TITLES

A Human approach to the World Peace by His Holiness the Dalai Lama

Auroville Dream by Mother

Auroville Background by Aurovillians

Bodhisattva Warriors by Chagdud Tulku Rinpoche

Cutting through spiritual materialism by Chogyam Trungpa

Letter from inside the Black Bloc

Training the mind and Cultivating Loving-Kindness by Chogyam Trungpa

Universal Responsibility and our Global environment by His Holiness the Dalai Lama

Anarchism: What it is and what is not by Joseph Labadie

Anarchy by Errico Malatesta

Mutual Aid by Errico Malatesta

Anarchism and Politics by David Miller

Utopist World Championship 2001

The Theory of Hierarchical Society by Emmanuel Coldstein

Anarchism, Marxism and Hope for the Future by Noam Chomsky

The Idea of Good Government by Errico Malatesta

Subcomandante Marcos: The Death Train of the WTO

Life After Capitalism Essays : Towards an another anarchism by Andrej Grubacic

Thoughts for an Anarchism beyond Left politics by Dave Neal0

The Spirit of Revolt by Peter Kropotkin (1842-1921)

Everything You Ever Wanted To Know About Anarchy

Stateless Socialism Anarchism by Bakunin

George Orwell, 1984

Nietzchean Anarchy

Sutra on the 8 Realizations

KTD--The Manifestation of Compassionate Activity

Anarchism versus Socialism

Chomsky about absolutism

 

 A HUMAN APPROACH TO WORLD PEACE

by
His Holiness Tenzin Gyatso,
The Fourtheenth Dalai Lama



First published in 1984: 12,000 copies
Second printing July 1985: 10,000 copies
Third printing August 1987: 10,000 copies
Fourth printing March 1988: 10:000 copies
Fifth printing April 1989: 7,500 copies

ISBN 0 86171 027 4

Wisdom Publications
361 Newbury Street, Boston, MA 02115

Copyright 1984 Tenzin Gyatso, the Fourteenth Dalai Lama


DharmaNet Edition 1994


This electronic edition is offered for free distribution
via DharmaNet by arrangement with the publisher.

Transcribed for DharmaNet by Mark Blackstad

DharmaNet International
P.O. Box 4951, Berkeley CA 94704-4951

   Introduction

When we rise in the morning and listen to the radio or read the
newspaper, we are confronted with the same sad news: violence,
crime, wars, and disasters. I cannot recall a single day without
a report of something terrible happening somewhere. Even in
these modern times it is clear that one's precious life is not
safe. No former generation has had to experience so much bad
news as we face today; this constant awareness of fear and
tension should make any sensitive and compassionate person
question seriously the progress of our modern world.

It is ironic that the more serious problems emanate from the
more industrially advanced societies. Science and technology
have worked wonders in many fields, but the basic human
problems remain. There is unprecedented literacy, yet this
universal education does not seem to have fostered goodness,
but only mental restlessness and discontent instead. There is
no doubt about the increase in our material progress and
technology, but somehow this is not sufficient as we have not
yet succeeded in bringing about peace and happiness or in
overcoming suffering.

We can only conclude that there must be something seriously
wrong with our progress and development, and if we do not check
it in time there could be disastrous consequences for the
future of humanity. I am not at all against science and
technology -- they have contributed immensely to the overall
experience of humankind; to our material comfort and well-being
and to our greater understanding of the world we live in. But
if we give too much emphasis to science and technology we are
in danger of losing touch with those aspects of human knowledge
and understanding that aspire towards honesty and altruism.

Science and technology, though capable of creating
immeasurable material comfort, cannot replace the age-old
spiritual and humanitarian values that have largely shaped
world civilization, in all its national forms, as we know it
today. No one can deny the unprecedented material benefit of
science and technology, but our basic human problems remain; we
are still faced with the same, if not more, suffering, fear,
and tension. Thus it is only logical to try to strike a balance
between material development on the one hand and the
development of spiritual, human values on the other. In order
to bring about this great adjustment, we need to revive our
humanitarian values.

I am sure that many people share my concern about the
present worldwide moral crisis and will join in my appeal to
all humanitarians and religious practitioners who also share
this concern to help make our societies more compassionate,
just, and equitable. I do not speak as a Buddhist or even as a
Tibetan. Nor do I speak as an expert on international politics
(though I unavoidably comment on these matters). Rather, I
speak simply as a human being, as an upholder of the
humanitarian values that are the bedrock not only of Mahayana
Buddhism but of all the great world religions. From this
perspective I share with you my personal outlook-that

1 universal humanitarianism is essential to solve global
problems;
2 compassion is the pillar of world peace;
3 all world religions are already for world peace in this way,
as are all humanitarians of whatever ideology;
4 each individual has a universal responsibility to shape
institutions to serve human needs.


Solving Human Problems through Transforming Human Attitudes

Of the many problems we face today, some are natural calamities
and must be accepted and faced with equanimity. Others,
however, are of our own making, created by misunderstanding,
and can be corrected. One such type arises from the conflict of
ideologies, political or religious, when people fight each
other for petty ends, losing sight of the basic humanity that
binds us all together as a single human family. We must
remember that the different religions, ideologies, and
political systems of the world are meant for human beings to
achieve happiness. We must not lose sight of this fundamental
goal and at no time should we place means above ends; the
supremacy of humanity over matter and ideology must always be
maintained.

By far the greatest single danger facing humankind -- in
fact, all living beings on our planet -- is the threat of
nuclear destruction. I need not elaborate on this danger, but I
would like to appeal to all the leaders of the nuclear powers
who literally hold the future of the world in their hands, to
the scientists and technicians who continue to create these
awesome weapons of destruction, and to all the people at large
who are in a position to influence their leaders: I appeal to
them to exercise their sanity and begin to work at dismantling
and destroying all nuclear weapons. We know that in the event
of a nuclear war there will be no victors because there will be
no survivors! Is it not frightening just to contemplate such
inhuman and heartless destruction? And, is it not logical that
we should remove the cause for our own destruction when we know
the cause and have both the time and the means to do so? Often
we cannot overcome our problems because we either do not know
the cause or, if we understand it, do not have the means to
remove it. This is not the case with the nuclear threat.


Whether they belong to more evolved species like humans or to
simpler ones such as animals, all beings primarily seek peace,
comfort, and security. Life is as dear to the mute animal as it
is to any human being; even the simplest insect strives for
protection from dangers that threaten its life. Just as each
one of us wants to live and does not wish to die, so it is with
all other creatures in the universe, though their power to
effect this is a different matter.

Broadly speaking there are two types of happiness and suffering,
mental and physical, and of the two, I believe that mental
suffering and happiness are the more acute. Hence, I stress the
training of the mind to endure suffering and attain a more lasting
state of happiness. However, I also have a more general and concrete
idea of happiness: a combination of inner peace, economic
development, and, above all, world peace. To achieve such goals I
feel it is necessary to develop a sense of universal responsibility,
a deep concern for all irrespective of creed, colour, sex, or
nationality.

The premise behind this idea of universal responsibility is
the simple fact that, in general terms, all others' desires
are the same as mine. Every being wants happiness and does not
want suffering. If we, as intelligent human beings, do not accept
this fact, there will be more and more suffering on this planet.
If we adopt a self-centered approach to life and constantly try
to use others for our own self-interest, we may gain temporary
benefits, but in the long run we will not succeed in achieving
even personal happiness, and world peace will be completely out
of the question.

In their quest for happiness, humans have used different methods,
which all too often have been cruel and repellent. Behaving in
ways utterly unbecoming to their status as humans, they inflict
suffering upon fellow humans and the other living beings for
their own selfish gains. In the end, such short-sighted actions
bring suffering to oneself as well as to others. To be born a
human being is a rare event in itself, and it is wise to use
this opportunity as effectively and skillfully as possible. We
must have the proper perspective, that of the universal life
process, so that the happiness or glory of one person or group
is not sought at the expense of others.

All this calls for a new approach to global problems. The world
is becoming smaller and smaller -- and more and more
interdependent -- as a result of rapid technological advances and
international trade as well as increasing trans-national relations.
We now depend very much on each other. In ancient times problems
were mostly family-size, and they were naturally tackled at the
family level, but the situation has changed. Today we are so
interdependent, so closely interconnected with each other, that
without a sense of universal responsibility, a feeling of universal
brotherhood and sisterhood, and an understanding and belief that we
really are part of one big human family, we cannot hope to overcome
the dangers to our very existence -- let alone bring about peace
and happiness.

One nation's problems can no longer be satisfactorily solved
by itself alone; too much depends on the interest, attitude, and
cooperation of other nations. A universal humanitarian approach
to world problems seems the only sound basis for world peace.
What does this mean: We begin from the recognition mentioned
previously that all beings cherish happiness and do not want
suffering. It then becomes both morally wrong and pragmatically
unwise to pursue only one's own happiness oblivious to the feelings
and aspirations of all others who surround us as members of the
same human family. The wiser course is to think of others also when
pursuing our own happiness. This will lead to what I call 'wise
self-interest,' which hopefully will transform itself into
'compromised self-interest,' or better still, 'mutual interest.'

Although the increasing interdependence among nations might
be expected to generate more sympathetic cooperation, it is
difficult to achieve a spirit of genuine cooperation as long as
people remain indifferent to the feelings and happiness of
others. When people are motivated mostly by greed and jealousy,
it is not possible for them to live in harmony. A spiritual
approach may not solve all the political problems that have
been caused by the existing self-centered approach, but in the
long run it will overcome the very basis of the problems that
we face today.

On the other hand, if humankind continues to approach its
problems considering only temporary expediency, future
generations will have to face tremendous difficulties. the
global population is increasing, and our resources are being
rapidly depleted. Look at the trees, for example. No one knows
exactly what adverse effects massive deforestation will have on
the climate, the soil, and global ecology as a whole. We are
facing problems because people are concentrating only on their
short-term, selfish interests, not thinking of the entire
human family. They are not thinking of the earth and the
long-term effects on universal life as a whole. If we of the
present generation do not think about these now, future
generations may not be able to cope with them.



 Compassion as the Pillar of World Peace

According to Buddhist psychology, most of our troubles are due
to our passionate desire for and attachment to things that we
misapprehend as enduring entities. The pursuit of the objects
of our desire and attachment involves the use of aggression and
competitiveness as supposedly efficacious instruments. These
mental processes easily translate into actions, breeding
belligerence as an obvious effect. Such processes have been
going on in the human mind since time immemorial, but their
execution has become more effective under modern conditions.
What can we do to control and regulate these 'poisons' -- delusion,
greed, and aggression? For it is these poisons that are behind
almost every trouble in the world.

As one brought up in the Mahayana Buddhist tradition, I feel
that love and compassion are the moral fabric of world peace.
Let me first define what I mean by compassion. When you have
pity or compassion for a very poor person, you are showing
sympathy because he or she is poor; your compassion is based on
altruistic considerations. On the other hand, love towards your
wife, your husband, your children, or a close friend is usually
based on attachment. When your attachment changes, your
kindness also changes; it may disappear. This is not true love.
Real love is not based on attachment, but on altruism. In this
case your compassion will remain as a humane response to
suffering as long as beings continue to suffer.

This type of compassion is what we must strive to cultivate
in ourselves, and we must develop it from a limited amount to
the limitless. Undiscriminating, spontaneous, and unlimited
compassion for all sentient beings is obviously not the usual
love that one has for friends or family, which is alloyed with
ignorance, desire, and attachment. The kind of love we should
advocate is this wider love that you can have even for someone
who has done harm to you: your enemy.

The rationale for compassion is that every one of us wants
to avoid suffering and gain happiness. This, in turn, is based
on the valid feeling of 'I,' which determines the universal
desire for happiness. Indeed, all beings are born with similar
desires and should have an equal right to fulfill them. If I
compare myself with others, who are countless, I feel that
others are more important because I am just one person whereas
others are many. Further, the Tibetan Buddhist tradition
teaches us to view all sentient beings as our dear mothers and
to show our gratitude by loving them all. For, according to
Buddhist theory, we are born and reborn countless numbers of
times, and it is conceivable that each being has been our
parent at one time or another. In this way all beings in the
universe share a family relationship.

Whether one believes in religion or not, there is no one who
does not appreciate love and compassion. Right from the moment
of our birth, we are under the care and kindness of our
parents; later in life, when facing the sufferings of disease
and old age, we are again dependent on the kindness of others.
If at the beginning and end of our lives we depend upon others'
kindness, why then in the middle should be not act kindly
towards others?

The development of a kind heart (a feeling of closeness for
all human beings) does not involve the religiosity we normally
associate with conventional religious practice. It is not only
for people who believe in religion, but is for everyone
regardless of race, religion, or political affiliation. It is
for anyone who considers himself or herself, above all, a
member of the human family and who sees things from this larger
and longer perspective. This is a powerful feeling that we
should develop and apply; instead, we often neglect it,
particularly in our prime years when we experience a false
sense of security.

When we take into account a longer perspective, the fact
that all wish to gain happiness and avoid suffering, and keep
in mind our relative unimportance in relation to countless
others, we can conclude that it is worthwhile to share our
possessions with others. When you train in this sort of
outlook, a true sense of compassion -- a true sense of love and
respect for others -- becomes possible. Individual happiness
ceases to be a conscious self-seeking effort; it becomes an
automatic and far superior by-product of the whole process of
loving and serving others.

Another result of spiritual development, most useful in
day-to-day life, is that it gives a calmness and presence of
mind. Our lives are in constant flux, bringing many
difficulties. When faced with a calm and clear mind, problems
can be successfully resolved. When, instead, we lose control
over our minds through hatred, selfishness, jealousy, and
anger, we lose our sense of judgment. Our minds are blinded
and at those wild moments anything can happen, including war.
Thus, the practice of compassion and wisdom is useful to all,
especially to those responsible for running national affairs,
in whose hands lie the power and opportunity to create the
structure of world peace.


  World Religions for World Peace

The principles discussed so far are in accordance with the
ethical teachings of all world religions. I maintain that every
major religion of the world -- Buddhism, Christianity,
Confucianism, Hinduism, Islam, Jainism, Judaism, Sikhism,
Taoism, Zoroastrianism -- has similar ideals of love, the same
goal of benefiting humanity through spiritual practice, and the
same effect of making their followers into better human beings.
All religions teach moral precepts for perfecting the functions
of mind, body, and speech. All religions agree upon the
necessity to control the undisciplined mind that harbors
selfishness and other roots of trouble, and each teaches a path
leading to a spiritual state that is peaceful, disciplined,
ethical, and wise. It is in this sense that I believe all
religions have essentially the same message. Differences of
dogma may be ascribed to differences of time and circumstance
as well as cultural influences; indeed, there is no end to
scholastic argument when we consider the purely metaphysical
side of religion. However, it is much more beneficial to try to
implement in daily life the shared precepts for goodness taught
by all religions rather than to argue about minor differences
in approach.

There are many different religions to bring comfort and
happiness to humanity in much the same way as there are
particular treatments for different diseases. For, all
religions endeavor in their own way to help living beings
avoid misery and gain happiness. And, although we can find
causes for preferring certain interpretations of religious
truths, there is much greater cause for unity, stemming from
the human heart. Each religion works in its own way to lessen
human suffering and contribute to world civilization.
Conversion is not the point. For instance, I do not think of
converting others to Buddhism or merely furthering the Buddhist
cause. Rather, I try to think of how I as a Buddhist
humanitarian can contribute to human happiness.

While pointing out the fundamental similarities between
world religions, I do not advocate one particular religion at
the expense of all others, nor do I seek a new 'world
religion.' All the different religions of the world are needed
to enrich human experience and world civilization. Our human
minds, being of different caliber and disposition, need
different approaches to peace and happiness. It is just like
food. Certain people find Christianity more appealing, others
prefer Buddhism because there is no creator in it and
everything depends upon your own actions. We can make similar
arguments for other religions as well. Thus, the point is
clear: humanity needs all the world's religions to suit the
ways of life, diverse spiritual needs, and inherited national
traditions of individual human beings.

It is from this perspective that I welcome efforts being
made in various parts of the world for better understanding
among religions. The need for this is particularly urgent now.
If all religions make the betterment of humanity their main
concern, then they can easily work together in harmony for
world peace. Interfaith understanding will bring about the
unity necessary for all religions to work together. However,
although this is indeed an important step, we must remember
that there are no quick or easy solutions. We cannot hide the
doctrinal differences that exist among various faiths, nor can
we hope to replace the existing religions by a new universal
belief. Each religion has its own distinctive contributions to
make, and each in its own way is suitable to a particular group
of people as they understand life. The world needs them all.


There are two primary tasks facing religious practitioners who
are concerned with world peace. First, we must promote better
interfaith understanding so as to create a workable degree of
unity among all religions. This may be achieved in part by
respecting each other's beliefs and by emphasizing our common
concern for human well-being. Second, we must bring about a
viable consensus on basic spiritual values that touch every
human heart and enhance general human happiness. This means we
must emphasize the common denominator of all world religions --
humanitarian ideals. These two steps will enable us to act both
individually and together to create the necessary spiritual
conditions for world peace.

We practitioners of different faiths can work together for
world peace when we view different religions as essentially
instruments to develop a good heart -- love and respect for
others, a true sense of community. The most important thing is
to look at the purpose of religion and not at the details of
theology or metaphysics, which can lead to mere
intellectualism. I believe that all the major religions of the
world can contribute to world peace and work together for the
benefit of humanity if we put aside subtle metaphysical
differences, which are really the internal business of each
religion.

Despite the progressive secularization brought about by
worldwide modernization and despite systematic attempts in some
parts of the world to destroy spiritual values, the vast
majority of humanity continues to believe in one religion or
another. The undying faith in religion, evident even under
irreligious political systems, clearly demonstrates the potency
of religion as such. This spiritual energy and power can be
purposefully used to bring about the spiritual conditions
necessary for world peace. Religious leaders and humanitarians
all over the world have a special role to play in this respect.

Whether we will be able to achieve world peace or not, we
have no choice but to work towards that goal. If our minds are
dominated by anger, we will lose the best part of human
intelligence -- wisdom, the ability to decide between right and
wrong. Anger is one of the most serious problems facing the
world today.


  Individual Power to Shape Institutions

Anger plays no small role in current conflicts such as those in
the Middle East, Southeast Asia, the North-South problem, and
so forth. These conflicts arise from a failure to understand
one another's humanness. The answer is not the development and
use of greater military force, nor an arms race. Nor is it
purely political or purely technological. Basically it is
spiritual, in the sense that what is required is a sensitive
understanding of our common human situation. Hatred and
fighting cannot bring happiness to anyone, even to the winners
of battles. Violence always produces misery and thus is
essentially counter-productive. It is, therefore, time for
world leaders to learn to transcend the differences of race,
culture, and ideology and to regard one another through eyes
that see the common human situation. To do so would benefit
individuals, communities, nations, and the world at large.

The greater part of present world tension seems to stem from
the 'Eastern bloc' versus 'Western bloc' conflict that has been
going on since World War II. These two blocs tend to describe
and view each other in a totally unfavourable light. This
continuing, unreasonable struggle is due to a lack of mutual
affection and respect for each other as fellow human beings.
Those of the Eastern bloc should reduce their hatred towards
the Western bloc because the Western bloc is also made up of
human beings -- men, women, and children. Similarly those of the
Western bloc should reduce their hatred towards of the eastern
bloc because the Eastern bloc is also human beings. In such a
reduction of mutual hatred, the leaders of both blocs have a
powerful role to play. But first and foremost, leaders must
realize their own and others' humanness. Without this basic
realization, very little effective reduction of organized
hatred can be achieved.

If, for example, the leader of the United States of America
and the leader of the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics
suddenly met each other in the middle of a desolate island, I
am sure they would respond to each other spontaneously as
fellow human beings. But a wall of mutual suspicion and
misunderstanding separates them the moment they are identified
as the 'President of the USA and the 'Secretary-General of the
USSR'. More human contact in the form of informal extended
meetings, without any agenda, would improve their mutual
understanding; they would learn to relate to each other as
human beings and could then try to tackle international
problems based on this understanding. No two parties,
especially those with a history of antagonism, can negotiate
fruitfully in an atmosphere of mutual suspicion and hatred.

I suggest that world leaders meet about once a year in a
beautiful place without any business, just to get to know each
other as human beings. Then, later, they could meet to discuss
mutual and global problems. I am sure many others share my wish
that world leaders meet at the conference table in such an
atmosphere of mutual respect and understanding of each other's
humanness.


To improve person-to-person contact in the world at large, I
would like to see greater encouragement of international
tourism. Also, mass media, particularly in democratic
societies, can make a considerable contribution to world peace
by giving greater coverage to human interest items that reflect
the ultimate oneness of humanity. With the rise of a few big
powers in the international arena, the humanitarian role of
international organizations is being bypassed and neglected. I
hope that this will be corrected and that all international
organizations, especially the United Nations, will be more
active and effective in ensuring maximum benefit to humanity
and promoting international understanding. It will indeed be
tragic if the few powerful members continue to misuse world
bodies like the UN for their one-sided interests. The UN must
become the instrument of world peace. This world body must be
respected by all, for the UN is the only source of hope for
small oppressed nations and hence for the planet as a whole.

As all nations are economically dependent upon one another
more than ever before, human understanding must go beyond
national boundaries and embrace the international community at
large. Indeed, unless we can create an atmosphere of genuine
cooperation, gained not by threatened or actual use of force
but by heartfelt understanding, world problems will only
increase. If people in poorer countries are denied the
happiness they desire and deserve, they will naturally be
dissatisfied and pose problems for the rich. If unwanted
social, political, and cultural forms continue to be imposed
upon unwilling people, the attainment of world peace is
doubtful. However, if we satisfy people at a heart-to-heart
level, peace will surely come.

Within each nation, the individual ought to be given the
right to happiness, and among nations, there must be equal
concern for the welfare of even the smallest nations. I am not
suggesting that one system is better than another and all
should adopt it. On the contrary, a variety of political
systems and ideologies is desirable and accords with the
variety of dispositions within the human community. This
variety enhances the ceaseless human quest for happiness. Thus
each community should be free to evolve its own political and
socioeconomic system, based on the principle of
self-determination.

The achievement of justice, harmony, and peace depends on
many factors. We should think about them in terms of human
benefit in the long run rather than the short term. I realize
the enormity of the task before us, but I see no other
alternative than the one I am proposing -- which is based on our
common humanity. Nations have no choice but to be concerned
about the welfare of others, not so much because of their
belief in humanity, but because it is in the mutual and
long-term interest of all concerned. An appreciation of this
new reality is indicated by the emergence of regional or
continental economic organizations such as the European
Economic Community, the Association of South East Asian
Nations, and so forth. I hope more such trans-national
organizations will be formed, particularly in regions where
economic development and regional stability seem in short
supply.


Under present conditions, there is definitely a growing need
for human understanding and a sense of universal
responsibility. In order to achieve such ideas, we must
generate a good and kind heart, for without this, we can
achieve neither universal happiness nor lasting world peace. We
cannot create peace on paper. While advocating universal
responsibility and universal brotherhood and sisterhood, the
facts are that humanity is organized in separate entities in
the form of national societies. Thus, in a realistic sense, I
feel it is these societies that must act as the building-blocks
for world peace.

Attempts have been made in the past to create societies more
just and equal. Institutions have been established with noble
charters to combat anti-social forces. Unfortunately, such
ideas have been cheated by selfishness. More than ever before,
we witness today how ethics and noble principles are obscured
by the shadow of self-interest, particularly in the political
sphere. There is a school of thought that warns us to refrain
from politics altogether, as politics has become synonymous
with amorality. Politics devoid of ethics does not further
human welfare, and life without morality reduces humans to the
level of beasts. However, politics is not axiomatically 'dirty.'
Rather, the instruments of our political culture have distorted
the high ideals and noble concepts meant to further human
welfare. Naturally, spiritual people express their concern
about religious leaders 'messing' with politics, since they
fear the contamination of religion by dirty politics.

I question the popular assumption that religion and ethics
have no place in politics and that religious persons should
seclude themselves as hermits. Such a view of religion is too
one-sided; it lacks a proper perspective on the individual's
relation to society and the role of religion in our lives.
Ethics is as crucial to a politician as it is to a religious
practitioner. Dangerous consequences will follow when
politicians and rulers forget moral principles. Whether we
believe in God or karma, ethics is the foundation of every
religion.

Such human qualities as morality, compassion, decency,
wisdom, and so forth have been the foundations of all
civilizations. These qualities must be cultivated and sustained
through systematic moral education in a conductive social
environment so that a more humane world may emerge. The
qualities required to create such a world must be inculcated
right from the beginning, from childhood. We cannot wait for
the next generation to make this change; the present generation
must attempt a renewal of basic human values. If there is any
hope, it is in the future generations, but not unless we
institute major change on a worldwide scale in our present
educational system. We need a revolution in our commitment to
and practice of universal humanitarian values.

It is not enough to make noisy calls to halt moral
degeneration; we must do something about it. Since present-day
governments do not shoulder such 'religious' responsibilities,
humanitarian and religious leaders must strengthen the existing
civic, social, cultural, educational, and religious
organizations to revive human and spiritual values. Where
necessary, we must create new organizations to achieve these
goals. Only in so doing can we hope to create a more stable
basis for world peace.

Living in society, we should share the sufferings of our
fellow citizens and practice compassion and tolerance not only
towards our loved ones but also towards our enemies. This is
the test of our moral strength. We must set an example by our
own practice, for we cannot hope to convince others of the
value of religion by mere words. We must live up to the same
high standards of integrity and sacrifice that we ask of
others. The ultimate purpose of all religions is to serve and
benefit humanity. This is why it is so important that religion
always be used to effect the happiness and peace of all beings
and not merely to convert others.

Still, in religion there are no national boundaries. A
religion can and should be used by any people or person who
finds it beneficial. What is important for each seeker is to
choose a religion that is most suitable to himself or herself.
But, the embracing of a particular religion does not mean the
rejection of another religion or one's own community. In fact,
it is important that those who embrace a religion should not
cut themselves off from their own society; they should continue
to live within their own community and in harmony with its
members. By escaping from your own community, you cannot
benefit others, whereas benefiting others is actually the basic
aim of religion.

In this regard there are two things important to keep in
mind: self-examination and self-correction. We should
constantly check our attitude toward others, examining
ourselves carefully, and we should correct ourselves
immediately when we find we are in the wrong.


Finally, a few words about material progress. I have heard a
great deal of complaint against material progress from
Westerners, and yet, paradoxically, it has been the very pride
of the Western world. I see nothing wrong with material
progress per se, provided people are always given precedence.
It is my firm belief that in order to solve human problems in
all their dimensions, we must combine and harmonize economic
development with spiritual growth. However, we must know its
limitations. Although materialistic knowledge in the form of
science and technology has contributed enormously to human
welfare, it is not capable of creating lasting happiness. In
America, for example, where technological development is
perhaps more advanced than in any other country, there is still
a great deal of mental suffering. This is because
materialistic knowledge can only provide a type of happiness
that is dependent upon physical conditions. It cannot provide
happiness that springs from inner development independent of
external factors.

For renewal of human values and attainment of lasting
happiness, we need to look to the common humanitarian heritage
of all nations the world over. May this essay serve as an
urgent reminder lest we forget the human values that unite us
all as a single family on this planet.

I have written the above lines
To tell my constant feeling.
Whenever I meet even a 'foreigner,'
I have always the same feeling:
'I am meeting another member of the human family.'
This attitude has deepened
My affection and respect for all beings.
May this natural wish be
My small contribution to world peace.
I pray for a more friendly,
More caring, and more understanding
Human family on this planet.
To all who dislike suffering,
Who cherish lasting happiness--
This is my heartfelt appeal.







The publisher gratefully acknowledges the kind help of the
following for sponsoring the publication of this booklet:

East-West Foundation, Fullerton, California
Adam Engle, Boulder Creek, California
Potala Publications, New York
The Tibet Fund, New York
Tibet House, New York


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Programs

We have begun to realize Tibet House with the following
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Tibet House has co-sponsored the North American tours of
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1989; the Loseling Monastic University's Great Prayer Festival
program, "Sacred Music, Sacred Dance," in February 1989; and
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Tibet House is working with the American Institute of
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In 1991 Tibet House will sponsor a series of nationwide
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this event is //Wisdom and Compassion// -- the most extensive
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Additionally, audiences across the country will have the
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TITLE OF WORK: A Human Approach to World Peace
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AUTHOR: His Holiness Tenzin Gyatso, the Fourteenth Dalai Lama
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  top

 The  Dream Of Auroville



There should be somewhere upon earth a place that no nation could
claim as its sole property, a place where all human beings of
goodwill, sincere in their aspiration, could live freely as citizens
of the world, obeying one single authority, that of the supreme
Truth; a place of peace, concord, harmony, where all the fighting
instincts of man would be used exclusively to conquer the causes of
his suffering and misery, to surmount his weakness and ignorance, to
triumph over his limitations and incapacities; a place where the
needs of the spirit and the care for progress would get precedence
over the satisfaction of desires and passions, the seeking for
pleasures and material enjoyments.
In this place, children would be able to grow and develop integrally
without losing contact with their soul. Education would be given,
not with a view to passing examinations and getting certificates and
posts, but for enriching the existing faculties and bringing forth
new ones. In this place titles and positions would be supplanted by
opportunities to serve and organize. The needs of the body will be
provided for equally in the case of each and everyone. In the
general organisation intellectual, moral and spiritual superiority
will find expression not in the enhancement of the pleasures and
powers of life but in the increase of duties and responsibilities.
Artistic beauty in all forms, painting, sculpture, music,
literature, will be available equally to all, the opportunity to
share in the joys they bring being limited solely by each one's
capacities and not by social or financial position.
For in this ideal place money would be no more the sovereign lord.
Individual merit will have a greater importance than the value due
to material wealth and social position. Work would not be there as
the means of gaining one's livelihood, it would be the means whereby
to express oneself, develop one's capacities and possibilities,
while doing at the same time service to the whole group, which on
its side would provide for each one's subsistence and for the field
of his work.
In brief, it would be a place where the relations among human
beings, usually based almost exclusively upon competition and
strife, would be replaced by relations of emulation for doing
better, for collaboration, relations of real brotherhood.


Auroville Universal Township
webmaster@auroville.org.in

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  The Background of Auroville




Auroville wants to be the first realisation of human unity based on the
teaching of Sri Aurobindo, where men of all countries would be at home.


Auroville
The city-in-the-making is located on the Coromandel Coast in south India.
It draws its inspiration from the vision and work of the renowned Indian
seer and spiritual visionary, Sri Aurobindo. His spiritual collaborator,
The Mother, founded the township in 1968 and gave its Charter, which you
find scrolling on our homepage. The writings of these visionaries, and the
specific guidelines for Auroville given by the Mother are crucial for
in-depth understanding of what is trying to be achieved in Auroville, a
collective experiment dedicated to human unity and international
understanding.
Human Unity
"With the present morality of the human race a sound and durable human
unity is not yet possible; but there is no reason why a temporary
approximation to it should not be the reward of strenuous aspiration and
untiring effort. By constant approximations and by partial realisations
and temporary successes Nature advances", writes Sri Aurobindo, and this
reality stands central in Auroville and acts as perpetual encouragement
for the residents to persevere. During all our meetings, deliberations and
plannings, we are acutely aware of how vast and how high our aim is, for
"--- in it must be found the means of a fundamental, an inner, a complete,
a real human unity which would be the one secure base of a unification of
human life. A spiritual oneness which would create a psychological oneness
not dependent upon any intellectual or outward uniformity."
Pondicherry
Auroville's location in south India is connected with the fact that the
Mother had been living in Pondicherry since 1920. It was there, in the Sri
Aurobindo Ashram in 1964 that the idea of Auroville was conceived. Both
Sri Aurobindo and the Mother had expressed in their earliest writings the
necessity of starting, at some point, a collective experiment under
optimum conditions - ideally in the form of a city - in order to create a
bridgehead for a new consciousness which was seeking to manifest in the
world. The Ashram itself, formally created in 1926, was a first attempt in
that direction. It was only in 1964 that the Mother felt that the time had
come for such a bold experiment to be started on the bigger scale of a
township.
The name 'Auroville' was given in homage to Sri Aurobindo, while also
meaning 'City of Dawn'. The idea was recognised and taken up by the
Government of India. A location near to Pondicherry was found. The time
was right, the wheel set in motion, and support started coming in. The
inauguration took place on February 28th, 1968.
Worldwide support
Since the very beginning, Auroville has received the unanimous endorsement
of the General Conference of UNESCO in 1966, 1968, 1970 and 1983.
Governmental and Non-Governmental Organisations in India and abroad have
funded various development programmes, and donations have been received
from foundations in Europe and the USA, from Auroville International
Centres, and from private donors around the world. The residents
themselves have also made, and continue to make, a major contribution of
their resources and energy to the project.
Multifarious activities
Auroville is intended as a city for up to 50,000 inhabitants from around
the world. Today its inhabitants number around 1,500 people, drawn from
some thirty countries. They live in 100 settlements of varying size,
separated by village and temple lands and surrounded by Tamil villages
with a total population of over 35,000 people. Their activities are
multifarious, and include afforestation, organic agriculture, educational
research, health care, village development, appropriate technology, and
building construction, information technology, small and medium scale
businesses, town planning, water table management, cultural activities and
community services.
Independent legal body
In 1988, the Government of India passed the Auroville Foundation Act to
safeguard the development of Auroville according to its Charter. This Act
established three constituent bodies: the Governing Board, which would
oversee the development of the township in collaboration with its
inhabitants, the Residents Assembly and the International Advisory
Council, which can provide international support and advice, when
required, to the Governing Board.
Faith in humanity's future
As the world is rapidly changing and groping for new paradigms to re-model
itself, so Auroville stands poised at the start of a new millennium, ready
to enter a new phase of its development and growth, and aware of a new
flowering of the faith in humanity's future that it represents.
For a comprehensive overview of activities in the township, go to The City
the Earth needs

Auroville Universal Township
webmaster@auroville.org.in

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 BODHISATTVA WARRIORS

   by Chagdud Tulku Rinpoche

Many great Buddhist masters have prophesied that centuries from
now, when the forces of aggression amass on earth and no reason can
turn them back, the kingdom of Shambhala will open its gates and its
enlightened warriors will come forth into battle. Whoever they
encounter will be given a choice--turn away from non virtue to virtue
or, by direct, wrathful intervention, be liberated into a pure land
beyond suffering.

A Buddhist story tells of a ferry captain whose boat was carrying
500 bodhisattvas in the guise of merchants. A robber on board planned
to kill everyone and pirate the ship's cargo.

The captain, a bodhisattva himself, saw the man's murderous
intention and realized this crime would result in eons of torment for
the murderer. In his compassion, the captain was willing to take
hellish torment upon himself by killing the man to prevent karmic
suffering that would be infinity greater than the suffering of the
murdered victims. The captain's compassion was impartial; his
motivation was utterly selfless.

Now, as I write this, the Middle East is inflamed with war.
Watching the television news, I pray that this war will prevent
greater wars, greater suffering, and that those opposed to war develop
the skills to bring about authentic peace. We cannot fully discern
the motivation of any participants involved in the conflict, but it is
unlikely that many have the ability to bring about ultimate liberation
for friends and enemies alike, or that they will be able to sustain
the bodhisattva's impartial compassion as they engage in conflict.

What we can know is our own minds. We can adhere to Buddhist ideals
in our activities, whether we are combatants, protestors, decision-
makers or concerned witnesses. We can pray that whatever virtue there
is in the situation prevails, that genuine peace be established. The
Buddha has taught that throughout countless lifetimes all beings have
been our parents and have shown us great kindness. Now they have
fallen under the sway of the mind's poisons of desire, anger,
ignorance, and they suffer terribly. Could we exclude any from our
compassion any more than the sun could exclude any from the warmth and
radiance of its rays.

As we aspire to peace, now and in the future cycles of our
existence, we cannot deny the possibility that each of us may be
confronted with the need for wrathful intervention in order to prevent
greater harm. May the spiritual mining we undertake now allow us to
enter such situations free from the delusions of the mind's poisons.
May we act with spontaneous compassion to bring ultimate liberation to
all alike, both victims and aggressors.

top
 

Shambhala Publications, Inc.; Boston, Massachusetts; 1973.

       
 Letter from Inside the Black Bloc

Mary Black*, AlterNet
July 25, 2001



I'm running as fast as my asthmatic lungs will allow in the
midst of what can only be called a mob. My friend from back
home and I hold hands so that we won't loose each other, but
I'm holding him back a little. He's in much better shape than
I am and he'd probably be out of range of the tear gas by now
if it wasn't for me.


A phalanx of riot cops is getting closer and I let go of my
friend's hand, so that at least one of us can get away. He
darts ahead of me onto a side street. I'm small, and now I'm
by myself, so I'm not attracting much attention from the cops.
I raise my hands in the air to show that I'm giving in, and
let the cops push me in the direction that they are pushing
all of us -- conventional protester and black clad rioter
alike -- down a blocked side street.


Probably there is no way out of this alley; it's a trap, but
the tear gas is too thick at this point for me to resist. I'm
fumbling for my gas mask, but I'm going where I'm being told
to go. I'm aware that some folks I've been marching with are
being picked out of the crowd and thrown to the ground. Folks
are trying to pull people out of the hands of the cops. One
guy gets yanked back from the police line and runs; he gets
away, but the friend I came here with is tackled. The last
time I see him that day he's face down on the cement, two big
undercover cops straddling him. Like most of the folks around
me, I run.


We're retreating, but only as much as we have to. And in a few
minutes we'll find our group again and advance back toward the
area that the cops have declared off limits to all but a small
group of extremely wealthy, extremely powerful, mostly white,
mostly men.


If words like "advance" sound militaristic in tone, that's
probably because I'm a part of a group that at least appears
paramilitary. Our clothes are uniform issue and intentionally
menacing: black bandanas, ragged black army surplus pants,
black hooded sweatshirts (with optional red and black flag or
slogan-covered patches) and shiny black boots (or for the
vegans in the crowd, battered black converse).


I'm part of a loosely affiliated international group of
individuals known as the Black Bloc. We don't have a party
platform, and you don't have to sign anything or go to any
meetings to join us. We show up at all kinds of
demonstrations, from actions to free Mumia Abu Jamal, to
protests against the sanctions in Iraq, and at just about
every meeting of international financial and political
organizations from the WTO to the G8. Although most anarchists
would never wear black bandanas over their faces or break
windows at McDonalds, almost all of us are anarchists.


Most folks I know who have used Black Bloc tactics have day
jobs working for nonprofits. Some are school teachers, labor
organizers or students. Some don't have full-time jobs, but
instead spend most of their time working for change in their
communities. They start urban garden projects and bike
libraries; they cook food for Food Not Bombs and other groups.
These are thinking and caring folks who, if they did not have
radical political and social agendas, would be compared with
nuns, monks, and others who live their lives in service.


There is a fair amount of diversity in who we are and what we
believe. I've known folks in the Black Bloc who come from as
far south as Mexico City and as far north as Montreal. I think
that the stereotype is correct that we are mostly young and
mostly white, although I wouldn't agree that we are mostly
men. When I'm dressed from head to toe in baggy black clothes,
and my face is covered up, most people think I'm a man too.
The behavior of Black Bloc protesters is not associated with
women, so reporters often assume we are all guys.


People associated with a Black Bloc may just march with the
rest of the group, showing our solidarity with each other and
bringing visibility to anarchists, or we may step up the mood
of the protest, escalating the atmosphere and encouraging
others to ask for more than just reforms to a corrupt system.
Spray painting of political messages, destroying property of
corporations and creating road blocks out of found materials
are all common tactics of a Black Bloc.


The Black Bloc is a fairly recent phenomenon, probably first
seen in the U.S. in the early '90s and evolving out of protest
tactics in Germany in the '80s. The Black Bloc may be in part
a response to the large-scale repression of activist groups by
the FBI during the '60s, '70s and '80s. It is impossible at
this point to form a radical activist group without the fear
of infiltration and disruption by the police and. for some,
taking militant direct action in the streets with very little
planning and working only with small networks of friends are
the only meaningful forms of protest available.


Although there is no consensus among us on what we all
believe, I think I can safely say that we have a few ideas in
common. The first is the basic anarchist philosophy that we do
not need or want governments or laws to decide our actions.
Instead, we imagine a society where there is true liberty for
all, where work and play are shared by everyone and where
those in need are taken care of by the voluntary and mutual
aid of their communities. Beyond this vision of an ideal
society, we believe that public space is for everyone. We have
a right to go where we want, when we want and governments
should not have the right to control our movements, especially
in order to hold secret meetings of groups like the WTO, which
make decisions that affect millions.


We believe that destroying the property of oppressive and
exploitative corporations like The Gap is an acceptable and
useful protest tactic. We believe that we have the right to
defend ourselves when we are in physical danger from tear gas,
batons, armored personnel carriers and other law enforcement
technology. We reject the idea that police should be allowed
to control our actions at all. Looking at Rodney King, Amadu
Dialo, Abner Ruima, the Ramparts scandal in Los Angeles and
the Riders in Oakland, many of us conclude that abuse by the
police is not only endemic, it is inherent.


We live in a society that is racist and homophobic and sexist
and unless that is taken out of our society, it cannot be
taken out of the cops who enforce the rules of our society. In
an even larger view, we live in a society that has agreed to
give some people the right to control what others do. This
creates a power imbalance that cannot be remedied even with
reforms of the police. It is not just that police abuse their
power, we believe that the existence of police is an abuse of
power. Most of us believe that if cops are in the way of where
we want to go or what we want to do, we have a right to
directly confront them. Some of us extend this idea to include
the acceptability of physically attacking cops. I have to
emphasize that this is controversial even within the Black
Bloc, but also explain that many of us believe in armed
revolution, and within that context, attacking the cops
doesn't seem out of place.


There have been hours of debate in both the mainstream and
left-wing press about the Black Bloc. For the most part, the
media seem to agree that the Black Bloc is bad. The mainstream
media's current consensus is that the Black Bloc is bad and
extremely dangerous. The progressive media's most common line
is that the Black Bloc is bad, but at least their aren't many
of us. Everyone seems to call Black Bloc protesters violent.
Violence is a tricky concept. I'm not totally clear what
actions are violent, and what are not. And when is a violent
action considered self defense? I believe that using the word
violent to describe breaking the window of a Nike store takes
meaning away from the word. Nike makes shoes out of toxic
chemicals in poor countries using exploitative labor
practices. Then they sell the shoes for vastly inflated prices
to poor black kids from the first world. In my view, this
takes resources out of poor communities on both sides of the
globe, increasing poverty and suffering. I think poverty and
suffering could well be described as violent, or at least as
creating violence.


What violence does breaking a window at Nike Town cause? It
makes a loud noise; maybe that is what is considered violent.
It creates broken glass, which could hurt people, although
most of the time those surrounding the window are only Black
Bloc protesters who are aware of the risks of broken glass. It
costs a giant multi-billion dollar corporation money to
replace their window. Is that violent? It is true that some
underpaid Nike employee will have to clean up a mess, which is
unfortunate, but a local glass installer will get a little
extra income too.


As a protest tactic, the usefulness of property destruction is
limited but important. It brings the media to the scene and it
sends a message that seemingly impervious corporations are not
impervious. People at the protest, and those at home watching
on TV, can see that a little brick, in the hands of a
motivated individual, can break down a symbolic wall. A broken
window at Nike Town is not threatening to peoples safety, but
I hope it sends a message that I don't just want Nike to
improve their actions, I want them to shut down and I'm not
afraid to say it.


The biggest complaint that the left has expressed about the
Black Bloc is that we make the rest of the protesters look
bad. It is understandably frustrating for organizers who have
spent months planning a demonstration when a group of scary
looking young people get all of the news coverage by lighting
things on fire. Yet what is missing in this critique is an
acknowledgement that the corporate media never covers the real
content of demonstrations. Militant demonstration and peaceful
protest alike are rarely covered by the media at all, let
alone in any depth. Although I too wish that the media would
cover all styles of protest, or, more importantly, the
underlying issues inspiring the protest, I'm also aware that
militant tactics do get media attention. And I think that is a
good thing.


I started my activist work during the Gulf War, and learned
early that sheer numbers of people at demonstrations are
rarely enough to bring the media out. During the war I spent
weeks organizing demonstrations against the war. In one case,
thousands showed up to demonstrate. But again and again, the
newspapers and television ignored us. It was a major contrast
the first time I saw someone break a window at a demonstration
and suddenly we were all on the six o'clock news. The militant
mood of anti-globalization protests in the last couple years
has undeniably contributed to the level of attention that
globalization is now getting in the media. And although the
Black Bloc is not the only reason for this, (a myriad of
creative, innovative strategies have helped to bring the
fickle eye of the media in the direction of the left), I
believe that George Bush II felt compelled to directly address
the protesters at the G8 summit in Genoa because of the media
coverage that our movement is finally getting.


A second complaint that I have heard from the left, and in
particular from other, non-Black Bloc protesters, is that they
don't like our masks. I've been yelled at by protester and cop
alike to take off my mask. This idea is impossible for most of
us. What we are doing is illegal. We believe in militant,
direct action protest tactics. We are well aware that police
photograph and videotape demonstrations, even when they are
legally disallowed from doing so. To take off our masks will
put us in direct danger of the police.


The masks serve another, symbolic purpose as well. Although
there are certainly those who wish to advance their own
positions or gain popularity within the militant anarchist
community, the Black Bloc maintains an ideal of putting the
group before the individual. We rarely give interviews to the
press (and those of us who do are generally frowned upon or
regarded with suspi