On the last day of his current visit to California, on May 4, 2011 His Holiness the Dalai Lama received an award from Amnesty International and spoke at two universities on human rights, compassion and global responsibility... His Holiness said being warmhearted was a criterion of leadership, which also involved being long sighted, full of vision and being practical.

His Holiness begins his programs on May 3, 2011. During this trip His Holiness is participating programs in five universities in the states of California, Minnesota, Arkansas, and Texas as well as other events in New Jersey.

Bodhidharma (483-540 AD)

Among the major world religions, Buddhism, with its emphasis on meditation, purity, peace, and compassion, appears to be the most non-threatening.

From a Buddhist perspective, anything to do with other people can be considered social action: how we relate to the individuals close to us such as family or neighbors...

The challenge that Buddhism faces today is not with the dharma itself, the Buddha's teaching - as the timeless message embedded in the Four Noble Truths maintains its validity - but how to present this ancient teaching as a meaningful alternative to the young who have been shaped by the values of the consumer society. There is a new era of technological innovation sweeping the world, which has spawned a new medium - the Internet's world wide web, a very powerful communications network and learning environment. The Internet should not be seen as just a new way to disseminating or repackage the Buddha's teachings but potentially as a base for an innovative online dharma community - a Cyber Sangha, that offers alternative social and spiritual values.