Dalai Lama received Gold Medal in Washington DC "My religion is kindness"

Last week I was listening to His Royal Highness Dalai Lama speaking in Washington after receiving the Congressional Gold Medal, which is the highest civilian honor. The Congress, with the Democrats in majority, decided to award the 72 year old Tibetan spiritual leader, who represents Peace and Harmony. In 1989 Dalai Lama was awarded the Nobel Peace prise by the Norwegian Nobel committee, the chairman said this was "in part a tribute to the memory of Mahatma Gandhi."

President Bush who handed the gold medal made it clear in his speach that this is a medal for religious freedom. China expressed its opposition to Congress's decision to honor the Dalai Lama. The medal's past recipients include Pope John Paul II, Nelson Mandela and Mother Teresa.

Basically we are all the same human beings with the same potential to be a good human being or a bad human being .The important thing is to realize the positive side and try to increase that; realize the negative side and try to reduce.

Few years ago I read the International Bestseller ‘The Art of Happiness’, by HH Dalai Lama. Back then his writings and his personality captured me. Tenzin Gyatso (born 6 July 1935) is the 14th and current Dalai Lama. In 1950, at the age of 15, he was enthroned as Tibet's Head of State and most important political ruler while Tibet faced occupation by China. After the collapse of the Tibetan resistance movement in 1959 and the Chinese invasion in Tibet, Tenzin Gyatso fled to India.

I believe that the very purpose of our life is to seek happiness. Whether one believes in religion or not, whether one believes in this religion or that religion, we all are seeking something better in life.

Although I am not Buddhist, but there are some great lessons I have gained through Dalai Lamas life. I value his world view and his courage to fight for something he believes in. I believe we can all learn beautiful things from each other, we just need to be open to learning and respecting each other!

Compassion is not religious business, it is human business, it is not luxury, it is essential for our own peace and mental stability, it is essential for human survival.