July 12

Through My Eyes

Saturday July 12

( And, two as one we are travelling to Dharmasala India to sit and listen at the feet of the Dalai Lama! )

"I fled Tibet on 31 March 1959. Since then I have lived in exile in India. During the period 1949-50, the People's Republic of China sent an army to invade my country. For almost a decade I remained as political as well as spiritual leader of my people and tried to re-establish peaceful relations between our two nations. But the task proved impossible. I came to the conclusion that I could better serve my people from the outside.

When I look back to the time when Tibet was still a free country, I realize that those were the best years of my life. Today I am definitely happy , but inevitably the existence I now lead is very different from the one that I was brought up to. And although there is clearly no use indulging in feelings of nostalgia, still I cannot help feeling sad whenever I think of the past. It reminds me of the terrible suffering of my people. The old Tibet was not perfect. Yet it is true to say that our way of life was something quite remarkable. Certainly there was much that was worth preserving that is now lost for ever.

I have said that the words Dalai Lama mean different things to different people, that for me they refer only to the office I hold. Actually, Dalai is a Mongolian word meaning 'ocean' and Lama is a Tibetan term corresponding to the Indian word guru, which denotes a teacher. Together, the words Dalai and Lama are sometimes loosely translated as 'Ocean of Wisdom'. But this is due to a misunderstanding I feel. Originally, Dalai was a partial translation of Sonam Gyatso,the Third Dalai Lama's name :Gyatso means ocean in Tibetan. A further, unfortunate misunderstanding is due to the Chinese rendering of the word lama as huo-fou, which has the connotation of a 'living Buddha'. This is wrong. Tibetan Buddhism recognizes no such thing. It only accepts that certain beings, of whom the Dalai Lama is one, can choose the manner of their rebirth. Such people are called tulkus( incarnations). Of course, whilst I lived in Tibet, being Dalai Lama meant a great deal. It meant that I lived a life far removed form the toil and discomfort of vast majority of my people. Everywhere I went , I was accompanied by a retinue of servants. I was surrounded by government ministers and advisors clad in sumptuous silk robes, men drawn from the most exalted and aristocratic families in the land. My daily companions were brilliant scholars and highly realized religious adepts. And every time I left the Potala, the magnificent, 1,000-chambered winter palace of the Dalai Lamas, I was escorted by a procession of hundreds of people."

( I thought we might like this book as we rest in our commitment to each other because you can feel the energy of the author, a profound and authentic spiritual leader. I don't think you'll have any trouble feeling this! It's a peaceful calm sort of feeling that presents even the most difficult of circumstances with equanimity and will give us a higher insight into the Tibet and Tibetans. Actually Dalai is probably a Buryat word! 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 gentle one! I got a bit farther on the water system although I still need another part because I broke a portion of the filter assembly trying to get it apart. I spent the afternoon working with the fruit trees by the studio mulching and repairing fences. It turns out that the way I ended up being able to use the software was by creating a few tapes ( I call them tapes sometimes,I guess because I'm used to tape recorders.) of more singing. Apparently this is very much part of our destiny and work together. I haven't been able to get anything done on the studio yet so the lumber sits in a big covered pile in the driveway. I did get more done on our lotus blossoms though. As an interesting coincidence, the first chapter of the book we're reading together is called "The holder of the White Lotus". I saw Groundhog in the Grove today which is rather special because although I 've seen many signs of his comings and goings ( and eating!), I've never actually seen him. I'd like to think it is because I learned to understand him rather than hurt him. I'm still going to put some more repellant out though! Let's read some more from the Tibetan language book if you would like and then rest.

And so, as always we'll continue two as one on to tomorrow

my one beautiful patient dream bright

long dark mane in sunlight

so for now I bid goodnight...Simjah Nahngo!)


	Through My Eyes Saturday July 12 ( And, two as one we are travelling to Dharmasala India to sit and listen at the feet of the Dalai Lama! ) "I fled Tibet on 31 March 1959. Since then I have lived in exile in India. During the period 1949-50, the People's Republic of China sent an army to invade my country. For almost a decade I remained as political as well as spiritual leader of my people and tried to re-establish peaceful relations between our two nations. But the task proved impossible. I came to the conclusion that I could better serve my people from the outside. When I look back to the time when Tibet was still a free country, I realize that those were the best years of my life. Today I am definitely happy , but inevitably the existence I now lead is very different from the one that I was brought up to. And although there is clearly no use indulging in feelings of nostalgia, still I cannot help feeling sad whenever I think of the past. It reminds me of the terrible suffering of my people. The old Tibet was not perfect. Yet it is true to say that our way of life was something quite remarkable. Certainly there was much that was worth preserving that is now lost for ever. I have said that the words Dalai Lama mean different things to different people, that for me they refer only to the office I hold. Actually, Dalai is a Mongolian word meaning 'ocean' and Lama is a Tibetan term corresponding to the Indian word guru, which denotes a teacher. Together, the words Dalai and Lama are sometimes loosely translated as 'Ocean of Wisdom'. But this is due to a misunderstanding I feel. Originally, Dalai was a partial translation of Sonam Gyatso,the Third Dalai Lama's name :Gyatso means ocean in Tibetan. A further, unfortunate misunderstanding is due to the Chinese rendering of the word lama as huo-fou, which has the connotation of a 'living Buddha'. This is wrong. Tibetan Buddhism recognizes no such thing. It only accepts that certain beings, of whom the Dalai Lama is one, can choose the manner of their rebirth. Such people are called tulkus( incarnations). Of course, whilst I lived in Tibet, being Dalai Lama meant a great deal. It meant that I lived a life far removed form the toil and discomfort of vast majority of my people. Everywhere I went , I was accompanied by a retinue of servants. I was surrounded by government ministers and advisors clad in sumptuous silk robes, men drawn from the most exalted and aristocratic families in the land. My daily companions were brilliant scholars and highly realized religious adepts. And every time I left the Potala, the magnificent, 1,000-chambered winter palace of the Dalai Lamas, I was escorted by a procession of hundreds of people." ( I thought we might like this book as we rest in our commitment to each other because you can feel the energy of the author, a profound and authentic spiritual leader. I don't think you'll have any trouble feeling this! It's a peaceful calm sort of feeling that presents even the most difficult of circumstances with equanimity and will give us a higher insight into the Tibet and Tibetans. Actually Dalai is probably a Buryat word! 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 gentle one! I got a bit farther on the water system although I still need another part because I broke a portion of the filter assembly trying to get it apart. I spent the afternoon working with the fruit trees by the studio mulching and repairing fences. It turns out that the way I ended up being able to use the software was by creating a few tapes ( I call them tapes sometimes,I guess because I'm used to tape recorders.) of more singing. Apparently this is very much part of our destiny and work together. I haven't been able to get anything done on the studio yet so the lumber sits in a big covered pile in the driveway. I did get more done on our lotus blossoms though. As an interesting coincidence, the first chapter of the book we're reading together is called "The holder of the White Lotus". I saw Groundhog in the Grove today which is rather special because although I 've seen many signs of his comings and goings ( and eating!), I've never actually seen him. I'd like to think it is because I learned to understand him rather than hurt him. I'm still going to put some more repellant out though! Let's read some more from the Tibetan language book if you would like and then rest. And so, as always we'll continue two as one on to tomorrow my one beautiful patient dream bright long dark mane in sunlight so for now I bid goodnight...Simjah Nahngo!)