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Quote: Buddhism and peace
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Peter Terpstra
Nov 3, 2009, 12:42:36 PM11/3/09
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Buddhism and peace
We feel money and power can bring happiness and solve problems, but they are
not definite causes of those desired states. If that were so, it would follow
that those who have wealth would necessarily have happiness, and those who do
not have wealth would always experience suffering. Money and power facilitate,
but it is clear that they are not the primary causes of, happiness and solving
our problems. It is justified for us to make material and financial
development for building our nation and providing shelter, etc. for ourselves;
we need to do that. But we also need to seek inner development. As we can see,
there are many people who have wealth and power who remain unhappy, due to
which their health declines, and they are always taking medicines. On the
other hand, we find people who live like beggars but who always remain
peaceful and happy.
Therefore, in our daily life a certain way of thinking makes us happy, and a
certain way of thinking makes us unhappy. In other words, there are certain
states of mind which bring us problems, and they can be removed; we need to
make an effort in that direction. Likewise, there are certain states of mind
that bring us peace and happiness, and we need to cultivate and enhance them.
Dalai Lama
We feel money and power can bring happiness and solve problems, but they are
not definite causes of those desired states. If that were so, it would follow
that those who have wealth would necessarily have happiness, and those who do
not have wealth would always experience suffering. Money and power facilitate,
but it is clear that they are not the primary causes of, happiness and solving
our problems. It is justified for us to make material and financial
development for building our nation and providing shelter, etc. for ourselves;
we need to do that. But we also need to seek inner development. As we can see,
there are many people who have wealth and power who remain unhappy, due to
which their health declines, and they are always taking medicines. On the
other hand, we find people who live like beggars but who always remain
peaceful and happy.
Therefore, in our daily life a certain way of thinking makes us happy, and a
certain way of thinking makes us unhappy. In other words, there are certain
states of mind which bring us problems, and they can be removed; we need to
make an effort in that direction. Likewise, there are certain states of mind
that bring us peace and happiness, and we need to cultivate and enhance them.
Dalai Lama
http://www.snowlionpub.com/pages/dlquote.html
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Amnesty International Report 2009 on China:
http://report2009.amnesty.org/en/regions/asia-pacific/china
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