Action more important than prayers: Lama
HERALD REPORTER
PANJIM, FEB 7
What could help man to follow righteous path as the world around teaches him lessons in treachery?
Is it possible to fine tune between materialism and societal needs? Moreover, is it possible to strike a balance between inner peace, as man works towards achieving material needs?
Why not? Keep your “conscience” alive and you will not get bogged down by the material world. This is how Tibetan leader and Buddhist luminary his holiness the Dalai Lama tried to explain “Ethics for the New Millennium” while addressing a large gathering during D D Kosambi Festival of Ideas at Kala Academy in the city today.
He, however, said “conscience” would not come through teachings in the Church or a temple.
Advocating a revolutionary thought, he said, it will come through education in the regular schools by highlighting purpose of education.
“Purpose of education is to ignite warm-heartedness, to develop well-being of self,” as he explored his subject.
Without belittling achievements of man in the field of science and technology, the advocate of peace and Tibetan Leader however said, modern science has ignored “power of inner world.”
In the process of development of man, he said, the inner world is so important that it just can’t be wished away.
Answering volley of questions, the Tibetan leader also advised the gathering that “prayers are not sufficient to achieve the desirable.”
“Action is more important than prayers,” he remarked nonchalantly, surprising one and all.
While he emphasised that “man must act” and advised to value materialism, he warned, also not to worship materialism.
Addressing a larger issue of economic growth of society, he said, growth has to be healthy and it will be achieved when rural India or left out sections also get to taste fruits of economic growth.
To a question, whether discarding religion will make world a better place to live as it has been a cause of many a discords in the society? His Holiness replied that not all conflicts in the world can be attributed to religious discords.
Wars and struggles have happened even without religion at the centre stage. “ Some wars have been fought for economic supremacy while others for attaining power,” he said but at the same time pointed out that people attain too much importance to religious sentiments and allow themselves to be manipulated.
“Too much attachment to religious faith makes one biased,” he said.
