It's a commonly held misconception that Buddhism and activism conflict. In fact, the logical consequence of spiritual practice is action for the sake of others; it just naturally follows. But our actions – helping our next-door neighbour or helping stop the destruction of the planet – need to be grounded in wisdom. As the Dalai Lama says, "Compassion is not enough; we need wisdom."

In other words, we need to work on our own minds first. We need to recognize our own suffering and how it's caused by our own attachment and anger the other unhappy emotions. Taking responsibility for these and wanting to change, based upon having compassion for ourselves, is what causes us to go beyond the narrow sense of self and realize we're all in the same boat.

This brings optimism and confidence that every small action counts and we develop the courage to never give up. The great bodhisattvas are fierce in their determination to never give up on sentient beings: they "think in terms of eons," as His Holiness the Dalai Lama says.

Tibet House, Sep 3, 2025.