Dalai Lama
Submitted by solo on Wed, 02/27/2008 - 23:46.Tags:
Biography
Tenzin Gyatso is the 14th and current Dalai Lama. He is often referred to simply as the Dalai Lama. He is a practicing member of the Gelug School of Tibetan Buddhism and is influential as a Nobel Peace Prize laureate, as the world's most famous Buddhist monk. He is the leader of the exiled Tibetan government in India.
Tenzin Gyatso was the fifth of sixteen children born to a farming family in the village of Taktser, or Tengtser, of the Tibetan province of Amdo, originally named Lhamo Döndrub (Tibetan: ལ; Wylie: Lha-mo Don-'grub). His first language was the Amdo dialect of Tibetan.
At the age of two, Tenzin Gyatso was proclaimed the Tulku (rebirth) of the thirteenth Dalai Lama.On 17 November 1950, at the age of fifteen, he was enthroned as Tibet's Head of State. Thus he became Tibet's most important political ruler just one month after the People's Republic of China's invasion of Tibet on 7 October 1950.In 1954, he went to Beijing to talk with Mao Zedong and other leaders of the PRC.
After a failed uprising and the collapse of the Tibetan resistance movement in 1959, the Dalai Lama left for India, where he was active in establishing the Central Tibetan Administration (the Tibetan Government in Exile) and in seeking to preserve Tibetan culture and education among the thousands of refugees who accompanied him. The organization of the Dalai Lama issued a statement on October 1,1998 admitting that it received millions of dollars from the CIA during the 1960s to send armed squads of Tibetan exiles into Tibet to undermine the Maoist revolution. The Dalai Lama's organization said they received $1.7 million a year to arm, train and pay their contra forces. This statement also revealed for the first time that the Dalai Lama himself was a paid CIA agent during this period, receiving an annual paycheck of $186,000 from the U.S. intelligence services.
Tenzin Gyatso is a charismatic figure and noted public speaker. This Dalai Lama is the first to travel to the West. There, he has helped to spread Buddhism and to promote the concepts of universal responsibility, secular ethics, and religious harmony.
He was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 1989, honorary Canadian citizenship in 2006, and the United States Congressional Gold Medal on 17 October 2007.
Many people in the West have been influenced by him, and have even been romanticizing Tibetan Lamaism's conservative form of Buddhism.
Teachings
The Dalai Lama's teachings are the teachings of the Tibetan Buddhism with a special emphasis on the Four Noble Truths which are among the truths Gautama Buddha is said to have realized during his experience of enlightenment.
Four Noble Truths
Noble Truth 1 - The Nature of Suffering (Dukkha): birth is suffering, aging is suffering, illness is suffering, death is suffering; union with what is displeasing is suffering; separation from what is pleasing is suffering; not to get what one wants is suffering; in brief, the five aggregates subject to clinging are suffering.
Noble Truth 2 - The Reason for Suffering (Samudaya): it is this craving which leads to renewed existence, accompanied by delight and lust, seeking delight here and there, that is, craving for sensual pleasures, craving for existence, craving for extermination.
Noble Truth 3 - The Cessation of Suffering (Nirodha): it is the remainderless fading away and cessation of that same craving, the giving up and relinquishing of it, freedom from it, nonreliance on it.
Noble Truth 4 - The Way (Marga) Leading to the Cessation of Suffering: it is the Noble Eightfold Path; that is, right view, right intention, right speech, right action, right livelihood, right effort, right mindfulness, right concentration.
Noble Eightfold Path
As the name indicates, there are eight elements in the Noble Eightfold Path, and these are divided into three basic categories as follows:
Wisdom (Sanskrit: prajñā, Pāli: paññā)
1. Right view
2. Right intention
Ethical conduct (Sanskrit: śīla, Pāli: sīla)
3. Right speech
4. Right action
5. Right livelihood
Mental discipline (Sanskrit and Pāli: samādhi)
6. Right effort
7. Right mindfulness
8. Right concentration
Photos
Locations
His Holiness the Dalai Lama gives teachings and public talks throughout the year at various times and in different places in India and around the world.
For the schedule of events with the Dalai Lama, see http://www.dalailama.com/page.60.htm
Mcleod Ganj, a small lovely village located just above Dharamsala in the Himalayas in northern India, is the principal home residence of the exiled Tibetians and the Dalai Lama.
There are many Buddhist and other spiritual-related activities and options in this location and it is most recommended.
P.O. McLeod Ganj - 176219,
Dharamshala, Himalaya Pradesh , India
You can easily get from Delhi and other central cities in India to McLeod Ganj either by bus, taxi, train, or by air.
By Train : The easiest way to get to McLeod Ganj is to take an overnight train from Delhi to Pathankot, which is about 90 kms from Dharamshala. Regular buses are available from Pathankot to Dharamshala and McLeod Ganj. The journey by bus takes about 4 hours.
You can also hire a cab from the Pathankot station to McLeod Ganj. The cabs normally charge a two-way fare for the trip (Rs. 1000 to Rs. 1500 approx). The traveling time by cab is about 2 hours and 30 minutes.
By Bus : Direct regular bus service is available from Delhi, Chandigarh, Jammu, Shimla and Manali for Dharamshala. HRTC (Himachal Road Transport Corporation) has recently introduced a luxury bus service from New Delhi for McLeod Ganj. The Air-conditioned and Non-AC fares from Delhi are Rs. 750 and Rs. 300 approx. The journey from Delhi to McLeod Ganj by bus takes about 12 to 13 hours.
By Air : Gaggal, which is at a distance of 15 kms from Dharamshala, is the nearest airport to Dharamshala. Jagson Airline operates direct flight from Delhi to Dharamshala, three times a week.
You can find in McLeod Ganj and Dharamshala all services needed including laundry, internet, shops, a great variety of western and Indian food, etc.
Many guest houses and hotels of all levels and prices are available in McLeod Ganj as well as in near villages of Dharamkot and Bagsu which are within walking distance.
Tushita is a center for the study and practice of Buddhism from the Tibetan Mahayana tradition. It is a friendly and conducive place for people of all nationalities and backgrounds to learn about and put into practice the teachings of the Buddha.
The center is providing several types of course retreats, among them is the most recommended "Introduction to Buddhism" 10-day course which includes both theory and meditation practice.
Tushita is located in a lovely site near the entrance to Dharamkot village in the forested hills above McLeod Ganj.
The teachings, meditations and practices in Tushita are based on the tradition of Lama Tsong Khapa of Tibet (the Gelugpa School of Tibetan Buddhism), as taught to us by Lama Thubten Yeshe and Lama Zopa Rinpoche.
McLeod Ganj,
Dharamsala, Himachal Pradesh 176 219, India
Tushita is located on a forested hill above McLeod Ganj in the entrance to the Dharamkot village. You can climb the road up to Tushita for about half and hour or take a riksha.
Accommodation is provided for course participants during the course.
Course participants may be able to stay at the center and have accommodation for two days after the course.
see more about accommodation at Tushita at http://www.tushita.info/accomodation.htm
All services are provided on-site during the course.
Delicious vegetarian food, containing eggs and milk products, is served during meal times in the dinning room.
There is a small shop at Tushita that sells toiletries, stationary, biscuits, etc. and a very good library.
View Video
Books & Media
The Universe in a Single Atom: The Convergence of Science and Spirituality
(Paperback)
Galileo, Copernicus, Newton, Niels Bohr, Einstein. Their insights shook our perception of who we are and where we stand in the world, and in their wake have left an uneasy coexistence: science vs. religion, faith vs. empirical inquiry. Which is the keeper of truth? Which is the true path to understanding reality?
After forty years of study with some of the greatest scientific minds, as well as a lifetime of meditative, spiritual, and philosophic study, the Dalai Lama presents a brilliant analysis of why all avenues of inquiry—scientific as well as spiritual—must be pursued in order to arrive at a complete picture of the truth. Through an examination of Darwinism and karma, quantum mechanics and philosophical insight into the nature of reality, neurobiology and the study of consciousness, the Dalai Lama draws significant parallels between contemplative and scientific examinations of reality.
This breathtakingly personal examination is a tribute to the Dalai Lama’s teachers—both of science and spirituality. The legacy of this book is a vision of the world in which our different approaches to understanding ourselves, our universe, and one another can be brought together in the service of humanity.
How to See Yourself As You Really Are
(Paperback)
According to His Holiness the Dalai Lama, we each possess the ability to achieve happiness and a meaningful life, but the key to realizing that goal is self-knowledge. In How to See Yourself As You Really Are, the world\'s foremost Buddhist leader and recipient of the Nobel Peace Prize shows readers how to recognize and dispel misguided notions of self and embrace the world from a more realistic -- and loving -- perspective. Through illuminating explanations and step-by-step exercises, His Holiness helps readers to see the world as it actually exists, and explains how, through the interconnection of meditative concentration and love, true altruistic enlightenment is attained.
Enlivened by personal anecdotes and intimate accounts of the Dalai Lama\'s own life experiences, How to See Yourself As You Really Are is an inspirational and empowering guide that can be read and enjoyed by anyone seeking spiritual fulfillment.
A Path to Happiness: His Holiness the Dalai Lama
(DVD)
A PATH TO HAPPINESS: HIS HOLINESS THE DALAI LAMA LESSONS OF MEDITATION & COMPASSION
Considered one of the greatest influencers of our time, the Dalai Lama has spent his life teaching people how to be happy. Being happy is not only our right, he teaches, but is clearly the principle force that drives our lives. Our ability to attain a lasting happiness, however, is not so clear. The path of inner transformation begins with developing an understanding of our true nature. Once this door opens, one naturally develops a feeling of compassion and acceptance for oneself and others. In these difficult times, people are looking for answers to finding inner peace and happiness and arguably the greatest teacher shares important insights to getting there.
DETAILS OF PROGRAMS ON DVD:
MEDITATING WITH THE DALAI LAMA is a clear introduction to the nature and benefits of meditation. In a fun and easy going way, the Dalai Lama shows how to meditate and obtain mental happiness. This is the first step on the path to improving our capacity for joy, compassion and happiness.
THE POWER OF COMPASSION encourages us to forget our differences and focus on how we are fundamentally the same. So begins the path of compassion. Compassionate people are happier, calmer and healthier and create a pleasant environment for the family and community.
COMPASSION: THE BASIS OF HUMAN HAPPINESS goes into greater detail of how cultivating compassion for ourselves and others creates happiness. This allows us to be more sincere in our lives and allows others to do the same.
Contains nearly 4 hours of historic talks.
50% of the profits go to Tibetan Cultural Preservation Projects.
10 Questions for the Dalai Lama
(DVD)
How do you reconcile a commitment to non-violence when faced with violence? Why do the poor often seem happier than the rich? Must a society lose its traditions in order to move into the future? These are some of the questions posed to His Holiness the Dalai Lama by filmmaker and explorer Rick Ray. Ray examines some of the fundamental questions of our time by weaving together observations from his own journeys throughout India and the Middle East, and the wisdom of an extraordinary spiritual leader. This is his story, as told and filmed by Rick Ray during a private visit to his monastery in Dharamsala, India over the course of several months. Also included is rare historical footage as well as footage supplied by individuals who at great personal risk, filmed with hidden cameras within Tibet. Part biography, part philosophy, part adventure and part politics, \"10 Questions for The Dalai Lama\" conveys more than history and more than answers - it opens a window into the heart of an inspiring man. If you had only one hour, what would you ask?
Destructive Emotions: How Can We Overcome Them?: A Scientific Dialogue with the Dalai Lama
(Audio Cassette)
Imagine sitting with the Dalai Lama in his private meeting room with a small group of world-class scientists and philosophers. The talk is lively and fascinating, as these leading minds grapple with age-old questions of compelling contemporary urgency: Why do seemingly rational people commit acts of cruelty and violence? What are the root causes of destructive behavior? Can we learn to control the emotions that drive these impulses? Organized by the Mind and Life Institute, this rich encounter of science and spirit, East and West, brings together cutting-edge research in neuroscience, education, and psychology with the most sophisticated Buddhist practices for transforming negative emotions. Goleman, as scientific coordinator and narrator, also reveals the personalities behind the debates as the participants develop ideas for further collaboration and research. The startling results of one such project are scheduled to be announced publicly soon after this thought-provoking and ultimately hopeful book goes on sale.
Pro Opinions
Con Opinions
A blast from the past: Lamaism
Lamaism is far from being the serene religion it evolved into after losing all political power. Ancient Tibet was plunged into a living nightmare by the feudal theocracy. Tibet's Bon Traditions were wiped out violently and the country was ruled by the lamas, who 'redefined' Tibetan Identity. Every year, during Monlam Chenmo (the Great Prayer), monks from the three surrounding monasteries would pour into Lhasa to rape and plunder the terrified citizens, who hadn't managed to flee in terror. The exceptional spread of syphilis that the Chinese invaders propagated later on was partly due to the sexual perversions of "celibate" monks.
- Printer friendly version
- Login or register to post Pro/Con opinion
- Login or register to edit/add content to Guru profile
FREE TIBET
Free Tibet is the past of Tibet.