Dharamshala: Tibetan spiritual leader His Holiness the Dalai Lama met with a group of students from the US and Israel this morning at his residence in Dharamshala where he gave a 40-minute audience.
In his preliminary remarks, His Holiness the Dalai Lama propounded the idea of cultivating emotional hygiene and conducting ourselves as human brothers and sisters by affirming our fundamental values of loving kindness, forgiveness and compassion for others.
His Holiness appealed for adopting a human approach towards individual, social and political, national and environmental crises.
He explained how cultivating compassion and warmheartedness inevitably leads to self-confidence and inner happiness.
“As necessary as physical hygiene is to maintaining our physical fitness, cultivating emotional hygiene and learning to tackle our destructive emotions is essential to mental fitness,” His Holiness noted.
In better understanding our inner world and managing them on the basis of universal secular ethics, His Holiness believed, will enable peace and understanding.
He also stated his three principal commitments and his latest commitment to revive ancient Indian tradition.
“Firstly, on the level of a human being, my first commitment is the promotion of human values such as compassion, forgiveness, tolerance, contentment and self-discipline.”
He said, “Secondly, on the level of a religious practitioner, my second commitment is the promotion of religious harmony and understanding amongst different religious traditions.”
Observing India’s harmonious co-existence and religious tolerance, His Holiness suggested that Indians, particularly the Muslim communities could teach, other Muslim communities across the world, how to unite in harmonious co-existence.
And thirdly, as a Tibetan, His Holiness the Dalai Lama said he is committed to preserving Tibetan language and culture, the heritage Tibetans received from the masters of India’s Nalanda University and the protection of Tibet’s natural environment.
In addition to his three principal commitments, His Holiness emphasised his fourth commitment to reviving awareness of the value of ancient Indian knowledge among young Indians today.
His Holiness’ next schedule includes a short teaching from the Jataka Tales at the Main Tibetan Temple on 19 February.