Imagine All the People: A Conversation with the Dalai Lama on Money, Politics, and Life As It Could Be - Softcover

The Dalai Lama (Tenzin Gyatso); Fabien Quaki; Anne Benson

Softcover

ISBN 10: 0861711505 ISBN 13: 9780861711505

Publisher: Wisdom Publications, 1999

Synopsis

If you could sit down with the Dalai Lama and talk with him about anything, what would you discuss? Fabien Ouaki, a prominent French businessman, was granted such an opportunity and asked the Dalai Lama for his thoughts on the everyday issues that fill our newspapers and our lives. This is the record of these varied and remarkable conversations.

Covered are a wide spectrum of topics - political, social, personal and spiritual - including the media and education, marriage and sex, and disarmament and compassion. Blessed by His Holiness' buoyant and insightful thoughts, Imagine All the People allows readers to glimpse the spontaneous workings of an extraordinary mind at once of - and above - this world.

Includes the full text of The Global Community and the Need for Universal Responsibility.

About this title

About the Author

Tenzin Gyatso, the Fourteenth Dalai Lama, is the spiritual leader of the Tibetan people. Born in northeastern Tibet in 1935, he was as a toddler recognized as the incarnation of the Thirteenth Dalai Lama and brought to Tibet's capital, Lhasa. In 1950, Mao Zedong's Communist forces made their first incursions into eastern Tibet, shortly after which the young Dalai Lama assumed the political leadership of his country. In 1959, Chinese forces occupied the city, forcing His Holiness to escape to India. There he set up the Tibetan government-in-exile in Dharamsala, working to secure the welfare of the more than 100,000 Tibetan exiles and prevent the destruction of Tibetan culture. In his capacity as a spiritual and political leader, he has traveled to more than sixty-two countries on six continents and met with presidents, popes, and leading scientists to foster dialogue and create a better world. In recognition of his tireless work for the nonviolent liberation of Tibet, the Dalai Lama was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 1989. In 2012, he relinquished political authority in his exile government and turned it over to democratically elected representatives. He is the author of numerous books, including The Good Heart, The Meaning of Life, The World of Tibetan Buddhism, and The Compassionate Life.

Fabien Ouaki owns a chain of department stores in France. He lives in Paris.

Excerpt. © Reprinted by permission. All rights reserved.

The Dalai Lama on Compassion for our Enemies...

"Perfect compassion is the love we feel for our enemy. It involves no attachment. We realize this person is an enemy, bent on harming us, so we take every necessary precaution as a counter-measure, while continuing to feel concern and compassion for that person. That is genuine compassion."

On Abortion and Euthanasia...

"[A]s a Buddhist, I have to say abortion is wrong, but it is up to the individual to decide. The mother who aborts must know that is a negative act, but we cannot punish her for that. It is an individual right.

"Concerning abortion and mercy killing, it is quite simple. In general, I think both should be avoided. If they become legal, then at least open discussion is possible. If the law deems such acts illegal, then even the exceptional cases cannot be compassionately dealt with. These are difficult social and ethical domains."

On Education...

"What is missing [from Western education systems] is ethics, free from any religious connotation. Simple ethics, founded on the basic, positive qualities required by human beings in ordinary secular life. With the help of science-particularly the medical sciences-I think we can develop a code of ethics that does not involve it."

On Ecology & Altruism...

"Concern for ecology grows with the proper and widespread dissemination of information. People gradually become convinced that the situation is serious and that we must take care of our planet. I've noticed that now, in some hotels, we are asked not to waste electricity or water. This is a good start. Likewise, the media must speak of the importance of altruism in every human activity. It must be discussed again and again, in newspapers, in the movies, on the radio, on TV. I think there is plenty of momentum to do this.

On Economics...

"It is obvious that economics needs to become more humanized... When we say that we need compassion and altruism in the business world, it means that people working in the fields of commerce and finance should become more aware of the wider negative or positive consequences of their decisions and activities. When general negativity occurs, ultimately we will all suffer.

"I cherish myself and do not want to suffer. The problem is, if I put all my energy into creating personal happiness, eventually I will reap pain and suffering as a result of my neglect of others. Yet if I embrace altruism, I naturally develop not only a greater sense of love and responsibility, but also a wider perspective. That is the main point."

On the Role of the Media...

"For me, anyone who works in the media plays an important role in shaping the minds of our societies. They should definitely develop a greater sense of responsibility, instead of only thinking about commercial implications. At my press conferences, I often say how much I appreciate the press, with their inquisitive elephant noses. In a democratic country they are often the only ones who can check what is really going on. Without them, many cunning people would escape the law and create a lot of mischief...

I suppose one can argue that media personalities disclose people's private lives, but I feel that someone who is genuine shouldn't have a gap between his or her private and public life. People should be truthful, and we should apply to ourselves what we say to others. There should be nothing to hide. If important people have two-sided lives, something is wrong. I basically support the media's point of view on this issue."

On Prozac...

"So, essentially people take these drugs to lessen their feelings of mental discomfort, but the result is that they just become less sensitive, less alert? This phenomenon reveals that most of our problems, inside and out, arise from our intelligence. It is the source of our anxiety and mental suffering.

"It seems quite foolish to try to eliminate our anxiety by dulling our intelligence. That is really silly! Intelligence is a unique attribute of humanity. There is nothing wrong with intelligence itself. Problems arise when it is not properly guided. Fear, doubt, hatred, and other destructive faculties all come from delinquent intelligence. But why damage the intelligence itself? There are other ways to reduce anxiety and fear."

About this edition

• Publisher: Wisdom Publications
• Publication date: 1999
• ISBN 10: 0861711505
• ISBN 13: 9780861711505
• Binding: Paperback
• Number of pages: 177