[from: Tibetan Bulletin (March-April 1994)
Universal Responsibility and Our Global Environment
His Holiness the Dalai Lama
As the twentieth century draws to a close, we find that the world has
grown smaller. The world's people have become almost one community.
Political and military alliances have created large multinational
groups; industry and international trade have produced a global
economy. Worldwide communications are eliminating ancient barriers of
distance, language and race. We are also being drawn together by the
grave problems we face: overpopulation, dwindling natural resources,
and an environmental crisis that threatens our air, water, and trees,
along with the vast number of beautiful life forms that are the very
foundation of existence on this small planet we share.
I believe that to meet the challenge of our times, human beings will
have to develop a greater sense of universal responsibility. Each of
us must learn to work not just for his or her own self, family or
nation, but for the benefit of all mankind. Universal responsibility
is the real key to human survival. It is the best foundation for world
peace, the equitable use of natural resources and, through concern for
future generations, the proper care of the environment.
That is why it is so heartening to see such non-governmental
organisations as yours. Your role in forging a better future is
absolutely essential. I have come across many such orgaisations built
by dedicated volunteers out of genuine concern for their fellow human
beings. Such commitment represents the forefront of both social and
environmental progress.
Whether we like it or not, we have all been born on this earth as part
of one great family. Rich or poor, educated or uneducated, belonging
to one nation, religion, ideology or another, ultimately each of us is
just a human being like everyone else. We all desire happiness and do
not want suffering. Furthermore, each of us has the same right to
pursue happiness and avoid suffering. When you recognise that all
beings are equal in this respect, you automatically feel empathy and
closeness for them. Out of this, in turn, comes a genuine sense of
universal responsibility -- the wish to actively help others overcome
their problems.
The need for a sense of universal responsibility is present in every
aspect of modern life. Nowadays, significant events in one part of the
world eventually affect the entire planet. Therefore, we have to treat
each major local problem as a global concern from the moment it
begins. We can no longer invoke the national, racial or ideological
barriers that separate us without destructive repercussions. In the
context of our new interdependence, considering the interest of others
is clearly the best form of self-interest.
We need to appreciate interdependence in nature far more than we have
in the past. Our ignorance of it is directly reponsible for many of
the problems we face. For instance, tapping the limited resources of
our world -- particularly those of the developing nations -- simply to
fuel consumerism, is disastrous. If it continues unchecked, eventually
we will all suffer. We must respect the delicate balance of life and
allow it to replenish itself.
Ignorance of interdependence has not only harmed the natural
environment, but human society as well. Instead of caring for one
another, we place most of our efforts for happiness in pursuing
individual material consumption. We have become so engrossed in this
pursuit that, without knowing it, we have neglected to foster the most
basic human needs of love, kindness and cooperation. This is very sad.
We have to consider what we human beings really are. We are not
machine-made objects. However, since we are not solely material
creatures, it is a mistake to seek fulfillment in external development
alone.
To pursue growth properly, we need to renew our commitment to human
values in many fields. Political life, of course, requires an ethical
foundation, but science and religion, as well, should be pursued from
a moral basis. Without it scientists cannot distinguish between
beneficial technologies and those which are merely expedient. The
environmental damage surrounding us is the most obvious result of this
confusion. In the case of religion, it is particularly necessary.
The purpose of religion is not to construct beautiful buildings, but
to cultivate positive human qualities such as tolerance, generosity
and love. Every world religion, no matter what its philosophical view,
is founded first and foremost on the precept that we must reduce our
selfishness and serve others. Unfortunately, sometimes in the name of
religion, people cause more quarrels than they solve. Practitioners of
different faiths should realise that each religious tradition has
immense intrinsic value as a means for providing mental and spiritual
health.
I have been extremely heartened to follow the recent developments in
the search for peace between Israelis and Palestinians. Laying down
guns on both sides, and talking face-to-face is, in my opinion, the
only way to resolve such disputes. We must learn to live together in a
nonviolent way that nurtures the freedom of all people.
There is a wonderful verse in the Bible about turning swords into
ploughshares. It is a lovely image, a weapon transformed into a tool
to serve basic human needs, symbolic of an attitude of inner and outer
disarmament. In the spirit of this ancient message, I think it is
important that we stress today the urgency of a policy that is long
overdue -- the demilitarisation of the entire planet.
Demilitarisation would free great human resources for protection of
the environment, relief of poverty, and sustainable human development.
I have always envisioned the future of my own country, Tibet, as
founded on this basis. Tibet will be a neutral, demilitarised
sanctuary where weapons are forbidden and the people live in harmony
with nature. I have called this a Zone of Ahimsa or non-violence.
This is not merely a dream -- it is precisely the way Tibetans tried
to live for over a thousand years before our country was tragically
invaded. In Tibet, wildlife was protected in accordance with Buddhist
principles. We enacted decrees to protect the environment, but it was
mainly protected by the beliefs which were installed in use as
children.
I would like to conclude by stating that I feel optimistic about the
future. There are a number of recent trends which show our potential
for achieving a better world. The rapid changes in our attitude
towards the earth are a source of hope. As recently as a decade ago,
we thoughtlessly devoured the resources of the world as if there was
no end to them. We failed to realise that unchecked consumerism was
disastrous for both the environment and social welfare. Now, both
individuals and governments are seeking a new ecological and economic
order.
It is true to say that as late as the 1980s people believed that war
was an inevitable condition of mankind. The notion prevailed that
people with conflicting interests could only confront each other.
This view has deminished. Today people all over the globe are more
committed to peaceful co-existence, as is evident here in the Middle
East. This is an astonishingly positive development.
After believing for centuries that human society could only be
governed with rigid authoritarian discipline, people in all corners of
the world have woken up to the virtues of democracy. Speaking from
their hearts, they have shown that the desire for freedom and truth
and democracy stems from the core of human nature. Recent events have
proved that the simple expression of truth is an immense force in the
human mind, and as a result, in the shaping of history.
One of the greatest lessons for all of us has been the peaceful change
in Eastern Europe. In the past, oppressed people have always resorted
to violence in their struggle to be free. Now, these peaceful
revolutions, following in the footsteps of Gandhi and Martin Luther
King, have given future generations a tremendous example of
successful, nonviolent change. When, in the future, the need arises to
change society, our descendents can look back to 1989 as a paradigm
for peaceful struggle: a real success story on an unprecedented scale,
involving more than half a dozen nations and hundreds of millions of
people.
Meanwhile, there has been a growth of awareness of human rights.
Crude power can never subdue mankind's basic desire for freedom, truth
and democracy, which are our fundamental right. People simply don't
like a person or a system that bullies, cheats and lies. These
activities are essentially opposed to the human spirit.
All these encouraging signs reflect a renewed appreciation of the
benefits of basic human values. Because of the lessons we have begun
to learn, the next century will be friendlier, more harmonious, and
less harmful. Compassion, the seeds of peace, will be able to
flourish. At the same time, I believe that every individual has a
responsibility to help guide our global family in the right direction.
Good wishes alone are not enough, we each have to assume
responsibility.
I hope and pray that in the days ahead, each of us will do all we can
to see that the goal of creating a happier, more harmonious and
healthier world is achieved.
[This is the text of the address delivered to the Society for the
Protection of Nature, Israel, on March 22, 1994]
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TITLE OF WORK: Universal Responsibility and Our Global Environment
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AUTHOR: His Holiness the 14th Dalai Lama, Tenzin Gyatso
AUTHOR'S ADDRESS: Thekchen Choeling, McLeod Ganj
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Department of Information & International Relations,
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DATE OF PUBLICATION: March 22, 1994
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