In the early morning, before the teachings, His Holiness held an audience for Tibetans living in the Netherlands and Belgium. The audience was also attended by Mongolians and Bhutanese. In his address, His Holiness called on Tibetans in exile to continue their education, to be astute, smart and to avoid ignorance. His Holiness also stressed the importance of education for the new generation of young Tibetans in exile. His Holiness discussed the common heritage and religious traditions in the Himalayan region. In particular, he reminded that Mongolians have a strong connection with the Tibetan people and their Buddhist culture. His Holiness also discussed the current conditions in Tibet and called on Tibetans in Europe to remain strong, committed and aware of the situation.

Following the audience with Tibetans, Mr. Job Cohen, the current Mayor of Amsterdam and a former Cabinet minister, called on His Holiness.

Morning teachings and public talk

During the morning teachings, His Holiness spoke on the importance of love, compassion and tolerance, as emphasized in all the major religions of the world. This is especially true in the Buddhist traditions, all of which state that compassion and love form the basis of every spiritual practice. His Holiness said that if we want to fully develop the potential for love and compassion that we all have within us, it is essential to be able to control their opposites – hate and aggression.

His Holiness spoke of the importance of one’s own traditions, and that he does not attempt to propagate Buddhism, but rather to increase understanding. The development of greater cross cultural communication enables greater understanding of other religions and to develop ones’ own. But this can also lead to some conflicts.

In the afternoon, His Holiness gave a public talk on the ‘power of compassion in turbulent times’. His Holiness was introduced by former Dutch Cabinet member and friend of Tibet, Ms Erika Terpstra, who explained the role His Holiness’ teachings play in her own life.

His Holiness said that man is a social animal, with a need for interaction with others. The economic crisis and environmental problems affects us all and creates interdependence and the need for a compassionate society. His Holiness said that he speaks as just one human among six billion and gains a personal benefit from a peaceful world. A more self-centered attitude is unrealistic in a modern, connected society.

His Holiness advocated the cultivation of a compassionate mind. He explained that a smart mind with wrong motivation can be extremely destructive, for example His Holiness acknowledged that the attacks on 9/11 were well planned, but ultimately the product of hatred.

In questioning following the public talk, His Holiness explained that although the health of the world in the early years of the new century was poor, he viewed the overall development as positive. The Berlin Wall was removed through a popular movement rather than violent upheaval and in general there were signs that the world had the capacity to grow closer together. He acknowledged that while not enough was being done to address environmental problems, the awareness of the problems was, in itself, a positive sign since this was a relatively recent phenomenon. However, to end global violence there must be an end to violence at the local and individual level. Many people may feel that the idea of ‘world peace’ was too big for anyone to effect. His Holiness felt that the practical approach is to start with the inner peace of the individual, progressing through the family to the community and beyond.

In closing the day’s events, the Director of the International Campaign for Tibet - Europe, Ms Tsering Jampa, thanked His Holiness for his remarks. She also acknowledged the challenge compassionate values in world affairs faces. She hoped that more leaders would have the foresight to realize that a solution for the Tibetan people could be an important first step in the development of freedoms for all people in China, especially given the significance of the date: 4 June, the anniversary of the violent suppression of student protests at Tiananmen in 1989. She reminded the audience that they have the ability to effect change, also as regards the values of our own governments. She urged them to act in accordance with the long term benefits of a principled approach to world affairs.

Meeting with Chinese democrats

Following the public talk, His Holiness held a private meeting with members of the Chinese democracy movement, in which there was an extremely open and enthusiastic discussion on His Holiness’ political vision, the need for Tibetan-Chinese dialogue and the need for genuine reform in China. His Holiness said that trust was crucial between Tibetans and Chinese, in order to reach a solution for Tibet.

His Holiness felt that the CCP was caught in a contradiction; in order to respect their own constitution, they must acknowledge Tibetan rights and the basic premise of the Middle Way. To resolve this, it was necessary for the CCP to portray His Holiness as a separatist who represents a danger to the integrity of China.

His Holiness also described his meetings with Chairman Mao and his initial respect for the CCP, but acknowledged that while aspects of Marxism were initially attractive, a wide gap quickly opened between ideology and implementation.

His Holiness urged Chinese to be active in discussing the Tibetan situation, because informed Chinese can provide greater weight and credibility to the discussion in their communities. Some Chinese participants described how in China there are officials and even military personnel who carry hidden pictures of His Holiness, but keep their views silent.

His Holiness described some positive signs in the Sino-Tibetan relationship, for example he noted the offer of some Chinese lawyers to represent Tibetans detained after the March 2008 unrest – His Holiness noted that such an offer would have been unimaginable some years ago. His Holiness also mentioned the increasing number of Chinese from Mainland China attending his teachings – some even remind him that he must not forget Chinese Buddhists.

Tomorrow’s Program

Tomorrow, 5 June, His Holiness will meet with the Dutch Foreign Minister on behalf of the Dutch Cabinet. His Holiness will later be received by the Foreign Affairs Committee of the Dutch Parliament. The meeting can be viewed via live webcast at www.tweedekamer.nl and www.politiek24.nl between 10.00-11.15 CET.

Report filed by Stewart Watters, International Campaign for Tibet