When you think of Buddhism, you're likely to think of peace and tranquility.

Agreeing to disagree is a prerogative only of those who live under a democratic system.

If I advocate cautious optimism it is not because I do not have faith in the future but because I do not want to encourage blind faith.

If you can make people understand why freedom is so important through the arts, that would be a big help.

Fires of suffering and strife are raging around the world.

My attitude to peace is rather based on the Burmese definition of peace - it really means removing all the negative factors that destroy peace in this world. So peace does not mean just putting an end to violence or to war, but to all other factors that threaten peace, such as discrimination, such as inequality, poverty.

While it is undeniable that many have been driven to immorality and crime by the need to survive, it is equally evident that the possession of a significant surplus of material goods has never been a guarantee against covetousness, rapacity and the infinite variety of vice and pain which spring from such passions. Indeed, it could be argued that the unrelenting compulsion of those who already have much to acquire even more has generated greater injustice, immorality and wretchedness than the cumulative effect of the struggles of the severely underprivileged to better their lot.