All religions try to benefit people, with the same basic message of the need for love and compassion, for justice and honesty, for contentment. So merely changing formal religious affiliations will often not help much. On the other hand, in pluralistic, democratic societies, there is the freedom to adopt the religion of your choice. This is good. This lets curious people like you run around on the loose!

It is our enemies who provide us with the challenge we need to develop the qualities of tolerance, patience and compassion.

But when it comes to democratic political parties, I prefer that monks and nuns not join them - in order to ensure proper democratic practice.

We need a little more compassion, and if we cannot have it, then no politician or even a magician can save the planet.

Basically we are all the same human beings with the same potential to be a good human being or a bad human being. The important thing is to realize the positive side and try to increase that; realize the negative side and try to reduce. That's the way.

So the smart brain must be balanced with a warm heart, a good heart -a sense of responsibility, of concern for the well-being of others.

Some consider me as a living Buddha. That's nonsense. That's silly. That's wrong. If they consider me a simple Buddhist monk, however, that's probably okay.