Full Windows, Empty Rooms

"We have bigger houses but smaller families; more conveniences, but less time; We have more degrees, but less sense; more knowledge, but less judgment; more experts, but more problems; more medicines, but less healthiness; We’ve been all the way to the moon and back, but have trouble crossing the street to meet the new neighbor. We’ve built more computers to hold more information to produce more copies than ever, but have less communications; We have become long on quantity, but short on quality.

These times are times of fast foods;

but slow digestion; Tall man but short character; Steep profits but shallow relationships. It is time when there is much in the window, but nothing in the room."

- Dalai Lama XIV

* * *

Dalai Lama

Tibet's highest spiritual leader -- a living embodiment of Avalokiteśvara, the Buddhist deity of compassion. Each Dalai Lama is considered the reincarnation of the previous one. The 14th, Tenzin Gyatso (born 1935), has led his people in exile from India since China occupied Tibet in 1959. Nobel Peace Prize, 1989. Still alive. Still teaching.

In short: Buddhism's closest equivalent to the Pope -- except he believes he will return.