DALAI LAMA: Encouraging a Compassionate World
LARRY KING: What do you think of ISIS? Do you worry about ISIS?
THE DALAI LAMA: Very sad. Very sad. You see, the very factor which…inspiration to human being, these tradition give us message of love, forgiveness, tolerance. That very factor now causing more division, more hatred. It’s unthinkable. I think due to lack of close contact and environment of truth. I think centuries some of these Muslim brothers, sisters living more or less isolate. Indian Muslims and also Indonesian Muslim, you see through centuries, they live with different sort of religious tradition. So you see, they take for granted there are different traditions. Whereas you see Muslim brother, sisters who are completely isolate. Then, you see, these difficulties start to come. So we have to extend our hand, should reach out cause reach out to them.
LARRY KING: To them? But they don’t listen.
THE DALAI LAMA: But then…okay. But our part. We Try. (LAUGH). Maybe unrealistic.
LARRY KING: Yeah, it sounds unrealistic. Look what they do.
THE DALAI LAMA: Okay. I believe, we should make attempt. Fail, nothing lose.
LARRY KING: Yeah, it’s…it’s Pollyanna-ish. It’s a little, “What? What?” Do you worry about China more than ISIS?
THE DALAI LAMA: Oh… different aspect. ISIS… too much cruel. And I think, great damage, I mean, their activities damaging image of Islam. Actually, Islam, the very word jihad is not harming other people.
LARRY KING: So you speak of compassion and love. And yet you see what goes on in the world. How do you remain optimistic? How do you… how do you look at things?
THE DALAI LAMA: I am optimistic about the happy world. A happy world, a compassionate world is basic human, nature is more compassionate. Because, you see, our life start with mother’s affection. And then now scientists, they also recent found that calm mind comes very much with compassionate mind. So for our own, what’s the, interest for physical health, you need peace of mind. So sometimes we call… what’s the healthy mind, healthy body very close link. So therefore, you see, if we think so objectively, then human nature is more compassionate. And happiness, joyfulness are very much related with our inner value, not matters like that.
