New Delhi, Nov 21 : Tibetan spiritual leader Dalai Lama has said he was contemplating retirement within months and a final decision on it will be taken after consultations with the political leadership and Parliament-in-exile.
The 76-year-old leader, who has been living in India in exile since 1959, expressed hope that he could return to his homeland before his death.
"I think within next six months," the Tibetan leader in a television interview, when asked whether he was retiring as was being speculated.
He, however, promptly added that "I do not know. May be next few months. I think may be."
The Dalai Lama said he will firm up his decision on retirement after discussions with the Tibetan Parliament-in-exile.
"I want to inform them about my intention although I briefly mentioned (about it) already," he said.
source: from sinlung.com
[url]http://www.sinlung.com/2010/11/dalai-lama-may-retire-within-6-months.html[/url]##########################
What will this mean for the future of the ban on ds... ? More mayhem? Or more freedom and peace to practice?
Your thoughts....?
Oh this is groundbreaking news! If the Dalai Lama does retire.... I feel he is already planning to leave his body. I pray that he does not and I do hope he relaxes on the ban too. His leaving would leave a vacuum not just in the TGIE but also in the larger Buddhist world as he had been a great leader. Who would be the successor for both of these positions? That would be the big million dollar question.
Friends there will never be someone like His Holiness the Dalai lama again who holds both temporal and spiritual power of such magnitude, I think maybe such acts in this life are a deliberate attempt at once and for all removing the politics from what was once a most auspcious monastic lineage of reincarnated venerables.
After all how many here would follow the Karmapa as their spiritual and temporal leader ? Not that I have anything against HH Karmapa ( whichever one it maybe ) but as we know when the Dalai lama passes from this current body china will soon be filling the role would this perhapes provide the time for a perfect move back to the pure days of old.
After all HH panchen lama is working in china for others benifit Im under the impression because His eminence Gangchen lama has recognised him as his old friend the 10th that appearances and actions can appear to be deceptive but after all we cannot see the effects of what is to come from them over many lifetimes.
Friends there will never be someone like His Holiness the Dalai lama again who holds both temporal and spiritual power of such magnitude, I think maybe such acts in this life are a deliberate attempt at once and for all removing the politics from what was once a most auspcious monastic lineage of reincarnated venerables.
After all how many here would follow the Karmapa as their spiritual and temporal leader ? Not that I have anything against HH Karmapa ( whichever one it maybe ) but as we know when the Dalai lama passes from this current body china will soon be filling the role would this perhapes provide the time for a perfect move back to the pure days of old.
After all HH panchen lama is working in china for others benifit Im under the impression because His eminence Gangchen lama has recognised him as his old friend the 10th that appearances and actions can appear to be deceptive but after all we cannot see the effects of what is to come from them over many lifetimes.
Hi Zach
Agree with you re Panchen Lama, "appearances and actions can appear to be deceptive but after all we cannot see the effects of what is to come from them over many lifetimes." - This is exactly it. In our myopia, we should not judge others. After all, do we know for sure whether actions which appear deceptive really are or not?
If we follow Pabongka and not get involved with politics then we should not have any protests against the Dalai Lama in any part of the world.
Since our time and Pabongka's time is different, then different methods for dharma need to be employed.
Protesting over the destruction of a spiritual lineage, in order to try to prevent its destruction, is not a political action.
In the first place, it may be good to define what we mean by "political" here. To me, I think becoming political necessarily includes or implies some sort of personal agenda, where one side will "win" and the other "loses", or becomes oppressed/suppressed/removed.
In this case, the TGIE's actions can be seen as very much political - elevating their own status, driving fear into others and of course, the suppression of many, many people.
If we retaliate in the same way - also aggressively and with personal attacks - it can amount to the same thing because inadvertently, we are creating that same situation of putting down the other side.
I understand that there are some views here that we should make the problems known and stop the persecution and discrimination. I believe there are ways to do this without getting political in turn - we can focus on how to help one side without necessarily putting down the other or launching personal attacks against the dalai lama, which we have seen many examples of throughout the web, videos and media of all sorts.
I think it is without any doubt that everyone on this forum has a good intention to help fellow shugden practitioners, and not allow further damage to be done. But HOW we do it can become political or even personal.
Respectful speech allows us to highlight the wrongful actions but not personalize the attack, i.e. the person.
It is not the Dalai Lama's actions that are the problem but the Dalai Lama himself,
Yes it is the WSS's position for this view.This is not the ONLY view. This website does not share this view.Respectful speech allows us to highlight the wrongful actions but not personalize the attack, i.e. the person.
The WSS's position is very clear: the Dalai Lama is a fake and his mixing of religion and politics is causing all the problems associated with the 'Dorje Shugden controversy'.
Hence, if the Dalai Lama is spreading wrong view of our Protector and the Dalai Lama is NOT a Buddha, can you imagine the karma? Hence the compassion the Dalai Lama's critics should have for him.
Sometimes i think that there can be several scenarios when the Dalai Lama passes into clear light -
1. the ban can be lifted
2. the ban can be perpetuated by the TGIE
3. DS practitioners become a bigger and stronger separate group - like Serpom, Shar Gaden
We really cannot tell what will happen and speculation sometimes is a waste of time so perhaps we should just focus on our practice and not the current situation of the Dalai Lama, whether we believe he is a Buddha or not.
Sometimes i think that there can be several scenarios when the Dalai Lama passes into clear light -
1. the ban can be lifted
2. the ban can be perpetuated by the TGIE
3. DS practitioners become a bigger and stronger separate group - like Serpom, Shar Gaden
We really cannot tell what will happen and speculation sometimes is a waste of time so perhaps we should just focus on our practice and not the current situation of the Dalai Lama, whether we believe he is a Buddha or not.
I like what you say. Why waste MORE time focussing on the Dalai Lama. If the Pope bans divorce, just ignore him if you need to seperate from your spouse. If Dalai Lama says no to Shugden, just ignore him. Why go on and on? Just practice Shugden.
I think you've missed the point. You're a non-Buddhist as far as everyone who has faith in the Dalai Lama is concerned. No one wants to associate with you because you worship a demon and have broken your refuge commitment.
I am led to think that having Guru devotion and clean samaya is what matters most importantly for most of us.
I wish that The Dalai Lama's disciples have faithful Guru devotion and clean samaya.
I wish that any enlightened Master's disciple have faithful Guru devotion and clean samaya.
I wish that those that have the Dalai Lama as a guru and other lama(s) as their guru(s) have enough wisdom to see the teachings of all their Gurus as being without contradiction, no matter what.
And I wish that we all could see our own mind working as clearly as we "seem" to be able to see other's.
I am led to think that having Guru devotion and clean samaya is what matters most importantly for most of us.
I wish that The Dalai Lama's disciples have faithful Guru devotion and clean samaya.
I wish that any enlightened Master's disciple have faithful Guru devotion and clean samaya.
I wish that those that have the Dalai Lama as a guru and other lama(s) as their guru(s) have enough wisdom to see the teachings of all their Gurus as being without contradiction, no matter what.
And I wish that we all could see our own mind working as clearly as we "seem" to be able to see other's.
I agree with you of your wish that we can all have the wisdom to see the teachings without contradiction. But how many will have the ability to have the wisdom to see this. Our mind is the most difficult to tame. Could it be that we do not have the merits to see the truth, to know what is right or wrong or which is the best course to take? This is how Dalai Lama's disciples are facing now. Which side to follow.......
I feel that instead of just arguing who is right or wrong,and since we are not able to change the Dalai Lama's view, let us used our precious time to change ourselves instead. Let us practice patience and tolerance and have a more positive outlook and attitude. Who knows, the truth will prevail when the time is right. Anyway, to just keep arguing who is right or wrong will lead us nowhere.
I agree with you of your wish that we can all have the wisdom to see the teachings without contradiction. But how many will have the ability to have the wisdom to see this. Our mind is the most difficult to tame. Could it be that we do not have the merits to see the truth, to know what is right or wrong or which is the best course to take? This is how Dalai Lama's disciples are facing now. Which side to follow.......
I feel that instead of just arguing who is right or wrong,and since we are not able to change the Dalai Lama's view, let us used our precious time to change ourselves instead. Let us practice patience and tolerance and have a more positive outlook and attitude. Who knows, the truth will prevail when the time is right. Anyway, to just keep arguing who is right or wrong will lead us nowhere.
The whole point of Dharma practice is to change ourselves one step at a time towards the qualities of a Buddha. If we cannot make the Dalai Lama change his view at this time, then we must not waste any more time to highlight this issue.
We could adopt a new attitude of "accepting" the situation, "letting go" our views against the Dalai Lama, and " taking positive actions" towards promoting Dorje Shugden practice in whatever way we can. Yes, we all can do this one step at a time, some can make bigger steps at a time and some smaller steps, but that doesn't matter, I think. At least we are moving forwards to a positivie territory - positive thoughts lead to positive actions.......then positive results.
I have always thought to myself, I dislike arguements, crisis and conflicts, but without these situations, how do I have a chance to practice what I need to practice?? The Dorje Shugden's ban has affected the lives of millions of buddhists, and if we take one step back and think, why not embrace this situation and practice what Lord buddha taught us, afterall, we all know samsara is never a prefect world.
The whole point of Dharma practice is to change ourselves one step at a time towards the qualities of a Buddha. If we cannot make the Dalai Lama change his view at this time, then we must not waste any more time to highlight this issue.
We could adopt a new attitude of "accepting" the situation, "letting go" our views against the Dalai Lama, and " taking positive actions" towards promoting Dorje Shugden practice in whatever way we can. Yes, we all can do this one step at a time, some can make bigger steps at a time and some smaller steps, but that doesn't matter, I think. At least we are moving forwards to a positivie territory - positive thoughts lead to positive actions.......then positive results.
I have always thought to myself, I dislike arguements, crisis and conflicts, but without these situations, how do I have a chance to practice what I need to practice?? The Dorje Shugden's ban has affected the lives of millions of buddhists, and if we take one step back and think, why not embrace this situation and practice what Lord buddha taught us, afterall, we all know samsara is never a prefect world.
If we believe in karma, take refuge in the infallibility of karma then why focus so much and getting so upset with the Dalai Lama.
What you share of "letting go..." is what dharma is about. I suppose our own self righteous, egoistical deluded minds under the disguise of equality and freedom of religion justifies the anger and hatred held against the dalai lama . isn't this the sign of the three poisons at work?