DHARAMSHALA, October 18: Tibetan spiritual leader His Holiness the Dalai Lama has said that spirituality retains a valuable role and one should be sincere in pursuing it in the 21st century alongside material development.
“On the surface material development seems beautiful, but underneath are problems of injustice, exploitation, corruption and conflict, all of which give rise to anxiety and unease. Spirituality, on the other hand, is a real source of inner peace; something machines cannot provide. Inner peace derives from the practice of compassion,” the Tibetan leader said Wednesday at an Inter-religious dialogue in Zacatecas, Mexico.
He also added that the message of spirituality, love, compassion, tolerance, self-discipline and truthfulness should be part of our day to day life.
The Nobel laureate further noted that everyone has the potential to create peace in own minds and that many problems are our own creation.
Later in the day, at the Convention Center in Zacatecas, Mexico, he gave a public talk on ‘Art of Happiness’ to over four thousand people who listened to him explain the importance of keeping calm mind.
“I believe it is worth working to develop a happy attitude because even if it doesn’t solve your immediate problems it helps you keep a calm mind and a calm mind is important in allowing you to see reality more clearly.”
His Holiness has also expressed sadness over being a refugee but described the experience “helpful” personally because he was no longer bound by protocol and formality as he would have been if he had remained in Tibet.
Beginning today, His Holiness is scheduled to give a two and a half day teaching on The Heart Sutra (Sherab Nyingpo), The Sutra of the Recollection of the Three Jewels (Kunchok Jeden) and Shantideva’s The Guide to Bodhisattva’s Way of Life (Chodjug). He will also confer an initiation into ‘The Buddha Establishing the Three Pledges’ (Thupa Damtsik Sumkoe) at the Beacon Theater in New York.
