October 2

Through My Eyes

Saturday October 2

(We continue to listen to the Dalai Lama as he tells of his upcoming examination and the upcoming Monlam festival! )

" Unfortunately, these pleasant observations were marred by the fact that it was necessary to deploy Tibetan soldiers in the mountains to protect me. For just in front of the Drepung, there was a Chinese military garrison, set about with barbed wire and bunkers, within whose perimeter could be heard troops practising with small arms and artillery every day.

When I returned to Lhasa after my examinations were over, I learned that, so far I had passed very well. One of the abbots, a most learned monk named Pema Gyaltsen, told me that if I had had the same opportunities for study as an ordinary monk, my performance would have been unsurpassed. So I felt very happy that this lazy student did not in the end disgrace himself.

Back in the capital, after this short interlude of sanity, I found the situation considerably worse than when I had left. Thousands more refugees from Chinese atrocity outside Lhasa had arrived and were bivouacked on its outskirts. By now, the Tibetan population of the city must have been about double the usual number. Yet still there was still an uneasy truce and no fighting actually took place. All the same, when, during the autumn, I went to Ganden to continue my debates, I was encouraged by some of my advisors to take the opportunity to head south, where much of the country was in the hands of the 'defenders of the Buddha Dharma' . The tentative plan was that I should then repudiate the Seventeen-Point 'Agreement' and reinstate my own Government as the rightful administration of Tibet. I gave serious thought to their proposition, but I was again forced to conclude that to do so would achieve nothing positive. Such a declaration would only provoke the Chinese into launching a full-scale attack.

So I returned to Lhasa to continue my studies throughout the long, cold, winter months. I had one final examination to take during Monlam at the beginning of the following year. It was hard to concentrate on my work. Almost every day I heard new reports of Chinese outrages against the non-combatant population. Sometimes the news was favourable to Tibet - but this gave me no comfort. Only the thought of my responsibility to the six million Tibetans kept me going. That and my faith. Early every morning, as I sat in prayer in my room before the ancient altar with its clutter of statuettes standing in silent benediction, I concentrated hard on developing compassion for all sentient beings. I reminded myself constantly of the Buddha's teachings that our enemy is in a sense our greatest teacher. And if this was hard to do, I never really doubted that it was so.

At last the New Year came upon us and I left the Norbulingka to take up residence at the Jokhang for the Monlam festival, after which came my final examination. Just before I did so, I received General Chiang Chin-wu, who came , as was his custom, with a New Year message. He also announced the arrival in Lhasa of a new dance troupe from China. Might I be interested to see them? I replied that I would be. He then said that they could perform anywhere, but since there was a proper stage with footlights at the Chinese military headquarters, it might be better if I could go there. This made sense as there were no such facilities at the Norbulingka, so I indicated that I would be happy to do so.

When I arrived at the Jokhang, I found, as I had expected, more people thronging the temple than ever before. In addition to the laity drawn from the furthest reaches of Tibet, there must have been 25-30,000 monks mingled with the huge crowd.

Every day the Barkhor and Lingkhor were packed with devotees earnestly circumambulating. Others went, prayer-wheel in hand, chanting the sacred words, 'Om Mani Padme Hum' , almost our national mantra. Others silently clasped their hands to forehead, to throat and to heart before prostrating themselves full-length upon the ground. The market-place in front of the temple was also bursting with people: women, in floor-length dresses decorated with colourful aprons; jaunty Khampas, their long hair tied with bright red braid and rifles slung across their shoulders; wizened nomads from the hills; and everywhere gleeful children.

Never had I seen such bustle as I squinted through the curtains of my apartment windows. Only this year there was an air of expectancy that even I, secluded as I was, could not fail to notice. It was as if everyone knew that something momentous was about to happen.

Shortly after the main Monlam ceremony was over ( the one involving a long recital) , two junior Chinese officials came unannounced to renew General Chiang Chin-wu's invitation to see the dance troupe. They also asked for a date when I could attend. I replied that I would be pleased to go after the festival was over. But for the moment I had rather more important things to think about, namely my final examination, which was soon to take place.

The night beforehand I prayed earnestly and, as I did so, felt more deeply than ever before the awesome, unending responsibility that my office entails. Then, next morning, I presented myself for the debates which were to be held before an audience of many thousands of people."

( Now we know how for certain how the prostration is done! 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 spinning for you then working a bit more on the weaving which with us working two as one together is going quite well; we've did a bit more forming of the grapevine bark. After that I headed up our precious snow mountain to continue bringing more food to the trees. Two as one pulling strongly and patiently together we've brought another 3400 pounds to the trees which is grand considering that we had to scythe first! It rained for much of the day. Sometimes I just worked through it. Sometimes when it poured I headed under the cover of the trees to wait for awhile then continued. After that I rested by your Medlar tree as usual before returning to our studio to work on our a land of Tibet. You'll notice the usual changes in the pages. I'm going to put the pages up on our infosite; 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 2 (We continue to listen to the Dalai Lama as he tells of his upcoming examination and the upcoming Monlam festival! ) " Unfortunately, these pleasant observations were marred by the fact that it was necessary to deploy Tibetan soldiers in the mountains to protect me. For just in front of the Drepung, there was a Chinese military garrison, set about with barbed wire and bunkers, within whose perimeter could be heard troops practising with small arms and artillery every day. When I returned to Lhasa after my examinations were over, I learned that, so far I had passed very well. One of the abbots, a most learned monk named Pema Gyaltsen, told me that if I had had the same opportunities for study as an ordinary monk, my performance would have been unsurpassed. So I felt very happy that this lazy student did not in the end disgrace himself. Back in the capital, after this short interlude of sanity, I found the situation considerably worse than when I had left. Thousands more refugees from Chinese atrocity outside Lhasa had arrived and were bivouacked on its outskirts. By now, the Tibetan population of the city must have been about double the usual number. Yet still there was still an uneasy truce and no fighting actually took place. All the same, when, during the autumn, I went to Ganden to continue my debates, I was encouraged by some of my advisors to take the opportunity to head south, where much of the country was in the hands of the 'defenders of the Buddha Dharma' . The tentative plan was that I should then repudiate the Seventeen-Point 'Agreement' and reinstate my own Government as the rightful administration of Tibet. I gave serious thought to their proposition, but I was again forced to conclude that to do so would achieve nothing positive. Such a declaration would only provoke the Chinese into launching a full-scale attack. So I returned to Lhasa to continue my studies throughout the long, cold, winter months. I had one final examination to take during Monlam at the beginning of the following year. It was hard to concentrate on my work. Almost every day I heard new reports of Chinese outrages against the non-combatant population. Sometimes the news was favourable to Tibet - but this gave me no comfort. Only the thought of my responsibility to the six million Tibetans kept me going. That and my faith. Early every morning, as I sat in prayer in my room before the ancient altar with its clutter of statuettes standing in silent benediction, I concentrated hard on developing compassion for all sentient beings. I reminded myself constantly of the Buddha's teachings that our enemy is in a sense our greatest teacher. And if this was hard to do, I never really doubted that it was so. At last the New Year came upon us and I left the Norbulingka to take up residence at the Jokhang for the Monlam festival, after which came my final examination. Just before I did so, I received General Chiang Chin-wu, who came , as was his custom, with a New Year message. He also announced the arrival in Lhasa of a new dance troupe from China. Might I be interested to see them? I replied that I would be. He then said that they could perform anywhere, but since there was a proper stage with footlights at the Chinese military headquarters, it might be better if I could go there. This made sense as there were no such facilities at the Norbulingka, so I indicated that I would be happy to do so. When I arrived at the Jokhang, I found, as I had expected, more people thronging the temple than ever before. In addition to the laity drawn from the furthest reaches of Tibet, there must have been 25-30,000 monks mingled with the huge crowd. Every day the Barkhor and Lingkhor were packed with devotees earnestly circumambulating. Others went, prayer-wheel in hand, chanting the sacred words, 'Om Mani Padme Hum' , almost our national mantra. Others silently clasped their hands to forehead, to throat and to heart before prostrating themselves full-length upon the ground. The market-place in front of the temple was also bursting with people: women, in floor-length dresses decorated with colourful aprons; jaunty Khampas, their long hair tied with bright red braid and rifles slung across their shoulders; wizened nomads from the hills; and everywhere gleeful children. Never had I seen such bustle as I squinted through the curtains of my apartment windows. Only this year there was an air of expectancy that even I, secluded as I was, could not fail to notice. It was as if everyone knew that something momentous was about to happen. Shortly after the main Monlam ceremony was over ( the one involving a long recital) , two junior Chinese officials came unannounced to renew General Chiang Chin-wu's invitation to see the dance troupe. They also asked for a date when I could attend. I replied that I would be pleased to go after the festival was over. But for the moment I had rather more important things to think about, namely my final examination, which was soon to take place. The night beforehand I prayed earnestly and, as I did so, felt more deeply than ever before the awesome, unending responsibility that my office entails. Then, next morning, I presented myself for the debates which were to be held before an audience of many thousands of people." ( Now we know how for certain how the prostration is done! 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 spinning for you then working a bit more on the weaving which with us working two as one together is going quite well; we've did a bit more forming of the grapevine bark. After that I headed up our precious snow mountain to continue bringing more food to the trees. Two as one pulling strongly and patiently together we've brought another 3400 pounds to the trees which is grand considering that we had to scythe first! It rained for much of the day. Sometimes I just worked through it. Sometimes when it poured I headed under the cover of the trees to wait for awhile then continued. After that I rested by your Medlar tree as usual before returning to our studio to work on our a land of Tibet. You'll notice the usual changes in the pages. I'm going to put the pages up on our infosite; 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!)