August 13

Through My Eyes

Saturday August 13

(We continue to listen to the Dalai Lama as he tells of his journey to Russia and Buryatia!)

" A date in August was set for the departure of the delegation.

Meanwhile, I left for Moscow en route to Mongolia in early June. On arrival I felt as if I was back in a familiar world. I recognised at once the same repressive atmosphere that I had come to know so well in China. But it did not put me off, for I could see that the people I met were essentially good and kind- and surprisingly naive. This last observation was brought home to me when a journalist from one of the Russian daily newspapers came to interview me. All his questions were clearly designed to extract compliments. If I said anything that was not supportive of the Government or if my answers were not exactly what he was looking for, he gave me angry looks. On another occasion, a journalist, having come to the end of his prepared list of questions, became quite humble and said with total simplicity, 'What do you think I should ask you now?'

Whenever I went in Moscow, I saw this same charm beneath surface conformity. It was further confirmation of my belief that nobody anywhere in the world consciously wants suffering. At the same time, I was reminded of the importance of contact with people on a personal level: I could see for myself that the Russians were not monsters any more than the Chinese or the British or the Americans are. I was particularly touched by the warmth of my receptions by members of the Russian Orthodox Church.

From Moscow I journeyed to the Buryat Republic, where I spent a day at a Buddhist monastery. Although I was unable to communicate directly with anyone, I found I could understand their prayers as these were said in Tibetan, rather as Catholics all over the world use Latin. The monks also wrote in Tibetan. On top of this I discovered that we could converse very well with our eyes. As I entered the monastery, I noticed that many of the monks and lay people in the congregation were in tears. This was just the sort of spontaneous expression that Tibetans are prone to and I felt immediate kinship.

The monastery in Ulan Ude, the capital of Buryat, was one of the most remarkable things I saw in the USSR. It had been built in 1945, when Stalin was at the height of his power. I did not see how this could be, but it helped me to realise that spirituality is so deeply rooted in the human mind that it is very difficult if not totally impossible, to eradicate. Like my own countrymen and women, the people of Buryat had suffered horribly for their faith, and for an even longer period of time. Yet everywhere I went, I found clear evidence that, given the slightest opportunity, their spiritual life flourished.

This deepened my conviction that it is vital for there to be dialogue between Buddhism and Marxism, where it survives, as indeed there must be between all religions and any form of materialist ideology. The two approaches to life are so obviously complementary. It is sad that people tend to think of them as being in opposition. If materialism and technology really are the answers to all of humanity's problems, the most advanced industrial societies would by now be full of smiling faces. But they are not. Equally, if people were meant only to be concerned with matters of spirituality, we would all be living joyously according to their religious beliefs. But then there would be no progress. Both material and spiritual development are required. And humanity must not stagnate, for that is a kind of death.

From Ulan Ude, I flew to Ulat Bator, the capital of the Republic of Mongolia, where I was met by a group of monks who gave me an emotional welcome. However, the joy and spontaneity with which I was greeted were evidently not approved of by the authorities. On that first day, people pressed in from all sides, trying to touch me. But next morning, I found everyone behaving as if they were statues and I noticed tears in their eyes. No one came near me when I visited the house where my predecessor had stayed at the beginning of this century. Later though, one person did manage secretly to defy officialdom. As I left a museum, I felt something very curious in the handshake of a man standing at the gate. On looking down, I realised that he was pressing a small rosary into my hand for blessing. Seeing this, I felt simultaneously great sorrow and compassion.

It was in this museum that I happened to notice a picture showing a monk with a huge mouth into which nomads were walking with their cattle. It was obviously intended as anti-religious propaganda. So I said there was no need to hide anything from me. There was a certain amount of truth in what the picture was saying. Such facts should not be shied away from. Every religion has the capacity to do harm, to exploit people as this image suggested. This is not the fault of the religion itself, but the fault of the people who practise it."

( It would have taken incredible courage to build a monastery during the horrible repression of Stalin's regime! 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 worked on the printing block which with we two working as one pulling strongly and patiently together is going quite well! After that it was time to set up the water line to Mom's garden. Two as one we've completed this! There's more of the system that we can assemble to water the trees and native plants near the studio if the dry period lasts awhile After that I returned to our studio to draw and work with the clay. Then I listened to the Tibetan language tapes. We've noticed that some of the words are pronounced differently than I thought so we'll change this when we read from our Tibetan language book. Tibetan sounds somewhat different than I thought. The syllables are very short and distinct. This is probably to save breath for walking at high altitudes! It's very rhythmic and changes pitch a lot so it's wonderful to listen to! Anyway,after that we headed out to help Mom water the garden. It worked just fine! We only got a few tenths of an inch of rain so it helped a lot! After that I returned to our studio to work on our a land of Tibet. Two as one we've fixed a few more mistakes on the pages including the ones from our reading from the Dalai Lama's book last week! I'm going to put the pages up on our infosite; I'll put this up for now 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 13 (We continue to listen to the Dalai Lama as he tells of his journey to Russia and Buryatia!) " A date in August was set for the departure of the delegation. Meanwhile, I left for Moscow en route to Mongolia in early June. On arrival I felt as if I was back in a familiar world. I recognised at once the same repressive atmosphere that I had come to know so well in China. But it did not put me off, for I could see that the people I met were essentially good and kind- and surprisingly naive. This last observation was brought home to me when a journalist from one of the Russian daily newspapers came to interview me. All his questions were clearly designed to extract compliments. If I said anything that was not supportive of the Government or if my answers were not exactly what he was looking for, he gave me angry looks. On another occasion, a journalist, having come to the end of his prepared list of questions, became quite humble and said with total simplicity, 'What do you think I should ask you now?' Whenever I went in Moscow, I saw this same charm beneath surface conformity. It was further confirmation of my belief that nobody anywhere in the world consciously wants suffering. At the same time, I was reminded of the importance of contact with people on a personal level: I could see for myself that the Russians were not monsters any more than the Chinese or the British or the Americans are. I was particularly touched by the warmth of my receptions by members of the Russian Orthodox Church. From Moscow I journeyed to the Buryat Republic, where I spent a day at a Buddhist monastery. Although I was unable to communicate directly with anyone, I found I could understand their prayers as these were said in Tibetan, rather as Catholics all over the world use Latin. The monks also wrote in Tibetan. On top of this I discovered that we could converse very well with our eyes. As I entered the monastery, I noticed that many of the monks and lay people in the congregation were in tears. This was just the sort of spontaneous expression that Tibetans are prone to and I felt immediate kinship. The monastery in Ulan Ude, the capital of Buryat, was one of the most remarkable things I saw in the USSR. It had been built in 1945, when Stalin was at the height of his power. I did not see how this could be, but it helped me to realise that spirituality is so deeply rooted in the human mind that it is very difficult if not totally impossible, to eradicate. Like my own countrymen and women, the people of Buryat had suffered horribly for their faith, and for an even longer period of time. Yet everywhere I went, I found clear evidence that, given the slightest opportunity, their spiritual life flourished. This deepened my conviction that it is vital for there to be dialogue between Buddhism and Marxism, where it survives, as indeed there must be between all religions and any form of materialist ideology. The two approaches to life are so obviously complementary. It is sad that people tend to think of them as being in opposition. If materialism and technology really are the answers to all of humanity's problems, the most advanced industrial societies would by now be full of smiling faces. But they are not. Equally, if people were meant only to be concerned with matters of spirituality, we would all be living joyously according to their religious beliefs. But then there would be no progress. Both material and spiritual development are required. And humanity must not stagnate, for that is a kind of death. From Ulan Ude, I flew to Ulat Bator, the capital of the Republic of Mongolia, where I was met by a group of monks who gave me an emotional welcome. However, the joy and spontaneity with which I was greeted were evidently not approved of by the authorities. On that first day, people pressed in from all sides, trying to touch me. But next morning, I found everyone behaving as if they were statues and I noticed tears in their eyes. No one came near me when I visited the house where my predecessor had stayed at the beginning of this century. Later though, one person did manage secretly to defy officialdom. As I left a museum, I felt something very curious in the handshake of a man standing at the gate. On looking down, I realised that he was pressing a small rosary into my hand for blessing. Seeing this, I felt simultaneously great sorrow and compassion. It was in this museum that I happened to notice a picture showing a monk with a huge mouth into which nomads were walking with their cattle. It was obviously intended as anti-religious propaganda. So I said there was no need to hide anything from me. There was a certain amount of truth in what the picture was saying. Such facts should not be shied away from. Every religion has the capacity to do harm, to exploit people as this image suggested. This is not the fault of the religion itself, but the fault of the people who practise it." ( It would have taken incredible courage to build a monastery during the horrible repression of Stalin's regime! 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 worked on the printing block which with we two working as one pulling strongly and patiently together is going quite well! After that it was time to set up the water line to Mom's garden. Two as one we've completed this! There's more of the system that we can assemble to water the trees and native plants near the studio if the dry period lasts awhile After that I returned to our studio to draw and work with the clay. Then I listened to the Tibetan language tapes. We've noticed that some of the words are pronounced differently than I thought so we'll change this when we read from our Tibetan language book. Tibetan sounds somewhat different than I thought. The syllables are very short and distinct. This is probably to save breath for walking at high altitudes! It's very rhythmic and changes pitch a lot so it's wonderful to listen to! Anyway,after that we headed out to help Mom water the garden. It worked just fine! We only got a few tenths of an inch of rain so it helped a lot! After that I returned to our studio to work on our a land of Tibet. Two as one we've fixed a few more mistakes on the pages including the ones from our reading from the Dalai Lama's book last week! I'm going to put the pages up on our infosite; I'll put this up for now 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!)