Why Are We Here?

"I believe that the very purpose of life is to be happy. From the very core of our being, we desire contentment. In my own limited experience I have found that the more we care for the happiness of others, the greater is our own sense of well-being. Cultivating a close, warmhearted feeling for others automatically puts the mind at ease. It helps remove whatever fears or insecurities we may have and gives us the strength to cope with any obstacles we encounter. It is the principal source of success in life. Since we are not solely material creatures, it is a mistake to place all our hopes for happiness on external development alone. The key is to develop inner peace."

"When you recognize that all beings are equal and like yourself in both their desire for happiness and their right to obtain it, you automatically feel empathy and closeness for them. You develop a feeling of responsibility for others: the wish to help them actively overcome their problems. True compassion is not just an emotional response but a firm commitment founded on reason. Therefore, a truly compassionate attitude towards others does not change even if they behave negatively."

Dalai Lama at the "Forum 2000" Conference, Prague, Czech Republic, September 1997.

تا به اینجا از دید من این قانع کننده‌ترین معنا برای زندگی بوده که شنیدم. هدف در زندگی می‌تونه کاملن خودخواهانه باشه و در عین حال این خودخواهی تضادی هم با منافع دیگران یا آن‌چه که ما "اخلاقیات" می‌نامیم - که اون هم نسبیه و فردی- نداشته باشه. البته مثل هر چیز درستی گفتنش ساده‌ست. عملش، پوووف!
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