November 22

Through My Eyes

Saturday November 22

(We continue to listen to Dalai Lama as he describes his predecessor! )

" Thupten Gyatso was also visionary in other ways. After his second period of exile, he arranged for four young Tibetans to be sent to Britain for education. The experiment was successful, the boys did well-and were even received by the Royal Family, but sadly there was no follow-up. Had the practice of sending children abroad for education been implemented on a regular basis, as he intended, I am quite certain that Tibet's situation today would be very different. The Thirteenth Dalai Lama's reform of the army, which he recognised to be a vital deterrent, was likewise successful but unsustained after his death.

Another plan of his was to strengthen the Lhasa Government's authority in Kham. He realised that due to it's distance from Lhasa, Kham in particular had been neglected by the central administration. He therefore proposed that the sons of local chieftains be brought to Lhasa for education and then sent back with government posts. He also wanted to encourage local recruitment for the army. But, unfortunately, due to inertia, neither scheme materialised.

The Thirteenth Dalai Lama's political insight was also extraordinary. In his last written testament he warned that , unless there were radical changes,

It may happen that here in Tibet, religion and government will be attacked both from without and from within. Unless we guard our own country, it will now happen that the Dalai and Panchen Lamas, the Father and the Son, and all the reverered holders of the Faith, will disappear and become nameless. Monks and their monasteries will be destroyed. The rule of law will be weakened. The lands and property of government officials will be seized. They themselves will be forced to serve their enemies or wander the country like beggars. All beings will be sunk in great hardship and overwhelming fear; the days and nights will drag on slowly in suffering.

The Panchen Lamas referred to in the text represent, after the Dalai Lamas, the highest spiritual authority in Tibetan Buddhism. By tradition, their seat is Tashilhunpo monastery in Shigatse, the second largest city in Tibet.

Personally, the Thirteenth Dalai Lama was a very simple man. He did away with many old customs. For example, it used to be the case that whenever the Dalai Lama left his chambers, any servant who happened to be in the vicinity would immediately leave. He said that this procedure gave unnecessary trouble to the people and made him reluctant to appear. So he abolished the rule.

As a child, I heard a number of stories about my predecessor that illustrate how down to earth he was. One of them, told to me by a very old man whose son was a monk at Namgyal monastery, concerned a time when a new building was being put up in the grounds of the Norbulingka. As usual, many members of the public came to lay a stone in the foundations to mark their respect and well-wishing. One day a nomad from faraway ( the father of the person who told me this story) came to make a contribution. He had with him a very cantankerous mule, which, as soon as he turned his back to make the offering, sped off in search of freedom. Luckily, someone was walking in the opposite direction. The nomad called out to this person, asking him to grab the wandering mule. This the stranger did and brought it over. The nomad was at first delighted and then amazed, for his rescuer turned out to be none other than the Dalai Lama himself."

( The ability to see the probable future is ability often associated with meditation masters. It is a result of the acuity of the trained mind which is able to observe and analyze complex situations. It's also a result of a shamanic ability to actually see the probable future in dreams and waking insights. 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? It wasn't our warm and bright future day but it was a grand day to be outside! I continued with the last bit of liming in the Grove. It was a bit more difficult as a few of the bags had gotten quite wet. I just mixed them with the drier lime and was thus able to use it. Two as one we'll lime beneath the grapes tomorrow and start picking up all those bags! There's more things to add to the soil of the Grove but it can wait until next spring. I spent a bit of time resting beneath your Medlar tree looking up at the evening sky. It is always strengthening and grows more so with time. I think it's may be partly because the earth and spirits here know our caretaking presence and give more energy because of it! It's getting a bit late; I'll put this up 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 November 22 (We continue to listen to Dalai Lama as he describes his predecessor! ) " Thupten Gyatso was also visionary in other ways. After his second period of exile, he arranged for four young Tibetans to be sent to Britain for education. The experiment was successful, the boys did well-and were even received by the Royal Family, but sadly there was no follow-up. Had the practice of sending children abroad for education been implemented on a regular basis, as he intended, I am quite certain that Tibet's situation today would be very different. The Thirteenth Dalai Lama's reform of the army, which he recognised to be a vital deterrent, was likewise successful but unsustained after his death. Another plan of his was to strengthen the Lhasa Government's authority in Kham. He realised that due to it's distance from Lhasa, Kham in particular had been neglected by the central administration. He therefore proposed that the sons of local chieftains be brought to Lhasa for education and then sent back with government posts. He also wanted to encourage local recruitment for the army. But, unfortunately, due to inertia, neither scheme materialised. The Thirteenth Dalai Lama's political insight was also extraordinary. In his last written testament he warned that , unless there were radical changes, It may happen that here in Tibet, religion and government will be attacked both from without and from within. Unless we guard our own country, it will now happen that the Dalai and Panchen Lamas, the Father and the Son, and all the reverered holders of the Faith, will disappear and become nameless. Monks and their monasteries will be destroyed. The rule of law will be weakened. The lands and property of government officials will be seized. They themselves will be forced to serve their enemies or wander the country like beggars. All beings will be sunk in great hardship and overwhelming fear; the days and nights will drag on slowly in suffering. The Panchen Lamas referred to in the text represent, after the Dalai Lamas, the highest spiritual authority in Tibetan Buddhism. By tradition, their seat is Tashilhunpo monastery in Shigatse, the second largest city in Tibet. Personally, the Thirteenth Dalai Lama was a very simple man. He did away with many old customs. For example, it used to be the case that whenever the Dalai Lama left his chambers, any servant who happened to be in the vicinity would immediately leave. He said that this procedure gave unnecessary trouble to the people and made him reluctant to appear. So he abolished the rule. As a child, I heard a number of stories about my predecessor that illustrate how down to earth he was. One of them, told to me by a very old man whose son was a monk at Namgyal monastery, concerned a time when a new building was being put up in the grounds of the Norbulingka. As usual, many members of the public came to lay a stone in the foundations to mark their respect and well-wishing. One day a nomad from faraway ( the father of the person who told me this story) came to make a contribution. He had with him a very cantankerous mule, which, as soon as he turned his back to make the offering, sped off in search of freedom. Luckily, someone was walking in the opposite direction. The nomad called out to this person, asking him to grab the wandering mule. This the stranger did and brought it over. The nomad was at first delighted and then amazed, for his rescuer turned out to be none other than the Dalai Lama himself." ( The ability to see the probable future is ability often associated with meditation masters. It is a result of the acuity of the trained mind which is able to observe and analyze complex situations. It's also a result of a shamanic ability to actually see the probable future in dreams and waking insights. 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? It wasn't our warm and bright future day but it was a grand day to be outside! I continued with the last bit of liming in the Grove. It was a bit more difficult as a few of the bags had gotten quite wet. I just mixed them with the drier lime and was thus able to use it. Two as one we'll lime beneath the grapes tomorrow and start picking up all those bags! There's more things to add to the soil of the Grove but it can wait until next spring. I spent a bit of time resting beneath your Medlar tree looking up at the evening sky. It is always strengthening and grows more so with time. I think it's may be partly because the earth and spirits here know our caretaking presence and give more energy because of it! It's getting a bit late; I'll put this up 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!)