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\f0\fs26 \cf2 CAVANAUGH: First of all, thank you so much for speaking with us this morning.
Your holiness, your lectures to students in San Diego are about compassion without borders.
I want to ask you first about compassion within borders.
Do you think America is a compassionate nation?\ DALAI LAMA: Well, I think every human being,
born from mother, and at least the next few years, you see, received immense affection
from our mother.
So the child's first experience in this lifetime at the beginning, I think that immense affection
from other is in our blood.
So therefore, the whole rest of life, other people show you smile, genuine sort of closeness
feeling.
You feel happy.
Even animals also like that.
So the person who received maximum affection from mother, that person also sort of cultivated
the potential showing affection to others.
But the problem -- so that's why I think everywhere, I think the problem is these basic sort of
human values from our -- from the beginning, from birth, are not sort of properly nurtured.
So then our mind, our brain, through education and also difference of experiences, that eventually,
these basic values or what are called dominant, not have the catching
up our intelligence, experience growth, that also should grow.
Then our life become more human.
So now here, country to country, obviously those countries, their constant fear does
damage about that.
So from that viewpoint, America, free country, democratic country, so more opportunity.
Still is more sort of Alive.
This is my feeling.\ CAVANAUGH: There are many scientists and researchers
here in San Diego, lots of them, and they make advances in medicine climate science,
high-technology.
Do you think science can be a tool of compassion?\ DALAI LAMA: Oh, yes!
Not directly, but you know medical science now, for example, medical science begin to
notice for good health, peace of mind, self-confidence, optimism is something very important.
And also preventive measure.
And that level also.
The mental attitude very, very crucial factor.
Then another sort of field, the brain specialist, or neurospecialist, neuroscience, they now
begin to feel or begin showing interest, the brain movement.
Of course there are another factor, which sort of pushing these, the brain cells' movement.
So what is that?
\f1\fs28 \uc0\u8232 \f0\fs26 [ LAUGHTER ]\
DALAI LAMA: That is what you call mind.
Sometimes people feel mind is merely the -- in some animal, the energy or something from
the brain.
Now there are little sort of curiosities or I think doubt sometimes a sheer sort of mental
attitude, some change in our brain.
So these fields, now scientists are showing some interest.
So the first part, the peace of mind, is very essential for our health.
So in that level, I think scientific finding, immense benefit to get our wellness and eventually
conviction, peace of mind is not just a luxurious item, but peace of mind is actually very important
for our survival, for our healthy survival.
Then also, you see the family level, genuine harmonious, or genuine sort of full of affectionate
family, not money, not power, not just mere education, but these basic human values is
a key factor.
So individual level, community level, national level, even international level.
A lot of problems we are facing, essentially, manmade problem.
Own creation.
Not due to lack of intelligence.
In some cases, lack of full knowledge or holistic view, that is also part of the problem.
But mainly lack of moral principle.
So long you have this genuine sort of concern, well being of other.
That's the foundation of moral principle.\ CAVANAUGH: You're also speaking about climate
change.
What does climate change have to do with compassion?\ DALAI LAMA: Yes!
Compassion is concern of others' well being.
Climate change has been immense difficulties of pains or illness or hard life on this planet.
So through that way, you have sense of concern of the well being, not sky, not just the environment
itself.
But we live within the environment.
So that directly relates with our survival, our life.
So through that way, more concern of well being of humanity, then naturally concerned
about environment.\ CAVANAUGH: Your holiness, you've recently
separated your spiritual leadership as Dalai Lama from the temporal leadership that your
position used to include.
The Tibetan government in exile now has a secular leader.
Does this mean that you believe in the separation of church and state the way we do here in
America?\ DALAI LAMA: Oh, yes!
Absolutely!
Spirituality actually must be above politics.
Or some other sort of business.
So one reason, in my childhood, and particularly when I take the responsibility, I already
have sort of keen desire, we must change our system.
Then as soon as we reach India, 1959, at once we start working for democratization.
Now here if remain in a political sort of field, supreme leader, at the same time religious
leader, that may become hindrance of proper democracy.
And then another thing, now this is mainly for our interest about Tibet, our struggle.
Whole struggle depend on within person.
For dangerous.
Foolish!
Not for this only institution or even not only for Buddhist dogma, but before national
sort of right, our right.
So therefore this struggle must carried by people themselves.
So once they carry full responsibility, then whether I'm there or not, they will carry
the struggle.
Now, after I handed over all my authority, I feel now our struggle become much, much
safer.
And me personally, the day I officially handed over, that night, very unusual sound.
I am quite free now.
\f1\fs28 \uc0\u8232 \f0\fs26 [ LAUGHTER ]\
DALAI LAMA: I can do what my energy, my time, to my other sort of commitment.
And then also emotional, religious harmony.
So in these two field, now that more or less I think the spirituality or human values in
these fields, I may consider my only professional field.
The political, national struggle, these are not my profession.
\f1\fs28 \uc0\u8232 \f0\fs26 [ LAUGHTER ]\
CAVANAUGH: Your holiness, you've recently written a book called beyond religion, ethics
for the whole world.
Some people think that we can't be compassionate or ethical without religion.
Can we get beyond religion?\ DALAI LAMA: Yes, certainly!
Animals, I will ask you, animals have any religion?\
CAVANAUGH: No.\ DALAI LAMA: Cats, dogs, and some I mean, birds
many species of mammals,, they also have the sort of potential to show affection firstly
because of the biological factor.
And then like dogs, if you the owner of the dog, really showing not just food but real
affection, then dog very much appreciate.
Isn't it?\ CAVANAUGH: Yes.\
DALAI LAMA: Just give food without showing affection, they might not get sort of 100%
satisfaction.
So they also, you see, when we human beings, we show affection, the poor animal also respond
to us.
Licking, or cats sometimes, you see, they are sort of with the palm, put her, and purr,
purr, or something special sort of sound.
You say very peaceful.
Isn't it?
That is the response of affection.
So they also have the -- they appreciate others' affection, they also have the sort of ability
to show their own affection.
And then as soon as we're born, child, no religious faith.\
CAVANAUGH: Yes.\ DALAI LAMA: So that's my main argument.
So the affection is mainly biological factor.
Then further sort of strengthening, that religion helps.
And without religion, also there is a way, it could be this way, through education, through
scientific findings, then you get conviction.
Not necessarily really love other, but for their own interest they are showing love,
compassion to other like that.\ CAVANAUGH: My last question to you, do you
feel it's your obligation to go around the world to give these lectures?
Or is it also your joy?\ DALAI LAMA: Not obligation.
Without invitation, I never go.
\f1\fs28 \uc0\u8232 \f0\fs26 [ LAUGHTER ]\
DALAI LAMA: Then also when invitation come, then I inquire just to see new place or seeing
just the one sort of family, then not much interest.
The invitation come from some institution who really involving so-called my own profession,
these fields.
And then different universities or education sort of institution, I feel that is the place
where the awareness of these things to start and to spread a more human community.
So then on that level, yes, I have some obligation.
I one individual human being.
One of the seven billion human being.
I believe each of us, our future depends on the rest of humanity.
Humanity happy, I get benefit.
Humanity in state of trouble, or violence, I cannot escape from that.
So every sort of seven billion human being have to think about the well-being of humanity.
So my own share making contribution, my own share.
So I never feel I am something special.
We all same.
Now I am -- now a person, new nearly 77 year old, and also my life not easy.
Last 50, 60 years, my life as a grownup, tremendous difficulties.
That also some help, all these difficulties due to lack of sense of respect others' right
lack of sort of sense of concern about others' well being.
And then also, you see, when I here, I always listen BBC.
The sort of sad events everywhere.
In my mind of course natural disaster like tsunami, and these things, also I think indirectly
may relate to human behavior.
But then major sort of problems actually they're due to a lack of moral principle.
In a free country, America, or India, and Japan, and many places, democracy country,
free country, but still within the sort of rule of law, some injustice, some sort of
problems, some discriminations, and also some sort of scandals or the corruptions.
These things, you see, they are always in my mind, I think many people agree, lack of
moral principle.
Therefore we have to make effort through well through every corner, media people, education
sort of institution, and family, parents, everywhere.
It is our common goal, common interest promote more compassion toward the world.
So like that.
So therefore that's my own one individual sort of contribution.
So let us have that kind of effort from all, except those child or handicapped or too old.
But the many people, they sort of have the opportunity to create trouble or to create
a good thing, now should think more seriously, should not indulge any work to create more
problems.\ CAVANAUGH: Your holiness, thank you so much
for speaking with us.\ DALAI LAMA: Thank you.}