| Yesterday, the birthday of Shakyamuni Buddha, May | | | | economic injustice will prevail. On the other hand, poor |
| 20th, 2010, the Dalai Lama began a 4 day teaching | | | | economic policies and leadership can be overcome |
| engagement at Radio City Music Hall in New York City. | | | | when the population overflows with compassion and |
| During a press conference just minutes before the first | | | | embraces the teaching of the Lotus Sutra. Imagine a |
| session, His Holiness said that he is still a Marxist in | | | | world where people revered the Lotus Sutra, replaced |
| spirit and that Marxism was "the only economy | | | | greed, anger and ignorance with compassion and |
| system expressing concern of equal distribution (of | | | | wisdom and employed an economic system based on |
| wealth); that is moral ethics," He condemned capitalism | | | | that compassion and wisdom. Imagine that! 2,700 |
| as an economic system whose main goal is "how to | | | | years ago Shakyamuni showed us that this could be |
| make profit" but also pointed out that Capitalism | | | | accomplished. He didn't only preach that all living beings |
| "brought a lot of positive to China. Millions of people's | | | | are Buddhas, he also lived it. When he founded the |
| living standards improved." With those brief comments | | | | community of Buddhist monks and nuns (the Sangha), |
| from the financial capital of the world, I felt that the | | | | he welcomed everyone who sought enlightenment, |
| Dalai Lama had quietly challenged all of us in the | | | | from kings, queens, princes and princesses to outcast |
| Buddhist community to invent a new form of | | | | street sweepers, mass murderers such as Angulimala |
| economics, one that is based on the wisdom of the | | | | and cannibals like Alavaka. He also ordained women |
| Lotus Sutra and its teaching of equality and | | | | and respected them as equals. |
| compassion for all living beings! | | | | His actions showed us that Buddhism is a teaching of |
| Buddhism's goal is to relieve human suffering and to | | | | action and equality. It has now been over 200 years |
| enable everyone to attain the same enlightenment as | | | | since Adam Smith's Wealth of Nations was published. |
| Shakyamuni Buddha. It teaches us that we have the | | | | We have seen the good and bad that comes from |
| power within ourselves to transform any and all of our | | | | Capitalism. It has been over 150 years since Marx and |
| sufferings into joy. Happiness takes root and grows | | | | Engels published the Communist Manifesto and we |
| from where we are, not in an imaginary far-away land. | | | | have seen its track record as well. Now is the time for |
| The Buddha land is right here. The Great Sage Nichiren | | | | the Lotus Sutra to inspire a new generation of |
| said that "There are not two lands, pure or impure in | | | | economists, to encourage them to invent an economic |
| themselves. The difference lies solely in the good or | | | | system greater than any ever known before. Then |
| evil of our minds." (On Attaining Buddhahood in This | | | | we can look back at the day that the Dalai Lama |
| Lifetime) | | | | threw down the gauntlet and challenged us to open |
| Buddhism teaches that even if the most advanced | | | | the door of the Lotus Sutra's wisdom and create the |
| economic system was adopted by a government, if | | | | Buddha land right where we stand. If you enjoyed this |
| the people of that country are filled with greed, anger | | | | article, please use the Tweet and Digg buttons and |
| and ignorance, lack compassion for each other and | | | | share it with your friends. I am also very interested |
| turn their backs on the Buddha's teachings, then | | | | your opinions so please leave a comment below. |