Unit 8 (The Sermon at Benares)
The Dalai Lama on a happier world
Explain how compassion leads to a happier world, according to the Dalai Lama.
Go to the root. The Dalai Lama says that to make humanity happier we must deal with the root of our problems, not just the surface. The deepest cause lies in the human mind.
Every action has a motive. Something in our mind makes us act. Example: when you give your seat on a bus to an old person, the motive is kindness. Intelligence is useful, but only when it comes with affection and compassion: 'human feeling'. In that sentence, 'it' refers to intelligence. Intelligence alone is not enough.
Me and my society. If a society's values turn bad, everyone suffers, including each of us. So what each person intends and what is good for society are linked.
Two important places. He names education and family life. Both must train the heart as well as the brain.
What he means by 'spiritual'. Not religion or rituals, but a good, compassionate heart. Such a heart brings inner strength, less fear and doubt, more happiness, and more friends.
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