Dalai Lama~Controversy?
With the world looking towards the Chinese 2008 Olympics; the dramas surrounding the Chinese stance toward Tibet in human rights issues has become a hot topic. The Dalai Lama has become a rock-star like image in the world media. I, as one of many, have loved the nonviolent, compassionate Buddhist teachings the Dalai Lama has spread throughout the world. And I, as one of many, have supported the “Free Tibet” campaign.
So, here I am ready to write about the things and ideas I have and know about the Dalai Lama. I started by looking for a YouTube video of him talking about why he thinks it is so important and good there are so many religions in the world. It was a great video! Low and behold! I came across a crack in my unblemished mind mirror concerning the Tibetan situation.
After watching video after video of the so called “real story of Tibet” like the one below
and the different stories about the CIA supporting the Dalai Lama in a divide-and-conquer scenario in China I had to sit back and contemplate what I think now. Are we to think the stories Hollywood touted through movies like “Seven days in Tibet” starring Brad Pit as a true picture of Tibet? Of courses not! (I do love the film though) Will I believe everything the Chinese say? Nope! If you haven’t heard or learned of these things, as I saw nothing in the American media abut this, just check it out on the net. I must have been living in a shell not to know of this side of things. They say there are two sides to every story, isn’t that the truth!
I had no idea that the conditions in Tibet were as they were, where the monasteries were the strongholds of feudal exploitation. The people lived like serfs in the “Dark Ages” or like African slaves and sharecroppers of the U.S. South. They were taxed for everything, practically starving, and brutally tortured. I must admit that I saw Tibet as some holy, compassionate Shangri-La. I guess I wanted to believe that somewhere in the world there was such a place, like some New Age fantasy. Darn!
After saying all that I still believe in what the Dalai Lama has to say about compassion. You may ask why this is! Tenzin Gyatso, 14th Dalai Lama was raised within the monastery walls and at a early age of 15 escaped into India. Now after visiting 46 or more countries for the past 4 to 5 decades in his plea for freedom of culture for Tibet, I am sure, he has seen much of the world. He would be quite a different lama if he had stayed within those walls. He is quite a Lama now! A “simple Buddhist monk” calling for ‘inner disarmament’.
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Audio-Book-Review 
The Dalai Lama is a political dictator. He is also persecuting his own people right now. Have you seen this documentary? http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n5sOm-uQH9Y It has three parts.
I’m a member of the Western Shugden Society. We are currently protesting against the Dalai Lama and asking him to give religious freedom to Shugden practitioners:
http://www.westernshugdensociety.org
Comment by goldenmala | August 11, 2008 |
Dear goldenmala,
Thank you for the information you sent. I have read and look at it and it is very sad indeed.
I want to say first that I am a 58 year old woman that was born and lived in California all my life. I have traveled a few times outside the country but really have no experience what these people have/are going through.
The thing that comes to mind when I think of what I’ve learned through your links is there is great disturbance of mind in the people I saw. It is my understanding that Buddhism is a practice that helps calm disturbance in the mind giving greater fearlessness in life. What I’ve been taught is the Lama is one that guides and protects while the student is young in the practice. After the student gains the strength in clear thinking they can rely more on their own impressions and become strong in this.
My feeling is the Dalai Lama recommends not do the Shugden practice because by doing so places them in worship position. I’ve never thought that Buddhism is a religion based on worship. The Buddha never wanted to be thought of a god or deity, he wanted equals.
It is also my feeling that the Dalai Lama would not give orders to cause injury or pain to another being. It is a very sorry world we live in at times and people get funny and hurtful ideas about what is wrong and what is right; taking so call justice into their own hands.
As far as the Dalai Lama bowing to the Chinese, I don’t see what can be done about that without creating more violence. What can be done? It has been my feeling that the Dalai Lama wants to die in his homeland and by doing this does it not keep Tibet together on an energy level if nothing else?
The way I see the Dalai Lama is that he has been placed in a position in the world in which the message of compassion has reached more people than ever before. I think that it very good to spread the teachings of Tibetan Buddhism for then there is not such a worry that it will be lost and in passing these teachings on will benefit greatly the people that come after us.
Please help me understand if what I have said is wrong. Please forgive me if I have offended you in anyway as I do not mean to at all. As I said I live in a very western world and have been raised to be very free thinking.
I am very sorry to see such a divide in the Gumpa family and wish for you all much compassion and many blessings. Ev
Comment by audiobookreview | August 13, 2008 |
Great stuff!
Yes Michael Parenti, the Marxist who thinks Stalin is the greatest.
I agree, the second greatest mass murderer.
He also thinks Mao was a great helmsman.
True, the greatest mass murderer or all times.
Now he turned his attention to Tibet and uses his skill at inverting the truth to fabricating the biggest lie about a people which already get besmirched by the greatest liars of them all, the CCP.
Comment by onejustworld | August 17, 2008 |
You better look at this first:
http://www.dissidentvoice.org/2008/04/a-lie-repeated-the-far-left%E2%80%99s-flawed-history-of-tibet/
Comment by onejustworld | August 17, 2008 |
Dear audiobookreview,
Don’t worry you have not offended me. However, a lot of what you said is incorrect. Did you notice in the documentary why those monks were unhappy? They were receiving death threats from the Tibetan Government in Exile and their religion is being destroyed by the Dalai Lama. Are you saying that this form of leadership is justified, because the Dalai Lama teaches about compassion around the world?
Don’t you think that the Dalai Lama should also practice compassion?
Over 900 monks have been expelled from their monasteries for practicing the teachings that have been taught by their lineage gurus in their monasteries for over 350 years.
You said that the Dalai Lama is trying to stop this worship of Dorje Shugden and that also justifies his actions. Dorje Shugden is a dharma protector. He protects us from obstacles along the spiritual path (both outer and inner). We pray to him in the same way a Christian would pray to Jesus for guidance and protection.
We should have freedom to practice our religious beliefs without the interference of political leaders. Don’t you agree?
The Dalai Lama gets his political advice from Nechung who is well-known for being a worldly spirit (not an enlightened being). So even if we were spirit worshipers (which we are not) it would still be hypocritical of him to ban our practices. See for yourself:
Comment by goldenmala | August 18, 2008 |