Author: Dalai Lama
Publication: Dalailama.com
Date: February 25, 1997
URL: http://www.dalailama.com/messages/fifty-years-of-india

We Tibetans look to India with open hearts. The longstanding relationship between India and Tibet is unique. From a historical point of view the Tibetan way of life and culture has been strongly influenced by Buddhism which originated in the Sacred Land of India. It is the source of our tradition of nonviolence. More recently, for those of us who escaped Tibet as refugees, India has become our second home. The Government of India, the host state governments, and particularly the Indian people with whom we have come into contact, have welcomed us and treated us like members of their family.
 
 I have lived the greater part of my life in India. This has given me the opportunity to observe this nation as it has grown. There has been much to admire and learn from. My first visit to India was in 1956, during the first decade of its independence. I met then many of those whose ideals shaped the development of this country. Sometimes those ideals have been fulfilled and sometimes they have fallen short. Nevertheless, the great principles of democracy, secularism and justice continue to thrive. India remains a beacon of freedom to others who are less fortunate. Therefore, I am happy to be able to share some of my thoughts with you in this fiftieth anniversary year of India’s independence.
 
 Modern democracy is based on the principle that all human beings are essentially equal, that each of us has an equal right to life, liberty, and happiness. Irrespective of whether we are rich or poor, educated or uneducated, belonging to one religion or another, adhering to this ideology or that, each of us is just a human being like everyone else. Not only do we all desire happiness and seek to avoid suffering, but each of us has an equal right to pursue these goals.
           
 As free human beings we can use our unique intelligence to try to understand ourselves and our world. But if we are prevented from using our discrimination and creativity, we lose one of the basic characteristics of a human being. Therefore, the political, social and cultural freedom that democracy entails is of immense value and importance.
           
 No system of government is perfect, but democracy is closest to our essential human nature. We all want to live a good life, but that does not mean just having good food, clothes, and shelter. These are not sufficient. We need a good motivation: compassion, without dogmatism, without complicated philosophy. Just understanding that others are our human brothers and sisters and respecting their rights and human dignity. That we humans can help each other is one of our unique human capacities.
           
 In the current world atmosphere, everything depends on money and power and there is not much concern about the real value of love and compassion. If human society loses the value of justice, the value of compassion, the value of honesty, we will face greater difficulties in the future. Some people may think that these sort of ethical attitudes are not much needed in the areas of business or politics. I strongly disagree. The quality of all our actions depends on our motivation. In politics, if  you have a good motivation and seek a better human society, you will be a good honest politician. Politics itself is not bad. We talk about politics being dirty, but this a mistake. Politics is a necessary instrument to solve human problems, the problems of human society. It is not bad in itself. However, if politics is practised by people lacking a good motivation, who only have selfish and short‑term ends, then of course it becomes bad.
           
 From my Buddhist viewpoint all things originate in the mind. Actions and events depend heavily on motivation. A real sense of appreciation of humanity, compassion and love, are the key points. If we develop a good heart, then whether the field is science, agriculture or politics, since the motivation is so very important, the result will be more beneficial. With proper motivation these activities can help humanity; without it they go the other way. This is why the compassionate thought is so very important for humankind. Although it is difficult to bring about the inner change that gives rise to it, it is absolutely worthwhile to try.
           
 Similarly, it is not enough, merely to provide people with food, shelter and clothing. Our deeper nature requires that we breathe the precious air of liberty. People do not like to be bullied, cheated or lied to by either an individual or a system. Such acts are contrary to the essential human spirit. It is the inherent nature of human beings to yearn for freedom, equality and dignity and they have an equal right to achieve them.
           
 I do not see any contradiction between the need for economic development and the need to respect human values. It is natural that India should strive to improve its people's standard of living by promoting science and technology. At the same time we cannot allow her profound and vast philosophy to wane. Its strength is related to developing mental peace, while science and technology are related to material progress. But a combination of these two can provide the complete conditions for obtaining real human happiness.
           
 The more we pursue material improvement, ignoring the contentment that comes of inner growth, the quicker ethical values will disappear from our communities. Then we shall all experience unhappiness in the long run, for when there is no place for justice and honesty in people's hearts, the weak are the first to suffer. But the resentments resulting from such inequity ultimately affect everyone adversely. What we must do is to balance external material progress with the sense of responsibility that comes of inner development.
        
 In our century Mahatma Gandhi refined, adapted and implemented nonviolence in his struggle for political freedom. After independence, in a world threatened by power blocs and nuclear weapons, India adopted a foreign policy of nonalignment. This was not mere pacifism, but an active commitment to perpetuating nonviolence as an ideal. Moreover, India's resolution to respect all faiths by adopting a secular constitution was born out of its ancient philosophy of nonviolence and long‑standing heritage of cultural diversity.
           
 There are some today who wish to challenge the value of secularism. I do not regard secularism as opposed to religion or as excluding religion. I feel that all religions believe in the innate goodness of human beings and that different religions exist to develop and strengthen this quality. The essence of religion is nonviolence and peace.
 
 India’s rich diversity of cultures and religions should help strengthen rather than obstruct fundamental human rights in all communities. Underlying this diversity are fundamental human principles that bind all of us as members of the same human family. Nevertheless, maintaining old traditions can never justify violations of human rights. It may be the custom to discriminate against people of different race, against women, and against weaker sections of society, but as this is inconsistent with universally recognized human rights, these forms of behaviour should change. The universal principles of equality of all human beings must take precedence.
           
 In India, by and large, there is genuine freedom and a healthy flourishing of democracy. This is a true source of pride. India is perhaps the one country whose civilization and culture have survived intact from their first beginnings. It is a civilization that has given rise to a long series of great teachers endowed with both human intelligence and a sense of responsibility towards the community. As a consequence different schools of thought and practice have evolved. But because India and her people have, from ancient times, cherished a rich and sophisticated philosophy of non‑violence at the core of their hearts, it has developed into a kind of natural reflex.
 
 Of course, it is natural that we may face obstacles in trying to fulfill our ideals. But if we remain passive, making no effort to solve the problems we meet, conflicts will arise and hindrances will grow. Transforming these obstacles into opportunities for positive growth is a challenge to our human ingenuity. To achieve this requires patience, compassion and the use of our intelligence. But to ignore such opportunities is to waste our human potential.
           
 As human beings we naturally appreciate positive qualities like truth, justice and honesty, recognising them as good and beneficial. We all dislike falsehood and mistrust people who are deceitful. Dishonest behaviour harms both ourselves and others, bringing unhappiness to many people. This is why we have legal structures to protect society from certain kinds of arbitrary and harmful activity. Even rigid, totalitarian systems claim to provide security and protection for their citizens. However, in such societies regulation is achieved through the exercise of raw power, unnaturally rigid discipline and the threatened use of force. This inevitably trespasses upon many basic human rights.
           
 It is human nature to yearn for freedom. Therefore, those systems of organisation which are based on democracy and individual liberty are the most suited to human needs. Nevertheless, the very conditions that allow for freedom in democracy are also open to abuse and provide greater opportunities for individual misdeeds. There is more chance of dishonest and deceptive behaviour. So, it is very important to find ways and means of preserving our democratic structures while at the same time devising strategies to curtail such harmful activities such as bribery and corruption.
           
 Freedom of speech and the independence of the mass media are vital components of democracy. These freedoms should be used to expose politicians, bureaucrats and those employed in the service of the community who are duplicitous or dishonest. These standards should apply to people working in any field whose actions behind the scenes do not comply with what they say in public. We should have the courage to expose these shortcomings in society directly and clearly with sincerity and honesty, free of prejudice. In this way we can tackle those acts of corruption and exploitation that sap the public good.
           
 As leaders, politicians have a duty to set a worthy example. Public servants too are respected in proportion to the degree that they are fair and public-spirited. They all have an obligation to root out bribery and corruption by refusing to give in to them. If everyone made the effort, bribery, corruption and injustice could gradually be eliminated from public life. India, which we Tibetans have long regarded as a holy land, has a long and rich ethical tradition exemplified by self-sacrifice and nonviolence. But it is not enough to talk admiringly about these qualities, we must incorporate them into our daily lives. We must apply them to our relations within our own families and communities. If we hope to overcome corruption and abuse of authority and look forward to greater peace, justice and honesty in society, we must start by applying these values ourselves.
           
 One of the factors contributing to corruption and underhandedness is dishonesty. When there is such wide economic disparity between rich and poor it is not surprising if people in desperate conditions resort to deceitful means to solve their problems. Often they must fulfill their basic needs quickly or die. Severe inequality between rich and poor inevitably gives rise to many social problems. Socialism, as generally understood in the world, is closer to the Dharma than other economic systems. But when you look at the reality of today's world, you realize that individual motivation is greater when people see the fruit of their effort coming directly to them. When they are asked to do something for the whole community, they seem to lack the required motivation. Therefore, we see that wherever there is more personal incentive the progress is greater, be it in economy, culture, science or technology.
           
 I personally feel that the most attractive solution is a mixed economy which incorporates the good features of both systems. In order to achieve greater success, we must ensure that every individual shares responsibility and makes a contribution towards the common cause. Addressing these difficulties will require complex, long term solutions. In the meantime, we can each make a contribution to a kinder society by cultivating a real wish to help others and acting on it whenever we can.
           
 It is my belief that failure to understand the true cause of happiness is the principal reason why people inflict suffering on others. Some people think that causing pain to others may lead to their own happiness or that their own happiness is of such importance that the pain of others is of no significance. But this is clearly shortsighted. No one truly benefits from causing harm to another being. Whatever immediate advantage is gained at the expense of someone else is short‑lived. In the long run causing others misery and infringing upon their peace and happiness creates anxiety, fear and suspicion for oneself.
           
 The key to creating a better and more peaceful world is the development of love and compassion for others. This naturally means we must develop concern for our brothers and sisters. This need for co-operation can only strengthen humankind, because it helps us to recognize that the most secure foundation for making real progress is not simply a different political or economic policy, but each individual's genuine practice of love and compassion. These qualities are the ultimate source of human happiness, and our need for them lies at the very core of our being. The practice of compassion is not idealistic, but the most effective way to pursue the best interests of others as well as our own. The more we become interdependent the more it is in our own interest to ensure the wellbeing of others.
           
 I believe that one of the principal factors that hinder us from fully appreciating our interdependence is the failure to look beyond our immediate self, family or community. We have become so engrossed in ourselves alone that, unknowingly, we have neglected the most basic qualities of compassion, caring and co‑operation. When we do not know someone or do not feel connected to an individual or group, we tend to overlook their needs. Yet, the development of human society requires that people help each other.