Unedited transcript

Question: In talking to people, I mean you tell a lot of stories about people that you have met and the experiences they have had. So I guess, you have learned a lot about the western way of life in your years here.What is your observation about in general western culture right now and what people are dealing with.

I learned western culture, one of the most important experience in my life is first time when I came to USA, 1998, because that time first time I come to USA and I really try to understand the western culture. But not only western, the modern culture. And to understand the modern psychology. And for example, I have panic disorder but I don’t have low self-esteem. At that time I met one lady and she came to me, and she said I have low self-esteem. And always think I am bad, I am useless, I am failure. Even I did something good and I translate immediate into wrong way and she thought just because of the luck, just good luck, that is all. Or maybe people say: Oh we love you, those things. And she thought, maybe they don’t like me, they like my job. Or they like my career or something like that. And she asked me: What should I do? And I don’t understand. I don’t know what she is talking about so that is why I cannot give any advice. I cannot give any suggestions. And I thought I should learn this. Then I try to research about low self-esteem, and asked some other people, and I am trying to develop low self-esteem within me. I am bad, useless. For a few weeks and one day I really developed low self-esteem. And I was so happy. I developed low self-esteem. Hmmm, great. That is what she is talking about. Why? Because of the motivation I think. Because I want to develop low self-esteem in order to give some advice for others, to help others. So I am looking forward to develop low self-esteem. This is why I develop low self-esteem but I don’t feel bad about it. And this another issue that in Tibetan fear of death is precious. Nice. People are looking for fear of death. Special meditator, they think it is precious one. And when they develop fear of death, they feel very happy. A finally I got fear of death. But I think in the west fear of death is very painful. So there is a lot of different mentality, different cultures. And I think in the west, in general of course, is very very everybody well educated, very smart. But sometimes too many thoughts. And comparison. I think I am saying that the modern life is like living in fashion. Fashion you know. Is changing and changing and changing. New things are coming. It is good but sometimes too much, exhaust. But the other way fashion is good, you can have new things, learn new things, keep exciting. And I like this style in the west like education, and research. Those things are very very wonderful.