His Holiness drove to St Paul’s Cathedral where he was received by the Rt. Rev. Michael Colcough, Canon Pastor of St Paul’s. As they walked up the old steps together and through the pillared crypt to the Vestry, His Holiness said it reminded him of the steps and corridors in the Potala Palace; indeed both buildings date from the late 17th century. During a short meeting in the Vestry with Dr & Mrs Jack Templeton and their daughter, Dr Templeton told His Holiness that his father, John Templeton, who founded the Templeton Prize and who would have been 100 this year, would have been very pleased by this year’s award. His Holiness recalled his own father, who he said was quite short tempered, and his mother from whom he had his first lessons in kindness and generosity. He also talked about how the source of a calm mind is within ourselves, our warm-heartedness, while education equips us to take a broader, more realistic view of our situation. Dr Templeton places great store by gratitude and asked how we can train to develop gratitude and compassion. His Holiness suggested that when people come to appreciate that cultivating such inner values has a positive effect on our physical health and well-being, while anger is bad for our health, people are much more ready to try to develop them.
After being joined by Jonathan Dimbleby, who was to moderate a Meeting with the Press, the conversation turned to Tibetan medicine in which Dr & Mrs Templeton, as physicians, were interested. His Holiness explained that as a result of the Tibetan Emperor convening an international medical conference in the 8th century CE, Tibetan medicine had incorporated many influences. He added that its medications, made mostly from herbs and minerals are effective.
Jonathan Dimbleby opened the Meeting with the Press by introducing Dr Jack Templeton, President and Chairman of the Templeton Foundation, who spoke of his father’s wish to reward “entrepreneurs of the spirit” and his theme, “how little we know and are eager to learn.” He explained that the judges had chosen to reward His Holiness because of his steadfast adherence to spiritual values and his conviction that compassion and kindness have the power to improve the world. Read the rest
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