A lead singer of each group came to the microphone to sing to His Holiness, while members of the group joined in from where they sat. First was a representative of the opera group from Bhandra Tibetan settlement who began by singing the first two lines of the single verse prayer for His Holiness’s long life:

In the land surrounded by a fence of snow mountains
You are the source of all good and happiness

A performer from Chauntra TCV School took up the song singing the last two lines of the same verse.

Tenzin Gyatso, Lord Chenrezig
May you live until the cycle of existence comes to an end.

A singer from the Mainpat group led a prayer of auspiciousness for Tibet, then another from Byllakupé sang a prayer of good fortune that referred to juniper trees whose leaves are burned as incense. Next came a singer from Mundgod. A group from Odisha sang about ‘Making offerings to the Three Jewels’.

The Upper TCV group sang, ‘May Your Holiness live a long life…’ Performers from Kollegal sang ‘You elucidate the combined path of emptiness and compassion ...’ from a prayer His Holiness wrote as the request of Dilgo Khyentsé Rinpoché. Opera singers from Nepal sang for His Holiness. A troupe from Kalimpong sang:

May the omniscient one sit on the golden throne
And may peace prevail on earth

Finally, artistes from TIPA sang verses from the opera known as Prince of Firm Faith. The performers then filed past His Holiness to receive his blessings.

Addressing the crowd, His Holiness recalled that the Sho-tön Opera Festival used to be one of his favourite holidays when he was living in Lhasa.

“I was always excited by the prospect,” he told them. “The festival took place over four days and I was delighted. Four different groups would perform. I remember that the members of the Gyang-kar-wa sang particularly sweetly. I cannot sing, but I used to nod my head in time to the music. So, it made me happy to listen to all of you sing here this morning.

“Since we came into exile as refugees, we have made efforts to preserve our cultural heritage. In Tibet there are so many restrictions it’s difficult for our fellow Tibetans there to do so. However, for more than a thousand years we have kept our traditions alive.

“I would like the Tibetans in Tibet to know that in the long run truth will prevail. In the meantime, those of us living in free countries are doing our best to preserve and promote our culture in its many aspects.

“I am glad to know that this Sho-tön has been held here in Dharamshala and I thank you for your spirited performances.

“I’m nearly 90 now but I feel quite confident, as the prayer says: ‘May you live for a hundred years...,’ that I may live to be 110. Tibetans inside Tibet and elsewhere place their trust in me so feel I must live to be 110 or so.

“Tibetans inside Tibet, as well as those of us in exile, including many of us in India, must remain undaunted by the troubles we face. We must remain determined and resilient. We have the support of the people of the Himalayan Region. I too am determined to serve as well as I can.”

Turning to the 175 women who had taken part in the Tibetan Women’s Association (TWA) meeting, His Holiness mentioned that sometimes women may seem to be undervalued.

“However,” he declared, “women are a source of our survival. Tibetan women in exile have been strong. Indeed, when it comes to preserving our culture of love and compassion women in particular have played a strong and courageous role.

“The communist Chinese have tried to elminate our culture and traditions, but have failed. We have kept our traditions, including our operatic traditions, alive. As I said, change will come to China, but our courage and determination will not waver. I have done my best so far and will continue to do so in the coming decades. That’s all. Thank you.

Members of the TWA group posed for a photograph with His Holiness followed by each of the various opera groups. Then, as His Holiness left for his residence in a golfcart, the performers joyfully celebrated their audience with him by singing and dancing in the temple courtyard.

Six Mongolian laypeople sat before His Holiness’s throne and recited the ‘Heart Sutra’ in Mongolian while many of their compatriots sitting in the body of the temple joined in.

His Holiness addressed the congregation: “Today, we have here Tibetan and Mongolian Buddhists, as well as people from elsewhere who are interested in learning about Buddhist teachings. They are attracted by their discovery that Buddhism is based on reason and has a bearing on peace of mind as well as peace in the world.

“As for me, I have reflected on cultivating the awakening mind of bodhichitta and an understanding of emptiness since I was a child. I’ve found them helpful and I’m happy to share what I’ve learned with other people.

“We Tibetans here are living in exile because we lost our country. But where we are doesn’t matter that much because we rely on the Nalanda Tradition that the great Indian master Shantarakshita established in Tibet at the invitation of King Trisong Detsen. This tradition has spread all over Tibet and the Himalayan region. Conditions may change but we have a custom of responding to each other warm-heartedly. This is something worth preserving.

“Tibetans in Tibet continue to wish to follow the tradition introduced by Shantarakshita, and they place their trust in me. Not only in Tibet, but also in mainland China, growing numbers of people are taking an interest in Tibetan Buddhism and its essence—warmheartedness. Tibetan Buddhism includes a thorough understanding of the workings of the mind and emotions, which interests scientists. Other people are keen to know more about training the mind and tackling their emotions.

“Because I meditate on the awakening mind and emptiness every day I have peace of mind and sleep soundly at night. True peace is to be found in our inner world.”

His Holiness noted that the main disciples for the teaching were Mongolian. He recalled that there has long been a special affinity between Tibetans and Mongolians. Many Mongolians became scholars in Tibet. In his own case, he said, his principal teacher of philosophy and dialectics was a Mongolian called Ngodrup Tsognyi. He remains very grateful for this teacher’s kindness and is happy to repay it to some extent by teaching others, particularly Mongolians.

He observed that spirituality is not just a matter of words. It entails practice and developing good qualities within. It’s not enough for Buddhist monks and nuns to wear the robes; they need to study what the Buddha taught and integrate it within themselves.

“My Dharma friends,” His Holiness observed, “it’s good to remember that we are able to study and practice now due to the traditions passed down by past masters. The Chinese Communists have tried to destroy Buddhism, but many other people in China are showing an interest in Buddhism. We Tibetans need to think carefully about the significance of sharing what we know of the Buddha’s teachings with interested Chinese.”

His Holiness announced that he would like to discuss the awakening mind of bodhichitta. He declared: “Bodhichitta is very precious. It brings peace of mind. It is a powerful way of serving others. There is the Seven-fold Cause and Effect method and the more powerful Equalizing and Exchanging Self and Others approach.

“Taking account of all sentient beings and cultivating the mind that cherishes others more than oneself is powerfully transformative. It brings confidence and peace.”

He advised the congregation to meditate briefly on this. Next, he pointed out that we all have a mind characterized as clarity and awareness and that it is powerful to use it to help others.

“As human beings,” he remarked, “we were nurtured by our mother from the very start of our lives. She planted a seed of kindness within us. Think of all sentient beings, especially the human beings of this world, and imagine extending that sense of kindness to all of them. We can build temples and institutions with a view to preserving the teaching, but what is ultimately most important is to cultivate the the thought of cherishing others more than ourselves. This is how we’ll achieve a life at ease.

“Like us, all human beings wish to be happy. We are the same. That’s why we need to be warm-hearted to everyone. Cherishing others is the source of all good qualities. Cherishing only ourselves is a source of misery. We survive due to the kindness of others, therefore, showing kindness and good heartedness are the simple key to happiness.”

His Holiness counselled his listeners to reflect on the shortcomings of self-cherishing and the advantages of cherishing others. Think, he said, how good it would be if all human beings were happy. Wishing others to be happy brings peace of mind. Think of other beings as friends. The best offering you could give to me, he suggested, would be to cultivate the wish to benefit others.

“My Mongolian Dharma friends,” His Holiness told them, “practice is not just about the prayers you say, it’s about transforming your mind and cultivating a good heart. Reciting mantras is not as effective as cultivating a good heart. When I was a child I came across a parakeet that could recite Om mani padme hung, but with no sense of what it meant. We don’t want to be like that bird. The real way to benefit others is to generate the awakening mind. What you can do is to visualize Avalokiteshvara on the crown of your head and as you recite your ‘manis’ seek his blessings that you may develop a good heart.

“We Tibetans have a custom of reciting ‘manis’ whenever we can, but if, while we’re doing so, our minds wander after jealous thoughts, then it’s not helpful at all.”

His Holiness gave the transmission of the mantras of the three Long Life Deities:

Amitayus — Om amarani jivantaye svaha
White Tara — Om tare tuttare ture mama ayuh punye jnana pushtim kuru svaha
Ushnishavijaya — Om drum svaha om amrita ayu dadai svaha

Representations of the body, speech and mind of enlightenment in the form of a statue of Jé Tsongkhapa, a silver chörten and a precious scripture were presented to His Holiness by the Lamaiin Gegeen.

As a thanksgiving mandala was offered, he made an appeal to His Holiness as follows:

The nature of the kindness showered on the faithful people of Mongolia in general, and upon the successive members of the Lamaiin Gegeen lineage, by your previous incarnations, and particularly by Your Holiness yourself, who are the Buddha for us, and brought to us by the strength of our prayers, is such that even if the entire universe were filled with the seven kinds of precious objects and offered, it would be difficult to repay. Since the welfare of sentient beings and the Buddha Dharma depend on Your Holiness, the Great Treasury of Compassion; and since for us your disciples, otherwise bereft, you are our impeccable refuge, like the eyes in our brows and the hearts in our chests; and since we will have no higher refuge than you in all our future lives, we make this fervent request to you:

Again, in the future, through your unceasing and successive emanations, may you never release us from the hook of your compassion. This is the sole supplication that has lingered long in our minds.

Your great compassionate activities are unending like the rolling of the ocean's waves, and although it is difficult to make this request, we offer this fervently unflinching supplication:

Just as when a piece of stone is treated as gold, you have showered your compassion on us. In your future incarnations may you continue to be our sole refuge, our supreme field for accumulating merit. May we never be separated from you, who manifests as a monk, wearing the robes and upholding the three vows-Pratimoksha, Bodhisattva and Tantric. From the sphere of your primordial wisdom, may you, the Omniscient One, kindly ensure that we are not separated from the supreme Avalokiteshvara, but are kindly led by him.

From our side, as your disciples, under your unexcelled guidance, with the support of the Gaden Phodrang, we remain committed to observing our pure and unwavering commitment. We will please you by obediently carrying out your instructions. We have been sincere until now and there will be no change in the future. We will persevere by every possible means to obediently please you.

May you live long, unwavering, like an indestructible diamond.

His Holiness smiled in acquiescence and as the congregation recited the Mig-tse-ma prayer he left the temple saluting well-wishers as he went and returned to his residence.

As he walked steadily up the aisle through the middle of the yard to the temple, His Holiness turned to the right and then to the left to greet well-wishers gathered on either side. He paused to take in their smiling faces and waved. He continued to engage with other members of the crowd of an estimated 6100 from 72 countries as he made his round of the temple.

Once His Holiness was settled on the throne a group of laypeople chanted the Heart Sutra in Mongolian. Next, a mandala and representations of the body, speech and mind of the Buddha were offered to him.

“So, today,” His Holiness began, “since we are exiles here in the noble land of India, we have an opportunity to hold a discourse on the Dharma. Jé Tsongkhapa and I came from the same region of Tibet. My birthplace is in the vicinity of his. When I look back, I have tried to preserve the Dharma traditions that flourished in Tibet. I’ve spoken up to protect the environment, to secure peace in the world and to encourage inter-religious harmony. So I can say that someone from near to Jé Rinpoché’s birthplace has made some contribution to the good of the world.

“As I say, I was born near Xining, close to where Jé Tsongkhapa was born. At that time the area was ruled by a Chinese warlord called Ma Bufang. When I was brought to see him, during the search for the reincarnation of the 13th Dalai Lama, he looked at my face and said, ‘There’s something special about this boy’.”

“Those of us gathered here are all followers of the same Buddha. We uphold the Nalanda Tradition, the complete teaching of the Buddha, which we kept alive in Tibet, Mongolia and the Himalayan regions. I’ve had dreams that clearly indicate I am an incarnation of King Trisong Detsen and I have done my best to preserve the tradition established under his direction. I would like to thank all of you for the trust you’ve placed in me.

“Tibetan Buddhism derives from the instructions the Great Abbot Shantarakshita brought to Tibet. It includes those passed down to us from Nagarjuna and Asanga. The understanding of the workings of the mind and emotions to be found in this tradition is both scientific and of practical value. This understanding of the mind and emotions has the potential to provide a solution to many of the world’s problems.

“I am determined, as long as live, to carry out the aspirations of the Dharma Kings of Tibet. As I’ve already mentioned, I’ve received clear indications that my consciousness belongs to the same continuum as Trisong Detsen’s. Therefore, I am determined to maintain his legacy. And at this time I feel there is an opportunity for the wisdom of the Nalanda Tradition to contribute to the welfare of humanity.

“Today I’m going to read the ‘Hundred Deities of the Joyous Land’, which is a practice of guru-yoga. Like other religious traditions, Hindu and Christian for example, Buddhism of the Nalanda Tradition emphasizes the importance of lineages of transmission.”

His Holiness read the verses of the text where it is written: ‘Even though this is a degenerate age, you elevated this favourable birth by abandoning the eight worldly concerns.’

“We should study what the Buddha taught,” His Holiness advised, “and having done that, should integrate the teaching within ourselves through practice, as Tsongkhapa would have wished.

“Where the verse states, ‘May the essence of the doctrine of the most venerated Sumati Kirti (Tsongkhapa) be illumined forever,’ it is neither exaggerated nor biased because the clarity and comprehensiveness of Jé Rinpoché’s analysis is unique. His broad and extensive explanations can all be subsumed within the Three Trainings in ethics, concentration and wisdom.”

His Holiness recited the verse of praise know in Tibetan as Mig-tse-ma.

You are Avalokiteshvara, great treasure of compassion not aimed at true existence
And Manjushri, master of flawless wisdom
As well as Vajrapani, destroyer of hordes of demons without exception,
O, Tsongkhapa, crown-jewel of the sages of the Land of Snows,
Lobsang Drakpa, at your feet I make requests.

In all my lifetimes, may the Victorious Tsongkhapa
Be my direct spiritual teacher of the Great Vehicle,
And in that way may I not, even for a moment, stray
From the excellent path praised by the Victorious One.

“Jé Rinpoché’s Dharma Protector was Damchen Chögyal and I feel he’s always there helping me too.

“We are keeping the Buddha’s teaching alive through study and practice. These days there are scientists, and other people whose traditional religion may not be Buddhism, who are taking interest in what the Buddha taught. They appreciate these instructions that can help us tackle our emotions.”

His Holiness observed that when we do this meditation on Jé Tsongkhapa we visualize him with a sword standing on a lotus-flower to his right and a scripture resting on a lotus to his left. The sword indicates how his wisdom cuts through ignorance and the scripture reveals the fullness and profundity of his knowledge.

“We’ve lost our country and come into exile, but this time has been meaningful. I urge all of you to do your best to practise the teachings. Tashi delek.”

May you remain for a hundred years, see a hundred Buddhas,
Live long, be free from sickness, feel joy and well-being,
And reach the culmination of the sublime path of (bodhichitta).
In all these ways may everything be auspicious for you here and now.

Arthur Brooks wished His Holiness good morning and told him that today the theme for discussion would be spirituality and faith.

“Yesterday you told us how important it is to remember our mother’s love and how interdependent we are with other people. It has been suggested that the happiest people focus primarily on work, family, friendship and faith. However, we met a Tibetan hermit who lives alone up in the forest who told us he was there because he wanted to be free from distractions as he focused on love. What is clear is that faith brings us peace.

“Several decades ago, Your Holiness you remarked that seeing a photograph of the earth from space put you in mind of how small we are. It seems you feel that to be small is liberating. How are we to be small?”

His Holiness replied, “We already spoke about this yesterday. We need to see that love is our fundamental reality. Our mother introduced us to it from the moment we were born. It’s part of our basic nature to love. Love pre-empts any acquaintance with religion. A child who has no experience of a mother’s love and care will not survive. This is true not only of human beings, but other mammals as well.”

Brooks suggested that fewer and fewer people have faith or practise religion and he wondered why?

“When we’re born and we bask in our mother’s care and affection, we have no access to religion. The power of our initial experience derives from our mother’s love and her physical embrace. I happen to have been fortunate to have been so dearly loved by my own mother. However, there are cases where children for all sorts of reasons don’t have such an experience and it affects their subsequent development.

“It can be argued that religion sometimes has the effect of distancing us from the basic reality of love, but by and large religious practice can help us enhance the impact of our mother’s love. We can learn to extend our sense of love beyond our immediate family to include a wider humanity and the world of other sentient beings. The key factor is love and our first experience of it is in our mother’s arms as we drink her milk.”

Next Brooks wanted to know if the world would be a happier place if more people practised religion. His Holiness told him that he relied less on religion and more on an approach that was secular and based on universal ethics. However, he acknowledged that we can employ religious practice to strengthen and enhance what we’ve learned from our mother.

“I’m a Buddhist,” His Holiness declared, “I practice the Buddha Dharma and within that two powerful practices stand out. Generating an altruistic mind, thinking of others’ concerns, and analysing my perception of reality. This means moving beyond mere appearances to recognise that all things are dependently arisen.

“When I wake in the morning I reflect on who we are as human beings and I think of our shared experience of starting our lives in the reality of our mother’s love—an experience that contributes to my sense of the oneness of humanity. This is powerfully sustained by the Buddhist practice of recognizing all beings as having been our kind mothers.

“Buddhism is a non-theistic tradition that emphasizes reality and the connection between self and others. Theistic traditions that see all beings as created by God achieve the same aim. Our feelings of love for others are strengthened and enhanced.”

Brooks asked if science and faith were compatible. “Science is a reflection of the human brain,” His Holiness responded. “Human beings may not have the largest brains, but they have an ability to differentiate and analyze. If we see science as a mode of enquiry, it’s not in conflict with faith.

“If we engage in objective enquiry, taking an unbiased approach to whatever we’re examining, science and faith can come to a common understanding. But if we define religion in terms of dogmatic belief it will conflict with science which is about asking challenging questions. We can understand the value of compassion from a scientific point of view for example because it is part of reality.”

Asked what question science might ask that would make life better, His Holiness was clear that one of the most important issues is how to promote peace in the world. He conceded that simply seeing others in terms of ‘us’ and ‘them’ is natural. But if we allow this to create hard divisions between us it leads to confict and other problems.

Lisa Miller, who examines the psychology of religion at Columbia University wanted to know if love is a constituent force in the universe. His Holiness answered that the power of love is not a function of religion and yet religions generally applaud its importance.

“The fundamental reality of love in not to do with religion, it’s an inborn quality with which human beings have a special relation. Some religious practices can help us nurture and enhance our intuitive feelings of love. If we leave our experience of love in its natural state, our kindness towards others will depend on how they respond to us. But we can train to strengthen and extend it to those with whom we have no direct connection. For a Buddhist, the line ‘May all sentient beings have happiness’ is very powerful.

“Recognizing that the creator formed all beings is also a powerful basis for recognizing the oneness of humanity.

“A practical approach is to remember how each of us was nurtured by our mother’s care and affection. We can learn to extend that reality to others. From a Buddhist point of view, recognizing all sentient beings as having been our mothers makes it virtually impossible to harm them. We wish that they all be free from suffering.

“However, if we allow ourselves to become alienated from this reality, to forget the power of our mother’s love, other attitudes like competitiveness fill the gap. We cling to the idea ‘I am ..., my family, my people, my country’, which can be problematic.

“Recognizing all beings as having been our mother is part of a mind-training exercise known as the Seven-part cause and effect. There are six causes and one result. The first is recognizing all beings as having been our mother; the second is remembering her kindness—gratitude; third is the wish to repay that kindness; fourth is to develop empathy, love for all beings; fifth is to generate great compassion, the wish to free all beings from suffering. Sixth is the intention to put this into action—the special resolve. And the final result is to generate the awakening mind, the wish to attain enlightenment for the sake of all beings.

“This is a mind-training method from the Tibetan tradition that is based on a belief in rebirth. Another approach relies on a pledge to switch concern for yourself with concern for others. There’s a well-known verse that puts this in context.

Since self-centredness is the doorway to all torment,
While caring for my mothers is the foundation for all that is good,
Inspire me to make the core of my practice
The yoga of exchanging myself for others.

“We are all the same in being human in our wish to be happy and free from suffering. Turning our concern to others rather than ourselves has a liberating effect. It creates space in our hearts. We could also cultivate concern for others in terms of our all having been formed by the creator. The verse I’ve just quoted could be a succinct summary of what we’ve been talking about.”

Arthur Brooks noted that he and his companions had spent time with His Holiness over two days and would be leaving tomorrow. He asked what His Holiness would like them to do to make the world a better place.

“Find a way to educate other people, to bring home to them that focusing only on yourself is to have a very narrow outlook, whereas having a broader concern for others creates a freeing sense of space in the heart. Even from a historical perspective, most problems in the world are rooted in selfishness. Concern for others can compensate for this.

“When we are too self-absorbed, we become alienated from others. Placing greater emphasis on others’ concerns, considering them the same as us—that’s the way to go. The 8th century Indian Buddhist master Shantideva put it like this:

For those who fail to exchange their own happiness for the suffering of others, Buddhahood is certainly impossible—how could there even be happiness in cyclic existence? 8/131

“I’m very happy to have had this opportunity to meet you all. The real purpose of our gathering here has been to learn how to develop a warm heart. This isn’t something complicated. The key is to be a happy person contributing to building a happy world. Disregarding our tendency to see people in terms of ‘us’ and ‘them’ we should recognize that actually they are just like us.

“All eight billion of us have to live together helping each other as best we can. So seek to be happy here and now and think of your fellow human beings as if they were your brothers and sisters.”

“We want to lift people up and bring them together with science, ideas and spirituality. This is a message from the heart that we are trying to convey to the rest of the world.

“Buddhism teaches that there is suffering in the world, that life is suffering. There is widespread dissatisfaction. We are dissatisfied with ourselves, our lives and our possessions. When I seek Your Holiness’s guidance you tell me: ‘Remember that you are one of eight billion human beings. When you feel pain, cultivate compassion for others. When you feel hatred, show warm-heartedness. Concern yourself with spiritual matters rather than physical things.’

“We must transcend ourselves to find ourselves, so to focus on higher things, on other people, is our theme. We are going to talk about relating to other people today. Tomorrow we’ll talk about the universe.”

“One of the principal things I try to make people aware of,” His Holiness replied, “is that we were all born of a mother and during our infancy were nurtured in her care. We need to remember this. When we’re very small the intellectual side of our brains is not developed, but we are able to appreciate the care we were shown. This is true of other mammals too, even of aggressive predators like lions and tigers.

“We can see that people who were cared for when they were young grow up to be secure and at peace. Those that were separated early from their mothers reveal a sense of insecurity and unease later in life. In my own case, I had a truly loving mother.

“In the Buddhist tradition, and especially in the Tibetan Buddhist tradition, we cultivate a recognition of all sentient beings having, at some time, been our mother. This is a step in our training in universal compassion, a way to make a connection with all beings.

“Our ability to love others is rooted in our experience as infants. Many people simply don’t appreciate the power of love. They are competitive in their pursuit of their own interests, whereas it is actually more effective to recognize and appreciate the kindness we receive from others.

“If you develop a more positive outlook in this way, you’ll find you’re more at peace with yourself and your relations with others will be more natural. If I compare myself to my predecessor, I connect with others quite easily, but the 13th Dalai Lama was different. Perhaps this relates to our different experience. I lost my country when I was young and as a refugee found I had more opportunity to interact with people from all walks of life—much less formality.

“What’s important is to appreciate the kindness, love and compassion you receive. Nearly all the problems we human beings create derive from a lack of consideration for others.

“In the Buddhist practice of cultivating compassion, we build on the natural capacity we receive from our mothers at the start of our lives. We make a connection with others and generate a sense of gratitude towards them. When we think of others in terms of ‘all mother sentient beings’ there is no room for anger or hatred.”

Brooks asked, “What do you do when you find it’s hard to love someone?”

His Holiness answered, “Sometimes you must first cultivate a sense of equanimity and based on that develop affection and consideration.

“When I met Chairman Mao Zedong, he commented on my scientific outlook but also remarked that cultivating love for others was unimportant. But how could he have been happy without any sense of trust or affection for those he worked with, the members of his inner circle? Power alone is not enough to make us happy. I believe that if he were alive today, he’d change his mind. The crucial thing in our person-to-person relations is to make a connection.”

Brooks wanted to know whether you can decide to love someone when in fact you don’t feel it. His Holiness replied that we have to use our intelligence to understand the value of warm-heartedness towards others.

Psychologist from California Sonja Lyubomirsky, who does research into the effect being generous to other people has on us, asked how we can focus on others in daily life. His Holiness suggested that if we observe animals, we can see how they have a group cohesion that is dependent on the care and affection that exists between them. This is true even among predators that rely on eating other creatures.

“Our intelligence puts us human beings at an advantage. We can understand the power and value of connection and kindness. When I was a small child in North-eastern Tibet the majority of the local population were Muslims so there were social differences between us, but affection within the community was strong and we had good relations with each other. We children played with each other quite unselfconsciously. We need to remind ourselves that fundamental kindness and affection are part of human nature.”

A student called Tenzin Lodoe asked what the education system can do to help young people with emotional and mental problems. His Holiness expressed concern that modern education seems to focus on fulfilling self-interest without encouraging corresponding attention to social connections. In reality, he said, the important thing in today’s world is how we connect with each other as human beings. All of us want to live in a more peaceful world, but if we don’t connect with each other there is no basis for peace.

“From my point of view, when I think of the situation in Tibet, I realize we have to pay special attention to those who have caused such trouble there. I reflect on what we call the four immeasurable wishes:

I will cultivate [love wishing] that sentient beings have happiness,
[Compassion wishing] that they be free from suffering
Joy in their abiding forever in bliss,
And equanimity devoid of attachment or aversion.

“To think, ‘May all beings find happiness and its cause’, is very powerful. So, when I think of the suffering and destruction the Chinese communists have brought about I realize that their actions are founded in ignorance. Tibetan culture, on the other hand, is rooted in kindness, love and compassion.”

Brooks sought advice on ways to teach others the importance of love.

“The key point is to recognize that the more you care for others the greater will be your own sense of peace,” His Holiness responded. “It’s quite clear that where there is less kindness in the world, there are more problems. When we talk about love, kindness and compassion, it’s not a religious matter. It’s part of the fundamental reality of relations among social creatures. Problems arise when we are unkind. That’s why we need more kindness in the world.

“You young people are training as leaders. It’s important for you to recognize that love and compassion have a role to play in who we are as human beings. We all want to be happy not sad. This is a wish we have in common. We survive because of the care of others.

“Many political ideologies are based on emphasizing differences between ‘us’ and ‘them’. This is contrary to our basic kind and affectionate nature. Having come to India as a refugee and travelled widely around the world, I’ve come to understand that we human beings are all the same; we share a common experience. And recognizing this brings me peace and joy. When we see that other human beings are just like us, love and compassion for them comes easily.

“If we focus instead on religious or political differences between us, we only increase our feelings of alienation and division. The crucial thing is to see that we are the same as human beings.”

Arthur Brooks summarized the morning’s proceedings in six lessons. The first was that although we might think that love is our goal, it’s actually the beginning. Secondly, the point is to love others. Thirdly, forgetting to love others is an easy mistake to make, especially when selfishness seems to be effective. However, when His Holiness says ‘May all beings be happy’, it involves remembering how they have been as kind to us as our mother and feeling grateful for it.

Fourth, the proper response to understanding that people do harm out of ignorance, is to resolve to show them love. Fifth, to be effective leaders teaching about love, we need to make an authentic connection with other people. Lastly, the sixth lesson was that the biggest problem in the world is the illusion of ‘us’ and ‘them’, a failure to acknowledge how interdependent we are.

Following the Buddha’s passing away and the cremation of his mortal remains the relics that remained, fragments of bones and teeth, were divided among eight kingdoms and stupas were erected over them in Allakappa, Kapilavastu, Kushinagar, Pava, Rajagriha, Ramagrama, Vaishali, and Vethapida. During excavations at Piprahwa, which is identified with Kapilavastu, relics of the Buddha were discovered that had been enshrined by Shakyan relatives in Kapilavastu. In 1898, a British official, William Peppé made a gift of these relics to the erudite Sri Lankan monk, Most Venerable Waskaduwe Sri Subhuthi Mahanayake Thera, who brought them to Sri Lanka.

The Most Venerable and his party arrived this morning at Kangra airport and drove up from there to His Holiness’s residence. Groups of Tibetans, many holding silk scarves, flowers and incense in their hands, gathered by the side of the road from the lower reaches of Dharamsala town up to Mcleod Ganj to pay their respects. Large numbers of people gathered near the gate to Gangchen Kyishong and the Central Tibetan Administration and below the Tsuglagkhang, the Main Tibetan Temple. Both sides of the driveway to His Holiness’s residence were decorated with strings of Buddhist and Tibetan flags.

While artistes from the Tibetan Institute of Performing Arts sang and danced in celebration, His Holiness sat on chair outside the gate to his residence to greet the relics, the Most Venerable and his party as they arrived. Monks from Namgyal Monastery staged a formal welcome playing horns, strewing the path with flower petals and holding a yellow, silk parasol over the portable reliquary. His Holiness stood to welcome his guests and paid his first respects to the relics. He then drove with the Maha Nayaka Thero up to his meeting room where they and the delegation sat together.

The Venerable Samdhong Rinpoché, Ling Rinpoché, Kirti Rinpoché and Sikyong Penpa Tsering joined the meeting.

“We, members of the Sri Lankan Mahasangha appreciate your service to the world,” the Most Venerable Dr. Waskaduwe Mahindawansa Maha Nayaka Thero told His Holiness. “Teaching the world loving-kindness is one of the Buddha’s accomplishments. You too are doing what the Buddha did. We have metta for everyone. Cultivating warm-heartedness is what the Dharma is about. We are all human beings, which is why we love all human beings.

“We pray for your good health and long life and offer these relics to you.”

His Holiness respectfully touched his bowed head to the portable reliquary as the Sri Lankan party chanted auspicious verses.

“It seems that since the time of the Buddha interest in his teaching has grown around the world,” His Holiness told them. “The Nalanda Tradition utilizes human intelligence. I’ve met scientists who take an interest in what the Buddha taught, not out of faith, but on the basis of reason. They also take a genuine interest in what the teaching of the Buddha reveals about human psychology.

“Many years ago, when I met Chairman Mao Zedong he praised my scientific turn of mind but warned me that religion is poison. I think that if he could see the interest scientists show in Buddhism today, he would consider becoming a Buddhist himself. This is because the Buddha’s teaching takes a scientific approach.

“I respect all religious traditions, but it’s Buddhism in particular that employs reason. This is why we are able to hold our own in discussions with scientists. I’ve met scientists who were initially sceptical about religion in general who eventually became Buddhists.

“Now, on a practical level, the world needs peace and that’s the core of the Buddha’s message. However, I’m prepared not to mention Buddhism as such but to emphasize secular ethics and universal values crucial among which is compassion. The important thing is to have a warm heart. Consequently, I’m committed to encouraging people to cultivate loving-kindness. What I want to convey is that I’m fully committed to promoting the Buddha’s message from a secular point of view. What do you think?”

“It’s a good way to approach the future,” Maha Nayaka Thero replied.

“The world needs peace,” His Holiness continued. “Our experience of peace begins when we’re born, and we bask in our mother’s kindness and affection. This is our introduction to peace of mind. It’s this that sows a natural seed of compassion within us. We receive a clear lesson in love and compassion right from the start of our lives. Our experience of our mother’s love and compassion has a deep influence on us all. Having been nurtured in this way, it’s important to keep these feelings alive and to act on them throughout our lives.”

As the meeting came to an end, the visitors approached His Holiness one by one to pay their respects personally. In response, His Holiness first offered a statue of the Buddha and a Dharmachakra to Most Venerable Dr. Waskaduwe Mahindawansa Maha Nayaka Thero to be installed in his monastery and then gave him another smaller statue for his personal use. Next he offered a statue of the Buddha to each of the other monks and lay people in the party. Photographs were taken that record this historic occasion.

(Media Statement from Most Ven Dr Waskaduwe Mahindawansa Mahanayake Thero can be viewed here.)

He was offered the traditionally welcoming 'Chema Changphu' and took a pinch of one and a taste of the other. Singers and dancers in traditional costumes sang and danced where they stood. Letting his gaze run over the crowd, His Holiness smiled and waved to them as he passed.

The ceremony, which began with the recitation of a praise to the Buddha, was presided over by Ling Rinpoché. He was joined in the front row by the two reincarnations of Trulshik Rinpoché and to his right, the Abbot of Sera-mé, the Lobpön of Namgyal Monastery and Bodong Rinpoché. To his left were the Abbot of Drepung Loseling and the Abbot of Tawang.

There followed a recitation of ‘Clouds of Ambrosial Blessings’, Trulshik Rinpoché’s invocation of the series of incarnations of Avalokiteshvara in India and Tibet, including the series of Dalai Lamas. The ritual today followed the 'Long-Life Ceremony of White Tara of the Wish-Fulfilling Wheel' by the Great Fifth Dalai Lama. It was the culmination of several days’ preparation during which monks, led by Ling Rinpoché, recited prayers and repeated mantras to bless the symbolic substances that would be offered. The text they followed includes repeated offerings and requests that the 'life of our glorious, sacred Lama' be prolonged.

As the prayers were chanted representatives of the Toepa Association and people from Purang began to line up in the yard below carrying a variety of offerings that included several hundred sacred statues.

At a certain point Ling Rinpoché came forward carrying a cloth-bound arrrow that he offered to His Holiness who accepted it. Next, a small vajra was presented to His Holiness who placed it inside his robe, close to his heart. Tied to it was five coloured thread that was distributed to the Lamas leading the prayers, each of whom held it his hand or tucked it inside his robe. This physical connection symbolized enabling the transfer of the positive energy the Lamas had collected during their recitation of longevity mantras to His Holiness.

Next, a large ritual cake was offered to His Holiness who took a token portion and ate it.

A prayer invoking the protector deities of Tibet that His Holiness wrote in the 1970s was recited. This was followed by a mandala offering requesting His Holiness to live for 100 aeons for the benefit of the doctrine and sentient beings.

Ling Rinpoché approached the throne once more, performed prostrations and offered a mandala to His Holiness. He followed this with a series of offerings beginning with a statue of Amitayus, a scripture and a stupa; a vase; a tray bearing symbols of the five Buddha families; long-life nectar; long-life pills, a tray bearing the seven royal emblems—a golden wheel, a wish-fulfilling jewel, the precious queen, minister, elephant, horse and general; another tray supporting the eight auspicious symbols—the precious parasol, white conch shell, golden fish, eternal knot, vase of great treasure, victory banner, lotus flower and eight spoked wheel. and lastly the eight auspicious substances—a right-coiling conch shell, yogurt, durva grass, vermilion, bilva fruit, a mirror, giwang (a medicine) and white mustard seed.

Meanwhile, a Ngagpa, a tantric yogi, from among the audience appeared to go into a spontaneous oracular trance. His Holiness beckoned him forward and blessed him with a scattering of grain.

The procession of people carrying offerings filed briskly through the temple in front of the throne. The Lamas sitting in the front row and representatives of the patrons of the ceremony came up to greet His Holiness and were each given a red protective ribbon. Last in the line were a couple of white-haired old men dressed in white.

A group of women sang:

A good star has appeared in the sky,
The sun shines upon this earth,
How wonderful it is we have the blessings of our spiritual master
—may he live long.

Next was chanted a prayer for His Holiness’s long life composed by his two tutors, followed by a similar longevity prayer by Jamyang Khyentse Chökyi Lodro.

The ceremony was concluded with a thanksgiving mandala offering and recitations of the Prayer for the Flourishing of the Dharma, the Prayer of the Words of Truth, as well as verses of dedication from the Samantabhadra Prayer.

His Holiness had the last word:

“This long-life ceremony offered with sincere hearts has been successful from beginning to end. I pray and am determined to live for more than 100 years.

“This is a time when the Buddhadharma is in decline and yet there have been many causes and conditions for me to be able to serve the teaching of the Buddha. Today, in places where the Dharma had not previously spread people are taking interest in what the Buddha had to say about the workings of the mind and emotions, scientists particularly among them.

“Whether they are religious or not there are growing numbers of people who appreciate that we can bring peace to the world by first achieving peace within. In this context this is my prayer:

Wherever the Buddha's teaching has not spread
And wherever it has spread but has declined
May I, moved by great compassion, clearly elucidate
This treasury of excellent benefit and happiness for all.

“At the same time, I would like to encourage people to have a keener sense of ethics, to serve humanity and, through understanding the functioning of their minds and emotions, to cultivate peace of mind. The inner and outer conditions exist for me to do this and the Dharma Protectors, who take responsibility for defending and preserving the Dharma, are helping me in what I’m trying to do.

“That’s all I want to say—thank you.”

His Holiness stood up from the throne, walked out of the temple to the lift, and on the level of the yard below boarded the golf cart that then drove him home. He smiled joyfully and waved to well-wishers who squeezed together along the way to see him.

“I pray for those who have lost their lives,” he wrote, “as well as for the many who have been injured as a result of this natural disaster. I offer my condolences to Your Excellency and to the families of all who have been affected by this tragedy.

“I commend your Government and its concerned agencies for their swift response as they seek to rescue the injured and provide relief to those who need help.”

His Holiness ended his letter, “With my prayers.”

“I pray for him,” he wrote, “and offer my condolences to the members of the Rama Krishna Mission and his many followers.

“It is wonderful that the late Spiritual Master led a meaningful life in dedicated service to the benefit of others.

“I join the many followers and friends of the late Swami Ji in paying homage to our elder spiritual brother.”

Sona Dimidjian replied, “We are humbled to be in your presence again. Thank you for yesterday’s conversation which prompted long discussions among us about the oneness of humanity, our shared human values, dedication to a life of service, how to work with anger and how to work with those who do harm. It was a meaningful conversation. We felt yesterday’s conversation opened our hearts.”

The Fellows broke into song once more, chanting ‘Open my heart, let it overflow with love’ as they did yesterday.

Flavia Neves Maia from Brazil, Vuyo Henda from South Africa and Stephen Ogwena from Kenya asked His Holiness about the role of love and compassion in the practice of leadership.

“In the past, to become a leader took power and cunning,” His Holiness replied, “but those days are over. Now leadership depends on warm-heartedness; taking the public into account, particularly the poorer sections of the community. Today, pursuing only selfish aims is very narrow-minded.

“As democracy spreads all over the world people are better informed about what’s going on. Previously they either paid little attention or couldn’t see the whole picture. Now the public are seriously concerned about the general well-being of society.

“In democratic countries we see government of the people by the people, not just a narrow, biased leadership. This is much healthier. Power is no longer in only a few hands.”

“Yesterday, when you spoke about the oneness of humanity,” Sona Dimidjian remarked, “I was reminded of your friendship with Archbishop Desmond Tutu.”

“When I talk about humanity,” His Holiness answered, “I’m thinking about the experiences we have in common. We’re all born of a mother. In the past, there were those who thought some people had mystical powers or healing abilities. Now we’re all the same. There were people who thought the Dalai Lama had mystical powers, but I’m just a human being, no different from all of you. We all experience emotions, some positive, some negative.

“What does make a difference is education, which can help us broaden our minds. Without that the higher a person’s position, the more narrow-minded they become. One of the features of education is that it helps people gain a broader perspective.

“In my own case, I was recognised as the Dalai Lama in Tibet and placed on a high throne, which created a distance between me and other people. As a refugee I’ve been able to make contact with all kinds of people from all walks of life. And this has taught me to acknowledge the oneness of humanity, how all human beings are essentially the same.

“To think of yourself as somehow special and set apart from others is an old way of thinking. In my own case I feel life as a refugee has been helpful. It’s brought me down to earth.”

Ruchi Varma working in Delhi and Addi Mavengere in Zimbabwe, both trying to bring education to the under-privileged, asked the next question.

His Holiness interjected that education is an area where there is clearly a gap that means that poor people have much more limited access. The important thing, he declared, is that everyone should have the same opportunities.

Ruchi and Addi asked whether we and others can learn from young children how to recognize the oneness of humanity.

“Generally, in most societies,” His Holiness noted, “people look up to the elders, as if they know better, and have little regard for what children experience. However, I believe observing how children think and how they relate to each other is something we can learn from. What’s more, treating children with respect will boost their confidence.”

Shubham Sapkot from the USA working in Nepal and Tim Huang from Bhutan wanted to know how schools can contribute to developing leaders with more compassion.

“Buddhists pray for the welfare of all sentient beings,” His Holiness told them. “This includes all human beings. From that point of view recognizing that all human beings are the same is a crucial part of education. One simple consideration that might help here is to acknowledge that all human beings are the same in wanting to be happy. We’re all born from our mother’s womb and are nurtured by her milk. Of course, this was true of me too even though I was later recognized as the Dalai Lama.

“If you can keep in mind that all human beings are the same, you’ll be happy. Once you start to think of yourself as somehow exceptional you must make efforts to protect that image. When I meet other people, I think, “Here’s another human being just like me”.

“When I was in Tibet, formality kept me apart from others, but anyway, this idea that someone has the elevated status of the Dalai Lama is a purely human construct. These days I’m much happier to be in touch with ordinary people.

“Whether I was confined to the Potala, the Winter Palace, or Norbulingka, the Summer Palace, the formality involved a lot of pretence. From that point of view coming into exile in India has brought me peace of mind. As a refugee I’ve felt freer. The message I’d like to convey more widely is that in being human we are all the same and that it is much healthier to relate to other people as equals.”

Sona Dimidjian remarked that one of the challenges when trying to share basic human values with children is that there is so little support for teachers. The same is often true of the parents who are exhausted earning their living. “How,” she asked, “can these people sustain their motivation in such difficult circumstances? How do you sustain your motivation in the face of so much suffering in the world?”

“One problem,” His Holiness replied, “is that many societies have a hierarchical structure. The more people internalize the idea that they are the same as everyone else, the more confident and courageous they become. In Tibet we elevated Lamas and treated them as somehow special, which only served to isolate them from others. Rigid hierarchical structures are out of date.

“It’s very important to promote the idea that all human beings are essentially the same. Not only do we need care and affection, but we also have the capacity to care for others.”

Ian H Solomon, Dean of the Frank Batten School of Leadership offered some closing remarks. He thanked His Holiness for his words and his blessing, as well as the way his office had facilitated the meeting. He brought greetings from Charlottesville and the University of Virginia where, he said, His Holiness has many friends. He noted that the Universities of Virginia and Colorado, as well as Stanford University are proud to host the Dalai Lama Fellows Leadership Program.

“Across the world people urgently need leadership to overcome the divide between them. We need to reinforce our common humanity through cooperation. Thank you for being the world’s ambassador for peace and compassion. You set an example for us all to follow. Leadership can improve society and anyone can show leadership. Individuals, groups like the Dalai Lama Fellows, institutions and even nations can exercise leadership. The choice we face is to take responsibility for ourselves and others to manage change in the world and bring about justice.

“You have been a model of leadership for us all, warm-heartedly helping those who need help. The Dalai Lama Fellows also make such a choice to be of help to others. The program they take part in is about action and service, less about competition and more about compassion, less about narrow-mindedness and more about warm-heartedness. We’ve seen this in the last few days in their questions and curiosity.

“Although we all want to be happy and avoid suffering, we view each other in terms of ‘us’ and ‘them’. Dalai Lama Fellows can help bridge this divide based on the sameness of all human beings. I’d like to invite them to sing again.”

The Fellows brought the meeting to a close gently singing and swaying together in harmony:

Out beyond ideas
of wrong-doing and right-doing
There is a field
I will meet you there.

As soon as His Holiness had taken his seat in the meeting room the Chancellor of the University of Colorado, Philip P DiStefano, opened proceedings. He told His Holiness that he had come with friends and colleagues to share a conversation on compassionate leadership. He reminded His Holiness that the University of Colorado had hosted him in Boulder in 2016 and that they had engaged in a further virtual conversation in October 2021.

“It’s a joy to be with you and Dalai Lama Fellows from the University of Colorado, Stanford University and the University of Virginia,” he remarked. “This is an opportunity to shape tomorrow’s leaders.”

As part of her introduction, Moderator Sona Dimidjian told His Holiness that his advice had been a guide to her work in psychology and neuroscience and to her family.

“We seek your guidance again,” she told him, “for these young people who, looking out to the world see competition and conflict, war and suffering. And when they look inward, they see suffering, sorrow and despair.

“Since the Dalai Lama Fellows program was launched in 2004 more than 200 Fellows from 50 countries have taken part. They wish to put your teachings into action, combining an inward and outward focus to bring about change in the world. Their hearts are open.”

Dimidjian reported that when she reached the gate to His Holiness’s residence this morning, she found the group of Dalai Lama Fellows singing together as they waited to enter. This served as a prompt for them to break into song once more as they chanted, “Open my heart, open my heart, let it overflow with love.” Dimidjian then asked His Holiness if he had a few words for them about how they could put compassion into action.

“First,” he replied, “I want to tell you how happy I am to be meeting with you here. Basically we have all been born of a mother and received maximum affection from her. It’s a natural response, we see other animals do this too. It’s an experience we all share in common, and it means we are all essentially the same. We survive because of our mother’s kindness. This is something very important to remember.

“While we’re still young, the sense of our mother’s affection remains vivid within us, but as we grow up and go to school, it begins to decline. How much better it would be if we could keep our appreciation of her kindness fresh and alive until we die? One way to do this is to make an effort to nurture a sense of compassion and warm-heartedness.

“Wherever I go and whoever I meet, I smile and greet them warmly. That’s how everyone becomes my friend. The key thing is to be warm-hearted towards others. I believe warm-heartedness is part of our very nature. It brings about peace of mind and attracts friends. Our mother’s real gift to us is her smile and her affectionate warm-heartedness.”

Sona Dimidjian mentioned that she was excited to introduce seven Dalai Lama Fellows who, in pairs, would put questions to His Holiness. The Fellows were Khang Nguyen from Vietnam and Damilola Fasoranti from Nigeria/ Rwanda; Mansi Kotak from Kenya and Serene Singh from the United Kingdom; Brittanie Richardson from Kenya/ USA and Shrutika Silswal from India, as well as Anthony Demauro from USA. They asked him what they could do to promote a recognition of human values, shared and universal. They sought his advice about how to inspire others to choose service and the care of others as a way of life. They wanted to know how to employ compassion as a leader when feeling angry and frustrated and they enquired how to resist injustice while maintaining compassion even for oppressors.

“If we were to keep the basic sense of affection that we received from our mother alive,” His Holiness replied, “there’d be no reason to quarrel with anyone. However, instead of thinking about what we have in common with other people, we tend to focus on the differences between us.

“Wherever I go, I think of myself as just another human being and I smile. I don’t think of myself as the Dalai Lama and somehow separate. And whenever I meet someone new, I feel they are just like me. We may have different names and our skin or hair may be a different colour, but these are just secondary differences.

“I just see other people I meet as human beings, as brothers and sisters. I don’t dwell on the differences between us, I think about the ways in which we’re the same. When I was very young, living in North-east Tibet, I played with the neighbouring children. I responded to them just as children like me. It was only later that I realized incidentally that many of them came from Muslim families and that my family was Buddhist.

“The essential thing we have to remember is that, when it comes down to it, we are all the same as human beings. Sometimes we forget our basic human values, our generosity and sense of kindness, because we let prejudice or negative discrimination take over. Whatever our religion, culture or ethnicity, at a fundamental level we are the same in being human. Thinking too much about being ‘Dalai Lama’ sets me apart from others, when I’m much more concerned with our common humanity.

“As I’ve already said, young children are just open and friendly. They don’t discriminate between themselves and others. It’s only when they grow older that they become aware of ways in which we are different. And the risk is that this leads to conflict. The way to balance this out is to think about how we are all the same. This is what we must remind ourselves. At a fundamental level we have to acknowledge the oneness of humanity, that in being human we are just like each other. Our faces have two eyes, one nose and a mouth.

“The fact that people of different colour, nationality and so on can procreate and give birth to viable, fertile, healthy children confirms that as human beings we are fundamentally the same.

“We do have different, complementary identities, for example I’m Tibetan, I’m a monk and I have the name Dalai Lama, but the most important point is that I’m a human being.

“We are social beings, we make connections with each other, but that doesn’t seem to be enough to stop us allowing conflicts to develop. However, one of the benefits of internalizing a sense of the oneness of humanity, the conviction that as human beings we are all the same, is that it makes us more relaxed.”

Sona Dimidjian thanked His Holiness for welcoming the group and sharing his wisdom with them. She invited Vijay Khatri to make some closing remarks.

“This week has been transformational,” he began. “As the saying goes, ‘The mind is not just a vessel to be filled, but a fire to be kindled.’ We have engaged with you and learned from you about compassion and warm-heartedness and we thank you for this kind gift.”

“As I mentioned earlier,” His Holiness responded, “when we’re very young we play with other children without any prejudice or suspicion between us. This kind of open, even-handed attitude is what we must preserve. We see each other in terms of ‘us’ and ‘them’ and this can lead to conflict. This is why it’s useful to regularly remind ourselves how much we have in common and that those we regard as ‘them’, not ‘us’, are human beings too.”

Sona Dimidjian wished His Holiness a peaceful, joyful day and told him the group looked forward to seeing him again tomorrow.

His Holiness walked from the gate to his residence to the throne at the head of the courtyard, below the temple. He was preceded by monks playing the Tibetan horn known as gyaling and another swinging a censer. A monk walking behind him carried a large yellow ceremonial umbrella. To the left of the throne, when His Holiness took his seat, was a gathering of eminent monks and to the right sat members of the Central Tibetan Administration. On the table next to him was a white orchid in full bloom.

A chant-master led a recitation of the ‘Heart Sutra’ followed by verses of homage to the Buddha, Manjushri, Maitreya, Nagarjuna from Tsongkhapa’s ‘Concise Stages of the Path. Meanwhile, tea and sweet rice were served. The offering of a mandala and request for His Holiness teach was presented by Education Kalon Tharlam Dolma Changra followed by the Abbots of Gyutö and Namgyal Monasteries. The entire congregation joined together in chanting the verse for taking refuge and generating the awakening mind.

“So, today, we’re all gathered here in this courtyard for a Dharma discourse,” His Holiness declared. “In the world today an increasing number of people are taking an interest in inner development, especially those whose lives have been focused on materialistic concerns. They are taking an interest in training their minds.

“The theistic religious traditions are good, but what distinguishes Buddhism is its thorough understanding of the workings of the mind. This is what attracts the interest of scientists. Our approach to finding inner peace by training the mind is both realistic and scientific. This is a tradition that has been upheld in Tibet and the regions around it.

“I have friends with strong religious faith who seek peace of mind in their belief in a creator god. However, we believe we need to use our minds—to train our minds—to find inner peace. In the West there are people with no religious commitment paying attention to what the Buddha taught to reduce attachment and anger. Indeed, the primary antidote to anger is compassion.

“At the beginning of his work ‘Entering into the Middle Way’ the Indian master Chandrakirti pays homage to great compassion at the beginning of the path to enlightenment, in the middle and even at its fruition. Compassion provides a harvest of benefit.

“Compassion is crucial in our ordinary day-to-day lives. And in today’s world when people resort to violence and do harm to others compassion has an important mediating role.

“I make compassion my primary practice and combine it with an understanding of emptiness. This brings peace of mind, a state of mind undisturbed by afflictive emotions, which brings good health and leads to long life.”

His Holiness explained that the teaching of the Buddha that had come to Tibet from Nalanda University depends not on faith but on logic and reason. Part of it includes an understanding of the workings of the mind. He emphasised the importance of understanding the trouble emotions can cause.

His Holiness mentioned that Songtsen Gampo, the Tibetan religious king, must have been very determined. Although he had married a Chinese princess, when it came to selecting a model for a Tibetan script, he chose the Indian Devanagiri alphabet. Then, during the time of King Trisong Detsen, Shantarakshita was invited to Tibet. He introduced the rigorous study of works by Nalanda masters like Nagarjuna, the key to which is the use of logic and reason.

His Holiness stressed that the more you employ reason and logic, the deeper will be your understanding of the Buddha’s teaching. He reiterated that thinking through what you’ve learned over and over again is very powerful. The combination of study and analysis that underlies the Nalanda Tradition, he stated, is one of the world’s treasures.

“In a world facing great upheaval, it’s important to understand that anger, pride and arrogance are mentally disturbing. In many parts of the world there are people doing harm and hurting others. They could really benefit from teachings of compassion that are at the core of the tradition we have preserved. And we’ve kept this tradition alive by putting the teachings into practice. Our Chinese friends acknowledge that Tibetans are fundamentally good-hearted. Circumstances in the world may change, but peace of mind remains the same.

“We should try to explain our behaviour and values whenever we can. We have a tradition that gives rise to peace of mind, which is an essential factor if there is to be peace in the world. It’s important to recognise that when you’re overwhelmed by anger you have no peace within, but when you’re moved by love and compassion you do.

“I make the awakening mind of bodhichitta and an understanding of emptiness the very core of my practice. And, as I’ve said, it brings me peace of mind. I urge all of you to cultivate compassion and wisdom and base your own practice on warm-heartedness.

“Now, I would like to lead you through the All-Encompassing Yoga Mind, a practice I do every day which I think will be useful for you too. As human beings we are all the same. We all want to be happy not sad. We prefer to hear good news rather than bad. If you have a good heart, you’ll be popular, whereas if you’re proud and arrogant people will be reluctant to praise you.

“In ‘Entering into the Middle Way’ Chandrakirti pays homage to compassion at the outset because it is not only the seed of enlightenment, it’s also the water and soil that enable it to grow. I make compassion my primary practice because it brings me peace of mind and robust good health. Even animals appreciate compassion.

“As soon as I wake in the morning, I reflect on bodhichitta. Then I consider how things appear to be objectively existent, but when I think it through, I see that they don’t actually exist that way. I reflect on these principles every day.

“Let’s meditate on the awakening mind, the wish to be of real benefit to others. Bodhichitta is a factor helpful to others as well as yourself in the short and long term. Now imagine this good-hearted, altruistic mind transforming into a white moon disc at your heart.

“Next, recall how you think of yourself as this or that and the way you appear to your mind as having a solid, independent existence. When you seek and don’t find anything existing that way, you recognize that you exist only as a designation dependent on language and concepts. Now, imagine this understanding of emptiness of a solid, independent existence transforming into a white vajra standing on the moon disc at your heart.

“Realization doesn’t occur immediately, but will dawn if you practise steadily.”

His Holiness led the gathering in reciting the All-Encompassing Yoga Mind mantra: Om sarva yogachitta utpatayami. Then, to stabilize the disciples’ minds and make the mind of all-encompassing yoga firm, he asked them to recite after him: Om surate samaya satvam ho siddhi vajra yatha sukham

His Holiness then recited a verse in praise of Avalokiteshvara—Chenresig—and the six syllable mantra, Om mani padme hung.

Greatly praised by all the Buddhas,
You have accrued all noble qualities,
And you are named the Deity with an Unwinking Gaze,
I pay homage to you, the Everlastingly Compassionate One!

He followed this by reciting a praise to Manjushri and his mantra Om ara patsa na dhih.

I pay homage to Shri Manjugosha
Who bears a youthful form,
Is adorned by the lamp of wisdom
That dispels the darkness of the triple world.

Finally, as is customary on this Day of Offerings, His Holiness read one of the Jataka Tales that recall Buddha Shakyamuni’s previous lives. This story took place when the Bodhisattva was king of the Shibis. He encouraged his subjects to turn away from harm and embrace righteousness.

It happened that there was an exceptionally attractive young woman in the kingdom. She was named Unmadayanti, `She Who Drives Men Mad'. Her father offered to marry her to the king, but he turned him down as his advisors recommended. She was then married to a member of the king’s court. However, when the king encountered her while driving through the city he fell madly in love.

Unmadayanti’s husband tried to persuade the king to accept her as his gift. But the king replied” “"No, that cannot be, and for what reasons? First, all my merit would be lost, and I am not immortal. Second, my wicked deed would inevitably become known to the public. And finally, when you were separated from your wife, you would burn with the fire of sorrow—a fire which would consume you as surely as flames consume dry grass."

His Holiness chose to stop there for the day. A thanksgiving mandala was offered and prayers for the flourishing of the Dharma were said. Then, smiling and waving to the crowd on his way, His Holiness walked steadily, but unhurriedly, back to the palace gate, from where he rode in a golfcart up to his residence.

“It has been an honour for me to have been able to visit your beautiful country several times over the years,” he wrote. “I deeply appreciate that on those occasions Finnish people from all walks of life have shown keen interest in what I had to say about developing love and compassion, cultivating an appreciation of the oneness of humanity and acknowledging the importance of inter-religious harmony.

“It is very sad that in various parts of the world today many people are suffering in violent conflicts. As an avowed campaigner for a world free from violence and weapons, it has been my earnest hope that the international community would make concerted efforts to resolve conflicts through dialogue and diplomacy and so contribute to the creation of a more peaceful and compassionate world.”

His Holiness concluded, “May I wish you every success in meeting the challenges and opportunities that lie ahead in fulfilling the hopes and aspirations of the people of Finland.”

“Indeed,” he wrote, “observing the exercise of democracy, as has just taken place in Taiwan, is a source of encouragement for all of us who aspire to live in freedom and dignity.

“I have fond memories of the hospitality the people of Taiwan showed me during my visits there, when I was also able to see how firmly rooted democracy has become. The Taiwanese people have not only developed a flourishing, robust democracy, but have also achieved a great deal in terms of economics and education, while at the same time preserving their rich traditional culture.

“I admire the strong devotion Taiwanese Buddhists have to the Buddha dharma. As a Buddhist monk, I try my best to fulfill their requests for teachings and spiritual guidance from time to time.

“Good relations between Taiwan and the People's Republic of China are of utmost importance. It is my longstanding conviction that engaging in dialogue is the best way to resolve difficult issues, whether on a local, national or international level.”

His Holiness concluded by wishing Mr. Lai every success in meeting the challenges that lie ahead in fulfilling the hopes and aspirations of the people of Taiwan.

“As Tibetans,” he wrote, “we share a historic relationship with the Bhutanese people, and as someone strongly committed to democratic values, I have followed your country’s commendable development in democratic governance, under the farsighted leadership of the Druk Gyalpo, over the past several years.

“Bhutan today is developing along modern lines, while preserving its traditional religion and culture. I am sure under your tenure, you will see that it continues to be strengthened. Our two peoples have a distinct form of Buddhism in common. Our religious tradition is not merely based on faith, but can also be of practical benefit to humanity at large.

“Our Kagyur and Tengyur, which are collections of the translated words of the Buddha and treatises by subsequent Indian masters, contain a wealth of knowledge about the workings of the mind and emotions that can be critically relevant to bringing about a more peaceful world.”

His Holiness’s letter ended: “May I wish you every success in your endeavours for the welfare of your country and people.”