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Dalai Lama speaks on life after retirement and the art of happiness

December 03, 2011 20:31 IST

To make a truly significant impact in the world, every Indian should shoulder more responsibility to build a healthy India, said the Dalai Lama on Saturday.

Delivering the Fifth Penguin annual lecture on The Art of Happiness, the Dalai Lama said that India has been a stable country for the last 60 years because of democracy and the rule of law.

"Every individual Indian should think about how to build a healthy India to make an impact in the world," said the Dalai Lama.

He asserted that India can create a significant impact in the world because of its size and history.

"Religious faith and injustice of actions like corruption are contradictory to each other, the two cannot go together and there is no third choice," he said, adding that transparency should be the hallmark of every action.

No political questions were allowed at the event and the spiritual leader also did not want to be drawn into any political controversy.

Reacting to a comment from the audience -- on whether politics had an impact on happiness -- the Dalai Lama said that he has now retired from political responsibility.

While answering another question, he said, "I say now I am retired. So I have more freedom."

According to him, all actions depend on the purpose and motivations behind them. If the motivation behind an action is positive, for a better goal, it should not be taken negatively.

As an art of happiness, he advocated the practice of a stronger 'self' which can give deeper satisfaction. According to him, anger and hatred should not overpower people, instead people should remain mentally calm for a stronger 'self'.

The Buddhist leader also advised the audience members to "be yourself", because once one is mentally strong and rooted in reality, there should be no fear. Efforts should be to create a happy individual, happy family and a happy community, said the exiled leader.

Bula Devi