Dalai Lama and a return to serfdom
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Dalai Lama and a return to serfdom
A friend of mine keeps insisting that His Holiness wishes to return Tibet to its old feudal system. I feel like I have seen a direct quote from him insisting this is not the case but am unable to find it. Does anyone know where I can find it?
Re: Dalai Lama and a return to serfdom
Your friend is only parroting the narrative of the Chinese government, which seems to be completely untrue:
https://freetibet.org/about/dalai-lama
Within that link you can find:
https://freetibet.org/about/dalai-lama
Within that link you can find:
...China strongly criticises the Dalai Lama both inside and outside Tibet. It accuses him of seeking to rule Tibet and being a “splittist” who seeks Tibetan independence. His image is banned inside Tibet and Tibetans may be jailed for calling for his long life or publicly praising him. In jail, as well as in religious institutions, Tibetans are frequently ordered to denounce the Dalai Lama.
The Dalai Lama has passed all political power in the exile Tibetan community to a democratically elected parliament and prime minister. While he continues to advocate for the preservation of Tibet’s religion, culture, language and environment, he does not support Tibetan independence and has proposed a Middle Way Approach, in which Tibet remains a part of the People’s Republic of China but has greater control of its own affairs...
Re: Dalai Lama and a return to serfdom
See the HHDL's autobiography, Freedom in Exile. Also, look into his views on his political role (abdicated) and the role of the Tibetan government in exile. I don't think its possible to sum up his views with a few pithy quotes. His views are too nuanced for social media.Dharmadale wrote: ↑Wed Feb 09, 2022 9:50 am A friend of mine keeps insisting that His Holiness wishes to return Tibet to its old feudal system. I feel like I have seen a direct quote from him insisting this is not the case but am unable to find it. Does anyone know where I can find it?
Some points from Chapter 14 of his autobiography:
Five Point Peace Plan:
1. The transformation of the whole of Tibet into a zone of peace.
2. Abandonment of China's population transfer policy which threatens the very existence of the Tibetans as a people.
3. Respect for the Tibetan people's fundamental human rights and democratic freedom.
4. Restoration and protection of Tibet's natural environment and the abandonment of China's use of Tibet for the production of nuclear weapons and dumping of nuclear waste.
5. Commencement of earnest negotiations on the future status of Tibet and of relations between Tibetan and Chinese peoples.
Fundamentally, I think HHDL wants to see Tibetans exercise self-determination.
I recall hearing, or reading, his ideal version has Tibet becoming a realm for spiritual cultivation as a resource for the world. My sense of this is - we have banking centers, industrial centers - how about a place where people can go to deeply cultivate the spiritual life. Taking the example of Buddhist training grounds like Enryakuji in Japan which encompasses an entire mountain to the northeast of Kyoto, except making the entire Tibetan Plateau such a training ground.
Whatever the case - if anyone takes the time to observe and listen to what he has to say, and what he has consistently said over the course of his entire public career, and backed up with his actions, he would not want any sentient being to suffer in bondage and rather would establish circumstances for the flourishing of each.
Your friend is ignorant, I'm afraid.
There is no suffering to be severed. Ignorance and klesas are indivisible from bodhi. There is no cause of suffering to be abandoned. Since extremes and the false are the Middle and genuine, there is no path to be practiced. Samsara is nirvana. No severance achieved. No suffering nor its cause. No path, no end. There is no transcendent realm; there is only the one true aspect. There is nothing separate from the true aspect.
-Guanding, Perfect and Sudden Contemplation,
-Guanding, Perfect and Sudden Contemplation,
Re: Dalai Lama and a return to serfdom
Wasn't 90% of the land in Tibet owned by 9 families? It had some very serious problems. Chinese propaganda needs to be taken with a grain of salt, but so to the proclamations of the elites who fled.
Re: Dalai Lama and a return to serfdom
Yes, but we're talking about HHDL's ideas for Tibet. I don't think he supports restoration of pre-occupation Tibet. It would be a very different place. Just as Zionism hasn't rebuilt the Temple and restored the Cohens as priests.
There is no suffering to be severed. Ignorance and klesas are indivisible from bodhi. There is no cause of suffering to be abandoned. Since extremes and the false are the Middle and genuine, there is no path to be practiced. Samsara is nirvana. No severance achieved. No suffering nor its cause. No path, no end. There is no transcendent realm; there is only the one true aspect. There is nothing separate from the true aspect.
-Guanding, Perfect and Sudden Contemplation,
-Guanding, Perfect and Sudden Contemplation,
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Re: Dalai Lama and a return to serfdom
Thanks everyone, I am aware my friend is parroting Chinese propaganda, he himself is a communist so it's not so surprising. I just thought I had a memory of him addressing the issue directly in a 'pithy', perhaps during an interview or some such thing
Re: Dalai Lama and a return to serfdom
He stepped down as political leader because he's explicitly against serfdom.
Here's an article from 2011
Here's an article from 2011
https://www.nbcnews.com/id/wbna42001181"As early as the 1960s, I have repeatedly stressed that Tibetans need a leader, elected freely by the Tibetan people, to whom I can devolve power," the Dalai Lama said in a prepared speech on the anniversary of the 1959 Tibetan uprising against Chinese control. "Now, we have clearly reached the time to put this into effect."
Happy Pride month to my queer dharma siblings!
What do you see when you turn out the lights?
What do you see when you turn out the lights?
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Re: Dalai Lama and a return to serfdom
Most of the time I’ve seen him talk about politics he seems broadly in favor of democracy, though in a pretty non-specific way.Dharmadale wrote: ↑Wed Feb 09, 2022 5:55 pm Thanks everyone, I am aware my friend is parroting Chinese propaganda, he himself is a communist so it's not so surprising. I just thought I had a memory of him addressing the issue directly in a 'pithy', perhaps during an interview or some such thing
I think the larger claim of anti-Vajrayana people and propagandists generally is that the whole setup is “feudal”. Often it’s code for “primitive”, among other things. Often it’s a way to devalue a whole culture by basically saying it is outmoded and ignorant, and in need of updating. Straight out of the colonial book, actually.
Meditate upon Bodhicitta when afflicted by disease
Meditate upon Bodhicitta when sad
Meditate upon Bodhicitta when suffering occurs
Meditate upon Bodhicitta when you are scared
-Khunu Lama
Meditate upon Bodhicitta when sad
Meditate upon Bodhicitta when suffering occurs
Meditate upon Bodhicitta when you are scared
-Khunu Lama
Re: Dalai Lama and a return to serfdom
Ridiculous statement since he been pushing for a democratic Tibet since he came out of Tibet. He wrote a book in the 60’s about this. Sorry can’t remember the name.Dharmadale wrote: ↑Wed Feb 09, 2022 9:50 am A friend of mine keeps insisting that His Holiness wishes to return Tibet to its old feudal system. I feel like I have seen a direct quote from him insisting this is not the case but am unable to find it. Does anyone know where I can find it?
/magnus
"We are all here to help each other go through this thing, whatever it is."
~Kurt Vonnegut
"The principal practice is Guruyoga. But we need to understand that any secondary practice combined with Guruyoga becomes a principal practice." ChNNR (Teachings on Thun and Ganapuja)
~Kurt Vonnegut
"The principal practice is Guruyoga. But we need to understand that any secondary practice combined with Guruyoga becomes a principal practice." ChNNR (Teachings on Thun and Ganapuja)
Re: Dalai Lama and a return to serfdom
Exactly. That stance is poorly hidden racism.Johnny Dangerous wrote: ↑Wed Feb 09, 2022 6:05 pmMost of the time I’ve seen him talk about politics he seems broadly in favor of democracy, though in a pretty non-specific way.Dharmadale wrote: ↑Wed Feb 09, 2022 5:55 pm Thanks everyone, I am aware my friend is parroting Chinese propaganda, he himself is a communist so it's not so surprising. I just thought I had a memory of him addressing the issue directly in a 'pithy', perhaps during an interview or some such thing
I think the larger claim of anti-Vajrayana people and propagandists generally is that the whole setup is “feudal”. Often it’s code for “primitive”, among other things. Often it’s a way to devalue a whole culture by basically saying it is outmoded and ignorant, and in need of updating. Straight out of the colonial book, actually.
Re: Dalai Lama and a return to serfdom
HHDL resigned from politics and from his role as the government head. He advocates for democracy. The Tibetan Authorities today is governed by democratically elected politicians.Dharmadale wrote: ↑Wed Feb 09, 2022 9:50 am A friend of mine keeps insisting that His Holiness wishes to return Tibet to its old feudal system. I feel like I have seen a direct quote from him insisting this is not the case but am unable to find it. Does anyone know where I can find it?
So your friend is just in contrast with reality.
IF YOU PRACTICE WITH A STRONG BELIEF IN WHAT
YOU ARE DOING, THEN THERE IS NO LIMIT TO WHAT
YOU CAN ACCOMPLISH WITH YOUR PRACTICE.
CHAKUNG JIGME WANGDRAK RINPOCHE
YOU ARE DOING, THEN THERE IS NO LIMIT TO WHAT
YOU CAN ACCOMPLISH WITH YOUR PRACTICE.
CHAKUNG JIGME WANGDRAK RINPOCHE
Re: Dalai Lama and a return to serfdom
Chinse communists are never giving back Tibet. It's a lost cause unfortunately.
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Re: Dalai Lama and a return to serfdom
I know he has identified himself as a Marxist a few times, perhaps that is as close as I can get
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Re: Dalai Lama and a return to serfdom
His Holiness the Dalai Lama worked hard to create a democratic system for the TGIE (Tibetan Gov. in Exile). He removed himself from a government position.
Let me be clear, I'm a Ganden practitioner (Gelukpa), but I am vehemently against the combination of Church and State. I don't think the Ganden Phodrang should be in charge of the TGIE so I'm glad to see what HHDL has done.
Also, Tibet was horribly feudal. That is undeniable. It had the pure Buddhist teachings, but it was run by a feudal Game of Thrones style government. But the CCP made it WORSE.
So, again, His Holiness's actions to separate Church and State, and to develop a democratic system for the TGIE is AWESOME. By doing this, he is working to fix the problems that existed pre-1959 in Tibet.
Cheers!
Let me be clear, I'm a Ganden practitioner (Gelukpa), but I am vehemently against the combination of Church and State. I don't think the Ganden Phodrang should be in charge of the TGIE so I'm glad to see what HHDL has done.
Also, Tibet was horribly feudal. That is undeniable. It had the pure Buddhist teachings, but it was run by a feudal Game of Thrones style government. But the CCP made it WORSE.
So, again, His Holiness's actions to separate Church and State, and to develop a democratic system for the TGIE is AWESOME. By doing this, he is working to fix the problems that existed pre-1959 in Tibet.
Cheers!
Re: Dalai Lama and a return to serfdom
Amen.
I think, the opinions of Dharmadale's friend have been discussed sufficiently at this place.
I think, the opinions of Dharmadale's friend have been discussed sufficiently at this place.