New Delhi: His Holiness the Dalai Lama delivered a talk on ‘Educating the heart and mind’ to over 2300 students from 50 schools at Shri Ram School in Delhi today.
The hour-long event was hosted by the Society for the Promotion of Indian Classical Music And Culture Amongst Youth (Spic Macay). Spic Macay is a nation wide voluntary movement that promotes aspects of Indian heritage mainly by organizing programs such as Indian classical music , dance, yoga, and meditation etc.
Attending the event was also the Principals, Vice Principals, and teachers of various schools.
Blessing the audience as he proceeded towards the podium was the epitome of world peace and compassion, His Holiness the Dalai Lama who is believed to be manifestations of Avalokiteshvara. He is also someone intensely human and accessible to the service of all sentient beings.
His Holiness began his interaction by pointing out that the students in the gathering are the true generation of 21st century indicating that they are the catalyst of change. The prospect for either a happy or a troubled future said His Holiness relies on the potential of the younger generation.
He noted that a sincere effort must now be made by the younger generation to build an amicable and happy society.
As for the existing crisis facing the world, His Holiness reckoned majority of them are conditioned and created by human beings through their ignorance and selfishness.
Meanwhile, recognising the sense of oneness and thinking of the entire 7 billion human beings as one big family said His Holiness is one means of attaining a happy life.
“In terms of community today, the reality is we all are directly and indirectly dependent on each other for our survival and success” remarked His Holiness the Dalai Lama.
In addition to cultivating the sense of oneness, His Holiness added that love and compassion are also pre-requisites for sustaining a happy life.
On the other hand, ignorance and selfishness said His Holiness widens the gap and creates division among people and nations. His Holiness attributed the events of 20th century grappled with world war to be the consequences of lack of sense of oneness.
His Holiness the Dalai Lama held India as one significant example of having a potential sense of oneness as he expressed much respect and appreciation for the country’s unity and harmony despite the diversity that exists in India. His Holiness was positive that India has great potential to lead rest of the nations by being an example.
“Religious harmony that is so rich and divine in India should be promoted to the world” advised His Holiness the Dalai Lama.
His Holiness confirmed his belief in the beneficence of different religious traditions and consider it a necessity because of varying mental dispositions of people. However love and kindness being the ultimate message of all the religions is something His Holiness urged to focus more as he stressed basic human nature is compassionate and warm-heartedness.
Meanwhile His Holiness mentioned that negative afflictive emotions are acquired by humans and so can be prevented through the practice of ahimsa and karuna.
His Holiness hailed the ancient Indian knowledge while calling himself the product of that knowledge. He asserted that the modern education alone isn’t sufficient to combat the destructive emotions but if combined with the ancient Indian knowledge, he assured that attaining mental peace is highly possible.
The hour-long event was concluded with an interactive Q/A session between selected students and His Holiness the Dalai Lama on wide range of topics.
The students who have come today to seek the wisdom of the most loved and revered world peace icon certainly went home with collectible values of love and compassion instilled in them by him.