An Appeal to the World

The Way to Peace in a Time of Division

Dalai Lama, Franz Alt

• Publisher: Mariner Books
• Year: 2017
• ISBN:
  9780062835550
• Topic: Filosofía
• Subtopic: Filosofía oriental

The #1 international bestseller that "makes the case for unity in a world rife with divisions." Features exclusive new material on the Trump presidency ( The New York Times Book Review ). In this brief yet profound address to global humanity, His Holiness the Dalai Lama of Tibet reveals that we all hold the seeds of world peace within us: "I see with ever greater clarity that our spiritual well-being depends, " the Nobel Peace Prize winner writes, "on our innate human nature, our natural affinity for goodness, compassion, and caring for others." Already a major international bestseller, An Appeal to the World, the new book by one of the most revered spiritual leaders of our time, outlines both the inward and outward paths to peace, addressing a wide range of contemporary topics—from the rise of nationalism, Trump presidency, refugee crisis, climate catastrophes, and materialism to meditation, universal ethics, and even neuroscience. Here is a small book that can truly change the world. "Always inspiring and accessible, this lovely book is, itself, readers will discover, worth meditation and contemplation." — Booklist "The authors explain how patience, forbearance, humility, and generosity are essential components of secular ethics. This revolution in thinking has the potential to increase empathy and compassion, as life is interdependent and our actions have global impacts." — Library Journal

EDUCATING THE HEART

A Conversation with His Holiness the Dalai Lama

The following interviews were conducted by His Holiness and Franz Alt between 2014 and September 2017.

ON SPIRITUALITY

Spirituality has become a fashionable word. What does it mean for you?

SPIRITUALITY IS THE most fundamental of all human wellsprings inside us. When we decide to cultivate the inner values that we all appreciate in other people, we begin to live spiritually. We should create an ethical foundation and nurture our inner values to be appropriate to our scientific age without neglecting the deeper needs of the human spirit. Of course all religions can contribute to this holistic secular ethos.

ON RELIGION

What gave you the idea that we in this era need more than the traditional religions?

I’VE BEEN LIVING in exile in India for 58 years. There I have experienced secular ethics in practice and a secular society. Mahatma Gandhi was a deeply religious man but also a secular mind. In his daily rounds of prayer, texts were read and sung from all the great religions and bodies of wisdom. Gandhi was a great friend of Jesus and his pacifism in the Sermon on the Mount. He is my role model because he essentially embodied religious tolerance. This tolerance has ancient Indian roots. India is home to Hindus, Muslims, Christians, Sikhs, Jains, Buddhists, Zoroastrians, Jews, agnostics, and atheists who live together peacefully – with few exceptions. India has many ethnic and religious minorities and hundreds of languages. Tibet is my homeland, but in a way I am also a son of secular India.

You will find Hindu temples, Muslim mosques, Christian churches, and Buddhist sacred sites alongside each other. I know that every now and then there are also serious cases of localized violence. But it would be wrong to generalize them. On the whole, Indian society is peaceful and harmonious. All faiths share the ancient Indian principle of nonviolence, Ahimsa, which also brought Gandhi such great political success. It was the bedrock of peaceful coexistence. That is the practice of secular ethics beyond all religions. The modern world should follow its example!

I often feel like a modern advocate for this ancient Indian way of thinking. This conception of secularism can be immensely useful for all people, all religions, all cultures and doctrines of wisdom, and all societies.

The many interviews that the two of us have had over decades have also served to promote understanding of deeper human values and secular ethics. This can help people become better and more conscious human beings. But our common path is this: more mindfulness towards all life, including animals and plants. On your last television broadcast, we discussed the global destruction of the environment and I said that I sometimes have the feeling that the Earth would be better off without people.

ON GLOBAL RESPONSIBILITY

Every day, we drive 150 species of plants and animals to extinction, expand the deserts by 50,000 hectares, and spew 150 million metric tons of greenhouse gases into the air. Essentially, we are fighting a World War Three against nature. Religions have not been able to stop this development. 2016 was the warmest year on record. The Himalayan glaciers and the polar ice caps are melting. What can secular ethics accomplish in these circumstances? What are the core tenets of secular ethics?

MINDFULNESS, EDUCATION, RESPECT, tolerance, caring, and nonviolence. We have achieved great material advances over the past century. That was generally positive. But those material advances are also what has led to the environment’s current destruction. Now, in the twenty-first century, we need to learn, cultivate, and apply more inner values on all levels. A realistic look at the problems of our time, some of which you just listed, shows very clearly that we must find a sustainable and universal entry point to questions of ethics, inner values, and personal integrity – an entry point that will ultimately allow us to transcend cultural, ethnic, and religious differences. The principle of global responsibility is a key element of my concept of secular ethics. You are right, it comes down to the survival of our species. For me, this search for a truly sustainable and universal path is the basis for developing secular ethics.

If all seven billion humans first considered what unites them and not what divides them, they would have less stress and less anger. We should learn that we are all friends. As I see it, I don’t have any enemies, only people I haven’t met yet. The young people of today have many more opportunities to get to know each other globally – and they should take advantage of them to work on improving the world. Compassion and love have been neglected far too much in education. We can and must change that now.

There are two viewpoints on human nature. One believes that humans are naturally violent, inconsiderate, and aggressive. The other believes that we have a natural tendency towards benevolence, harmony, and a peaceful life. I subscribe to the second viewpoint. That is why, in my opinion, ethics are not a collection of commandments and prohibitions to abide by, but a natural inner offering that can bring happiness and satisfaction to ourselves and others. I am personally driven by the simple desire to contribute to the greater good of humankind and all living creatures.

Ethical education starting around age 14 is more important than religion. Education changes everything. Human beings are capable of learning. In Germany, this was demonstrated by the fall of the Berlin Wall, an unforgettable experience for me, or the policies of the European Union after World War Two. Today, countries that were once enemies in wartime are building a peaceful Europe together. The EU even received the Nobel Peace Prize for that. Quite rightly!

ON SECULAR ETHICS

Of the six billion believers in the world, there are many – especially in Europe – who do not take their own religions seriously. In Christianity, we call them “Christians by baptismal certificate.”

UNFORTUNATELY, THE SIX billion believers in the world include many corrupt people who only pursue their own interests. You are right, my dear friend. The twenty-first century must be shaped by inner values. Then our century will become the century of peace and dialogue. However, there won’t be external peace until there is more inner peace. That applies to all current conflicts: in Ukraine, in the Middle East, in Afghanistan, and in Nigeria. Before there is “external disarmament,” there must be “inner disarmament.” Almost everywhere, religious fundamentalism is one of the causes of war. We know full well today that risking nuclear war would be tantamount to suicide. That alone shows that we are all i...

Table of contents

• Cover
• Title Page
• Contents
• Preface: “I Don’t Have Any Enemies” by Franz Alt
• An Appeal by the Dalai Lama for Secular Ethics and Peace
• Ethics Are More Important Than Religion: A Conversation with His Holiness the Dalai Lama
• The Dalai Lama Story: An Inspiring Life
• The Dalai Lama: A Life in Dates
• An Excerpt from CALL FOR REVOLUTION
• About the Coauthor: Franz Alt
• Copyright
• About the Publisher