The best religion – A dialog between Dalai Lama and Leonardo Boff

DIALOG WITH DALAI LAMA

the Brazilian theologist Leonardo Boff wrote:

In a round table discussion about religion and freedom in which Dalai Lama
and myself were participating at recess, I maliciously and also with interest, asked him: “Your holiness, what is the best religion?”
I thought he would say: “The Tibetan Buddhism” or “The oriental religions, much older than Christianity.”
The Dalai Lama paused, smiled and looked me in the eyes …. which surprised me because I knew of the malice contained in my question.

He answered: “The best religion is the one that gets you closest to God. It is the one that makes you a better person.”
To get out of my embarrassment with such a wise answer, I asked: “What is it that makes me better?”
He responded:
“Whatever makes you
more compassionate,
more sensible,
more detached,
more loving,
more humanitarian,
more responsible,
more ethical.”
“The religion that will do that for you is the best religion”
I was silent for a moment, marveling and even today thinking of his wise and irrefutable response:
“I am not interested, my friend, about your religion or if you are religious or not.
“What really is important to me is your behavior in front of your peers, family, work, community, and in front of the world.
“Remember, the universe is the echo of our actions and our thoughts.”
“The law of action and reaction is not exclusively for physics. It is also of human relations. If I act with goodness, I will receive goodness. If I act with evil, I will get evil.”
“What our grandparents told us is the pure truth. You will always have what you desire for others. Being happy is not a matter of destiny. It is a matter of options.”
Finally he said:
“Take care of your Thoughts because they become Words.
Take care of your Words because they will become Actions.
Take care of your Actions because they will become Habits.
Take care of your Habits because they will form your Character.
Take care of your Character because it will form your Destiny,
and your Destiny will be your Life
… and …
“There is no religion higher than the Truth.”

Versi Bahasa Indonesia

DIALOG DENGAN DALAI LAMA

Renungan minggu ini: Dalai Lama diwawancara, Leonardo Boff, tokoh Teologi Pembebasan Amerika Latin.
Pertanyaannya: Agama apa yg terbaik didunia ini?
Dalai Lama menjawab sambil tersenyum, menatapnya secara langsung, yang mengejutkan, krn dia menyadari maksud jahat di balik pertanyaan tadi.

Beliau jawab: ”Agama yang paling baik adalah agama yang membawamu terdekat dengan Tuhan. Agama yang membuatmu menjadi orang yang lebih baik”

Untuk menutupi perasaan malu, karena jawaban yang sangat bijaksana, dia bertanya: “Apa yang membuat saya menjadi lebih baik?”

Beliau menjawab: “Apapun yang membuatmu lebih berwelas asih, lebih masuk akal, lebih
terlepas, lebih mencintai, lebih memiliki rasa kemanusiaan, lebih bertanggung jawab, lebih etis. Agama yang melakukan semua itu terhadapmu adalah agama terbaik.”

Leonardo terdiam sejenak, mengagumi dan bahkan sekarang memikirkan jawabannya yang bijaksana dan tak terbantahkan.

Akhirnya Dalai Lama berkata:
“Berhati hatilah akan pikiranmu krn mereka akan menjadi perkataan.
Berhati hatilah pada kata katamu krn mereka akan menjadi tindakan.
Berhati hatilah pada tindakanmu krn mereka akan menjadi kebiasaan.
Jagalah Kebiasaanmu krn mereka akan membentuk karaktermu.
Jaga Karaktermu, krn akan membentuk nasibmu dan nasibmu adalah hidupmu.. “

Tiada agama lebih tinggi daripada Kebenaran.