Ahí está Tenzin Gyatso, el Dalai Lama. ¿Qué es más decisivo, haberse criado en el Potala como la reencarnación de un lama importante, o pasarse 70 años meditando cuatro o cinco horas diarias? En una entrevista le preguntan:

-¿Cómo consigue usted ser una persona tan cordial?
-Yo no tengo cualidades especiales. Quizá se debe a que he pasado toda la vida meditando, con toda la fuerza de mi mente, en el amor y la compasión.

En un ámbito más mundano, es ejemplar la presentadora Oprah Winfrey, que se sobrepuso a una infancia  traumática hasta llegar a ser la figura televisiva más valorada en EE.UU., con una fortuna de 1.500 millones de dólares.

-El gran secreto de la vida es que no hay grandes secretos. Sea cual sea tu objetivo, puedes llegar a alcanzarlo si estás dispuesto a trabajar en ello.

Si me llamo Pepe, Juan o Lucía, no tengo por qué hacer como Tenzin ni como Oprah, pero sí puedo trabajar en ser el mejor Pepe o Juan, o la mejor Lucía, y puedo hacerlo hoy mismo (si no, ¿cuándo?):

¿Qué es lo más importante que puedo hacer hoy para mejorar mi vida o las de otras personas?

-... ... ...

The regent at that time we know to be Reting Rinpoche (the fifth) and it appears as if his own position and power were very much related to the finding of the new (14th) Dalai Lama. A rival minister at that time called Langdun put forth that the of one of his relatives was the re-incarnation of the Dalai Lama. However later, in contradiction to this, Reting himself stated having had prophetic visions when he visited the Holy Lake of the deity Shri-Devi (aka cho-kor-gye), which indicated where the new Dalai Lama would be found. The results of these visions were followed up, and a group led by an associate of Reting Rinpoche went to the Muslim town of Taktser. Then it was the associate of Reting Rinpoche namely Ketsang Lama who performed the tests on the young boy (such as picking out various items belonging to the previous Dalai Lama). This is also stated in the Story of Tibet by Thomas Laird. Upon returning with the chosen boy, there was considerable disagreement regarding accepting him as the Dalai Lama by the government ministers.
So it seems that the whole choosing of the 14th Dalai Lama was based principally upon the prophetic visions of Reting Rinpoche— and then followed up by his friend Ketsang Lama. These things are publicly known. Now one would think it wise to rely on visions and clairvoyant experiences of only those known to be highly realised beings. Or at least (since such things are hard to know) then those who are seen to be of exceptionally pure conduct and moral standard – like the old Kadampas. However Reting Rinpoche is described in the article mentioned above as someone who coveted power and had broken his celibacy vows whilst remaining as if a monk. I have no idea whether this a true reflection of him or not. However the Historian K.Dhondup wrote that it is a dismal fact of modern Tibetan history that Reting Rinpoche had “extremely callous handling of the Tibetan administration treating it merely as a source of personal enrichment and an avenue to reward friends and supporters and punish enemies and critics. It was one of the darkest points of Tibetan history” Also Reting Rinpoche is mentioned in Making of Modern Tibet as being a “bon vivant who cherished luxury items”. Further to this, in Seeing Lhasa: British Depictions of the Tibetan Capital 1936-1947 By Clare Harris, Tsering Shakya, Pitt Rivers Museum, International Association for Tibetan Studies Seminar it says, “Despite the general criticism, the public tended to excuse the lama himself for the excess and blamed the Labrang Changdzo – the estate manager. The frail and small-framed Reting Rinpoche was known within courtly circles for his avaricious sexual appetite for both male and female lovers.” 

Now although it seems obvious, upon investigation, that the fifth Reting Rinpoche found himself with somewhat of a compromised reputation, I have to add that none of this forms hard fact. No matter how many reputedly reliable people repeat similar views, it doesn't thereby make what they are saying conclusive. If I have learnt one totally unexpected thing as a member of the NKT it is this.

However, one has to nonetheless consider the import if these things stated about Reting Rinpoche (the 5th) were true, as so many believe to be the case. Since it is the so-called visions and actions of Reting Rinpoche that principally led to the current Dalai Lama  being found, tested and appointed, the Dalai Lama's own authenticity must be brought into question.

My final point would therefore be that any balanced and reasoning individual considering this should find themselves holding the question “Is the current Dalai Lama really the re-incarnation of Je Gendundrub?”

Western Shugden Society aboutwss.org - Reting Lama was a Tibetan Lama from Reting Monastery who was also one of the most important Lamas of Sera Jey Monastery. After the death of the Thirteenth Dalai Lama in 1933, Reting Lama became Regent of Tibet. A few years later a relative of the Thirteenth Dalai Lama, a high government minister called Langdun, told Reting Lama and other ministers that the son of his (Langdun’s) relative was the reincarnation of the Thirteenth Dalai Lama, and gave evidence to prove this.

Reting Lama and Langdun did not have a good relationship, and Reting rejected Langdun’s claim that the son of his relative was the reincarnation of the Thirteenth Dalai Lama. However, the majority of ministers supported Langdun, and this made Reting very worried about his position, because if the son of Langdun’s relative was recognized as the reincarnation of the Thirteenth then his own power and position would quickly end.

To solve this problem and protect his position, Reting devised a plan with his close friend, Ketsang Lama, another Lama from Sera Jey Monastery. They made three decisions: (1) the reincarnation of the Thirteenth Dalai Lama must be chosen from a faraway place such as the Amdo Kumbum region on the border of China; (2) Reting should go to the holy lake of the Deity Shridevi, pretend to see visions of the letters AH KA MA in the water there, and record this in writing. The letters AH, KA and MA would indicate that the reincarnation of the Thirteenth Dalai Lama would appear in Amdo (AH), Kumbum (KA) and motherland of reincarnation (MA); and (3) after completion of the second preparation, Ketsang should go to Amdo Kumbum and choose a suitable boy as the Thirteenth Dalai Lama’s reincarnation. They then put this plan into operation.

When Ketsang and his two assistants arrived in Amdo Kumbum they immediately started to search for a suitable boy. One day Ketsang met an old monk of Kumbum Monastery to whom he explained that he was looking for a suitable boy to be recognized as the reincarnation of the Thirteenth Dalai Lama. He asked if the monk had any recommendation, and the old monk replied that in this region there was a family in Taktser village who had an intelligent boy that he could introduce if Ketsang was interested. The old monk was actually a relative of this family from Taktser village, and so he tried to guide Ketsang in the direction of his own family! Taktser was a Muslim village.

Two days later, Ketsang visited the family with the old monk, who showed Ketsang the boy: ‘This is the boy I recommended to you.’ Ketsang showed the boy many different objects that had belonged to the Thirteenth Dalai Lama, but in truth the boy showed no pleasure at seeing these things; even when Ketsang handed the boy something saying, ‘This is yours’, the boy would immediately throw it away. However, Ketsang found that the boy was very attractive, and thought that this would be good enough. With regard this examination of the boy, Ketsang lied about the results (as detailed in The Ocean of Truth Explained). A few days later Ketsang visited the family again and told the boy’s parents, ‘We are representatives of the Tibetan government and if you are happy we want to recognize your son as the reincarnation of the Thirteenth Dalai Lama.’ The parents happily accepted.

Having made these preparatory arrangements, Reting then informed the Tibetan government ministers and publicly announced that he and Ketsang Lama had found the unmistaken reincarnation of the Thirteenth Dalai Lama. In saying this he publicly lied.

The ministers of the Tibetan government were unhappy to accept a reincarnation of the Thirteenth Dalai Lama from a non-Buddhist religious culture. However, some monasteries supported Reting, and in particular the Abbot of Sera Jey Monastery forcibly threatened that if the ministers did not accept the reincarnation chosen by Reting then there would be civil war. Also Reting himself had great political power, so finally the ministers had to follow whatever he said, without choice.

The boy was given the name Lhamo Dhondup, and in order to receive permission for Lhamo Dhondup to be released from membership of the Muslim community, Reting asked the Tibetan government to pay 400,000 silver coins to the local Muslim leader of Taktser called Ma Pu-fang. Finally, in this way, the Muslim boy, Lhamo Dhondup, was brought to Lhasa, together with his search party, his family and a large group of Muslim merchants. Reting organized a great welcoming ceremony for the boy’s arrival in Lhasa.

Later, when the time came for Lhamo Dhondup to receive ordination vows, he should have received them from the Regent Reting himself. However, Reting had no confidence to grant the ordination vows, because there was a serious problem with his moral discipline. It was known by many people that he had a sexual relationship with the wife of his brother, and that he engaged in many other actions that were inappropriate for a monk. Because of this he requested his own Teacher, the elderly Taktra Rinpoche, to hold the position of Regent for three years and during that time to teach the Buddhist way of life and grant ordination vows to Lhamo Dhondup. Taktra accepted this request.

Taktra Rinpoche

After Taktra became Regent he tried to care for and teach the boy, but he found that Lhamo Dhondup was very different from Tibetan boys. When Taktra taught him how to practise the Buddhist way of life the boy never accepted, and showed no interest in any spiritual practice. The boy was often angry, and shouted many times at Taktra himself. Taktra was very disappointed and one day told some of his close disciples, ‘This boy Lhamo Dhondup does not have any good imprints of the Buddhist way of life. I am worried about our country and what will happen in the future.’ Taktra appointed two other Teachers for the boy – Ling Rinpoche and Trijang Rinpoche.

Later, again Taktra received further information that clearly showed that Reting had a sexual relationship with a woman and was performing many other inappropriate actions, and he became even more disappointed. Generally, in the very beginning, many government ministers including Langdun had understood that Reting had lied when he claimed to have received a vision of the three letters AH, KA and MA in the holy lake of the Deity Shridevi (which would have indicated that the mother of the Thirteenth Dalai Lama’s reincarnation lived in the Kumbum area). They understood this because at the time one of Reting’s assistants had told a friend that Reting had lied, and this friend in turn had passed this information to government ministers. When Taktra’s term as Regent was almost finished, the government Kashag (or cabinet of ministers) received many reports from different people about how Reting and Ketsang had chosen a false reincarnation of the Thirteenth Dalai Lama, and for this and other reasons the Government sent soldiers to Reting Monastery to arrest Reting and bring him back to Lhasa.

While in prison, Reting was one day brought under guard to the Kashag’s meeting room. The Chief Minister asked Reting to tell the truth about his vision of the letters AH, KA and MA in the water of the holy lake of the Deity Shridevi. Fearfully, Reting admitted that he had lied, and made a full confession. He died soon after in prison; some say that he was executed by order of the Tibetan Government.

The Government then publicly announced that any person who had received a special position from Reting, including Lhamo Dhundup, would be removed from office. However, at that time there were three things developing in Tibet: (1) great fear was developing among Tibetans on hearing that the Chinese army would soon arrive in Lhasa; (2) many people were unhappy at hearing that Lhamo Dhondup would be removed from his position; and (3) Lhamo Dhundup had apparently begun to improve his qualifications through receiving special care and teachings from Trijang Rinpoche and Ling Rinpoche. For these three reasons, through Taktra Rinpoche, Trijang Rinpoche and Ling Rinpoche made strong requests to the Government, asking them to delay the removal of Lhamo Dhondup from his position as Dalai Lama. Through this help from Taktra, the wishes of Trijang Rinpoche and Ling Rinpoche were fulfilled. Shortly afterwards, the elderly Lama, Taktra Rinpoche, died and the Chinese army entered Lhasa. The Tibetan Government then lost its function, and finally in 1959 Lhamo Dhondup – or Tenzin Gyatso – escaped to India.

In India this false Dalai Lama created the Tibetan exile government by himself. This exile government has hidden all the true information about Tibet, and for over forty years has spread only false information that has exaggerated the good qualities of this false Dalai Lama throughout the world. In truth, they are lying. Their policy of mixing religion with politics has caused great damage to the reputation of Buddhism in general.

We can see how all of Lhamo Dhondup’s opportunities came from the supreme kindness of his two teachers – Ling Rinpoche and Trijang Rinpoche – yet how did he return their kindness? In The Ocean of Truth Explained it says: ‘Later, in Dharamsala, India, Ling Rinpoche died of a heart attack because the Dalai Lama refused his request to stop giving encouragement that Gelugpas should practise the Nyingma tradition. And Trijang Rinpoche died of a heart attack because the Dalai Lama refused his request to stop banning the practice of Dorje Shugden.’

- page 61 in The Universe In A Single Atom by the XIV Dalai Lama (Tenzin Gyatso), a book I've been reading

Presidio non violento per il Tibet sabato 30 agosto, dalle 8 alle 20.00 al Parco Sempione di Milano, (piazza Castello, angolo via Gadio - lato acquario)

Si tratta di una *giornata di sciopero della fame simbolico lanciato dal Primo ministro del Governo Tibetano in esilio. La giornata è promossa dalla Comunità tibetana in Italia come giornata di digiuno, preghiera, meditazione ma anche informazione.  Per la prima volta le autorità tibetane in esilio a Dharansala in India hanno proposto alla diaspora tibetana ed ai tibetani dell'interno della Cina, come a tutti gli amici ed i sostenitori della loro battaglia una mobilitazione straordinaria e coordinata. Sabato prossimo, 30 agosto, tutte le persone che vorranno dare un segnale di vicinanza e di sostegno al Tibet ed alla lotta nonviolenta del Dalai Lama sono stati invitati dal Primo Ministro tibetano, professor Samdong Rinpoche, ad osservare un digiuno simbolico di 12 ore.

Dalle 7/8 del mattino alle 19/20 della sera, il Presidente del Governo tibetano in esilio ha invitato ad osservare digiuno, silenzio, meditazione e preghiere, ma anche brevi interventi di spiegazione e di informazione per sostenere la causa del Tibet libero, la scelta del dialogo e la necessità di far emergere la verità di un regime che da 60 anni occupa e reprime il "Tetto del mondo".

Ecumenici dopo aver optato contro il boicottaggio della Fiera del libro di Torino e delle recenti olimpiadi ritorna a parlare di diritti civili e di diritti umani. Fate circolare l’appello se potete. Grazie!

Allo sciopero della fame ha aderito anche lo stesso Tenzin Gyatso, XIV Dalai Lama del Tibet, premio Nobel per la Pace del 1989, capo spirituale e temporale dei tibetani.

8.17.2008

Written by the campfire at Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Park, Colorado

I am going to proceed to prove that I am the (early) reincarnation of the 14^th Dalai Lama. Well, that or Tenzin Gyatso and I have a symbiotic connection. Hell, maybe we just think alike.

“The mind should not be directed back into the past, nor influenced by hopes or fears about the future. Once you prevent such thoughts from interfering with your focus, what is left is the interval between the recollections of past experiences and your anticipations and projections of the future.” – An Open Heart: Practicing Compassion in Everyday Life, The Dalai Lama, aka Tenzin Gyatso.

I just read that this morning. Now, if I flip a few pages back in my travel journal, I believe I’d scribbled this down a few days earlier.

”The full appreciation of beauty brings with it, requires, the presence in the present, not clouded by the anticipation of the future or the lock of the past, but by the presence of the truest present, opening, operating fully at the smallest of space between the past and the future.” – from In the present, the entry for 8.6.2008 in Explore, Dream, Discover…, Jaimin Yoon

That smiling fat man stole my thought! Well, An Open Heart was published in 2001, seven years prior to my entry, but from a Buddhist perspective, time isn’t a linear phenomenon, so I can still claim that jolly old man stole my line! When Tenzin goes, I demand to be brought a stash of misleading and genuine artifacts to have my opportunity at Dalai Lama-dom. Maybe I’ll even concede to the possibility that half of the previous Dalai Lama’s life went into Tenzin and the other half went into me.

In all seriousness, the present is a topic that’s been heavily on my mind. It’s a deceptively complex issue to grasp, and one that never fully remains within your grasp, rapidly fleeting just as you begin to think you’ve got it.

I’ll be sure to get it by the time those Tibetan monks come knocking on my door.

Tenzin Gyatso, Sua Santidade o 14º Dalai Lama, é ao mesmo tempo líder temporal e espiritual do povo tibetano.

Nasceu em 6 de julho de 1935, numa família de camponeses da pequena vila de Taktser, na provincia de Amdo, situada no nordeste do Tibet.

Seu nome era Lhamo Dhondup até o momento em que, com dois anos de idade, Sua Santidade foi reconhecido como sendo a reencarnação de seu predecessor, o 13º Dalai Lama, Thubten Gyatso. Os Dalai Lamas são tidos como manifestações de Avalokiteshvara ou Chenrezig, o Bodhisattva da Compaixão e patrono do Tibet.

Um Bodhisattva é um ser iluminado que adiou sua entrada no nirvana e escolheu renascer para servir à humanidade.

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Educação no Tibet

Sua Santidade o Dalai Lama começou sua educação monástica aos seis anos. O currículo consistia de cinco disciplinas maiores e cinco menores. As maiores são: lógica, arte e cultura tibetana, sânscrito, medicina e filosofia budista — e esta por sua vez se compõe de outras cinco categorias: Prajnaparamita, a perfeição da sabedoria; Madhyamika, a filosofia do Caminho do Meio; Vinaya, o cânone da disciplina monástica; Abhidharma, metafísica; e Pramana, lógica e epistemologia. As disciplinas menores são: poesia, música e teatro, astrologia, gramática e sinônimos. Aos 23 anos, fez seu exame final no Templo de Jokhang, em Lhasa, durante o o Festival Anual de Orações Mönlam. Foi aprovado com honras e recebeu o grau de Geshe Lharampa (título máximo, equivalente a um Doutorado em Filosofia 1ista). Em complemento a esses temas budistas, estudou inglês, ciências, geografia e matemática.

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Esses textos biográficos foram retirados do site de Dalai Lama. Confiram!!!

No Dharma,

Alessandro Martins.

"The Dalai Lama is not the head of any of the four traditions of Tibetan Buddhism – the Nyingmas, Kagyus, Sakyas and Gelugpas. Each sect of Tibetan Buddhism has its own head. Many people mistakenly think that the Dalai Lama is the head of Tibetan Buddhism, or at least of the Gelugpa school, but if he is not head of any of the individual schools of Tibetan Buddhism, how can he be head of the whole Tradition? There is no 'Pope' of Tibetan Buddhism.

The confusion about the Dalai Lama's religious authority lies in the fact that he is a politician who is also a monk. When the Dalai Lama speaks, is it a politician who is speaking or is it a spiritual leader? No-one is quite sure, but clearly it can't be both because the aims of politics and religion are opposite and contradictory. It's not safe for a monk to do the job of politician unless the monk is stronger than the politician. If not, the monk becomes a politician who abuses religion for worldly goals rather than a religious leader who uses power and influence to accomplish spiritual goals." from the article entitled 'On What Authority Does the Dalai Lama Do These Things?' from the Wisdom Buddha Dorje Shugden Blog wisdombuddhadorjeshugden.blogspot.com

From the New Kadampa Truth website:

Happy birthday to His Holiness the 14th Dalai Lama, Tenzin Gyatso, born July 6, 1935.

For more info, go to: http://www.dalailama.com/

We talked in the previous post of a decline of the Roman Empire type of situation here in the West. Omitting economical and political aspects this time, we rather concentrated on some cultural aspects of today's Western (America + Europe) decline which resemble a bit what was happening in the minds of the inhabitants of the Ancient Roman empire: new sects and religions gaining ground, void, ethical confusion etc. with, at the end, a winning new religion, Christianity, conquering the population’s hearts (with a little help from the Emperors) and soon becoming the official religion of the Empire.

(Needless to say, it is only for the sake of analysis that people usually separate economical, political, social and cultural phenomena. Actually they are tightly interrelated and belong to the same sphere: Man)

Let’s now zoom in on one of the non Western religions that are gaining ground, Buddhism. We will consider some of the reasons why this belief, compared with the Abrahamic religions, could be more endowed to confront with modern science, which might further favour its penetration (at the top of the page, a Buddhist temple at Fréjus, France; above, the current Dalai Lama).

In some books the current 14th Dalai Lama reveals his position on science and on the relationship between scientific rationality and religious irrationality. “If scientific analysis conclusively showed that certain beliefs of Buddhism are false – argues the Dalai Lama - it would be necessary to accept those scientific discoveries and abandon those beliefs." Wow, what a big difference, we should be honest to admit, vis-à-vis the presumptions of infallibility asserted by our Catholic religion ...

Buddhism seems better equipped in its approach to science since, as the Dalai Lama says, “it grants maximum authority to experience, secondly to reason and only lastly to scriptures” while the Religions of the revealed Books (the Abrahamic religions) seem to consider these elements in a reversed order.

Additionally the encounter between Science and Buddhism seems also favoured by a fundamental disposition common to both: they do not believe in God or even in a soul, since Buddhism prefers to concentrate, among other things, on conscience. Buddhism and science “share a fundamental reluctance to postulate a transcendent Being as origin of all things.” Basically it is the denial of any metaphysics.

A Rescue Guide in Times of Crisis

In general I believe this simple thing: science provides a lot of answers but still voids are left (what is the meaning of life? How do we decide between right and wrong? Are there any absolute values? etc.) that might progressively be filled up, although so far they are not, thus leaving those who rely on science only with questions unanswered and inner tranquillity precarious. Humanities are able in fact to make up for further answers (philosophy) and for reconciling our soul through beauty (art).

(The problem is complex and it is discussed in the debate regarding the two cultures - the sciences and the humanities - and regarding the so-called third culture)

As far as we are concerned, in fact, novels, poems, music, paintings, philosophy, all humanistic culture, in conclusion, can somehow fill these voids. And religion? Of course religion can fill these voids too, but, although we have a lot of respect for those who have a faith, we are not religious (agnostic, not atheist), our position being that of the Roman philosopher and poet Lucretius. So we are not disposed to easily believe in revealed things or tales – hope we do not hurt anyone's feelings - which were satisfying for men living thousands of years ago but, frankly, not as much for today's man.

Buddhism, being a philosophy and religion without a God seems more modern (even though some aspects of Mahayana Buddhism, for example, consider the Buddha as a God). Buddhism does not force us to believe in dreams in order to find a ubi consistam, namely a guide, a point of reference.

The truth is we are not even Buddhist. We have no parachute. But we like it this way.

References

Official Dalai Lama Web Site.

The Universe in a Single Atom - The Convergence of Science and Spirituality - by H.H. the Dalai Lama, Morgan Road Books, New York, 2005.

Mind Science - An East - West Dialogue - by H.H. the Dalai Lama with Herbert Benson, Robert A. Thurman, Howard E. Gardner, Daniel Goleman, Wisdom Publications, USA, 1991.

See also www.mindandlife.org for reports on various confrontations between the Dalai Lama and various scientists.

*benefícios*

*Criar*

Lecture by the Dalai Lama at the Sathya Sai International Centre in Delhi
News from Sri Sathya Sai International Center
3rd January 2004

The Sri Sathya Sai International Centre in Delhi began the New Year with a lecture on 3rd January, by the Dalai Lama. Lt. Gen.Dr.M.L.Chibber, Director of the Centre welcomed the Guest of Honour and Dr. Karan Singh, eminent philosopher-statesman, who presided over the function. The auditorium was packed to capacity, even though it was one of the coldest days of this winter. His Holiness the Dalai Lama spoke for 45 minutes, after which Dr. Karan Singh, delivered his presidential remarks.

The Dalai Lama opened with the remark that the key to peace lies in non-violence and tolerance, which is a 7000-year-old tradition in India.

We can have peace only if we are able to bring about an attitude of respect for religions, faiths and belief systems other than our own. There is an interesting fact to be noted about the great world religions. At the level of philosophy there might be apparent differences among them; but at the level of practice there is no difference.

When we study the ethics or the practice advocated by the various faiths, there is not much difference. They all believe in certain core human values like Truth, Non-violence, Compassion, Love and Peace. One of the important values is Truth. Truth lies in perceiving Reality as it is. Reality can be experienced in its fullness, only if one harbours positive emotions and not negative emotions.

It would not be correct to say that we should have no emotions. A person without emotions is a person without feeling. He is apt to be dry, distant, cold, friendless, negative and vicious. The important thing is not to harbour negative emotions.

Negative emotions are emotions that are immature, narrow and cloudy. For example, attachment and hatred are two such negative emotions. When a person sees the world through the prism of attachment, he would conclude that whatever he does is 100% right. And when he sees someone else through the prism of hate, he would conclude that whatever the other person does is 100% wrong. Nothing in Nature is 100% right or wrong. Such a perception is merely a mental projection, that distorts our appreciation of Reality, creating more problems.

Positive emotions are mature emotions because here emotion is combined with intelligence. The application of intelligence leads to analysis and investigation. Analysis leads to conviction. The disciplining of emotion leads to a holistic vision of Reality. Everything is interconnected. If one fails to see the interconnectedness and interdependence, then it is a distorted vision. Examples of positive emotions are faith and Compassion, which can be imbibed only through a training of emotions.

Knowledge leads to conviction. Conviction leads to determination. Determination leads to familiarization. Familiarization leads to change of emotion. The main attempt must be have a clear vision so that we can see Reality as it truly is. Only then can we solve the problems of life.

Cultivation of positive and noble emotions leads one towards Compassion, Contentment, Forgiveness and Self-discipline, in turn producing a calmness of Mind. When there are no ripples in the Mind, it remains clear in its vision of Reality. It sees a problem as it really is and is able to solve it easily. Problems would then be unable to disturb Peace of Mind. But if the Mind is weak, if it is assailed by fear and doubt or too much of unbridled emotion, it would find it difficult to face the arduous problems of life.

Life is bound to be full of problems. Even if there are no other problems, one's own body suffers from the problems of illness, decay and death. If problems are an integral part of our existence, we have to be fully prepared to face these with calmness, placidity and fortitude.

In this process of nurturing your inner self, it helps if you continue to remain in the spiritual and religious tradition in which you have been born. I am happy to see that Sathya Sai Baba has said that his mission is not to convert people to other traditions. He would like a Buddhist to be a better Buddhist, a Muslim to be a better Muslim and a Hindu to be a better Hindu.

One should be serious and sincere towards one's own faith. This generates a calm atmosphere both in the individual and the society. Our inner experiences reach a deeper dimension.

Quite often, I get the feeling that I am reciting verses that were taught to me by my mother and teacher in my childhood. On certain days, it seems to me that I am reciting the verses by rote and not with my full heart and soul in it. The recitation then becomes something of a burden. But later I realize that such daily practice, although it appears to be monotonous and repetitive, it silently and effortlessly builds my inner resources and strength and help me to become a true follower of the Buddha.

In this audience there is a plurality of faiths. This reality has to be accepted. India has always believed in ahimsa in terms of acceptance of other faiths. Gandhiji is a great example of inter-religious harmony. He was a staunch Hindu, but he had a deep respect for other faiths.

Buddha was also a true Indian in this sense. He studied the faiths prevalent in India in his time and practised a number of Hindu paths. After his enlightenment, he taught the four noble truths. Buddha's philosophy of interdependence is his unique contribution to world philosophy. The concept of interdependence is equally true in the fields of economy, politics, defence and so on. This gives a wider, holistic picture of any problem and brings us closer to reality.

Buddha believed in the human value of truth. He exhorted his followers to follow the truth. When he enunciated the four noble truths, he also analyzed the cause of suffering. His conclusion was that all suffering was due to ignorance. He accepted the practice of Samadhi. He also innovated the vipassana system, which can be a very effective method for reducing attachment. He had great respect for the other traditions.

This ideal of religious tolerance is still alive in India at the village level. There the followers of different faiths have lived together in peace and harmony for the last several centuries. Multi- culturalism and religious tolerance is practised in their daily lives.

It is only in recent times that some politicians have created problems due to their low level of awareness. They have too much attachment, which leads to a narrowness of vision and a kind of shortsightedness. It is important that these few people are not allowed to destroy the rich 7000-year-old tradition of tolerance and harmony. We can all live together and work together at individual and community levels.

In his presidential address, Dr. Karan Singh described the Dalai Lama as a unique combination of a natural sense of humour, compassion, wisdom, and an infectious childlike laugh. He demonstrated by his living example that Spirituality did not necessarily mean a prissy, acidic outlook on life. On the other hand, Spiritually-advanced souls were full of Ananda, which often bubbled over into their conversation.

The Dalai Lama was also the epitome of Compassion. Compassion was the essence of Buddhism. He had deep insight into the nature of the world and man. He had nurtured Tibetan Diaspora all over the world and helped them to organize themselves into dynamic communities.

But apart from being the apostle of Tibetan Buddhism, he had taken the Message of Love, Compassion and Peace to the people of the world. He could be described as a great Warrior of Peace. His services to the world community had been recognized through the award of the Nobel Peace Prize.

Today the world was divided and split apart by fanaticism, hatred and war. Against these demonic forces, we were sorely in need of a countervailing coalition for Peace, led by personalities like Bhagawan Sri Sathya Sai Baba and the Dalai Lama.

In order to strengthen the forces of Peace, it was necessary to first accept the fundamental fact that no religion could claim a monopoly on Truth. Nor could we wage wars, crusades and religious conflicts in the twenty-first century, in order to compel others to adopt our point of view. Today, war meant a nuclear conflict, which could easily result in the disappearance of humanity from the face of the globe. We find ourselves in an imperfect world and we have perforce to learn the art of living together in peace and harmony.

India had always nurtured religious harmony through the ages. Our seers had declared long ago that Truth was One and the sages simply called it by different names. We needed to remember these insights that had served this country through the millennia of its existence.

Describing the discourse of the Dalai Lama as illuminating, Dr. Karan Singh expressed his happiness at the large presence of young people in the audience. With so much of misinformation around, it was refreshing to drink from a healing spring of knowledge, insight and wisdom.

Dalai Lama giving a discourse on Human Values at a function organised by Sathya Sai International Centre for Study and Research in Human Values in the Capital on Saturday.
— Photo by Kamal Singh

The Dalai Lama's Biography:
His Holiness the 14th the Dalai Lama Tenzin Gyatso, is the head of state and spiritual leader of the Tibetan people. He was born Lhamo Dhondrub on 6 July 1935, in a small village called Taktser in northeastern Tibet. Born to a peasant family, His Holiness was recognized at the age of two, in accordance with Tibetan tradition, as the reincarnation of his predecessor the 13th Dalai Lama, and thus an incarnation Avalokitesvara, the Buddha of Compassion.
The Dalai Lamas are the manifestations of the Bodhisattva (Buddha) of Compassion, who chose to reincarnate to serve the people. Lhamo Dhondrub was, as Dalai Lama, renamed Jetsun Jamphel Ngawang Lobsang Yeshe Tenzin Gyatso - Holy Lord, Gentle Glory, Compassionate, Defender of the Faith, Ocean of Wisdom. Tibetans normally refer to His Holiness as Yeshe Norbu, the Wishfulfilling Gem or simply Kundun - The Presence.

The enthronement ceremony took place on February 22, 1940 in Lhasa, the capital of Tibet.

Education In Tibet:
He began his education at the age of six and completed the Geshe Lharampa Degree (Doctorate of Buddhist Philosophy) when he was 25 in 1959. At 24, he took the preliminary examinations at each of the three monastic universities: Drepung, Sera and Ganden. The final examination was conducted in the Jokhang, Lhasa during the annual Monlam Festival of Prayer, held in the first month of every year Tibetan calendar.

Leadership Responsibilities:
On November 17, 1950, His Holiness was called upon to assume full political power (head of the State and Government) after some 80,000 Peoples Liberation Army soldiers invaded Tibet. In 1954, he went to Beijing to talk peace with Mao Tse-tung and other Chinese leaders, including Chou En-lai and Deng Xiaoping. In 1956, while visiting India to attend the 2500th Buddha Jayanti Anniversary, he had a series of meetings with Prime Minister Nehru and Premier Chou about deteriorating conditions in Tibet.

His efforts to bring about a peaceful solution to Sino-Tibetan conflict were thwarted by Bejing's ruthless policy in Eastern Tibet, which ignited a popular uprising and resistance. This resistance movement spread to other parts of the country. On 10 March 1959 the capital of Tibet, Lhasa, exploded with the largest demonstration in Tibetan history, calling on China to leave Tibet and reaffirming Tibet's independence. The Tibetan National Uprising was brutally crushed by the Chinese army. His Holiness escaped to India where he was given political asylum. Some 80,000 Tibetan refugees followed His Holiness into exile. Today, there are more than 120,000 Tibetan in exile. Since 1960, he has resided in Dharamsala, India, known as "Little Lhasa," the seat of the Tibetan Government-in-exile.

In the early years of exile, His Holiness appealed to the United Nations on the question of Tibet, resulting in three resolutions adopted by the General Assembly in 1959, 1961, and 1965, calling on China to respect the human rights of Tibetans and their desire for self-determination. With the newly constituted Tibetan Government-in-exile, His Holiness saw that his immediate and urgent task was to save the both the Tibetan exiles and their culture alike. Tibetan refugees were rehabilitated in agricultural settlements. Economic development was promoted and the creation of a Tibetan educational system was established to raise refugee children with full knowledge of their language, history, religion and culture. The Tibetan Institute of Performing Arts was established in 1959, while the Central Institute of Higher Tibetan Studies became a university for Tibetans in India. Over 200 monasteries have been re-established to preserve the vast corpus of Tibetan Buddhist teachings, the essence of the Tibetan way of life.

In 1963, His Holiness promulgated a democratic constitution, based on Buddhist principles and the Universal Declaration of Human Rights as a model for a future free Tibet. Today, members of the Tibetan parliament are elected directly by the people. The members of the Tibetan Cabinet are elected by the parliament, making the Cabinet answerable to the Parliament. His Holiness has continuously emphasized the need to further democratise the Tibetan administration and has publicly declared that once Tibet regains her independence he will not hold political office.

In Washington, D.C., at the Congressional Human Rights Caucus in 1987, he proposed a Five-Point Peace Plan as a first step toward resolving the future status of Tibet. This plan calls for the designation of Tibet as a zone of peace, an end to the massive transfer of ethnic Chinese into Tibet, restoration of fundamental human rights and democratic freedoms, and the abandonment of China's use of Tibet for nuclear weapons production and the dumping of nuclear waste, as well as urging "earnest negotiations" on the future of Tibet.

In Strasbourg, France, on 15 June 1988, he elaborated the Five-Point Peace Plan and proposed the creation of a self-governing democratic Tibet, "in association with the People's Republic of China."

On 2 September 1991, the Tibetan Government-in-exile declared the Strasbourg Proposal invalid because of the closed and negative attitude of the present Chinese leadership towards the ideas expressed in the proposal.

On 9 October 1991, during an address at Yale University in the United States, His Holiness said that he wanted to visit Tibet to personally assess the political situation. He said, "I am extremely anxious that, in this explosive situation, violence may break out. I want to do what I can to prevent this.... My visit would be a new opportunity to promote understanding and create a basis for a negotiated solution."

Contact with West and East:
Since 1967, His Holiness initiated a series of journeys which have taken him to some 46 nations. In autumn of 1991, he visited the Baltic States at the invitation of Lithuanian President Vytautas Landsbergis of Lithuania and became the first foreign leader to address the Lithuanian Parliament. His Holiness met with the late Pope Paul VI at the Vatican in 1973. At a press conference in Rome in 1980, he outlined his hopes for the meeting with John Paul II: "We live in a period of great crisis, a period of troubling world developments. It is not possible to find peace in the soul without security and harmony between peoples. For this reason, I look forward with faith and hope to my meeting with the Holy Father; to an exchange of ideas and feelings, and to his suggestions, so as to open the door to a progressive pacification between peoples." His Holiness met Pope John Paul II at the Vatican in 1980, 1982, 1986, 1988 and 1990. In 1981, His Holiness talked with Archbishop of Canterbury, Dr. Robert Runcie, and with other leaders of the Anglican Church in London. He also met with leaders of the Roman Catholic and Jewish communities and spoke at an interfaith service held in his honor by the World Congress of Faiths: "I always believe that it is much better to have a variety of religions, a variety of philosophies, rather than one single religion or philosophy. This is necessary because of the different mental dispositions of each human being. Each religion has certain unique ideas or techniques, and learning about them can only enrich one's own faith."

Recognition And Awards:
Since his first visit to the west in the early 1973, a number of western universities and institutions have conferred Peace Awards and honorary Doctorate Degrees in recognition of His Holiness' distinguished writings in Buddhist philosophy and for his leadership in the solution of international conflicts, human rights issues and global environmental problems. In presenting the Raoul Wallenberg Congressional Human Rights Award in 1989, U.S. Congressman Tom Lantos said, "His Holiness the Dalai Lama's courageous struggle has distinguished him as a leading proponent of human rights and world peace. His ongoing efforts to end the suffering of the Tibetan people through peaceful negotiations and reconciliation have required enormous courage and sacrifice."

The 1989 Nobel Peace Prize:
The Norwegian Nobel Committee's decision to award the 1989 Peace Prize to His Holiness the Dalai Lama won worldwide praise and applause, with exception of China. The CommitteeÕs citation read, "The Committee wants to emphasize the fact that the Dalai Lama in his struggle for the liberation of Tibet consistently has opposed the use of violence. He has instead advocated peaceful solutions based upon tolerance and mutual respect in order to preserve the historical and cultural heritage of his people."

On 10 December 1989, His Holiness accepted the prize on the behalf of oppressed everywhere and all those who struggle for freedom and work for world peace and the people of Tibet. In his remarks he said, "The prize reaffirms our conviction that with truth, courage and determination as our weapons, Tibet will be liberated. Our struggle must remain nonviolent and free of hatred."

He also had a message of encouragement for the student-led democracy movement in China. "In China the popular movement for democracy was crushed by brutal force in June this year. But I do not believe the demonstrations were in vain, because the spirit of freedom was rekindled among the Chinese people and China cannot escape the impact of this spirit of freedom sweeping in many parts of the world. The brave students and their supporters showed the Chinese leadership and the world the human face of that great nations."

A Simple Buddhist Monk:
His Holiness often says, "I am just a simple Buddhist monk - no more, nor less."

His Holiness follows the life of Buddhist monk. Living in a small cottage in Dharamsala, he rises at 4 A.M. to meditate, pursues an ongoing schedule of administrative meetings, private audiences and religious teachings and ceremonies. He concludes each day with further prayer before retiring. In explaining his greatest sources of inspiration, he often cites a favorite verse, found in the writings of the renowned eighth century Buddhist saint Shantideva:

For as long as space endures
And for as long as living beings remain,
Until then may I too abide
To dispel the misery of the world.

For as long as space endures
And for as long as living beings remain,
Until then may I too abide
To dispel the misery of the world.

Reference

"His Holiness the Dalai Lama is one of the most remarkable men I have ever met. Never have I been exposed to anyone who is such a perfect synthesis of theory and practice, whose words so perfectly translate into deeds." (Cabezón, José Ignacio (1992). A Dose of Emptiness)

Three articles from the Time Magazine I can strongly recommend:

• A Monk's Struggle
• Tackling Tibet
• The Dalai Lama's Dilemma

Jamyang Khyentse Chokyi Lodro (1893 - 1959)

Wondrous and without equal in the three worlds,
Omniscient and as unique as the udumbara flower,
Great crown jewel for the teachings and all beings on earth:
Supreme victorious one, Holder of the Lotus—I pray for your long life!

Inspiring Books about HH the Dalai Lama:

• The Open Road: The Global Journey of the Fourteenth Dalai Lama by Pico Iyer
• Fourteen Dalai Lamas: A Sacred Legacy of Reincarnation by Glenn H. Mullin

In the land encircled by snow mountains
You are the source of all happiness and well-being;
Powerful Chenrezig, Tenzin Gyatso,
Please remain until the end of cyclic existence.

"All that we are is the result of what we have thought. If a man speaks or acts with an evil thought, pain follows him. If a man speaks or acts with a pure thought, happiness follows him, like a shadow that never leaves him."

"Just as treasures are uncovered from the earth, so virtue appears from good deeds, and wisdom appears from a pure and peaceful mind. To walk safely through the maze of human life, one needs the light of wisdom and the guidance of virtue."

"Better than a thousand hollow words, is one word that brings peace."

"The secret of health for both mind and body is not to mourn for the past, worry about the future, or anticipate troubles but to live in the present moment wisely and earnestly."

"The thought manifests as the word. The word manifests as the deed. The deed develops into habit. And the habit hardens into character. So watch the thought and its ways with care. And let it spring from love, born out of concern for all beings."

and for me, the most pertinent at this time in my life...

"Those who are free of resentful thoughts surely find peace."

and from the 14th dalai lama, tenzin gyatso, whose book the art of happiness: a handbook for living i am currently reading and loving. one key thing that i've picked up from him is that we confuse pleasure with happiness. one needs to ask themself if what they are doing will make them happy or give them fleeting pleasure. and to understand this one must train their mind, which takes time. of course, that's a very unappealing idea to us americans - to not get it instantly - but, as the buddha said "there are only two mistakes one can make along the road to truth; not going all the way, and not starting."

"Our prime purpose in this life is to help others. And if you can't help them, at least don't hurt them."

"If you want others to be happy, practice compassion. If you want to be happy, practice compassion."

"I have found that the greatest degree of inner tranquility comes from the development of love and compassion. The more we care for the happiness of others, the greater is our own sense of well-being. Cultivating a close, warm-hearted feeling for others automatically puts the mind at ease. It is the ultimate source of success in life."

"It is not enough to be compassionate. You must act. There are two aspects to action. One is to overcome the distortions and afflictions of your own mind, that is, in terms of calming and eventually dispelling anger. This is action out of compassion. The other is more social, more public. When something needs to be done in the world to rectify the wrongs, if one is really concerned with benefitting others, one needs to be engaged, involved."

"In the practice of tolerance, one's enemy is the best teacher."

"Encountering sufferings will definitely contribute to the elevation of your spiritual practice, provided you are able to transform calamity and misfortune into the path."

and one that i particularly relate to as a christian viewing buddhism through a philosophical not religious lense...

"Don´t try to use what you learn from Buddhism to be a Buddhist; use it to be a better whatever-you-already-are."

what an amazing man. it's incredible how the chinese propaganda machine has tried to portray him as some kind of ayatollah-esque religious dictator, or instigator of violence. the nation of tibet may have mixed religion & politics with some unsavory results (i'm not sure as to how much if any, it's hard to find unbiased info on this - though i will say while i support the freedom of tibet, i do not support any type of theocracy), but this is a man who was forced to flee at the age of 24. this is a man whose entire message is based on peace and compassion. doubting that is like doubting gandhi and trying to sling mud on his name. this is a man who in the face of having his home stolen, a million of his brothers & sisters - many unarmed monks & nuns living in monasteries - murdered, and being forced to live in exile that he can say "i do not hate them, i pity them". a true man of peace. i feel blessed to have lived during the lives of men like him and pope john paul II and women like mother teresa. what wonderful examples of how we should be living, of what life really should be about.

Se alguém resumisse os ensinamentos do Dharma sagrado dados pelo nosso compassivo professor, o Buda, todos eles podem ser incluídos dentro de dois pontos: a visão da originação interdependente e a ação de beneficiar os outros.

O significado da originação dependente é o seguinte. Tudo o que aparece e existe origina-se inteiramente devido às suas próprias causas e condições particulares, e não há absolutamente nada que surja simplesmente por virtude do seu próprio poder, sem depender de quaisquer causas e condições.

De acordo com isso, já que podemos estar certos de que a felicidade e o sofrimento certamente surgem como resultados das ações boas e más que cometemos, se nós desejarmos resultados positivos, não há outra opção para nós a não ser fazermos o bem e evitarmos o mal.

Se praticarmos esta abordagem, na qual a visão e a conduta - meios hábeis e sabedoria - estão integrados inteiramente e sem qualquer conflito, e nos tornarmos perfeita e completamente acostumados a ela, não há dúvida de que obteremos o resultado, o estado na qual a forma e a sabedoria iluminadas estão inseparavelmente unidas.

Isto foi escrito pelo monge budista Tenzin Gyatso, 15 de maio de 1985.

Este texto foi retirado do site: http://www.dalailama.org.br. Que, aliás, é uma boa fonte de referência para aqueles que querem conhecer mais sobre o Budismo. Recomendo.

E para quem queira conhecer mais, em Belo Horizonte:

Chagdud Gonpa Dawa Drolma
Buddhismo Vajrayāna Tibetano - Escola Nyingma
Av. Nossa Senhora do Carmo, 660 - Sala 202 - Sion
Belo Horizonte - MG
Telefone[s]: [31] 3281-9465
E-mail: dawadrolma@dawadrolma.org
Site: http://www.dawadrolma.org

No Rio de Janeiro:

Chagdud Gonpa Ped Gyal Ling
Buddhismo Vajrayāna Tibetano - Escola Nyingma
Rua Santa Clara, 98 - Cobertura 1, Copacabana
Rio de Janeiro - RJ 22041-010
Telefone[s]: [21] 2548-4934, 8181-0364
E-mail: info@pedgyal.org
Site: http://www.pedgyal.org

No mais é isso pessoal, toda Sexta-feira procurarei colocar vocês em dia com mais informações sobre Budismo nesse espaço, aliás caso tenham dúvidas, não custa nada perguntar, escrevam!!!

Um grande abraço em todos vocês,

No Dharma,

Alessandro.

Without relying on religion, we look to common sense, common experience and the findings of science and understanding.

The 14th Dalai Lama of Tibet, Tenzin Gyatso

[TP:] Kritiker des Dalai Lamas geraten schnell in den Verdacht, Menschenrechtsverletzungen der chinesischen Regierung zu verteidigen. Verstehen Sie diese Befürchtungen?

Ich halte das für eine simple Strategie zur Abwehr berechtigter Kritik. Wer gegen den Dalai Lama und das von ihm vertretenen feudal-theokratische Herrschaftssystem des "alten Tibet" ist, muss nicht notwendigerweise für die chinesische Militärdiktatur sein. Allerdings: Was immer von den Chinesen nach 1959 an Falschem und seinerseits Unterdrückendem in Tibet eingeführt wurde, sie schafften Schuldverknechtung, Sklaverei und Leibeigenschaft ab, und damit die menschenunwürdigen Verhältnisse, unter denen die große Masse der Bevölkerung dahinvegetierte, ausgebeutet bis aufs Blut von einer alles beherrschenden Clique aus Adel und hohem Klerus.