×
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT

Smile more, spread positive vibes, says Dalai Lama

Last Updated 12 August 2018, 19:58 IST

The 14th Dalai Lama has called upon people to try to make things better for others with compassion and smile more in their social encounters to ensure they spread positive vibes in society.

"The policemen do not respond when I smile and sometimes I tickle them to smile. Some religious people like reverends maintain stiff faces and I don't like that. My mind is dedicated to the welfare of people and I practise it in all walks of life," he said during a talk on the importance of Indian wisdom in the modern world here on Sunday.

The Tibetan spiritual leader peppered his speech with humour even as he touched upon quantum physics, science and Indian philosophy dating back to Nagarjuna to stress the importance of India's inclusive culture where "other faiths and religions are respected".

"India's tradition is not only ancient stretching back to 3,000 years; the secularism it espouses stands different from the West, where the word 'secular' has a sense of disrespect to religion," he said, adding that India embraced believers and non-believers like Charvaka.

The Dalai Lama said the modern world had laid emphasis on material growth but forgotten emotional development. "Good things in all religions have the potential to make a sensible human being. We see many people who criticise religion but they are actually protesting against religious institutions where power, politics and economy come into play," he said.

The Dalai Lama gave the example of quantum physics to stress that people who spread hatred project their own negative emotions rather than opposing a person for objective reasons. "The rejection is similar to quantum physics. There is no duality. There is nothing external to the hatred. In India's case, we have a wonderful tradition, knowledge and religion to help us," he said, adding that compassion devoid of passion will help in countering negative emotions in society.

ADVERTISEMENT
(Published 12 August 2018, 18:25 IST)

Follow us on

ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT