August28

Through My Eyes

Saturday August 28

(We continue to listen to the Dalai Lama as he tells of his visit to the holy sites of India!)

" He would also arrange for me to meet the Chinese minister.

Nehru was as good as his word and, the following morning, I went with him to Palam airport where he arranged for me to see Chou that evening. When we met again I found my old friend just as I remembered him: full of charm,smiles and deceit.But I did not respond to his artful manners. Instead, I told him quite straightforwardly of my concern about how the Chinese authorities were behaving in eastern Tibet. I also pointed out the marked difference I had noticed between the Indian Parliament and the Chinese system of government: the freedom of people in India to express themselves as they really felt and to criticise the Government if they thought it necessary. As usual, Chou listened carefully before replying with words that positively caressed the ear. ' You were present in China only at the time of the First Assembly,; he said. 'Since then, the Second Assembly has met and everything has changed immeasurably for the better.' I did not believe him, but it was useless to argue. Then he said that he had heard a rumour that I was considering staying in India. It would be a mistake, he warned. My country needed me. That was perhaps true, but I left feeling that we had resolved nothing.

My two brothers, Takster Rinpoche and Gyalo Thondup, also met with Chou, or 'Chew and Lie' as one Indian newspaper later called him, whilst he was in Delhi. They were even more forthright than I was and told him that they had no intention of returning to Lhasa, despite his entreaties with them to do so. Meanwhile, I began at last my pilgrimage to the holy places of India, during which I tried to put politics out of my mind. Unfortunately, I found it almost impossible to shake off anxious thoughts about the fate of my country. The Panchen Lama, who accompanied everywhere, was a constant reminder of our terrible situation. No longer was he the kind and humble boy I had known before: the constant pressure put on his adolescent mind by the Chinese had an inevitable effect.

Still, I found a few moments when I was able to give myself wholly to feelings of joy and veneration as I journeyed across the country from Sanchi to Ajanta, then to Bodh Gaya and Sarnath: I felt that I had returned to my spiritual home. Everything seemed somehow familiar.

In Bihar, I visited Nalanda, site of the greatest and most famous Buddhist university which had lain in ruins for hundreds of years. Many Tibetan scholars had studied there and now, as I looked at the pitiful piles of rubble that marked the birthplace of some of the most profound Buddhist thought, I saw again how true is the doctrine of Impermanence.

Finally, I reached Bodh Gaya. I was deeply moved to be at the very place where the Lord Buddha had attained Enlightenment. But my happiness did not last long. Whilst there, I received a message from my Chinese escorts saying that Chou En-lai was returning to Delhi and wanted to see me. Then in Sarnath, I received a telegram from General Chiang Chin-wu requesting that I return to Lhasa forthwith. Subversive reactionaries and imperialist collaborators were planning a revolt and my presence was required urgently, it said.

I returned to Delhi by train and was met by the Chinese Ambassador at the station. to the alarm of my Lord Chamberlain and my bodyguard, he insisted that I travel with him in his car to the Embassy, where I met with Chou En-lai. The two men feared that I might be kidnapped and when they reached the Embassy were uncertain as to whether I was really there or not, so they asked someone there to take a sweater up to me to see what their reaction was. Meanwhile, I was having a frank discussion with Chou. He told me that the situation in Tibet had deteriorated, indicating that the Chinese authorities were ready to use force to crush any popular uprising.

At this point I restated bluntly my concern at the way the Chinese were behaving in Tibet, forcing on us unwanted reforms, despite explicit assurances that they would do no such thing. Again he replied with great charm, saying that Chairman Mao had announced that no reform should be introduced in Tibet for at least the next six years. And if after that we were still not ready, they could be postponed for fifty years if necessary: China was only there to help us. Still I was not convinced. Chou continued, saying he understood that I was planning to pay a visit to Kalimpong. This was true. I had been asked to deliver teachings to the large Tibetan population that lived there. He strongly advised me not to do so as it was ' full of spies and reactionary elements.' He added that I should be careful of which Indian officials I trusted: that some were good, but that others were dangerous. Then he changed the subject. Would I, he asked, be prepared to return to Nalanda and, in my capacity as a representative of the People's Republic of China, present to the organisation there a cheque and a relic of T'ang Sen , the Chinese spiritual master? Knowing that Pandit Nehru would be present at this function, I accepted."

( It must have been incredible to be at some of those sacred places! 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 began the day in our studio spinning for you then working more on the weaving. I'm threading the bar that pulls one of the sets of warp threads up through the other. With us working two as one things are going quite well although there was a bit of trouble with the plies loosening until they were spun tightly enough. After that I headed up to the Grove to scythe around our trees and native plants and work on the fences a bit. It was very hot up there today so I rested in the shade from time to time. Then a thunderstorm hit and the rain came pouring down! It cooled things off wonderfully including me. Two as one we've made a lot of progress on our precious snow mountain. It's a good time to work on things like this before things get hectic with the winter preparations. Which reminds me. It's about time to work on the Grove pages; since it was so hectic this spring there wasn't time to work on them! After that I headed to our studio to work on our a land of Tibet. I'm going to put the pages up on our infosite; I'll put this up a bit earlier so 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 August 28 (We continue to listen to the Dalai Lama as he tells of his visit to the holy sites of India!) " He would also arrange for me to meet the Chinese minister. Nehru was as good as his word and, the following morning, I went with him to Palam airport where he arranged for me to see Chou that evening. When we met again I found my old friend just as I remembered him: full of charm,smiles and deceit.But I did not respond to his artful manners. Instead, I told him quite straightforwardly of my concern about how the Chinese authorities were behaving in eastern Tibet. I also pointed out the marked difference I had noticed between the Indian Parliament and the Chinese system of government: the freedom of people in India to express themselves as they really felt and to criticise the Government if they thought it necessary. As usual, Chou listened carefully before replying with words that positively caressed the ear. ' You were present in China only at the time of the First Assembly,; he said. 'Since then, the Second Assembly has met and everything has changed immeasurably for the better.' I did not believe him, but it was useless to argue. Then he said that he had heard a rumour that I was considering staying in India. It would be a mistake, he warned. My country needed me. That was perhaps true, but I left feeling that we had resolved nothing. My two brothers, Takster Rinpoche and Gyalo Thondup, also met with Chou, or 'Chew and Lie' as one Indian newspaper later called him, whilst he was in Delhi. They were even more forthright than I was and told him that they had no intention of returning to Lhasa, despite his entreaties with them to do so. Meanwhile, I began at last my pilgrimage to the holy places of India, during which I tried to put politics out of my mind. Unfortunately, I found it almost impossible to shake off anxious thoughts about the fate of my country. The Panchen Lama, who accompanied everywhere, was a constant reminder of our terrible situation. No longer was he the kind and humble boy I had known before: the constant pressure put on his adolescent mind by the Chinese had an inevitable effect. Still, I found a few moments when I was able to give myself wholly to feelings of joy and veneration as I journeyed across the country from Sanchi to Ajanta, then to Bodh Gaya and Sarnath: I felt that I had returned to my spiritual home. Everything seemed somehow familiar. In Bihar, I visited Nalanda, site of the greatest and most famous Buddhist university which had lain in ruins for hundreds of years. Many Tibetan scholars had studied there and now, as I looked at the pitiful piles of rubble that marked the birthplace of some of the most profound Buddhist thought, I saw again how true is the doctrine of Impermanence. Finally, I reached Bodh Gaya. I was deeply moved to be at the very place where the Lord Buddha had attained Enlightenment. But my happiness did not last long. Whilst there, I received a message from my Chinese escorts saying that Chou En-lai was returning to Delhi and wanted to see me. Then in Sarnath, I received a telegram from General Chiang Chin-wu requesting that I return to Lhasa forthwith. Subversive reactionaries and imperialist collaborators were planning a revolt and my presence was required urgently, it said. I returned to Delhi by train and was met by the Chinese Ambassador at the station. to the alarm of my Lord Chamberlain and my bodyguard, he insisted that I travel with him in his car to the Embassy, where I met with Chou En-lai. The two men feared that I might be kidnapped and when they reached the Embassy were uncertain as to whether I was really there or not, so they asked someone there to take a sweater up to me to see what their reaction was. Meanwhile, I was having a frank discussion with Chou. He told me that the situation in Tibet had deteriorated, indicating that the Chinese authorities were ready to use force to crush any popular uprising. At this point I restated bluntly my concern at the way the Chinese were behaving in Tibet, forcing on us unwanted reforms, despite explicit assurances that they would do no such thing. Again he replied with great charm, saying that Chairman Mao had announced that no reform should be introduced in Tibet for at least the next six years. And if after that we were still not ready, they could be postponed for fifty years if necessary: China was only there to help us. Still I was not convinced. Chou continued, saying he understood that I was planning to pay a visit to Kalimpong. This was true. I had been asked to deliver teachings to the large Tibetan population that lived there. He strongly advised me not to do so as it was ' full of spies and reactionary elements.' He added that I should be careful of which Indian officials I trusted: that some were good, but that others were dangerous. Then he changed the subject. Would I, he asked, be prepared to return to Nalanda and, in my capacity as a representative of the People's Republic of China, present to the organisation there a cheque and a relic of T'ang Sen , the Chinese spiritual master? Knowing that Pandit Nehru would be present at this function, I accepted." ( It must have been incredible to be at some of those sacred places! 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 began the day in our studio spinning for you then working more on the weaving. I'm threading the bar that pulls one of the sets of warp threads up through the other. With us working two as one things are going quite well although there was a bit of trouble with the plies loosening until they were spun tightly enough. After that I headed up to the Grove to scythe around our trees and native plants and work on the fences a bit. It was very hot up there today so I rested in the shade from time to time. Then a thunderstorm hit and the rain came pouring down! It cooled things off wonderfully including me. Two as one we've made a lot of progress on our precious snow mountain. It's a good time to work on things like this before things get hectic with the winter preparations. Which reminds me. It's about time to work on the Grove pages; since it was so hectic this spring there wasn't time to work on them! After that I headed to our studio to work on our a land of Tibet. I'm going to put the pages up on our infosite; I'll put this up a bit earlier so 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!)