1994 was a historic year for inter-religious dialogue. The Dalai Lama prayed for the first time in Jerusalem and at Lourdes. In London he led the John Main Seminar with a remarkable commentary on the Gospels and dialogue with Laurence Freeman and other Christian and Buddhist teachers.
The Dalai Lama had met John Main in 1980 and recognize him as a spiritual brother in the cause of peace and mutual understanding between spiritual traditions. Invited to lead the tenth John Main Seminar ‘The Good Heart’ he commented in depth as a Buddhist monk on key texts of each of the four gospels.
In these unprecedented teachings he provides a brilliant new reading of texts familiar to Christians and opens new perspectives for Buddhists in their understanding of Christianity.
He throws a bright light on the Buddhist idea of God and the Christian understanding of the Resurrection as well on many elements of Christ’s teaching. But he also highlights the “striking similarities and parallels” between the lives of the Founders, their teachings on non-violence and the stages of spiritual development.
‘When I read these passages from the Gospels I am most of all reminded of the importance of tolerance and impartiality towards all creatures and of the importance of equanimity in developing these qualities’. – HH The Dalai Lama
