Secular enlightenment

In Tibet, as well as many other Asian countries, there are stories about a legendary kingdom that was a place of peace and prosperity, governed by wise and compassionate rulers. The citizens were equally kind and learned, so that, in general, the kingdom was a model society. This place was called Shambhala. Among many Tibetan Buddhist teachers, there has long been a tradition that regards the kingdom of Shambhala not as en external place but as the ground or root of wakefulness and sanity that exists as a potential within every human being. From that point of view, it is not important to decide whether the kingdom of Shambhala is fact or fiction. Instead, we should appreciate and emulate the ideal of an enlightened society that it represents. The Shambhala teachings use the image of the Shambhala kingdom to represent the ideal of secular enlightenment, that is, the possibility of uplifting our personal existence and that of others without the need for any religious outlook. With the great problems now facing human society, it seems increasingly important to find simple and nonsectarian ways to work with ourselves and to share our understanding with others.