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In this extract, Lama Yeshe emphasizes that “bringing peace to the world is an individual responsibility. If, as individuals, we were all to develop such a responsible attitude and behave accordingly, that would bring about world peace. The question remains, is it possible to spread these ideas throughout the whole world?”
This teaching is from Knowledge-Wisdom: The Peaceful Path to Liberation, Volume 1, edited by Nicholas Ribush and published by the Lama Yeshe Wisdom Archive, Boston, 2023. It is drawn from a teaching Lama Yeshe gave to students at the University of California, Berkeley, on July 13, 1983, titled “Anxiety in the Nuclear Age.”
Lama Yeshe teaching at UCSC, Santa Cruz, California, United States, 1978. Photo by Jon Landaw. Photo courtesy of LYWA.
[…] If you go to Russia and ask people, “Do you want to be killed by nuclear missiles?” they’re going to say “No!” For sure, they don’t want that to happen. Therefore, we have to educate people to understand the difference between what is beneficial for humanity and what is destructive for the individual and for all. It’s simply a matter of education.
Lord Buddha stressed the importance of generating loving kindness for all people irrespective of race, nationality, creed or anything else; he taught that all human beings and even animals were the object of loving kindness. This is the best guarantee against nuclear war, because each individual has to maintain control and take personal responsibility for the welfare of all beings in the universe. Taking universal responsibility is the guarantee. If each individual doesn’t take personal responsibility for the welfare of all, it won’t work.
To bring happiness and peace to earth, we have to eliminate every situation leading to hatred and anger. That means totally eradicating our own hatred and anger. We have to make our own lives peaceful and happy. This is the way to work for peace twenty-four hours a day. If our minds harbor destructive, angry thoughts, any talk of peace is just a joke. It’s merely artificial; there’s no guarantee. The only guarantee is to fertilize our minds with peace and loving kindness toward all; that’s the way we should do it. The question remains, is it possible to spread these ideas throughout the whole world? Can we get everybody in the world to agree to abandon the use of nuclear arms and not to kill any human being? Can you make that determination yourself? Can we spread this philosophy or not? What do you think? We’re not using religion in this; we’re not using Buddha, we’re not using Christ, we’re not using religion or non-religion—we’re just concerned for the welfare of all human beings. What do you think?
Do you think it’s possible to make this kind of program and reach that point or not? I’m not talking nationalistically or making any philosophic argument; I’m just talking about feeling secure, taking care of each other, loving each other, bringing peace and happiness to each other. It’s a very simple thing.
Therefore, in our daily lives, each of us should dedicate ourselves to bringing peace and happiness to all beings, and this determination itself is a powerful way of bringing peace and success into our own lives. But this doesn’t mean not to act, either; to just think good thoughts but be passive. But when you do act, act with wisdom and without selfishness, hatred or emotional fear. In that way, you will educate yourself and others.
Don’t worry. Any talk of nuclear destruction of the earth is still speculation. It’s just a mental projection; it’s not yet reality. Therefore, relax and enjoy the rest of your life as much as possible. Be happy and peaceful, and don’t waste your time with pessimistic thoughts, fear or worry. Thank you so much.
Excerpt from a teaching by Lama Yeshe, published in Knowledge-Wisdom: The Peaceful Path to Liberation, Volume 1, edited by Nicholas Ribush and published by the Lama Yeshe Wisdom Archive, Boston, 2023. You can read the entire talk here.
Lama Yeshe gave a second public talk with the same title in Santa Cruz, California, on July 23, 1983. A DVD of both these talks is available from LYWA or you can watch the videos on LYWA YouTube channel. The multimedia title, Switch Your Mind from Emotion to Peace, presents the Berkeley talk, enhanced by video, audio and images.
Foundation for the Preservation of Mahayana Tradition (FPMT), is a Tibetan Buddhist organization dedicated to the transmission of the Mahayana Buddhist tradition and values worldwide through teaching, meditation and community service.