Celebrating the Quiet Mind

These remarks were delivered on Sunday, July 5th, in Anaheim, CA, to an audience of 18,000 people, in celebration of the Dalai Lama’s 80th birthday.

Good afternoon.

What an honor, joy and privilege it is to be with you all today (at this small intimate gathering).

A few years ago I heard His Holiness speak in Los Angeles and I recall him saying to the audience: “I’m no different than you. The only difference between me and you is that my mind is quieter than yours.”

We’ve ample and unfortunate evidence of the havoc wrought by unquiet minds… Yet for eighty years we’ve had a precious gift: Being able to witness what a truly quiet mind is capable of.

Your Holiness:

Thank you for dedicating your life to the well-being of others, for showing us what a life of service in action looks like, for reminding us to take ever greater care with our thoughts, words and actions.

Thank you for teaching us that there can be no world peace without inner peace, and for demonstrating that the true hero is the person who has conquered himself.

Thank you for reminding us to smile.

In a world of trends, distractions and cheap pleasures, thank you for embodying the timeless virtues.

In the dark night of samsara, thank you for being a messenger of humility, clarity, light, wisdom and truth.

Thank you for reminding us of what we’ve long known but somehow forgotten: That our nature is compassion, our home is service and our birthright is peace. That only when the mind is quiet can the heart properly open.

I wish you a most joyous and happy birthday.