The Dalai Lama
A new reader, made a post that certainly gives a different impression of the Dalai Lama than the standard ones out there. This is unique enough information that it deserves to be in “The Archives.” See my comments afterwards.
He writes:
“Hey everyone, I’m usually the pretty silent one in this group but I received some startling news yesterday, and I don’t know of any better people to share this story with.
“My trip to go hiking yesterday was cut short due to forest fires and park rangers telling me to get lost, So, I wound up taking a random trip to this local Buddhist preserve instead that I had heard about in the area. It’s part of a westernized branch of Buddhism known as ‘Kadampa,’ very wide-spread and especially popular in the United States and UK.
“As I walked onto the grounds I noticed that the place looked almost abandoned, the dozens of monks that supposedly live and practice there we nowhere to be found. I sat down, somewhat puzzled, thinking my friend’s description of the place was mistaken. Then a lone older woman came out and greeted me. She said her prayers were answered because now she had a strapping young guy to help move around some heavy potted plants and furniture for her, ha ha.
“After my universe-appointed chores and a quick tour she thanked me. I then wondered why she was all alone here in this large place. She brought me aside, took a big deep breath, and gave a very teary-eyed explanation. I’ll give my best recollection of what I personally remember from our talk. (Some stuff may be out of chronological order but you’ll get the idea.)
“Back when the branch was started it was more or less a way for certain teachers to teach what they felt should be shared and focused upon. They were not allowed to practice this in Tibet or anywhere in the East so they ‘escaped’ to the UK, eventually the US, and over the years they re-integrated back with mainstream Buddhism. But recently what’s been happening is over in the East those who practice this form of Buddhism are being severely threatened and persecuted by the DALAI LAMA. He officially denied this branch and declared it ‘evil.’ I guess the tension between the two is nothing new, but now all who follow it or know anyone that does is receiving death threats and letters threatening them and/or their family from the Dalai Lama himself. The look of bewilderment on her face said it all at how serious the situation is.
“This has been happening for so long apparently, but all who were being accused were too scared to cry out for help in fear of being punished or worse. It wasn’t until only a few days ago that the letters crying ‘please help us, we need you’ were coming so frequently to Kadampa leaders in the west that they had to announce it publicly among their community. She told me that a couple hundred monks and nuns left on a very important meeting to find a way to save these people, protest, and beg the Dalai Lama to stop. I’m not even Buddhist and I’m even in utter shock, I can only imagine what this is doing to all those who believed and learned from this man who is going against all the world thinks he stands for.
“After hearing all this we solemnly parted ways, sent out a prayer, and I headed home. And what was sitting on my kitchen table when I got back but Time Magazine with Dalai Lama on the cover, pointing to articles praising him for his spiritual journeys and struggles. As I left I felt that weird nudge that part of helping these people is up to me, no matter how little a part it is. If this isn’t a perfect example of how mainstream media isn’t all it’s cracked up to be I don’t know what is.
“I started thinking about how we’ve reached a point in this world where the real news is no longer seen on our television sets or magazines. But from the stories and experiences of people like you and me, in emails and posts just like this. I scoured the Internet a little and didn’t find much.
“So I’m not sure if I’m the first to try and send this news out across the Internet but I’m sure I won’t be the last…
“Scary stuff. Makes you wonder what else is really going on behind all those pretty faces we see in magazines.”
To this a reader asked: “What specifically (the form of Buddhism) is it that they are/were ‘practicing’ that has caused the Dalai Lama to reject them?”
To this he responded:
“When I asked her that specific question she said it’s even more frightening because they do not know what or why, they can only guess at this point. Which is why they are confronting the Dalai Lama about it. I did some studying up on my own and this is what my theory is.
“This New Kadampa group’s current ‘master teacher,’ Geshe Kelsang Gyatso, has spent the majority of his life completely re-translating the original Buddhist texts into a form of literature more suitable for Western culture in a way they can relate and understand things that they never would otherwise. Much like re-translating the Hebrew version of the Bible. With these new understandings the students and teachers have created new meditations. These reasons are more than likely why the Dalai has renounced them.
“The popularity of these writings and amount of people in this spiritual circle is growing at such an outstanding rate, and Geshe is becoming so praised that it could possibly be seen as threatening to the Dalai. He is not just a religious figurehead but also a political leader, which isn’t always a great mix. The simplest conclusion would be the Dalai Lama is getting fearful about his status of his power, and is trying desperately to compensate.
“But these current meetings and protests they are forming now are to find out exactly ‘why.’“
JJ: I’ve always thought that the Dalai Lama was overrated as far as enlightenment goes. His light seems on par with other typical religious leaders such as the Mormon Prophet, Rick Warren or Joel Olsteen.
He’s always portrayed as a sweet gentle older man who is always seeking peace, but this presents a different side to him.
If what our reader says is true then unfortunately the Dalai Lama is only another arm of the beast using unjust authority to keep his base of power.
I do know that assassination attempts have been made on him so it is understandable that he should be a little reactionary, but even so, this type of attack does not seem justified.
If anyone in the group can dig out more information on this situation go ahead and post it.
“Rail travel at high speeds is not possible because passengers, unable to breathe, would die of asphyxia.” — Dionysius Lardner, English scientist (1793-1859)
April 25, 2008
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