HH the XIVth DALAI LAMA

There is an Indian saying: if you are struck by a poisonous arrow, it is important first to pull it out, there is no time to ask who shot it, what sort of poison it is, and so on. First handle the immediate problem, and later we can investigate.

Similarly, when we encounter human suffering, it is important to respond with compassion rather than question the politics of those we help. Instead of asking whether their country is enemy or friend, we must think, “These are human beings, they are suffering, and they have a right to happiness equal to our own.’’