Dalai Lame Millenium Message

[Guest guest]

This was added as an attachment to a post from John Metzger.

Since it will not show-up in the Digest, I have sent is as a

straight post.

 

 

 

What the Dalai Lama Said: The Millenium Message

 

 

[Delivered by His Holiness The XXIV Dalai Lama via Internet

via www.worldpuja.org, January 1, 2000] [Transcribed by

Roger Ebsen, Closely Paraphrased, some words difficult to

understand]

 

People ask me what I feel about the new Millennium. “People

seem to be excited about the millennium. The new millennium

in itself wiil be ‘nothing special.’ As we enter the new

millennium, things will be the same ~ that is, nothing

unusual. Just wait, wait, wait…and then you’ll see nothing

unusual and then we’ll forget about it. [chuckles] My only

worry is whether my flight to Delhi today will take off.

 

The new millennium in itself is nothing special…One thing is

certain…We all can use time in our life constructively or

destructively…or we can waste our time, that is up to us.

So people who consider the new millennium…it can be happy

one or miserable, it is entirely up to us. So that is the

point. If we are really looking forward to a new

Millennium, or Century, a happy one, then we must make

effort, we must work hard for it. That is my message for

today. Awareness of the problem and learn how to lose it

and keep hope and determination. Not just prayer, but

through action …to alleviate unhappy situations…

 

Now, however, if you really want the next millennium to be

happier, more peaceful, and more harmonious for humankind,

we will have to make the effort to make it so. This is in

our hands, but especially in the hands of this younger

generation. The younger generation. I think myself also,

now, mainly, I think, I spent my …the most part of my life

is spent…or belongs to…the previous century. So the

previous century is the century of my generation. So

anyway, the other people, not even children, [are soon] to

say bye-bye to the world [chuckle]. So, the younger

generation, you are the people who really have to manage

yourself politically, to shape the difficult century. So as

a human being…with marvelous human intelligence, the first

is education, proper education; and then with determination,

self- confidence, and a …[good] attitude..with these

fundamental potentialities, then we can change the

situation. So the younger generation really study well and

meantime keep a warm heart..this is a most important thing I

want to say to you. We have had many experiences during

this century, constructive and extremely destructive ones,

we must learn from these experiences.

 

We need to approach this new millennium more holistically,

with more openness and far-sightedness. If we are going to

make this the right kind of effort to make the future of the

world better…I believe the following methods are of great

importance.

 

One, while engaged in material progress and taking care of

people’s well-being, we need to pay equal attention

developing peace of mind…and that is taking care of the

internal aspect of our being.

 

Second, our formal education generally deals with only

academic accomplishments, we need to develop more altruism

and a sense of caring and responsibility for others in the

minds of this younger generation sitting in various

educational institutions. This can be done without

necessarily involving religion. Therefore, all secular

education, as it in fact consists of basic human qualities

such as kindness, compassion, sincerity and honesty.

 

The third…this part of the century, in some ways, has been a

center of war and bloodshed. It has seen, year-by-year,

increasing defense spending for most countries in the

world. If we are to change this trend, we must seriously

consider the concept of non-violence, which is the physical

extension of compassion. In order to make non-violence a

reality, we must prefer to work on internal disarmament, and

then proceed to work on external disarmament. By internal

disarmament, I mean, ridding ourselves of all this negative

emotion, that results in violence. External disarmament

will also have to be done gradually, step-by-step. We must

first work on the total abolishment of nuclear weapons and

gradually work up to total demilitarization throughout the

world. And the problem with doing this [is that] we must

also work towards stopping the arms trade, which is

currently widely accepted because it is so lucrative. When

we do all these things we can then hope to see in the next

millennium a year-by-year decrease in the military

expenditure of the various nations and a greater working

towards demilitarization. Similar problems will, of course,

always remain. I believe, one of the sources of trouble is

human intelligence and because of human intelligence we

always can find different ideas, different ideologies, and

also, I think the unlimited desire for conflict or

derision. Therefore, so long as human beings live, or

living, on this small blue planet, some form of problem [is]

always there. [belief there, prayers?…] or hope of a world

without problems ~

that, I think, is hypocrisy, that is not realistic. So,

problems always have been there. So, we need …some method

to deal with the problems [without whining?]... So that is

very important. So, similar problems will always remain,

but the way to resolve them to sit down at a discussion.

So, I feel that the concept of war is very much based on a

concept of real estate, my interest, their interest, is

something totally separate, unrelated. Under best

circumstances, the concept of war which means 100% victory

[on] our side, 100% defeat of other, the so-called enemy.

Now, today, reality is not that. My interests very much

[resembles] others interests; Others interests [reflect] my

interests. So that’s the reality. So, therefore, under

best circumstances, or according to [better] reality,

discussion with your neighbor, even who you call enemy, but

in reality, discussing your enemy is actually discussing

warfare. So in the best circumstances, conquer the war,

conquer the one side, 100% victory, one side 100% defeat

[idea]; it is outdated. So, [laughter] [i love this] …the

next century should be a century of dialogue and discussion

rather than one of war and bloodshed.

 

Fourth, we need to address the issue of the gap between the

rich and poor, both globally and nationally. This

inequality, with some sections of the human community having

abundance, and others on the same planet being hungry, or

even dying of starvation, is not only morally wrong, but

practically also, [because it is a solvable problem?]….

Here, I want to make a small position, if you will agree,

the first week of this 21st century, those middle-class

people, and certainly those rich people, rich families, I

think one day, I think should remain [with just] one meal.

Some kind, some form of fast. So this is… that could be

[some kind o]f reminder that while they are enjoying living

without any difficulties, that there are millions of people

who are without just one meal, some even without that. …On

an individual basis, if they agree…offer a

reminder..fasting…just one meal.

 

[The whole problem is to ensure freedom.]…As long as there

is no freedom in many parts of the world, there can be no

real peace…and in a sense no real freedom for this effort to

work. I think, for the sake of our future generations, we

need to take care of our earth and of our environment.

Environmental damage is often gradual and not easily

apparent and often by the time we become aware of it, it is

generally too late. Since most of the major rivers flowing

into many parts of the Southeast Asia originate from the

Tibetan plateau, it will not be out of place to mention here

the crucial importance of taking care of the environment in

that area.

 

Lastly, one of the greatest challenges today is the

population explosion.

Unless we are able to tackle this issue, effectively, we

will be confronted with problem of major resources being

inadequate for all the human beings of this earth. We need

to seriously look into these matters that concern us all if

we are to look forward to the future with some hope.

 

So, lastly, I just want to share one of my public pleas,

that is, inside are many difficulties and inside some cases,

I think horrible, or hopeless sort of appearances, we should

not lose our determination, it is very, very important, so

please [maintain] optimism…so that, eventually, we can work

on all these painful experiences or problems…[Right from the

beginning, it will remain with sort of hopelessness, or

difficulty, and then, even small things, which we can easily

defeat?] …even that reason we can never retreat…so,

therefore it is very important to keep self-confidence and

determination. From that a perfect mind, [a most entrusted

element?] in order to keep the community. So, therefore,

believer or non-believer, please try keep a warm heart

inside…then you, yourself will be a happier person, and

through that means, your family will be happier, and through

that means, a happier , more peaceful community can build.

So according to my experience, or from my point of view, in

order to create a happier humanity, happier world, and…also…

including …little animals, or birds, beasts, other sentient

beings, we human beings, with the help of human

intelligence, with help of a wiser perspective ~ [must] keep

a warm heart, a compassionate heart inside.

 

Thank you.

_

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[Guest guest]

We all appreciated all of the effort made in presenting His Holiness, the

Dalai Lama's New Year message.

 

I cannot, of course, but comment on the etiquette, however.

 

Despite whatever differences of opinions those of us in the West might have

regarding Buddhism, Tantra, Tibetan Buddhism, Bon, et al, or with personal

tastes that might reflect negatively on the person of the Dalai Lama,

himself, it seems to me that we should all make attempts to regard this

person with the same respect we do our other spiritual leaders. In keeping

with this, the following forms are suggested:

 

His Holiness

Sri Rinpoche

Head of the Tibetan Buddhist Religion

Leader of Tibet in Exile

Spiritual Leader of the Tibetan Peoples

The Dalai Lama

Lama Rinpoche

 

You will note that in none of these titles or references is the

term "The Dalai Lame" used. Since His Holiness has never been afflicted with

any forms of joint weakness of the legs, limping or hobbling, such a

reference can only be taken as one insinuating a weakness of mind...as in "He

is so lame!" This, rather colloquial term might be acceptable when

discussing the ideas and words of adolescent or immature people engaged in

ludicrous argument, but this would appear to me to be an insensitive and

rather insulting title to bestow on such a kind and intelligent spiritual

leader.

 

If one must cast doubt on the Dalai Lama's credentials, words or deeds, it

would seem more appropriate to use the following address:

 

"The Dalai, Whom I Believe to be Lame" as this clearly indicates that such

thoughts are those of the writer alone, and not an absolute description. Of

course, there will be those who will be confused even with this, and suppose

that the writer is again, referring to the walking or bending capacities of

the Leader of the Tibetan Peoples.

 

I believe other illustrious thinkers belonging to the Satsangh may further

illuminate this topic.

 

Warm Regards,

 

Zenbob

)))))))))