His Holiness the Dalai Lama Gives the Brown University Ogden Lecture
October 18, 2012 4:56 pm
Medford
Mayor Michael McGlynn presents His Holiness the Dalai Lama the key to
the Boston city during the teachings at Kurukulla Buddhist Centre in
Medford, MA, on 18 October 2012/Photo/Sonam Zoksang
His first engagement on arrival in Providence was a meeting with Lama Tsewang Tashi Rinpoche and members of the Da Nang Benevolence Association, many of whom are Chinese. He advised them of the need to be twenty-first century Buddhists; not content with having faith in the Buddha and his teaching, but understanding what the teaching means and how it can be put into effect on a practical basis. He also recommended studying the classic Indian Buddhist texts, which are written from a broader point of view that does not assume the reader is a Buddhist.
At a reception at the President’s House prior to his talk, His Holiness met local religious leaders and friends of Brown University. He gave them a brief account of his three prime commitments. The first is to promote an understanding of human values, bearing in mind that all human beings are fundamentally the same in wanting to live a happy life and avoid problems. The second, as a Buddhist monk, is advocating inter-religious harmony, in the belief that all the major religious traditions have the same potential to bring about inner peace. The third is to work for the cause of Tibet. However, with the election of a young, dynamic political leadership last year, His Holiness has felt able to retire from his political responsibilities. His spiritual responsibilities as Dalai Lama however, will continue for the rest of his life, in fact, he joked, into the next life too.
His Holiness had been invited by Brown University to deliver one of the Stephen A. Ogden Jr. Memorial Lectures, a series of lectures on international relations in tribute to a Brown student who died young in the 1960s. In the Providence Convention Center, 5600 people gathered to listen and many more tuned in to a live web-cast. His Holiness was accompanied to the stage by Peggy Ogden and was introduced by the Brown University President, Christina Paxson. He opened in his usual way,
“Brothers and sisters, respected President of this esteemed university, I am happy and honoured to speak to such a large gathering. Although it seems this is my first visit, I feel we already know each other because we are all the same kind of human being. Mentally, physically and emotionally the same.”
Brown
University President Christina Paxon introduces His Holiness the Dalai
Lama before his talk on “Human Compassion” at the Providence Convention
Center in Providence, RI, on 17 October 2012/Photo/Mike Cohea/Brown
University
Many people faced with problems think they can solve them by force. Their urge is to destroy the obstacle, whatever it may be. His Holiness said that at the age of 77 it seems that for most of his life he has observed a world dominated by violence. The twentieth century was an era of bloodshed, whose ramifications we continue to experience today. He suggested that today’s young people think seriously about how to make this century an era of peace. In the globalised world in which we live, we have become so interdependent that it is in our own interest to be concerned and respectful of the interests of others.
“When problems arise,” he said, “we need to deal with them in a mutually beneficial way, that is by talking about them. I say this century should become an era of dialogue. People of my age, 50, 60 or 70, belong to the twentieth century a time that is past. Those who are only 15, 20 or 30 today are the generation of the future. You are our hope.”
The past is gone, we may learn from it, but we cannot change it, although, His Holiness chuckled, certain totalitarian regimes still seem to think they can rewrite the past.
“What is important, however, is that the shape of the future is in your hands today. Whether it is happy or troubled is yours to decide. I appeal to you, to whom the twenty-first century belongs, to look at things in a different way. Look at the bigger picture and take the entire world into account.”
His Holiness mentioned that we need to consider the environmental situation for our own survival. Then, there is the looming problem of the huge and growing gap between rich and poor. This is a problem it is in our own interest to address.
The
Providence Convention Center, where over 5,600 people came to listen to
His Holiness the Dalai Lama’s Brown University Ogden Lecture on Human
Compassion in Providence, RI, on 17 October 2012/Photo/Mike Cohea/Brown
University
“Success can’t be measured by how much money you have, but by whether you have inner peace in your heart.”
To a question about how young people can make the most of their lives, His Holiness replied,
“I believe the purpose of life is to be happy. Happiness is not guaranteed, we have to work for it. The most important way to do this is to cultivate concern for others. That’s how to take a wise approach to our natural self-interest.”
Asked how he advises Tibetans to maintain their identity and resist cultural obliteration and how he would advise other indigenous people, without hesitation he answered,
“When the new situation first developed in 1949 I urged Tibetans to show unity. Then once we became refugees the priority was education. Not only modern education, but also traditional Tibetan education. We stressed our unique identity, of which our language is an obvious expression, an important element of which is that we have our own form of writing.”
His
Holiness the Dalai Lama with students from Brown University during a
meeting before his talk in Providence, RI, on 17 October
2012/Photo/Jeremy Russell/OHHDL
“After the demonstrations that swept across Tibet in 2008, the Chinese authorities tried to give the impression that Tibetans are all against the Han Chinese. That isn’t true, but we will only overcome this mistaken impression by reaching out to them, which is what we’re trying to do.
“ Thank you.”
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