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The Dalai Lama
misterCope
PA, USA Veteran
Somebody said, "many Buddhists don't like the Dalai Lama."
I've never heard this before and I'm wondering if it is true. If it is, why is that the case?
I'd sure love an objective answer, detached from extreme emotion. Thank you in advance!
I've never heard this before and I'm wondering if it is true. If it is, why is that the case?
I'd sure love an objective answer, detached from extreme emotion. Thank you in advance!
0
Comments
I think that some Buddhists do not like the fact that the general public assume that the D.L. is some kind of Pope with authority over all Buddhists.
Some Vajrayana followers do not like the fact that the D.L. has become involved in all schools of Tibetan Vajrayana since the Chinese invasion..He is a monk of the Gelugpa school, and as a matter of fact is not the head of that.
In recent years he has recognised the 'incarnations ' of senior Lamas of schools to which historically he has no connection..this has caused resentment.
He banned certain practices and outlawed certain groups who do not recognise his authority.
He is seen by some Tibetans as a puppet either of the Chinese government, or by others of the Tibetan government-in-exile in Dharamsala.
He is however held in very high esteem by many Vajrayana followers.
As I said..its complicated.
I sometime find HH to be, shall we say, irritating. Some things he says in public rub people the wrong way.
Some years ago, his comments regarding homosexuals and Buddhism were picked up by the press. The outrage from the GLTB Buddhist community was understandably pronounced. A delegation went to Daramsala seeking "clarification". Afterwards HH backpedaled a bit, but did not retract. Handlers, knowing how many GLTB Buddhists there are and contributions they and those sympathetic to their plight make, could have advised HH to remain silent on the subject.
A few years ago, following the catastrphic earthquakes, HH was asked about the situation - loss of life & property - and he answered that everything was karma. This was spun by the press in such a way as to suggest that HH comments meant that he thought the people deserved their fate because of their actions. This, of course, was not what HH meant to say. Most if not all Buddhists would understand perfectly what HH meant. However, the most if the world isn't Buddhist and wouldn't understand. Rather than risk serious misunderstanding, HH should have simply not offered a comment like that.
I find HH's little verbal faux pas to be very irritating. I adore the man's teachings, and I admire his endless dedication to Tibet, but there are times that I sincerely wish that he'd just STFU.
No one in a leadership role of anything will be beloved by everyone.
For the record, I doubt it's true that "many Buddhists don't like the Dalai Lama," any more than it's true that "many Buddhists don't like [insert name]." Buddhism doesn't promote the idea of "disliking" people; any Buddhist of any stripe whom I've met has, regardless of sect, promoted the idea of not obsessing over things like "liking" this person or "disliking" that person. That kind of pettiness, while we all are prone to it, is simply not a Buddhist concept.
Hes got 24 hour security around him, Yet he says the best way to deal with people who are violent towards us is to have compassion for them.
He says money isnt everything , yet he stays in luxary 5 star hotels when he tours..
He says not to get caught up in materialistic things but uses twitter, watches TV, and does normal stuff....
Now theres nothing wrong with doing all this 'normal' things just as long as you dont 'teach' us one thing and 'do' another....
Like i said, hes just another celebrity (in ropes)
What's wrong with a man who has had repeated death threats made against him having body guards?
Okay, point taken on the hotels...but why is it important?
So by your own definition, you are also "caught up in materialistic things"?
The question really should be -- is he clinging to these things. And frankly, you can't know that.
And he has security because he is under threat constantly. Having security doesn't mean that he doesn't have compassion for those who threaten him..I think he does.
Someone who who is really detached can stay in 5 Star Hotels with impunity.
As a matter of fact he is now in semi-retirement and has said that he would prefer the peace of McCleod Ganj to any hotel...
He's a monk. Monks aren't normal people. Many other monks don't have to worry about bills, taxes, and so on either.
He doesn't run his own life. He has people who make his travel arrangements and likely decide that he should stay where he stays. That doesn't mean he requests it. But taking good care of oneself doesn't mean living in poverty, either. Most teachers who travel live the same way. Perhaps they don't stay at the plaza, but someone makes travel arrangements for them, handles the finances, tells them where to go and where to be. They just teach.
Maybe we should look at the youth programs he runs and funds, and the children's village and the education programs and so on.
So theres no point in being a practising buddhist then. If i can do whatever i want as long as i dont get caught up in it then thats great..
I thought we had to give up all materialistic stuff. (At least i thought monks had to) My bad!
No one said you can do whatever you want. No one. No where on this thread.
And you know, not getting caught up in things isn't easy. From what I can see, you're caught up in an extremely judgmental attitude toward a man you never met.
As far as giving up all materialistic "stuff"...guess that depends on how you define it. The Theravada temples I've been to here in the States certainly haven't given up everything that's materialistic. The house they live/serve in costs more than a quarter million...although, of course, they don't own it personally. The monk kuti I was inside in Thailand was pretty basic...although it did have a small refrigerator.
And what happened to worrying about your own path, rather than someone else's path?
What you talking about?
I am worrying about my own path thats why i had my say, because i was confused.. and i was just trying to say i admit i was confused about it.
I said my bad
The DL used to fly coach, he said, but his robes tended to engulf his seat-mate/s, so he bumped up to business class. AFAIK, he doesn't fly first class.
If *I* had to fly many many thousands of miles across the globe, every year, for years on end, while keeping an exhausting schedule of appearances and conferences, at his age etc .... I would absolutely! fly first class if I could! You better believe it!
Any diverse group of folks (Buddhists) will have differing opinions on who and what they like & don't like.
I can't imagine an easier target to criticize than someone in the almost hopeless position of trying to be a renunciate and a political figure.
While not of my school, his efforts represent to me that it's possible to practice where ever you are, regardless of how difficult the external circumstances may be.
Also, I'm of the opinion that someone's practice is between them and their guru and none of my business.
Considering some of the extreme behavior we see on the web (where most of the real controversy lies) the whole sad business shames us all.
Until recently he was Head of State - you have to be a politician for a job like that.
Also, I'm of the opinion that someone's practice is between them and their guru and none of my business.
Considering some of the extreme behavior we see on the web (where most of the real controversy lies) the whole sad business shames us all.
Well said..some of his followers, a small minority, take things well past dissing of course. There are deeply disturbing videos of groups of NKT AND hard-core DL supporters attacking each other physically in mobs.
Truly shaming behaviour from both sides.
In the Old Country all this went on to some extent, it was no Shangri-La.
But Tibet is so huge and its population was so relatively small that they could physically avoid each other .
Not a possibility in the global village.
As for his views on this or that sub-cult of Buddhism I couldn't care less, so maybe that's why I don't have any issues with approach to them.
Ahhh, Rupert Murdoch, that pillar of ethics and compassion [COFF] for all things news and media related.... meanwhile corrupting every industry and social construct he's involved in. Whatta guy!
The latest event was held in December 2012 in India where a group of nearly 50 Thai elders consisting of highly respected monks and scholars met to engage in a two day inter-Buddhist dialogue with HH the Dalai Lama. 300 Thai lay Buddhists flew to India to join the event. A written message from the Supreme Patriarch of Thailand was delivered giving his blessings for the event.
Also, I think that Thais are generally comfortable with HH the Dalai Lama's involvement in what traditionally are seen as "worldly affairs". In the event mentioned above, one of the talks given by HH the Dalai Lama was on “Solutions to World Problems” and the Thai audience was keen to listen to his views and had a lot of questions for him such as what he thought about the global economic crisis.
HH the Dalai Lama certainly felt secure with his Thai audience and offered some very frank advice. For example, he said, “We should remember that the Buddha taught for the benefit of all human beings. We too are part of humanity. To solve these problems we have a responsibility to work together. As a Tibetan Buddhist my concern is for the whole of humanity, you too should consider more than just Thailand and Bangkok.”
Nonetheless, I am aware that during his visits to some other countries in Asia, he has encountered protests from Mahayana groups who say that Tibetan sexual tantric practices corrupts Buddhism. Also, I am aware that he has attracted criticism from some activists because he has said, when questioned, that sexual intercourse among homosexuals are generally considered to be sexual misconduct in Buddhism (My guess is that this is what most Thai monks, if questioned on this subject matter, would say also. But it is not a subject that the monks would bring up on their own if not questioned about it.)
It may be an inevitable consequence of his political role, which in the form that it became was a consequence of the Diaspora.
Which is basically that homosexual intercourse ' blocks the wind channels ' leading to an increased likelihood of rebirth in the 'hell realms '.