*Ø* Blogmanac | Dalai Lama Asks West Not to Turn Buddhism Into a "Fashion"
Says Beliefs Cannot Be Unified With Christianity
"MADRID, Spain, OCT. 8, 2003 (Zenit.org).- The Dalai Lama, spiritual leader of Tibetan Buddhism, appealed to the West not to embrace Buddhism as a mere cultural fashion.
"Under questioning by reporters, Tenzin Gyatso, the 14th Dalai Lama and exiled head of the Tibetan state, denied proposing in his meetings with the Pope a sort of mixture or unification of Buddhism and Christianity.
"The religious leader made these statements following a talk in the 21st Century Club at the Eurobuilding Hotel of Madrid.
"Asked if the future of Buddhism is in the West, the Nobel Peace Prize winner replied: 'People from different traditions should keep their own, rather than change. However, some Tibetan may prefer Islam, so he can follow it. Some Spanish prefer Buddhism; so follow it. But think about it carefully. Don't do it for fashion. Some people start Christian, follow Islam, then Buddhism, then nothing.'
"'In the United States I have seen people who embrace Buddhism and change their clothes,' he said, laughing. "Like the New Age. They take something Hindu, something Buddhist, something, something. ... That is not healthy.'"
Source
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*Ø* Blogmanac | Dalai Lama wants to form 'world peace dream team'
"The Dalai Lama is calling on respected world figures to join forces and intervene in major disputes.
"The exiled Tibetan leader says luminaries such as former Czech President Vaclav Havel and Nobel Peace Prize winner Archbishop Desmond Tutu could defuse situations such as the turmoil in Iraq.
"He says he can't do much alone, but world figures associated with efforts to promote peace could be effective.
"Taking time out during a visit to France, the 1989 Nobel Peace Prize winner says he had considered travelling to Baghdad before the war.
"The free Paris daily Metro quoted the 68-year-old as saying: 'But I said to myself "A Buddhist monk, who has absolutely no friends in Baghdad ... I'll walk in the streets, get a bomb on my head and die!".
"I deeply believe that if certain very respected personalities, such as Vaclav Havel, Archbishop Desmond Tutu and others, go there, they could represent peace, humanity and not this or that government."
The Dalai Lama says he has written to Havel and is to meet him next week. He says he'll propose 'that when a violent crisis threatens to explode, these leaders of peace be more active. It's possibly a way to find a solution to problems.'
"In the Metro interview, the Dalai Lama added China's frequent displeasure with his activities limits his ability to intervene in world crises.
"'I alone can't do very much. I represent the Tibetans and I would be more of an inconvenience to those that I want to help by provoking the anger of Beijing,' he said."
Source
Says Beliefs Cannot Be Unified With Christianity
"MADRID, Spain, OCT. 8, 2003 (Zenit.org).- The Dalai Lama, spiritual leader of Tibetan Buddhism, appealed to the West not to embrace Buddhism as a mere cultural fashion.
"Under questioning by reporters, Tenzin Gyatso, the 14th Dalai Lama and exiled head of the Tibetan state, denied proposing in his meetings with the Pope a sort of mixture or unification of Buddhism and Christianity.
"The religious leader made these statements following a talk in the 21st Century Club at the Eurobuilding Hotel of Madrid.
"Asked if the future of Buddhism is in the West, the Nobel Peace Prize winner replied: 'People from different traditions should keep their own, rather than change. However, some Tibetan may prefer Islam, so he can follow it. Some Spanish prefer Buddhism; so follow it. But think about it carefully. Don't do it for fashion. Some people start Christian, follow Islam, then Buddhism, then nothing.'
"'In the United States I have seen people who embrace Buddhism and change their clothes,' he said, laughing. "Like the New Age. They take something Hindu, something Buddhist, something, something. ... That is not healthy.'"
Source
*Ø* Blogmanac | Dalai Lama wants to form 'world peace dream team'
"The Dalai Lama is calling on respected world figures to join forces and intervene in major disputes.
"The exiled Tibetan leader says luminaries such as former Czech President Vaclav Havel and Nobel Peace Prize winner Archbishop Desmond Tutu could defuse situations such as the turmoil in Iraq.
"He says he can't do much alone, but world figures associated with efforts to promote peace could be effective.
"Taking time out during a visit to France, the 1989 Nobel Peace Prize winner says he had considered travelling to Baghdad before the war.
"The free Paris daily Metro quoted the 68-year-old as saying: 'But I said to myself "A Buddhist monk, who has absolutely no friends in Baghdad ... I'll walk in the streets, get a bomb on my head and die!".
"I deeply believe that if certain very respected personalities, such as Vaclav Havel, Archbishop Desmond Tutu and others, go there, they could represent peace, humanity and not this or that government."
The Dalai Lama says he has written to Havel and is to meet him next week. He says he'll propose 'that when a violent crisis threatens to explode, these leaders of peace be more active. It's possibly a way to find a solution to problems.'
"In the Metro interview, the Dalai Lama added China's frequent displeasure with his activities limits his ability to intervene in world crises.
"'I alone can't do very much. I represent the Tibetans and I would be more of an inconvenience to those that I want to help by provoking the anger of Beijing,' he said."
Source
Pip Wilson posted item above at 10:38 PM | Permalink
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