Before leaving for his other engagements this morning, His Holiness the Dalai Lama met with 350 Tibetans who came to Birmingham from Atlanta, New York, New Jersey and Minnesota to show solidarity with him. Speaking about possible change in China, he argued that while the present leadership is made up of people who remember the hardships of the Cultural Revolution, there is a new generation who have experienced freedom and democracy when studying abroad. He feels that when these people come to power there will be change. Although some democracy activists expect this to come soon, His Holiness feels that may be wishful thinking. He thinks it may take another 10-15 years. In the meantime, young Tibetans both in Tibet and elsewhere need to acquire a good education so that Tibetans will be able to stand on their own feet when the opportunity arises. He noted that many Tibetans have come to the USA to make money. He encouraged them to pursue that goal, but also urged them to use wealth purposefully for the common good. Turning to the issue of culture, he said: “I’m a refugee who’s met many people in different parts of the world. My education was in a Buddhist context, but no matter who I meet I don’t feel inferior to them. This is because of the richness of our tradition. It’s a profound tradition. In the past, visitors to Tibet would regard our culture as merely exotic, but this tradition from Nalanda that we have been custodians of is profound and valuable and should be regarded as a part of our world heritage. Even on a personal level, it’s clear to me that if you have peace of mind, it’s the best guarantor of physical health too.” Referring to the pro-Shugden demonstrators on the street, he noted that they are exercising their right to freedom of speech. And since this large group of Tibetans have come to demonstrate that they have that right too, His Holiness wanted to say “Thank you.” However, since there is no Dharma teaching being given here, he thought he might say a few words at this meeting. He referred to a quotation from Chandrakirti that says: ‘Just as the rays of the sun open the lotus, so the words of the Buddha dispelled the darkness of the world.’ However, he added: The Buddhas do not wash away the karma of other beings, Nor do they remove the consequences with their hands; They do not transmit their understanding into others’ minds; They introduce beings to freedom by educating them about reality. He said that the Four Noble Truths explain the cause and effect of suffering and the path to happiness. This is the unique Buddhist tradition, common to both Pali and Sanskrit traditions. In addition, the Sanskrit tradition presents the Two Truths, which draw attention to the difference between appearance and reality. This corresponds quite closely to the Quantum Physics’ view that when you seek objective reality it cannot be found.
Posted on: Wed, 29 Oct 2014 13:44:09 +0000
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