Dalai Lama -- Making the Best of Our Lives

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

From Sadness to Hope - the Power of Compassion

Tokyo, Japan, 19 November 2013 - A short drive through Tokyo’s busy streets brought His Holiness the Dalai Lama to the Zojoji Temple today. This grand institution belongs to the Jodo shu, one of the Pure Land traditions of Japanese Buddhism, dedicated to the single-minded recitation of the Nembutsu, a prayer to Amitabha Buddha. A Zojoji Temple has stood on this site for more than 500 years, but was badly damaged during the last war. The Daiden (Hondo), that His Holiness visited was rebuilt, combining ancient and modern traditions, in 1974. He was received at the steps to the temple by the Chief Abbot Yagi and escorted inside to a seat from which he could observe the prayers led by the Abbot to poignant musical accompaniment.

His Holiness was invited on this occasion at the behest of ‘Live On’ a non-profit organisation begun by Terumi Okaku to help prevent suicide and support children, who have lost parents as a result of disease, disaster, suicide, terrorism and war, through the grieving process. She explained that she was inspired to do this by her own experience of grief after her mother took her own life and she lost a brother in an accident. Her goal is to help people find hope as a way out of grief.

“I am very happy to be here in this magnificent temple, where monks have just performed prayers to Amitabha,” His Holiness began when it came to his turn to speak. “And I am impressed by the experiences of Ms Okaku, who works so hard to relieve the bereaved of their grief and depression. Working to allay the suffering of others on the basis of your own experience is particularly effective. I am reminded of the well-known verse of dedication:

May the supreme and precious awakening mind
Arise where it has not yet arisen.
And where it has declined or does not exist,
May it flourish and keep growing.

“It is clear that the greater your sense of altruism, the more you work for the welfare of others, the greater will be your own satisfaction. And when you come to die you’ll be able to go with confidence. As you dedicate yourself to working for others, your own interests will incidentally be fulfilled. Selfishness and self-centredness, on the other hand, lead to anxiety and suspicion, poor health and a decline in well-being.”

He commented that all the major religious traditions talk about love and compassion, although they differ in their philosophical approach because of the differences of time and place in which they arose. In Buddhist literature there is no mention of a pure and eternal god, nor of an intrinsically existent self. Everything is described as existing in dependence on other factors.

Although the Buddha had spoken about suffering when he taught the Four Noble Truths, that is no grounds for feeling depressed. Rather we should examine what gives rise to suffering and take on the challenge of overcoming it. He said that helping others who suffer to cope and overcome their grief as Ms Okaku had earlier described is a great gift of kindness.

His Holiness clarified that we experience two levels of pain, physical and mental, and that while physical pain tends to have a physical cause, mental suffering usually derives from our own way of thinking. For this the 8th century Indian master, Shantideva, offers practical advice:

Why be unhappy about something
If it can be remedied?
And what is the use of being unhappy about something
If it cannot be remedied?

Among the prepared questions was one that asked whether in the context of non-violence it is acceptable to fight back in the face of danger. His Holiness replied:

“Try to take the short and long-term benefit into account. But also keep in mind that the difference between non-violence and violence is not necessarily in the quality of the action you take, but in the motivation with which you do it. Seeking to deceive others with sweet words out of a selfish motivation is a form of violence, whereas forceful action with an altruistic motivation is non-violent.”

This prompted another questioner to ask about the self-immolations that have recently taken place in Tibet. His Holiness recalled that during the Cultural Revolution a Chinese Abbot had taken such action to protect his monastery and other monks had protested similarly against the Vietnam War. He pointed out that, very sad as such events have been, people with such courage could have sought to harm others and deliberately avoided doing so.

When he invited questions from the public, a young man wanted to know the proper attitude for falling in love. His Holiness told him he had no experience, but reflected that while physical beauty is good, inner beauty is much more important to the creation of a lasting relationship with someone.

“When you find a potential partner,” he added, “don’t be in a hurry to settle down, get to know each other first.”

To an enquiry about developing moral integrity, His Holiness replied that the world over, modern education is aimed at material progress and development. However, we all receive the seed of affection and respect for others when our mothers shower affection on us as infants. What we have to do is cultivate that seed because affection and warm-heartedness are the foundation of moral integrity. Scientific findings bear out the positive consequences of fostering such values. His Holiness cautioned that just as it is much harder to cure cancer when it is fully developed, if we wish to effect change through education we need to start training children early.

Someone asked His Holiness what is the most important point if we want to help each other and he answered simply: “Love and compassion.” To a question about emptiness he said:

“To understand what ‘form is emptiness, emptiness is form’ means, you have to know that it doesn’t mean that form does not exist. Rather it is not intrinsically existent; it depends on and is designated on other factors. Nagarjuna declared that the instruction about dependent origination is the treasure of the Buddha’s teaching. The purpose of the teaching of emptiness is to undermine our tendency to reify things, which gives rise to anger and attachment, which leads to suffering.”

In the afternoon, His Holiness opened a meeting with Japanese scholars of Tibetan studies by telling them that depending on where people are in the world and what the natural environment is like, different kinds of culture come about. By some accounts there have been Tibetans in Tibet for 30-40,000 years. They were mostly nomads, who, if they had a good horse and a sword, would roam at will and if they came up against opposition would crush it. But with the coming of Buddhism, Tibetans became gentler and more peaceful. He said:

“Usually I describe Tibetan culture as a culture of non-violence, a culture of peace, ultimately derived from compassion. Although we eat meat, we respect all forms of life. Such values, in the light of the violence we see in the world today are worth preserving. I want to express my appreciation to you for the interest you take in Tibetan affairs.”

Among questions that were asked, an historian wanted to know about a thangka of Palden Lhamo belonging to the Dalai Lamas and the whereabouts of a seal associated with their rule, which he said he did not know. An anthropologist from Hiroshima wanted to know about the apparent contradiction he saw between the Buddhist teaching of impermanence and sustainable development. His Holiness agreed that there has to be change. And the representative of a group of young Tibetologists expressed a strong interest in the prospect of creating Japanese links to the Mind & Life Institute. His Holiness approved of their enthusiasm saying:

“In the modern world more people have faith in science than in spiritual paths, but we need to find ways for people in general to learn to deal with their destructive emotions. The Mind & Life Institute is indeed doing good work in this direction in exploring and implementing secular ethics in the USA, in Europe, Thailand, Hong Kong and, next April, here in Japan.”

original link with photos http://www.dalailama.com/news/post/1034-from-sadness-to-hope---the-power-of-compassion

Dalai Lama Chats with Scientists in Tokyo

DHARAMSHALA, November 18: The Tibetan spiritual leader His Holiness the Dalai Lama who is currently in Japan took part in a dialogue with Japanese scientists on ‘Universe, Life and Education’ in Tokyo. The Tibetan leader was escorted into the hall by the Abbot of Koyasan, headquarters of the Shingon school of Japanese Buddhism.

The Tibetan leader said that everybody has the capability to attain what Buddha has achieved but that we must bring it to fruition through our own efforts. "Buddha nature is our subtle mind and mind is perfected by employing the mind.

He also said that in order to understand the way our brains behave, we have to study our emotions and their effects.

“In the past, it seemed as though science and spirituality were opposed to each other. However, it’s not a useful division to maintain, because the one tradition deals with knowledge of the material world and the other with the inner world of the mind; we need to know about both,” he added.

The 78-year-old Tibetan Nobel laureate further noted that the Buddha’s advice to his followers not to accept what he said at face value, but to experiment with it, to examine and investigate it, contains a healthy skepticism in common with a scientific approach.

Asked how His Holiness would summarize Buddhism, he answered, “All major religions carry the same message about seeking to live a happy life. What is unique about Buddhism is that not only is there no concept of a creator, but also no concept of an inherently existent self. Its basic philosophical view is that all things are interdependent, that they come about in dependence on other factors, and its conduct, non-violence, is of universal benefit.”

Scientists present at the dialogue also spoke on various topics and gave their presentations. Moriya Okano, Director of the Samgraha Institute for Educational, Psychological and Spiritual Studies spoke about cosmos therapy; Susumu Sakurai, a Master of Science at Tokyo Institute of Technology gave a presentation about Mathematics in relation to humanity; Akiko Katsumata, Assistant Professor at Suzuka spoke on the importance and educational value of putting yourself in someone else’s place.

Original link: http://www.phayul.com/news/article.aspx?id=34246