Keep Your Own Mind

"The Dalai Lama was asked why he wasn't angry with the Chinese. They had taken his country and were destroying its culture, killing his people, and desecrating the temples of Tibet.

"He replied, 'They've taken all that, and you think I should let them take my mind as well?'

"Do not cooperate with greed or hatred. Be loving, be kind, be compassionate, without giving in. Do not cooperate with abuse or oppression.

"When you enter into rage or antagonism toward people or organizations that commit injustice, you are cooperating with injustice. When you keep your self clear, your own mind and heart calm, then you have the possibility of not cooperating. Knowing who you are, you can choose to do something else.

"The first step, this turning, is the same for all of us. All the rest you have to invent on your own."