Dalai Lama Says, "Be a Good Human Being."

The Sutra of the Wheel of Dharma and the Rice Seedling Sutra

Bodhgaya, Bihar, India - Heavy fog and bitterly cold conditions in Bodhgaya this morning did nothing to subdue the enthusiasm of the more than 50,000 people gathered on the Kalachakra Maidan to listen to His Holiness the Dalai Lama. After a short drive from the Tibetan Temple to the top end of a huge marquee, His Holiness too was in a buoyant mood. He smiled, shook outstretched hands and waved to the crowd as he walked up to the front of the stage.

He greeted several of the distinguished Lamas seated around the throne, among whom were the Ganden Tri Rinpoche, the former Ganden Tripa, the Shartse and Jangtse Chöjeys, the Sakya Gongma Trizin Rinpoche, and Ling Rinpoche, as well as Abbots, former Abbots and Tulkus.

“Indians are the main disciples today,” His Holiness announced, “and we’ll begin with their recitations in Pali and Sanskrit.”

Adults chanted a series of prayers and praises, including the Mangala Sutta, first in Pali. They were followed by a group of schoolgirls and schoolboys who recited the ‘Heart Sutra’ in Sanskrit.

“After the Buddha had attained enlightenment, he declared, ‘Profound and peaceful, free from complexity, uncompounded luminosity—I have found a nectar-like Dharma. Yet if I were to teach it, no-one would understand, so I shall remain silent here in the forest.’ One reason for this is that existing Indian spiritual traditions asserted the existence of an independent self, a permanent agent going from one life to the next. The Buddha saw that clinging to the notion of an independent self is the root of all other mental afflictions. After realizing selflessness, he saw that it would be incomprehensible to most people if he were to teach about it.

“Nevertheless, in due course he did teach in Sarnath. Later, on Vulture’s Peak in Rajgriha, he taught that things lack intrinsic existence. During the first turning of the wheel of Dharma he explained the truth of suffering and its origins. Then during the second he elaborated in detail on emptiness. The Unravelling of Thought Sutra records that during the third turning of the wheel, he taught about dependent nature, imputed nature and perfect nature. The absence of imputed nature from dependent nature indicates the perfect nature of emptiness. Also, during the third turning of the wheel, the Buddha touched on Buddha nature and the subjective mind of clear light that is the basis for practice of highest yoga tantra.

“Mahakassapa and his followers preserved the teachings including Vinaya and Abhidhamma that became the Pali tradition. Later, when understanding had grown, Nagarjuna and other disciples examined the teachings in the light of reasoning giving rise to what became the Nalanda Tradition. The teaching of the Buddha has faced its ups and downs, and yet, relying on scriptural authority as well as reasoning and analysis, it still survives today.”

His Holiness discussed how the Buddha gave different teachings according to beings’ mental disposition, inclination and capacity. Sometimes he taught that the person carries the aggregates, much as a porter bears a load as if they were separate from each other. Elsewhere he explained that objects that appear to exist externally are not different from the subjective perception of them. At other times he taught that nothing has any inherent existence. The ‘Heart Sutra’ refers to form as emptiness and emptiness as form.

Having taught different things on different occasions, the Buddha admonished his followers, ‘O monks, just as the wise test gold by burning, cutting and rubbing, Examine my words thoroughly and accept them only after you have investigated them—not just out of respect for me’. His Holiness pointed out that modern scientists do not rely on anything like scriptural authority, they observe and conduct research themselves. Then they verify what they have discovered by comparing it to the findings of others and seek a consensus. Today, scientists are taking interest in what Buddhism has to say, much as Einstein predicted.

His Holiness emphasized that Buddhism originated in India, not in China or Tibet, and that masters of Nalanda like Nagarjuna were Indian too. Therefore, His Holiness said, it was propitious that the main disciples today were Indian. For more than 2000 years Buddhism has spread across Asia, so it would be appropriate if the Nalanda Tradition that has been kept alive in Tibet were to be re-established today in India.

His Holiness observed that India has the distinction of being the one place where all the world’s major religions flourish. Some of these traditions like Brahmanism are theistic and posit a creator; others like some Samkhyas and Jains are non-theistic and are based instead on the principle of causality. Among them, only Buddhism does not assert the existence of an independent self. From West Asia came Judaism, Christianity and Islam, which all believe in a creator god. All these traditions commend love and compassion, tolerance and forgiveness, contentment and self-discipline.

For Buddhism, the conduct of non-violence is important. It also teaches that suffering, pain and pleasure are in our own hands. Action which helps others and makes them happy is regarded as positive. Actions that harm others are negative.

“The various religious traditions have long flourished in India and lived alongside one another in harmony,” His Holiness added. “A secular view according equal regard to all faiths prevails here. We must preserve it. Meanwhile, I am doing my best to revive awareness of ancient Indian knowledge in this country. However, in the long run, the most important thing is to be a good human being.

“Among 7 billion human beings alive today, 1 billion have no interest in religious practice. But even among those who remain, some use religion as grounds for division. For religion to become a source of conflict is really very sad.

“We human beings are social animals, we rely on each other. We are not self-sufficient. We are at peace with one another here, but elsewhere conflict abounds. People are bullying and killing each other. Others are neglected to die of starvation. How can we put up with this when we regularly pray for all beings to be free from suffering? As followers of the Buddha we should ask ourselves every day how we can help others, since we all want happiness and don’t want suffering.

“Because modern education currently has little time for human values, we need to augment it with discussion of love and compassion. Common sense tells us, for example, that an affectionate, compassionate family is happy, whereas a family riven by jealousy and competitiveness is not.”

Turning to the two texts he was to read, the ‘Sutra of the Wheel of Dharma’ and the ‘Rice Seedling Sutra’, His Holiness observed that they both deal with ideas common to all Buddhist teachings. He remarked that the word Dharma has a connotation of holding back as in transforming or reshaping the mind, which is clearly illustrated by this verse:

Commit not a single unwholesome action,
Cultivate a wealth of virtue,
To tame this mind of ours
Is the teaching of all the buddhas.

Whether what we do is unwholesome or counts as virtue depends on the motivation.

His Holiness noted that the Buddha’s teachings can be categorized in terms of scripture and realization. Scriptural instructions are preserved by reading and study, whereas teachings related to realization depend on our engaging in the Three Trainings—ethics, concentration and wisdom.

His Holiness remarked that the Buddha left his family behind when he became a monk, which was not just a matter of changing how he dressed, but of his adopting and putting prevailing teachings into practice. He examined what he heard, contemplated and then meditated on it. This meant, for example, that he engaged in critical analysis of the nature of suffering until he understood it. He pursued the shamatha, a calmly abiding mind, and vipashyana, special insight, that are common to many traditions. Subsequently, the Buddha’s companions when he was engaging in such practice and observing strict austerities became his first disciples.

In the ‘Sutra of the Wheel of Dharma’, the Buddha speaks of having first comprehended suffering and then relinquished it. His Holiness quoted a verse by Nagarjuna,

Through the elimination of karma and mental afflictions there is liberation;
Karma and mental afflictions come from conceptual thoughts;
These come from mental exaggeration;
Exaggeration ceases through emptiness.

He clarified that it is due to our misconception of true existence that suffering arises, but we will not overcome this by offering lamps or performing rituals. It’s analysing and thinking about dependent arising that enables us to overturn these misconceptions. Nagarjuna praised the Buddha for teaching how to overcome wrong views. Je Tsongkhapa praised him for teaching about dependent arising.

In mentioning that the ‘Rice Seedling Sutra’ belongs to the Sanskrit tradition, His Holiness noted once more that he prefers to refer to the Pali and Sanskrit traditions because the terms Mahayana and Hinayana tend to lead to one set of people looking down on another. After all, he remarked, the Sanskrit tradition is built upon the foundations of the Pali tradition.

Beginning to read the ‘Rice Seedling Sutra’, His Holiness made two observations. The sutra concerns a conversation between Shariputra and Maitreya, who sat down together on a huge flat rock, which he appreciates for its down to earth quality. Secondly, a remark in a commentary to the Perfection of Wisdom teachings by the Korean Abbot Wen-tsig suggested that Maitreya’s mother was also called Maitreya, which establishes him as a human being, as well as a celestial bodhisattva, explaining dependent arising.

original link & photos: https://www.dalailama.com/news/2018/the-sutra-of-the-wheel-of-dharma-and-the-rice-seedling-sutra

The Dalai Lama Teaches ‘Guide to the Bodhisattva’s Way of Life’ in Osaka, Part 3

Continued from:
The Dalai Lama Teaches ‘Guide to the Bodhisattva’s Way of Life’ in Osaka, Part 1
The Dalai Lama Teaches ‘Guide to the Bodhisattva’s Way of Life’ in Osaka, Part 2

Osaka, Japan, 12 May 2016 - After several days of cloud and rain, Osaka awoke today to bright sunlight streaming through the windows and bright blue skies overhead. As His Holiness the Dalai Lama walked through the hotel to the Osaka International Conference Center the light caught the fresh leaves on the trees around the buildings.

“Today I want to tell you about the Stages of the Path tradition,” he began once he had sat down. “In the 8th century Shantarakshita came to Tibet at the invitation of the Emperor Trisong Detsen. He was a leading scholar of Nalanda University in his day and established the pure Nalanda tradition in Tibet. Following the reign of Tri Ralpachan, Tibet became politically fragmented.

“In the west of the country, Ngari, was the Kingdom of Guge with its capital at Thöling. The king wanted to invite Buddhist teachers from India to restore the traditions set up by Shantarakshita and Guru Padmasambhava that had fallen into decline. A local translator, Rinchen Zangpo had already been active in the region when the king prevailed upon Dipamkara Atisha to come from the University of Vikramashila to Tibet.”

His Holiness explained that the king requested Atisha to compose a teaching that would be specifically suitable for Tibetans and in response he wrote the ‘Lamp for the Path to Enlightenment’. What distinguished this text from other Indian treatises was that it laid out the entire path to enlightenment in terms of an individual’s spiritual practice - the stages of the path. He described these stages in relation to practitioners of three capacities. Those of least capacity aimed to achieve higher rebirth. Those of middle capacity sought liberation from the sufferings of the cycle of existence and those of great capacity aspired to cultivate compassion and the awakening mind, intent on achieving enlightenment.

The stages of the path became a model for subsequent Tibetan authors. The Nyingma master Longchenpa followed it in his ‘Mind at Ease’; the Kagyu Dagpo Lharje did so in his ‘Jewel Ornament of Liberation’, which begins with an explanation of Buddha nature. Sakya masters followed the pattern in their ‘Paths and Fruit’ texts. And eventually the founder of the Renewed Kadampa tradition, Je Tsongkhapa commented and elaborated on the ‘Lamp for the Path’ in his several Stages of the Path texts. He also made reference to the Six Kadampa texts, of which the ‘Guide to the Bodhisattva’s Way of Life’ was one.

His Holiness explained that according to the ‘Ornament for Clear Realization’ it is on the basis of understanding the Two Truths and the Four Noble Truths that people go for refuge to the Three Jewels. He remarked that when they understand the possibility of liberation and what it is they will be inspired. This is much more effective that frightening them with the prospect of hell if they do not follow instructions. He observed that the Buddha taught in a way people could be comfortable with, adding that it is Buddhism’s strong background in reasoning and philosophy that equips it to engage in conversation with science.

Turning to the ‘Guide’ His Holiness began to read chapter eight which deals with patience and opens with this straightforward advice:

Having patience I should develop enthusiasm;

For awakening will dwell only in those who exert themselves.

He highlighted the need for confidence in achieving what you want to do and mentioned how in relation to the disturbing emotions it needs to be combined with vigilance and alertness. If you allow the disturbing emotions to arise before you take action it will be too late; you have to apprehend and deal with them before they erupt.

Moving on to the chapter on meditation he explained that the main topic was developing a single pointed mind, a practice also maintained by other non-Buddhist Indian traditions. He said ‘shamatha’ is about stability, but not necessarily about keeping physically still with a mind emptied of conceptual thought. The text discusses how to develop a calmly abiding mind, how to choose an object to focus the mind on and how this can be disrupted by either laxity or excitement. His Holiness advised that Buddhists often choose an image of the Buddha as an object on which to focus, but that some traditions take the mere clarity and awareness of the mind as their object.

He clarified that where Shantideva advises how to counter the distraction of desire and lust for women, he was addressing monks. What he says applies equally to women with regard to men.

Shantideva’s distinctive explanation of exchanging self and others begins with the reflection:

First of all I should make an effort

To meditate upon the equality between self and others:

I should protect all beings as I do myself

Because we are all equal in (wanting) pleasure and (not wanting) pain. 

And continues:

Whoever wishes to quickly afford protection

To both himself and other beings

Should practise that holy secret:

The exchanging of self for others.

His Holiness remarked that exchanging self for others is referred to as a secret because of association with the practice of tantra which is secret, but also because it is not something everyone can do. The practice is summarized by the following verse:

Whatever joy there is in this world

All comes from desiring others to be happy,

And whatever suffering there is in this world

All comes from desiring myself to be happy.

After returning from lunch, His Holiness advised that when it comes to instructions about meditation he recommends a book called ‘Stages of Meditation’ composed in Tibet by the Indian master, and disciple of Shantarakshita, Kamalashila.

Embarking on chapter nine of the ‘Guide’ dealing with wisdom he remarked:

Buddhas do not wash unwholesome deeds away with water,

Nor do they remove the sufferings of beings with their hands,

Neither do they transplant their own realization into others.

Teaching the truth of suchness they liberate (beings).

The chapter contrasts the views of different Buddhist schools of thought particularly Mind Only with the Middle Way to ascertain the Two Truths. It goes on to explore first the selflessness of persons and then the selflessness of phenomena. It concludes:

Therefore this life swiftly passes with no meaning

And it is very hard to find the chance to investigate reality.

In this state, where is there the means to reverse

This beginningless habit of grasping at true existence?

It will be hard to find the leisure (of a human life) again,

And extremely difficult to find the presence of the Buddhas.

It is hard to forsake this flood of disturbing conceptions.

Alas, sentient beings will continue to suffer!

And by having, in the manner of not referring (to true existence),

Respectfully gathered the accumulation of merit,

When, by referring to others, will I be able to reveal emptiness

To those who are wretched and sad?

As the afternoon came to an end, His Holiness noted that he had not read every verse of the text, but had tried to communicate the spirit and meaning of Shantideva’s work.

“Keep it with you and, when you can, read it. Think about what we’ve talked about. It’s not like a story; read it and think about it. If you do that your understanding will grow and your disturbing emotions will begin to decline.

“Tomorrow I’ll be giving first the layperson’s vows, which Atisha said make a good basis, followed by the Bodhisattva vow and Manjushri permission. We will recite the ‘Heart Sutra’. Because we’re in Japan we’ll recite it first in Japanese and after that in Mandarin. Those of you who speak Russian, Mongolian, Korean, Tibetan or English can recite it to yourselves in your own language.”

Once again the audience of 2700 clapped with friendly enthusiasm as His Holiness left the hall.

original link & photos: http://www.dalailama.com/news/post/1394-third-day-of-guide-to-the-bodhisattvas-way-of-life-in-osaka

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

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

Arriving in the hall of the Osaka International Conference Center this morning, His Holiness the Dalai Lama walked to the front of the stage and saluted the applauding audience to the right, left and middle with folded hands.

“Good morning everybody,” he began, “we know that the Buddha appeared in the world, although there is disagreement about when. The question is whether he attained enlightenment in that very life, or was enlightened long before. The Pali tradition says he was an ordinary person who became the Buddha in the course of one meditative sitting. Maitreya’s ‘Sublime Continuum’ lists 12 deeds of the Buddha’s life, some performed as a bodhisattva and some as a Buddha. It is hard to conceive of his accumulating merit and insight over three countless aeons, but it is also difficult to believe that he attained enlightenment in one life. The former account from the Sanskrit tradition seems more reasonable.

“The common narrative is that the Buddha attained enlightenment and turned the wheel of Dharma when he taught the Four Noble Truths. The second turning of the wheel, dealing with the Perfection of Wisdom teachings, is not historically recorded, so some people dispute whether the Buddha taught them at all. However, Nagarjuna, Maitreya and Bhavaviveka wrote exhaustively defending the authenticity of this Sanskrit tradition. Its focus was phenomena’s lack of inherent existence.”

His Holiness observed that the ‘Heart Sutra’, involving a conversation between Shariputra and Avalokiteshvara, is a well-known example of the Sanskrit tradition. He added that the ‘Sutra Unravelling the Thought’, which was given at Vaishali, refers to the third turning of the wheel of Dharma. He remarked that the traditional praise known as the Six Ornaments and Two Supremes seems to belong to the third turning of the wheel because several masters of the Middle View - Chandrakirti, Bhavaviveka and Buddhapalita - are not included in it. Consequently, His Holiness composed a fuller praise to the ‘17 Masters of Nalanda’. The ‘Sutra Unravelling the Thought’ also speaks of disciples’ different capacities.

The Four Noble Truths, the truth of suffering, origin, cessation and path, are accepted by all schools of Buddhism and comprise the foundation of the teaching. Most important is understanding the third truth, cessation, which was explicitly explained in the 2nd Turning of the Wheel of Dharma. Meanwhile the 3rd Turning of the Wheel explained the nature of the mind, which forms the basis for the practice of tantra. The Buddha gave different teachings because he understood that disciples had different dispositions.

When he had first attained enlightenment the Buddha thought that if he were to teach what he had realized, no one else would understand. After he spending 49 days in retreat in the vicinity of the bodhi tree in Bodhgaya, the gods requested him to turn the wheel of Dharma. He sought out the companions with whom he had formerly undertaken austerities and who had parted from him when he broke his fast. As he approached them in Sarnath near Varanasi they determined not to salute him but found themselves unable to resist the urge to do so. He ordained them and his first instruction was how to wear the robes of a monk. After this he taught the Four Noble Truths.

He advised - know suffering, overcome its origin, achieve cessation and cultivate the path. Within that context, the four characteristics or attributes of suffering are impermanence, suffering, emptiness and selflessness. The four characteristics of the origin of suffering are causes, origin, strong production and condition. The four characteristics that refer to cessation are cessation, pacification, being superb and definite emergence, while the four characteristics that refer to the path are path, awareness, achievement and deliverance. Studying these attributes contributes to wisdom, which is in contrast to the observation that the source of this body we have now is ignorance.

The Buddha described three aspects of suffering. Everyone is familiar with the suffering of suffering. The suffering of change refers to the way pleasure changes into suffering. Non-Buddhist yogis seek to avoid this by entering the 4th absorption, a meditative state characterized by neutral feelings. The source of the third aspect, pervasive suffering, is karma and disturbing emotions, which in turn are rooted in ignorance.

His Holiness made clear that the basic structure of the Buddha’s teaching can be found in the instructions about the Four Noble Truths and the 37 Factors of Enlightenment, which are common to both Pali and Sanskrit traditions. The 37 Factors include the 4 foundations of mindfulness, the 4 supreme efforts, the 4 means to accomplishment, the 5 strengths, the 5 faculties and the Noble Eightfold Path.

Resuming his reading of chapter three of the ‘Guide to the Bodhisattva’s Way of Life,’ His Holiness pointed out that only as human beings are we able to generate the awakening mind. Even then, as the text makes clear, it is rare - ‘Just as a blind man might find a jewel amidst a heap of rubbish, so this spirit of awakening has somehow arisen in me.’ It is invaluable - ‘It is the elixir of life produced to vanquish death in the world. It is an inexhaustible treasure eliminating poverty in the world.’

Nagarjuna expressed the aspiration of the awakening mind in this way:

May I always be an object of enjoyment 

For all sentient beings according to their wish 

And without interference, as are the earth, 

Water, fire, wind, herbs, and wild forests.

As he reached the end of the chapter His Holiness remarked that we all need such a good heart, a warm heart, which can be a source of peace in the world.

Reading chapter four - Conscientiousness - His Holiness drew attention to our real enemy, not someone physically threatening, but the disturbing emotions within our minds. They have been our foe for beginningless time and although we might make a physical enemy our friend, befriending the disturbing emotions would do no good.

After lunch His Holiness commented that the sessions today and yesterday had been conducted as if in classroom with no chanting at the beginning. However, he said, the day after tomorrow the ‘Heart Sutra’ will be chanted when will gives the permission of Manjushri and the prayer that begins:

Obeisance to my Guru and Protector, Manjushri,
Who holds at his heart a scriptural text symbolic of his seeing all things as they are

It is a prayer that is good to memorize. His Holiness mentioned that his own ordination master and tutor Ling Rinpoche used to recite this prayer and the Manjushri mantra regularly.

Turning back to the text he said:

“Someone who has taken the Bodhisattva vow has to carefully protect it, much as someone who is ill is careful of what they eat or how they behave. Mindfulness is important because of this need to be vigilant. Jain monks are exemplary in their vigilance to avoid harming other beings.”

Completing the fifth chapter, His Holiness went on to read the sixth, which concerns patience. The opening verse makes clear that anger destroys all the good conduct, such as generosity and paying respects to the Buddhas, which has been acquired over thousands of aeons. Therefore, patience has an important protective role. Reaching the end of the chapter at the end of the session, the penultimate verse summed up the spirit of the text:

Let alone attaining Buddhahood in the future, do you not see that in this life, fortune, fame, and happiness ensue from pleasing sentient beings?

The Dalai Lama Teaches ‘Guide to the Bodhisattva’s Way of Life’ in Osaka, Part 3.

original link and photos: http://www.dalailama.com/news/post/1393-second-day-of-guide-to-the-bodhisattvas-way-of-life-in-osaka

Dialogue Between His Holiness the Dalai Lama & Fr Laurence Freeman About the Teacher & Disciple in Sarnath, Varanasi

Sarnath, Uttar Pradesh, India - January 14, 2013 at WebWire.com

Today was dedicated to a conversation between His Holiness the Dalai Lama and his longstanding spiritual friend Fr Laurence Freeman, Director of the World Community for Christian Meditation. The theme was seeing Jesus and the Buddha as teachers and the role of the disciple. The venue was the Atisha Hall of the Central University of Tibetan Studies in Sarnath.

The conversation began during a private meeting between His Holiness and Fr Laurence and some of his friends and benefactors. One of them asked about truth and His Holiness replied, “Once you are familiar with the truth, it has an effect on your mind. In his own teachings the Buddha described reality in different ways because of different dispositions and temperaments among his followers. When Christians and Buddhists come together we can say we have two versions of the truth, if a Muslim joins us there are three.”

Asked whether religion is necessary he said,

“Religion is a kind of instrument for transforming our minds into something positive. Everyone wants to be happy and here in the twenty-first century material facilities are highly developed. Indeed since there are still so many poor people we need to have material development. However, a great deal depends on our becoming aware of the limits of material values and our beginning to look inward. So far material development by itself has failed to produce a happy society. “

Before an audience of about 250 in the larger hall, Fr Laurence opened the conversation by recalling an earlier occasion when he invited His Holiness to comment on passages from the gospels,

“We were deeply touched by your handling of our sacred words and your insight into the truth of the gospels. It took a lot of courage.”

His Holiness replied,

“I found there were ideas in common with Buddhist teaching and it made for a very good meeting. After that you came with friends to Bodhgaya, and for the first time Buddhists and Christians prayed together under the Bodhi tree.”

Fr Laurence explained that he would speak about Jesus and how he relates to him as a teacher and then His Holiness would speak about how he views the Buddha. He invited His Holiness to interrupt him if he liked, which drew the following response:

“We are all human beings. When I meet someone I think, ‘Here’s another human being who like me wants to be happy.’ Formality just creates unnecessary barriers between us. As members of one human family we don’t need formality between us, so if I have something to say I’ll do so.”

Fr Laurence began to share his thoughts:

“I think of Jesus as a human being, a historical person later understood as the Son of God. I relate to him as a natural Jesus, an extraordinary human being, one of the few who have become universal teachers. We know little about his early life, but we know that he had an awakening when he was baptised by John the Baptist and that the spirit of it led him into the desert for forty days. Jesus taught by example, so his life is consistent with his teaching. I asked you years ago how you remain so calm and peaceful and you replied ‘I try to be the same on my own as when I’m with close friends or in public.’

“Jesus is a model for how to live my life. I consider him a universal teacher, a person of integrity with natural authority who embodies the truth. He’s someone in whom I can take refuge with trust and confidence. My relationship with Jesus straightens me out.”

He remarked that there seems to be a correspondence between the Christian idea that everyone is created in the image of God and Buddha nature. When he experiences Christ within, he sees him reflected in other people he meets.

“Jesus is a medicine, a physician, not a judge; someone who brings healing to the world. He’s a teacher, a leader and a way. Because of that I feel I can live my life with meaning.”

“Wonderful, wonderful, that’s really my own understanding of Jesus,” His Holiness responded. “Through your own intelligent analysis you have reached an understanding that affects your life.”

“All Buddhists accept that the Buddha was the son of a local king. When he realized that even for a prince life is full of problems and difficulties he sought a deeper meaning of life and an understanding of reality. He left the palace and spent six years meditating, fasting and living in hardship. In his own life he observed morality, concentration and wisdom. He attained enlightenment and came here to Sarnath to begin his teaching. He had no regard for social status, considering kings and beggars as equal; the important thing was practice.

“After leaving the palace, he cut his hair and removed his royal attire, donning the saffron robes of a monk. Apart from the principal precepts, the vows of the monks came about whenever the Buddha corrected mistakes the monks had made, he didn’t declare a pre-existing set of rules. He explained that there is no independent self, but that the self is a mere designation on the basis of the body and mind. The very purpose of the teaching of the lack of an independent self is to reduce self-centredness, which single-pointed faith in God can do too. All our religions have the same message of love, compassion, tolerance and forgiveness, although their philosophical views are different.”

Everyone took lunch together under a shamiana in the University grounds and discussions continued as people ate. On his way back to the meeting hall, His Holiness greeted several friends who had come to meet him, including visually challenged girls from the nearby Jeevan Jyoti Institute for the Disabled and their teachers, in whose welfare he takes a close interest. In the afternoon session, the focus was on what it means to be a disciple. Fr Laurence began again, noting that Jesus gathered his disciples together calling on them “Follow me.” He said this image of a disciple is essential to Christian meaning and identity, but it also has a universal quality. A disciple has to be open, trusting and to tell the truth. The teacher is faithful to the disciple. This fidelity marks the teacher-disciple relationship. He affirmed that an authentic relationship with your teacher is the guiding light of your life.

His Holiness said that a teacher must have experience, especially inner spiritual experience. The important thing is that in following a teacher you become a calmer person. Both parties to the relationship have a responsibility, the teacher’s is to take care of the student, and the student’s is to act with respect.

He remarked that we too often pay attention to appearances, like young women enhancing their external beauty with cosmetics, when what is important in our relationships is inner beauty. What follows from this is the inner peace that gives rise to happiness as individuals, as families and as communities. If we have that, when we face problems we can easily work them out between us. Inner peace brings strength.

A questioner asked if it is possible to be a follower of both Jesus and the Buddha. Fr Laurence commented that the Bible says we should take advice from every wise person, suggesting we accept truth wherever we find it. He quoted His Holiness as saying that it may be possible to be a Buddhist and a Christian for a while, but eventually you find yourself gravitating to one or the other. His Holiness concurred.

Someone else asked about Christians practising Buddhist meditation. His Holiness replied that there are many different methods for training the mind and it’s possible to adopt such practices. You need to see what is most effective for you.

To a question about what happens to human beings after death, His Holiness said,

“The simple thing is that while we are still alive, we should lead a meaningful life from day to day. That means helping others wherever we can, but at least avoiding doing them harm. Then when death comes we will have no regret and can feel confident of going to heaven or to a good rebirth. This is what I do myself. Even in my dreams I remember that I am a Buddhist monk, never the Dalai Lama. If death comes tonight, I’ll have no regrets and I hope this confidence will continue to prevail.”

Photographs were taken together, words of thanks were said and all the participants looked forward to when they will meet again.