The Art of Happiness in a Troubled World

by Dalai Lama XIV

I felt he must have more to offer, knowing his ability to maintain such a positive state of mind in all circumstances. He seemed to speak of the possibility of his own and others’ destruction without a trace of worry in his voice or manner, with a sense of complete fearlessness and acceptance, but without a sense of giving up, as if he were at peace with the idea, but with a tone of compassion, not an uncaring tone. Surely, I thought, that kind of attitude did not come about spontaneously; there must be an approach to cultivating it. I decided to take another tack, become more concrete, still in hopes of some solution, some insight. “Well, let me ask you this: Has anybody in Dharamsala ever spoken to you about their fears of the nuclear war?” “Yes.” “And what did you tell them? What did you advise them, when they came to you and said they were worried about the possibility of nuclear war?” “I talked to them and told them that I, too, shared their concerns.” Still somehow unable or unwilling to accept his response, I continued to press on as if he had some kind of magic solution he had not yet revealed: “Well, when people came to you, your friends or family, and they expressed to you their fears about this nuclear war, isn’t there anything more you can tell them other than sharing their concerns? I mean . . . is there anything you can say that would help relieve their fears or anxieties? No words of comfort you can give them?”