The public talks on the following day, jointly hosted by Heruka KMC and KMC London, were immensely successful. A large assembly of people, both experienced Kadampas and people new to Buddha's teachings, listened raptly as Gen-la delivered an extraordinary appeal to common sense based on the perfect logic of Kadam Dharma. You could have heard a pin drop as she explained, with flawless reasoning and joyful humor, the meaning of life. She showed how the inner peace cultivated through practicing Dharma is the only way for anyone – Buddhist or non-Buddhist – to fulfil their two deepest wishes: to experience lasting happiness and to be permanently free from all suffering and problems, including the pervasive human sufferings of mental and physical pain.

Gen-la repeatedly encouraged us to make the most of our human life. She appealed to us with heartfelt urgency: “Think clearly, think clearly, and use your own experience to understand the meaning of life.”

She reminded us that true happiness cannot be found outside the mind - for many people this was the first time they'd had an opportunity to think about this. After reassuring us of her love for dogs, to rapturous laughter she explained how, if we think having a dog is the cause of happiness, having two dogs would make us twice as happy, four dogs would make us four times as happy, and having 50 dogs would make us overwhelmed with happiness!