The Dalai Lama's three commitments
Although His Holiness the XIVth Dalai Lama refers to himself as “a simple Buddhist monk", he is in fact not only the spiritual and temporal leader of the Tibetan people, but also an inspiring advocate and ambassador of world peace.
Wherever he goes throughout the world, he talks about fundamental values: compassion, tolerance, forgiveness—referring to three main goals in life to which he is particularly committed:
Fostering human values
As a human being, his first goal is to be of service to humanity and to the world as a whole. He is convinced that positive states of mind like compassion and patience are the true sources of happiness. These states of mind are intrinsic to our condition. They are part of what it means to be truly human and are not necessarily the product of religious beliefs or practice. Every human being has a potential for compassion and kindness: the essence of non-violence. It is one of the Dalai Lama's prime objectives to promote the growth of these inner values in the hearts and minds of his fellow human beings.
As a Buddhist monk and religious practitioner, the Dalai Lama is committed to promoting harmony between the different religious traditions. All world religions have as their basis the same ethical values of compassion and loving-kindness. And it is His Holiness’ view that, since human beings are of varying dispositions, it is important and necessary that there be a variety of religious traditions in the world. The prerequisites for harmony between the different traditions are understanding, respect and mutual esteem.
As the leader of the Tibetan people, the Dalai Lama is passionately concerned for the fate of Tibet. He works tirelessly for a non-violent solution to the Tibetan question, and in his discussions with politicians and media representatives throughout the world, he never fails to insist on the need for Tibetans to be granted the right of genuine self-determination.
For more information, please visit: www.dalailama.com