[Buddha-l] Re: Re: The Dalai Lama on Self-Loathing (Stuart Lachs)

[Mitchell Ginsberg]

Hello all, 
Here is a reply from a friend of mine to whom I sent the posting that 
discussed the DL's remarks and the book The Timely Rain. 
I hope this indirect posting is in accord with guidelines for this
group. 
Mitchell [reply follows]:
 
The Dalai Lama actually states that Tibetans do not have "low self esteem."  He is talking about
self esteem in the American sense, and he says that Tibetans actually have the opposite problem -
excessive pride and arrogance.  So, he actually puts down the Tibetans in the process of saying
they have no low self esteem.  I have heard him talk about this many times.
 
I have to say that this class-oriented criticism of Tibet strikes me as Marxist-apologist writing.
 The Chinese are big on putting out this type of propaganda and exaggerating the admitted errors
in pre-Chinese invasion Tibetan society.  There were definitely problems, but I do not think it
was as bleak as they try to portray.  The truth is that Tibetans were so religious that they
probably considered it a blessing to pay anything to the monasteries - merit, etc.  was the result
in their minds.  Westerners cannot understand their mind set and how it revolved around religion
so applying western contexts of thinking about economics, usury, etc. to them is absurd in my
opinion. 
 
Do Thais feel oppressed because each town has a beautiful Buddhist temple built with local funds? 
Is it our place to judge that? Do Burmese feel oppressed because thousands of pagodas dot the
landscape paid for by patrons for centuries? 
 
How can a Tibetan nomad or "serf" who would prostrate full-length from Mt. Kailash to Lhasa
(thousands of miles) find it a problem to also devote all their labor to the maintenance of a
monastery?  Just an example.  This is the type of mind of the Tibetan prior to invasion (and even
now).  They would be happy to give almost anything to the monastery, HH Dalai Lama, etc.  Their
concern is not this life.
 
There is no comment in the post about how the reincarnate system elevated the poorest to the
highest positions, the monasteries provided free education, etc. 
 
It was a class - based society that was ruled by religion - that is for sure - but I am quite
certain that the average Tibetan was better off under that system than the colonial system imposed
by the Chinese. 
 
The main thing is it is a mistake to apply Western thinking to Tibetans who lived this life not
for this life, but for future lives, for merit and good karma in supporting monasteries and
Buddhism in any way possible, and whose whole life and life energy was usually devoted to
religion.  In fact, at one point I believe that 20% of the population of Tibet was either a monk
or a nun.  Doing so merely points out the negative mindset and misunderstanding of those who
criticize a culture they do not understand and that cannot be judged by modern criteria for
fairness, etc.
 
HH Dalai Lama (the current one) was also in the process of overhauling abuses in the monasteries
at the time of the invasion by the Chinese, etc.
 
Anyone who has watched the current Dalai Lama also knows that rarely has a human being devoted so
much time - everyday all day - to helping other people and keeping up an unbelievably exhausting
schedule of teaching, philanthropic work, appearances all over the world, etc. in the interest of
helping other people and to the exclusion of his own self benefit even to the point of sacrificing
his health.  Sure, his needs are met, but there is no extravagance.  I recall him touring India
between teachings even a few years ago in a non-airconditioned Indian - made car - for example. 
 
(Mitchell, you are welcome to post this in response to the other guy in your discussion if you wish).

==========
In memoriam Robert Solomon:
http://www.geocities.com/jinavamsa/books/TheInnerPalace/TIP_RCS.html
For information on psychotherapy with links of interest:
http://www.geocities.com/jinavamsa/mentalhealth.html
Homepage: http://www.geocities.com/jinavamsa


       
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