Dalai Lama: Develop peace of mind through meditation, not through injection, drugs or alcohol

Scientific Investigation To Promote Secular Ethics

I think there are three ways to promote moral ethics.

One, theistic religion, the concept, belief in God, or Allah, like that.

That's one way. That also has a limitation. 

Then, non-theistic religion, such as Buddhism and Jainism, emphasis on the law of causality. Through that way, promoting moral ethics.

That also has limitations.

Therefore, now, we must find a third way. That is the secular way. Nothing to do with religion. Simply some other reasons. Some other basis to promote these values or moral ethics. Now here, number one: Use our common sense. 

Second: Our common experience. 

Third, most important is: Latest scientific findings. 

A more calm mind is very essential for a happy life, including a healthy body. Constant fear, anger, hatred, actually eat our immune system. A calm mind reduces stress, blood pressure, so the result, your body becomes healthier. 

So, in America, now actually, at least three universities: Stanford University, Emory University and Wisconsin University, these three universities, already you see, have some programs carrying out research about how to develop peace of mind. 

Not through prayer but through meditation.

So these are…

Just recently I was in Wisconsin University, with one famous scientist, neuroscientist (Prof. Richard Davidson), a specialist about neurology and these things. So they have already now planned some program, special research work, on how to develop peace of mind - 

through meditation, not through injection, not through drugs, not through alcohol. So these are very healthy sorts of methods. 

The scientific way, research, on how important warmheartedness is in order to have a calm mind, and a healthy society, a healthy family, like that. 

So these are the ways to promote inner values through the secular way.

Nothing to do with religion. That will be universal. 

Otherwise you see, the methods promoting these values on the basis of religion will not be universal. 

~

The Dalai Lama on Life's Priorities: 

1 Inner peace, 2 health, 3 friends, 4 money and material things, in that order.  

~

May all beings be happy, free of suffering and its causes.

Inner peace for world peace. May there be no more untimely deaths.