Wisdom of a Monk

This week I have quoted from a Jewish rabbi and unintentionally continuing in this inter-religious trend, I came across (via Zadok) a fascinating article in The Telegraph in which the Dalai Lama is interviewed. Here's a brief excerpt from the interview:

"It is fascinating," he says, speaking in slightly stilted English. "In the West, you have bigger homes, yet smaller families; you have endless conveniences - yet you never seem to have any time. You can travel anywhere in the world, yet you don't bother to cross the road to meet your neighbours; you have more food than you could possibly eat, yet that makes women like Heidi miserable."

The West's big problem, he believes, is that people have become too self-absorbed. "I don't think people have become more selfish, but their lives have become easier and that has spoilt them. They have less resilience, they expect more, they constantly compare themselves to others and they have too much choice - which brings no real freedom."

Click the link above for the rest!

This article certainly makes for very interesting reading and is an opening into hopefully fruitful dialogue with those who adhere to Buddhist practices. As Cardinal Arinze said in 2001: "During their long histories both Christianity and Buddhism have developed particular ways of expressing themselves in distinct cultural forms. These differences may sometimes have been obstacles to dialogue in the past but they should be so no longer. Without ignoring our differences, and with utmost respect for the demands of truth, let us recognize the treasures of each other’s tradition. By means of dialogue and cooperation we can become more keenly aware of each tradition and together make a significant contribution to humanity."