January 1

Through My Eyes

Saturday January 1

(We continue to listen to Dalai Lama as he tells of another pilgrimage! )

" Again I was reminded of the power of brothers and sisters in high places to stop even religious activities if they chose to.

The urgency of opening a meaningful dialogue with the Chinese was brought home to me when I received a deputation from some other victims of communist expansionism. They were from East Turkestan, which had been overrun by China in 1949. We had much to talk about and spent many hours relating our experiences to one another. It transpired that the East Turkestani refugees were considerably more numerous than us and one of their leaders was a lawyer. This was at a time when there was not a single practitioner of allopathic medicine amongst the entire Tibetan population, let alone a qualified lawyer. We discussed at length the various ways we could carry on the struggle for freedom in our countries. Finally,we agreed to keep in close touch,which we do to this day, although the Tibetan cause has always attracted more publicity than theirs.

In December, I made the six-hour journey down to Delhi once more,this time as the first leg of a new pilgrimage. I wanted to spend more time at the places I had visited at the beginning of 1957. On my way I called on the Prime Minister once more. I was somewhat anxious of what he might have to say to me on account of the UN resolution and I half expected him to be annoyed. In fact, he congratulated me warmly. I began to see that, despite his occasional heavy handedness, he was a man of great magnanimity. And once again, I was reminded of the meaning of the word 'democracy'. Even though I had rejected his opinion, there was no change whatever in his attitude toward Tibetans. As a result, I felt more disposed than ever to listen to him. This was exactly contrary to my experience in China . Nehru did not smile much. He would sit quietly listening with that tremulous lower lip protruding slightly, before making his reply which was always frank and honest. Above all he gave me complete freedom to follow my own conscience. The Chinese, on the other hand, had always been full of smiles and deceit.

I also saw the Indian President, Dr. Rajendra Prasad, once more. I was his guest at Rastrapathi Bhavan, along with a Jain, Acharya Tulsi, towards whom I developed strong feelings of respect. As I had been on our first meeting back in 1956 , I was deeply impressed by the President's humility. His demeanour was something quite extraordinary and I was actually moved to tears. He seemed to me like a true Bodhisattva. The last time I saw him was in the garden of his residence. I went down very early in the morning for a walk and found that he was outside too, an old man, hunched and magnificent, in a large, black wheelchair.

From Delhi I proceeded to Bodh Gaya. Whilst there I received a deputation of sixty or more Tibetan refugees who were also making a pilgrimage. A very moving moment followed when their leaders came to me and pledged their lives in the continuing struggle for a free Tibet. After that, for the first time in my life, I ordained a group of 162 young Tibetans as bikshus. I felt greatly privileged to be able to do this at the Tibetan monastery which stands within sight of the Mahabodhi temple, next to the Bodhi Tree under which the Buddha finally attained Enlightenment.

I then travelled to Sarnath and the Deer Park, where the Buddha had preached his first sermon. With me I had a small retinue of staff, including Ling Rinpoche, Trijang Rinpoche and, of course, my Masters of the Robes, the Ritual and the Kitchen. On arrival, I found that something like two thousand Tibetan refugees, newly arrived through, Nepal, had assembled, knowing that I planned to give a teaching. They were in very poor condition, but I could see that they were facing their hardship with great spirit. Tibetans are indefatigable traders and already they had set up their stalls. Some were selling a few valuables they had managed to bring with them, others were selling old clothes. Many sold just tea. I was very much encouraged by their vigour in the face of such suffering. Each person could have told a tale of desperate hardship and cruelty, yet here they were making the best of what little life had to offer them.

This first week-long teaching in the Deer Park was a wonderful event for me. It meant a great deal to be able to give it in the very place where Buddha himself had taught 2,500 years before. During the course of it, I concentrated on the positive aspects of our ordeal. I reminded everyone of the Buddha's own words when he said that suffering is the first step towards liberation. There is an old Tibetan saying, too, that 'pain is something you measure pleasure by.'

Shortly after returning to Mussoorie, I learned that the Indian Government had plans to move me to permanent accommodation at a place called Dharamsala. This was unexpected news and quite alarming. I found Dharamsala on the map and discovered that it was another hill station, like Mussoorie, but in a considerably more remote location. On further investigation I was told that, unlike Mussoorie, which was only a few days from Delhi, Dharamsala was a whole days journey from the capital."

(Tibetans making the best of things! 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 a bit more on the printing block which with us working two as one pulling strongly and patiently together is going quite well! Then it was on to our sacred place for awhile. After that I wandered about taking pictures then headed up gang rinpoche ngah-tso gi to check our trees and native plants. Then I rested by your Medlar tree as usual before heading to our studio to work on our a land of Tibet. Two as one we've fixed a few more mistakes on the pages as usual. I'm going to put the pages up on our infosite;I'll put this up a bit early 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 January 1 (We continue to listen to Dalai Lama as he tells of another pilgrimage! ) " Again I was reminded of the power of brothers and sisters in high places to stop even religious activities if they chose to. The urgency of opening a meaningful dialogue with the Chinese was brought home to me when I received a deputation from some other victims of communist expansionism. They were from East Turkestan, which had been overrun by China in 1949. We had much to talk about and spent many hours relating our experiences to one another. It transpired that the East Turkestani refugees were considerably more numerous than us and one of their leaders was a lawyer. This was at a time when there was not a single practitioner of allopathic medicine amongst the entire Tibetan population, let alone a qualified lawyer. We discussed at length the various ways we could carry on the struggle for freedom in our countries. Finally,we agreed to keep in close touch,which we do to this day, although the Tibetan cause has always attracted more publicity than theirs. In December, I made the six-hour journey down to Delhi once more,this time as the first leg of a new pilgrimage. I wanted to spend more time at the places I had visited at the beginning of 1957. On my way I called on the Prime Minister once more. I was somewhat anxious of what he might have to say to me on account of the UN resolution and I half expected him to be annoyed. In fact, he congratulated me warmly. I began to see that, despite his occasional heavy handedness, he was a man of great magnanimity. And once again, I was reminded of the meaning of the word 'democracy'. Even though I had rejected his opinion, there was no change whatever in his attitude toward Tibetans. As a result, I felt more disposed than ever to listen to him. This was exactly contrary to my experience in China . Nehru did not smile much. He would sit quietly listening with that tremulous lower lip protruding slightly, before making his reply which was always frank and honest. Above all he gave me complete freedom to follow my own conscience. The Chinese, on the other hand, had always been full of smiles and deceit. I also saw the Indian President, Dr. Rajendra Prasad, once more. I was his guest at Rastrapathi Bhavan, along with a Jain, Acharya Tulsi, towards whom I developed strong feelings of respect. As I had been on our first meeting back in 1956 , I was deeply impressed by the President's humility. His demeanour was something quite extraordinary and I was actually moved to tears. He seemed to me like a true Bodhisattva. The last time I saw him was in the garden of his residence. I went down very early in the morning for a walk and found that he was outside too, an old man, hunched and magnificent, in a large, black wheelchair. From Delhi I proceeded to Bodh Gaya. Whilst there I received a deputation of sixty or more Tibetan refugees who were also making a pilgrimage. A very moving moment followed when their leaders came to me and pledged their lives in the continuing struggle for a free Tibet. After that, for the first time in my life, I ordained a group of 162 young Tibetans as bikshus. I felt greatly privileged to be able to do this at the Tibetan monastery which stands within sight of the Mahabodhi temple, next to the Bodhi Tree under which the Buddha finally attained Enlightenment. I then travelled to Sarnath and the Deer Park, where the Buddha had preached his first sermon. With me I had a small retinue of staff, including Ling Rinpoche, Trijang Rinpoche and, of course, my Masters of the Robes, the Ritual and the Kitchen. On arrival, I found that something like two thousand Tibetan refugees, newly arrived through, Nepal, had assembled, knowing that I planned to give a teaching. They were in very poor condition, but I could see that they were facing their hardship with great spirit. Tibetans are indefatigable traders and already they had set up their stalls. Some were selling a few valuables they had managed to bring with them, others were selling old clothes. Many sold just tea. I was very much encouraged by their vigour in the face of such suffering. Each person could have told a tale of desperate hardship and cruelty, yet here they were making the best of what little life had to offer them. This first week-long teaching in the Deer Park was a wonderful event for me. It meant a great deal to be able to give it in the very place where Buddha himself had taught 2,500 years before. During the course of it, I concentrated on the positive aspects of our ordeal. I reminded everyone of the Buddha's own words when he said that suffering is the first step towards liberation. There is an old Tibetan saying, too, that 'pain is something you measure pleasure by.' Shortly after returning to Mussoorie, I learned that the Indian Government had plans to move me to permanent accommodation at a place called Dharamsala. This was unexpected news and quite alarming. I found Dharamsala on the map and discovered that it was another hill station, like Mussoorie, but in a considerably more remote location. On further investigation I was told that, unlike Mussoorie, which was only a few days from Delhi, Dharamsala was a whole days journey from the capital." (Tibetans making the best of things! 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 a bit more on the printing block which with us working two as one pulling strongly and patiently together is going quite well! Then it was on to our sacred place for awhile. After that I wandered about taking pictures then headed up gang rinpoche ngah-tso gi to check our trees and native plants. Then I rested by your Medlar tree as usual before heading to our studio to work on our a land of Tibet. Two as one we've fixed a few more mistakes on the pages as usual. I'm going to put the pages up on our infosite;I'll put this up a bit early 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!)