February 5

Through My Eyes

Saturday February 5

(We continue to listen to Dalai Lama as he tells of trekking in the mountains of India! )

"Less than an eighth of the original total was salvaged to form what came to be known as His Holiness the Dalai Lama's Charitable Trust, which was set up in 1964. However, if there is some sadness in this episode, I myself do not regret very much the way things turned out. In retrospect, it is clear that the treasure belonged to all the people of Tibet, not just the few who escaped into exile. We did not, therefore, have an exclusive right to it, no Karmic right. I was reminded of the example of Ling Rinpoche, who left his favourite watch behind on the night that we left Lhasa. He felt that by going into exile he was forfeiting his right to it. I now see that this was the correct view.

As to my own personal finances, whereas in the old days there were two offices to look after the financial affairs of the Dalai Lama, since 1959 there has been only one. This is the Private Office, which handles all of my income and expenditure, including my own allowance, which is paid in the form of a stipend by the Indian Government at the (unchanged) rate of 20 rupees a day: slightly more than a dollar, rather less than a pound. Theoretically, it pays for my food and clothing. As in former times, I have nothing directly to do with money, which is probably just as well as I have a suspicion that mine is a free-spending nature, although I know from my childhood that I can be very stingy over small amounts. However, I am of course able to direct how such funds as I personally receive are spent (for example, the Nobel Peace Prize money).

During that first summer in Dharamsala, I found time for some relaxation and took to playing badminton most evenings.(I often did not wear monks robes.) Then, during the winter,which was very severe, we all enjoyed playing in the snow. My elder sister and my mother were particularly enthusiastic participants in snowball fights, despite their age.

A more serious form of recreation was trekking in the nearby Dhauladar Range, whose highest mountain reaches to over seventeen thousand feet. I have always loved mountains. On one occasion, I climbed to a great height with a party consisting of my Tibetan bodyguards. At the top, we were all extremely tired, so I suggested we stop for some moments rest. As we sat breathlessly admiring the beautiful view, I noticed that we were being watched from a distance by one of the mountain dwellers native to the area: a small, dark-skinned, rather furtive looking man. He stood staring at us for a few minutes, then suddenly sat down on what looked like a small piece of wood and slid at great speed down the mountain. I looked on fascinated as he disappeared into a speck thousands of feet below. I suggested we try his method of descent.

Someone produced a rope and all ten of us joined ourselves together with it. Then we all did as our silent friend had done and sat either on pieces of wood or flat rocks and sped off down the slope. It was great fun, if rather dangerous. There was much bumping and subsequent bruising as we slammed into one another in a whoosh of streaming snow. Luckily no one was hurt, but thereafter I noticed a certain reluctance on the part of many of my attendants to venture beyond our base camps. My bodyguards in particular showed great hesitation whenever I announced a new expedition.

One other spare-time activity during this early period was my work with David Howarth, an English writer, on a book, My Land and My People, in which I gave a first hand account of my life.

In 1961, the Government published a synopsis of a Draft Constitution of Tibet. All members of the Tibetan population were invited to submit comments and criticisms. There were plenty of these. Mainly they referred to the important clause relating to the office of Dalai Lama. As a principal means of formalising the move away from theocracy to full democracy, I made provision for the National Assembly to be able to remove the incumbent from office given a two-thirds majority in favour. Unfortunately, the thought that the Dalai Lama could be deposed flabbergasted many Tibetans. I had to explain that democracy is very much in keeping with Buddhist principles and, somewhat autocratically perhaps, insisted that the clause be left in.

During the early part of that year, in addition to visiting the road gangs again, I paid my first visit to the new settlement at Bykakuppe. On arrival, I found the settlers all to be very dark and thin. I saw immediately why they had been so pessimistic. The camp consisted of nothing but a few tents on the edge of a forest and, although the countryside was just as I remembered it from my pilgrimage, the land itself did not look promising. Moreover, the heat from burning debris, combined with the heat of the sun, was almost unbearable."

( Recreation in exile! 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.

( 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 we two working as one pulling strongly and patiently together is going quite well! After that I wandered about for awhile taking pictures before heading up gang rinpoche ngah-tso gi to check our trees and native plants. Then I rested by your Medlar tree as usual before returning to our studio. It's almost time to begin pruning already! I'm going to get a left handed set of pruners so I can rest the wrist a bit. It's improving just fine although as expected it's taking awhile! I found a place that actually sells Tibetan herbal supplements and ordered some. It seems to helping already! Anyway after that I continued to work on the Grove pages then our a land of Tibet. You'll notice the usual changes on the pages. Two as one we've fixed a few more mistakes 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 February 5 (We continue to listen to Dalai Lama as he tells of trekking in the mountains of India! ) "Less than an eighth of the original total was salvaged to form what came to be known as His Holiness the Dalai Lama's Charitable Trust, which was set up in 1964. However, if there is some sadness in this episode, I myself do not regret very much the way things turned out. In retrospect, it is clear that the treasure belonged to all the people of Tibet, not just the few who escaped into exile. We did not, therefore, have an exclusive right to it, no Karmic right. I was reminded of the example of Ling Rinpoche, who left his favourite watch behind on the night that we left Lhasa. He felt that by going into exile he was forfeiting his right to it. I now see that this was the correct view. As to my own personal finances, whereas in the old days there were two offices to look after the financial affairs of the Dalai Lama, since 1959 there has been only one. This is the Private Office, which handles all of my income and expenditure, including my own allowance, which is paid in the form of a stipend by the Indian Government at the (unchanged) rate of 20 rupees a day: slightly more than a dollar, rather less than a pound. Theoretically, it pays for my food and clothing. As in former times, I have nothing directly to do with money, which is probably just as well as I have a suspicion that mine is a free-spending nature, although I know from my childhood that I can be very stingy over small amounts. However, I am of course able to direct how such funds as I personally receive are spent (for example, the Nobel Peace Prize money). During that first summer in Dharamsala, I found time for some relaxation and took to playing badminton most evenings.(I often did not wear monks robes.) Then, during the winter,which was very severe, we all enjoyed playing in the snow. My elder sister and my mother were particularly enthusiastic participants in snowball fights, despite their age. A more serious form of recreation was trekking in the nearby Dhauladar Range, whose highest mountain reaches to over seventeen thousand feet. I have always loved mountains. On one occasion, I climbed to a great height with a party consisting of my Tibetan bodyguards. At the top, we were all extremely tired, so I suggested we stop for some moments rest. As we sat breathlessly admiring the beautiful view, I noticed that we were being watched from a distance by one of the mountain dwellers native to the area: a small, dark-skinned, rather furtive looking man. He stood staring at us for a few minutes, then suddenly sat down on what looked like a small piece of wood and slid at great speed down the mountain. I looked on fascinated as he disappeared into a speck thousands of feet below. I suggested we try his method of descent. Someone produced a rope and all ten of us joined ourselves together with it. Then we all did as our silent friend had done and sat either on pieces of wood or flat rocks and sped off down the slope. It was great fun, if rather dangerous. There was much bumping and subsequent bruising as we slammed into one another in a whoosh of streaming snow. Luckily no one was hurt, but thereafter I noticed a certain reluctance on the part of many of my attendants to venture beyond our base camps. My bodyguards in particular showed great hesitation whenever I announced a new expedition. One other spare-time activity during this early period was my work with David Howarth, an English writer, on a book, My Land and My People, in which I gave a first hand account of my life. In 1961, the Government published a synopsis of a Draft Constitution of Tibet. All members of the Tibetan population were invited to submit comments and criticisms. There were plenty of these. Mainly they referred to the important clause relating to the office of Dalai Lama. As a principal means of formalising the move away from theocracy to full democracy, I made provision for the National Assembly to be able to remove the incumbent from office given a two-thirds majority in favour. Unfortunately, the thought that the Dalai Lama could be deposed flabbergasted many Tibetans. I had to explain that democracy is very much in keeping with Buddhist principles and, somewhat autocratically perhaps, insisted that the clause be left in. During the early part of that year, in addition to visiting the road gangs again, I paid my first visit to the new settlement at Bykakuppe. On arrival, I found the settlers all to be very dark and thin. I saw immediately why they had been so pessimistic. The camp consisted of nothing but a few tents on the edge of a forest and, although the countryside was just as I remembered it from my pilgrimage, the land itself did not look promising. Moreover, the heat from burning debris, combined with the heat of the sun, was almost unbearable." ( Recreation in exile! 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. ( 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 we two working as one pulling strongly and patiently together is going quite well! After that I wandered about for awhile taking pictures before heading up gang rinpoche ngah-tso gi to check our trees and native plants. Then I rested by your Medlar tree as usual before returning to our studio. It's almost time to begin pruning already! I'm going to get a left handed set of pruners so I can rest the wrist a bit. It's improving just fine although as expected it's taking awhile! I found a place that actually sells Tibetan herbal supplements and ordered some. It seems to helping already! Anyway after that I continued to work on the Grove pages then our a land of Tibet. You'll notice the usual changes on the pages. Two as one we've fixed a few more mistakes 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!)