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Page 100
unethical and obstruct the causes of my happiness. We are not talking about attaining Buddhahood here, we are not talking about achieving union with God. We are merely recognizing that my interests and future happiness are closely connected to others' and learning to act accordingly.
Page 117
it is natural and to be expected that we should have feelings of discomfort in relation to our past misdeeds, there is sometimes an element of self-indulgence when this is extended to feelings of guilt. It makes no sense to brood anxiously on the harmful actions we have committed in the past to the point where we become paralyzed. They are done, it is over. If the person is a believer in God, the appropriate action is to find some means of reconciliation with Him. So far as Buddhist practice is con- cerned, there are various rites and practices for purification. When the individual has no religious beliefs, however, it is surely a matter of acknowledging and accepting any negative feelings we may have in relation to our misdeeds and develop- ing a sense of sorrow and regret for them. But then, rather than stopping at mere sorrow and regret, it is important to use this as the basis for resolve, for a deep-seated commitment never again to harm others and to direct our actions all the more determinedly to the benefit of others. The act of disclo- sure, or confession, of our negative actions to another — espe- cially to someone we really respect and trust — will be found to be very helpful in this. Above all, we should remember that as long as we retain the capacity of concern for others, the po- tential for transformation remains. We are quite wrong if we merely acknowledge the gravity of our actions inwardly and then, instead of confronting our feelings, give up all hope and do nothing. This only compounds the error.
Page 148
is in our nature to prefer the one to the other, just as it is to prefer the better over what is merely good. We simply aspire to happiness and not to suffering. If we were to go further and ask why this is so, surely the answer would have to be something like, "That's the way it is," or, for theists, "God made us that way."
Page 162
In view of this, I am convinced that it is essential that we cultivate a sense of what I call universal responsibility. This may not be an exact translation of the Tibetan term I have in mind, chi sent, which means, literally, universal (chi) consciousness (sem). Although the notion of responsibility is implied rather than explicit in the Tibetan, it is definitely there. When I say that on the basis of concern for others' well-being we can, and should, develop a sense of universal responsibility, I do not, however, mean to suggest that each individual has a direct re- sponsibility for the existence of, for example, wars and famines in different parts of the world. It is true that in Buddhist prac- tice we constantly remind ourselves of our duty to serve all sentient beings in every universe. Similarly, the theist recog- nizes that devotion to God entails devotion to the welfare of all His creatures. But clearly certain things, such as the poverty of a single village ten thousand miles away, are completely beyond the scope of the individual. What is entailed, therefore, is not an admission of guilt but, again, a reorientation of our heart and mind away from self and toward others. To develop a sense of universal responsibility — of the universal dimension of our every act and of the equal right of all others to happiness and not to suffer — is to develop an attitude of mind whereby,
Page 228
Some people, it is true, hold that the Buddhist concept of shunyata, or emptiness, is ultimately the same as certain ap- proaches to understanding the concept of God. Nevertheless, there remain difficulties with this. The first is that while of course we can interpret these concepts, to what extent can we be faithful to the original teachings if we do so? There are compelling similarities between the Mahayana Buddhist con- cept of dharmakaya, sambogakaya, and nirmanakaya and the Christian trinity of God as Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. But to say, on the basis of this, that Buddhism and Christianity are ultimately the same is to go a bit far, I think! As an old Tibetan saying goes, we must beware of trying to put a yak's head on a sheep's body — or vice versa.
Page 234
This, then, is my true religion, my simple faith. In this sense, there is no need for temple or church, for mosque or syna- gogue, no need for complicated philosophy, doctrine, or dogma. Our own heart, our own mind, is the temple. The doctrine is compassion. Love for others and respect for their rights and dignity, no matter who or what they are: ultimately these are all we need. So long as we practice these in our daily lives, then no matter if we are learned or unlearned, whether we believe in Buddha or God, or follow some other religion or none at all, as long as we have compassion for others and con- duct ourselves with restraint out of a sense of responsibility, there is no doubt we will be happy.
