Dharamshala — His Holiness the Dalai Lama, spiritual leader of Tibet, shared his thoughts and the need for love and compassion for others at the Eighth World Parliamentarians' Convention on Tibet and stated that “the cause of Tibet is about truth.”
His Holiness the Dalai Lama shared his thoughts in a video message on the occasion of the Eighth World Parliamentarians’ Convention, which began on June 22, 2022, in Washington D.C. USA.
The the Eighth World Parliamentarians' Convention on Tibet (WPCT ), organised by the Tibetan Parliament-in-Exile (TPiE), was attended by over 100 participants from 28 nations. Speeches were given by His Holiness the Dalai Lama, Speaker Khenpo Sonam Tenphel, Speaker of the US House of Representatives Nancy Pelosi, as well as Richard Gere, President of the International Campaign for Tibet (ICT), and Damon Wilson, President, and CEO of the National Endowment for Democracy (NED) at the start of the session.
His Holiness the Dalai Lama began his address by thanking those gathered to discuss the Tibetan Cause, for their support. His Holiness Stated “On the one hand, the cause of Tibet is about truth, on the other, it involves an understanding of the workings of the mind to cultivate compassion and inner peace. Therefore, it is not just a matter of politics, but also pertains of the cultivation of peace of mind based not on faith, but on reason.”
Invoking the words of the Great Abbot Shantarakshita, His Holiness said, “we have assimilated that culture to such an extent that even as young children, Tibetans express compassion when they exclaim, “Don’t even kill insects!” We are a people used to cultivating compassion from childhood. But this good practice need not be confined only to Tibetans, we can make others aware of the importance of love and compassion. Tibetans well-versed in these methods have been doing this, and they should continue to contribute to that goal since we have an opportunity to do so.”
His Holiness highlighted the importance of Peace and how it is imperative to have a good heart. He focused on the role that mothers play in nurturing children with their love and affection.
Commenting on the Western education system, His holiness stated, “Modern education, which evolved in the West is primarily focussed on materialistic goals. It doesn’t concern itself with the workings of the mind and emotions, nor with how to cultivate peace of mind. However, today, there is a growing interest among Western experts, psychologists, and neuroscientists among them, to learn more about methods in our tradition for cultivating love and compassion. I believe we can combine our traditional understanding of the mind with modern science to show how to cultivate love and compassion and achieve peace of mind.”
His Holiness addressed the Tibetan cause by stating, “Politically, we are not seeking independence for Tibet. I have made this clear over the years. What most concerns us is the importance of preserving and safeguarding our culture and language.” He implored Tibetans and practitioners of Buddhism to revive and extend the Tibetan culture of warm-heartedness and ethics, to others with a Buddhist background such as Mongolians, and Chinese people taking interest in Buddhism.
Further stating that, “We are not trying to propagate Buddhism. Cultivating a warm heart and becoming a good human being is of benefit whether you are religious or not. Right from the moment, we are born, our mothers have cared for us with love and affection. But this had nothing to do with religion, did it? It came about naturally and instinctively.”
His Holiness Concluded, “Today, I would like to urge all of you who have gathered for this meeting to consider ways to revive and advance the essence of Tibetan culture, which is about keeping in mind the well-being of others. And it would also be beneficial if you could work to train people in educational institutions about such human values as kindness and honesty. That’s all for now – thank you!”
The convention happening in Washington DC will be concluding on June 23, 2022.
