Dalai Lama: 21st Century Compassion

Ashley Wells, CC Liu, Seven, Wisdom Quarterly; The Lourdes Foundation; L.A. Forum

Public Talk: "21st Century Compassion," Tuesday, Feb. 25, 2014, 12:15 pm, LA Forum

  

For a mere $65.30 per nosebleed seat ticket you, too, can see the Tibetan Vajrayana Buddhist "pope" and former god-king (simultaneous secular and religious leader), who lives in exile in the Himalayan city of Dharamsala, India, much to the aggravation of militant Chinese oppressors. 

• What we don't hear about Tibet (The Guardian)
• Friendly Feudalism: the Tibet Myth (Michael Parenti)

I decided political and spiritual matters. - Wow!

The XIVst Dalai Lama is not remunerated, instead offering Buddhist teachings freely. So he is not to blame for ticket prices. That responsibility falls on the host, which this year is not the Long Beach Tibetan Temple (Gaden Shartse Thubten Dhargye Ling), but the Lourdes Foundation. The lamas in Long Beach always gave out tickets to monastics and devotees and others for Long Beach Civic Auditorium appearances; one can only hope the Lourdes Foundation is doing the same.

If only the world will cultivate compassion

What will the audience see? Not an enlightened being, unfortunately. By his own admission, Tenzin Gyatso, the current Dalai Lama, XIV in line, is not enlightened. He is but a humble ruler of the great former Himalayan Buddhist kingdom (or feudal "serfdom" according to Chinese propagandists, but denied by Phayul.com) of Tibet with a massive Western following. He is a "simple monk," he claims. Or maybe he is a great rinpoche (teacher), the supreme prelate of the Gelug (Yellow Hat) sect, and a mahasattva (great being or vajrasattva), perhaps even an "incarnation" (by some self-willed rebirth) or manifestation of Kwan Yin, the Buddhist Goddess of Compassion (originally appearing in male form as Avalokitesvara Bodhisattva). He is semi-retired -- unlike ex-Pope Benedict XVI, who was fired or forced to resign for his crimes and misdemeanors, from worldly matters. Others now rule and advocate for Tibet, China. But "His Holiness" is involved in co-writing books and presenting teachings. He is the world's most beloved and recognizable Buddhist, and what he says is generally wonderful (mixed reviews), full of compassion and distilled wisdom all Buddhist traditions can agree with.

Dalai Lama and The Lourdes Foundation

[We are] uniting different worlds under one language. The Dalai Lama is a man of peace. In 1989, he was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize for his non-violent struggle for the liberation of Tibet from Chinese invaders. He has consistently advocated policies of non-violence, even in the face of extreme aggression. He also became the first Nobel Laureate to be recognized for his concern for global environmental problems. This event will be hosted at The Forum in Inglewood, California, on Feb. 25. Tickets are on sale via the Ticketmaster corporation.

• How Putin plays crisis in Ukraine will decide his fate
• Men still greatly outnumber women in US and UK arts publications Sexism is real, and it spills over to our most influential cultural publications. Another call for change?
• What the h*ll is Barack Obama's presidency for?
• Forget cause of eating disorders; promote mental health

Angel is attending Dalai Lama at The Forum

	Stacey is attending
	Veronica is attending
	Suzy is attending
	Alex is attending
	Megan is attending
	Masha is attending
	Melissa is attending
	Carole is attending
	Shaun is attending
	Елена is attending
	Doan is attending
	Ye is attending
	Ray may be attending
	Michele is attending
	San is attending
	Enlightened is attending
	Jerome is attending
	Zaynab is attending
	Nargess is attending
	Lily is attending
	Julianna is attending
	Eboni is attending
	Silvia is attending
	Vera is attending
	Murphy is attending
	Cat is attending
	Heather is attending
	Masayuki is attending
	Michael is attending Dalai Lama at The Forum

Peace on "Anti-War Radio" (audio)

Ashley Wells, Pat Macpherson, CC Liu, Wisdom Quarterly; Scott Horton (scotthorton.org), Anti-War Radio (1-26-14), Future Freedom Foundation (fff.org); G. Porter

Peace Buddha (papercraftsbyk/flickr.com)

 

Peace sign Buddha (BuddhaIsland.net)

What is the cause of war? It is not tribal differences. That only leads to skirmishes, swagger, and big talk. With forced conscription and seductive advertising, governments make war possible; with profit as the highest motive, corporations make war necessary. Our imperial adventures are actually industrial ventures, easy ways for a very few to make a great deal of money while the public pays for it.

We pay in cash, others with their lives. We send our sons and daughters into the machine; the other side has no choice but to defend themselves against our invasions. The UK taught us well, and the Romans, and the NAZIs, and the Vikings, and the Conquistadors... So we have a "military-industrial complex." A former president warned us about it, a current president keeps it going and growing, and who among us is paying any attention?

• LISTEN NOW: AUDIO (download) 
• AUDIO: Scott Horton with Gareth Porter (1/24/14)

Freedom (fff.org)

Gareth Porter, an independent investigative journalist and historian, discusses Lt. Colonel Danny Davis’s whistleblowing on senior U.S. Army officials lying about progress in Afghanistan, why the Afghan army would rather make deals with the [CIA's] Taliban than fight them, and why David Petraeus’s claim to fame -- the 2007 U.S. War on Iraq “surge” -- is dubious.

The Path to Freedom (self-guided tour)

Wisdom Quarterly; FGS; AccessToInsight.org, Self-guided Tour of the Buddha's Teachings

Modern Buddhist pyramid pagoda/stupa complex (Linc060/flickr.com)

  

A foundation in the Buddha's Dharma

By its nature, the truth invites us to "come and see," to question and investigate. Curious about exploring the Buddha's teachings as presented in the ancient Pali canon?

  

Links are to selections of short passages from the Buddhist sutras introducing or illustrating aspects of a single topic.

 

When encountering a particularly meaningful or interesting passage, look for the full text by simply following the link at the end. 

 

The teachings are profound and complex

Many passages are cross referenced with other pages, making it possible to pursue a theme to whatever depth is desired.

 

This is not, of course, an exhaustive tutorial. A number of the topics introduced are explored more thoroughly in the Study Guides. The General Index also contains references to additional readings on related topics.
 

Modern Buddhist pyramid, Fo Guang Shan, Taiwan (Steven Barringer/Zosoiv71/flickr.com)

  
Begin the tour by exploring the Three Guides (Triple Gem):

1. THE BUDDHA: Sketch of the Buddha's life based on sutra excerpts.
2. THE DHARMA: Outline of the Buddha's teachings organized according to the "gradual instruction." The Buddha frequently used this framework to guide students from first principles through progressively more advanced teachings, all the way to the culmination of the Four Noble Truths by the realization of nirvana (Pali, nibbana).
3. THE SANGHA: Descriptions of the Noble Order -- the community of monastics and laypersons who have gained at least the first stage of enlightenment called stream entry. This is known as they Ariya-Sangha).

• Buddhist Dictionary, by Ven. Nyanatiloka (Kandy: BPS, 1980). A classic handbook of important terms and concepts in Theravada Buddhism.
• Path to Deliverance, by Ven. Nyanatiloka (Kandy: BPS, 1982). A systematic exposition of essential points of Dharma based on passages from the sutras.
• Study Guides: anthologies of short passages for individual and group study.
• The Wings to Awakening: An Anthology from the Pali Canon, by Ven. Thanissaro (Barre: Dhammadana Publications, 1996).