Brighten Your Day

The Dalai Lama Tells Everyone To Stop Praying For Paris

November 18, 2015

"We cannot solve this problem only through prayers."

For millions of his devotees across the world, the Dalai Lama is the embodiment of humanity and compassion.

In an interview with German broadcaster Deutsche Welle, the Dalai Lama was asked about the terror attacks in Paris. His advice was not to pray for Paris, but work for peace.

Credit: Ora.TV

"We cannot solve this problem only through prayers. I am a Buddhist and I believe in praying. But humans have created this problem, and now we are asking God to solve it. It is illogical. God would say, solve it yourself because you created it in the first place."

He added his hopes that the record violence of the 20th Century doesn't continue to bleed into the current one.

"We need a systematic approach to foster humanistic values, of oneness and harmony," he said. "If we start doing it now, there is hope that this century will be different from the previous one. It is in everybody's interest. So let us work for peace within our families and society, and not expect help from God, Buddha or the governments."

The Dalai Lama also said that much of the violence we face today is over superficial matters.

"Furthermore, the problems that we are facing today are the result of superficial differences over religious faiths and nationalities. We are one people."