-Could Your Holiness explain what is the creative force that brings matter into existence, or makes it disappear again?

From the Buddhist viewpoint the ultimate creator, or the creative energy is the mind of sentient beings. Not only human beings but other sentient beings also, those beings which have a mind, or consciousness. That is the energy that creates a different environment, on two levels.

One is the immediate effect, the other one is the long term effect. At this very moment, due to our minds we are using certain words and performing certain physical actions. We call these verbal actions as well as physical actions. Immediately an atmosphere is created, a pleasant atmosphere, or an unpleasant one. This is ultimately created by the mind or the inner energy with action. That part of action we call karma. The action comes from certain motivation. That we call mind. So certain things are created as its immediate effect or result. Then this action or energy creates this particular temporary or present situation and this again gives a chain reaction and creates another condition, another situation. It always goes like this. The long-term pleasant or unpleasant consequences, or results, are created in this way. Therefore, a Buddhist usually sees himself or herself as the creator. So the good or bad future rests entirely on our own shoulders now. It is entirely dependent on our own behaviour at this time.

When an action is good or bad, that action brings a good or bad result. That means we consider an action that brings happiness or joy to be a good action, a positive action. Those actions which bring fear or unpleasantness we consider to be negative actions. That again is mainly due to positive motivation or negative motivation. Therefore, the mind is supreme.

In order to change the external situation, we must first change within ourselves. If we want a beautiful garden we must first have a blueprint of imagination, a vision. Then that idea can be implemented and then through external action this garden will materialise. So first it must come in the mind. Like that. That is what we believe.

Excerpt from the book Art Meets Science and Spirituality in a Changing Economy, SDU publishers, Amsterdam, 1990

[Dalai Lama (born July 6, 1935 in Takster, Tibet) is the 14th Dalai Lama; the head of state and spiritual leader of the Tibetan people, who now resides in exile in Dharamsala, India. He earned a Doctorate of Buddhist Philosophy. In 1989 he was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize. His writings are known internationally and he lectures world wide.]