Dalai Lama ´s tilbud til verden:

    "Lær af munkene i vores laboratorier!"
    (Bragt i New York Times, 23. april, 2003):

    + se om den rette måde at leve på.





    ..........................................DHARAMSALA, India, 26. april, 2003:

    "Dear Friends.
    These are times, when destructive emotions like anger,
    fear and hatred are giving rise to devastating problems
    throughout the world, like so many times before
    in the long human history
    .

    As we all know, when fear rises
    all the old demons dance and get fatter again.
    So while the daily news offers us grim reminders
    of the destructive power of such emotions, the question
    we must ask is this: "What can I, you and we do,
    person by person, to overcome them?"

    Of course such disturbing emotions
    have always been part of the human condition.
    but I want here to address those people, that tend to believe
    nothing can "cure" our impulses to hate or oppress one another.
    I hear they say, that this is simply the sad price of being human.
    This view create just apathy in the face of destructive emotions,
    leading us premature to conclude, that destructiveness
    is beyond our control - which is simply not true.

    I believe that there are practical ways for us as individuals
    to curb our dangerous impulses - impulses, that collectively
    can lead to war and mass violence. As evidence I have not only
    my spiritual practice and the understanding of human existence,
    based on Buddhist teachings, but now I can also
    refer you to the works of your own scientists.

    For the last 15 years I have been engaged in a series of conversations
    with Western scientists. We have exchanged views on topics ranging
    from quantum physics and cosmology - to compassion
    and how to handle destructive emotions.

    I have found that while scientific findings
    offer a deeper understanding of such fields as physics, cosmology,
    it still seems that Buddhist explanations - particularly in the cognitive,
    biological and brain sciences - can sometimes give Western-trained
    scientists a new way to look at their own fields.

    It may seem odd that a religious leader is so involved with science,
    but Buddhist teachings stress the importance of understanding reality,
    and so like you, I pay high attention to what scientists have learned
    about our world through experimentation and measurement.

    Similarly, we Buddhists have more than 2. 500 years history
    in investigating the workings of the mind. We know fear, anger and hate.
    Many of our practitioners have carried out, what you may call "experiments"
    in how to overcome our tendencies toward different destructive emotions.

    I have encouraged scientists to examine the more advanced
    Tibetan spiritual practitioners, to see what benefits these practices
    might have for others, outside the religious context. The goal here
    is to increase our understanding of the world of the mind,
    of consciousness - and of our emotions.

    It is for this reason
    that I visited the neuroscience laboratory
    of Dr. Richard Davidson at the University of Wisconsin.
    Using imaging devices that show what occurs in the brain
    during meditation, Dr. Davidson has been able to study the effects
    of Buddhist practices for cultivating compassion,
    equanimity or mindfulness.

    For centuries Buddhists have believed
    that pursuing such practices seems to make people calmer,
    happier and more loving. At the same time they are less
    and less prone to destructive emotions.

    According to Dr. Davidson,
    there is now science to underscore this belief.
    Dr. Davidson tells me that the emergence of positive emotions
    may be due to this: Mindfulness meditation strengthens
    the neurological circuits that calm a part of the brain
    that acts as a trigger for fear and anger.

    This raises the possibility that we have a way
    to create a kind of buffer between the brain's violent impulses
    - and our actions, so we dont behave like biological robots.

    Experiments have already been carried out
    that show some practitioners can achieve a state of inner peace,
    even when facing extremely disturbing circumstances. Dr. Paul Ekman
    of the University of California at San Francisco told me that jarring noises
    (like one as loud as a gunshot) failed to startle the Buddhist monk
    he was testing. Dr. Ekman say, that he had never seen anyone
    before stay so calm - in the presence of such a disturbance.

    Another monk, the abbot of one of our monasteries in India,
    was tested by Dr. Davidson using electroencephalographs to measure
    brain waves. According to Dr. Davidson, the abbot had the highest amount
    of activity in the brain centers associated with positive emotions,
    that had ever been measured by his laboratory.
    I know this man, and can confirm this.

    Of course, the benefits of these practices
    are not just for monks, who spend months
    and sometimes a life in meditation retreats.

    Dr. Davidson told me about his research
    with people working in highly stressful jobs.
    These people - non-Buddhists - were taught mindfulness,
    a state of alertness in which the mind does not get caught up
    in thoughts or sensations, but lets them come and go,
    much like watching a river flow by.

    After eight weeks, Dr. Davidson found that in these people,
    the parts of their brains that help to form positive emotions
    became increasingly active.

    The implications of all this are clear
    The world today needs citizens and leaders
    who can work toward ensuring stability and engage in dialogue
    with the feared and hated "enemy" - no matter what kind of aggression
    or assault they may have endured. You get caught in the dharmawheel.

    It is importent, that these methods are not just useful,
    but inexpensive. You don't need a drug or an injection to meditate.
    You don't have to become a Buddhist, or adopt any particular religious faith.
    Everybody has the potential to lead a peaceful, meaningful life. We must explore
    as far as we can - how that can be brought about in a bigger scale.

    I try to put these methods into effect in my own life.
    When I hear bad news, especially the tragic stories I often hear
    from my fellow Tibetans, naturally my own response is deep sadness.
    However, by placing it in context, I find I can cope reasonably well.
    And feelings of helpless anger, which simply poison the mind and
    embitter the heart, seldom arise, even following the worst news.

    But a deeper reflection will soon demonstrate for you,
    that much of our suffering is caused, not by external causes
    but by such internal events, as the arising of disturbing emotions.
    The best antidote to this disruption is to enhance our inborn ability
    to handle these emotions by being able to choose a balanced attitude.

    If humanity is to survive, happiness and inner balance are crucial.
    Otherwise the lives of our children and their children are more likely
    to be unhappy, desperate - and short.

    Material development certainly contributes to happiness
    to some extent - and a comfortable way of life is the dream for many.
    But this is not sufficient. To achieve a deeper level of happiness,
    we cannot neglect our inner development.

    The calamity of the 9. november in New York
    demonstrated clearly that modern technology
    and human intelligence guided by hatred
    can lead to immense destruction.

    Such terrible acts are violent symptoms
    of an afflicted mental state. To respond wisely and effectively,
    we need to be guided by more healthy states of mind,
    not just to avoid feeding the flames of hatred,
    but to respond skillfully.

    We would do well to remember that this war
    against hatred and terror also can be waged
    on this - the internal front - too.

    Tenzin Gyatso, den 14. Dalai Lama.
    + se også: www.dalailama.com/ + www.dalailama.com/page.70.htm
    + www.dalailama.com/html/tibet.htm
    ------------------------------------



    Der var engang en, der spurgte Dalai lama:
    "Hvad har overrasket dig mest her i livet?"


    Han svarede:
    Mennesker, der ofrer helbred og livet
    for at tjene penge, der derpå bruges til
    at genvinde sin sundhed. For så at forblive
    ængstelig bekymret for sin fremtid, hvorfor
    de aldrig hviler i og blot nyder øjeblikket.

    Resultatet bliver
    at mennesket derved hverken lever i nu´et
    eller modigt favner fremtiden, men lever et somom liv,
    naivt troende at det aldrig skal dø. For så først at opdage,
    når livet er ved at slutte, at "jeg har aldrig rigtig levet."
    Den triste livsindstilling forbavser mig igen og igen.


    Lidt om den rette måde at leve sit liv:
    "Min religion er ganske enkelt at praktisere medfølelse,
    vise venlighed og at prøve at leve op til disse få leveregler:
    (uddrag fra Dalai lama´s nytårstale den 1. januar 2001).

    1. Husk at stor kærlighed
    og store bedrifter ofte kræver store risici.

    2. Når du taber, så glem ikke at lære af det

    3. Hav respekt for dig selv, respekt for andre
    ....og erkend dit ansvar for dine egne handlinger

    4. Husk at det godt kan være en stor lykke ikke at få sine ønsker opfyldt.
    ....(I det gamle Grækenland sagde man, at de, som guderne ville straffe,
    ......at dem gav guderne alt, hvad de ønskede sig og begærede.)

    5. Kend reglerne, så du ved hvordan du også kan bryde dem ordentligt

    6. Lad ikke en uenighed og lille diskussion ødelægge et godt venskab

    7. Når du opdager at du har lavet en fejl, hvilket vi alle gør,
    .....så gå straks i gang med at rette den

    8. Tilbring et stykke tid alene hver dag

    9. Vær åben overfor forandringer,
    .....men gå ikke på kompromis med dine inderste værdier

    10. Husk at tavshed sommetider er det bedste svar

    11. Lev et godt værdigt liv. Når du bliver ældre
    .......og tænker tilbage, kan du nyde det en gang til

    12. En kærlig atmosfære i dit hjem er fundamentet for dit liv

    13. Ved skænderier imellem elskende
    .......så hold dig til den øjeblikkelige situation;
    ........og bring ikke fortiden ind i billedet

    14. Del generøst ud af din viden.
    ......Det er en god måde at opnå udødelighed på

    15. Vær nænsom over for dyr og jorden

    16. Tag en gang om året et sted hen, hvor du aldrig har været før

    17. Husk at det bedste forhold er et,
    hvor kærligheden til hinanden overskygger behovet for hinanden

    18. Bedøm din succes på, hvad du måtte opgive for at få den.

    19. Grib kærlighed og madlavning an med en hensynsløs løssluppenhed

    med kærlig hilsen fra Dalai Lama



    Her er Dalai Lama ´s tale til Det Europæiske parlament:
    www.dalailama.com/html/statesman
    .



Digt om at lære

At lære noget nyt, er at opdage
at noget er muligt - og at noget er umuligt.
Det er at åbne sig, undre sig, mærke efter, føle
sanse og opdage - for så at vide og kunne noget mere
end før - ved at gøre det nye, som jeg ikke kunne før.



For så igen
og igen at blive lige forundret over,
hvordan du og jeg gentager os selv i de samme
gamle velkendte mønstre. Som vi kan vælge at bevare,
værdsætte eller bryde ud af. Fordi vi mennesker i os har muligheden
for at kunne opøve det vi ikke før kunne - og opdage det ukendte.
Livet er ikke et problem, der absolut skal løses,
livet er et mysterie, som åbner sig for dem,
der bevarer et åbent meditativt sind.

Vi opfører os vel alle som robotter ca. 90% af tiden,
men sådan behøver det ikke at være. For selvom
vi alle elsker udvikling - og hader forandringer,
så er vi faktisk skabt til at vokse os stærkere
klogere - og friere, end alle de andre dyr
igennem vores evne til at forandre os.
Denne evne er vores unikke gave
til denne smukke planet.


Selvtillid handler f. eks. meget om at opdage
og lære noget nyt om sig selv og andre mennesker.
Vi mennesker har alle i os denne forunderlige evne
til bestandig at kunne opdage os selv og forny os
på utrolig mange overraskende måder,
lige så længe vi er levende,
åbne og nysgerrige.


Måske opdager du også på din vej
igen og igen, at al viden og al erfaring
blot er flygtige glimt af uendeligheden
og lige som vi tror at nu forstår vi alt,
ja så opdager vi snart igen noget nyt
som vi ikke før har anet
eksistensen af.


Og måske har du også opdaget
at fremtiden tit er tilbøjelig til at komme mest
overrumplende bag på dem, der bevæger sig
baglæns igennem livet, og tror de ved alt?

Og at det at ville forstå verden og dig selv
og bestandigt øve dig i at kunne gøre noget bedre,
at selve denne "motor" forandrer såvel dig - som virkeligheden,
således at alt igen bliver både nyt, større - og endnu mere forunderlig
end dengang, hvor du skråsikkert troede at kende "Virkeligheden".

Åh, denne dans i dette korte liv, denne evige proces.


Klik her, og hop op til starten igen


Flere PsykoDigte

+ Om at genopdage kunsten at lære.

+ Digt om at blive et selvstændigt menneske

+ Digt om at søge lykken og ville have det hele NU!.

+ Virginia Satirs digt om at opdage det nu er for sent.

+ Digte om angsten for ikke at have levet + se 2
.. + 3

+ Ebbe´s tanker om, hvad succes mon er for noget.




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