Dalai Lama & Tibetan Youth

Annual Teachings for Tibetan Youth Begin at Thekchen Chöling
June 5, 2017

Thekchen Chöling, Dharamsala, HP, India - Even at 8 o’clock it was hot in Dharamsala this morning. When His Holiness the Dalai Lama emerged from his residence he was met by costumed singers from TCV who escorted him to the Tsuglagkhang. The temple and its surrounding verandas were filled with young students. The monks who would normally have been sat there were assembled on one side of the yard down below.

After His Holiness had taken his seat on the throne a group of TCV students from class 3 upwards stood before him and fervently recited verses from Akya Yongzin’s ‘Compendium of Ways of Knowing’ by heart. They ended with a single verse prayer for His Holiness‘s long life. His Holiness smiled and told them:

“I memorized this text myself when I was ten years old, so I was able to join in with you just now. It’s very important to know how the mind works. Peace of mind is not something that can be directed from outside. It needs to be approached from within. It’s because our minds tend to be unruly that we see problems in the world such as the shocking killing that is taking place and the growing gap between rich and poor. To tackle such problems we need a calm, disciplined mind.

“Religious people pray for peace, but prayer alone is not enough, what will bring peace in the world is people cultivating peace of mind. As it is said, ‘Buddhas do not wash unwholesome deeds away with water, nor do they remove the sufferings of beings with their hands, neither do they transplant their own realization into others. Teaching the truth of suchness they liberate (beings)’. The Buddhas help us by revealing the truth.”

His Holiness remarked that the gist of the teachings does not need to be confined to a religious context, because its value can be experienced in day to day life. He said that he is keen that a sense of inner values should be taught in schools to influence the training of future generations. He mentioned that understanding of the workings of the mind and emotions are integral to most ancient Indian traditions that deal with concentration and insight (shamatha and vipashyana).

“Today’s discussion is mainly aimed at young students,” he explained. “There are almost 700 students from various colleges around Dharamsala, as well as from Delhi, Bengaluru and Chennai, besides some from the USA and the Netherlands. In addition we have 1500 school students, members of the Dharamsala Introduction to Buddhism Association, and a group of monks from Thailand with their Abbot who will take out a peace march. I’d like to greet you all.”

His Holiness mentioned the Buddha’s advice not to take what he had taught on faith or at face value but to analyse it—advising his followers to scrutinise his teachings as a goldsmith examines gold. He praised this sceptical approach and explained how valuable it has been in his discussions with scientists over the last 30 years or so. He also stressed that the advice that things do not exist the way they appear is useful because it helps counter misconceptions about reality, as is the advice to tackle self-cherishing attitudes and cultivate altruism.

His Holiness spoke of the origins of Buddhism in Tibet. He recalled seeing an empty space in a temple in Xining in 1955 where the Lhasa Jowo was said to have once sat. Despite this and other links to China, the Emperor Trisong Detsen, chose to invite the great master Shantarakshita from India to the Land of Snow where he established the Nalanda tradition. Tibetans have worked hard, through rigorous study down the centuries, to keep this tradition alive, something His Holiness said all Tibetans should be proud of.

“You young people have to keep this tradition alive,” he urged. “because the understanding of the mind that is integral to our Buddhist traditions can be of crucial benefit to future generations.”

His Holiness remarked that compared to the ancient Indian knowledge of the workings of the mind and emotions, modern psychology is quite rough. However, he conceded that whereas scientists used to consider the mind to be no more than a function of the brain, they now have evidence that the brain undergoes measurable change as a result of prolonged meditation. He also referred to the interest some scientists are taking in cases of ‘thukdam’ in which clinical death occurs and yet the body remains fresh for some time afterwards.

Observing that religious traditions all seem to have three aspects, His Holiness spoke of the practice of love and compassion, patience and tolerance, as well as contentment and self-discipline that they all have in common. He discussed their philosophical differences, that while many religions believe in a creator God, early Samkhyas, Jains and Buddhists have no such belief, considering the law of causality to be more significant. Nevertheless, he was clear that philosophical differences are no ground for quarrelling, since there are a wide range of variant views even within Buddhism.

The third aspect shared by all religious traditions is cultural and as such is related to social customs, some of which are out of date and in need of change. He cited the role of the Dalai Lamas as political leaders as an example of something that needed changing, which he did when he retired in 2011. He also mentioned the Indian caste system and the application of Sharia law as examples of cultural traditions that are due for review.

Responding to questions from the audience His Holiness explained that refuge in the Three Jewels can be done on the basis of view or action. He said that someone who accepts the Four Seals:

All conditioned phenomena are transient.

All polluted phenomena are unsatisfactory or in the nature of suffering.

All phenomena are empty and selfless.

Nirvana is true peace,

takes refuge on the basis of view. Otherwise, you take refuge regarding the Buddha as the Teacher, the Dharma as cessation as the actual refuge and the Sangha as supportive friends. The important thing, he reiterated was to be a 21st century Buddhist and to take refuge on the basis of understanding.

In relation to his conversations with scientists His Holiness declared that he never brings up topics like past and future lives or nirvana. He said that he admires scientists’ broad-mindedness and their willingness to change and improve their understanding.

Asked how he remains happy every day, His Holiness’s first reply was that he regards all 7 billion human beings alive today as his brothers and sisters, a reflection he finds helpful and powerful. In the context of disturbing emotions being based on a misconception, a clinging to a sense that things exist as they appear, he also finds cognitive therapist Aaron Beck’s observation that our sense of anger or attachment is 90% mental projection not only to be helpful, but also in tune with Nagarjuna’s advice.

Through the elimination of karma and affliction there is nirvana.

Karma and affliction come from conceptual thought. 

These come from mental fabrication.

Fabrication ceases through emptiness.

He concluded that taking a more holistic view and cultivating warm-heartedness are a sound source of happiness.

Teachings for Tibetan youth will continue tomorrow morning.

Dalai Lama Gives Talk on Introductory Buddhism

Dharamsala, HP, India, 27 May 2015 - His Holiness the Dalai Lama was given a traditional Tibetan welcome when he arrived at the Upper Tibetan Children’s Village School this morning. A large group of female students sang a traditional welcoming song. As His Holiness walked from his car to the stage he greeted people in the crowd who caught his eye. Approximately 4500 students from Upper and Lower TCV Schools, Gopalpur, Suja and Chauntra TCVs, Sherab Gatsel Lobling, students at various universities and others currently attending a Teacher Training organized by the Education Department of the CTA, were seated under an awning on the Upper TCV basketball court.

Once His Holiness had taken his seat, several groups of lay-people performed exemplary debates directly in front of the stage discussing the three kinds of knowledge, the two methods for generating the awakening mind of bodhichitta, definitions of the Three Jewels, the Four Noble Truths and so forth.

“Today, people from a variety of places have gathered here to listen to an introduction to Buddhism,” His Holiness began. “This is the ninth occasion that we’ve done this and it looks like this might be the biggest yet. Students and teachers from different schools, my greetings to you all - Tashi delek. I’d especially like to greet those who have just debated in front of us and congratulate them for taking an interest in logic and philosophy.

“In Tibet in the past almost no one from the lay community or even from among the nuns engaged in debate. This was one of our shortcomings. In the 56 years we’ve been in exile, I’ve urged people, even those belonging to monasteries and nunneries that had no tradition of study to take it up. Phende Lekshe Ling, Namgyal Monastery, is an example. When it was established by the 7th Dalai Lama he asked the monks of Zhalu Monastery to give the monks of the new monastery training in performing rituals. Like those at Gyumey and Gyutö Tantric Colleges, they were adept, but followed no course of study. That has changed. Similarly, study in the nunneries has succeeded to the point that we will shortly have nuns who have become Geshes or Geshemas.”

He said that the excellent Nalanda tradition had spread across the length and breadth of Tibet and yet the majority of the people did not properly appreciate it. It is a tradition that relies on investigation and analysis, not just scriptural quotation. He cited the Buddha’s advice to his followers not to accept what he taught at face value, but to test it the way a goldsmith satisfies himself of the value of gold.

His Holiness remarked that the psychology and philosophy explained in the Nalanda tradition are of great interest to contemporary scholars and scientists. They are sufficiently impressed to enquire whether its dialectical approach can be applied to other academic disciplines. He feels it can. He mentioned that while Buddhist traditions identify 49 or 51 emotions, the American psychologist Paul Ekman has done extensive research into facial expressions that enable him to identify 15.

When, 40 years ago, His Holiness was thinking of opening a conversation with modern scientists, a Western Buddhist friend cautioned him to be careful saying that science is the killer of religion. He considered this carefully and concluded that, as a tradition based on reason, Buddhism was not vulnerable to this threat. He went ahead and is confident that the results have been mutually beneficial. One result is that monks in the great monasteries re-established in South India now study science as part of their curriculum.

“When I reached Mussoorie in April 1959, most of you were not born. Now I’m in my 81st year and I will definitely not live for another 80 years, but judging by my present physical health I might live another 10 or 20 years. You Tibetans who are young today will have to shoulder the responsibility of preserving our religion and culture. Our brothers and sisters in Tibet are not free to do so. We who have such freedom should exercise it.

“Conditions in Tibet in the past were ripe for change,” His Holiness said. “In retrospect I can see that many things could have been done differently. The 13th Dalai Lama tried to strengthen links between different parts of Tibet because the country was politically fragmented. But what bound all Tibetans together was their Buddhist culture, their respect for and study of the Kangyur and Tengyur. This was also true of the Himalayan and Mongolian regions too.”

His Holiness pointed out that every one of the 7 billion human beings alive today wants to be happy. He clarified that the Bodhisattva ideal is not about abandoning our own happiness, but about giving priority to the happiness of others.

“However,” he asked, “how can you help others if you can’t help yourself? We pray that all beings be free from suffering, but for the prayer to be fulfilled we need to do something about it.”

Recalling his recent discussions with Archbishop Desmond Tutu, who also visited TCV, he said that their conclusion was that we need to find happiness without violence, which is something everyone can try to do. He said that it’s clear that if humanity is happy, each of us as individuals will be happy too. He repeated that as human beings we are all responsible for each other; we all have the potential to be kind and affectionate. He also spoke about his commitment as a Buddhist monk to promoting harmony among the world’s religious traditions.

Finally, His Holiness spoke of his commitment to preserving the natural environment of Tibet, something of importance not only to Tibetans but also to maybe 1 billion other people in Asia who depend on the waters of rivers that rise in Tibet.

He also voiced his concern to preserve Tibetan culture, a culture of peace and non-violence, which can make a positive contribution in the wider world. He told the story of a former Tibetan official who had emigrated to the USA and was working cleaning vegetables in a university kitchen. His colleagues noticed that he was carefully rescuing worms and bugs he found on the vegetables, setting them aside and taking them outside to release them at the end of his shift. They asked what he was doing and he told them that Tibetans try not to kill small creatures, but to protect life wherever they can. Shortly afterwards he noticed that several of them were following his example. His Holiness concluded:

“I’ve done what I can to preserve Tibet’s ecology and its compassionate, non-violent culture. Now I’m passing this responsibility to you.”

He announced that he will give a further introduction to Buddhism tomorrow. He will also lead a ceremony for generating the awakening mind of bodhichitta and make time to answer students’ questions. The day after that, he will give an Avalokiteshvara empowerment.

link with photos http://dalailama.com/news/post/1273-the-first-of-two-introductory-talks-on-buddhism-at-upper-tcv

Long Life Offering for the Dalai Lama

Tashi Lhunpo, Bylakuppe, Karnataka, India, 1 January 2016 - Today’s White Tara Longevity Empowerment and Offering of Requests to His Holiness the Dalai Lama to Live Long took place inside the new Tashi Lhunpo Assembly Hall. Once he had completed necessary preparations, as prayers were recited, His Holiness addressed the congregation of Abbots, former Abbots, Tulkus, monks, nuns and lay-people.

“I’ve been teaching almost continuously since arriving at Gyumey Tantric College three and a half weeks ago. Today, as a way of dedicating the merit we’ll conduct a White Tara Longevity Empowerment. I gather 700 students from local schools have joined us today, I wish you a Happy New Year. Young students like these are very important because they belong to the generation of the 21st century. I and my colleagues belong to the 20th century. Our time has passed and our lives are nearly over. The 21st century generation on the other hand are just at the beginning. They have a realistic opportunity to change the world.

“We all want happiness and to avoid suffering, and within ourselves that involves a greater sense of love and compassion. As far as the external world is concerned it will entail taking serious steps to preserve the environment and adapt to climate change. These days scientists are increasingly finding evidence that cultivating love and compassion has a positive effect on our physical health and general well-being. Humanity is made up of individuals and we will only achieve a happier more peaceful society if those individuals are happier and more peaceful within themselves.

“I am optimistic about this. I believe that human nature is fundamentally positive and again scientists are finding evidence to support this. Experiments with infants, who are too young to talk, and so have limited conceptual thinking, show that they respond favourably to illustrations of people helping each other. They show clear adverse responses to illustrations of people harming or obstructing each other. What’s more, scientists have shown that constant fear and anger has a damaging effect on our immune systems.

“We may conclude that human nature is essentially compassionate. Love and affection are essential because we all depend on others to survive. Therefore affection is part of our basic nature. If it was otherwise and it was our nature to be angry and hateful, there’d be little we could do, but because it is our nature to be affectionate and compassionate it’s possible for us to think of enhancing these natural qualities through education and training.

“By and large, modern education systems are inadequate because they are focused on material development and pay insufficient attention to inner development, to training in basic human values. However, projects are underway in the USA and Canada, in Europe and also here in India to design curriculums that will incorporate secular ethics into standard education. Steps need to be taken now to implement such changes. If we can inculcate and nurture basic human values in those who are young today, I believe that by the end of the century we will have created a happier more peaceful world.

“Students, work hard, study well and make the most of your opportunities,” His Holiness advised.

Turning his attention to Tibetan culture His Holiness remarked that Indian Buddhist literature was translated into Tibetan more than a thousand years ago. As a result, today, Tibetan remains the language best suited to accurately expressing and explaining the Nalanda tradition. He described this as something to be proud of, something which provides access to knowledge that Tibetans can contribute to the whole of humanity. Inner peace is based on compassion, cultivation of which is thoroughly explained in Buddhist science. Meanwhile, many among Tibet’s Asian neighbours, such as China where there are 100s of millions of Buddhists, are showing growing interest in the teachings of Tibetan Buddhism.

“The Buddhist tradition may be more than 2500 years old, but instructions such as how to deal with disturbing emotions not only remain relevant today, but are something everyone can benefit from, without needing to be a Buddhist. It is important to remember that all human beings are fundamentally the same. We are all brothers and sisters belonging to one human family. We are born the same way and we die the same way. And yet instead of appreciating what we have in common, we tend to stress those differences between us, such as faith, nationality, whether we are rich or poor, educated or illiterate, which are of secondary importance. We see each other in terms of ‘us’ and ‘them’, which in terms of the interdependent world in which we live is not only unrealistic, it’s out of date.

“If, we adopt a more affectionate, appreciative and concerned attitude towards each other, our lives will become more meaningful. If we can contribute to the happiness and prosperity of the whole world, it will be worth leading a long life.

“Of course, there are simple physical factors that can contribute to longer life. One is basic hygiene. Another is that while you have good hospital facilities, you don't have enough qualified medical staff working in them. This is like the schools that need more qualified and dedicated teachers.

“You need to keep up your health. Take proper advice about diet and the importance of nutritious food. Eat less white rice. Take more exercise. Do circumambulations as you say your prayers. It saddens me to see knowledgeable students and teachers in poor health. Receiving blessings and performing rituals won’t solve this; you need to adopt more practical steps. Taking urgent care of your health is the most important aspect of ensuring you live a long life. Of course, as I’ve already said, inner peace and less stress have a beneficial effect on your physical well-being too.”

Returning again to the topic of education, His Holiness discussed whether it would not be better to refer to a teacher with Buddhist training as a philosophy teacher rather than as a religious or spiritual teacher. He cited the quotation he often repeats about the Buddha’s not washing misdeeds away with water, but revealing the path to liberation. A philosophy teacher should be able to explain the Two Truths, the Four Noble Truths and what the Three Jewels are. He or she should be able to explain what the Buddha represents and what he taught.

Before beginning to give the White Tara empowerment, His Holiness set the context.

“Here we are in Tashi Lhunpo founded by Gendun Drup, the First Dalai Lama. He had a special connection to White Tara and I feel especially fortunate to be able to give this empowerment today.”

When the empowerment was complete, the Chant Master began the Offering of Requests to His Holiness to Live Long based on the Lama Chöpa (Guru Puja). Ling Rinpoche, patron of the Jangchub LamRim teachings, recited the eulogy and requests during the main mandala offering. He recalled the kindness of Dromtönpa, Gendun Drup and all the Dalai Lamas, including His Holiness, to Tibetans. Whole series of offerings were made in connection with the request to His Holiness to live very long. They included a full set of monk’s robes, an alms bowl and a monk’s staff. There were also elaborate sets of the Seven Emblems of Royalty and the Eight Auspicious Symbols.

At one point the clear voices of children could be heard singing a praise to His Holiness outside. Representatives of five Tibetan settlements in South India offered their own prayers to His Holiness to live long. Monks recited the story of the incarnations of Avalokiteshvara and the Long Life Prayer composed by His Holiness’s two tutors. The final mandala offering was made by the Tashi Lhunpo Abbot and Zopa Rinpoche.

The grand rituals over, guests and dignitaries joined His Holiness for lunch. Tomorrow morning he is due to leave Bylakuppe and drive to Bangalore.

original link and photos http://dalailama.com/news/post/1361-longevity-empowerment-long-life-offering

Dalai Lama Gives Introductory Talk on Buddhism

Dharamsala, HP, India, 27 May 2015 - His Holiness the Dalai Lama was given a traditional Tibetan welcome when he arrived at the Upper Tibetan Children’s Village School this morning. A large group of female students sang a traditional welcoming song. As His Holiness walked from his car to the stage he greeted people in the crowd who caught his eye. Approximately 4500 students from Upper and Lower TCV Schools, Gopalpur, Suja and Chauntra TCVs, Sherab Gatsel Lobling, students at various universities and others currently attending a Teacher Training organized by the Education Department of the CTA, were seated under an awning on the Upper TCV basketball court.

Once His Holiness had taken his seat, several groups of lay-people performed exemplary debates directly in front of the stage discussing the three kinds of knowledge, the two methods for generating the awakening mind of bodhichitta, definitions of the Three Jewels, the Four Noble Truths and so forth.

“Today, people from a variety of places have gathered here to listen to an introduction to Buddhism,” His Holiness began. “This is the ninth occasion that we’ve done this and it looks like this might be the biggest yet. Students and teachers from different schools, my greetings to you all - Tashi delek. I’d especially like to greet those who have just debated in front of us and congratulate them for taking an interest in logic and philosophy.

“In Tibet in the past almost no one from the lay community or even from among the nuns engaged in debate. This was one of our shortcomings. In the 56 years we’ve been in exile, I’ve urged people, even those belonging to monasteries and nunneries that had no tradition of study to take it up. Phende Lekshe Ling, Namgyal Monastery, is an example. When it was established by the 7th Dalai Lama he asked the monks of Zhalu Monastery to give the monks of the new monastery training in performing rituals. Like those at Gyumey and Gyutö Tantric Colleges, they were adept, but followed no course of study. That has changed. Similarly, study in the nunneries has succeeded to the point that we will shortly have nuns who have become Geshes or Geshemas.”

He said that the excellent Nalanda tradition had spread across the length and breadth of Tibet and yet the majority of the people did not properly appreciate it. It is a tradition that relies on investigation and analysis, not just scriptural quotation. He cited the Buddha’s advice to his followers not to accept what he taught at face value, but to test it the way a goldsmith satisfies himself of the value of gold.

His Holiness remarked that the psychology and philosophy explained in the Nalanda tradition are of great interest to contemporary scholars and scientists. They are sufficiently impressed to enquire whether its dialectical approach can be applied to other academic disciplines. He feels it can. He mentioned that while Buddhist traditions identify 49 or 51 emotions, the American psychologist Paul Ekman has done extensive research into facial expressions that enable him to identify 15.

When, 40 years ago, His Holiness was thinking of opening a conversation with modern scientists, a Western Buddhist friend cautioned him to be careful saying that science is the killer of religion. He considered this carefully and concluded that, as a tradition based on reason, Buddhism was not vulnerable to this threat. He went ahead and is confident that the results have been mutually beneficial. One result is that monks in the great monasteries re-established in South India now study science as part of their curriculum.

“When I reached Mussoorie in April 1959, most of you were not born. Now I’m in my 81st year and I will definitely not live for another 80 years, but judging by my present physical health I might live another 10 or 20 years. You Tibetans who are young today will have to shoulder the responsibility of preserving our religion and culture. Our brothers and sisters in Tibet are not free to do so. We who have such freedom should exercise it.

“Conditions in Tibet in the past were ripe for change,” His Holiness said. “In retrospect I can see that many things could have been done differently. The 13th Dalai Lama tried to strengthen links between different parts of Tibet because the country was politically fragmented. But what bound all Tibetans together was their Buddhist culture, their respect for and study of the Kangyur and Tengyur. This was also true of the Himalayan and Mongolian regions too.”

His Holiness pointed out that every one of the 7 billion human beings alive today wants to be happy. He clarified that the Bodhisattva ideal is not about abandoning our own happiness, but about giving priority to the happiness of others.

“However,” he asked, “how can you help others if you can’t help yourself? We pray that all beings be free from suffering, but for the prayer to be fulfilled we need to do something about it.”

Recalling his recent discussions with Archbishop Desmond Tutu, who also visited TCV, he said that their conclusion was that we need to find happiness without violence, which is something everyone can try to do. He said that it’s clear that if humanity is happy, each of us as individuals will be happy too. He repeated that as human beings we are all responsible for each other; we all have the potential to be kind and affectionate. He also spoke about his commitment as a Buddhist monk to promoting harmony among the world’s religious traditions.

Finally, His Holiness spoke of his commitment to preserving the natural environment of Tibet, something of importance not only to Tibetans but also to maybe 1 billion other people in Asia who depend on the waters of rivers that rise in Tibet.

He also voiced his concern to preserve Tibetan culture, a culture of peace and non-violence, which can make a positive contribution in the wider world. He told the story of a former Tibetan official who had emigrated to the USA and was working cleaning vegetables in a university kitchen. His colleagues noticed that he was carefully rescuing worms and bugs he found on the vegetables, setting them aside and taking them outside to release them at the end of his shift. They asked what he was doing and he told them that Tibetans try not to kill small creatures, but to protect life wherever they can. Shortly afterwards he noticed that several of them were following his example. His Holiness concluded:

“I’ve done what I can to preserve Tibet’s ecology and its compassionate, non-violent culture. Now I’m passing this responsibility to you.”

He announced that he will give a further introduction to Buddhism tomorrow. He will also lead a ceremony for generating the awakening mind of bodhichitta and make time to answer students’ questions. The day after that, he will give an Avalokiteshvara empowerment.

link with photos http://dalailama.com/news/post/1273-the-first-of-two-introductory-talks-on-buddhism-at-upper-tcv

Bring Quality Back into Buddhist Pursuits

In his speech to a large crowd of Tibetans from Tibet given on Mar 27, 2006 at the end of his Monlam teaching in Dharamsala, the Dalai Lama spoke passionately about several issues, one of which was about the need for the concerned Tibetans and Buddhists to bring primary focus on quality when it comes to religious education, discoursing, or practice. The following are relevant excerpts, as translated by the editor.

Most of us Tibetans are poor when it comes to standards of knowledge. Speaking from the religious point of view, there are in our society of six million Tibetans people with astonishing degree of genuine faith in Buddhism. Buddhism is profound, became widespread and has been propagated from generation to generation and has therefore progressed and flourished. As a result, today too, the Snowland of Tibet is almost the only place where on the world stage the entirety of the Mahayana, Hinayana and Tantric teachings of Buddhism could be fully preserved, and where in this world the religious heritage of the Great Nalanda University could be fully kept, defended and spread without a whiff of contamination. In particular, in terms of keeping, defending and spreading the teaching and practice of Buddhism in an integrated manner, Tibet has the most profound tradition and curriculum. Taking the Tibetan society as a whole, the Snowland of Tibet has, through generations over a millennium, been a race of people who preserved Buddhism by keeping, defending and spreading it. Nevertheless, among the general public, it is obvious that knowledge of Buddhism is extremely poor.

In terms of the religious activities in our ecumenical monasteries in Tibet, the main consideration should not be given to the numerical strength of the monks and nuns in them; what is more relevant is that it is extremely important to ensure good qualities of training and discipline in them. Otherwise, if the standards of study and training are poor and the state of discipline too is nothing to talk about, large populations of monks and nuns would only mean too large numbers of such monks and nuns, which is of no help. Good quality is extremely important.

I some times see in the Tibetan community big efforts being seemingly made to enlarge the numbers of monks and nuns. I do not see this as particularly important. To speak bluntly, we do raise protests over the existing dangers of Tibetans becoming a minority in our own land. The danger is real. We also have considerable international support on this. In a period of such great change, when the Tibetan population is dangerously small, we ourselves would seem to be contributing further to the declining number by raising the population of monks and nuns to the point that there would be too many of them. Therefore, if despite the fact that the Tibetan population is already too small, the number of monks and nuns is raised further, the result will surely be a further decline of our population.

We also need to think about the situation in places like Ladakh. It is a failure resulting from extreme short-sightedness that there is an impression that in the ecumenical monasteries both in and outside Tibet great attention is being paid to an imperative to raise the number of monks and nuns, with seeming shortage of focus on the training and discipline of the monks and nuns.

Therefore, unless we think by paying attention to all aspects of the situation today, this is definitely not an era of progress for us. We all should think on the basis of having looked in all directions in our back and front, and to our left and right. It is certainly not a period in which we can make decisions solely on the basis of what we actually see before us. In any case, it is extremely important to uphold the quality of training and discipline as more important than the number of monks and nuns.

Like I said recently, when teaching on Choejug (Bodhisattva Way of Life), being familiar with the Sutra and Tantra texts alone won't do. Ritualistically beating drums, striking cymbals and performing cham (religious dance) in supposed displays of religious practice, but remaining unable to recognize the Three Jewels (The Buddha, Dharma and Sangha) in reality would put us in danger of performing self-blessings. We must be very cautious about it. Buddhism is not revealed merely by beating drums and striking cymbals, and there is no way such rituals can enhance devotion. On the other hand, there is a danger of it becoming a system of ideas without foundation.

So, it is extremely important for everyone not to lose touch with his or her roots. Within the Tibetan community one can see many instances everywhere of people who had lost their roots and go about clinging to branches. To sum up, the noble tradition of the learning of the Tibetan Buddhist philosophy extant in the time of our ancestors should primarily be maintained by our monasteries. On that basis, the monks and the nuns in the monasteries should ensure high quality of study and training as well as discipline and thereby must be able to maintain the faith in both teaching and practice. Everyone needs to make efforts to bring progress within the general public in terms of modern knowledge, and, on that basis, enable people to gain in-depth understanding of Buddhism and thereby find devotion in it. This is one of the important points on which I routinely make appeals.

Over many decades in China, especially during the Cultural Revolution, when the Four Olds were being destroyed, there was a lot of persecution, with opposition to religion and culture being total. But human nature is such that it needs a source of faith and hope, and, as a result, the number of followers of the Christian faith is witnessing high growth. The number of people practising the Buddhist faith, too, is growing likewise. Especially, in the recent period, many people have been turning their attention to Tibetan Buddhism. Over the last two decades, there have been many Chinese people paying attention to Tibetan Buddhism and receiving teachings from Tibetan Lamas, Geshes, etc. Today, this number is increasing ever more.

Take the case of the seat set up by Khen Rinpoche Jigme Phuntsog. Not only were there a large number of ethnic Chinese disciples there, but it also had a flourishing academy.  But it suffered unimaginable decline recently and, ultimately, even the great abbot himself passed away. This was an immensely sad development. But, still, not only are there so many ethnic Chinese taking interest in and following Tibetan Buddhism, but they are also receiving teachings from Tibetan Lamas, Geshes, etc. These are highly positive developments and I greatly appreciate them.

The Lamas and Geshes of Tibet, and other teachers and propagators of Buddhism must all bear in mind that in this period one very important consideration to be borne in mind is that it would be a grave error to propagate and teach Buddhism for the purpose of monetary or material gains or for the purpose of living a life of luxury. Not only that, when looked at from the point of view of the karmas of merit and sin, this would amount to merchandizing religion. Practitioners of religion would not act like that. In any case, concerned persons from all sides need to exercise caution.

It is possible that some times Lamas and religious masters will feel a sense of being important and develop an inflated ego on the basis of very strong faith and hope reposed in them by believers as they make offerings and pay obeisance. Such developments are not at all good. As Drom Toenpa has said: Even if one were held in the highest esteem by everyone/ It is better to hold oneself in subdued humility. One should never forget this. In my own case too, I have constantly been keeping this in mind. Whenever people show great obeisance to me by addressing me as His Holiness, I always humble myself by earnestly recalling thus: Wherever and whomsoever I go to for whatever purpose,/ by holding myself the humblest of all,/ may I hold others, in all sincerity,/ to the highest level. I do this at all times without any relaxation of effort. You too should think by doing likewise.

To speak to you about a sad aspect in our situation today, recently, in many countries such as Taiwan, America, Europe, Russia and Mongolia, there have been cases of fake Tibetan lamas and religious masters doing irreligious things. In China too, reports have been emerging about fake Tibetan religious masters coming from Tibet. All this is an extremely tragic development.

What one witnesses is of well endowed and capable religious masters remaining in meek withdrawal while there are out there fake religious masters who, devoid of all sense of shame, and brimming with greed and talking naked falsehood, wear the mask of religion with great audacity, carry out irreligious activities and thereby bring disrepute to the Buddhist religion and faith. In view of this, everyone should exercise utmost care to gain purposive determination. It is especially important that the well-endowed religious masters should assume the responsibility to serve the religion and humanity.

original link: http://www.dalailama.com/messages/buddhism/buddhist-pursuits

Accept Buddha's Teaching Only After Proper Analysis

His Holiness the Dalai Lama has returned to Dharamsala from Ladakh after giving a teaching to local Buddhists on the fundamental precepts and philosophical underpinnings of all the schools of Tibetan Buddhism. He said: ‘'the four traditional schools of Buddhism in Tibet may superficially seem to differ in the way they explain the [Buddhist] view, but ultimately what they refer to is the same [thing]''.

The Tibetan spiritual leader spent four days in Ladakh, a region in Northern India sometime called ‘little Tibet' due to its strong linguistic, cultural and religious ties with Tibet, and, as he has does many times in the past, His Holiness stressed the importance of the authenticity of Buddhist teachings, and being true to the historical Buddha's words.

He stressed, "In fact the Buddha counseled his followers to examine what he taught and to adopt it only if they felt it was worthwhile, not simply out of respect for him''.

On the second day of the teachings His Holiness talked of Dolgyal (or Shugden). He said that he stopped propitiating the spirit many years ago after extensive investigations had revealed it was improper to do so.

His Holiness encapsulated his thinking on the subject of Dolgyal by saying, "anyone who has kept up the practice of Dolgyal out of ignorance should not have any fear about giving it up if they heed his advice.

On the other hand, he said, whatever fierce spirit you choose is up to you, all His Holiness asks is that such persons do not take vows or empowerments from him.''

Turning to other themes, he reiterated his long standing conviction that Buddhism must not just rely on tradition and handed down conventions based on out dated thinking. For example, in reply to some Korean Buddhists a few years His Holiness said, ‘'that he didn't think the Buddha appeared in the world to give cosmic measurements, but to show the way to liberation from cyclic existence''.

Moreover, the pertinent point he made was that if you take refuge in the three Jewels of Buddhism-The Buddha, Sangha and Dharma- it is because you have consciously tried to "overcome all faults and [ripen] all qualities''.

Cultivating Compassion

On the third day, in order to cultivate compassion, and altruism, His Holiness said that an altruistic attitude-to all living beings-is essential if we wish to achieve Buddhahood. His Holiness went through important Buddhist initiations with the congregation for instance the ‘rite to aspire to develop Boddhichitta'. Boddhichitta: meaning the awakened mind that strives for compassion and solidarity with all humans and all other sentient beings.

On the fourth and final day His Holiness the Dalai Lama gave the long life empowerment associated with White Tara (a female deity in Tibetan Buddhism), and symbolically, she is regarded as the feminine aspect of Avalokitesvara.

Amongst other things, His Holiness the 14th Dalai Lama went onto discuss the importance of religious tolerance in all parts of the world-not least within the different Tibetan Buddhist traditions and his hope that current tolerance would prevail everywhere.

Finally, His Holiness thanked the congregation and the organizers for making his visit a successful one. His Holiness then conferred the long life empowerment of White Tara and subsequent prayers were conducted in relation to White Tara for his long life. At one point in proceedings, after the sun had come out, he stopped to remark:

"The 13th Dalai Lama was once giving a teaching at Norbulingka on a very hot day and there are reports that you could tell who had attended them by their sunburnt faces. It looks like it'll be the same today."

By Mark Kernan, Tibet Post International  - August 17, 2012