Source: The Courier-Journal
On August 21, 1999, The Courier-Journal of Louisville, Kentucky published an article on the universal themes that the Dalai Lama expresses in his writings and speeches. Speaking to a capacity crowd of 8,700 at the University of Indiana at Bloomington on August 18th, the Dalai Lama stated: "Without hesitation, the purpose of our life is happiness." In his newest book, Ethics for the New Millennium, the Dalai Lama writes that "my impression is that those living in the materially developed countries, for all their industry, are in some ways less satisfied, are less happy, and to some extent suffer more than those living in the least developed countries." He continues to write that "below the surface, so many feel uneasy and dissatisfied with their lives. They experience feelings of isolation, then follows depression." Additionally, he writes, "There is nothing amazing about being highly educated; there is nothing amazing about being rich. Only where the individual has a warm heart do these attributes become worthwhile."