September 6

Through My Eyes

Saturday September 6

(We continue listening to the Dalai Lama as he describes the beginning of his life as the spiritual leader of Tibet.)

" As soon as the search party had concluded that the child from Takster was the true incarnation of the Dalai Lama, word was sent back to Lhasa informing the Regent. It would be several weeks before official confirmation was received. Until then I was to remain at home. In the meantime, Ma Pu-feng the local Governor began to make trouble. But eventually I was taken by my parents to Kumbum monastery, where I was installed in a ceremony that took place at dawn. I remember this fact particularly as I was surprised to be woken and dressed before the sun had risen. I also remember being seated on a throne.

There now began a somewhat unhappy period of my life. My parents did not stay long and soon I was alone amongst these new and unfamiliar surroundings. It is very hard for a small child to be separated from its parents. However, there were two consolations to life at the monastery. First, my immediate elder brother Lobsang Samten was already there. Despite being only three years older than me , he took good care of me and we soon became firm friends. The second consolation was the fact that his teacher was a very kind old monk, who often held me inside his gown. On one occasion I recall that he gave me a peach. Yet for the most part I was quite unhappy. I did not understand what it meant to be Dalai Lama . As far as I knew, I was just one small boy among many. It was not unusual for children to enter the monastery at a very young age and I was treated just the same as all the others.

A more painful memory is of one of my uncles, who was a monk at Kumbum. One evening whilst he sat reading his prayers, I upset his book of scripture. As they still are today, this book was loose-leafed and the pages went everywhere. My father's brother picked me up and slapped me hard. He was extremely angry and I was terrified. For literally years afterwards I was haunted by his very dark, pock marked face and fierce moustache. Thereafter, whenever I caught sight of him, I became very frightened.

When it became clear that I would eventually be reunited with my parents and that together we would journey to Lhasa, I began to look to the future with more enthusiasm. As any child would be, I was thrilled at the prospect of travel. This did not come abut for some eighteen months, however, because Ma Pu-Feng refused to let me be taken to Lhasa without payment of a large ransom. And having received it, he demanded more, although he did not get it. It was thus not until the summer of 1939 that I left for the capital.

While eventually the great day dawned, a week after my fourth birthday, I remember a tremendous feeling of optimism. The party was large. Not only did it consist of my parents and my brother Lobsang Samten but the members of the search party and a number of pilgrims came too. There were also several government officials in attendance together with a great number of muleteers and scouts. These men spent their lives working the caravan routes of Tibet and were indispensable to any long journey. They knew exactly where to cross each river and how much time it took to climb the mountain passes."

(A difficult beginning even for an reincarnated lama! I promise to add more tomorrow...)

*( please click here to read of the day with me )

* This is from the book Freedom in Exile The Autobiography of the Dalai Lama by Tenzin Gyatso, the fourteenth

Dalai Lama of Tibet.

Through my eyes

( Please see my spinning for you!.)

( Tahshi Deleh gentle one! Kehrahng kusu debo yinpeh? I picked up the wood for the studio repairs in the morning and then continued scything in the field and bringing up mulch. I got a lot done! The skies were beautiful and I saw several praying mantis in the field. The days are a shorter now and it was evening before I knew it. So I'll work on the outside of the studio tomorrow. I did manage to pick some more aronias and grapes and brought down a handful. Not a bad start! It occurs to me that referring to our friends that sing the night sounds as tiny may not be accurate. After all, I've never seen them. And in the energy sense,they are quite mighty! It took me awhile to put up the pages last night as I was struggling a bit so it was really late! I'll put this up now so that we can rest.

And so, as always we'll continue two as one on to tomorrow

my one gentle beautiful patient swift dream bright

long dark mane in sunlight

so for now I bid goodnight...Simjah Nahngo!)


	Through My Eyes Saturday September 6 (We continue listening to the Dalai Lama as he describes the beginning of his life as the spiritual leader of Tibet.) " As soon as the search party had concluded that the child from Takster was the true incarnation of the Dalai Lama, word was sent back to Lhasa informing the Regent. It would be several weeks before official confirmation was received. Until then I was to remain at home. In the meantime, Ma Pu-feng the local Governor began to make trouble. But eventually I was taken by my parents to Kumbum monastery, where I was installed in a ceremony that took place at dawn. I remember this fact particularly as I was surprised to be woken and dressed before the sun had risen. I also remember being seated on a throne. There now began a somewhat unhappy period of my life. My parents did not stay long and soon I was alone amongst these new and unfamiliar surroundings. It is very hard for a small child to be separated from its parents. However, there were two consolations to life at the monastery. First, my immediate elder brother Lobsang Samten was already there. Despite being only three years older than me , he took good care of me and we soon became firm friends. The second consolation was the fact that his teacher was a very kind old monk, who often held me inside his gown. On one occasion I recall that he gave me a peach. Yet for the most part I was quite unhappy. I did not understand what it meant to be Dalai Lama . As far as I knew, I was just one small boy among many. It was not unusual for children to enter the monastery at a very young age and I was treated just the same as all the others. A more painful memory is of one of my uncles, who was a monk at Kumbum. One evening whilst he sat reading his prayers, I upset his book of scripture. As they still are today, this book was loose-leafed and the pages went everywhere. My father's brother picked me up and slapped me hard. He was extremely angry and I was terrified. For literally years afterwards I was haunted by his very dark, pock marked face and fierce moustache. Thereafter, whenever I caught sight of him, I became very frightened. When it became clear that I would eventually be reunited with my parents and that together we would journey to Lhasa, I began to look to the future with more enthusiasm. As any child would be, I was thrilled at the prospect of travel. This did not come abut for some eighteen months, however, because Ma Pu-Feng refused to let me be taken to Lhasa without payment of a large ransom. And having received it, he demanded more, although he did not get it. It was thus not until the summer of 1939 that I left for the capital. While eventually the great day dawned, a week after my fourth birthday, I remember a tremendous feeling of optimism. The party was large. Not only did it consist of my parents and my brother Lobsang Samten but the members of the search party and a number of pilgrims came too. There were also several government officials in attendance together with a great number of muleteers and scouts. These men spent their lives working the caravan routes of Tibet and were indispensable to any long journey. They knew exactly where to cross each river and how much time it took to climb the mountain passes." (A difficult beginning even for an reincarnated lama! I promise to add more tomorrow...) ( please click here to read of the day with me ) This is from the book Freedom in Exile The Autobiography of the Dalai Lama by Tenzin Gyatso, the fourteenth Dalai Lama of Tibet. Through my eyes ( Please see my spinning for you!.) ( Tahshi Deleh gentle one! Kehrahng kusu debo yinpeh? I picked up the wood for the studio repairs in the morning and then continued scything in the field and bringing up mulch. I got a lot done! The skies were beautiful and I saw several praying mantis in the field. The days are a shorter now and it was evening before I knew it. So I'll work on the outside of the studio tomorrow. I did manage to pick some more aronias and grapes and brought down a handful. Not a bad start! It occurs to me that referring to our friends that sing the night sounds as tiny may not be accurate. After all, I've never seen them. And in the energy sense,they are quite mighty! It took me awhile to put up the pages last night as I was struggling a bit so it was really late! I'll put this up now so that we can rest. And so, as always we'll continue two as one on to tomorrow my one gentle beautiful patient swift dream bright long dark mane in sunlight so for now I bid goodnight...Simjah Nahngo!)