Address at Rio Earth Summit
I am
extremely happy and feel great honor to be with you here. My basic
belief is that the purpose of our life is happiness, and happiness
depends on its own basis. I believe the basic base, or the cause of
happiness and satisfaction, is material and spiritual development.
Then again, human beings irrespective of our
ability, knowledge, technology are basically a product of nature. So
therefore, ultimately, our fate very much depends on nature.
In ancient times I think, when human ability was
limited, we were very aware of the importance of nature; and so we
respected nature. Then the time came when we developed through science
and technology; and we had more ability. Now sometimes it seems people
forget about the importance of nature. Sometimes we get some kind of
wrong belief that we human beings can control nature with the help of
technology. Of course, in certain limited areas we can to a certain
extent. But with the globe as a whole it is impossible. Therefore now
the time has come to be aware of the importance of nature, the
importance of our globe. You see, one day we might find all living
things on this planet- including human beings-are doomed.
I think one danger is that things like nuclear war
are an immediate cause of concern so everybody realizes something is
horrible. But damage to the environment happens gradually without much
awareness. Once we realize something very obvious to everybody it may
be too late. So therefore I think we must realize in time our
responsibility to take care of our own world.
I often tell people that the moon and stars when
remaining high in the sky look very beautiful, like an ornament. But if
we really try to go and settle there on the moon, perhaps a few days
may be very nice and some new experience may be very nice and some new
experience may be very exciting. But, if we really remain there, I
think within a few days we would get very homesick for our small
planet. So this is our only home. Therefore, I think this kind of
gathering concerning our environment and the planet is very useful,
very important 'and timely.
And of course things are not easy, so I don't
think all problems could be solved at once through such meetings.
However, this kind of meeting is very helpful to open eyes.
So, once the human mind wakes up humans such
intelligence, that we may find certain ways and means to solve
problems. But sometimes we just take everything for granted and don't
care, and this kind of negligence is also a danger. So, such meetings
on a critical situation, if approached with an open human mind and
eyes, are important and useful. These are my feelings.
Thank you!
His Holiness the Dalai Lama's press statement
at the United Nations Conference on Environment and Development
(UNCED), R.io de Janeiro, Brazil; June 5, 1992
