His Holiness the Dalai Lama shines light on spiritual harmony
[Saturday, 26 June 2010, 10:10 p.m.]
| His Holiness the Dalai Lama greets Japanese monks before his public talk in Yokohama, Japan, on 26 June 2010. Over 21,000 people gathered to hear talk on Essence of Happiness”. |
Tokyo, Japan:
In a powerful and moving demonstration of spiritual peace and harmony,
the exhibition hall of Pacifico Yokohama reverberated with prayers as
groups of Buddhist monks from India, Taiwan, South Korea, and Japan
took turns on the stage to recite the Heart Sutra before a giant Buddha
scroll and His Holiness the Dalai Lama as about 12,000 people watched,
some applauding and some joining the prayers, today at Yokohama
district in Tokyo.
In a powerful and moving demonstration of spiritual peace and harmony,
the exhibition hall of Pacifico Yokohama reverberated with prayers as
groups of Buddhist monks from India, Taiwan, South Korea, and Japan
took turns on the stage to recite the Heart Sutra before a giant Buddha
scroll and His Holiness the Dalai Lama as about 12,000 people watched,
some applauding and some joining the prayers, today at Yokohama
district in Tokyo.
Tibetan
monks from the Tashi Lhunpo monastery in South India also joined the
prayer ceremony that highlighted the message of compassion, universal
harmony and interdependence delivered by His Holiness in his teachings
on Dependent Arising and Generating Altruistic Mind followed by a
public talk on ‘Essence of Happiness and Healthy Co-Existence’ at
Pacifico Yokohama.
monks from the Tashi Lhunpo monastery in South India also joined the
prayer ceremony that highlighted the message of compassion, universal
harmony and interdependence delivered by His Holiness in his teachings
on Dependent Arising and Generating Altruistic Mind followed by a
public talk on ‘Essence of Happiness and Healthy Co-Existence’ at
Pacifico Yokohama.
Speaking
at the event, His Holiness said this spiritual gathering of Buddhist
devotees – among them 400 Koreans, 300 Mongolians, 300 Chinese, and
hundreds of Japanese – reflects the widespread propagation of Buddha’s
teachings in Asia. He said he was optimistic about the prospects for a
more peaceful and non-violent world as a small but significant group of
people are now focussing their attention and energy on developing
secular ethics of compassion, peace, love and kindness.
at the event, His Holiness said this spiritual gathering of Buddhist
devotees – among them 400 Koreans, 300 Mongolians, 300 Chinese, and
hundreds of Japanese – reflects the widespread propagation of Buddha’s
teachings in Asia. He said he was optimistic about the prospects for a
more peaceful and non-violent world as a small but significant group of
people are now focussing their attention and energy on developing
secular ethics of compassion, peace, love and kindness.
These
secular ethics have the possibility of promoting a happy and healthy
life for believers as well as non-believers. However, many see these
secular ethics as religious and hence ignore them but His Holiness said
compassion is biologically inherent in all living beings, animals as
well as humans, in that everyone needs love and kindness for a happy,
wholesome life. “There are many non-believers who are also great human
beings,” he added.
secular ethics have the possibility of promoting a happy and healthy
life for believers as well as non-believers. However, many see these
secular ethics as religious and hence ignore them but His Holiness said
compassion is biologically inherent in all living beings, animals as
well as humans, in that everyone needs love and kindness for a happy,
wholesome life. “There are many non-believers who are also great human
beings,” he added.
| The exhibition hall of Pacifico Yokohama, the venue of His Holiness the Dalai Lama’s talk and teaching |
Secularism,
His Holiness said, is misunderstood by some religious practitioners as
rejection of religion which is not true. In the current reality,
secularism means respect not only for all religions but respect also
for non-believers. In ancient India, this kind of secular attitude was
quite common. He cited a conversation he had with a prominent Indian
personality who told him about the Charvakas, a group of atheist
philosophers active in India around 600 BC. The Charvakas rejected the
existence of gods and were skeptical critics of religion but they were
well-respected as rishis (sages) as any other learned religious
practitioners.
His Holiness said, is misunderstood by some religious practitioners as
rejection of religion which is not true. In the current reality,
secularism means respect not only for all religions but respect also
for non-believers. In ancient India, this kind of secular attitude was
quite common. He cited a conversation he had with a prominent Indian
personality who told him about the Charvakas, a group of atheist
philosophers active in India around 600 BC. The Charvakas rejected the
existence of gods and were skeptical critics of religion but they were
well-respected as rishis (sages) as any other learned religious
practitioners.
Explaining
various levels of compassion, His Holiness said in contrast to animals,
human beings possess reason and intelligence to practice a higher level
of compassion that treats even one’s enemy as one’s own because
everyone has the right to be happy and avoid suffering. “The more we
think about others, the happier we become.”
various levels of compassion, His Holiness said in contrast to animals,
human beings possess reason and intelligence to practice a higher level
of compassion that treats even one’s enemy as one’s own because
everyone has the right to be happy and avoid suffering. “The more we
think about others, the happier we become.”
His
Holiness said in a more interdependent world, the concept of “we” and
“they” has become obsolete making every country dependent on each other
for mutual well-being. Issues of global concern such as the current
economic crisis and environmental destruction exemplify the need for
everyone to live together as a human family. “That’s the new reality,”
he said, “but our perception has not changed with the new reality.”
This gap between reality and perception has triggered many unnecessary
problems and disagreements in the world today.
Holiness said in a more interdependent world, the concept of “we” and
“they” has become obsolete making every country dependent on each other
for mutual well-being. Issues of global concern such as the current
economic crisis and environmental destruction exemplify the need for
everyone to live together as a human family. “That’s the new reality,”
he said, “but our perception has not changed with the new reality.”
This gap between reality and perception has triggered many unnecessary
problems and disagreements in the world today.
| Audience members wearing T-shirts emblazoned with picture of His Holiness the Dalai Lama listen to his talk in Yokohama, Japan, on 26 June 2010 |
The
dependent nature of all existence, that all things are related to each
other and nothing arises independent of other factors, is the essence
of Buddha’s teachings, His Holiness said, adding suffering can be
overcome not by praying but by knowing the cause of suffering and the
root cause of suffering is ignorance. The inability to identify this
ignorance leads to distortion of the reality and throws people into the
never-ending wheel of suffering.
dependent nature of all existence, that all things are related to each
other and nothing arises independent of other factors, is the essence
of Buddha’s teachings, His Holiness said, adding suffering can be
overcome not by praying but by knowing the cause of suffering and the
root cause of suffering is ignorance. The inability to identify this
ignorance leads to distortion of the reality and throws people into the
never-ending wheel of suffering.
The
joint prayer ceremony also saw a group of traditional Mongolian
musicians who dedicated a special composition for His Holiness. Mr
Sadao Watanabe, an influential Japanese jazz musician and saxophonist
also performed at the event.
joint prayer ceremony also saw a group of traditional Mongolian
musicians who dedicated a special composition for His Holiness. Mr
Sadao Watanabe, an influential Japanese jazz musician and saxophonist
also performed at the event.
Others
in the audience included professors, scientists, students, teachers,
and representatives of some foreign consulates in Tokyo.
in the audience included professors, scientists, students, teachers,
and representatives of some foreign consulates in Tokyo.
–Report filed by Tsering Tsomo. Photos by Tenzin Choejor
