His Holiness, the fourteenth Dalai Lama is the head of the Tibetan Buddhism, a spiritual leader that is revered worldwide, and the head of the Tibetan government-in-exile. Born on July 6, 1935, to a peasant family, the Dalai Lama was identified at the age of two, based on the agreement of the Tibetan custom. He was recognized as the “reincarnation of his predecessor, the thirteenth Dalai Lama” (Varela, n.d). In general, the Dalai Lamas represents the materializations “of the Buddha of Compassion, who choose to reincarnate for the purpose of relieving suffering” (Valera, n.d.). As the winner of the Nobel Prize for Peace in 1989, the Dalai Lama is respected worldwide as a spokesperson for the sympathetic and non-violent means of resolving human conflict.
The Dalai Lama sees himself as "a simple Buddhist monk". He encourages an independent lifestyle in the region for Tibet. He is resolutely committed to the life of his country's exceptional culture. The fourteenth Dalai Lama points to pacifist, Mahatma Ghandi as inspiration. He encourages his people to persist even when they encounter distress and moments of near death. The rich heritage of Tibet continues to strive because of the visions of the Dalai Lama. Many historians have noted that the Dalai Lama is a unique blend of spiritual and political leader. His personality and political shrewdness makes him respected and revered by millions of Buddhist and non-Buddhist across the world. For the last fifty years, the Dalai Lama, promoted and led the Buddhist movement. In the last fifty year, he established the Buddhist movement and made an outstanding impact on the religion. In addition, he has made a tremendous impact on the promotion of Buddhism. He left Tibet in 1959, and since then the Dalai Lama has spread the teaching of Buddhism to the outside world. He travelled to sixty three nations since 1967 with a record of three hundred visits up to 2005. During his travels, he lifted the standards of profile of the image and the worldwide views on his religious beliefs, and as such brought the religion across the East Asian boundaries and into the Western world. In promoting his religion, he has succeeded in making Buddhism one of the more popular religions into the modern Christian society.
Another significant role of the Dalai Lama is the way in which he has modernized the Christians and the rest of the world’s views on Buddhism. He has helped to establish a relationship between the Buddhist philosophical views and contemporary ethical issues in the society. The Dalai Lama is famous views on homosexuality, abortion, and sexual behavior. An example of this is his controversial views on abortion as he believes that abortion is murder, but the circumstance justifies the means. Miks (2010) points to data collected by the United Nations and World Bank to suggest that the ‘official’ meetings between the Dalai Lama and the leaders of a country often results in a reduction in the exports to China from that country. The effect of the meeting lasts for at least two years. One may question the visits of the Dalai to country’s that receive him at the highest political level, facing punishment through a decrease of their exports to China. However, that has only been true since Hu Jintao took office in 2002.
The Telegraph talks about the Dalai Lama views on the number of people who seek to light themselves. In the past, he noted that he understood the acts but does not encourage the act. However, several scholars in Tibet criticized his position on the topic of self-immolations, saying his unwillingness to tell his people to desist from committing these acts has strengthened their steadfastness to persist with the fiery protests. As a former winner of the Nobel Peace Prize, the Dalai Lama noted that the immolations were in fact a “sensitive political issue” (The Telegraph). But, he noted that the people of Tibet carried out these acts based on more political activism than on personal grievances. Similarly, the United States Department has begged “China to allow Tibetans to express grievances freely, while calling on Tibetans to "end self-immolations". The Dalai Lama justifies the acts of self-immolations by pointing to the fact that the Tibetans could easily hurt others in their fight for their beliefs, but instead they hurt themselves and no one else.
The Dalai Lama said Tibetans could "easily hurt other people", but instead were choosing "to sacrifice their own lives, not hurting others.
“The role of the Dalai Lama as a religious leader is very important in the Tibetan Buddhism” (http://www.learntoquestion.com ) is one of utmost importance. As a result of this, the fourteenth Dalai Lama is capable of using his influence to teach many important messages about the preservation of Buddhism in today’s society. The teachings include ensuring that the Tibetan Buddhists are educated in the essential teachings of Buddhism. Even though, Buddhism is maintained in many sections of Tibet, the understanding of Buddhism as a religion among the general public is still relatively poor. Based on this, one of the Dalai Lama’s most significant teachings is that Tibetan Buddhists obtain a strong basis in Buddhist teachings before learning about the customs and practices around them or what happened in the past. In order to ensure this, the Dalai Lama trains the nuns and monks to be disciplined, as well as to be able to teach others about the philosophy and principles of the Buddhist faith.
Moreover, the Dalai Lama firmly believes that the main aim in life is to find happiness and to “discover what will bring about the greatest degree of happiness”. In addition the best way to experience this happiness involves becoming more compassionate to those around. Buddhism and its teachings maintain peace. As such, believers in the religion are open-minded about other religious beliefs and practices. They may attempt to convert those who do not share their beliefs, but they do not force them to become a part of the religion. The Dalai Lama has committed himself to promoting peace and compassion around the world. With the current animosity between the Chinese and the Tibetans, the Dalai Lama has not broken his promise of maintaining the peace.
The Tibetans are suppressed by the Chinese government, but the Dalai Lama refuses to engage in any form of violent conflict with the Chinese. Instead, he maintains the peace and has put forward a five point plan to restore between the Tibetans and the Chinese. The Dalai continues to maintain peace between these two Asian nations. He recognizes that if the people of Tibet were to retaliate or respond to the threats of the Chinese, would result in an armed Tibetan uprising which would only lead to mass suicide. In addition it would be an added bonus to the Chinese government to wipe out the Tibetans from the face of the earth. As a humanitarian, the Dalai Lama continues to keep the peace despite the difficult struggles he faces against China.
Varela (n.d.) notes that the Dalai Lama shows much interest in the latest scientific developments, and “brings to bear both a voice for the humanistic implications of the findings, and a high degree of intuitive methodological sophistication” (Valera, n.d.). He often engages in personal dialogues with the scientists in the Western world as he promotes the scientific research of Buddhist meditation. The Dalai Lama is an advocate in the movement to establish fundamental science education in the Buddhist academic centers and the monastic colleges.
In addition, he brings the revolutionary idea of integrating the ways to engage in science as a means of inspiring the Tibetan philosophical rituals. In addition, the Dalai Lama emphasizes that Buddhism and science both have one goal’ and that is to serve people, and thereby build a better appreciation of the world. The Dalai Lama believes that science, as a tool, is powerful and it forms the foundations of understanding the “interconnectedness of all Life, and that such understanding provides an essential rationale for ethical behavior and the protection of the environment” (Valera n.d)
The Dalai Lama teaches a non-violent approach to the events in life. He brought this philosophy to the struggle of the people of Tibet against the Chinese authorities. The non-violent philosophy the Dalai Lama brought to the Tibetan struggles was shaped not only by his Buddhist beliefs, but also by his opinion that Tibet's ethnic identity and divergent cultural practices could best be saved by a policy of discussion with the Chinese authorities. Nonetheless, the 1950's saw an increase in the struggle that the Tibetans faced. The Dalai Lama was an adolescent at the time, but he believed that the fight between both groups had gone on for way too long. As such, he was concerned his peaceful approach would no longer have an effect on the events happening around him.
The resistance movement between Tibet and the Chinese authority reflected a blazing cauldron of repressed ideologies and beliefs. The resistance came to a peak in March 1959, when the Tibetans began widespread protests for their freedom and independence. However, the Chinese reacted in a predictable and cruel way. The end result was nothing less than a catastrophe. The Tibetan population was almost destroyed. Official Chinese reports revealed, in the 1950s, the actual uprising and the attempts to quell the uprising’s led to approximately eighty – seven thousand deaths in central Tibet. The Tibetans put the total destruction of lives at approximately one million.
As a result of the war, the Tibetan refugees, including the Dalai Lama, went to India for asylum. He guided most of the Tibetan guerilla’s to lay down their arms, and stop fighting. Many or the guerilla bands, through their respect for their leaders did so, however some could not chose between fighting for their freedom and accepting defeat graciously, as a result they killed themselves. The Dalai Lama peaceful surrender led to the end of the violent period in the fight for Tibetan struggle for freedom.
During the period in exile, the Dalai Lama had enough time to reflect on the situation as it existed in Tibet at the time. He attempted to find new ways that would change the face of Asian politics. However, his attempts to make peace with the Chinese proved to be futile as from the start of these attempts at peace, the Dalia Lama’s advisors realized that the issue of Tibet and its fight for freedom only be resolved through a lengthy process of talks with the Chinese government.
The Chinese government was in no mood to talk during the 1960's and early 1770's. China had more interest in the political strife and the madness that surrounded the Cultural Revolution. The revolution destroyed both China and Tibet, as buildings and monasteries were destroyed in the process. The struggle for power caused the steady decline in the social and institutional aspect of the country. Based on these events, many young Tibetans questioned the beliefs and practices or the Dalai Lama and how his methods of a non violent approach.
The responded to the arguments based on his Buddhist beliefs and the fact the he was grounded in the reality that the Tibetans were no match for the Chinese and their huge army. In addition, the Dalai Lama’s Buddhist teachings, dictated that the life of every human, is sacred and that it was a privilege to be born a human being. To the people of Asia, the Dalai Lama taught that being a human gives the individual the chance to gain enlightenment. This enlightenment is the maximum spiritual purpose of being that makes one free from the cycle of birth and rebirth. However, by killing someone, an individual commits the ultimate negative act as the killer denies another of the change of experiencing enlightenment. Similarly, the Dalai Lama and his Buddhist teachings emphasized the enemy is the best teacher as he teaches the virtue of life. In addition, Buddhists believe that your enemy is your best teacher because he teaches the ability to be patience and tolerant. These values are important on the complicated path to enlightenment.
In concluding, regardless of where one comes from in the world, the Dalai Lama teachings suggest that human beings are motivated and governed by common principles of life, love and happiness. In addition, one seeks to avoid suffering at cost. There are the common basic needs and concerns for life, love and happiness. Similarly, his teachings of widespread freedom for all human beings and the right to decide one’s destiny, is a part of human nature. The changes at every corner of the earth show the suffering of the people, but for Tibetans and the Chinese, the suffering has gone on for too long. The Dalai Lama encourages worldwide peace as violence only encourages more violence and the ultimate sufferings of the people. In addition, he instilled in many people around the world that passive reactions to violence gains more solutions than violence against violence.
Finally, the Dalai Lama points to the fact that suffering in the world is caused by ignorance. He believes that for every action, there is a consequence and a stimulant that triggered the action. His controversial ideas on abortion as an action that is justifiable depending on the situation, leaves critics wondering about his acceptance of taking a life. Furthermore, he believes that people inflict pain on each other. His teachings on Buddhism and the values on true happiness has crossed many racial and ethnic borders, and many people have conformed to the teachings and practices of Buddhism. The Dalai Lama teaches that all religions have the same goals, which are build on human goodness and bring happiness to all human beings, although the means to achieve the goals many be different.
Bibliography
Dalai Lama Doubts Effect of Tibetan self-immolations” (n.d.a) The Telegraph. Available at:
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/asia/tibet/10117850/Dalai-Lama-doubts-
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Miks, Jason, (2010) The Dalai Lama Effect November 05, 2010, The Diplomat. Available at:
http://thediplomat.com/2010/11/the-dalai-lama-effect/ Last accessed: June 11, 2014
Varela, Francisco J., (n.d) Dalai Lama and Mind and Life: The Importance of the Encounter with
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