Environmental Challenges

---

, The leader of Tibetan Buddhism , sees reasons for optimism in the middle of the Corona-Virus-pandemic. People are helping each other, he tells The Bbc 's Justin Rowlatt , and if seven billion people on the earth to develop "a sense of unity" you can but together, they solve The Problem of Climate Change .

when I first met the Dalai Lama , he pinched my cheek.

It is quite unusual to have tweaked her cheek from anyone, let alone A Man considered a Living God by many of his followers.

But the Dalai Lama is a playful man loves to tease the Interviewer.

Now, of course, such a gesture would be Unthinkable - our last meeting on the sterile surface of a video-conferencing app.

The Dalai Lama will appear immediately and sits in front of the camera, smiles, and the setting of his Burgundy robes.

"Half five," he says with a grin. His eyes sparkle: "Too early!"

We both laugh. He teases Me Again .

I was very glad, as the leader of Tibetan Buddhism , had agreed to The Interview , but a little down in the dumps, when His Secretary told me he would be at 09:00 at Indian time.

That's 04:30 UK time. It would mean, getting to The Office at 03:30 PM.

James Bryant, who produced The Interview , took The Matter in hand.

"Although nothing is impossible for us, that would be extraordinary," he wrote.

His Holiness 's Secretary kindly agreed to Move It to 10:00 PM Indian time.

So, to 05:00 p.m. on Wednesday of last week, I found myself in a BBC office in London, watching a video feed of Dharamshala in Northern India.

The contrast could hardly have been greater.

I sit between the rows of empty desks in The Grey twilight while in a Palace on A Mountain redoubt in the foothills of The Himalayas , monks in saffron and purple by robes sweep by the cable and set the cameras in a gilded room.

Glauberg light streams in through the window.

There are worse places to recognize in order to endure lockdown as a Palace, with beautiful views of icy peaks, and the Dalai Lama , how Much .

The Dalai Lama has his home In Exile , Mcleod Ganj , near Dharamsala

"we have very pure, fresh water and Fresh Air . I'll Stay Here peacefully," he tells me with his signature explosive laugh.

His thoughts are with those suffering and fear during this horrible pandemic, but he says there has been a lot to inspire and to celebrate.

"a Lot of people do not take care of their own safety, but help, it is Wonderful . "

The Dalai Lama is smiling.

"When we face some tragic situation, it shows the deeper human values of compassion," he continues. "In General, people don't think about these deep human values, but when you see how their human brothers and sisters suffering, the answer comes automatically. "

I ask, what advice he has for people who are anxious or afraid.

The Most important thing is to try not to worry Much , he suggests.

A monk, the it tried with a mask in Mcleod Ganj

"If there is a way to overcome your situation, you have nothing to worry about," he explains.

"If you really there is no way to overcome it is, then it's no use to worry, you can't do everything. You have to accept it, such as age. "

The Dalai Lama is weeks 85 in a few.

"It's no use to think of me, I'm too old, no use as an old person," he continues.

"Young People are physical, and your mind is fresh, you can make a contribution for a better world, but they are also very enthusiastic. "He chuckles.

"Older people have more experience, you can help them, by teaching the young. We can tell them to be quiet," he says with another explosive laugh.

He believes The Boy is. at the forefront of combating what is now one of its most pressing concern: The Need to combat Environmental Challenges

he says He has seen The Effects of Climate Change in his own life time. He seems pretty emotional, as he remembers his youth.

The 14. Dalai Lama was born in a remote village on the plateau of Tibet in 1935.

He was recognized as the tulku, The Reincarnation of the 13. Dalai Lama in 1937.

"When I was in Tibet," he tells me, "I had no knowledge about The Environment . We took it for granted. We drink water from one of the streams. "

It was only when he arrived in India, and later began to travel around The World , that he realized how Much damage was done.

"I came here to Dharamshala in 1960. The winter with lots of snow, then every year less and less and less.

"We need to take very seriously-Global Warming ," says the head of Tibetan Buddhism .

A light dusting of snow in the foothills of The Himalayas to Mcleod Ganj (January 2017)

- It calls for The World to invest more in wind and Solar Energy and away from dependence on fossil fuels.

The Most important thing, he tells me, is for us to realize that we humans are alone, we depend on the community in which We Are a part.

"no matter how rich your family is, without the community, can not survive," he says.

"In The Past there was too Much emphasis on my continent, my nation, my religion. Now, this is thinking way out of date. Now we really need a sense of oneness of seven billion human beings. "

This, he says, could be one of the positive things that come from the coronavirus crisis.

woke up But while The World is quick to The Threat , the virus, Global Warming is a more insidious threat, he points out, "decade by decade".

This may seem less urgent, and he worries that soon we can find, it is out of our control.

The Challenge is linked to the other, the Dalai Lama , The Great concern: Education .

The Dalai Lama in the year 1937

"The whole world should pay more attention to how you can transform our emotions," he tells me.

"It should be part of Education , not religion. Education about peace of mind and How To develop peace of mind. This is very important. "

Now The Most difficult part of The Interview comes. I would like to discuss the Dalai Lama , the own Death , or more precisely, the question of his rebirth.

This is not just an issue for him. What happens if he dies, will be the key for The Future of Tibetan Buddhism and the Tibetan freedom movement.

China sent troops into Tibet in 1950 to enforce its claims on the region.

Many Tibetans violently oppose what they view as an illegal occupation.

As The Spiritual leader of the Tibetans, the Dalai Lama is the figurehead for this contradiction.

He reminded me that he has said before that his Death can also be The End of The Great tradition of the Dalai Lamas - The Words mean mark: "great leader" in Tibetan.

"can It, at The End of this great Lama," he tells me, laughing and pointing at his chest.

He says The Himalayan Buddhists in Tibet and Mongolia will decide what happens next.

determine whether the 14. The Dalai Lama was re-born in another tulku.

It could process a nerve-wracking. The Boy the Dalai Lama identified as The Reincarnation of The Second most powerful figure in Tibetan Buddhism , the Panchen Lama, would normally The Search for The Reincarnation of The Next Dalai Lama to lead.

The Dalai Lama says, to decide what his followers, is not an issue.

"I have no interest," he says, laughing.

His hope is that when the last day comes, he will still have his good name and may feel that he has a contribution to humanity.

"is closing," he says with another laugh.

And so our interview is over.

you may also be interested in:

india, coronavirus pandemic, china, dalai lama, tibet, climate change

Source of news: bbc.com