His Holiness the Dalai Lama : “As we face this crisis together, it is imperative that we act in a spirit of solidarity and cooperation in order to provide for the pressing needs, particularly of our less fortunate brothers and sisters around the world.”

On this 50th anniversary of Earth Day, our planet is facing one of the greatest challenges to the health and well-being of its people. And yet, in the midst of this struggle, we are reminded of the value of compassion and mutual support. The current global pandemic threatens us all, without distinctions of race, culture or gender, and our response must be as one humanity, providing for the most essential needs of all.

Whether we like it or not, we have been born on this earth as part of one great family. Rich or poor, educated or uneducated, belonging to one nation or another, ultimately each of us is just a human being like everyone else. Furthermore, we all have the same right to pursue happiness and avoid suffering. When we recognize that all beings are equal in this respect, we automatically feel empathy and closeness towards others. Out of this comes a genuine sense of universal responsibility: the wish to actively help others overcome their problems. Read the rest of this entry »

H.H. the Dalai Lama: “We must also remember that nobody is free of suffering, and extend our hands to others who lack homes, resources or family to protect them. This crisis shows us that we are not separate from one another—even when we are living apart. Therefore, we all have a responsibility to exercise compassion and help.”

‘Prayer Is Not Enough.’ The Dalai Lama on Why We Need to Fight Coronavirus With Compassion

BY DALAI LAMA APRIL 14, 2020

Sometimes friends ask me to help with some problem in the world, using some “magical powers.” I always tell them that the Dalai Lama has no magical powers. If I did, I would not feel pain in my legs or a sore throat. We are all the same as human beings, and we experience the same fears, the same hopes, the same uncertainties.

From the Buddhist perspective, every sentient being is acquainted with suffering and the truths of sickness, old age and death. But as human beings, we have the capacity to use our minds to conquer anger and panic and greed. In recent years I have been stressing “emotional disarmament”: to try to see things realistically and clearly, without the confusion of fear or rage. If a problem has a solution, we must work to find it; if it does not, we need not waste time thinking about it.

We Buddhists believe that the entire world is interdependent. That is why I often speak about universal responsibility. The outbreak of this terrible coronavirus has shown that what happens to one person can soon affect every other being. But it also reminds us that a compassionate or constructive act—whether working in hospitals or just observing social distancing—has the potential to help many.

Ever since news emerged about the coronavirus in Wuhan, I have been praying for my brothers and sisters in China and everywhere else. Now we can see that nobody is immune to this virus. We are all worried about loved ones and the future, of both the global economy and our own individual homes. But prayer is not enough.

This crisis shows that we must all take responsibility where we can. We must combine the courage doctors and nurses are showing with empirical science to begin to turn this situation around and protect our future from more such threats. Read the rest of this entry »

Miei cari fratelli e sorelle,

Scrivo queste parole in risposta alle ripetute richieste di molte persone in tutto il mondo. Oggi stiamo attraversando un periodo eccezionalmente difficile a causa dello scoppio della pandemia di coronavirus.

Oltre a questo, l’umanità deve affrontare altri problemi, come il cambiamento climatico estremo. Vorrei cogliere l’occasione per esprimere la mia ammirazione e la mia gratitudine ai governi di tutto il mondo, compreso quello indiano, per i passi che stanno compiendo per affrontare queste sfide.

L’antica tradizione indiana descrive la creazione, il mantenimento e la distruzione di mondi nel tempo. Tra le cause di tale distruzione ci sono le armi e le malattie, che sembrano essere in accordo con ciò che stiamo vivendo oggi. Tuttavia, nonostante le enormi sfide che dobbiamo affrontare, gli esseri viventi, compresi gli esseri umani, hanno dimostrato una notevole capacità di sopravvivenza.

Per quanto difficile possa essere la situazione, dovremmo impiegare la scienza e l’ingegno umano con determinazione e coraggio per superare i problemi che ci troviamo ad affrontare. Di fronte alle minacce alla nostra salute e al nostro benessere, è naturale provare ansia e paura. Tuttavia, mi conforta molto il seguente saggio consiglio per esaminare i problemi che abbiamo di fronte: “Se c’è qualcosa da fare, fatelo, senza bisogno di preoccuparvi; se non c’è niente da fare, preoccuparsi ulteriormente non sarà d’aiuto.

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