Tibetan spiritual leader the Dalai Lama has urged Australians to focus on inner values such as love, to help create a more compassionate global community.
The 79-year-old monk captivated a crowd of 3500 people in the NSW Blue Mountains today as he focused on these values and religion for his wisdom of forgiveness talk.
He's holding a teaching retreat, which US actor Richard Gere is attending at a Leura school, and urged Australians to show compassion to others so the next generation will see a more peaceful world.
"That should be your aim, your goal," he told the crowd at Katoomba Public School.
He was welcomed to the stage by Blue Mountains mayor Mark Greenhill and locally-based Australia fashion designer Jenny Kee.
The Dalai Lama is on a 10-day tour of Australia, with plans to take his teachings, signature smile and chuckles to Brisbane, Perth and Uluru.
Touching on equality, the religious leader Lama told the crowd everyone from birth had the same right to achieve a happy life and had the seed of love and compassion.
While these values are alive at a young age, over time they become dormant, he said. Anger destroyed inner peace, friendships and a happy family, he said.
"Love and kindness brings immense benefit for physical health, happy mind..." he said.
Protesters wait for the the Dalai Lama, near his hotel at Leura, in the Blue Mountains, west of Sydney, June 8, 2015. (AAP Image/Dan Himbrechts) Source: AAP
A small group of protesters raising awareness about the plight of Shugden Buddhists occupied a street corner outside the school and could be heard chanting "stop lying".
The minority say they have been mistreated in Tibetan exile communities because the Dalai Lama banned them from worshipping the fierce spirit known as Dolgyal (Shugden).
"I appreciate freedom of speech," the Dalai Lama quipped before a laughing audience.
Share
