The Dalai Lama is Interviewed in Yokohama, Japan

His Holiness the Dalai Lama Interviewed in Yokohama

Yokohama, Japan - His Holiness the Dalai Lama arrived in Yokohama from India yesterday on his 25th visit to Japan. Although the views over the bay from his hotel window were grey, His Holiness was bright and refreshed by a good night’s sleep after his journey. He opened his conversation with Rina Yamasawa of NHK with a recollection of his first visit in 1967. His elder brother, Taktser Rinpoche, was here and over lunch teased His Holiness, who had become a vegetarian, that he had the tastier bowl of udon noodles.

His Holiness answered a first question about how he sees the situation in Tibet today by reviewing his three commitments.

“First I consider myself just one among 7 billion human beings. While we pray for the welfare of all sentient beings, there’s nothing we can do but pray for those in other galaxies. On this planet there are countless animals, birds, fish and insects, but they have no language so we can’t really communicate with them. On a practical level, it’s our fellow human beings who we can do something for. In a materialistic world where many don’t know the value of peace of mind, I try to help them become happier by showing them how to find inner peace.

“I’m also a Buddhist and it saddens me to see conflict in the name of religion. In India, where different religions live together side by side, we see that religious harmony is possible.

“Thirdly, I’m a Tibetan and, although since 2001 I have retired from political responsibility, I remain concerned about Tibet’s natural environment. What’s also important is the preservation of our culture and the knowledge we obtained from India.

“Since 1974 we haven’t been seeking independence for Tibet, being prepared instead to remain within the People’s Republic of China. Much has changed in China over the last 40 years. The number of Buddhists has grown to more than 300 million, many with an interest in Tibetan Buddhism. Meanwhile, even hardliners among the officials are in a dilemma about how to deal with Tibet. They see that 70 years of suppression and attempted brainwashing haven’t diminished the Tibetan spirit.

“Instead of independence we are seeking mutual benefit. The Chinese can help us with infrastructural development and we can help them with Buddhist psychology. So, our Middle Way Approach is an attempt to reach mutual agreement for mutual improvement. Some Tibetans exercise their freedom to remain set on independence such as we enjoyed in 7th, 8th and 9th centuries. However, I am a great admirer of the spirit of the European Union that places the common interest of all its members above individual nation’s concerns. India too is a federation of states with different languages, cultures and religious traditions that are part of a union. I venture to imagine some kind of future union prevailing between India, China and Japan.”

His Holiness went on to clarify that Tibetans in what were historically the three provinces of Tibet have a right, according to the Chinese constitution, to a high degree of autonomy. That would allow them to preserve their language and culture. He pointed out that his own birthplace and that of Je Tsongkhapa are now part of Qinghai. He looked forward to genuine autonomy being granted in Uighur, Mongol and Tibetan regions.

Ms Yamasawa asked His Holiness how his successor would be chosen. He explained that as far back as 1969 he had made it clear that the choice of whether another Dalai Lama would be recognised rested with the Tibetan people. That choice precedes any decision about how a successor may be chosen. It could be that the traditional way of identifying a reincarnation will be followed, but there have also been cases of Lamas nominating an already living person as their successor.

He noted that at the end of this month a convening of Tibet’s spiritual leaders will take place, primarily focussed on raising the quality of Buddhist knowledge and practice. The question of a future Dalai Lama may also be on the agenda.

His Holiness observed that when he was recently in Europe a group of women met him to complain about the sexual misconduct of some Tibetan spiritual teachers. He told them that when such complaints were first brought to his attention he asked if such individuals had disregard for the rules the Buddha laid down, why they would listen to anything he had to say. He’d suggested that the shame of publicity might be more effective. He advised the group to forward their complaints to the meeting of spiritual leaders in a letter.

When Yamasawa steered the conversation back to the topic of his successor, His Holiness told her that some years ago, faced with similar questions from a journalist in New York he had taken off his glasses, as he did again today, and asked playfully, “Look at my face, is the need to address the question of my reincarnation urgent?” He told her that what happens after his death is of little interest to him compared to being a good Buddhist practitioner here and now. He repeated for her Shantideva’s verse, which he takes as his motivating prayer: ‘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.’

In his additional replies, His Holiness stressed that he advises followers of the Buddha today to be 21st century Buddhists, which he defines as driven by knowledge and understanding of what the Buddha taught rather than blind faith. He also discussed his admiration for democracy, his attempts to introduce reform in Tibet and his determination to do so once he and 80,000 Tibetans came into exile.

A second interview with Ms Yoshiko Sakurai, president of the think tank known as the Japan Institute of National Fundamentals, touched on several similar themes. As to how Tibetan traditions had been preserved, His Holiness emphasized how generous the government of India and Prime Minister Nehru had been in their support. It was Nehru who personally encouraged efforts to educate Tibetan children in separate Tibetan schools and to re-establish the monastic seats of learning. As a result of the latter, there are now more than 10,000 monks and 1000 nuns well-trained in the Nalanda Tradition.

Referring to education in the wider world, His Holiness noted that it tends to have materialistic goals, whereas it would be better if it addressed the needs of both the heart and the brain. Specifically he recommended teaching people how to tackle their destructive emotions.

When Ms Sakurai lamented that the Chinese authorities seem to be doing little for Tibetans and Uighurs, His Holiness replied that he saw the past 70 years in terms of four eras affected by Mao Zedong, Deng Xiaoping, Jiang Zemin and Xi Jinping. Although the same party remained in power, guided by the same constitution, nevertheless great changes had taken place. He noted that there still remained room for further change. He also remarked that 1.2 billion Chinese have a right to know what is really going on and when they know that, he expressed confidence in their ability to judge what’s right from what’s wrong.

His Holiness mentioned that in Tibet, even as suppression has increased, Tibetans have continued to pursue non-violence. He highlighted the cases of the more than 150 people who have committed self-immolation as examples, saying that they were very sad on the one hand, but on the other were worthy of admiration because they remained non-violent, at least in relation to others.

Asked how Japanese and Tibetans can contribute to the welfare of humanity His Holiness expressed his admiration for the Shinto Tradition due to its appreciation of the natural environment. He commended the possibility of combining technological development with a deep understanding of the workings of the mind to enable more people to find inner peace. He also expressed the hope that Japan, as the one country that has been subject to nuclear attack, will not let up on its leadership of the movement to eliminate nuclear weapons.

He reiterated that his cherished goals of a world not only free of nuclear weapons, but also demilitarized in general, will only come about when more people have achieved a sense of inner disarmament in their own hearts and minds. This, he suggested, is something to which Japanese brothers and sisters can contribute.

original link & photos: https://www.dalailama.com/news/2018/his-holiness-the-dalai-lama-interviewed-in-yokohama

The Dalai Lama Teaches ‘Guide to the Bodhisattva’s Way of Life’ in Osaka, Part 1

Osaka, Japan, 10 May 2016 - As His Holiness the Dalai Lama walked to the hall of the Osaka International Conference Center this morning, well-wishers, mostly Chinese from Taiwan, lined up to greet him. When he walked onto the stage, the hall filled with applause. Once he had sat down he said:

“As you know I’m nearly 81 years old and I have some problems with my knees, so although a teacher ought to prostrate before the Buddha before teaching it is now quite difficult. However, my brain is still sharp. Every day in my practice, I use my intelligence to the full. I think about reality, analyzing, analyzing.”

He remarked that since there was simultaneous translation into Mandarin, Korean, Japanese, Russian, Mongolian and English, he would speak uninterruptedly in his own language.

“All human beings have the capacity to differentiate right from wrong, but when we are under the influence of anger or attachment we lose the ability to discriminate. To fully exercise our intelligence we need a calm mind. Folding our hands and saying ‘I go for refuge ... ‘ is not enough, we need to employ reason. And we tend to be ignorant of the nature of the mind. We need to know how to shape the mind, to transform it from being disturbed to being calm. Cultivating the wisdom of listening, reflection and meditation will help.”

His Holiness remarked that of the various miraculous aspects of the Buddha’s body, speech and mind, it is his teaching that is most effective. He stressed the importance of actually understanding the nature of the Buddha, because, as he said, blind faith is not a basis for transforming the mind. Mere faith does not require much intelligence, and it will not guarantee the survival of the Buddha’s teachings. Applying analysis, on the other hand, will ensure that it lasts long. Sound faith should properly be based on understanding and wisdom.

While the first turning of the wheel of Dharma presented the Four Noble Truths, the second, given on Vulture’s Peak, dealt with the Perfection of Wisdom teachings. These assert that whatever is dependent on other conditions cannot be inherently existent. His Holiness noted that he refers to the Pali and Sanskrit traditions because he feels the terms ‘greater’ and ‘lesser’ vehicles give people a wrong impression. He went on to say that in the Sanskrit tradition all explanations of the basis, path and result are based on reason.

His Holiness expressed admiration for Dharmakirti, a great master of logic and epistemology, who composed seven treatises on valid cognition. Later, Shantarakshita, a foremost master of Nalanda University, furthered this tradition with the establishment of the Yogachara-Svatantrika-Madhyamika school of thought, which combined the Madhyamaka of Nagarjuna and the Yogachara of Asanga with the logic and epistemology of Dharmakirti.

Modern scientists are interested to compare these modes of thought with their own findings. Where the Chittamatra or Mind Only school asserts the unfindability of external phenomena, Quantum Physics suggests that external phenomena depend on the perceiving mind. His Holiness cited what he considers the Buddha’s scientific approach, quoting him as advising his followers not to accept what he said at face value, out of devotion, but to test it through investigation and experiment and only accept it if it makes sense.

Turning to the text he was to teach, His Holiness stated that its main thrust was generating the awakening mind and an understanding of emptiness. The first chapter begins by outlining the benefits of the awakening mind, while the ninth presents an explanation of emptiness to which the preceding chapters are preliminary. It is observed that while compassion focusses on sentient beings; wisdom focusses on enlightenment.

His Holiness advised that his explanation will extend over four days and that it should be regarded as an opportunity to study and learn, not to receive blessings. He noted that Shantideva’s approach to generating the awakening mind, the exchange of self with others, is for those of sharp faculties when compared to the seven point cause and effect approach that Atisha taught. He also advised that since chapter nine of the ‘Guide’ is complicated and difficult, reading Nagarjuna’s ‘Fundamental Wisdom of the Middle Way’ and Chandrakirti’s ‘Supplement to the Middle Way’ would be helpful.

He said he received an explanation of the ‘Guide to the Bodhisattva’s Way of Life’ from Khunnu Lama Rinpoche in 1967. Because he has found it so helpful he teaches it whenever he has the opportunity. But, he said, the key is in applying what it recommends, for example applying what chapter six, which deals with patience, has to say about anger. He recommended that his listeners try to read a little of the text every day and reflect on it as part of their practice.

Setting the text aside for a moment, His Holiness declared:

“First of all, I’m just one of 7 billion human beings alive today. As human beings we are all fundamentally the same. We share a common experience in that we are all born from a mother. We survive because of her care and affection. Scientists working with young infants are coming up with findings that suggest that basic human nature is compassionate. Common sense tells us that even if a family is poor, if they live in an atmosphere of affection they tend to be happy. A wealthy family, well provided for, but afflicted by suspicion and jealousy, tends to be unhappy. Clearly where there is love and compassion, happiness follows.

“We are social animals. We need friends and friendship depends on trust. Showing concern and affection for others is how we establish trust. Because we are interdependent, love and compassion are important in our lives. Recently I was encouraged to hear on the BBC that increasing numbers of young people regard themselves as global citizens.

“Similarly, the creation of the European Union is an instance of nations that once fought each other putting the past behind them and giving priority to their common interests. We could all do well to adopt such a mature approach and regard ourselves as global citizens. Instead we tend to think in terms of ‘us’ and ‘them’, despite, as I mentioned above, the fact that as human beings we are all the same; members of one family.”

Describing education today as focussed on materialistic goals, but with little to say about how to find peace of mind, His Holiness noted that that used to be the province of religion. Today, however, when religion no longer commands the universal appeal it once had, there is a need instead for a secular approach to human values. He mentioned proposals to introduce secular ethics into modern education.

Looking back to the origins of Tibetan Buddhism, His Holiness recalled the efforts of the bodhisattva abbot Shantarakshita working with the adept Guru Padmasambhava and King Songtsen Gampo. Later, after Tibet had fragmented politically, the King of Ngari invited Atisha. He wrote his ‘Lamp for the Path’ and established the Kadampa tradition. ‘Guide to the Bodhisattva’s Way of Life’ is one of the six classic texts of the Kadampas.

“Today, the crucial thing is to study,” His Holiness advised. “In exile, monasteries that only performed rituals in the past have instituted programmes of study. Nuns too have been studying and the first group will shortly graduate and will be awarded Geshe-ma degrees. We all need to be 21st century Buddhists, which means we at least understand the nature of the Buddha, Dharma and Sangha, the teacher, his teaching, the path to cessation, and the community of those who put it into practice.”

Coming back after lunch His Holiness repeated what Khunnu Lama Rinpoche had told him that since it was composed in the 8th century, ‘Guide to the Bodhisattva’s Way of Life’ has been the single most important text for training the mind. He said the point is not to simply recite it, but to put what it says into effect. He glossed the meaning of the term ‘bodhi’ in the title ‘Bodhicharyavatara’ as referring to the abandonment and realization of great enlightenment. He noted the translators’ homage to Manjushri and the author’s pledge to compose the work.

He clarified that we take refuge in the Buddha, Dharma and Sangha in order to achieve liberation. Liberation is the fruit of eliminating the disturbing emotions. It is intense misconception or grasping in the mind that gives rise to the disturbing emotions. He mentioned the American psychiatrist Aaron Beck who told him that when we are angry the object of our anger appears to be totally negative. This impression is 90% mental projection. In other words, conceptual thought exaggerates the nature of the object and provokes anger or attachment.

“I’ve been reflecting and meditating on emptiness for more than 60 years at my teacher Ngodrup Tsognyi’s prompting and I’m aware of what Nagarjuna says:

Through the elimination of karma and affliction there is liberation.

Karma and affliction come from conceptual thought. 

These come from mental fabrication.

Fabrication ceases through emptiness.

The root of all suffering is disturbing emotions and their root is ignorance. Those who wish to pacify suffering should generate wisdom. Verse two of chapter nine says: ‘Truth is recognized as being of two kinds: conventional and ultimate. Ultimate reality is beyond the scope of the intellect. The intellect is called conventional reality.’ The two truths are of the same entity, as the Heart Sutra states: form is emptiness; emptiness is form, and so forth. Chapter nine continues: In the light of this, people are seen to be of two types: the contemplative or yogi and the ordinary person; the ordinary people are superseded by the yogis, which implies that they perceive the ordinary, worldly person’s viewpoint to be incorrect.

His Holiness read rapidly through the first and second chapters. In the first he distinguished between the mind that aspires to awaken and that which ventures to do so. The difference is whether the bodhisattva is engaged in the six perfections. The second chapter, dealing with disclosure of evil stresses the inevitability of death:

Remaining neither day nor night, 

Life is always slipping away 

And never getting any longer, 

Why will death not come to one like me?

Announcing that he had completed the first two chapters, His Holiness repeated that this was an opportunity to study and learn, not just receive blessings. He said what his listeners would gain from these eight sessions could have an impact for their entire lives. He introduced Ven Yangten Rinpoche, who he described as a good young scholar, who would answer whatever questions people had about what had already been read.

Link to part 2:
The Dalai Lama Teaches ‘Guide to the Bodhisattva’s Way of Life’ in Osaka, Part 2

Original link & photos: http://dalailama.com/news/post/1392-beginning-to-teach-guide-to-the-bodhisattvas-way-of-life-in-osaka

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

Dalai Lama Visits Sendai, Focus of the Tohoku Earthquake

Sendai, Japan, 7 April 2014 - Following his arrival in Japan from India yesterday, His Holiness the Dalai Lama today flew from Narita to Sendai. The flight brought him in over coastal areas which three years ago were devastated by the tsunami that followed the great Tohoku Earthquake of March 2011. He was able to land at the Sendai airport that the tsunami flooded and closed.

Warm applause filled the hall when His Holiness appeared on the stage of the Miyagi Kenmin Kaikan hall, which had been recreated as a Shinto shrine. Ms Kawakami Hiroko, Chairperson of the Sendai Welcome Committee and herself a Shinto priest opened the event and introduced His Holiness. She extolled his tireless work for peace and dialogue in the world and expressed the hope that his presence would strengthen hope and confidence among the people of the Tohoku region in the face of great adversity.

There followed an extensive Shinto ceremony conducted by priests of the Yamagata Prefecture Dewasanzan shrine and Miyagi Prefecture Takekoma shrine. Loud blasts on conch shells heralded the arrival of the priests in their elaborate white robes and black head gear. A long invocation prayer was made seeking the help of the Gods of Heaven to clear away misdeeds and impurities. Offerings were made to the haunting strains of the double reed hichiriki and flute and purification rituals conducted involving a priest making energetic sweeps in the air with leafy wands from the flowering evergreen sakaki tree. At the appropriate point His Holiness was also invited to participate. The ceremony was concluded with a short musical recital in which Ms Ishigaki Kiyomi played koto (Japanese harp) while Ishigaki Seiza played shakuhachi (bamboo flute).

“Today, it’s a little more than three years since the most powerful earthquake to hit Japan and the consequent tsunami that caused extensive devastation followed by radiation problems,” His Holiness began. “Many people died, many lost their homes; there’s been widespread grief and sadness. The purification rituals the Shinto priests have performed today are intended to help. I have great respect for all religions because of their intention to help, because they bring people solace.”

He spoke of visiting Shinto shrines before and taking part in prayers, but said this was the most elaborate ceremony he had witnessed. He remarked that the prayers were similar to those he has seen elsewhere, which involve invoking the gods and making offerings and requests to them. He explained that from a Buddhist point of view there are transcendental gods who are enlightened who can be of help and worldly gods who can be more mischievous.

“The Indian Buddhist master Nagarjuna says that if you allow yourself to remain depressed you won’t be able to overcome the problems that confront you. Therefore it’s important to keep up your spirits and remain confident that you can do what you set out to do.”

He asked those who had been directly affected by the quake and tsunami to raise their hands and offered his condolences and sympathy to all who had suffered. He recalled visiting Fukushima in late 2011 to comfort victims and share their pain. When they wept he felt like weeping with them, but even then he advised them that it would not help to remain downcast. Being depressed in the face of trouble only adds to it. He said that he often cites the remarkable way that the German and Japanese peoples rebuilt their nations out of the ashes of the Second World War as inspiring examples for others to follow. The key is to have self-confidence, determination and a firm resolve.

“If tragedy strikes, don’t lose hope. Transform it into an opportunity to make things better.”

He suggested that it is very sad to lose family and friends, but if we imagine that they can see us from heaven, or wherever they are, to see their loved ones dismayed and downhearted will only fill them with sadness too. To see us optimistic and full of hope will make them happy. Calling on his own experience he said:

“At the age of 16 I lost my freedom and at the age of 24 I lost my country. I’ve lived as a refugee for 55 years and yet I’ve never lost hope or given in to pessimism. As human beings we all have brothers and sisters who come to our aid. You Japanese are part of the 7 billion alive today who have feelings and experiences similar to yours.”

He mentioned that when Tibetan refugees were given land in different parts of India on which to settle, much of it was untamed jungle. In one place in particular it was also very hot. To begin with the people there pleaded to be moved elsewhere saying it was so hot they would surely die. His Holiness advised them to take things easily, to stay in the shade when the heat blazed and when he visited a year later teased them that they weren’t dead yet. In due course this became a successful settlement that he has visited again quite recently. He repeated that a great deal depends on determination and resolve.

Chuckling, His Holiness mentioned his appreciation of the care Japanese take over so much that they do. He added that since his first visit in 1967 he has noticed that while making good use of modern science and technology Japan still has strong spiritual traditions in Shintoism and Buddhism. There is an ability to combine material development with spiritual or inner values. Traditions such as respect for elders and children’s respect for their parents are worth preserving. However, he remarked that too much solemnity and an artificial smile risks a drift to hypocrisy. Then, laughing again, he said he had only one grumble and that was that Japanese food is often beautiful to look at and made of excellent ingredients, but there isn’t enough to fill you up.

Answering questions from the audience he advised that it is always helpful to remain honest and truthful in the face of difficulty.

“You should examine whether what you want to do is really feasible. Research your goal and adopt a realistic approach. Hope for the best, but prepare for the worst. Be honest, truthful and concerned for the well-being of others. To be self-centred instead leads to fear and suspicion, which more often than not ends in loneliness.”

About prayer he said it makes sense in traditions that believe in a creator to pray to god. From the Buddhist point of view, however, the Heart Sutra, for example, is not so much a prayer as a description of reality. And understanding reality is how we counter ignorance. Wisdom is the primary factor on the basis of which Buddhists develop faith and compassion.

To a woman who described the difficulty of dealing with three years of hardship His Holiness quoted Shantideva as saying that if there is a solution to something there’s no need to worry about it and if there isn’t, worrying won’t help. To a request to explain reincarnation he said it could take a week and that it would be better to find out more about it by reading books. Asked what has made him happy, His Holiness replied:

“To be a bhikshu, a Buddhist monk, and to be a follower of the Nalanda tradition. When I reach a new understanding of something I’m reading it brings me great satisfaction. Thinking about the awakening mind of bodhichitta and emptiness brings me a real sense of joy.”

He concluded by reciting his favourite verse from Shantideva’s ‘Guide to the Bodhisattva’s Way of Life’:

‘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.'

original article and pictures http://www.dalailama.com/news/post/1105-his-holiness-the-dalai-lama-visits-sendai-focus-of-the-tohoku-earthquake