“A Precious Human Life”, Poem By Dalai Lama XIV.

A Precious Human Life, By His Holiness The 14th Dalai Lama

Every day, think as you wake up,
today I am fortunate to have woken up,
I am alive I have a precious human life,
I am not going to waste it,
I am going to use
All of my energies to develop myself
To expand my heart out to others,
To achieve enlightenment for
The benefit of all living beings,
I am going to have kind
Thoughts towards others,
I am not going to get angry,
Or think badly about others
I am going to benefit others
As much as I can.

His Holiness the 14th Dalai Lama

Meaning of the Poem

“A Precious Human Life” is a poem by His Holiness, The 14th Dalai Lama, that speaks about the importance of recognizing and appreciating the value of one’s own life. The poem encourages readers to think positively and make the most of every moment. 

His Holiness suggests that every day when waking up, one should be grateful for being alive and not waste this precious opportunity. Instead, they should focus their energy on personal growth, being kind to others, and working towards enlightenment for the benefit of all living beings. 

The poem encourages the reader to avoid negative thoughts and actions, such as anger and negative thoughts towards others, and instead strive to bring happiness and positivity to those around them. The poem’s overall message is to embrace the preciousness of life and use it for the betterment of oneself and others.

Key Lessons to Learn from this Poem

His Holiness is a bank of Wisdom and life-changing Knowledge. And as with all of his writings, “A Precious Human Life” is also a poem that packs several valuable lessons about life. 

Some of these lessons include:

1. Gratitude: The poem begins by encouraging the reader to think about their good fortune each day when they wake up. This reminder to be grateful for the gift of life is a valuable lesson that can help bring positivity and joy to one’s life.
2. Purpose: The poem suggests that one should not waste their precious life but instead use it to develop themselves, expand their hearts to others, and work towards enlightenment. This teaches that life has a purpose beyond just existing and that we should strive to make the most of it.
3. Kindness: His Holiness encourages the reader to have kind thoughts towards others and to benefit others as much as they can. This lesson teaches the importance of spreading kindness and compassion and the positive impact it can have on both oneself and others.
4. Avoiding Negative Thoughts: The poem suggests avoiding negative emotions such as anger and evil thoughts toward others. This lesson emphasizes the importance of focusing on positive and constructive thoughts, as they can significantly impact our well-being and relationships with others.

About His Holiness

The 14th Dalai Lama, Tenzin Gyatso, is a simple Buddhist monk and the spiritual leader of Tibet. He was born in 1935 to a farming family and was recognized as the reincarnation of the 13th Dalai Lama when he was two years old. He received a monastic education that included Buddhist philosophy, logic, fine arts, and more.

At 23, he passed his final Geshe Lharampa examination and was awarded the highest doctorate in Buddhist philosophy. He was called upon to assume political power in 1950 after China’s invasion of Tibet and was forced into exile in 1959 after the brutal suppression of the Tibetan national uprising in Lhasa by Chinese troops. In exile, the Central Tibetan Administration led by him appealed to the United Nations to consider the question of Tibet.

In 1963, he presented a draft democratic constitution for Tibet, followed by reforms to democratize the Tibetan administration. He made clear his hopes for a future, free Tibet that would be federal and democratic.

In 1990, the Tibetan administration was fully democratized and exiled Tibetans elected their political leaders. In 2011, he devolved his political authority to the elected leadership and retired. His Holiness has been a peace advocate and proposed a Five-Point Peace Plan for Tibet in 1987.