March 26

Through My Eyes

Saturday March 26

(We continue to listen to the Dalai Lama as he tells of the founding of the Tibetan Library and museum! )

" Today as we begin our fourth decade in exile, there is a thriving monastic commmunity over six thousand strong. I would even go so far as to say that we have too many monks: after all, it is the quality and dedication of these people that counts, not their numbers.

Another cultural enterprise begun towards the end of the 1960s was the Library of Tibetan Works and Archives, which not only contains more than forty thousand original Tibetan volumes but is also involved in publishing both English-language and Tibetan books. this year, 1920, it published it's 200th English title. The Library building is constructed in traditional Tibetan style and, besides housing literature, also contains a museum that is stocked with many items brought to India by the refugees. Of the few possessions that people were able to bring with them, a lot took thangkas, books of scripture and other religious artifacts rather than things of a more practical nature. Many of these they characteristically offered to the Dalai Lama. I in turn passed items on to these organisations.

Just before actually moving in to Bryn Cottage, I became very ill for a number of weeks. On returning to Dharamsala in early 1966, after the cessation of conflict between India and Pakistan, I had taken enthusiastically to my new, vegetarian diet. Unfortunately, there are few dishes in Tibetan cuisine that do not use meat and it was some itme before the cooks learned how to make them taste good without it. But eventually they succeeded and began to produce delicious meals. I felt really well on them. Meanwhile, sevearl Indian friends told me the importance of supplementing my diet with plenty of milk and nuts. I followed their advice faithfully- with the result that after twenty months I contracted a severe case of jaundice.

On the first day, I vomited a great deal. Thereafter, I lost my appetite completely for two or three weeks, and fell into a state of utter exhaustion. To move at all required tremendous effort. On top of this, my skin turned bright yellow. I looked like the Buddha himself! Some people used to say that the Dalai Lama lives as prisoner in a golden cage: on this occasion, I was golden bodied too.

Eventually the illness, which turned out to be Hepatitis B, cleared up, but not before I had consumed large quantities of Tibetan medicine ( about which I shall say more in a later chapter). As soon as I began once more to take an interest in eating, I was instructed by my doctors that not only must I take less greasy food, cut out nuts and reduce my consumption of milk, but also I must start eating meat again. They were very much afraid that the illness had caused permanent damage to my liver and were of the opinion that, aas a result , my life has probably been shortened. A number of Indian doctors I consulted were of the same opinion, so reluctantly I returned to being non-vegetarian. Today, I eat meat except on special occasions required by my spiritual practice. The same is true for a number of Tibetans who followed my example and suffered a similar fate.

From the start, I was very happy in my new home. Like Swarg Ashram, the house was originally built by the British and stands at the top of a hill in a small garden of its own, surrounded by trees. It has a fine view of both the Dhualadar mountain range and of the valley, in which lies Dharamsala itself. Apart from having sufficient space just outside to address over a thousand people, its main attraction for me is the garden. I set to work on it immediately and planted many different types of fruit trees and flowers. This I did with my own hands: gardening is one of my great joys. Sadly, few of the trees did well and they produce rather poor, bitter fruit, but I took consolation from the great variety of animals, and particularly birds, that came to visit.

I enjoy watching wildlife even more than gardening. For this purpose, I constructed a bird table just outside my study window. It is surrounded by wire and netting to keep out the larger birds and birds of prey, which tend ot scare off their smaller brethren. This is not always sufficient to keep them away however. Occasionally, I am compelled to take out one of the air guns that I acquired shortly after arriving in India, in order to discipline these fat, greedy trespassers. Having spent a great deal of time as a child at the Norbulingka practising with the Thirteenth's old air rifle, I am quite a good shot. Of course, I never kill them. My intention is only to inflict a measure of pain in order to teach a lesson.

My days at Bryn Cottage were taken up in much the same way as before. Each winter I toured the refugee settlements, and from time to time I gave teachings. I also continued my religious studies. In addition, I began to try to learn something about Western thought, particularly in the fields of science, astronomy and philosophy. And in may spare moments, I rediscovered my old enthusiasm for photography."

( The Dalai Lama creates a Grove! 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! We continue working on the images. Some of this is very intricate work even with the larger design! After that I headed up gang rinpoche ngah tso gi to check our trees and native plants then rested by your Medlar tree as usual. In fact I fell asleep and woke up with a sunburned face! With the reflection from the snow the light continues to be quite intense there. There's still a lot of snow there and just about all the ground is covered. 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 as usual including those from last weekend. Be not concerned for we continue firmly on despite my stumblings as you know well! 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 March 26 (We continue to listen to the Dalai Lama as he tells of the founding of the Tibetan Library and museum! ) " Today as we begin our fourth decade in exile, there is a thriving monastic commmunity over six thousand strong. I would even go so far as to say that we have too many monks: after all, it is the quality and dedication of these people that counts, not their numbers. Another cultural enterprise begun towards the end of the 1960s was the Library of Tibetan Works and Archives, which not only contains more than forty thousand original Tibetan volumes but is also involved in publishing both English-language and Tibetan books. this year, 1920, it published it's 200th English title. The Library building is constructed in traditional Tibetan style and, besides housing literature, also contains a museum that is stocked with many items brought to India by the refugees. Of the few possessions that people were able to bring with them, a lot took thangkas, books of scripture and other religious artifacts rather than things of a more practical nature. Many of these they characteristically offered to the Dalai Lama. I in turn passed items on to these organisations. Just before actually moving in to Bryn Cottage, I became very ill for a number of weeks. On returning to Dharamsala in early 1966, after the cessation of conflict between India and Pakistan, I had taken enthusiastically to my new, vegetarian diet. Unfortunately, there are few dishes in Tibetan cuisine that do not use meat and it was some itme before the cooks learned how to make them taste good without it. But eventually they succeeded and began to produce delicious meals. I felt really well on them. Meanwhile, sevearl Indian friends told me the importance of supplementing my diet with plenty of milk and nuts. I followed their advice faithfully- with the result that after twenty months I contracted a severe case of jaundice. On the first day, I vomited a great deal. Thereafter, I lost my appetite completely for two or three weeks, and fell into a state of utter exhaustion. To move at all required tremendous effort. On top of this, my skin turned bright yellow. I looked like the Buddha himself! Some people used to say that the Dalai Lama lives as prisoner in a golden cage: on this occasion, I was golden bodied too. Eventually the illness, which turned out to be Hepatitis B, cleared up, but not before I had consumed large quantities of Tibetan medicine ( about which I shall say more in a later chapter). As soon as I began once more to take an interest in eating, I was instructed by my doctors that not only must I take less greasy food, cut out nuts and reduce my consumption of milk, but also I must start eating meat again. They were very much afraid that the illness had caused permanent damage to my liver and were of the opinion that, aas a result , my life has probably been shortened. A number of Indian doctors I consulted were of the same opinion, so reluctantly I returned to being non-vegetarian. Today, I eat meat except on special occasions required by my spiritual practice. The same is true for a number of Tibetans who followed my example and suffered a similar fate. From the start, I was very happy in my new home. Like Swarg Ashram, the house was originally built by the British and stands at the top of a hill in a small garden of its own, surrounded by trees. It has a fine view of both the Dhualadar mountain range and of the valley, in which lies Dharamsala itself. Apart from having sufficient space just outside to address over a thousand people, its main attraction for me is the garden. I set to work on it immediately and planted many different types of fruit trees and flowers. This I did with my own hands: gardening is one of my great joys. Sadly, few of the trees did well and they produce rather poor, bitter fruit, but I took consolation from the great variety of animals, and particularly birds, that came to visit. I enjoy watching wildlife even more than gardening. For this purpose, I constructed a bird table just outside my study window. It is surrounded by wire and netting to keep out the larger birds and birds of prey, which tend ot scare off their smaller brethren. This is not always sufficient to keep them away however. Occasionally, I am compelled to take out one of the air guns that I acquired shortly after arriving in India, in order to discipline these fat, greedy trespassers. Having spent a great deal of time as a child at the Norbulingka practising with the Thirteenth's old air rifle, I am quite a good shot. Of course, I never kill them. My intention is only to inflict a measure of pain in order to teach a lesson. My days at Bryn Cottage were taken up in much the same way as before. Each winter I toured the refugee settlements, and from time to time I gave teachings. I also continued my religious studies. In addition, I began to try to learn something about Western thought, particularly in the fields of science, astronomy and philosophy. And in may spare moments, I rediscovered my old enthusiasm for photography." ( The Dalai Lama creates a Grove! 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! We continue working on the images. Some of this is very intricate work even with the larger design! After that I headed up gang rinpoche ngah tso gi to check our trees and native plants then rested by your Medlar tree as usual. In fact I fell asleep and woke up with a sunburned face! With the reflection from the snow the light continues to be quite intense there. There's still a lot of snow there and just about all the ground is covered. 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 as usual including those from last weekend. Be not concerned for we continue firmly on despite my stumblings as you know well! 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!)