The Dalai Lama on Happiness & Responsibility

Happiness and Responsibility
September 20, 2018

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Dalai Lama on Science, Spirituality & World Peace

Dharamsala, HP, India - Invited by the Bhaktivedanta Institute, a centre for advanced studies in science and Vedanta associated with the International Society for Krishna Consciousness, His Holiness the Dalai Lama attended the inaugural session of a conference on Science, Spirituality & World Peace today. The event took place in the auditorium of the Government Degree College, Dharamsala.

His Holiness was welcomed to the stage and presented with a bouquet. All stood for the National Anthem. After a song of praise to Lord Krishna, the principal guests gathered to light the peace lamp. The Chairman for the occasion, Dr Sudipto Ghosh gave a welcome address, concluding with a quotation from His Holiness, “If you want others to be happy, practise compassion; if you want to be happy yourself, practise compassion”. In a subsequent address elaborating on the theme of the conference, Dr PB Sharma remarked that truth, the cardinal principle of religion, is also a principle of science. A message from Subhag Swami stressed the need to create a culture of peace and harmony.

When His Holiness was invited to speak, he wanted to greet his respected brothers and sisters on the stage, only to observe that there were no sisters. Turning to those in the audience, he began,

“Brothers and sisters, I’m extremely happy to participate in this meeting. Among this gathering of brothers and sisters, some of us, like me, belong to the 20th century. Others who are not more than twenty years old belong to the new generation of the 21st century.

“The 20th century has gone, but if we look back it was an era of war and violence as a result of short-sightedness, giving in to destructive emotions, a lack of moral principles, as well as a lack of concern for others’ well-being. This was compounded by a belief in the use of force to solve problems. These factors still prevail to some extent at the beginning of the 21st century. The news is filled with stories of killing. Corruption flourishes. Poor people suffer. And in many places religion is used as an excuse for violence, while scientific developments have provided more efficient ways to kill.

“We have to stop and think—if we go on like this, the 21st century will be an era of violence and suffering like the century that went before. For someone 82 years old like me there isn’t much to worry about, but those of you who belong to the younger generation today need to question whether you want to see killing, beating and cheating continue. Much of the suffering we face is of our own making. Climate change is something we human beings have brought about through negligence. We have to ask how we can reduce and counter the problems we have created.”

His Holiness reported that scientists cite evidence that basic human nature is compassionate. This is borne out by our common experience of being cared for by our mothers. Without that care we would die. Common sense also tells us that if one of our neighbours is friendly and smiling when we meet, but another frowns with anger and hostility, we feel more comfortable with the one who smiles.

If it is motivated by anger, science is likely to be destructive. His Holiness observed that we have marvellous brains—how sad it would be if we only use them to find ways to kill each other. He suggested that all 7 billion human beings alive today have the potential to develop compassion and can be guided to do so by adopting universal values that he likes to call secular ethics. He clarified that he uses the word secular in an Indian context of unbiased respect for all religions.

He noted that so far science has learned a great deal about the material world, but is now gradually beginning to explore the mind and human consciousness. He predicted that during this century science will learn much more about our inner world. His Holiness recalled nuclear scientist Raja Ramana’s telling him that quantum physics’ new observations that phenomena do not exist objectively had been anticipated long ago in Nagarjuna’s writings. He asserted that ancient Indian understanding of the workings of the mind and emotions also remains relevant today.

“We can change our minds. We don’t have to give in to anger and hatred. Since compassion and anger cannot co-exist, the more we cultivate compassion the more our anger will be reduced. Other animals seem to have a capacity for some sense of compassion, but they lack the intelligence we human beings possess to cultivate and develop it.

“Compassion brings peace of mind and if we have that we won’t be deflected when negative events occur. A Christian monk I met in Montserrat, Spain, spent five years as a hermit in the mountains living only bread and tea. I asked him what he practised and he told me he meditated on love. And as he said that I could see from the sparkle in his eyes that he experienced the real, deep and lasting happiness of peace of mind.

“Nowadays, whenever I can I tell Indians that you already have a thorough understanding of our inner world and the workings of our mind and emotions. However, in pursuit of material goals, many people neglect this ancient knowledge. One of my commitments is to encourage its revival here in India. I believe that India is a country where it is possible to combine the benefits of a modern education with the benefits of this ancient understanding of the mind. What’s more I believe that this is something India, the world’s greatest democracy, can contribute to the wider world. If we are to succeed, we have to make an effort and we have to start now. Please think seriously about this.”

In responding to several questions from the audience His Holiness expressed appreciation of the practice of vipashyana in the form of analytical meditation. He stated that the purpose of life is to find happiness and joy, observing that day to day we are sustained by hope. He repeated that cultivating a proper sense of secular ethics is a basis for developing compassion. This also has a bearing on world peace. He added that the goal should be the demilitarization of the world, asking “Is this an empty dream?”

Challenged to say how an individual can really help others he agreed that it can sometimes seem as if one person will not be very effective. However, he stressed that change in the world always begins with an individual who shares what he or she has learned and passes it on to others. He reiterated that human beings are intelligent. We are able to understand that compassion is a realistic state of mind, whereas anger is not. We can also understand and observe that anger destroys our own peace of mind as well as good family relations. Anger attracts no friends.

A student from Lower TCV asked about the role of suffering in our lives and His Holiness told him that it depends on your perspective. If you only focus on the hardship you undergo it’s tough, but if you can adopt a broader perspective it’s possible to recognise advantage and benefit even in great loss.

After seeking his host’s permission, His Holiness spoke briefly to the Tibetan students in the audience in their mother-tongue. He touched on the efforts Tibet’s kings made in the 7th and 8th centuries to develop Tibetan culture. Consequently, the Tibetan language is now the most accurate medium for expressing the essence of the Nalanda Tradition—something to be proud of.

He said that after 60 years of hardship, Tibetans have kept up their spirit and determination. Consequently, even Chinese hardliners need to question the effects of their policies.

His Holiness stated plainly that Tibetans need not be shy or modest about their culture. The logic and psychology that are part of the Nalanda Tradition have a positive contribution to make to the world. He encouraged Tibetan students to work to keep those traditions and their modern education alive. He quoted a friend who told him, “Today Tibet is physically occupied by China, but in the future Tibetan culture can occupy the Chinese mind.”

In his final words to the whole audience His Holiness noted that historically Tibetans have regarded Indians as their Gurus and themselves as the chelas or students. However, while the Gurus’ ancient knowledge has fallen into neglect, the chelas have kept it alive and so proved themselves reliable. He ended by repeating his sense of commitment to encourage Indians to revive their ancient heritage.

original link & photos https://www.dalailama.com/news/2017/science-spirituality-world-peace

Dalai Lama Attends International Conference on Buddhism and Science

Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia, 21 November 2016 – The sun was shining this morning as the motorcade carrying His Holiness the Dalai Lama wove its way through the downtown traffic on its way to the hotel that was to be the venue for today’s activities.

His Holiness first met with about 150 members of the Jetsun Dhampa Centre. Reading a report of their activities the Director informed His Holiness of the various community services they provide, such as offering spiritual support to prisoners and terminally ill patients and their families in one of the local cancer hospitals.

His Holiness commended their work and remarked approvingly that in Australia, one of the FPMT Centres similarly runs a hospice.

“In our old society,” he said, “monks did not provide people with such practical service. If they can do so, it is immensely beneficial. Once when I was visiting Arunachal Pradesh, some local people praised the Christians for their practical help. They complained that the Buddhist monasteries gave no such help, but readily accepted donations.”

His Holiness recalled his first visit to Thailand and a meeting he had with the Sangharaja. He raised the question of Buddhist monks engaging in community service as their Christian brothers and sisters did. The Sangharaja responded that a Buddhist monk’s role was to dwell in isolation in order to focus on his practice. His Holiness reported that although he accepted the validity of this, he also felt that extending help to others would also be mutually beneficial.

Advising the centre to take a more academic than religious approach to their study of philosophy and logic, His Holiness related what he has told Buddhists in Ladakh:

“Many people tend to think of monasteries only as places of worship. But if you introduce extensive study of Buddhist science and philosophy, and don’t limit yourselves to performing rituals, people will come to view these institutions as centres of learning where people of any faith or none can acquire knowledge that will be helpful in their day to day life.

“In the past some Westerners referred to Tibetan Buddhism dismissively as Lamaism because of the prominent role accorded to Lamas in the conduct of rituals and prayers. However, I constantly remind people that Tibetan Buddhism derives directly from the traditions of Nalanda University. These days, more and more people are coming to realize that Tibetan Buddhism is a complete form of Buddhism. Many Chinese Buddhists are coming to appreciate the emphasis the Tibetan tradition places on study and that Tibetan Buddhist scholars are accomplished teachers with more to impart than just prayers and rituals. Therefore, increasing numbers of Chinese Buddhists are showing interest in studying Tibetan Buddhism. Even Western scientists have noted that the logical character of Tibetan Buddhism is comparable to science.”

Addressing a conference on Buddhism and Science organized by the Tritiya Dharma Chakra Foundation and the Jetsun Dhampa Centre, His Holiness remarked that having attended such meetings in the West, in India and Japan, he was now happy and honoured to participate in such a conference in Mongolia.

“I sometimes describe myself as half-Buddhist and half-scientist,” he disclosed. “For more than 30 years I have held discussions with scientists focussed mainly on neurobiology, cosmology, physics-especially quantum physics-and psychology. Buddhist literature also has a contribution to make to understanding of these four fields, so our discussions have been immensely beneficial. Buddhist scholars and practitioners have benefited from learning about physics while modern scientists have shown a keen interest in learning more about what Buddhism has to say about the workings of the mind and emotions.”

Referring to historical relations between the two peoples, His Holiness remarked that even before they developed an interest in Buddhism, Tibetans and Mongolians were like brothers and sisters. In due course both came to uphold the pure Nalanda tradition.

After Kabju D. Nyamsambuu of Gandan Tegchenling Monastery had spoken about ethics and living a moral life, His Holiness responded that his interest in science is twofold. On the one hand science leads to a clearer understanding of reality, on the other scientific findings can help promote human values.

Helen Y. Weng, a neuroscientist and a clinical psychologist at the Osher Center for Integrative Medicine at the University of California, San Francisco spoke about Contemplative Neuroscience and Socially Engaged Buddhism. She presented her findings that training in meditation on compassion not only increases altruistic behaviour but also the neural response to suffering. She also explained how much more accurate measurements of brain activity and different types of mental activity can be achieved using pattern recognition technology. His Holiness commented that although single-pointed meditation may temporarily reduce anger, analytical meditation is also important for helping us understand why we are angry and how compassion can be of benefit in overcoming anger in the long run.

His Holiness was invited by the Indian Ambassador to lunch at the Indian Embassy.

Returning to the conference in the afternoon he explained ways in which Buddhism can relate to modern science.

“I usually divide Buddhism into three parts: science, philosophy—which deals for example with conventional and ultimate truth—and religion which is only of interest to spiritual practitioners. It’s on the basis of Buddhist science and philosophy that we have been able to hold conversations with modern scientists over the last 30 years and more.”

In the first presentation of the afternoon, B. Boldsaikhan from the System Science Research Institute of the Mongolian University of Science and Technology spoke about medicine and logic under the heading Buddhism & Bridging Science. Next, K. Namsrai, a senior scholar in physics gave a talk about relations between Quantum Physics and Buddhist philosophy. He mentioned a profound connection between abstract physical theory and nature. He concluded with a request for His Holiness’s prayers for the welfare of ordinary nomads and herders.

Dr. Fadel Zeidan, Assistant Professor of Neurobiology and Anatomy and Associate Director of Neuroscience at the Center for Integrative Medicine at Wake Forest School of Medicine and a Mind & Life Fellow, spoke about the Neuroscience of Mindfulness, Meditation and Pain. He stressed the importance of developing non-drug remedies to alleviate pain and suffering, mentioning how mindfulness training can contribute to relief of anxiety, depression, elevated blood pressure and other health issues.

Finally, N. Ariun, a biologist, spoke about the Latest Developments in Biological Sciences and Buddhism.

In his concluding remarks, His Holiness mentioned encouraging findings that basic human nature is compassionate and that this quality can be strengthened through education. He spoke of the need to promote a sense of the oneness of humanity based on human beings’ shared compassionate nature. He stressed that promoting this will require vision and determination, but that conferences such as today’s could make a valuable contribution to that goal.

Original link with photos http://www.dalailama.com/news/post/1494-international-conference-on-buddhism-and-science

The Great Evangelical Disaster--Part 2, Loving Confrontation

By Reverend Mark Hunnemann

Continued from Ghosts and the Great Evangelical Disaster, Part 1.


The title, The Great Evangelical Disaster, is borrowed from a book by Francis Schaeffer...my favorite author.  I just finished reading it, and it is the most profound book I have read in a long time. To clarify, an evangelical is a bible believing Christian...specifically, they believe that the bible is without error, including where it touches on matters relating to science and history. In that sense of the word, then I am an evangelical....perhaps you are too.There is a disaster occurring right now in the Body of Christ...a horrible disaster. We are discussing this so that the question of ghosts is set in its proper historical context.

We noted that about 80 years ago there remained a Christian consensus in America. That does not mean that America was a Christian nation, or God's chosen nation, or that it was a golden era...it was none of these, and never has been. In fact, there were three area where Christians did an exceptionally lousy job:  in the area of race relations, the compassionate making and using of wealth (unjust treatment of employees and idolatrous love of money), and the concept and practice of manifest destiny. With some exceptions, the church largely followed the world's lead in these three areas, instead of confronting these evils..

Having stated those qualifications, the American ethos was substantially Christian, and this brought in its wake much beauty and productivity--all across the spectrum of human life. Biblical knowledge was widespread, even amongst non-Christians. Because of this Christian consensus, there was an adequate foundation for meaning and morals.The real existence of the infinite-personal God meant that truth was truth. The source of truth was the unchanging character of God, and found in His loving communication with us--the bible.This held the nation together like supernatural super-glue..And we were blessed...

In the span of 80 years or so, the Christian consensus was lost. Perhaps the best way to illustrate this is in the radical shift in how we view truth. Before the shift, the basic law of non-contradiction was understood by virtually everyone.That simply means that something can't exist and not exist at the same time. The cow is either standing in the field or it's not. Jesus either bodily rose from the dead or He didn't. To say that He rose from the dead and that He didn't rise from the dead at the same time is a flat out contradiction. Right? .....Right?!   As recently as 80 years ago, the answer from the average Joe would be, "of course you're right!"

I say this with tears, but in 2016 the answer would be "wrong"...at least amongst those affected by the anti-Christian consensus--which would be the vast majority of people.. In this short span of time almost everything distinctively Christian has been lost in our culture. Our quest for autonomous freedom (freedom from the restraints of God and His morality) has come at a steep price...we have become irrationalized. In his book The Closing of the American Mind., Professor Allen Bloom states that he knows one thing is certain of 99% of his incoming students--they are subjective relativists. Truth is no longer objective (rooted in God's unchanging holy  character) but has become mere opinion, which changes from individual to individual. "Jesus rose from the dead may be your truth, but my truth is that Jesus did not rise from the dead. He was just a good man.." That is how we think, and it should make us weep. Basic logic is dead...beaten to death by demonic autonomous freedom.

The ethos or consensus of America today is anti-Christian and irrational. If you reject the God of truth, then the truth of God dies. The diabolical dust of death has settled upon our beloved country. Do you grasp the radical nature of this shift in our concept of truth? Man as man is dead, truth as truth is dead, meaning and morals are dead. Everything is now mere opinion, and if that is the case, then who can find fault with Hitler? Do you see the horror of great darkness in which we live?

I spoke with a woman tonight who lives in the southwest. On two occasions I have also talked to the demon/s that have possessed her, as they took over in mid-sentence. (please don't you ever do that....I did it, not because I am a special person,, but because I have a special calling to this field) I have several irrational, texts from her possessing demon/s stored in my cell phone. Tonight she asked me why all of her mirrors are breaking when she looks into them.I could multiply such horrible encounters that I have faced in last few years This is for real.

Once we rejected the truth of God as a nation, then two things happened (there are more): overt demonic activity has increased, and demonic irrationalism has gripped us by the throat.Do you really believe we are in spiritual warfare? Satan walks upon the Earth seeking ways to bend, twist, and demonize culture. A favorite tactic is the destruction of truth.I have never said this before publicly (I don't think), but this may be the beginning of the end.

What brought us to this point in a mere 80 years? Evangelicals did not confront the crucial issues of the day which were attacking our country like an army of suicide bombers. I quote Schaeffer, "Obedience to God's Word is the watershed. And the failure of the evangelical world to take a clear and distinctively biblical stand on the crucial issues of the day can only be seen as a failure to live under the full authority of God's Word in the full spectrum of life." The church is the guardian of culture, because Christ is King. When the guardian is silent, then society crumbles. That is what happened to cause the loss of a Christian consensus, and this disaster continues today.

What he is talking about is confrontation. Truth demands confrontation with error and evil. Yes, loving confrontation, but confrontation nonetheless. Satan never attacks on just one front; there are several crucial issues that Christian leaders are hesitant to be vocal about. Schaeffer also wrote A Christian Manifesto, where he quotes from a document written by myself and two other young seminarians at the time.

While at Covenant Seminary in St. Louis, I had a passion to confront the abortion issue. So, we held an orderly rally at an abortion clinic, and promptly got arrested. The three of us felt the need to write something to explain to the seminary community (especially the president) why we did what did. An acquaintance of mine, who knew Dr Schaeffer well, told us that Schaefffer was excited about what we had done. That made me feel humble and happy. So, he got a copy of our very brief biblical defense of our actions and quoted it.

There are several crucial issues evangelicals are accommodating to the world spirit merely by not confronting them. Not forcefully and publicly confronting them has the same net result as actually believing in the evil or error...the outcome is the same...This is rampant. It is in this context of sinful accomodation and not lovingly confronting evil and error, in which the topic of ghosts is being ignored and dismissed by almost all evangelical pastors and leaders. Hopefully, by now you don't need endless arguments to convince you that the notion of ghosts is is very significant and must be confronted. May the Lord raise up an army of rebels with a righteous cause.
Amen.

Read part 3: http://eyeontheparanormal.blogspot.com/2016/12/obedience-to-lordship-of-christ-and.html

Mark Hunnemann is the author of Seeing Ghosts Through God's Eyes: A Worldview Analysis of Earthbound Spirits. It's also available in eBook format.

Dalai Lama & Forum 2000--the Courage to Take Responsibility

Prague, Czech Republic, 18 October 2016 - The overcast skies and cold weather did not detract from the warmth of His Holiness the Dalai Lama’s reception by the Minister of Culture, Mr Daniel Herman, and a group of parliamentarians of the Christian and Democratic Union - Czechoslovak People's Party. The Minister and His Holiness first visited a chapel within the Ministry before sitting round a table to exchange views.

His Holiness remarked that human beings have a unique ability to extend their concern to all other beings. Scientists report findings that indicate that human nature is basically compassionate. He suggested that this accords with the idea of being creatures of a creator who embodies infinite compassion.

“Among 7 billion human beings none are free from problems,” he said, “but the best way to keep calm under such circumstances is to cultivate compassion for others. Religion should have a role in reducing violence by fostering a calm mind. Violence springs from anger, hatred and fear. However, in the world today, in addition to those who have no faith, there are those who only pay lip-service to religious belief and practice. If religion is to mean anything to us, we need to be serious about it.”

The Minister thanked His Holiness for his advice and told him he and his colleagues were interested in practical ways to move forward.

“In today’s world we have a quite materialistic culture,” His Holiness remarked, “but material goods only provide us with physical comfort. Compassion, on the other hand, brings inner strength and inner peace. No matter how prosperous or poor you may be, if you have compassion for others you can be a peaceful happy person. However, it seems there are those who attend their places of worship, but whose lives are relatively untouched by the religious teachings involved.”

His Holiness mentioned his admiration for Pope John Paul II and the inter-religious Assisi meeting he organised in 1986. He reported his telling the Pope it should be the beginning of a movement for religious groups to get to know each other and exchange their different experiences with each other. As the gathering broke up, members of the parliamentary group clustered round His Holiness, requesting him to sign books or take selfies with them.

Minister Herman accompanied His Holiness on the short drive to Manes Hall where they were both due to be panellists in a discussion of the Paradox of Religion as part of Forum 2000. Moderator of that meeting, Shlomo Avineri welcomed them on arrival. He introduced the panellists, who also included Egyptian author and journalist, Tarek Osman to the audience of 150 and invited the Minister to begin. He spoke of being a Roman Catholic with Jewish roots who found, as he grew up in Czechoslovakia, that religion gave him a freedom of heart that remains an inspiration in his work as an active politician.

His Holiness spoke of his own three commitments.

“As a human being I am concerned with encouraging people to be happy, to understand that if their minds are upset mere physical comfort won’t bring them peace. Whereas if their minds are at peace even physical pain won’t disturb their calm. Over the last 30 years I’ve had serious discussions with scientists. I take their finding evidence that basic human nature is compassionate as a source of hope.

“On the one hand, all major religious traditions convey the same message of love and compassion. On the other, more than 1 billion people today have little interest in religion. Therefore, we also need to find other ways to educate people about the importance of inner values, such as compassion.

“In seeking to promote harmony among our religious traditions, it is useful to realise that the once prevalent notion that there can only be one truth and one religion best applies to personal practice. In terms of community and the world at large, there are evidently several truths and a multiplicity religions. When I was still in Tibet, I considered Buddhism was best. But once I reached India and came into contact with people like Thomas Merton and Mother Teresa, as well as wonderful Hindu, Jewish and Muslim friends, I developed a real appreciation and respect for other traditions.”

In discussing a secular approach to ethics, His Holiness remarked that there are different ways to understand the word secular. He prefers to use it as it is understood in India to mean an unbiased respect for all religions and even the views of those who have no faith. He suggested that when Bolshevik and French revolutionaries historically advocate secularism, they were less opposed to religious teachings than to religious institutions.

In his contribution, referring particularly to the Middle or Near East, Tarek Osman spoke of its recent turbulent history. He suggested that in a climate of turbulence, religion has the appeal of providing order. Difficulties arise however when that sense of order becomes control.

Daniel Herman mentioned parallels he has drawn between experience of the collapse of communism and the biblical account of the Jews’ exodus from Egypt and their 40 years in the desert on the way to the Promised Land. A real change in mentality takes more than one generation to achieve.

His Holiness returned to his emphasis that too many problems facing humanity revolve around too great a focus on secondary differences of faith, race, nationality, economic status and so forth. The important thing to remember is that fundamentally we are all the same—we are all equally human beings. Challenges like climate change and upheavals of the global economy require us to acknowledge the oneness of humanity. Because we have to live together, we have to be more realistic.

Shlomo Avineri wound up the meeting by recalling what his friend Edward Said had said about the responsibility of intellectuals to speak truth to power, but added that power has to be open to dialogue.

After lunch at the Zofin Palace, His Holiness walked to the Forum Hall to attend a closing panel on The World and Its Current Challenges. He was joined on the panel by Prof Tomas Halik, President of the Czech Christian Academy and Manal al-Sharif, a Writer and Women’s Rights Activist from Saudi Arabia. She is a recipient of the Vaclav Havel Prize for Creative Dissent.

Moderator, Sociologist Surendra Munshi, took some time to give an overview of the conference so far that touched on issues of leadership, the role of intellectuals, and a sense of truth. He invited His Holiness to speak first.

“I feel that if looked at from a close and narrow perspective our problems can seem intractable. However, if we can step back and view them from a wider perspective and in the longer term, they don’t seem so grave and often reveal positive aspects.

“Since common sense and scientific findings indicate that anger, hatred and fear disturb our peace of mind, our education systems need to pay more attention to inner values like compassion and warm-heartedness. The need is to be more concerned about the whole of humanity, as well as concerned about our planet. I admire the spirit of the European Union in according greater concern to the larger community than to narrow national interests.

“If we can develop inner peace, we can build on it to create world peace. Many experts agree that current education systems are. What we require is a more universal approach to human values that can appeal to everyone. There are grounds for optimism.

He concluded: “I admired President Havel and is struggle for truth. And although he is no longer physically with us, we have a responsibility to carry his spirit forward and to fulfil his vision.”

In his remarks Prof Halik referred to the effects of globalisation and the need for confidence. He expressed the view that globalisation defeated communism, which as a monopoly could not withstand an open society. Today however, we are experiencing a less positive response to globalisation. The world is fragmenting and globalisation may have contributed to the outbreak of religious extremism. Halik added wryly that the invisible hand of the market has given rise to the hidden hand of corruption.

Manal al-Sharif mentioned that realisation has dawned that her country, Saudi Arabia, exports oil, but has also exported a brand of fundamentalist Islam. She reported that despite being informed that God had appointed guardians for them, women were now saying, “I am my own guardian.” She said it takes courage to take responsibility for your situation and it takes courage to take action.

His Holiness added that there are three aspects to religious traditions: basic religious practice of love and forgiveness; philosophical views such as whether or not to believe in a creator and cultural aspects. Cultural aspects relate to customs and ways of life from the past. Many of them are now out of date and so should change.

In answering one or two questions from the floor, Manal al-Sharif observed that there are 1.7 billion Muslims in the world, while ISIS comprises perhaps 4000 fighters. This is an example of the loud minority and quiet majority. In connection with resolving the growing gap between rich and poor, His Holiness stressed the importance of self-confidence in people’s ability to improve their lot. His final remark was that while killing in the name of religion is wrong, to remain indifferent to it is wrong too.

Surendra Munshi brought the meeting to a close with thanks to the panellists for sharing their thoughts. Once again members of the audience converged on the stage clamouring for His Holiness’s attention as they sought his signature, a handshake or the opportunity to take a photograph with him. He steadily met all requests before going into his final meeting of the day with the Forum 2000 International Advisory Board.

original link & photos http://www.dalailama.com/news/post/1477-forum-2000---the-courage-to-take-responsibility

Dalai Lama: Body, Mind, Science at University of Strasbourg

Strasbourg, France, 16 September 2016 - The sky was overcast this morning as His Holiness the Dalai Lama drove across the city to the University of Strasbourg to take part in a dialogue with the scientific community, at the interface of modern science, engagement, and meditation. He was welcomed to the University by Theologist Michel Deneken, who just yesterday was promoted to become the University’s new President, Dean of the Medical School, Jean Sibilia and Rheumatologist Jean-Gérard Bloch. They escorted him directly to the small auditorium where an audience of just over 140 staff members were gathered, although another 1300 students and staff were watching elsewhere in the building via a live webcast.

Michel Deneken opened proceedings by asking how His Holiness preferred to be addressed, noting that he had recently told an interviewer that he would be happy to be called ‘brother’. His Holiness said he’d love that. Deneken introduced the University as one of the great Universities of Europe established on both sides of the Rhine, being Catholic and Protestant, French and German, and with a reputation for openness. He concluded by telling His Holiness how delighted he was by his presence.

The first session, Neurosciences, set out to examine the regulation of attention and emotions by mindfulness meditation, and was moderated by Michel de Mathelin. Wolf Singer a distinguished neuroscientist interested in the relation between the material and spiritual asked how meditation acts on the mental substrate and how insight influences the brain. His Holiness responded by looking back 3-4000 years in India to the emergence of the practice of shamatha meditation in which the mind is focussed on a single object. Subsequently, vipashyana or special insight meditation emerged which was more investigative. Through concentration and analysis these practices became the basis for coming to understand the workings of the mind.

He mentioned the sensory consciousnesses that are very much related to the brain and mental consciousness.

“Ordinary mental consciousness is quite coarse,” he explained, “but during sleep, when the senses are shut down, consciousness is a little subtler. When there is no dreaming it’s subtler still and when we faint even subtler. My friend Richie Davidson is now investigating the subtlest consciousness that manifests at the time of death. There are cases, and there have been maybe 40 since 1959, when the heart has stopped, the brain has died, but the body remains fresh. My own tutor remained in this state for 13 days after clinical death.”

Antoine Lutz spoke about work he and Gaël Chételat have been doing to investigate the impact of mindfulness meditation among several strategies for tackling ageing and Alzheimer’s disease in particular. He mentioned its successful role in relieving depression which is a problem associated with ageing.

In the second session, Clinical Aspects, Jean-Gérard Bloch and Gilles Bertschy, with Cornelius Weiller moderating, spoke further about the impact of mindfulness meditation on depression and pain. Depression is a public health issue that Mindfulness Based Cognitive Therapy (MBCT) is 30% effective in dealing with. MBCT seems to help when there are difficult issues to cope with.

Bloch asked His Holiness whether language was needed to meditate, prompting His Holiness to speak briefly about the difference between conceptual and non-conceptual thought. He confirmed, however, that simply on the basis of conveying meditation instructions language was required. He also remarked that this is an area in which the Tibetan language is the most accurate medium of communication.

Bloch also asked His Holiness if there is a difference between pain and suffering and he told him that pain is related to physical experience, whereas suffering has more of a mental character. Regarding meditation, His Holiness clarified:

“I’ve already distinguished between concentrative and analytical meditation. The difference lies in how the mind engages with the object. From a traditional point of view the four mindfulnesses are understood as follows. Mindfulness of the body relates to understanding the nature of suffering; mindfulness of feelings relates to understanding the origin of suffering; mindfulness of the mind relates to cessation; while mindfulness of the way things are corresponds to understanding the path.”

After a break for lunch, in a third session, Tania Singer and Ven Matthieu Ricard discussed empathy and compassion, with Michel Deneken moderating. On the one hand Tania Singer’s research is examining the impact steady training in meditation on empathy and compassion has on the brain, but on the other is also seeking to find training and practice to offset the empathy burn out frequently encountered in the medical and other caring professions. She defines empathy as feeling or identifying with others’ pain, whereas compassion is feeling for their suffering—and doing something about it.

His Holiness distinguished between a basic biological sense of compassion that tends to be biased and partisan and a genuine compassion based on reasoning such as the argument that others want to live a happy life and don’t want suffering, just as I do. Ricard pointed out the degree of courage involved in cultivating great compassion. He also observed that co-operation is far more effective than competition.

The fourth and final session, Consciousness, was moderated by B Alan Wallace. He introduced Steven Laureys a neurologist who studies coma and Michel Bitbol a polymath who functions as a philosopher. Laureys, who had brought a brain with him to illustrate what he had to say, declared that he wants to know, “What happens when matter becomes mind?” His Holiness remarked, “I really doubt that it does.” And Laureys retorted, “Can you be conscious without your brain?” He made his approach clearer when asserting that the scientific proof of life after death involves organ donation.

Speaking in Tibetan, which Alan Wallace translated, His Holiness said:

“It’s difficult to explain consciousness if you only take a materialist approach. What we can do is to employ shamatha or concentration focussed on our own consciousness. This reveals its clarity of awareness and knowing.”

He explained that there are further stages of investigation related to employing techniques from the tantras. He observed that Hindu and Buddhist tantras overlap and share features in common. What distinguishes them is the Buddhist view of emptiness of intrinsic existence.

Laureys stated: “Consciousness exists. I try to understand it.” He repeated his question asking whether His Holiness thought there was consciousness without a brain. As time ran out Michel Bitbol spoke about how Edmund Husserl whose work on phenomenology influenced foremost 20th century philosophers like Sartre and Heidegger.  The later Francisco Varela, old friend of His Holiness and founder member of Mind & Life found inspiration in what Husserl had to say about ‘consciousness in the first person.’

Winding up a stimulating day of discussion, Michel Deneken thanked His Holiness for coming and contributing to the conversation. His Holiness replied, “I came because you invited me.” Tomorrow, elsewhere in Strasbourg, he will begin to teach Nagarjuna’s ‘Commentary on Bodhichitta.’

original link with photos http://dalailama.com/news/post/1455-body-mind-science-at-university-of-strasbourg

Dalai Lama Gives Talk on Introductory Buddhism

Dharamsala, HP, India, 27 May 2015 - His Holiness the Dalai Lama was given a traditional Tibetan welcome when he arrived at the Upper Tibetan Children’s Village School this morning. A large group of female students sang a traditional welcoming song. As His Holiness walked from his car to the stage he greeted people in the crowd who caught his eye. Approximately 4500 students from Upper and Lower TCV Schools, Gopalpur, Suja and Chauntra TCVs, Sherab Gatsel Lobling, students at various universities and others currently attending a Teacher Training organized by the Education Department of the CTA, were seated under an awning on the Upper TCV basketball court.

Once His Holiness had taken his seat, several groups of lay-people performed exemplary debates directly in front of the stage discussing the three kinds of knowledge, the two methods for generating the awakening mind of bodhichitta, definitions of the Three Jewels, the Four Noble Truths and so forth.

“Today, people from a variety of places have gathered here to listen to an introduction to Buddhism,” His Holiness began. “This is the ninth occasion that we’ve done this and it looks like this might be the biggest yet. Students and teachers from different schools, my greetings to you all - Tashi delek. I’d especially like to greet those who have just debated in front of us and congratulate them for taking an interest in logic and philosophy.

“In Tibet in the past almost no one from the lay community or even from among the nuns engaged in debate. This was one of our shortcomings. In the 56 years we’ve been in exile, I’ve urged people, even those belonging to monasteries and nunneries that had no tradition of study to take it up. Phende Lekshe Ling, Namgyal Monastery, is an example. When it was established by the 7th Dalai Lama he asked the monks of Zhalu Monastery to give the monks of the new monastery training in performing rituals. Like those at Gyumey and Gyutö Tantric Colleges, they were adept, but followed no course of study. That has changed. Similarly, study in the nunneries has succeeded to the point that we will shortly have nuns who have become Geshes or Geshemas.”

He said that the excellent Nalanda tradition had spread across the length and breadth of Tibet and yet the majority of the people did not properly appreciate it. It is a tradition that relies on investigation and analysis, not just scriptural quotation. He cited the Buddha’s advice to his followers not to accept what he taught at face value, but to test it the way a goldsmith satisfies himself of the value of gold.

His Holiness remarked that the psychology and philosophy explained in the Nalanda tradition are of great interest to contemporary scholars and scientists. They are sufficiently impressed to enquire whether its dialectical approach can be applied to other academic disciplines. He feels it can. He mentioned that while Buddhist traditions identify 49 or 51 emotions, the American psychologist Paul Ekman has done extensive research into facial expressions that enable him to identify 15.

When, 40 years ago, His Holiness was thinking of opening a conversation with modern scientists, a Western Buddhist friend cautioned him to be careful saying that science is the killer of religion. He considered this carefully and concluded that, as a tradition based on reason, Buddhism was not vulnerable to this threat. He went ahead and is confident that the results have been mutually beneficial. One result is that monks in the great monasteries re-established in South India now study science as part of their curriculum.

“When I reached Mussoorie in April 1959, most of you were not born. Now I’m in my 81st year and I will definitely not live for another 80 years, but judging by my present physical health I might live another 10 or 20 years. You Tibetans who are young today will have to shoulder the responsibility of preserving our religion and culture. Our brothers and sisters in Tibet are not free to do so. We who have such freedom should exercise it.

“Conditions in Tibet in the past were ripe for change,” His Holiness said. “In retrospect I can see that many things could have been done differently. The 13th Dalai Lama tried to strengthen links between different parts of Tibet because the country was politically fragmented. But what bound all Tibetans together was their Buddhist culture, their respect for and study of the Kangyur and Tengyur. This was also true of the Himalayan and Mongolian regions too.”

His Holiness pointed out that every one of the 7 billion human beings alive today wants to be happy. He clarified that the Bodhisattva ideal is not about abandoning our own happiness, but about giving priority to the happiness of others.

“However,” he asked, “how can you help others if you can’t help yourself? We pray that all beings be free from suffering, but for the prayer to be fulfilled we need to do something about it.”

Recalling his recent discussions with Archbishop Desmond Tutu, who also visited TCV, he said that their conclusion was that we need to find happiness without violence, which is something everyone can try to do. He said that it’s clear that if humanity is happy, each of us as individuals will be happy too. He repeated that as human beings we are all responsible for each other; we all have the potential to be kind and affectionate. He also spoke about his commitment as a Buddhist monk to promoting harmony among the world’s religious traditions.

Finally, His Holiness spoke of his commitment to preserving the natural environment of Tibet, something of importance not only to Tibetans but also to maybe 1 billion other people in Asia who depend on the waters of rivers that rise in Tibet.

He also voiced his concern to preserve Tibetan culture, a culture of peace and non-violence, which can make a positive contribution in the wider world. He told the story of a former Tibetan official who had emigrated to the USA and was working cleaning vegetables in a university kitchen. His colleagues noticed that he was carefully rescuing worms and bugs he found on the vegetables, setting them aside and taking them outside to release them at the end of his shift. They asked what he was doing and he told them that Tibetans try not to kill small creatures, but to protect life wherever they can. Shortly afterwards he noticed that several of them were following his example. His Holiness concluded:

“I’ve done what I can to preserve Tibet’s ecology and its compassionate, non-violent culture. Now I’m passing this responsibility to you.”

He announced that he will give a further introduction to Buddhism tomorrow. He will also lead a ceremony for generating the awakening mind of bodhichitta and make time to answer students’ questions. The day after that, he will give an Avalokiteshvara empowerment.

link with photos http://dalailama.com/news/post/1273-the-first-of-two-introductory-talks-on-buddhism-at-upper-tcv

Dalai Lama on Seeing Science Through A Spiritual Lens

New Delhi, India, 18 December 2010 (By Amy Yee, Special to The Washington Post) - The northern Indian town of Bir was greeted with an unusual sight when Scott Schmidt carried six-foot-long plywood sheets on his head through the streets. Schmidt, who develops exhibits for the Smithsonian, had retrieved the wood from the village carpenter and toted it on his head to the Buddhist institute he was visiting. "I got impatient," said Schmidt. "I probably broke every rule of how a Westerner is supposed to act in a village in India."

Schmidt was helping a group of 30 Tibetan monks plan "The World of Your Senses," a bilingual science exhibition displayed last month in New Delhi at the India Habitat Center, an arts and culture venue in India's capital.

The wood was used to build a prototype of the display panels. Schmidt's effort - and sore head - were worth it. The exhibit showcasing Western and Buddhist perspectives of the five senses was inaugurated by the Dalai Lama and viewed by hundreds of visitors over five days. Plans are underway for the exhibit to tour in India next year and possibly at a Smithsonian museum in the United States.

The exhibit was the latest effort in a 10-year-old initiative to teach science to Tibetan monastics, started at the behest of the Dalai Lama. In 2001, the Library of Tibetan Works and Archives in Dharamsala, the Dalai Lama's exile home in India, and the U.S.-based Sager Family Foundation began bringing Western scientists and educators to India to teach science to Tibetan monks. India is home to about 120,000 Tibetans - the largest population outside of Tibet.

After a decade of instruction and workshops in the Science for Monks program, an exhibit was the next step in the monks' dialogue with science, says Lhakdor, director of the LTWA. (Like many Tibetans, he goes by one name.)

While the Smithsonian works with various communities to tell their stories, "The World of Your Senses" was a more hands-on project that immersed Smithsonian staff in a culture far from the museums of Washington. The exhibit's cross-cultural, interdisciplinary combination of science, philosophy and art - the panels were painted by a Tibetan thangka painter - also made it unique.

Tibet's spiritual leader, known for tinkering with watches and engines as a boy, has long been fond of science. The Dalai Lama considers science and Buddhism as complementary "investigative approaches with the same greater goal, of seeking the truth." Modern education is critical to the survival of Tibetan culture and identity for the Dalai Lama.

Tibetan children in India learn science in school, but Tibetan monks and nuns have followed a traditional curriculum largely unchanged for centuries. Until a decade ago, Tibetan monks had learned no science at all. Since then it's been a crash course in science for some monks, with classes on topics ranging from cosmology to neuroscience.

As part of the Science for Monks program, a select group of geshes (monks who are the equivalent of PhDs) from monasteries across India attend biannual workshops taught by scientists and educators from the University of California at Berkeley, the University of Arizona, the Exploratorium in San Francisco and, most recently, the Smithsonian. The program is funded by Boston philanthropist Bobby Sager.

At the exhibit in New Delhi, Indians, Tibetans and overseas visitors perused seven-foot-tall panels depicting colorful images of anatomy alongside dancing Buddhist deities, all painted by a master Tibetan thangka painter. Red-robed monks explained to visitors in English and Tibetan the nuances of how sound waves vibrate in the inner ear, as well as abstract Buddhist concepts for how sensation is perceived.

Ultimately, the exhibit looked polished, but it was a frantic rush to put together in six months what would normally take a year by professional standards. A team from the Smithsonian traveled from Washington to India for two-week stints from December 2009 through last month to help the monks conceive, develop, execute and stage the exhibit.

Stephanie Norby, director of the Smithsonian Center for Education and Museum Studies, helped the monks launch a science fair in June 2009 that was a precursor to last month's formal exhibit. "We gave a broad overview of what might be done but were sensitive that the monks do it on their own. We wanted it to be their exhibit," said Norby.

The interdisciplinary nature of the exhibit was amplified when the monks decided that the panels should be painted like thangkas. Thangkas are a traditional Tibetan style of religious paintings that typically depict ornate Buddhas and deities, not human anatomy. Visitors to the exhibit saw the striking sight of a gigantic brain painted with fluid brush strokes resembling water, and blood vessels behind an eyeball reminiscent of delicate tree roots.

"I've been working on bringing science to monks for the last 10 years, and this is the first thing I've worked on that had such an aesthetic quality," said Bryce Johnson, director of the Science for Monks program. "To see the beauty at the intersection of science and Buddhism - that was a really unique experience."

Schmidt, an exhibits fabricator at the Smithsonian's Office of Exhibits Central, took two trips to India this year, in May and November. After his visit in May, the monks' sketches and draft text were sent to Tracie Spinale, program manager at the Smithsonian Center for Education and Museum Studies, and media designer Darren Milligan in Washington. They were charged with creating a Smithsonian-quality visual framework to explain the Buddhist and Western perspectives of the senses.

It is no easy task to distill explanations about photons, bony ossicles and microvilli into a few paragraphs of English and Tibetan text. But articulating complex metaphysical Buddhist concepts was even more difficult. The Buddhist explanation for sight, for instance, relies on the "objective condition, dominant condition and immediately preceding condition." According to Tibetan Buddhist texts, there are six categories of tastes "due to the dominance of two of the four elements: earth, water, fire and wind."

While the Western images were based largely on pictures from standard science textbooks, the Buddhist senses had never been explained in a mainstream, pictorial way. "We had to design visual representations for concepts that did not currently exist," said Spinale.

The Smithsonian team researched thangkas and visited Buddhist art collections at the Sackler Gallery and the Rubin Museum of Art in New York. Yet they were still looking for ways to convey the Buddhist perspectives in an accessible way. They eventually came across pictures in Buddhist medical texts that inspired the look of the panels.

"We tested the graphic concepts on a range of people, from a neuroscientist, to science educators, to exhibit designers, to my first-grade daughter," said Spinale. "If she didn't understand what one of the graphics represented, then it wasn't used."

The final graphics were adapted to the subject matter in innovative ways. For instance, a typical Buddhist image of a hand mirror morphed into a five-armed mirror to depict the "five concomitant factors" that are part of the Buddhist perspective on sight.

Thangka painter Jampa Choedak took a reassignment from his regular duties at the LTWA to paint the panels. Choedak, 36, has been painting thangkas for 23 years, and had never studied science. Painting large images of the inner ear, cells and other anatomy surprised him with "how delicate the human body is."

The Smithsonian team worked on the science exhibit on top of their regular work and during off-hours. Yet all of them waxed enthusiastically about the experience of working with the monks and science program staff to create the exhibit.

"Helping people to learn and then to share what they have learned is exactly what the Smithsonian is about," said Milligan.

Original link and photo: http://www.dalailama.com/news/post/632-seeing-science-through-a-spiritual-lens-with-the-smithsonians-help

Dalai Lama at Conference on ‘Living and Dying in Peace’ at University of Lausanne

Lausanne, Switzerland, 15 April 2013 - The University of Lausanne that originated in 1537 as a school of theology, the only French language Protestant school of theology, is now a modern university well regarded as a leading institution for research in Europe. It is located on the banks of Lake Geneva. Today, it invited His Holiness the Dalai Lama to participate in a conference on the theme ‘Living and Dying in Peace - Crossed Perspectives on Aging’. He was welcomed on arrival by the Rector, Dominique Arlettaz and the conference moderator Philippe Moreillon.

In his opening address, the Rector said:

“I have the privilege today to welcome His Holiness the Dalai Lama and thank him for spending this day with us.”

Moderator Philippe Moreillon explained that when they heard that His Holiness would attend, faculty and staff members from many disciplines showed interest in participating. They have worked together to formulate common questions for the event that they felt they had been unable to answer within their own areas of study. The first question put to His Holiness imagined a young boy asking his grandfather “Is it a good thing to grow old?”

His Holiness replied:

“I think it depends on what kind of life you have led, whether your life was meaningful and of benefit to other people. The grandfather might say time keeps moving on, eventually we all become old. One day, although you are young now, you will be old too. This is a natural process. He might say I’m fortunate to have lived this long, but I’ve not wasted my time and I’ve gained some experience of how to live.

“On the other hand, if he’s filled his time with sensory pursuits and dedicated himself, for example, to sport, he might say I can’t hear properly any more, can’t see properly - it’s all become hard work.”

The first presenter spoke about increasing life expectancy and different categories of older people, the ‘young old’ who are still active and the ‘old old’ who are increasingly frail. He asked: “How can we age well when our physical abilities are declining?” His Holiness answered that an important factor is your state of mind. Whether your mind is calm and peaceful depends not on your being knowledgeable, but on whether you are warm-hearted. Inner peace automatically gives rise to trust and friendship. On the other hand suspicion, mistrust and lies mean you end up alone and unhappy.

“From the individual’s point of view, if we train from a young age on a mental level, developing our analytical ability, the mind will remain alert. I’ve noticed that people who do this may face physical decline, but their minds remain clear and alert. From the family point of view, affection and support are important.”

Asked how to deal with dementia in the old, His Holiness replied:

“I don’t know, because I have no experience, but I believe showing affection is very important. You can show affection without having to rely on words.”

He speculated about how memory declines, noting that while you tend not to forget faces, remembering names is difficult and because of the concepts they represent there is terminology that you never forget. He wondered whether we forget names because they have no meaning, whereas terms with meaning are much easier to remember.

A question about spirituality prompted him to try to define the term, wondering if it means looking for meaning in life and the world; a collection of visions and values that are beneficial to ourselves and others. Because there could be spirituality linked to religious faith and independent of it, he suggested that people who have no faith might derive benefit from secular ethics. Otherwise, they are prone to come under the sway of destructive emotions. He stressed that just as it is wise to take care of our physical health, we also need to take care of our emotional well-being and proposed a programme of emotional hygiene.

The discussion came round to the role of the aging in society. His Holiness recollected a programme in Stockholm in which old people were brought in to work in kindergartens. They took part in the care of young children, played with them and told them stories. He said that there is great potential for mutual benefit in such activities. The children liked the presence of the old people, who in turn were re-energised in the presence of children. His Holiness joked:

“When I talk to young people it makes me feel young, but when I’m talking to old people I wonder ‘Who’ll be going first, you or me?’”

His Holiness said that his discussions with scientists, educationists, social workers and other concerned people lead to the conclusion that we need a system of values that contributes to the basic happiness of all members of society. Such a system could include techniques for training the mind. Education is the avenue for change. Education is the way we can change the course of humanity. And he suggested that ancient Indian knowledge about the mind and emotions as preserved in literature belonging to the Nalanda tradition could make a valuable contribution to this.

When pressed to recommend ways that the elderly who have not trained themselves earlier in life could begin to change, His Holiness said he doubted that there was an effective method, pointing out that such methods need to be adopted when we are young.

After a leisurely lunch filled with conversation and discussion the conference resumed. Asked to respond to the statistic that a majority of people die in hospital His Holiness surprised the panel by saying that if you die in hospital it means that all efforts to save your life have been exhausted, so there will be no room for regret. On the other hand he agreed that doctors and nurses need to treat their patients as beings with feelings of pleasure and pain, rather than as inanimate machines brought in for repair.

Commenting on whether warm-heartedness is a natural function, he said:

“Yes, our lives begin in our mother’s womb and her physical touch and expression of affection are essential to our healthy growth. This is the basis for our later development of a warm heart.”

To questions about helping the old or sick to die, he said we have to investigate why they wish to die. We have to use both compassion and wisdom to assess what is the best course of action. He said that in Buddhist practice helping to end someone’s life is permitted if it will benefit them in the long run, but again compassion and wisdom are needed to make the judgement.

He was asked whether it is important to train ourselves to meet death, and if so, how to do it.

“Death will come because it is a part of life,” he said. “People who avoid the very words old age and death will be caught unawares when it comes. In some of our meditation practice we visualize the process of death and the associated dissolution of the elements every day, so that we may be prepared for the actual event. For those who believe in a succession of lives, death is just like changing your body. If you have led a meaningful life, when death takes place there’ll be no need for regret.

“Training depends on the individual’s ability. One approach is to develop awareness of your dreams. If you can train yourself to recognise that you are in the dream state and take control of it, you can have a deeper experience of the dissolution of the elements that take place during the process of death.”

When it came to questions about rituals associated with death, His Holiness was firm in asserting his scepticism about the efficacy of rituals in the process. He conceded that if they were conducted by someone with experience and understanding they may have some benefit, but otherwise he doubted they would be of much help.

Coming back to the meditative practices that in effect rehearse the process of dying, he mentioned that he goes through them himself four of five times a day. In this connection he talked about meditators who remain in posthumous meditative equipoise after death. These are cases in which brain activity and the heart have ceased and yet the body remains fresh for several days. Over the last 50 years he is aware of 30-40 cases like this, including that of his Senior Tutor who stayed in such meditation for 13 days after he died. Science has as yet no explanation of this phenomenon, while the Buddhist explanation is that it involves the existence of subtler levels of consciousness. Although the heart, circulation and the brain have stopped, it is only when the subtle consciousness departs that the dying moment is reached and the decay of the corpse begins.

As the conference came to an end, the Rector offered words of thanks, expressing his gratitude to His Holiness for his understanding, his accessibility and his humour. He said it had been an honour to have his presence on the campus. He thanked both university staff and members of the Tibetan community whose hard work and support had contributed to the success of the event.

Original link + photos: http://www.dalailama.com/news/post/931-conference-on-living-and-dying-in-peace-at-university-of-lausanne

A Collaboration Between Science and Religion

By His Holiness Tenzin Gyatso, the 14th Dalai Lama

These are times when destructive emotions like anger, fear and hatred are giving rise to devastating problems throughout the world. While the daily news offers grim reminders of the destructive power of such emotions, the question we must ask is, what can we do to overcome them?

Of course such disturbing emotions have always been part of the human condition - humanity has been grappling with them for thousands of years. But I believe we have a valuable opportunity to make progress in dealing with them, through a collaboration between religion and science.

With this in mind, I have, since 1987, engaged in an ongoing series of dialogues with groups of scientists. Organized by the Mind & Life Institute, they have been on topics ranging from quantum physics and cosmology to compassion and destructive emotions. I have found that while scientific findings offer a deeper understanding of such fields of knowledge as cosmology, it seems that Buddhist explanations can sometimes give scientists a new way to look at their own field.

Our dialogue has provided benefits not just for science, but also for religion. Though Tibetans have valuable knowledge about the internal world, we have been materially backward partly because of a lack of scientific knowledge. Buddhist teachings stress the importance of understanding reality. Therefore, we should pay attention to what modern scientists have actually found through experiment and through measurement the things they have proved to be reality.

At the beginning of these dialogues there were very few of us from the Buddhist side at first just myself and two translators. But recently, we have started to introduce modern science studies in our monasteries, and at our most recent science dialogue there were twenty or so Tibetan monks in the audience.The goals of the dialogue are on two levels. One is at the academic level, the expansion of knowledge. Generally speaking science has been an extraordinary tool for understanding the material world, making vast progress in our lifetime though of course there are still many things to explore. But modern science does not seem to be as advanced regarding internal experiences.

In contrast, Buddhism, an ancient Indian thought, reflects a deep investigation into the workings of the mind. Over the centuries many people have carried out what we might call experiments in this field and have had significant, even extraordinary, experiences as a result of practices based on their knowledge. Therefore, more discussion and joint study between scientists and Buddhists scholars on the academic level could be useful for the expansion of human knowledge.

On another level, if humanity is to survive, happiness and inner peace are crucial. Otherwise the lives of our children and their children are likely to be unhappy, desperate and short. The tragedy of 11th September 2001 demonstrated that modern technology and human intelligence guided by hatred can lead to immense destruction. Material development certainly contributes towards happiness - to some extent - and a comfortable way of life.  But this is not sufficient.  To achieve a deeper level of happiness we cannot neglect our inner development.  I feel, for example, that our sense of fundamental human values has not kept pace with powerful new developments in our material abilities.

For that reason I have been encouraging scientists to examine advanced Tibetan spiritual practitioners, to see what effects of their spiritual practice might be of benefit to others, outside the religious context. One approach would be to take the help of scientists in trying to make the workings of these inner methods clear. The important point here is to increase our understanding of the world of the mind, of consciousness, and of our emotions.

Experiments have already been carried out that show some practitioners can achieve a state of inner peace, even when facing disturbing circumstances. The results show such people to be happier, less susceptible to destructive emotions, and more attuned to the feelings of others. These methods are not just useful, but cheap: you don't need to buy anything or make anything in a factory. You don't need a drug or an injection.

The next question is how are we to share these beneficial results with people beyond those who happen to be Buddhists. This does not concern Buddhism as such or any other religious tradition - it is simply a matter of trying to make clear the potential of the human mind. Everybody, whether rich or poor, educated or uneducated, has the potential to lead a peaceful, meaningful life. We must explore as far as we can how that can be brought about.

In the course of that exploration, it will become obvious that most disturbances are stimulated not by external causes but by such internal events as the arising of disturbing emotions. The best antidote to these sources of disruption will come about through enhancing our ability to handle these emotions ourselves. Eventually we need to develop an awareness that provides the ways and means to overcome negative, disturbing emotions ourselves.

The spiritual methods are available, but we must make these acceptable to the mass who may not be spiritually inclined.  Only if we can do that will these methods have the widest of effect.  This is important because science, technology, and material development cannot solve all our problems. We need to combine our material development with the inner development of such human values as compassion,tolerance, forgiveness, contentment and self-discipline.

Dalai Lama Gives Introductory Talk on Buddhism

Dharamsala, HP, India, 27 May 2015 - His Holiness the Dalai Lama was given a traditional Tibetan welcome when he arrived at the Upper Tibetan Children’s Village School this morning. A large group of female students sang a traditional welcoming song. As His Holiness walked from his car to the stage he greeted people in the crowd who caught his eye. Approximately 4500 students from Upper and Lower TCV Schools, Gopalpur, Suja and Chauntra TCVs, Sherab Gatsel Lobling, students at various universities and others currently attending a Teacher Training organized by the Education Department of the CTA, were seated under an awning on the Upper TCV basketball court.

Once His Holiness had taken his seat, several groups of lay-people performed exemplary debates directly in front of the stage discussing the three kinds of knowledge, the two methods for generating the awakening mind of bodhichitta, definitions of the Three Jewels, the Four Noble Truths and so forth.

“Today, people from a variety of places have gathered here to listen to an introduction to Buddhism,” His Holiness began. “This is the ninth occasion that we’ve done this and it looks like this might be the biggest yet. Students and teachers from different schools, my greetings to you all - Tashi delek. I’d especially like to greet those who have just debated in front of us and congratulate them for taking an interest in logic and philosophy.

“In Tibet in the past almost no one from the lay community or even from among the nuns engaged in debate. This was one of our shortcomings. In the 56 years we’ve been in exile, I’ve urged people, even those belonging to monasteries and nunneries that had no tradition of study to take it up. Phende Lekshe Ling, Namgyal Monastery, is an example. When it was established by the 7th Dalai Lama he asked the monks of Zhalu Monastery to give the monks of the new monastery training in performing rituals. Like those at Gyumey and Gyutö Tantric Colleges, they were adept, but followed no course of study. That has changed. Similarly, study in the nunneries has succeeded to the point that we will shortly have nuns who have become Geshes or Geshemas.”

He said that the excellent Nalanda tradition had spread across the length and breadth of Tibet and yet the majority of the people did not properly appreciate it. It is a tradition that relies on investigation and analysis, not just scriptural quotation. He cited the Buddha’s advice to his followers not to accept what he taught at face value, but to test it the way a goldsmith satisfies himself of the value of gold.

His Holiness remarked that the psychology and philosophy explained in the Nalanda tradition are of great interest to contemporary scholars and scientists. They are sufficiently impressed to enquire whether its dialectical approach can be applied to other academic disciplines. He feels it can. He mentioned that while Buddhist traditions identify 49 or 51 emotions, the American psychologist Paul Ekman has done extensive research into facial expressions that enable him to identify 15.

When, 40 years ago, His Holiness was thinking of opening a conversation with modern scientists, a Western Buddhist friend cautioned him to be careful saying that science is the killer of religion. He considered this carefully and concluded that, as a tradition based on reason, Buddhism was not vulnerable to this threat. He went ahead and is confident that the results have been mutually beneficial. One result is that monks in the great monasteries re-established in South India now study science as part of their curriculum.

“When I reached Mussoorie in April 1959, most of you were not born. Now I’m in my 81st year and I will definitely not live for another 80 years, but judging by my present physical health I might live another 10 or 20 years. You Tibetans who are young today will have to shoulder the responsibility of preserving our religion and culture. Our brothers and sisters in Tibet are not free to do so. We who have such freedom should exercise it.

“Conditions in Tibet in the past were ripe for change,” His Holiness said. “In retrospect I can see that many things could have been done differently. The 13th Dalai Lama tried to strengthen links between different parts of Tibet because the country was politically fragmented. But what bound all Tibetans together was their Buddhist culture, their respect for and study of the Kangyur and Tengyur. This was also true of the Himalayan and Mongolian regions too.”

His Holiness pointed out that every one of the 7 billion human beings alive today wants to be happy. He clarified that the Bodhisattva ideal is not about abandoning our own happiness, but about giving priority to the happiness of others.

“However,” he asked, “how can you help others if you can’t help yourself? We pray that all beings be free from suffering, but for the prayer to be fulfilled we need to do something about it.”

Recalling his recent discussions with Archbishop Desmond Tutu, who also visited TCV, he said that their conclusion was that we need to find happiness without violence, which is something everyone can try to do. He said that it’s clear that if humanity is happy, each of us as individuals will be happy too. He repeated that as human beings we are all responsible for each other; we all have the potential to be kind and affectionate. He also spoke about his commitment as a Buddhist monk to promoting harmony among the world’s religious traditions.

Finally, His Holiness spoke of his commitment to preserving the natural environment of Tibet, something of importance not only to Tibetans but also to maybe 1 billion other people in Asia who depend on the waters of rivers that rise in Tibet.

He also voiced his concern to preserve Tibetan culture, a culture of peace and non-violence, which can make a positive contribution in the wider world. He told the story of a former Tibetan official who had emigrated to the USA and was working cleaning vegetables in a university kitchen. His colleagues noticed that he was carefully rescuing worms and bugs he found on the vegetables, setting them aside and taking them outside to release them at the end of his shift. They asked what he was doing and he told them that Tibetans try not to kill small creatures, but to protect life wherever they can. Shortly afterwards he noticed that several of them were following his example. His Holiness concluded:

“I’ve done what I can to preserve Tibet’s ecology and its compassionate, non-violent culture. Now I’m passing this responsibility to you.”

He announced that he will give a further introduction to Buddhism tomorrow. He will also lead a ceremony for generating the awakening mind of bodhichitta and make time to answer students’ questions. The day after that, he will give an Avalokiteshvara empowerment.

link with photos http://dalailama.com/news/post/1273-the-first-of-two-introductory-talks-on-buddhism-at-upper-tcv