Dalai Lama: Inter-faith Prayers for Peace

Zurich, Switzerland, 15 October 2016 - His Holiness the Dalai Lama was met on arrival at the Grossmünster Church this morning by Pastor Christoph Sigrist, who introduced him to representatives of the Evangelical Church, Hinduism, Judaism, Islam and the Roman Catholic Church. The Church was packed with about 1000 people as the religious representatives entered together. Once they were seated the building resounded to a Bach toccata played on the organ.

Addressing the gathering Pastor Sigrist said it was an honour and a great joy to welcome ‘Our Brother’, His Holiness the Dalai Lama to the Grossmünster Church. “It means a great deal to have you here to pray and reflect with us,” he said. Each of the religious representatives was invited to make a prayer beginning with Tibetan Buddhist monks from Rikon Monastery. His Holiness joined them in their melodic chanting as their prayers for taking refuge and cultivating bodhichitta filled the church. They were followed by the Imam, the Rabbi and women representing Hinduism, the Protestant and Roman Catholic Churches, each praying in their own way for peace and justice among humanity. Finally, the Church rang with the pure voices of the choir singing Heinrich Schütz’s ‘Grant us peace graciously’.

Mario Fehr, an old friend of Tibetans, who is now President of the Canton of Zurich said, “On behalf of the Canton Government and the people of Zurich, I am very thankful that you are all here and that you have joined us to pray for peace today.”

Invited to address the congregation that included another 700 or so watching a monitor outside, His Holiness began:

“Spiritual brothers and sisters, I’m very touched by the atmosphere here with leaders and followers of different faiths gathered to pray together. It’s a great opportunity for us to get to know each other.

“At this very moment we are praying peacefully together here, but in other parts of the world, people are being killed and are being killed in the name of religion. These days if a person is killed by an elephant or a tiger it makes the news, but when people kill other people it seems routine and hardly seems to register.

“Nevertheless, scientists are finding evidence to conclude that basic human nature is compassionate. We depend on each other for our survival. In terms of the threats we all face from climate change, national boundaries have no meaning. Looking at our small blue planet from space no such boundaries can be seen. This is the reality today. We have to think of the welfare of all humanity.

“I have a commitment to promoting happiness through understanding. We human beings are physically, mentally and emotionally the same. We all want to live a happy life, but too often our strong sense of ‘us’ and ‘them’ causes divisions among us. We need instead a sense of the oneness of humanity. All the major religious traditions convey a message of love, tolerance, forgiveness and self-discipline. They all have the potential to bring peace through the cultivation of warm-heartedness. They adopt different philosophical positions, but their purpose is to foster greater love and affection for others. Their common aim is to create more compassionate people.”

His Holiness explained that his second commitment, as a Buddhist monk, is to encouraging religious harmony. He mentioned Thomas Merton, Mother Teresa and other Muslim and Hindu friends who have deeply impressed him, people driven by the dedication of their faith. He emphasised the need to create harmony and respect among religious people. Recalling the first World Day of Prayer for Peace in Assisi, Italy, in1986 that he attended at the invitation of Pope John Paul II, His Holiness reported expressing his appreciation to the Pope and telling him how important it was for it not to be a one-off event, but for it to happen again and again.

He mentioned too how important it is for followers of different religions simply to get to know each other. Similarly, he said, scholars and religious leaders should meet to discuss and exchange their experiences. For example, in discussions with Muslim scholars in India and elsewhere, His Holiness has learned that if Muslims commit bloodshed they are no longer proper Muslims. Their commitment is to extend love to all the creatures of Allah. The same scholars have also explained that ‘jihad’ actually refers to a struggle within to tackle our disturbing emotions.

His Holiness suggested a third practice he follows to promote religious harmony—making pilgrimage to other people’s places of worship. He said he started doing this in Varanasi, India, in 1975 and has since visited Jerusalem to pray in the company of Christians, Jews and Muslims. Similarly, he recalled joining visiting Christian sisters and brothers, local Hindus and Muslims under the Bodhi tree in Bodhgaya, the site of the Buddha’s enlightenment, for half an hour’s silent meditation.

Observing that all the world’s major religious traditions, those that are indigenous like Hinduism, Buddhism, Jainism and Sikhism, and those from abroad like Zoroastrianism, Judaism, Christianity and Islam, have lived together in India, side by side, in respect and harmony, for centuries. This, he said, is an example for others to follow.

“Finally, if may say so,” His Holiness remarked, “I wonder how appropriate it is for us to pray to God or to Buddha for peace when the problems and conflict were created by us. I wonder if we were to meet Jesus Christ, the Buddha or Muhammad, if they might not ask, ‘Who created these problems you are seeking help to resolve? Isn’t it your responsibility to sort things out?’

“I feel we should make a personal commitment to promoting inter-religious harmony and to cultivating compassion within ourselves. If we also discuss this with friends and family, we can spread these ideas. In our materialistic world money seems all important, but much more valuable if we want to lead a happy life is to cultivate warm-heartedness. This is what strengthens the inner peace that anger and jealousy so easily destroy. Paying more attention to our inner values will ensure we’re healthy in body and mind and can make a real contribution to peace in the world.”

Pastor Sigrist thanked His Holiness for his words and called on all present to join in saying St Francis of Assisi’s Prayer for Peace:

God, make me an instrument of thy peace.

Where there is hatred, let me sow love;

Where there is injury, pardon;

Where there is doubt, faith;

Where there is despair, hope;

Where there is darkness, light;

Where there is sadness, joy.

O Divine Master, grant that I may not so much seek

To be consoled as to console,

To be understood as to understand,

To be loved as to love;

For it is in giving that we receive;

It is in pardoning that we are pardoned;

It is in dying to self that we are born to eternal life, 

Amen

He announced that Syrian refugees had been offered shelter in apartments attached to the church and that they had prepared a lunch for the religious leaders, representatives and guests.

Towards the end of the meal, President Mario Fehr presented Zurich’s Gold Medal to His Holiness as a mark of appreciation.

Tibetans thronged the cobbled streets outside the church to see His Holiness off as he drove to Zurich airport. From there he flew to Bratislava, capital of Slovakia, where he was met on arrival by old friends Suzanne and Csaba Kiss of the At Home Gallery and Martin Butora, advisor to the President of Slovakia, and his wife. Tomorrow, His Holiness will interact with students and faculty at Komensky University in the morning and give a public talk in the afternoon.

original link & photos: http://www.dalailama.com/news/post/1473-inter-faith-prayers-for-peace

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

Angelology And Angels

Hello my para beauties! I hope your having a wonderful Sunday so far and everyone you love is healthy. This is a difficult subject to research and more difficult to explain but I will do my best at the request of many of you to go over this subject again. I blogged about this back either in November 2013 or Jan of this year so I hope to add more helpful information based on my humble opinion. Please remember I do not claim to be any kind of expert in anything I blog about. It is all just my humble option based on what I've researched so save the hate mail for the arrogant people who claim to know all and everyone else is wrong.

We need to put the focus on the Lord's Angels! Who are 100 times more powerful than any demon or devil I can assure you. They are our protectors and sent by God. There is so much comfort and solace in this. I personally believe we have them assigned to us for protection just as satan has assigned a demon or demons to torment and hurt us and our lives.

This is simply the study of Angels. They are known as God's messengers. It's very interesting and very important to know some information about them. I personally go by a biblical point of view and the biblical laws of the bible. So please understand it is only my humble opinion of how I interpret this subject. Anyone I quote doesn't mean I agree with what they do. There are so many movies out and coming out about demons and the devil possessing. It's so disturbing however, you hear nothing of Angels.

At some undisclosed time following His creation of the heavens and the earth, God created the angels (Ps.148:2-5; Col.1:16). This event took place after the original ex nihilo (i.e., "out of nothing") creation of the universe described Genesis 1:1, and before the restoration of the earth (described also at Job 38:4-7) which followed God's initial judgment upon the universe because of Satan's rebellion (the results of which are described in Genesis 1:2 and following). God created all angelic kind at this time (including Satan and all those who would eventually rebel against Him). Though some would come to choose against Him, all the angels were originally created holy (Deut.33:2; Ps.89:7; Mk.8:38; Lk.9:26). God gave each of them distinct duties and definite domains in which to exercise specified authority delegated.

An Angel (from the Greek ἄγγελος ángelos, "messenger"[1]) is a supernatural being or spirit, often depicted in humanoid form with feathered wings on their backs and halos around their heads, found in various religions and mythologies.

The theological study of angels is known as "angelology". In Zoroastrianism and Abrahamic religions they are often depicted as benevolent celestial beings who act as intermediaries between Heaven and Earth, or as guardian spirits or a guiding influence.[2]

The term "angel" has also been expanded to various notions of spirits found in many other religious traditions. Other roles of angels include protecting and guiding human beings, and carrying out God's tasks.[3]

In art, angels are often depicted with bird-like wings on their back, a halo, robes and various forms of glowing light.[4]

In post-Biblical Judaism, certain angels took on particular significance and developed unique personalities and roles. Though these archangels were believed to rank among the heavenly host, no systematic hierarchy ever developed. Metatron is considered one of the highest of the angels in Merkabah and Kabbalist mysticism and often serves as a scribe; he is briefly mentioned in the Talmud[17] and figures prominently in Merkabah mystical texts. Michael, who serves as a warrior[18] and advocate for Israel (Daniel 10:13), is looked upon particularly fondly.[19] Gabriel is mentioned in the Book of Daniel (Daniel 8:15–17) and briefly in the Talmud, [20] as well as in many Merkabah mystical texts. There is no evidence in Judaism for the worship of angels, but there is evidence for the invocation and sometimes even conjuration of angels.[21].

Below are just some verses I found in scripture that give us more insight to Angels and what they do and how important they are. They are powerful beyond imagining. Demons fear the smite of them. They tremble in fear!

The LORD, the God of heaven, brought me from the home of my father and from the land of my relatives, and he solemnly promised me that he would give this land to my descendants. He will send his angel before you, so that you can get a wife there for my son. (Genesis 24:7)

He answered, 'The LORD, whom I have always obeyed, will send his angel with you and give you success. You will get for my son a wife from my own people, from my father's family.
 (Genesis 24:40)

Behold, I send an Angel before you, to keep you in the way, and to bring you to the place which I have prepared.

Angels fight against God's enemies.

That night an angel of the LORD went to the Assyrian camp and killed 185,000 soldiers. At dawn the next day there they lay, all dead!

The LORD sent an angel that killed the soldiers and officers of the Assyrian army. So the emperor went back to Assyria disgraced. One day when he was in the temple of his god, some of his sons killed him with their swords. (2Ch 32:21)

Researching Angels of The Lord is very interesting and uplifting however, It's a difficult subject to understand and even harder to explain. We all interpret the bible differently and the same goes for the literature we research. This is why I ask the Holy Spirit to open my eyes to the truth and to help me understand.

There are plenty of books on Angels such as "A Dictionary Of Angels" including fallen angels by Gustav Davidson. For me personally it helped in my research. It takes time and patience finding the correct information we seek if there is any at all. I say do your own research including what the Word Of God says.

Written By Jennifer Lori Auld