Bluebird Namastetrying to live the artful yogini life but sometimes getting a little distracted

Thank god for the Dalai Lama

§ October 18th, 2007 § Filed under Uncategorized § 2 Comments

Today His Holiness the Dalai Lama received the congressional gold medal award in recognition of his advocacy for peace, human rights, non violence and compassion. President Bush even spoke at the ceremony, along with many other politicians, and all of them appealed to the Chinese government to meet with the Dalai Lama to discuss the autonomy of Tibet, his homeland that he is not allowed to enter and where people are in danger of losing their lives for simply having a picture of him. This occuring today shows how his message of being patient and waiting for things to right themselves, is slowly on its way. China has already protested this award and when President Bush was asked how he thought China would react to this, he stated that he has been consistent with his message to China that the US supports religious freedom.

He said something I agree with. And I respect. What a wonderful day.

In my Dharma class today, we learned about the Precious Human Life, one of my (so far) most loved topics in Buddhism. We recognize that we have precious human lives, that this is the life we are given. We recognize that we have clothing and shelter and food and in this priveleged culture, that often the thing holding us back from spiritual pursuits is just simply making the time. We recognize that we have a community to learn with and to support us on our path. And, in pondering these things, we recognize what a wonderful things it is to have someone like the Dalai Lama to look at, someone to aspire to be similar to. Most of us get angered and enraged when we are cut off in traffic. What if a powerful nation was trying to eradicate the culture and land you come from, a land you cannot even enter?

We had discussions about the first time we knew of the Dalai Lama and Tibet and what we think of him now. I recalled many years ago, watching those Tibetan Freedom concerts and reading interviews with MCA from the Beastie Boys about listening to monks chant and not wanting Mike D to bring food into his apartment because he was afraid it would attract bugs and then he would have to kill them. And then he started bringing chants into his songs he wrote. I didn’t know much about Tibet back then, I don’t think very many of us did, and that is actually one positive thing that MTV has done (besides that ‘I want my MTV’ video and that old show Remote Control) and this is one reason why the Beastie Boys are pretty cool.

When people talk of the Dalai Lama, the energy in the room raises, in a very positive and light way. Smiles come on people’s faces. He has a sense of humor and doesn’t like things to be really formal. He says he learned compassion from his mother.
He is not invested in more people becoming Buddhist, but in more people experiencing compassion.

Tenzin Jesse pointed out, when I spoke to my amazement at George Bush’s part in all of this (because he was not required to speak at this ceremony, but chose to), that the the Dalai Lama can bring people to recognize greater potential and compassion than they did before. George B and His Holiness have the same birthday, which I just found out.

And one pastor prayed to give thanks to the Dalai Lama. Thank god for the Dalai Lama! Isn’t that funny? I would also like to propose: “what would the Dalai Lama do?” And really, think about it, what would he do?