His Holiness’s Message Talks to the Media in Newark on Addressing Challenges Nonviolently
[Friday, 13 May 2011, 5:00p.m.]
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| Holiness the Dalai Lama meets with the press in Newark, New Jersey, on May 12, 2011. Photo/Getty Images |
Newark,
New Jersey, USA, 12 May 2011 : His Holiness the Dalai Lama left
Fayetteville in Arkansas in the morning arriving in Newark in New
Jersey around noon for the last part of his programs in the current
tour of the United States. On arrival Prof. Robert Thurman of Tibet
House, who is the co-convener in the Newark Peace Education Summit,
which His Holiness is participating on May 13 and 14, received him.
two commitments of promotion of human values and promotion of religious
harmony. He said in the past several days he had been touching on
these themes at the different public talks, and joked that since he has
been repeating them so much he seemed to have memorized them. His
Holiness said that these values that he propagated were nothing new but
ones that were promoted for long by India.
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| His Holiness the Dalai Lama speaking to members of the press in Newark, New Jersey, on May 12, 2011. Photo/Getty Images |
Talking about his first commitment of promotion of
human values, His Holiness said that we are all the same human beings;
we all want a happy life. He said that people mistakenly think that
happiness can be achieved through material development. He added that
we needed to realize that the source of happiness is within ourselves.
He emphasized that these human values needed to be promoted through an
approach that did not touch on religion to be inclusive of all human
beings.
Referring to his commitment to the promotion of religious harmony,
His Holiness said on a few occasion, and particularly yesterday’s
development (May 11, 2011 when he heard a Christian nun and a gentleman
at a panel in the University of Fayetteville in Arkansas talking about
their Christian religion inspiring them in their work) confirmed his
belief that all religions have the same potential to inner peace
notwithstanding their philosophical differences. He said the real
purpose of all religions was the same: to promote love, compassion,
forgiveness, tolerance, and self-discipline.
His Holiness said that the people seem to agree with his line of thinking.
His Holiness said the reason why he was mentioning these today was
because the media also have a special responsibility and role in order
to build a happy democratic society. He repeated his comparison of the
media to an elephant who should be using the long nose to investigate
both what is in the front as also what is behind and to point them out.
He said that the media should do this in an honest, truthful, unbiased
and objective way.
His Holiness then answered questions from the media. The first
question was whether he was ready to negotiate with the Chinese and
whether he was ready to find his successor in the eventuality of his
passing away.
His Holiness outlined the history of contact
with the Chinese leadership. He said direct contact began in 1979 and
there was real hope in the early 1980s, but that things became
difficult and contact ceased in early 1990s. He said, “again we renewed
direct contact with Central Government” in 2002 and since then there
have been nine rounds of talks but no positive result. He said even our
sincere proposals under the Chinese constitution was described as
disguised independence movement. In the meantime, His Holiness said
the situation inside Tibet had been becoming worse and worse.
Nevertheless, he said from our side always we are always open for talks.
His Holiness said there is problem in Tibet but that Chinese
officials refuse to accept that. He suggested that journalists should
visit Tibet to see the situation and to see whether there is problem or
not. Sooner or later we have to tackle this problem, he added. “Once
the Chinese central government really addresses the real situation we
are always ready to help,” His Holiness said.
On the issue of his succession, His Holiness said that major
Tibetan religious leaders in exile have been meeting occasionally in
the past and this issue of successor of Dalai Lama has been a topic of
discussion in the past few years. However, nothing has been finalized,
he said adding that perhaps there could be another conference of top
religious leaders within this year. He joked by asking the people at
the press meet whether, by looking at his face, they could tell there
was any need to hurry in deciding on his succession or not.
His Holiness also responded to questions about the approach the
Japanese people should be taking with regard to their recent tragedy
and how Mexicans should be dealing with violence resulting from the
drug trade, etc. His Holiness said that people should try to
understand the situation and to look forward by making efforts to build
a new society. He talked of how the Japanese people were able to
rebuild their society after the destruction from the Second World War.
He said people have the potential to look forward. In terms of Mexico,
His Holiness said the people should not feel hopelessness and lose
courage and determination. Referring to the fact that the drugs in
Mexico find users in the United States, His Holiness said the very use
of drugs indicated that the people were missing something inside. He
added that these people have not realized their inner potential.
Asked
for a message to the urban youth in cities like Newark that experience
lot of murders amongst youngsters, His Holiness said that simply a
message from him would not help. What was needed was a long-term plan,
he said. He talked about the historical development in the United
States when Lincoln abolished slavery followed by Dr. Martin Luther
King Jr., a “courageous and marvelous leader” who fought for civil
rights. Now, he said, there is a Black American in the White House.
These were positive development, he said.
His Holiness said there was a need for a long-term strategy. He
said people should seriously address the issue of gap between the rich
and the poor, not just in the United States, but also in India, China,
etc. This gap is leading to feeling of discomfort among the poor who
then become frustrated. Frustration leads to anger, which in turn leads
to violence, he said.
His Holiness said education was important in changing the
situation. The education system needed to incorporate moral teachings
through a secular way. His Holiness explained that secularism does not
mean disrespect of religion but respect of all religions, as well as
for non-believers, as was the case in India.
He said such an approach would help bring about a calm mind adding
that a calm mind will lead to a healthy individual, which will in turn
help bring about a happy family and a happy community.
To a question about the appropriateness of violence in the name of
justice with regard to the killing of Osama Bin Laden, His Holiness
reiterated his long standing opposition to death penalty and said that
he was a signatory to a campaign by Amnesty International to abolish
the death penalty. He said right from his childhood when he learnt of
the hanging of German leaders after the Nuremberg Trials he felt sad,
as these people were already defeated. He also referred to the hanging
of Saddam Hussein, who was already defeated. He said death sentence in
such cases appeared to be out of revenge and not preventive. His
Holiness said there were different views on the issue of the killing of
Bin Laden. Some support it while others say it was wrong. He said he
was among those who think it was wrong.
His Holiness recalled that during the commemoration of the first
anniversary of the September 11 tragedy in Washington, D.C., he had the
opportunity to mention that we should not be against a whole community
just because of the mischievous action of a few people. He said
mischievous individuals were in all religious communities.
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| His Holiness the Dalai Lama and Prof. Robert Thurman during their press meeting in Newark, New Jersey, on May 12, 2011. Photo/AP |
When asked about his view on Tibet House USA, His Holiness said
that he knew Prof. Robert Thurman from a long time. His Holiness said
he appreciated the founding of Tibet House to bring awareness to
Tibetan culture. While saying that Prof. Thurman was living his life in
the spirit of Tibetan Buddhist culture, His Holiness drew attention to
the difference between Tibetan Buddhism and Tibetan Buddhist culture.
He said Tibetan Buddhism was for the individual while Tibetan Buddhist
culture was for the community. He talked about a community of Tibetans
who were Muslims but still their way of life was Tibetan Buddhist
culture.
To
a question on the Indian Government’s position on Tibetan independence,
His Holiness said that in the late 1940s and the 50s there seemed to
have been serious discussions among Indian leaders, including Sardar
Patel, which resulted in the formulation of a policy on Tibet. He said
the successive Indian governments have consistently followed this
policy. His Holiness clarified that we were not seeking separation and
that Tibet had been materially backward and Tibetans wanted
modernization. Therefore, it was beneficial to remain with the People’s
Republic of China but that Tibetan Buddhist heritage as well as our
language and script were such that needed preservation through
meaningful autonomy for Tibet. His Holiness expanded on the fact that
Tibetan Buddhism is richer than other Buddhist traditions, including
Chinese Buddhism. For example Buddhist logic was something that was
present in Tibetan Buddhism and not in Chinese Buddhism, he said. He
said Tibetan Buddhist culture was of concern not just to the six
million Tibetans but for many million more people in the Himalayan
region as well as Mongolia and in the Russian Federation, who follow
Tibetan Buddhism.
His Holiness also responded to a question about reports that the
Chinese were banning Indian pilgrims from visiting Mount Kailash from
2013 by saying that as a sacred place to the Hindus it should be open
to all pilgrims.
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| His Holiness the Dalai Lama poses for photographs with reporters at the conclusion of his press meeting in Newark, New Jersey, on May 12, 2011. Photo/Getty Images
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When asked for a message to the teenagers in the Newark area who
indulge in violence (who will not be able to attend the peace summit),
His Holiness said that he understood their frustration and that in some
case there was sufficient reason to face frustration. However, the
causes will not go away through violence, he said. Instead, people
should have determination, be optimistic, work hard and educate
themselves. He said these youth had the potential and the
responsibility to make this society better and happier. Saying that
everybody is bound to have challenges, His Holiness cited his own
personal experience. He said at the age of 16 he lost his personal
freedom (when he was entrusted with temporal responsibility over Tibet)
and that at the age of 24 he lost his country (when China completely
took over Tibet). Thus he faced a lot of difficulties and there were
sufficient reason to be angry. However, he realized that anger would
not solve anything. He said the injustices could not be resolved
through violence. His Holiness concluded by saying that when he was
young, he too was impatient, like these youngsters who are impatient
today, but now knew that on bigger issues people need to maintain
patience and have the energy to find solution step by step.
More than 50 journalists were present, including those representing
American, Japanese, Mexican, and Indian media as well as some
representatives from China’s Xinhua news agency (who, however, did not
ask any questions).
