[Buddha-l] Contemporary Tibet

jkirk jkirk at spro.net
Sat Jun 18 11:04:46 MDT 2005


That's a good one.
As I said, I suspect that the DL is mostly a Buddhist-style skeptic and
mostly a modernist. If he had been able to remain in Tibet, my bet is that
he would have modernised Tibet along lines that conformed better with the
ecosystem there and the needs of the Tibetans, rather than how its being
ruined by the Hans.
He could have been one of the greatest "rulers" in recent history.
Joanna
====================================================


> Here in Toronto a journalist once asked DL "do you really believe that you
> are the reincarnated Avelokiteshvara, God(dess) of Compassion?"  DL
replied
> "some days I think I am, and some days I think I'm not" with his well
loved
> giggle.  When I told a Tibetan monk about this, he was appalled.  "Oh,
> that's just what he tells the Western Press".  But I, Gad, believe that DL
> believes that what he told the journalist was absolute Truth.
>
>
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: "Erik Hoogcarspel" <jehms at xs4all.nl>
> To: "Buddhist discussion forum" <buddha-l at mailman.swcp.com>
> Sent: Saturday, June 18, 2005 12:20 AM
> Subject: Re: [Buddha-l] Contemporary Tibet
>
>
> > Mike Austin schreef:
> >
> > > In message <012701c5736f$f181b1e0$2930cece at charlie>, jkirk
> > > <jkirk at spro.net> writes
> > >
> > >> But the predicament for HHDL might personally be a bit
> > >> different than it is for Norbu, but it's also paradoxically the
> same --a
> > >> conflict of cultural ideas and identities. The Dalai Lama as grand
> > >> leader/ruler (even) of the Tibetans in exile must not appear when
> > >> speaking
> > >> with co-religionists (or anticipating their presence in some
> > >> audience) on
> > >> certain occasions to appear to be too radical or eccentric about
> > >> religion,
> > >> as his credibility as their leader would suffer. He must maintain as
> > >> much
> > >> Tibetan cultural identity as possible. In secular appearances before
> > >> non-Tibetan audiences, he can appear to be much more modern (which I
> > >> suspect
> > >> he actually is).  It's a problem of public role and cultural
> > >> identification.
> > >
> > >
> > > More fundamentally, I tend to see this as a 'problem' of compassion. A
> > > Bodhisattva would seek to be of help to all beings and would thus need
> > > to appear in whatever way is of benefit.
> > >
> > This is hypocrite crap of the worst kind, devotion. Who has no opinion
> > of his own just should keep his mouth shut. If the D.L. has an opinion,
> > but hasn't the guts to speak up, he's just week. Nobody benefits from
> > hearing sweet talk and lies.
> >
> > --
> >
> >
> > Erik
> >
> > _______________________________________________
> > buddha-l mailing list
> > buddha-l at mailman.swcp.com
> > http://mailman.swcp.com/mailman/listinfo/buddha-l
>
>
> _______________________________________________
> buddha-l mailing list
> buddha-l at mailman.swcp.com
> http://mailman.swcp.com/mailman/listinfo/buddha-l
>




More information about the buddha-l mailing list