DHARAMSHALA: The Tibetan spiritual leader, His Holiness the Dalai Lama, on Monday underlined the role of youths in shaping this century and that development of inner peace and non-violent action are key to make this century an era of peace. He made the remarks at the Forum 2000 established by his old friend President Vaclav Havel in Czech capital Prague.
Describing former Czech president Vaclav Havel as humble, honest, truthful person, His Holiness said although he is physically no longer with us, his spirit remains and we have a responsibility to continue his work.
“As human beings we are physically, mentally and emotionally the same. We all want a happy life and don’t look for trouble, and yet many of the problems we face are of our own creation. If we rely on our basic human feelings of affection we can overcome these problems. We need to have a sense of the oneness of humanity. We have to look at things on a human level and remember that just as we want to live a happy life, others do too.”
He said that despite our increasing interdependence, our insistent emphasis on ‘them’ and ‘us’ becomes the basis for war and violence. Yet the notion of completely eliminating your enemy, to overcome ‘them’, is obsolete, out of date. His Holiness commented that while his generation belongs to the twentieth century, young people today belong to the twenty-first. Despite its many developments, the twentieth century was a century of violence and bloodshed. Young people of the present century have the opportunity to create a new world, and although he may not live to see it, His Holiness jokingly suggested that from heaven or hell he will be keeping an eye on how they are doing.
“The past is past; nothing can change it. But the future depends on the present; we still have the opportunity to shape it. This is not a matter of employing technology or spending more money, it’s a question of developing a sense of concern for others’ well-being. We need to show each other affection; to be sensible, warm-hearted, more compassionate human beings. This twenty-first century should be an era of peace, and yet it will not be achieved by releasing a few doves, but by developing inner peace within ourselves. It will take non-violent action to make this an era of peace.”
His Holiness referred to our all being born from our mothers and brought up under the care of our parents’ affection. He said that those of us who enjoy such affection in infancy grow up to be happier adults. This is our common experience. Meanwhile, scientists have found that a healthy mind is important for even our physical well-being. He suggested that just as we teach about physical hygiene in our schools, we should view secular ethics and warm-heartedness as a form of emotional hygiene, which relates to human compassion and affection.
“Creating a more peaceful century will be achieved through education not through prayer. When it comes to the well-being of humanity, I’m not sure that prayer is really very effective. It is valuable to individuals, but when it comes to changing the world, action is more important.
“Whenever I have the opportunity to talk in public, this is what I talk about, so I thought I would share it with you here too.”
His Holiness then went into a meeting of the Forum 2000 International Advisory Board and Shared Concern Initiative Members, who included Burmese opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi, former South African President F. W. de Klerk and former Czech Foreign Minister Karel Schwarzenberg.
