Everything is interconnected. In the modern world, it is especially important for us to realize this, the Dalai Lama believes.
This question was asked to the 2008th Dalai Lama by one of the listeners of his lecture on the history and philosophy of Buddhism, which I attended in XNUMX in Nantes. Why did the summary of these lectures catch my eye right now?
Any negative (or positive) event happening anywhere is bound to affect everyone and everything. According to the XNUMXth Dalai Lama, this concept of «no independent existence» is especially important in the modern world — a world where nothing is «yours» and at the same time everything is «yours». The global economy, the environment, international relations… Everything that we get from the world — be it bananas, gas or potatoes, iPads or sneakers — is produced, grown and invented by someone. We need these people and they need us.
- How to find peace of mind
The dependence of everything on everything extends to everything that exists: the whole consists of parts, the whole depends on parts, and parts cannot exist independently of the whole. Be it states, ethnic groups or individuals. This ancient Buddhist concept is confirmed literally at the level of nuclear physics: everything is connected with everything, and the smallest particles — there is not a single independent one — they are all subject to the influence of fields, attractions, influences of other particles. Even an outside observer influences what is happening with his mere presence. Bystanders — which most of us are — can practice internal non-violence to influence the outcome of a conflict. The violent mind of the observer only increases the amount of violence — no matter how righteous our anger may seem. When we develop a holistic (holistic) vision of the world, it turns out that the purpose of our anger — it would seem, point — affects a lot of other things. And in the end, on ourselves. Indignant and indignant, we pour water on the wrong mill at all …
And here is the most pressing question: how to practice non-violence if you are oppressed? The Dalai Lama’s answer: draw a line between the offender and his action. Distinguish them. Let’s say, if you go to confession, at the moment of confession you distinguish between the action and yourself — the person who performed this action. You realize it as unworthy of you. That is, you separate your true essence from your conditional existence and an unworthy act, the motive for which can be a state of passion, an order, emotional dependence on a group … Anything. In this case, empathy can be practiced: it is caused by the motive of the action, and not by the action itself. Since the offender is a human being, by definition he deserves sympathy and forgiveness. Even if he hasn’t repented yet.