Ashwin Dongre (signature) wrote, @ 2004-01-19 10:30:00

The Lama Says....
I hate happening it with me. I couldnt come online at all because of some trouble with the cable ISP, had to travel a lot to get this done. But anyway!

Here I was reading Readers' Digest (RD) the other day which had the exclusive interview of Dalai Lama. It was a great read, it told a lot about him. He's not like any of other spiritual leaders. He's just like one of us, having feelings, desires and all just that he knows how to control over them. Here is some part of it. I guess there is a lot to learn from it.

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RD : Religious intolerance seems tobe a major source of violence in the world today. What can be done to reduce it?
DL : I have four suggestions. One is meetings of scholars to discuss the differences and the similarities between religions. Second is meetings between practitioners from different religions. This exchange of spirtual experiences is very helpful to understand the value of other traditions.
The third is to make pilgrimages to different holy places. I have visited Jerusalem, Lourdes in the south of France and Fatima in Portugal. And, here in India, I visit churches, synagogues, mosques and Hindu and Jain temples. I dont believe in God. I dont believe in the creator. But I have respect.
For example, a few years ago some Catholics from England came to India to Bodh Gaya, to attend a seminar. Each morning under the Bodhi tree Christian and Buddhist brothers and sisters, then some Muslims and some Jains, came together in silent meditation. All have different beliefs, but we are all seeking inner peace and trying to be good human beings.
My fourth suggestion is to hold conferences where religious leaders from different ffaiths come together and speak from one platform.
Now the fundamenalists, I think one of the main causes (of their intolerance) is because they remain isolated. Many Tibetan Buddhists when we were in Tibet, including myself, felt Buddhism is best. But after meeting other people, now my feeling is we must respect other religions. To try to convert them is conterproductive creates a lot of problems.
You can see, because there are a lot of Hindus, lot of Sikhs, lot of Jains in India, the attitude of Indian Muslims towards other religions is much more open than Arab Muslims, who are isolated,. More contact with other traditions helps to reduce this extreme fundamentalist sort of attitude.

RD : DO you find there's shared spirit of ecumenism among religious leaders?
DL : Yes, most religious leaders respect pluralism.
But one catholic priest in Paris many years ago, he actually tried to convert me to Christianity. That's impossible! (laughs)

RD : Do you have a favourite saying that you use in life?
DL : Yes, it si this prayer. If I feel a little discouraged, sad or ask "What is the mening of this life?" this verse give me purpose of life and inner strength:
So long as space remains,
So long sentient beings' suffering remains,
I will remain,
In order to help, in order to serve...
And when things are okay, and people are praising the Dalai Lame, again this poem helps me: I am nothing but a servant to provide to others. Otherwise you get like, " Oh, I'm quite important." And that creats arrogance and exploitation.
So if you provide some happiness, some comfort to others, then your life becomes meaningful. IF your life creates ploblems or suffeing to others, then there's no meaniong to your existance.
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	khushee 2004-01-19 16:32 (link)
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