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[robitusson]

cdnvic, on 2005-08-23 07:59:26, said:

I've taken this one on in my blog.

http://www.thaivisa....owblog&mid=7151

Regarding the Dali Lama, as a Zen buddhist I find the whole idea of lamaism absurd, however I can hardly blame the Dali Lama himself for that. Since he was a baby people have been telling him he's the chosen one, what else is he to believe?

As for the fall of Tibet, two of the cornerstones of buddhism are that all things are impermanent, and the freeing of oneself from attachments, and desires. I think he should use Tibet as an example of impermanence and urge his followers to free themselves from their attachment to it. This isn't a very politicly correct thing to say, but it is the very core of most buddhist thought if you can seperate politics from spirituality.

As a person however, I greatly respect the Dali Lama for his message of peace, and the humility he shows despite his fame and spiritual presence. I may disagree with him on spiritual points, but still believe that he truely believes in what he speaks of, and is doing what he thinks to be what's best for all.

cv

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

His Holiness the Dalai Lama was the temporal leader of Tibet as well as the spiritual leader and as such he was responsible for ALL the people of Tibet, both Buddhists and non-Buddhists. Giving up attatchment to things doesn't mean passive acceptance of malevolant invading forces anyway. You could also argue that the Chinese occupation is an example of impermanence and see it as a respite in the Lama tradition that stretches back for all these years. His Holiness is not there to fulfill our ideas of what we think Lamas or spiritual leaders should and
shouldn't be.

[thai3]

The first time I saw his holiness was on TV in Dec 1973, I was very disappointed. Having been praticing meditation (hindu) for a year I had read quite a bit about him and those mystical books like book of the dead, way of the white clouds etc. So was eagerly looking foward to seeing what he had to say.
It was quite a long interview but he was mostly chuckling away and going on about mending watches and trivial things, I thought he was an idiot.
Now I had not really experienced anything much meditation wise but after seeing him on the TV it was just the most amazing experience of the type that I have ever had. I had not been drinking or smoking and it could not have been some sort of emotional response to seeing him as I had a negative reaction to that. I still think it was amazing all these years later. Difficult to describe but it was like falling into a vastness surrounded by light and strange tinkling music, went on for some minutes and also the next night but much less so. Laugh if you like but it was real. Since then I have always thought he's the real deal-peter