Dehra Dun, Uttarakhand, India, 29 October 2011 (By
Jaskiran Chopra, The Pioneer) - Tibetan spiritual leader Dali Lama on
Friday described the new generation as the generation of the 21st
century and his own generation as belonging to the 20th century “You are
the generation of the 21st century,” he said while addressing students
of the Doon School here on the occasion of the school’s 76th Founder’s
Day celebrations.
As the chief guest at the celebrations, the Dalai Lama addressed the
large gathering of students, old boys, teachers, parents and other
guests on the verdant Rose bowl lawns of the school.
He said that the generation of the 20th century had been witness to immense violence. “We can say that it was a century of violence. But the violence failed to create a better world.”
He called upon the new generation to aspire to make the world a better place, more peaceful and clean. “Such a world may not materialise in my lifetime but there is a possibility that it can be brought about if you actually resolve to do so,” he said.
“I do not see it and others of my generation may also not, but I will watch you either from heaven or hell to see what you have made of this world,” he told the students.
“I am confident that things can be improved greatly as most of the problems are man-made and can be reduced if man wants to reduce them,” he added.
He recalled his days in Dehradun and Mussoorie in 1959 when he was staying at Mussoorie for a year after he came from Tibet as a refugee.
“After facing a lot of difficulties in the beginning of refugee life, I enjoyed my stay in Mussoorie -I was very happy there. But in 1960, not out of my own choice, I had to shift to Dharamsala in Himachal Pradesh which was very isolated in those days.”
“We preferred Mussoorie, but the Government of India said that Mussoorie was only a temporary arrangement.”
He said that what impressed him greatly when he came to India was the tradition of non-violence and religious tolerance and harmony.
“I felt that I should propagate this tradition and highlight the concept of Ahimsa. In today’s world, destruction of your neighbour would mean your own destruction, considering the global economy.”
Talking about the need for keeping one’s mind calm, he said that a calm mind leads to good physical health. Greed, ambition and worry all transform into anger. A healthy mind is a key factor for physical health. I want to show you my own face, I am almost 77 years old but am quite healthy,” he said with a beaming smile.
“Anger is blind energy and destroys one’s judgement. Buddhism and Hinduism both talk a lot about mind control and we should try to practise this,” the Dalai Lama said.
