This interview is just one of the many that took place for “A New Generation of Buddhist Young Practitioners,” the cover feature of Mandala July-August 1998:

How did you meet the Dharma?

I met the Dharma in my mother’s womb. At that time Lama Zopa and Lama Yeshe came to Spain for the first time.

What problems did you face growing up?

The main problem was worrying about the future – would I have a family, a good job, and I worried about whether I would be close to Dharma in the future.

Were you considered different because of your religion by your friends?

In general they accepted it very well. They have even shown interest in Buddhism, and ask me questions about it. I try to talk about it in a general, easy way, so they don’t reject what I say.

When I was 5 or 6, I would advise my friends not to kill. I was astonished when the other kids said other sentient beings like insects and small beings were different from us and don’t experience suffering and happiness like we do. I told them it’s like a big giant coming and looking at us – the situation is the same with the insects. So this gave them some understanding.

What aspect of the Dharma do you think is most important to share with others?

I think it is most important not to harm any other beings, and to try to have a good heart and develop compassion.

What sorts of realizations do you aspire to?

What I want in the future is to develop the awareness that this whole situation is suffering. Coming from my life experience I want to be aware of this suffering so that I can try to get rid of the attachment and other delusions.

I don’t want this to be intellectual; I want it to be from the heart. I want to have this wish to get rid of all these delusions, and, if possible, to do retreat and integrate Dharma into my being.

This is not saying that I want to suffer. I just want to be aware of what the reality really is, not just what it looks like. From there I can try to get rid of the suffering situation.

What advantages does Dharma give you?

Everything. It’s another way of seeing everything. I look at the people in a different way, and with this I can help other people. For example, Buddhism helps you know other peoples’ sufferings, especially by thinking all other beings have been your mother, or your brother. Even if you haven’t had this realization experientially, it still helps you relate to other people. It might be different for others. Dharma helps in many ways, not just this.

Dharma is everything because even if I think in the future I will have a very big problem like not having any money or someone putting me in jail, I think I can use Buddhism and meditation to overcome these difficult situations.

Do you meet many other young spiritual practitioners, regardless of their religion?

My friends are generally interested in something if it is very famous, if it is a fashion. I know other Buddhist children who are my friends and who are also interested to practice.

Have you met Lama Zopa Rinpoche?

I met Lama Zopa when I was 1 or so, and since then Lama Zopa has been so kind, joking and showing incredible warm kindness. Because of that, I have always had the feeling that the lamas are very warm and kind. Because of the lamas I always had the feeling that Buddhism is very good.

What memorable advice has Rinpoche given you and how has he affected your life?

I haven’t received many formal teachings from him, but what I have received I regard as very precious. Among all the teachings I have heard from him, one thing I was more interested in was a teaching he gave in Madrid about how if you recite om mani padme hung one thousand times, it is beneficial to anyone who sees you, touches you, hears you.

Another thing happened in 1989 when I was 8. We were having lunch with Lama Zopa and Rinpoche started asking me, “Where are you? Where are you?” He was looking for the “I.” I was astonished and surprised and I have been going over this since then. It was not a formal teaching, but it made a huge impression.