DHARMANMADHIL BANDHUTVACHYA MARGAVAR

IN TOWARD A TRUE KINSHIP OF FAITHS, THE DALAI LAMA ALSO EXPLORES WHERE DIFFERENCES BETWEEN RELIGIONS CAN BE GENUINELY APPRECIATED INSTEAD OF BECOMING SOURCES OF CONFLICT. CREATING GENUINE HARMONY DOES NOT DEPEND ON ACCEPTING THAT ALL RELIGIONS ARE FUNDAMENTALLY THE SAME OR THAT THEY LEAD TO THE SAME PLACE. MANY FEAR THAT RECOGNIZING THE VALUE OF ANOTHER FAITH IS INCOMPATIBLE WITH HAVING DEVOTION TO THE TRUTH OF ONE’S OWN. NEVERTHELESS, THE DALAI LAMA SHOWS HOW A SINCERE BELIEVER CAN, WITH INTEGRITY, BE A PLURALIST IN RELATION TO OTHER RELIGIONS WITHOUT COMPROMISING COMMITMENT TO THE ESSENCE OF THE DOCTRINAL TEACHINGS OF THEIR OWN FAITH. AN ISSUE OF CENTRAL IMPORTANCE FOR THE DALAI LAMA PERSONALLY AND FOR THE ENTIRE WORLD IN GENERAL, TOWARD A TRUE KINSHIP OF FAITHS OFFERS A HOPEFUL YET REALISTIC LOOK AT HOW HUMANITY MUST STEP INTO THE FUTURE.