October 25

Through My Eyes

Saturday October 25

(We continue at the Potala as the Dalai Lama describes his day! )

" The five minor subjects are poetry; music and drama; astrology; metre and phrasing; and synonyms. Actually, the doctorate itself is awarded on the basis only of Buddhist philosophy, logic and dialectics. For this reason, it was not until the mid-1970s that I studied Sanskrit grammar; and certain subjects, such as medicine, I have never studied other than in an informal way.

Fundamental to the Tibetan system of monastic education is dialectics, or the art of debating. Two disputants take turns in asking questions, which they pose to the accompaniment of stylized gestures. As the question is put, the interrogator brings his right hand up over his head and slaps it down on to his extended left hand and stamps his left foot on the ground. He then slides his right hand away from the left, close to the head of his opponent. The person who is being asked questions remains passive and concentrates on trying not only to answer, but also to turn the tables on his opponent, who is all the time pacing around him. Wit is an important part of these debates and high merit is earned by turning your opponents postulates to your own humorous advantage. This makes dialectics a popular form of entertainment even amongst uneducated Tibetans who, though they might not follow the intellectual acrobatics involved,can still appreciate the fun and the spectacle. In the old days, it was not unusual to see nomads and other country people from far outside Lhasa spend part of their day watching learned debates in the courtyard of a monastery.

A monk's ability at this unique form of disputation is the criterion by which his intellectual achievements are judged. For this reason, as Dalai Lama, I had to have not only a good grounding in Buddhist philosophy and logic but also proficiency at debating. I therefore began to study these subjects in earnest when I was ten years old and at twelve I was appointed two tsenshap, experts who coached me in the art of dialectics.

After the first of the afternoon periods of study, my tutor spent the next hour explaining how to debate the topic of the day. Then at four, tea was served. If there is anyone who drinks more tea than the British, it is the Tibetans. According to one Chinese statistic I came across recently, Tibet imported ten million tons of tea annually from China before the invasion. This cannot possibly be true as it implies that every Tibetan drank almost two tons per year. The figure was obviously invented to try to prove Tibet's economic dependence on China, but it does give an indication of our fondness for tea.

Having said that, I do not entirely share my countrymen's liking for it. In Tibetan society, tea is traditionally drunk salted and with dri butter in place of milk. This makes it a good and nourishing drink providing it is carefully prepared, but the taste depends very much on the quality of the butter. The Potala kitchens were regularly supplied with fresh, creamy butter and the brew they produced was excellent. But that was the only time I every really enjoyed Tibetan tea. Today I generally drink it English style, in the mornings and evenings. During the afternoons, I drink plain hot water, a habit I picked up in China during the 1950's. Though this might sound insipid, it is in fact extremely healthy. Hot water is considered to be the first remedy in the Tibetan medical system.

After tea, the two tsenshap monks arrived and I spent the next hour and a bit debating abstract questions like, for example , what is the nature of Mind? At last the day's tribulations would come to an end at approximately half-past five. I cannot give accurate times as Tibetans do not have the same high regard for clocks as do some people and things tended to start and finish when convenient. Hurry was always avoided.

As soon as my tutor had gone, I would rush out on to the roof, if I was at the Potala, with my telescope. It held a magnificent view over Lhasa form the Chakpori Medical School nearby to the Holy City, that part of the capital which lay round the Jokhang temple, in the distance. However, I was much more impressed in the village of Shol which lay far below the foot of the Red Hill. For it was here that the state prison stood and this was the time when the prisoners were allowed to walk in the compound. I considered them to be my friends and kept a close eye on their movements. They knew this and whenever they caught sight of me threw themselves down in prostration. I recognized them all and always knew when someone was released or there was a new arrival. I also used to check the piles of firewood and fodder that lay in the courtyard.

After this inspection, there was time for more play inside-for example, drawing-before my evening meal, which was brought to me soon after seven. This consisted of tea (inevitably), broth, sometimes with a little meat, and yoghurt or sho, together with a generous supply of different varieties of bread baked by my mother and sent up to me fresh every week. My favourite was that made in the Amdo style-small round loaves with a hard crust and light and fluffy inside."

( More of an amazingly rigorous day! 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 went up to the Grove and began by studying a bit from our Tibetan language book beneath your Medlar tree. Then I continued putting up tree collars; two as one we've gotten most of it completed! I'm getting some lime delivered in a few days which needs to be to put around all the trees. You'll notice I've made the usual change in website address to keep the file size down. I did figure out how to get names on the webpages so that you can get to today's page just by typing in its name. I got in 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 October 25 (We continue at the Potala as the Dalai Lama describes his day! ) " The five minor subjects are poetry; music and drama; astrology; metre and phrasing; and synonyms. Actually, the doctorate itself is awarded on the basis only of Buddhist philosophy, logic and dialectics. For this reason, it was not until the mid-1970s that I studied Sanskrit grammar; and certain subjects, such as medicine, I have never studied other than in an informal way. Fundamental to the Tibetan system of monastic education is dialectics, or the art of debating. Two disputants take turns in asking questions, which they pose to the accompaniment of stylized gestures. As the question is put, the interrogator brings his right hand up over his head and slaps it down on to his extended left hand and stamps his left foot on the ground. He then slides his right hand away from the left, close to the head of his opponent. The person who is being asked questions remains passive and concentrates on trying not only to answer, but also to turn the tables on his opponent, who is all the time pacing around him. Wit is an important part of these debates and high merit is earned by turning your opponents postulates to your own humorous advantage. This makes dialectics a popular form of entertainment even amongst uneducated Tibetans who, though they might not follow the intellectual acrobatics involved,can still appreciate the fun and the spectacle. In the old days, it was not unusual to see nomads and other country people from far outside Lhasa spend part of their day watching learned debates in the courtyard of a monastery. A monk's ability at this unique form of disputation is the criterion by which his intellectual achievements are judged. For this reason, as Dalai Lama, I had to have not only a good grounding in Buddhist philosophy and logic but also proficiency at debating. I therefore began to study these subjects in earnest when I was ten years old and at twelve I was appointed two tsenshap, experts who coached me in the art of dialectics. After the first of the afternoon periods of study, my tutor spent the next hour explaining how to debate the topic of the day. Then at four, tea was served. If there is anyone who drinks more tea than the British, it is the Tibetans. According to one Chinese statistic I came across recently, Tibet imported ten million tons of tea annually from China before the invasion. This cannot possibly be true as it implies that every Tibetan drank almost two tons per year. The figure was obviously invented to try to prove Tibet's economic dependence on China, but it does give an indication of our fondness for tea. Having said that, I do not entirely share my countrymen's liking for it. In Tibetan society, tea is traditionally drunk salted and with dri butter in place of milk. This makes it a good and nourishing drink providing it is carefully prepared, but the taste depends very much on the quality of the butter. The Potala kitchens were regularly supplied with fresh, creamy butter and the brew they produced was excellent. But that was the only time I every really enjoyed Tibetan tea. Today I generally drink it English style, in the mornings and evenings. During the afternoons, I drink plain hot water, a habit I picked up in China during the 1950's. Though this might sound insipid, it is in fact extremely healthy. Hot water is considered to be the first remedy in the Tibetan medical system. After tea, the two tsenshap monks arrived and I spent the next hour and a bit debating abstract questions like, for example , what is the nature of Mind? At last the day's tribulations would come to an end at approximately half-past five. I cannot give accurate times as Tibetans do not have the same high regard for clocks as do some people and things tended to start and finish when convenient. Hurry was always avoided. As soon as my tutor had gone, I would rush out on to the roof, if I was at the Potala, with my telescope. It held a magnificent view over Lhasa form the Chakpori Medical School nearby to the Holy City, that part of the capital which lay round the Jokhang temple, in the distance. However, I was much more impressed in the village of Shol which lay far below the foot of the Red Hill. For it was here that the state prison stood and this was the time when the prisoners were allowed to walk in the compound. I considered them to be my friends and kept a close eye on their movements. They knew this and whenever they caught sight of me threw themselves down in prostration. I recognized them all and always knew when someone was released or there was a new arrival. I also used to check the piles of firewood and fodder that lay in the courtyard. After this inspection, there was time for more play inside-for example, drawing-before my evening meal, which was brought to me soon after seven. This consisted of tea (inevitably), broth, sometimes with a little meat, and yoghurt or sho, together with a generous supply of different varieties of bread baked by my mother and sent up to me fresh every week. My favourite was that made in the Amdo style-small round loaves with a hard crust and light and fluffy inside." ( More of an amazingly rigorous day! 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 went up to the Grove and began by studying a bit from our Tibetan language book beneath your Medlar tree. Then I continued putting up tree collars; two as one we've gotten most of it completed! I'm getting some lime delivered in a few days which needs to be to put around all the trees. You'll notice I've made the usual change in website address to keep the file size down. I did figure out how to get names on the webpages so that you can get to today's page just by typing in its name. I got in 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!)