Dalai Lama Welcomes Steps towards Nuclear Disarmament

His Holiness the Dalai Lama Welcomes Steps towards Nuclear Disarmament

New Delhi, India - I welcome North Korea’s announcement that it will halt nuclear and missile tests with immediate effect. I am particularly encouraged that this move is taking place in the context of efforts to achieve agreement through dialogue.

It is my hope that the forthcoming meeting between the two Korean leaders, followed by a summit with the President of the USA, can take place in a spirit of amity, compromise, and transparency, enabling the resolution of past disagreements. I am optimistic that these talks will lead to the establishment of trust between the two Koreas resulting ultimately in the denuclearization of the Korean peninsula.

Such a process, if successful, can serve as the model of a human approach to peace in the region. This in turn will have a deep impact on the elimination of nuclear weapons worldwide.

As an avowed campaigner for demilitarization throughout the world and the elimination of all nuclear weapons, I hope these positive developments will contribute to concerted efforts to do away with these dreadful weapons and secure genuine and lasting peace in our world.

Original link: https://www.dalailama.com/news/2018/his-holiness-the-dalai-lama-welcomes-steps-towards-nuclear-disarmament

Residual Energy And Haunts by Mark Hunnemann - Part 2

By Reverend Mark Hunnemann

Continued from:
Residual Energy And Haunts by Mark Hunnemann - Part 1

In 1974 I graduated from High School and many changes have taken place in our culture since then. And I can assure you that “residual energy” was an unknown subject. How did we get to the place where residual energy has become so common a notion?

How did we get to the place where the notion of residual energy is so commonplace? Why has energy taken on such a distinctive role, not just in hauntings but in healing, and our understanding of reality? I think of Reiki as just one example amongst many. While what follows does not explicitly address the notion of residual energy/haunts, it does attempt to explain the transition from energy to Energy, as the Ultimate reality. We have moved from a God-centered worldview to an Energy-centric/occult worldview, and this has given rise to such notions as residual energy.

Dr Peter Jones, author of The Other Worldview, has shown how the New Age/Pagan Worldview has displaced the biblical worldview as the dominant worldview. In the mid- 60s it came into USA, and it’s no coincidence that the ascendancy of the Energy centric worldview coincides with the popularity of residual energy.

"Sending prayers and positive energy"...gosh, how many times have I heard, or read on Facebook, a comment similar to that? How many times have you? The sending of positive energy has equaled, and in many cases, eclipsed the pledge of praying to the Living God from a friend to someone experiencing a trauma. Clearly, energy has undergone a radical evolution recently; it has taken on such a profound and practical significance for countless numbers of people. Nothing reveals more about a person's real, basic spiritual convictions than how they pray. For many, energy has become THE central organizing principle in their worldviews. I remember in seminary, a professor said that how a person prayed spoke volumes about what their true theological beliefs were. Hence, when the prayer of professing Christians includes pledges of sending positive energy, then we know this energy belief has deeply infiltrated the Christian community. Just 15 years ago...did you hear or say that positive energy was being sent on behalf of a beloved? I seriously doubt it. Therefore, it is incumbent for Christians that we understand this issue and sift it through a biblical worldview grid...pulling down strongholds and arguments... that are raised against the knowledge of God (2 Cor.10:5). Otherwise, like the ancient Israelites, we shall fall into an unthinking syncretism; the blending of the truth with falsehood—and incur God’s discipline.

Ultimate Reality, according to God’s Word, is the tri-personal, Living God; the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit in loving, joyous communication for backwards eternity to eternity future. Nothing/ No-one is “further back” or more basic. He existed eternally before He created energy and the universe. However, today, many people seem to assume that Energy/Universe is Ultimate reality, but that is an occultic, demonic deception. But it does explain why the notion of residual energy has taken hold so quickly in our culture which has largely jettisoned the biblical God from its thinking. We have rejected the Living God and exchanged it for the lie, worshipping nature—and energy in particular. (Romans 1:25) An idol doesn’t have to be a figurine (it can be mental instead of metal) because, by definition, and idol is whatever is uppermost in our affections or considered to be the ground of our being.

Those who research and investigate the supernatural realm-from quantum jumping to spirit hunting-are increasingly seeing ultimate reality in terms of energy.

Energy vibrations of the cosmos or cosmic consciousness. Energy has become not only personified but deified as well. This impersonal stuff that we call energy has now become our new god...our new reference point for defining the cosmos, mankind, and our relationship to the cosmos.

In the beginning God created (bara-act of personal creating) has been replaced by...  In the beginning, Energy has always been there and is evolving....It has become commonplace to believe that we are currently experiencing a quantum leap into a higher form of consciousness or energy, and it is often stated that we are spirit energy in a body, and NOT vice versa. Raise your vibration levels and you’ll experience wholeness with the Universe. Instead of personal holiness before a holy God, we now seek personal wholeness by enhancing our energy vibrations. This pagan worldview has altered our view of God, reality, sanctification and countless other vital aspects of our worldview.

As I alluded to, this is no mere dry as dust academic theory, because it has become a paradigm or worldview shift in how one understands who they are, and how to become better at living and being human. Watch the plethora of energy healers attempting to adjust folk's vibrational levels to harmonize with the vibrations of primal Energy and the Universe. And what must be noted with tears, is that often these energy therapies seem to work in terms of affecting vibrational change and healing. May I suggest, though, that we are playing god in this respect, and are opening ourselves to deep demonic intervention. They (demons) are clever, and all it takes is openness to this Energy to potentially begin the oppression process. Usually, at some opportune time, the demonic will find some imaginative way to gain permission for entry. We should have known better than to reject God and begin to call energy ultimate reality/god--Energy. Romans 1:18f speaks of the endarkenment, instead of the desired enlightenment, which comes when we deify, make ultimate, or worship, any aspect of the Creator's creation-including one of His greatest creations, which is energy. We have rejected the Living God and exchanged it for the lie. (Romans 1:25) The essence of paganism is the denial of the Creator/creature distinction, and that incenses God. He hates it and we should hate what He hates—the idea, not the people who embrace it.

It is not being intellectually consistent or honest to spell energy as Energy, because the bottom line is that this notion (energy is ultimate reality) implies that there was an impersonal beginning, and by adding upper-case you have magically imported personality-creating it out of thin air. The only reason why we sense or detect personality with the energy entities is because they ARE personal beings-demons. Like humans, demons and Satan have a will, intelligence, and emotions. We have not dealt with ghosts per se, in this book, but the concept of ultimate reality as energy often accompanies the belief in ghosts. It is this occult worldview change which gave rise to its enormous popularity.

There is a flow to human history and we have seen how our culture has arrived at this juncture where energy plays such a vital role in defining reality. Be wary of any talk of tapping into primal Energy or cosmic consciousness. In our weakness, let us cling to the God who was manifested through the burning bush-the infinite-personal God of the bible who has inexhaustible, omnipotent energy and power. Yahweh.     

Next week—Residualo Energy & Haunts - Part 3

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 Meets With Visitors From Across the World

His Holiness the Dalai Lama was in a jovial mood as he emerged from his residence this morning. He greeted the more than 1500 visitors from 68 countries who had gathered in the temple courtyard, shaking hands with some, teasing and exchanging a few words others. He gradually made his way round the yard, stopping to pose for photographs with people grouped according to their geographical origins, before sitting down on a chair in the porch under the temple.

“For some time I’ve thought that when there are brothers and sisters from different countries here,” he told the crowd, “just seeing my face is not sufficient. I want to show how brilliant my brain is by talking to them.

“We Buddhists pray for the welfare of all sentient beings, but we have to think about what that really means. Whether we think about animals, insects or fish, there’s not much we can really do for them except pray. However, the 7 billion other human beings on this planet are like us. They have the same kind of brain as we do. Realistically, they are the only ones we can really help.

“Scientists say that basic human nature is compassionate, which is good because if it were angry there’d be no hope. What’s more, scientists have observed that constant anger, fear and hatred have the effect of undermining our immune system, whereas cultivating a compassionate heart is much better for our health. This is why it’s important that we use our brains to promote such values.

“Young children don’t care about differences of nationality, faith or religious denomination. If their companions smile, they play with them. Our education and social system seem to change this and as we grow up we learn to make distinctions about where people belong and what they believe. Here in India, for example, there is the so called caste system and the time has come to acknowledge that the Indian constitution gives all citizens equal rights so there is no room for discrimination on the basis of caste—we are all brothers and sisters.

“Today, the world is faced by a crisis of emotions and I believe the ancient Indian knowledge of the workings of the mind can be of great value in tackling them. When I began to study these things by memorizing classic texts that I didn’t yet understand I was reluctant and lazy. However, later on I came to realize how valuable this knowledge could be for achieving peace of mind. It also requires self-confidence and determination, for which it’s important to be honest and truthful.

“Mentally and emotionally we human beings are all the same. We all experience anger and hatred, even me too, but we also all have the potential to cultivate compassion, forgiveness and tolerance. Destructive emotions are based on ignorance, an observation supported by my friend, cognitive therapist Aaron Beck, who describes the negative judgements arising from anger as 90% mental projection. Constructive emotions like love and compassion are supported by reason, so we can use our brains to develop and strengthen them.”

Looking across to a group who have been learning about Buddhism at Tushita, a local meditation centre, His Holiness advised them to pay attention to the ‘Guide to the Bodhisattva’s Way of Life’ composed by the great Indian master Shantideva. He highlighted chapters six and eight as useful in countering anger and self-centredness and suggested that people who are not Buddhists could also benefit from reading them. He observed that reading this book repeatedly since he first heard it explained in 1967 had helped him transform his own mind.

His Holiness remarked that modern education is oriented towards material goals rather than inner values, which has influenced whole generations. By contrast, ancient Indian traditions, even before the time of the Buddha, had a rich understanding of the workings of the mind and emotions as a result of practices for cultivating a calmly abiding mind (shamatha) and insight (vipashyana). His Holiness told his audience that they too could develop mental qualities if they steadily came to understand the workings of the mind and emotions. He noted that by learning to tackle the emotions it’s possible to defend your peace of mind and inner strength.

“Brothers and sisters,” he continued, “please pay more attention to your inner world, learn to counter your negative emotions and transform your mind. When one individual has developed peace of mind and shares what they’ve learned with others it has an impact. You might look at the problems in the world and think that there’s not much you can do about them. Remind yourselves that individuals can make a difference. Cultivating positive qualities in day to day life can create the conditions for humanity to live more peacefully. This is a practical approach.

“Today, we see too much emphasis on secondary differences between individuals and groups of people leading to divisions between ‘us’ and ‘them’. When this happens we need to remember the oneness of humanity. This is one of the areas in which we need to introduce inner values into modern education. If we are to make this 21st century different from the 20th century in which more than 200 million died violently, we have to take steps now. And if we make the effort in about 30 years you’ll see the world has changed.

“That’s what I have to say. I’m 82 years old now. At the age of 16 I lost my freedom and at 24 I lost my country. I’ve faced difficulties my whole life, but I’ve come to understand that it’s when we’re most tested that we are especially able to learn. Through inner transformation, as individuals, we can develop peace of mind. To achieve social change we need to improve education.”

Responding to a question about his potential return to the Potala Palace, His Holiness stated that more important is working to preserve Tibetan language and culture, which in turn has kept alive ancient Indian knowledge such as the traditions of Nalanda University. He explained that the more than 300 volumes of the Kangyur and Tengyur, translations of Indian literature into Tibetan, contain philosophy, psychology and logic that continue to have relevance and value today.

His Holiness expressed admiration for vegetarianism, and declaring that the kitchens of Tibetan monasteries and other institutions in exile are largely vegetarian. However, he also explained that Buddhist monks’ traditional dependence on alms prevented them from expressing preference. Therefore, they are neither vegetarian nor non-vegetarian.

Finally, asked to clarify what he meant when he declared that compassion is not a luxury, but a necessity if we are to survive, His Holiness pointed out that science and technology have give human beings an immense power of destruction. At the same time reality has changed and people are now more interdependent than ever before. Climate change, for example, is a threat that affects everyone and which can only be addressed by everyone working together. There is an urgent need to be realistic and understand that since problems can’t be solved by the use of force, the only alternative is to seriously engage in dialogue.

“Brothers and sisters, please think about how we are all part of humanity. If humanity is at peace, we’ll all be happier. Of course, we are all driven to some extent by self-interest. But there’s a difference between foolish, narrow self-interest and wise self-interest that also includes concern for others. Thank you.”

His Holiness got up and walked at an easy pace down the temple yard, taking time to accept people’s greetings and salutations as he went, before climbing into the car that would take him home to lunch.

original link with photos: https://www.dalailama.com/news/2018/meeting-with-visitors-from-across-the-world

Residual Energy And Haunts by Mark Hunnemann - Part 1

By Laura Maxwell, BA (Hons) & Reverend Mark Hunnemann

Mark Hunnemann, my friend, Deliverance Minister and frequent Radio Guest provides analysis of a very common, but mostly unexamined, speculative theory in the paranormal community: The Theory of Residual Haunts and Residual Energies.

If you are not familiar with this concept, then I gently encourage you to become aware of it. This notion is misleading and harming millions, and causing folks to mis-identify demonic activity as merely natural energy doing 'weird' things.

In the below video series, Mark Hunnemann, provides reasons for why residual energy should be seen as demonic.

"For years I have observed how internationally popular the notion of residual energy/haunts has become. However, to my knowledge, there has been no sustained response to it. I am convinced that it is unscientific, and is causing immense damage. So, I have begun a series in which this theory will be comprehensively scrutinized. Everybody, especially Christians, needs to be aware of this issue because it has enormous, practical ramifications. (It is also an expression of the New Age worldview). Most recently, it was shown to be contrary to Thermodynamics," Mark Hunnemann.

Mark has a heart for this type of ministry, where he sheds a light on the deceptions of the enemy concerning the paranormal. He is the author of "Seeing Ghosts Through God's Eyes", where he shows the deception behind theories such as earthbound spirits, in light of scripture.

Please hear our radio series where Laura Maxwell interviews Mark on such topics:

Please see more of his videos on his YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/user/mhunneable

MORE DETAILS OF MARK, WITH HIS ARTICLE & LINKS: http://archive.aweber.com/paraworld

Part 2 link: http://eyeontheparanormal.blogspot.com/2018/04/residual-energy-and-haunts-by-exorcist_19.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 & Compassion for All People

Addressing People from Many Parts of the World
March 30, 2018

Thekchen Chöling, Dharamsala, HP, India - “Brothers and sisters, I’m happy to meet with all of you,” was how His Holiness the Dalai Lama welcomed almost 150 people from many different parts of the world at his residence this morning. Nearly 50, predominantly from Mexico, Colombia, Argentina and Chile were led by a group of four Buddhist nuns who have set up a small community in Mexico. Another group of about 90 were participants in a ten day course introducing Tibetan Buddhism at the local Tushita Meditation Centre.

“We 7 billion human beings on this planet are all the same—mentally, physical and emotionally,” he told them. “We were all born from a mother and we all survived because of her kindness and care. As human beings we are social animals and it’s love and affection that binds us together.

“These days scientists have conducted experiments with infants who are still too young to talk and conclude the evidence suggests that basic human nature is compassionate. Other findings suggest that living in constant anger and hatred undermines our immune system, whereas cultivating a more compassionate attitude in general strengthens our physical and mental well-being.

“We are equal in being human and yet it is also true that people in different parts of the world have different cultures, because of differences of climate and natural environment, that lead to differences in their ways of life. Nevertheless, wherever I’m giving a talk, I always start by greeting my ‘brothers and sisters’.”

His Holiness observed that despite substantial development in many areas, in today’s world the conflicts we see breaking out in the name of religion and the thriving trade in weapons, which are simply instruments for killing, betrays a fundamental lack of moral principles. Under such circumstances, each and every one of us, as part of the world’s human population, has a responsibility to contribute to making the world a happier, more peaceful place.

In answering questions from the audience, His Holiness expressed his deep admiration for all the world’s major religious traditions. He distinguished between those, like Buddhism, that teach the importance of karma, taking responsibility for your own actions, and the many others that emphasize the importance of faith in a creator god. He described seeing our human brothers and sisters as all creations of that one god as a wonderful and powerful instruction.

With regard to Buddhism, he observed that once the Buddha had left home and begun to engage in spiritual practice he drew on existing traditions of ethics, tranquillity and insight. These gave rise to a profound understanding of the workings of the mind and emotions in the context of a clear comprehension of reality—an appreciation that nothing exists as it appears. His Holiness stressed that those who wish to follow the Buddha today should aspire to be 21st century Buddhists, their practice based not just on faith alone, but rooted in knowledge and understanding.

Asked his response to growing nationalism in many places, His Holiness remarked that common sense tells us we all have to live together on this planet. The global economy is not constrained by national boundaries. Climate change is a serious threat that concerns all humanity. Faced with a need to take a broader perspective, adopting a nationalistic view seems unrealistic, short-sighted and out of date.

Finally, His Holiness was requested to give a transmission of the ‘Eight Verses for Training the Mind’, which he did, reciting it briskly from memory in Tibetan. He praised the advice this short text conveys about altruism, noting that the final verse refers to the wisdom understanding emptiness. He recommended that those interested should read another book that he has personally found of great value—Shantideva’s ‘Guide to the Bodhisattva’s Way of Life’—paying particular attention to the sixth and eighth chapters that deal with the cultivation of patience and compassion.

original link & photos: https://www.dalailama.com/news/2018/addressing-people-from-many-parts-of-the-world

Dalai Lama Says Basic Human Nature is Compassionate

Second Day of Association of Indian Universities’ Meet at Sarnath
March 20, 2018

Sarnath, UP, India - Before attending the Association of Indian Universities’ (AIU) Meet this morning, His Holiness the Dalai Lama spoke to a gathering of Central Institute for Higher Tibetan Studies’ (CIHTS) teachers. He recalled that Kapila Vatsyayan had taken the initiative to establish the Institute fifty years ago to help keep Tibetan culture alive. He observed that as people have become aware of the shortcomings of modern education, interest has grown in ancient Indian traditions. The past extensive use of logic and reasoning is now only to be found preserved in the Tibetan tradition. In addition, Tibetans find themselves almost the sole repository of the ancient Indian understanding of the workings of the mind and emotions.

“I have suggested that study of these things should not be confined to monks and nuns, but should be made available to lay people too. However, it is difficult to accommodate them in our monastic institutions. With the establishment of the Institute of Buddhist Dialectics and this institution it became easier for lay people and foreigners to engage with our traditions of study. Lay people could, for example, confine their attention to the Middle Way School, Perfection of Wisdom and Logic and Epistemology. The needn’t pay close heed to monastic discipline, which is only the concern of the ordained, or Higher Knowledge (Abhidharma) much of which, like its account of cosmology, is becoming difficult to defend. We could even offer subsidiary degrees in Middle Way, Perfection of Wisdom and Logic only.

“The great classic texts are available in Tibetan, we don’t have to rely on Sanskrit or any other language to read and study them. And it’s worth remembering that being able to recite in Sanskrit isn’t nearly as important as being able to read and understand the meaning.

“A Tibetan I met who is familiar with China told me there are many Chinese intellectuals interested in studying Tibetan to access these materials. It would be good if we could provide facilities for them. Since they have visa problems when they come here we might consider establishing a centre of learning in Bodhgaya. It would be helpful if CIHTS could give assistance to this.”

Back in the Conference Hall, Prof PB Sharma welcomed one and all. He asked the Vice-Chancellors to consider how to identify values beyond religion, values that can be accepted as universal in that they apply to the whole of humanity. He quoted His Holiness as saying that karuna or compassion, truth and honesty are values that belong to us all.

When His Holiness was invited to offer opening remarks he replied that he had nothing special to say other than that he enjoyed seeing the audiences’ smiling faces. He also made clear that he was looking forward to hearing other people’s views and suggestions.

“One thing, however, that I’d like to tell you is that I always sleep nine hours and get up at around 3am. Then I spend about three hours in meditation, mostly analysing the nature of self and investigating where is the ‘I’.

“Yesterday I didn’t mention that scientists have found evidence from experiments with infants before they are able to talk that suggests that basic human nature is compassionate. At the same time they have evidence that constant anger, hatred and fear hamper our immune system and undermine our health. Warm-heartedness, on the other hand, supports it, which I take as a real sign of hope. I’ve also seen Palestinian and Jewish children happily playing together in a Pestalozzi school in Switzerland, without hesitation or restraint.

“It’s only after they have spent time in the modern education system that children begin to develop a sense of ‘us’ and ‘them’, so it seems that education can stifle our basic human nature. We need to learn how to keep our natural compassion alive and how to extend and develop it so it can encompass the whole of humanity. Modern life and modern education are focussed on external goals, whereas peace of mind concerns the mind within.”

Geshe Lobsang Tenzin Negi of the Center for Compassion, Integrity and Secular Ethics gave an intense summary of the Value and Necessity of Secular Ethics in Education. He repeated His Holiness’s observation that while providing external comfort and development, modern education has neglected inner development. He cited the World Happiness Report’s account of the importance of mental health in adults, in childhood, in parents and in the social ambience of primary and secondary schools. Key to the Cognitively-Based Compassion Training (CBCT) Negi has pioneered is a sense of emotional intelligence, which owes much to Paul Ekman’s work towards an atlas of emotions and what has been gleaned from ancient Indian sources.

Dr Girishwar Misra, vice-chancellor of Mahatma Gandhi International Hindi University in Wardha, Maharashtra suggested that the ultimate aim of education is enlightenment. It needs to advance the needs of individuals and society. He offered an acronym CRISP which he explained as representing:

Competence,
Respect for humanity
Integrity
Social Responsibility and respect for society, and
Professional responsibility.

He suggested these skills should be part of the school and education system.

Prof Deepak Behra of Sambalpur University proposed taking a more anthropological perspective on the question of education. He spoke of leading educationists shaping young minds and, perhaps inadvertently, inculcating them with competitive and self-centred attitudes. He observed that to be successful young people seek to secure skills, but when they have done so, finding themselves unemployed leads to anger and frustration.

During a short period of interaction with the Vice-Chancellors His Holiness clarified that by emotional hygiene he means tackling negative emotions as they arise before they run out of control. Asked his views of gender disparity he cited the Buddha’s regarding men and women equally inasmuch as he gave ordination to both. He compared persisting gender disparity to caste discrimination which is a remnant of feudalism that remains after the feudal system has gone. Today, he said, we live in a democratic world of equal rights.

He emphasized that we need to work to develop compassion, but that it can be done on the basis of scientific findings. He also clarified that the nature of action depends on the motivation. For an action to be positive or constructive, the motivation for it needs to be positive, driven by a concern for others, too. He suggested we have to make an effort to reinvigorate our basic human nature.

Answering a final question about ‘Buddham saranam gacchami’, His Holiness explained that from one angle the word Buddha implies the elimination of all negative qualities. Since it is the nature of the mind to know, so long as the mind is shrouded in ignorance, our ability to know is limited. Once it is freed of ignorance, destructive emotions have no sway and there is no constraint on the mind’s ability to know—another aspect of Buddha.

Prof PB Sharma thanked the audience for their forbearance as the meeting ran out of time and thanked His Holiness once more for coming and gracing the occasion.

His Holiness ate a quick lunch, drove to Lal Bahadur Shastri International Airport and boarded a flight for Delhi. Tomorrow, early in the morning, he will return to Dharamsala.

Original link & photos: https://www.dalailama.com/news/2018/second-day-of-association-of-indian-universities-meet-at-sarnath

Dalai Lama Discusses Peace of Mind

"92nd Annual Meet of Association of Indian Universities at Sarnath - Inaugural Session"

March 19, 2018

Sarnath, UP, India - It was still dark in Delhi this morning when His Holiness the Dalai Lama left for the airport to board a flight to Varanasi. By the time of take-off, however, the sun had risen. Vice-Chancellor of the Central Institute for Higher Tibetan Studies (CIHTS), Geshe Ngawang Samten received him on arrival at Lal Bahadur Shastri International Airport, from where he drove to the Institute in Sarnath. Smiling students holding white scarves, flowers and sticks of incense lined the way from the gate to His Holiness’s residence. Tashi Shölpa dancers sang and danced to welcome him. As he stepped out of his car a couple presented a new-born baby for him to bless. Young men and women in Tibetan costume offered the traditional ‘chemar changpu’.

Just before ten o’clock, Association of Indian Universities (AIU) President Prof PB Sharma and Secretary General Furqan Qamar, with Geshe Ngawang Samten, escorted His Holiness to the Conference Hall nearby. Once everybody was seated the institute song was performed by a mixed group of students. This was followed by a rendering of the auspicious Mangalacharan in Sanskrit by a group of female students, including some nuns. Their recitation was followed by a group of monks chanting the same piece in Tibetan, with which His Holiness joined in.

In his welcome address, Geshe Ngawang Samten, on behalf of every member of the CIHTS University, expressed deep gratitude to His Holiness for accepting their invitation. He welcomed everyone who had come to attend the meeting and pointed out that this is the first time that an AIU gathering has taken place in Varanasi, reputedly the oldest city in India. He also reminded everyone that Sarnath is where the Buddha gave his first teaching after his enlightenment and voiced the hope that transformative insights will emerge from the discussions that will take place over the next three days.

Prof Furqan Qamar, Secretary General of AIU, in his introductory remarks, thanked CIHTS and its Vice-Chancellor for hosting the meeting and declared it was a privilege for everyone attending to be in His Holiness’s presence. He noted that this year’s theme, ‘Higher Education in an Era of Innovation, Entrepreneurship and Disruptive Technology, with a Focus on Human Values in an Era of Disruption’might weigh heavily on participants, but suggested there could not be a better setting, nor a better person to guide the conversation.

In his remarks, Prof Francisco Marmolejo, the World Bank's Lead Tertiary Education Specialist, noted that this is a unique moment for India, when it is going to find itself with the largest most youthful population in the world. He said it is in India’s and the world’s interest for India to succeed, because if she does not the world will fail. In this higher education is essential, as is human dignity. Not only is there a need for more education, but also for better education.

In his extensive Presidential address, Prof PB Sharma took up similar themes. He stated that there is a need for a focus on quality, relevance and excellence, noting that loss of values has given rise to greed and disruption. He quoted Dr Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan, a former President of AIU and President of India, who said, “The end product of education should be a free creative man, who can battle against historical circumstances and the adversities of nature.” Prof Sharma called on his fellow Vice-Chancellors to resolve to foster values and education in the temples of learning of an awakened India. “We must therefore,” he urged, “effectively blend the wisdom of our antiquity with the modernity of human civilization to support the resurgence of India to its global eminence.”

His Holiness was called upon to release the AIU Annual Report, as well as a collection of occasional papers. Then, as the Chief Guest, he was requested to give the inaugural address. Although yesterday, due to weariness he had sought permission to speak from his chair, today he stood at the podium.

“Respected brothers and sisters, this is how I prefer to begin because I really feel that if we kept the 7 billion human beings alive today in our hearts as brothers and sisters, many of the problems we face would disappear. Instead we think in terms of ‘us’ and ‘them’, which just leads to trouble. The world is becoming smaller and more interdependent. The global economy has no boundaries. Climate change affects the entire world. Our lives depend on water, and yet it is becoming increasingly scarce. In this new reality we must find new ways to think and act. Violence and war, outdated behaviour, must cease.

“When men fought in the past with swords, spears or obsolete guns it wasn’t so serious, they couldn’t do too much damage, but today there are several thousand nuclear weapons primed for use.

“I have visited both Hiroshima and Nagasaki, the two places where nuclear weapons were used against human beings and I will never forget seeing a watch, its hands stopped at the instant of the attack, half melted by the intensity of the heat.

“Several years ago at a meeting of Nobel Peace Laureates in Rome we heard about the practical consequence of a nuclear exchange, which were far-reaching and utterly horrifying in the damage it would do the world and its people. I suggested then a resolution to reduce and eliminate the stock piles of such weapons, setting a clear time-table for its accomplishment. But nothing happened.

“We should reflect on the contradiction that if one man kills another he goes to jail, but when a man is responsible for the deaths of hundreds in war he is feted as a hero. Violence results from anger and fear. These are what we must reduce.

“As a young monk in Tibet I studied reluctantly until I began to recognise how valuable was the knowledge Shantarakshita had brought to our country in the 8th century. What was precious about the Nalanda Tradition we have since kept alive was the wonderful opportunity it provided to build inner strength and achieve peace of mind, which doesn’t depend on external factors.

“As I’ve already mentioned, the 20th century saw great developments in many areas, but it was also flawed by violence. Today, elements of the old way of thinking that gave rise to it remain—the inclination to solve problems by use of force. This is simply out of date. If it had resulted in general benefit it might have been acceptable, but it has never been the case. This is why this century should be an era of dialogue, a time when we think of others as part of ‘us’ and seek equitable solutions to conflicts between us.

“Education has a role in this. Ancient Indian knowledge of the workings of our mind and emotions has a practical contribution to make. Just as we teach children to follow codes of physical hygiene to protect their health, so we need to institute a corresponding sense of emotional hygiene.

His Holiness explained that in ancient India the common practices of shamatha and vipashyana, tranquillity and insight, gave rise to a profound understanding of the mind. And although this is recorded in religious texts, there is no reason at all why today it cannot be studied from an academic angle. This appreciation of mind and emotions involves a thorough-going use of logic and reason—a scientific approach.

His Holiness cited the relevance today of India’s age-old traditions of ahimsa and secularism. India is the one country where all the world’s major religions live together side by side.

“That the Buddha was a product of ancient India is something we can all be proud of,” he continued. “Today, we should combine modern education with the ancient Indian understanding of the workings of the mind and emotions. We need to rely on common sense and scientific findings. For more than 30 years I have engaged in discussions with scientists that have been mutually beneficial. Raja Ramana told me that although the findings of quantum physics seem new today, he had found what he recognised as corresponding insights in the writings of Nagarjuna from many centuries ago.

“Similarly, when we compare ancient Indian and modern psychology, the modern tradition still seems to be at a very preliminary stage of development. Peace of mind is not only the proper basis of world peace, it also enables us to make full use of our own intelligence.
“I trust that you will have serious and fruitful discussions here—and I thank you.”

CIHTS Registrar Dr RK Upadhyay offered words of thanks. Everyone stood for the National Anthem. Next, Vice-Chancellors gathered at the foot of the stage on the Kalachakra Ground where a group photograph was taken with His Holiness, after which they enjoyed a sumptuous lunch together on the Library Lawn. His Holiness will attend a further session of the meeting tomorrow morning.

original link & photos: https://www.dalailama.com/news/2018/92nd-annual-meet-of-association-of-indian-universities-at-sarnath-inaugural-session