“I think that this is the first time I am meeting most of you. But to me,
whether it is an old friend or new friend, there’s not much difference anyway,
because I always believe we are the same; we are all human beings. Of course,
there may be differences in cultural background or way of life, there may be
differences in our faith, or we may be of a different color, but we are human
beings, consisting of the human body and the human mind. Our physical
structure is the same, and our mind and our emotional nature are also the
same. Wherever I meet people, I always have the feeling that I am encountering
another human being, just like myself. I find it is much easier to communicate
with others on that level. If we emphasize specific characteristics, like I am
Tibetan or I am Buddhist, then there are differences. But those things are
secondary. If we can leave the differences aside, I think we can easily
communicate, exchange ideas, and share experiences.”
Dalai Lama
"The Art of Happiness"
