His Holiness the Dalai Lama — Healing People's Mind with Loving-kindness, Compassion, Appreciative Joy, and Equanimity

Being in exile in India for six decades, His Holiness the Dalai Lama has always been forgiving and tolerant toward those attacked him, keeping his mind in serenity and joy as always. He constantly reminds people that human beings in the world are interconnected as one, and everyone is a part of "us." Only through loving-kindness, compassion, and mutual assistance and love can we create a peaceful future together.


"I will dedicate the rest of my life to promote the values originating from India: a secular perspective that does not center on specific religions. I have always admired such philosophy, which aligns integrity, compassion and non-violence." Regarded as the transformation-body of Bodhisattva Avalokiteśvara by Tibetans, the 14^th Dalai Lama, Tenzin Gyatso, the spiritual leader of Tibet, made these remarks via video on July 6, 2021, his 86^th birthday.

His Holiness the Dalai Lama, the "elderly father" in the eyes of Tibetans, entered the Potala Palace at the age of 16 to undergo a rigorous monastic education. At the age of 24, he was forced to leave his homeland in the middle of the night in secrecy and went into exile in India, eventually settling in Dharamshala. When crossing the Che Pass, he turned to take a look at the Potala Palace, Chagpori (a holy mountain in Tibet), and the city of Lhasa, thinking that he would come back sooner or later... However, six decades have passed since his last glance.

In 1988, His Holiness the Dalai Lama was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize for his contribution to the freedom of Tibet as well as his notions of non-violent and peaceful resolution to the Tibet issue. He has repeatedly pleaded, "We are not seeking independence, but rather the preservation of our religion, culture, and language." However, his aspiration to pass on Tibetan culture has been met with repeated smears, accusing him of trying to break away Tibet. He has been under a barrage of denunciations and boycotts, as well as incessant persecution. 

"They describe me as a devil, but I don't mind as they do so out of fear and anger. I sympathize with them for their attempts to irritate me due to such emotions." In the face of vicious attacks and slanders, His Holiness the Dalai Lama gently says, "Those who create problems are the best teachers, giving us the opportunity to learn tolerance, forgiveness, and patience. We should even respect and thank them."

His Holiness the Dalai Lama believes that for Tibetans, they should be compassionate towards those who create suffering — namely, the Communist leaders. He often contemplates himself taking on and receiving the anger and hatred of those Communist leaders, and then dedicating forgiveness and tolerance to them. "The Buddha believed that everyone has the potential for being good. The real antidote is equivalent compassion and dialogue, treating one another with an open mind."


Traveling worldwide to turn a compassionate ear to suffering

For many years, His Holiness the Dalai Lama has been traveling and speaking out internationally to call on China to have respect for human rights in Tibet. While drawing international attention to the issue of Tibet, he promotes the central tenets of loving-kindness, compassion, tolerance, selflessness, and altruism to the whole world. As he constantly reminds people, "We must recognize that all human beings in the world are interconnected as one, and everyone is a part of 'us.' Only through loving-kindness, compassion, and mutual assistance and love can we create a peaceful future."

In March 2011, given his age and the fact that the young Tibetans in exile had grown up, His Holiness the Dalai Lama announced that he would resign his role as a political leader and hand over power to the people. Nevertheless, he continues to travel worldwide to spread his universal love for the world.

Over the decades, in addition to having conversations with world-renowned political leaders and scholars, he has turned an attentive ear to people from all walks of life telling their stories, such as Irish people who lost their eyes in wars, parolees seeking a new chance in life, illiterate grandmothers, successful entrepreneurs, and young students. There were instances of him gently cuddling a sick child on his lap; laughing with reporters with their chins up after exchanging a look; when presiding over an important Dharma service, secretly asking his attendant to bring in a folding chair for a participant as he saw their body twisted due to the discomfort from crossing their legs in the lotus position.

On one occasion in particular, in a serious traffic jam on his way from the airport to the hotel, he saw a four or five-year-old little girl begging in the traffic. The only thing he could find in his bag was chocolate from the airplane. As he proffered it to the little girl, the beaming smile on the little girl's face blossomed like a flower. "I'm really happy for this ..." with a choking voice, he recounted the moment to those around him in the conference room of the Taj Mahal Palace and Tower.

Using his life, he continues to remind the world that loving-kindness and compassion is the only way to happiness in life. He also encouraged everyone to practice loving-kindness and compassion in addition to experiencing the power of forgiveness: "You are all key people who can shape the world. Please make the world a place of more peace, loving-kindness and compassion."
 

Going beyond pain and embracing joy

Despite a life full of difficulties, oppression, and even death threats, His Holiness the Dalai Lama is always like a spring breeze, giving out penetrating laughter. How could a person enduring all the hardships like him still have such bright smiles? Is it possible to feel happy in a life of trials and tribulations? His Holiness the Dalai Lama once had a dialogue on the theme "joy" with the Most Reverend Desmond Mpilo Tutu, the Archbishop of Cape Town and Primate of the Anglican Church of South Africa, a man who had also experienced a life of turmoil.

"First of all, we must recognize our common humanity. We are all human beings, and we all have the same right and the same desire to live a happy life. If all human beings are happy, we ourselves will be happy. If all human beings are at peace, everyone's life will be at peace." He believes that external achievements do not bring true joy; we must look inward and train our mind to strengthen our mental immunity, avoiding destructive emotions to arise. "Try to look at the same thing with a more open-minded perspective, and vexations will be reduced."

There was once a time when His Holiness the Dalai Lama was in Bodh Gaya preparing for a series of Dharma services, and he suddenly experienced an acute pain in his abdomen. During the two-hour drive to the hospital, he saw through the window a child without shoes, and a disheveled old man lying under a straw hut, on the verge of death. "I was thinking about this man all along. I felt his pain so much that I completely forgot about my own."

"A tragic situation can also be a turning point. In the context of such painful experiences, the essence of happiness becomes clear and bright. Those sufferings allow us to see clearly what joy is." He recognizes that the path to joy cannot bypass suffering and adversity, but must be traversed through them. Just as he has long been oppressed and persecuted by the Chinese Communist Party, he has made it all the way to the present day. If one can realize the doctrine of impermanence, they know that pain will pass. Sometimes the abyss of suffering can lead to the peaks of joy.

Throughout his life of hardship, despite being a spiritual leader who has been respected and loved by millions of people, His Holiness the Dalai Lama always modestly says, "I am just a simple Buddhist monk." He still recites a prayer every day: "For as long as space endures, and for as long as living beings remain, until then may I too abide, to dispel the misery of the world." He also rises every day in the middle of the night to meditate for hours on end, to heal his own exile with forgiveness. His tears are shed only for the suffering sentient beings. "I deeply admire and dedicate myself to the Buddha's teachings. To the best of my ability, I will shoulder the significant responsibilities that history has placed upon me. I will do my best to share my understanding of Buddhist teachings with as many people as I can."

While the coronavirus wreaked havoc the world, His Holiness the Dalai Lama kept the well-being of all sentient beings on his mind. In an interview with BBC reporter Justin Rowlatt, he expressed his empathy for those who are worried and scared in the face of the pandemic. He also expressed his gratitude for the many people who have helped others without concern for their own safety. He was gratified to see the merits of empathy and compassion in humanity shining through in such a time. "In the past, there was too much emphasis on concerning our own continent, our own country, and our own religion. Such a mentality is outdated. Now, we truly need to have a sense of oneness amongst the seven billion human beings." As he reminded viewers of the interview, everyone in the global village has the responsibility to put loving-kindness and compassion into practice and to help others. He also hopes that people can thereby attain peace of mind and further realize world peace.



Related articles:

An Introduction to the Four Immeasurable States of Mind

A Brief Introduction to the Mettā Sutta

Ven. Dhammadipa on Cultivation of Four Immeasurable States of Mind

Zen Master Thầy Nhất Hạnh — Sowing the Seeds of Mindfulness with Compassion

His Holiness the Dalai Lama — Healing People's Mind with Loving-kindness, Compassion, Appreciative Joy, and Equanimity



Resource: Issue 460 of Humanity Magazine (December 2021), Dharma Drum Publishing Corporation
Original Chinese text: Wei Tzu-yin (魏子茵)
Translation: Li Siang-ling
Editing: Keith Brown, James