Today is a very special day for me. I am very happy and very touched to be here with you. For a long time I have wanted to visit your country and convey to you the warm feelings of understanding and solidarity felt by the Tibetan people. I am happy to be able to do so now, and to share with you the celebration and joy arising from the recovery of your freedom.

I admire very much the strong determination of the Lithuanian people who have maintained the struggle for freedom during more than fifty years of occupation. Your efforts have helped set in motion a global awareness of the legitimate right of all people to self-determination.

I am especially impressed by the non-violent path you have chosen to follow. I am a firm believer in non-violence, on moral, as well as practical grounds. Using violence against a strong power can be suicidal. For countries like ours, the only hope for survival is to wage a non-violent struggle founded on justice, truth, and unwavering determination. You, the people of Lithuania, under the leadership of President Landsbergis, have set a new example for others, like my people, to be inspired by. You have strengthened our belief that non-violence is the correct path and renewed our hope that we too will one day regain our lost freedom through peaceful means.

Your role as an inspirational force has not ended with the success of your struggle for freedom. In truth, it has just begun. With the eyes of the world now focused on Lithuania, you have the rare and important opportunity to continue your exemplary work. You will face many challenges in coming years. During this critical period, fundamental principles must not be sacrificed on grounds of expediency. Of particular importance is your continuing commitment to the principles of self-determination and non-violence. Just as you steadfastly adhered to them in regaining you freedom, so should you rely on them in the future in relation to other people and countries, and in safeguarding your security.

There is a growing awareness in the international community of the danger posed by the heavy reliance on military strength and the trade in arms and weapons, including those of mass destruction. Total disarmament will be difficult but, I believe, necessary in the long run. Costa Rica, a small country in a strategic and very turbulent area, abolished its army in 1948. I am sure most people thought the situation could not last. Yet, that country has maintained its integrity without an army for over 40 years. Following Costa Rica's lead, your renewed commitment to non-violence could provide the needed impetus for global disarmament. A principled stand to defend your recently regained freedom without resorting to force would be truly inspiring.

From a purely practical perspective, it sometimes seems that by using violence a problem can be solved quite quickly. But, if you succeed through violence at the expenses of others' right and welfare, you have not solved the problem, but only created the seeds for another. The principles of democracy, justice and equality should be applied equally in domestic as well as in international relations.

In order for there to be true stability and lasting peace through the world, violence must be eliminated. I have always believed this. In the Five Point Peace Plan which I proposed to China in 1987, and in more recent statements, I have emphasized that Tibet must be completely demilitarized and restored to its previous status as a zone of peace of "Ahimsa." Elimination of violence is not as difficult a task as it may initially appear. Only a small proportion of the World's five billion people are engaged in acts of violence. The overwhelming majority are engaged in acts of loving, caring and sharing. It is thus my belief that in the human mind, the dominant force is not violence, but, on the contrary, compassion and peacefulness.

As I mentioned earlier, I believe that while recognizing the importance of Lithuania of cooperating with other governments to ensure future political and economic security, the freedom to act in accordance with your own moral precepts must not be compromised for short term gains. Remaining true to principles which have served you so well in the past, especially support for the side of truth, freedom and democracy, will provide a completing example which will be followed by others.

In structuring needed economic reforms you will also encounter hardship, requiring sacrifices by all. Throughout these trying times, responsiveness to the needs of the individuals, rather than adherence to abstract theory, should, I believe, guide your actions.

Religion can play an important role in developing a compassionate society based on mutual respect, tolerance and human well being. I feel that all religions have essentially the same message, although their philosophical approach may be different. The essence of religion is love and compassion. In my own experience, I have seen that the sincere practice of religion and its application in daily life produces similar attitude in people regardless of the religious doctrine they follow. Of course, sometimes religion has been used to create divisions and problems between people. That is very unfortunate and sad, because I believe religion should do the opposite: it should develop harmony, compassion and understanding among people. The fact that there are differences should not create conflict. It is useful to have different religions so that people can practice the religion that best fits their mental disposition. What is important is that religious practitioners, especially religious leaders, should work in harmony with the common aim of converting the hearts of people to become good hearts.

I thank you for the warm welcome which I have received in this country by the government and the people. We are all the same human beings. Although we may look a little different externally, we have the same feelings inside. When I travel like this, I meet people like you, like my friend President Landsbergis, just as ordinary human beings meeting each other. I am just a simple monk, a simple human being. So when we meet, we must develop a heart to heart communication. So, here this time, I have a warm feeling of friendship, love and understanding between us. That is the most important.

All people and things are interdependent. The world has become so small that no nation can solve its problems alone, in isolation from others. That is why I believe we must all cultivate a sense of universal responsibility, based on love and compassion for each other. We must recognize that the suffering of one person or of one nation is the suffering of all humanity. That the happiness of one person or nation is the happiness of humanity. We must therefore develop a sense of responsibility for each others condition. We must see that hurting someone else, or inflicting pain on other people, cannot bring happiness or peace of mind. Only the development of compassion and understanding for others can bring us the tranquility and happiness we all seek.

In our own case, the case of Tibet, we have tried to struggle for freedom without developing hatred for the Chinese who invaded and occupied our country. Like you, we were fully independent at the time of our neighbor's aggression. We were forced to sign an agreement with the Chinese for the so called "peaceful liberation" of Tibet in 1951. We have remained under the illegal occupation of a military force of about half a million troops for the past 40 years. One fifth of our population of six million died as a result of the occupation. We cannot free ourselves from this tyranny without the support of freedom loving people outside Tibet. Your moral and political support are essential ingredients of our non-violent struggle. So we too are dependent on the conduct of others. In turn, our actions will affect the lives of other just as your newly regained freedom affects all of us.

So I am happy because your victory is a victory for truth, patience, and above all, human spirit and determination. It is therefore, a victory for principles I believe in. It is a happiness that whole world should share in. At the same time, it makes me a little sad. I wish my people's suffering would also come to an end and that they too could celebrate such freedom in their own country today. But your success gives us hope that some day soon we too will celebrate. When we do, we invite you who have shown such friendship in our time of need to rejoice with us.

Thank you.

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Last updated: 9-Sept-97