"As long as human beings remain on this Earth
there will always be disagreements and conflicting
views. We can take that as a given. If we use
violence in order to reduce disagreements and
conflict, then we must expect violence
every day and I think the result of this is
terrible. Furthermore, it is actually impossible
to eliminate disagreement through violence.
Violence only brings even more resentment and
dissatisfaction.
Non-violence, on the other hand, means dialogue,
it means using language to communicate. And dialogue
means compromise: listening to others' views, and
respecting others' rights, in a spirit of
reconciliation. Nobody will be 100 per cent winner,
and nobody will be 100 per cent loser. That is the
practical way. In fact, it is the only way.
Today, as the world becomes smaller and smaller,
the concept of 'us' and 'them' is almost out-dated.
If our interests existed independently of those of
others, then it would be possible to have a
complete winner and a complete loser, but since
in reality we all depend on one another, our interests
and those of others are very interconnected. So how
can you gain 100 per cent victory? It is
impossible. You have to share, half-half, or maybe
60 per cent this side and 40 per cent the other side!
Without this approach, reconciliation is impossible.
*
I sometimes call the 20th Century a century
of bloodshed, a century of war. Over this century there
have been more conflicts, more bloodshed and more weapons
than ever before. Now, on the basis of the experience
we have all had this century, and of what we have
learned from it, I think we should look to the next
century to be one of dialogue. The principle of
non-violence should be practised everywhere. This cannot
be achieved simply by sitting here and praying. It means
work and effort, and yet more effort."
His Holiness the Dalai Lama, 19th July 1996
Source: Four Noble Truths, Thorsons 1997