However, he never says that Buddhism is the best religion. “For someone Buddhism, for someone Islam and for someone Christian or another faith is most effective - people need different religions in accordance with their mental characteristics. But the Buddhist teaching that I adhere to (the tradition of the ancient Buddhist monastery-university of Nalanda - Ed.) is based not on blind faith, but on logical analysis and testing everything, even the words of Buddha. Therefore, today we are actively developing interaction with Western science,” the Dalai Lama explained.
Solid faith, he believes, must also have a solid foundation such as wisdom, logic and scientific knowledge. On the other hand, both modern Western science and the educational system have something to learn from the centuries-old experience of Buddhism, with its deeply developed ideas about the mind, consciousness and emotions. "Modern world science and the education system explain all about external, material values and do not pay enough attention to internal values and consciousness. In addition to the development of high technology and the observance of body hygiene, we must also observe the hygiene of emotions. This will help to cope with anger, fear and other emotions, to achieve pacification and peace of mind,” the Buddhist mentor emphasized.
According to him, the observed global warming and other phenomena that humanity is unable to stop completely indicate that "eventually our world will disappear." "But if we talk about peace of mind, then we can maintain it even at the moment of death. And we can support it, being reborn in different bodies,” concluded the Dalai Lama.
The organizers of the Dalai Lama's first online meeting with Russian students were the Save Tibet Foundation and the Center for Tibetan Culture and Information (Moscow).
The Dalai Lama considers multinational and multi-confessional Russia a great country with enormous potential for building a happy world in the 21st century. He stated this in an interview with Russian students.
The first online meeting of the world famous spiritual leader of Buddhism with students of five state universities in Russia was held on March 29 with the participation of the head of the Institute of General Genetics, RAS Academician Nikolai Yankovsky and other prominent Russian scientists. It was dedicated to the theme "Peace in an era of change". The questions to the Dalai Lama were asked by students of Moscow State University, St. Petersburg State University, Kalmyk, Buryat and Tuva state universities. The broadcast was hosted by the Save Tibet Foundation on its website.
“If we want to build a happy life on earth, then differences in national, religious and other views should recede into the background. In the 21st century, we must realize that all seven billion people on our planet are one big family ... And in this respect, the Russian Federation is a great country, you have great potential to build a happy world. And I am happy today to talk with Russian friends from different universities,” the Dalai Lama said.
According to him, we are all the same human beings, we want a happy life, we do not want suffering, and to achieve this, we use our intellect. In previous centuries, we thought short-sightedly in the context of 'I, me, and mine’. This led to the First and Second World Wars, creation of nuclear and other destructive weapons. Now is the time to think together for benefit of all humanity, all living beings, to take care of the welfare of all, because we are all interconnected. Today, dividing people into friends and foes is an unrealistic approach, outdated thinking," the Buddhist leader stressed.
