JOIN USIn February 2015, the Dalai Lama travelled to Denmark to meet those interested in his philosophy of compassion. At Bella Conference Centre in Copenhagen on the 11th, he revealed the purpose of our lives.
He explained, “Dear brothers and sisters, as human beings we are all the same, physically, mentally and emotionally. We all want to live a happy life and have a right to do so. There is nothing special about me, but maybe you can learn something from my experiences and I can learn something from yours. The purpose of our lives is to be happy. We live in hope, which means looking forward to something good. And there are increasing scientific findings that both our physical and mental well being depend on our peace of mind. Clearly stress is bad for our health.”
The conference centre was full, not only with a receptive audience but with members of the international press also, suggesting that people are seeking remedies to our fast-paced materialistic productivity, our continuing wars and killing conflicts. The embodiment of great wisdom and compassion did not disappoint.
His Holiness, Tenzin Gyatso, born into a humble farming family in Takster, Amdo Tibet, pointed out that people are suffering because they have abandoned traditional values such as honesty, non-violence, helpfulness and sincerity. Moral principles are being cast aside, he noted, in favour of quick money-making schemes. Family life and friendship rate low while acquiring things rates high.
The Dalai Lama said, “Scientists are also finding evidence that small children respond more positively to helping than hindering, which reveals that basic human nature is to be affectionate and helpful. Love brings us together, anger pushes us apart.”
He invited everyone to find ways to bring back the teaching of human values into schools by taking a secular approach. He suggested that the audience consider using the Indian model which allows for unity in diversity. For instance, the country is respectful of all religious systems and tolerates divergent points of view.
Now more than ever before, perhaps, we are dependent on each other. At one point, the Danes may have been self-sufficient, he said, but today the whole world, made up of 7 billion people, is interdependent.
“If we look back on the 20th century there were many marvelous developments, but it was also a period of unprecedented bloodshed,” His Holiness explained. “It’s estimated 200 million died in violence.
“To change the world for the better, complaining is not enough, prayer is not enough; we need a long-term vision implemented in a systematic way. This will depend on those who are not yet 30 years old now, the generation of the 21st century. It will take time, but if we start to make an attempt now, it may be possible to create a better world by the end of this century. I believe it is possible to do this by changing the way people think based on common sense, common experience and scientific understanding.”