During a meeting with international visitors on Monday, His Holiness the Dalai Lama criticized India’s caste system for creating division and emphasizing inequality, stating that it is “high time to give up this old notion,” and adding: “The time has come to acknowledge that the Indian constitution gives all citizens equal rights so there is no room for discrimination on the basis of caste—we are all brothers and sisters.” (The Times of India, The Office of His Holiness the Dalai Lama)

At the special meeting, organized by the Office of the His Holiness Dalai Lama, 500 visitors from 68 countries had a chance to engage in dialogue with the octogenarian Tibetan spiritual leader, who jokingly mentioned that rather than simply showing his face to the vistors, “I thought I should show you how brilliant this brain is.” The meeting took place in the Tsuglagkhang courtyard of the monastery adjoining his official residence in McLeod Ganj. (The Times of India)

His Holiness applauded India’s long history of secular ethics and its respect for all religious traditions. “India is home to all of the world’s major religious traditions and also respects non-believers. This is really wonderful and something to be proud of,” the Dalai Lama said. The caste system is the only backwardness left in India, he noted, adding that even the Buddha argued against the class division system, 2,000 years ago. (The Statesman)

“Mentally and emotionally we human beings are all the same. We all experience anger and hatred, even me too, but we also all have the potential to cultivate compassion, forgiveness, and tolerance. Destructive emotions are based on ignorance . . . constructive emotions like love and compassion are supported by reason, so we can use our brains to develop and strengthen them.” (The Office of His Holiness the Dalai Lama)