Freedom in Exile

I recently read the autobiography of the 14th Dalai Lama, entitled Freedom in Exile. It contains far more gems that could be quoted (or should be quoted, for this book should be read in its entirety), but I wanted to share a few.

The chapter "From East to West" touches on some of his impressions when he was first able to travel to Europe and the US after fleeing Tibet and taking up residence in India.

On arrival in New York [in 1972], where I went first, I was immediately impressed by an atmosphere of liberty. The people I met seemed very friendly and open and relaxed. But at the same time, I could not help noticing how dirty and untidy some parts of the city were. I was also very sorry to see so many tramps and homeless people taking shelter in doorways. It amazed me that there could be any beggars in this vastly rich and prosperous land. [...] Now, as I have come to know the country better, I have begun to see that, in some ways, the American political system does not live up to its own ideals.

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Another observation is that there are a lot of people in the West who live very comfortably in large cities, but virtually isolated from the broad mass of humanity. I find this very strange -- that under the circumstance of such material well-being and with thousands of brothers and sisters for neighbors, so many people appear able to show their true feelings only to their cats and dogs.

On his attitude toward Christianity:

I am [...] very impressed with the practical work of Christians of all denominations through charitable organizations devoted to health and education. [...] This is one area where we can learn from our Christian brothers and sisters: it would be very useful if Buddhists could make a similar contribution to society. I feel that Buddhist monks and nuns talk a great deal about compassion without doing much about it. [...] However, if it is true that we can learn from Christians, I feel that they could also learn from us. For example, the techniques we have developed for meditation and one-pointed concentration of the mind might well help them in other areas of the spiritual life.

On materialism and spiritualism:

...[I]t is vital for there to be dialogue between [...] all religions and any form of materialist ideology. The two approaches to life are so obviously complementary. It is sad that people tend to think of them as being in opposition. If materialism and technology really are the answer to all of humanity's problems, the most advanced industrial societies would by now be full of smiling faces. But they are not. Equally, if people were meant only to be concerned with matters of spirituality, we would all be living joyously according to their religious beliefs. But then there would be no progress. Both material and spiritual development are required. And humanity must not stagnate, for that is a kind of death.

On the world and the future:

...[T]he problems we face today -- violent conflicts, destruction of nature, poverty, hunger, and so on -- are mainly problems created by humans. They can be resolved -- but only through human effort, understanding and the development of a sense of brotherhood and sisterhood. To do this, we need to cultivate a universal responsibility for one another and for the planet we share, based on a good heart and awareness.

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With the ever-growing impact of science on our lives, religion and spirituality have a greater role to play in reminding us of our humanity. There is no contradiction between the two. Each gives us valuable insights into the other. Both [...] tell us of the fundamental unity of all things.