Editorial:
The Dalai Lama turns 76 today. He has been around for longer than any other Dalai Lama, save the First [who lived till he was 83]. While this alone is reason enough for his followers to celebrate his birthday, even the nonbelievers should join the celebrations because the Dalai Lama’s contributions to the secular world are as profound as his hierarchical position in Tibetan affairs is supreme, the transfer of powers to an elected body notwithstanding.
The Dalai Lama is the spiritual king of a displaced people. He keeps their hopes alive and priorities in line with his logical and clear thinking. Few leaders can claim to bring such succour to their people. Although he dismisses any reference to himself as a ‘God King’, the Dalai Lama’s contribution to how the world conducts itself cannot be ignored. The Tibetan issue could have snowballed into a cold-war incinerator and imploded like Afghanistan, had it not been for the Dalai Lama’s commitment to peace and rational approach to a historical wrong. The Dalai Lama was barely 24 when he was thrown into the outside world, of which, not only he, but most Tibetans who joined him in exile, knew little. While this culture shock would have been too much for lesser minds to handle, the Dalai Lama conducted himself well. Not only did he learn and adapt well, he also kept his flock together and even managed something that had eluded Tibetans back in Tibet - unity. Religion was always influential in Tibet. The next were clans and their attendant hierarchies. The various sects of Tibetan Buddhism had quarrelled often while in Tibet and the clans remained parochial and insular. Communication remained slack and people disconnected. It was with this additional baggage that the Dalai Lama found himself in India along with the realisation that a way of life, a culture was under threat. There must have been many who tried to influence the young leader, but the only influences that the Dalai Lama allowed were ones which furthered his understanding of the modern world and benefited his people. He is now respected as a great unifier, a saviour and a man of peace. Few can deny him this recognition and China still fears the influence he commands not only over Tibetans in exile, but also those at home. Where other leaders would have disintegrated, the Dalai Lama has adapted, improvised and grown. The people who have gained most from this attitude have been the Tibetans, but the world at large too has learnt much from him. The near hysteria that greets his arrival everywhere he goes does not come from blind faith alone, it is triggered because he inspires hope, instils belief and most of all, delivers.
The Dalai Lama’s strength does not lie as much in the power he wields as in the conviction and commitment he harbours. Not only did the Dalai Lama keep the flock together, he also gave the world peace. By keeping to the middle path, he ensured peace for India [vis a vis China] and despite all the restrictions now being imposed on his people’s right to expression by an India bending over backwards to please China, the Dalai Lama never ignores a chance to thank India for providing refuge to the Tibetans. It is the Dalai Lama’s self-effacing humility that makes him tower over other powerful and important people. The world does not have enough people like the Dalai Lama around, which is why it is so important that he stays around for as long as is possible. He will probably not live to see a Free Tibet, he might not see peace prevail in the world in his lifetime, but every day that the Dalai Lama lives among us, he keeps hope alive. In a world grappling with the rise of extreme rightwing posturing, the Dalai Lama also takes the lead in making organized religions adopt less regressive stands. Even as most religious leaders promote more and more parochial interpretations of their respective scriptures, the Dalai Lama keeps an open mind. In his book, Beyond Dogma, he does not shirk from sharing his opinion on homosexuality, which no organized religion provides a humane answer to. “If the two people have taken no vows [of chastity], and neither is harmed, why should it not be acceptable?” Few religious leaders will come on record with such open minds, but now that the Dalai Lama has done so, others might follow. This is significant because in our country, even secular leaders, the Union Health Minister no less, rant with poorly informed but dangerously rabid statements against homosexuality, exposing the bigot that their ‘cultured’ veneer disguises. While the Dalai Lama records that homosexual behavious is considered sexual misconduct for Buddhists, he admits to a “willingness to consider the possibility that some of the teachings may be specific to a particular cultural and historic context.” Also, for a man who has seen his people suffer in the hands of Communists, he displays no prejudice and recently endorsed that of all the modern economic theories, the economic system of Marxism is founded on moral principles.
The Dalai Lama opens many windows to the world, keeps reminding those who will listen that there are many ways to approach tricky situations. There is much that the world can learn from him, and should, which is why his birthday is reason for everyone to celebrate.
The Dalai Lama turns 76 today. He has been around for longer than any other Dalai Lama, save the First [who lived till he was 83]. While this alone is reason enough for his followers to celebrate his birthday, even the nonbelievers should join the celebrations because the Dalai Lama’s contributions to the secular world are as profound as his hierarchical position in Tibetan affairs is supreme, the transfer of powers to an elected body notwithstanding.
The Dalai Lama is the spiritual king of a displaced people. He keeps their hopes alive and priorities in line with his logical and clear thinking. Few leaders can claim to bring such succour to their people. Although he dismisses any reference to himself as a ‘God King’, the Dalai Lama’s contribution to how the world conducts itself cannot be ignored. The Tibetan issue could have snowballed into a cold-war incinerator and imploded like Afghanistan, had it not been for the Dalai Lama’s commitment to peace and rational approach to a historical wrong. The Dalai Lama was barely 24 when he was thrown into the outside world, of which, not only he, but most Tibetans who joined him in exile, knew little. While this culture shock would have been too much for lesser minds to handle, the Dalai Lama conducted himself well. Not only did he learn and adapt well, he also kept his flock together and even managed something that had eluded Tibetans back in Tibet - unity. Religion was always influential in Tibet. The next were clans and their attendant hierarchies. The various sects of Tibetan Buddhism had quarrelled often while in Tibet and the clans remained parochial and insular. Communication remained slack and people disconnected. It was with this additional baggage that the Dalai Lama found himself in India along with the realisation that a way of life, a culture was under threat. There must have been many who tried to influence the young leader, but the only influences that the Dalai Lama allowed were ones which furthered his understanding of the modern world and benefited his people. He is now respected as a great unifier, a saviour and a man of peace. Few can deny him this recognition and China still fears the influence he commands not only over Tibetans in exile, but also those at home. Where other leaders would have disintegrated, the Dalai Lama has adapted, improvised and grown. The people who have gained most from this attitude have been the Tibetans, but the world at large too has learnt much from him. The near hysteria that greets his arrival everywhere he goes does not come from blind faith alone, it is triggered because he inspires hope, instils belief and most of all, delivers.
The Dalai Lama’s strength does not lie as much in the power he wields as in the conviction and commitment he harbours. Not only did the Dalai Lama keep the flock together, he also gave the world peace. By keeping to the middle path, he ensured peace for India [vis a vis China] and despite all the restrictions now being imposed on his people’s right to expression by an India bending over backwards to please China, the Dalai Lama never ignores a chance to thank India for providing refuge to the Tibetans. It is the Dalai Lama’s self-effacing humility that makes him tower over other powerful and important people. The world does not have enough people like the Dalai Lama around, which is why it is so important that he stays around for as long as is possible. He will probably not live to see a Free Tibet, he might not see peace prevail in the world in his lifetime, but every day that the Dalai Lama lives among us, he keeps hope alive. In a world grappling with the rise of extreme rightwing posturing, the Dalai Lama also takes the lead in making organized religions adopt less regressive stands. Even as most religious leaders promote more and more parochial interpretations of their respective scriptures, the Dalai Lama keeps an open mind. In his book, Beyond Dogma, he does not shirk from sharing his opinion on homosexuality, which no organized religion provides a humane answer to. “If the two people have taken no vows [of chastity], and neither is harmed, why should it not be acceptable?” Few religious leaders will come on record with such open minds, but now that the Dalai Lama has done so, others might follow. This is significant because in our country, even secular leaders, the Union Health Minister no less, rant with poorly informed but dangerously rabid statements against homosexuality, exposing the bigot that their ‘cultured’ veneer disguises. While the Dalai Lama records that homosexual behavious is considered sexual misconduct for Buddhists, he admits to a “willingness to consider the possibility that some of the teachings may be specific to a particular cultural and historic context.” Also, for a man who has seen his people suffer in the hands of Communists, he displays no prejudice and recently endorsed that of all the modern economic theories, the economic system of Marxism is founded on moral principles.
The Dalai Lama opens many windows to the world, keeps reminding those who will listen that there are many ways to approach tricky situations. There is much that the world can learn from him, and should, which is why his birthday is reason for everyone to celebrate.
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