove to the Skonto Hall where an audience of 4500 awaited him. Of 3000 or so who had come from Russia, roughly 500 were from Kalmykia, 3-400 from Buryatia and 100 from Tuva. As His Holiness stepped onto the stage, many surged forward to catch a closer glimpse as he greeted them. He took his seat before a huge reproduction of a painting of the 17 Masters of Nalanda and suggested that the ‘Heart Sutra’ be chanted first in Sanskrit and then in Latvian. His Holiness’s teachings, organized by Save Tibet Foundation (Moscow) and Saglabasim Tibetu (Riga), are being translated and webcast in English, Latvian, Estonian, Russian and Mongolian, as well as Tibetan.

“Here we are once again in Latvia,” His Holiness began, “and I’d like to thank the organizers for creating this opportunity for me to give some explanation of Buddhist teachings. Not so long ago when I was here to give an introduction to Buddhism, a Russian told me how difficult it is for many of his compatriots to travel to India because of economic constraints. He told me it would be much easier for them to come to Latvia. I said I would look into it and was pleased to find my friends here supported the idea—so here we are and a huge number of people have come.

“We human beings are all the same; there are essentially no differences between us. We are all born the same way and we all die the same way. We need to recognise this oneness of humanity—we all want to avoid suffering and find happiness. If we focus instead on differences between us, we soon see each other in terms of ‘us’ and ‘them’ and deeper divisions occur. If, on the other hand, the whole of humanity were at peace, we’d all be happy.”

His Holiness recalled that when he first came to Europe in 1973 he was struck by the realization that even where there was great material development, people were still unhappy. At the same time he recognised and admired the spirit of the EU in placing the good of the wider community above the interests of single nations. The result was that even if they couldn’t help each other, they would do each other no harm.

He observed that in general all religious traditions teach love and compassion. While in Syria and Iraq today there is conflict between Sunni and Shia, in India, the world’s most populous democracy, with its multitude of religions, inter-religious harmony prevails. All religions, he said, have a religious aspect, which involves the practice of love, compassion, tolerance and self-discipline. In their philosophical aspects there are a range of differences, but their purpose is to support and encourage the practice of love and compassion. Theistic traditions believe everything is created by God, often portrayed as infinite love or mercy, a spark of which is within us all.

Other traditions like Jainism and Buddhism don’t believe in a creator God, but teach that responsibility for pain and pleasure rests on our own shoulders. If we don’t want suffering we should avoid negative actions and if we want happiness we should do good.

All religions also have a cultural aspect. At the time Mahavira founded Jainism in India there were widespread animal sacrifices with negative economic consequences. Mahavira taught strict non-violence and vegetarianism. Not long after the Buddha also emphasised non-harm and non-violence. Cultural aspects reflect the values of the day, therefore today the caste system in India is at odds with democracy and equal rights. His Holiness said he appeals to Indian spiritual leaders to point out these drawbacks and usher in change.

“The Buddha,” His Holiness explained, “was born into a royal family, renounced that comfortable life and engaged in austerities for six years. Eventually he sat under the Bodhi tree near the Niranjana River and attained enlightenment. Although he pondered whether anyone else would understand what he had realised, he found his former companions in austerities and explained to them the Four Noble Truths. These constitute the first Turning of the Wheel of Dharma and form the basis of both the Pali and Sanskrit traditions of Buddhism.

“The ‘Heart Sutra’ consists of a dialogue between Avalokiteshvara and Shariputra, a teaching attended by those with pure karma. Some say because they were not historically recorded that the Perfection of Wisdom teachings to which it belongs were not taught by the Buddha. Masters like Nagarjuna and Bhavaviveka have argued that they are the Buddha’s teachings. They explain selflessness or emptiness, that nothing has defining characteristics, that things have no intrinsic existence. Again Nagarjuna defended this.

“Also belonging to the Nalanda tradition, Dignaga and Dharmakirti wrote about logic and epistemology. The teaching we are going to go through today comes from Dharmakirti’s ‘Commentary on Dignaga's 'Compendium of Valid Cognition'’. Since I had heard that in the early 20th century a Russian scholar Fyodor Shcherbatskoy translated some of Dharmakirti’s works into Russian and English, when we were discussing what I should teach, we decided that the second chapter of Dharmakirti’s classic work on Valid Cognition'’ would be appropriate.”

His Holiness remarked that although Buddhism spread across the length and breadth of Tibet, those who actually studied it were few. Consequently, in the early days in exile he encouraged monasteries that had previously been occupied performing rituals to take up the study of the classic texts. He encouraged nunneries likewise to take up such studies with the result that later this year qualified nuns will be awarded a Geshe Degree.

His Holiness observed that an understanding of selflessness, which is unique to Buddhist teachings, enables us to reduce our exaggerated way of looking at things. He reported that American psychiatrist Aaron Beck had told him something similar, that when we are angry or attached to something or someone, they appear wholly negative or wholly attractive. In fact, Beck declared, this is 90% mental projection.

So, reflecting on emptiness along with the awakening mind of bodhichitta is a source of peace of mind. His Holiness said that such inner peace fosters health, well-being and longevity. Moreover, he added, if we follow the approach of the sharp-witted and apply reason in our studies, the Buddhist tradition will survive a long time.

His Holiness was joined for lunch by 15 parliamentarians from the Baltic States: two from Estonia, three from Lithuania and ten from Latvia, along with key supporters from each country.

Resuming his teachings after lunch, His Holiness first invited questions from the audience. In answering them he explained how much he appreciates vegetarianism and how it is now widely observed in the common kitchens of Tibetan Monasteries in India, despite his own inability, for medical reasons, to be fully vegetarian.

He advised Buddhists in St Petersburg to overcome sectarian differences by acknowledging that all Tibetan Buddhist traditions have roots in the Nalanda tradition. He suggested that since Buddhists in Moscow feel a need for a common building in which to meet, they could establish a learning centre that could also be a location for academic studies and inter-faith meetings.

Continuing his reading of the second chapter of ‘Commentary on Dignaga's 'Compendium of Valid Cognition'’ His Holiness touched on how the Buddha became a reliable guide, and how valid cognition, being an awareness that corresponds with reality, is undeceptive. His remarks also clarified that the substantial cause of consciousness must be consciousness.

He reiterated that in explaining dependent arising the Buddha taught us how to overcome distorted views. Such a wisdom is a powerful antidote to ignorance. Applying it we can remove ignorance from our mental continuums. Finally, he remarked that the Buddha did not teach about suffering to scare us, but to indicate reality, the possibility of its cessation by cultivating the path. He made clear that understanding the Four Noble Truths in the context of the Two Truths—conventional and ultimate truth—is the way to take refuge in the Three Jewels on the basis of reason.

His Holiness announced that in addition to continuing to read the text tomorrow he would offer the opportunity for members of the audience to generate the awakening mind of bodhichitta.

original link & photos http://dalailama.com/news/post/1467-his-holiness-the-dalai-lama-begins-to-teach-the-commentary-on-dignagas-compendium-of-valid-cognition

Secular Ethics is the Light of Hope: Dalai Lama

Sunday, 4 January 2015 - 7:30am IST | Agency: dna
Vaishali Balajiwale

"Tibet had remained dark till light from India reached the place; enlightenment came to Tibet from India, and historically Indians are our gurus, and we the chelas," said Dalai Lama, addressing the International Conference on Secular Ethics in Nashik on Saturday.

Dalai Lama, who captivated the audience with his thoughts, also answered questions of the gathering.

Stressing the need to lead a happy life, Dalai Lama said we needed to think of a happy world. "Oneness means all the people being one and leading a happy life. The basis of human rights is happy life. Everyone wants to lead a happy life for which we need to have a holistic approach. Faith is important, religions can be different," Dalai Lama said, giving example of the Chinese following the communist thought. He said: "The Chinese I met were non-believers, but were dedicated to working for the poor. What is important is becoming a good human being with deep human values."

On religious tolerance, Dalai Lama said: "Religious differences are borne by retarded thought. Acceptance of humanity should lie in the head and the mind."

Many problems in the society arise due to short-sightedness, or on account of looking at something in just one angle. The reality however is much complex. It is necessary that we look through six dimensions, or else we may fail to see the reality, Dalai Lama said.

On secularism, he said: "Secularism does not mean disrespect for other religions. No religion teaches violence. It will be unfair to generalise the bad tendencies in a religion and say it does not teach good."

On religious fundamentalism, Dalai Lama said: "Religions preach devotion to Allah, the Almighty or God. Saying that a particular religion teaches conflict would be totally ridiculous. No religion is negative. Any religion that teaches people to live happily cannot be bad. A religion may have mischievous people, but saying that their behaviour reflects the whole religion will not be correct."

On similarities in Buddhism and Jainism, Dalai Lama said: "Both believe there is no beginning or end, as well as non-violence (ahimsa)."

Saying it was important to develop an investigative bend of mind, Dalai Lama urged people not to follow any religious leader blindly. "Question", he said adding, "Buddha said investigate a thought thoroughly. Study the qualifications of a guru or a leader, meet them, observe till you develop a conviction that what the leader says can be followed."

"Know the qualities of a disciple, and as a disciple conduct unbiased investigation; use your intellect and develop enthusiasm to practise what you have accepted and believed. This is the Nalanda tradition and time has come to follow it, he said.

Compassion and affection are important in life for even those who have had cruel or unfavourable experience in early stages of life. With some effort we can turn to positivity, that is the basic human nature, Dalai Lama said.

Praising Dr Ambedkar, he said the maker of Indian Constitution was a great scholar. "His contributions are great."

On science and Buddhism, Dalai Lama said many scientists had come to accept that science had a role in transforming thinking. Even Albert Einstein believed that religion and science could go side by side. Many people say Buddhism is a way of life and not a religion. Buddhist psychology is all about building a healthy mind, healthy body and a healthy society.

Leaders of different religions expressed themselves on religion and all of them emphasised that the "true religion is secularism, brotherhood and peace" – "One God, one world and one family, binds all together," he said. "Secularism is the call of the day and secular ethics, the light of hope."

original link: http://www.dnaindia.com/mumbai/report-secular-ethics-is-the-light-of-hope-dalai-lama-2049349

Dalai Lama -- Making the Best of Our Lives

Tokyo, Japan, 25 November 2013 - Having remained fine for the entire duration of His Holiness the Dalai Lama’s stay in Japan, today, as the visit draws to a close, the weather turned sombre and grey. It rained as he drove to Kyoto station to board the Shinkansen bullet train to Tokyo. Passing back through Shizuoka, where last week the sun shone and the sky was clear, today, the crest of Mt Fuji was hidden in cloud.

The venue for His Holiness’s afternoon talk was the Ryogoku Kokugikan Hall, an indoor sports arena that often hosts Sumo wrestling tournaments. Large photographs of past champions gaze down from the upper reaches of the hall, reminiscent of the guardians who traditionally protect temple gateways.

As is his wont, His Holiness addressed the 2500 people gathered to hear him as his brothers and sisters and told them how happy he was to be with them.

“We’re all part of the great human family,” he said, “if we paid more serious attention to the oneness of humanity, there’d be less room for conflict between us. Many of the problems we face come about because we place too much emphasis on secondary differences such us nationality, religious denomination and so forth. In fact, within these divisions there are further differences of colour, wealth or poverty, and educational standards. There can be differences between the members of the same family. Indeed, differences may even occur within one individual between the beginning of the day and its end. Focussing on difference stokes distinctions of ‘us’ and ‘them’, prompting us to become more self-centred. And when we are only concerned about our own short-term interest, we neglect the rights of others, which leads to bullying and exploitation.”

He observed that none of us wants problems, that from the moment we wake in the morning, we hope our problems will ease. The key, if we want to face fewer problems, is to let go of our self-centred attitude.

“Self-centredness creates a distance from others, leading to dishonesty, fear and anger. This is how disturbing emotions work. While fear, hatred and anger, are bad for our health, concern for others leads to self-confidence and inner strength, helping to reduce anger. Key to this is developing peace of mind.”

His Holiness attributed his good health at the age of 78 at least partly to his ability to keep a calm mind. He admitted to the occasional burst of anger, but explained that they are soon over. He referred to experiments that are currently under way in the USA at Emory, Stanford and and the University of Wisconsin to measure the beneficial results of cultivating thoughts of compassion. Results already suggest that blood pressure and stress are reduced.

Warm-heartedness, concern for others’ well-being and basic human affection, not only have physical benefits, they also derive from biological roots. Well-known and reputed scientists have done experiments on young children that support the idea that basic human nature is gentle. The attitude of the mother has an effect even when the baby is in the womb. Later, scientists say, the mother’s touch is crucial to the proper development of the brain.

As social animals we depend on others for our survival. If we use our common sense and observe our neighbours we’ll see that when they are filled with jealousy and distrust, they may be rich, but they are unhappy. When affection is lacking, happiness goes missing. Inner peace, however, is rooted in basic warm-heartedness.

Historically, theistic religions like Christianity, Islam and Judaism believe in a creator; non-theistic traditions like one branch of the Samkhyas, Jainism and Buddhism follow the law of causality. The principal message of all these traditions is love. Tolerance and forgiveness function to protect its practic. And because greed can be an obstacle, religions teach contentment and self-discipline. Thus, tolerance, patience and contentment serve to protect our practice of love.

“These are the main teachings, although philosophical positions differ due to differences of time and place. Their purpose is to create a better, more compassionate, sensible human being. If you choose to practise, you should do so sincerely. The main point being to cultivate warm-heartedness.

“Concern for the rest of humanity is in our own interest. The best way to help ourselves is to help others, which accords with the law of causality and the Buddhist principle of interdependence. Over the last 30 years.” His Holiness explained, “I have had serious conversations with scientists about neurobiology, cosmology, quantum physics, ecology and psychology. Many have become interested in interdependence. I remember once asking scientists if they had such a concept and being told, ‘No, but it’s an idea that is trying to enter the scientific realm and seems to have found a comfortable chair.’”

The first of the questions His Holiness invited the audience to ask concerned the value of competition. He said there are two kinds: the simple drive to reach the top, which is positive, and the wish to obstruct others so you can win, which is negative.

A woman asked about the discrimination people face when released from prison. His Holiness replied:

“Released prisoners are still human beings. They may have done something wrong, but have served the punishment. They should be received back into society. Continuing to stigmatize them is wrong; whatever the action, the person deserves patience and forgiveness.”

Someone else wanted to know how to do good without being misled by mischievous forces and was told that ethical education takes place step by step.

“Practise patience and keep up your courage and self-confidence. No matter what your positive goal may be, analyse it, seek others’ suggestions, and consult your friends. But once you decide on what you need to do, follow it through.”

A member of a group of Buddhists from Korea told His Holiness she’d heard that Stephen Hawking had remarked that in a thousand years we’ll have to find another planet on which to live. His Holiness laughed and responded that making predictions about the future isn’t easy.

“I think we’ll still be here for a few thousand years more. Of course, logically everything that has a beginning must come to an end. But frankly speaking, I wouldn’t worry about a thousand years from now. Instead we should be thinking about this life and this century. Let’s pay attention to making this a century of peace.”

original link with photos http://www.dalailama.com/news/post/1040-talk-in-tokyo---making-the-best-of-our-lives