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There's a Buddhist issue with activists - usually those in the West who live in democratic counties - and it's this: their activisim is generated by anger and hostility. These negative emotions are considered poisons in Buddhist teachings.
For that reason, the Dalai Lama, who was hosting a gathering of 28 youth leaders from 14 countries plagued with conflict and war, counseled the young visitors with one of the fundamental understandings of the Buddhist teachings—that even when based on justified reasons or with sincere motivations, actions founded in or motivated by anger only exacerbate and continue the cycle of violence and conflict.
The assembly of youth leaders came from Afghanistan, the Central African Republic, Columbia, India, Iraq, Libya, Myanmar, Nigeria, Somalia, South Sudan, Syria, Tunisia, the United States, and Venezuela were present as part of an exchange initiative organized by the United States Institute of Peace.
The Nobel Peace Prize laureate observed that he was able to relate to their experiences as he had lost his own freedom and country at a young age and had spent the majority of his life as a refugee living in exile in India.
“Your tragedies should not let you turn pessimistic, but rather it should translate into more determination and enthusiasm to work for peace,” His Holiness explained in his response to the tragic stories, adding that the only hope for erasing hatred and building more peaceful societies lay in propagating a holistic model of education that teaches modern science-based learning in combination with the knowledge, wisdom, and practices of Buddhism and other ancient spiritual traditions that can effectively address and nurture emotional and spiritual well-being.
For that reason, the Dalai Lama, who was hosting a gathering of 28 youth leaders from 14 countries plagued with conflict and war, counseled the young visitors with one of the fundamental understandings of the Buddhist teachings—that even when based on justified reasons or with sincere motivations, actions founded in or motivated by anger only exacerbate and continue the cycle of violence and conflict.
The assembly of youth leaders came from Afghanistan, the Central African Republic, Columbia, India, Iraq, Libya, Myanmar, Nigeria, Somalia, South Sudan, Syria, Tunisia, the United States, and Venezuela were present as part of an exchange initiative organized by the United States Institute of Peace.
The Nobel Peace Prize laureate observed that he was able to relate to their experiences as he had lost his own freedom and country at a young age and had spent the majority of his life as a refugee living in exile in India.
“Your tragedies should not let you turn pessimistic, but rather it should translate into more determination and enthusiasm to work for peace,” His Holiness explained in his response to the tragic stories, adding that the only hope for erasing hatred and building more peaceful societies lay in propagating a holistic model of education that teaches modern science-based learning in combination with the knowledge, wisdom, and practices of Buddhism and other ancient spiritual traditions that can effectively address and nurture emotional and spiritual well-being.
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