At 9 in the morning today, we had a talk and
a Q&A session by His Holiness the Dalai Lama at a tent in
Mr. Sokoloff’s tent. The invitees were Mr. Sokoloff’s friends
and clients of about 500 people. The content of the talk was more
or less as follows:

On the tent stage
HOW TO HAVE COMPASSION IN BUSINESS
-Value of compassion--seen in the field of business
-Motivation is the key factor in going in the right direction
2 elements for this:
1. Have full knowledge of the reality
Intelligence--full overview, vast area not small, however, 'experts'
only know limited area. Understand the cause and effect's sequencial
relationship.
2. Compassion
Develop a sense of caring based on respect NOT pity. This in turn
develops sense of concern. Genuine compassion is unbiased.
First practice detachment to a particular thing
of group and then develop compassion.
-Us human beings have the 'seed' of genuine compassion
no matter who we are.
-Anger, hostility, arrogance are blockages in expressing true
genuine compassion.
-Sense of self importance = arrogance
-When a business is failing, you may have become attached to it.
--> When your business is succeeding, do not think that it
is because you are 'so' great, capable, etc. to the point of arrogance.
Successful business is an important part of the
community in the global economy.
Environmental issues --> sustainable business
practices are important as well.
-Lack of compassionate homes create a problematic
society. This lack in compassion is creating a whole generation
of people who are not capable of showing true love and affection.
-Competition in business:
2 types:
1. 'want to achieve and to do better' is fine because the primary
motive is that one feels 'not wanting to be left behind'. This
maybe productive as well.
2. Exploitation of others
If this is the main aim in persuit of one's goal then is bad and
destructive. Whether 'competition' is good or negative is determined
by the state of mind that is underlying the motivation for doing
so. Compassion can be included in competition.
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After that, His Holiness the Dalai Lama went to
talk to children about compassion at the same venue as yesterday.
The children were already told about compassion in advance so
some of them were able to share her/his writing on it. I heard
later that His Holiness the Dalai Lama listened intently and talked
personally to some of the children.
In the evening, we had a dinner party at the same
tent as the one that morning. I was seated next to an unexpected
person. I was seated next to Mr. and Mrs. Kempton, the senator
of the state of Idaho. It may have been a deliberate planning
on Mr. Sokoloff’s side. He has given my book to the senator as
well and was told that they resonated with it very much.
As a matter of fact, the senator had so many questions
for me throughout the dinner. Because there were many questions
regarding the relationship between prayers and water, I talked
to him for about an hour and a half through my secretary, Kimiko.
I hope the next president will be someone like
him, was my thought at the end of this dinner.

With the senator of the state of Idaho
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