I love the Dalai Lama. He’s always smiling and he just seems like the coolest monk ever. He even has his own official website. Wouldn't it be cool if the Lama was a blogger? I own a bunch of his books, I’ve read his autobiography, and I even listen to his audio books on my iPod. The last one, The Universe in a Single Atom, was narrated by Richard Gere. I have to listen to that one again. It was pretty heavy.
From his autobiography I learned that he is just a normal Tibetan guy who happens to be a monk - well THE monk. He likes tinkering with mechanical things like watches and radios and even wanted to neglect his studies at times just to do this.
He has faced the deaths of many of his people and had to flee his homeland for fear of his life at the hands of Chinese Communists. All this in his teens and twenties. He now lives in India in exile because China won't give up Tibet.
A new independent film, 10 Questions for the Dalai Lama, is opening up in my home town theatre. The trailer gave 7 of the 10 questions and I thought I would post them here for us to discuss. I’m curious to see what the Lama thinks.
Why do the poor seem happier than the rich?
Is there hope for peace in the Middle East?
Should we engage China?
Is internet freedom good?
Will there be another Dalai Lama?
Does tolerance work?
Can we save our environment?
6 comments:
Good questions. He is an interesting study. I think he smiles all the time because he made that decision to.
Part of me thinks that he is a coward though. Had he stayed in his homeland and stuck with his people it may have got him killed, but just think how famous that would have made him.
What kind of an effect that may have had on the course of history. I often wonder about that.
Why do the poor seem happier than the rich?.... To not have great needs is to be happier.
Is there hope for peace in the Middle East?.... After the Great Turning or Great Awakening there is.
Should we engage China?.... No, there has to be a better way. But I feel that may happen.
Is internet freedom good?.... I think so. In time it will become our collective consciousness worldwide.
Will there be another Dalai Lama?.... I hope not, it's time to evolve above all that.
Does tolerance work?.... Ever notice that a lot of folks want you to be tolerant so that they can keep doing what they do?
Can we save our environment?.... It's looking iffy isn't it? Being an omnipresent spirit I worry about that.
I like the Dalai Lama, too- even if he does harbour some old-fashioned ideas at times.
(Well, what do you expect from a celibate monk?)
My answers would be 'yes' to all questions except engaging China, much as I dislike what they're busy doing, war doesn't solve a damn thing-never has.
oh, and the poor seeming happier than the rich is just as Billy says-they don't have such huge material needs. Or do they?
Here in Joburg, we have a good many angry, violent poor. I think however that that's got more to do with the expectations of a materially successful lifestyle that these idiots haven't got around to seeing for the illusion that it is. I can talk, I suppose-I'm materially richer than 90% of the people around me. But I don't need much of it, and I'm busy shedding things like a snake its skin. It fills me with joy.
Love,
Terri in Joburg
Hmmm. I think the question about the poor and the rich is the wrong question. From what I have observed it is the poor in spirit who are the most unhappy. Money has nothing to do with that. So maybe it is the rich in spirit who don't have a lot of material needs, who are the happiest. Probably so. I know when you become rich in spirit and operate from a spiritual outlook everything else becomes less important (like becoming rich, etc.). That makes sense to me.
As for tolerance, it is very hard to do, and because of that it works. To not be tolerant is to judge others. Not a good thing for anyone involved. To let others be who they are and walk their path no matter how different it may be from yours or your ideals is very hard. But IMHO it brings total peace of mind for sure. Talk about dropping burdens!
xoxoxoxoxo
Billy - yes, I think he smiles because it is part of his spiritual practice - a conscious decision to be happy and at peace. Plus it makes others feel good too. You should read his autobiography. At times he wanted to fight for his people - felt like there was something he should do - but it's not the Buddhist way. It would go against everything he believed in. They are pacifists and would die meditating and embracing compassion rather than fight. He left Tibet because his people made him. Sort of like the president being ushered off by secret service.
The poor and the rich: I think all of you touched on really good points. I guess the way I would break it down is this: When you don't have much to worry about - or things to cloud your mind with "fake" happiness - then having a peaceful spirit is easier. You learn to appreciate what you have instead of wanting more and more.
Is there hope for the Middle East?
I think there is always hope. If we lose hope we lose everything. Why get out of bed every day?
Engaging China?
Oh I hope not. I'm hoping we can wait out their transformation and that it doesn't take too long.
Internet Freedom?
Knowledge is a good thing and the net is ripe with it. Some good, some bad - but that's just like the print media. Everyone gets to make up their own mind and then speak their minds. Knowledge is no longer limited to a select few.
Another Dalai Lama?
I would like to think so. He does a lot of good. It couldn't be a bad thing to have him come back again. It would have to be kept hush hush until the Tibetans had the child though for fear that China would grab him like they did the Panchen Lama.
Tolerance: I truly don't know about this one. I'll have to think on it more.
Can we save our environment?
I have a double edged opinion on this one. On one hand I recycle my butt off and do what I can to save energy. I'm worried about the planet for sure. On the other hand I think if we get to be too much for the Earth she'll open up a crack in the ground and swallow us whole. So, maybe we should be worried about saving ourselves.
Great discussion guys! I dig it. Peace and juicy peaches to all of you.
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