An answer to Mr. Walsh article "Is Dalai lama a bad guy?"

I have utmost respect to critical works, especially those done on proper ground and with dignity. But Mr John Walsh's article “ Is Dalai Lama a bad guy?” is a slap to the “intellectual entity”, not for his comments but for doing so in the name of it, -- which is nothing but a cheap pedantic extraction of comments and attempting to throw some light on a culture and tradition, he knows so little of. If this is a publicity stunt, then the cheapest (for choosing His Holiness with all those people) yet smartest (no danger of retaliation from the individual) ever so done by a boneless fellow, for criticizing simply for the sake of criticism. If the overt motive is to vitiate the general positive leverage of His Holiness, then all i can say “ Mr Walsh wait for your impending disappointment”.

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Dalai Lama has gifted Democracy to his people, stepped aside as a semi-retired leader and intends to take complete retirement next year. It is the opposite of what 99.9% of politicians do (grab power) and i don't know why this is not appealing to Mr Walsh. But would like to have his say. China will take the final verdict on any reincarnation, just like it did for 11th Panchen Lama, yet we have to understand that, belief is not an object that can be forced. But His Holiness the Dalai Lama has made it clear that his successor will bear outside China's rule if the Sino-Tibet issue fails to resolve during his lifetime. It must have bothered Mr Walsh, but won't be if he has enough understanding of 'reincarnation histories, especially signs left by previous Dalai Lamas to his chief search officer, about his place of birth. Mr Walsh has mentioned that His Holiness has some commercial endorsements. This is a very hot news to us, may be Mr Walsh could enlighten us with some of the products and the services endorsed by His Holiness, if he has any. His Holiness is a charismatic leader and his ability to inspire people rather than awe must have charmed people, across the globe including celebrities (if they are different from people). Mr Walsh this is a digital world and it is pragmatic to adopt the widely used medium to reach ones followers if that does not compromise the quality of ones take. And why doesn’t Mr Walsh find the reason that His Holiness has so many followers. If His Holiness is a sneaky diplomatic strategist and a political old monk, snuffling in Gucci Shoes to Rupert Murdoch, Then what His Holiness means to millions of followers? Doesn’t that count? And what is His Holiness means to Mr Walsh?-- out of curiosity.

Mr Walsh even if His Holiness is a living Buddha, he is also a human being living in the 21st century. But i would rather hear what His Holiness said in Vogue that bothered him, only to mention His Holiness featured in a magazine is a lame criticism. What is wrong in being a Noble laureate who has Sharon Stone and Richard Gere as friends, not sure about the speed dial though? Have never heard of a taboo about friendship between noble laureates and Hollywood stars (if celebrities deviants from people, that’s how it sounds from his article)

His Holiness's intentions are opposite of what Mr Walsh accuses him of. His Holiness tries to reason out the profound positive power of spirituality verses short term happiness of materialism. Blaming His Holiness for sending philosophical posts is a bias take. It is another story if someone fails to understand those posts. I think Mr Walsh should find out why His Holiness is still the object of reverence to those Tibetans who does not share his stance over China. Usually reverence ceases with ideology clashes. Perhaps that will free himself a little from his confined hole. There may be few considerable and many non-considerable criticisms against His Holiness like any well-followed individual. His holiness lives a rich life with no major regrets, be it the Tibet issue, world peace and anything he has done and still doing for humanity.

Mr Walsh has described the search method well enough..There is nothing unusual about the method at least not to Tibetans who have witness such method for many generations and to those who have good knowledge about Tibet culture and tradition. What has brought me and my friends down with laughter is Mr Walsh's mentioning of the 13th Dalai lama's toys. They was a rosary, a prayer bell, and a crutch of the 13th Dalai Lama along few new piece of above items. Anyone in his/her rightful sense would not call them toys. May be Mr Walsh is trying to be funny here, if so, our laughter is his compliment..

Potala is the permanent and Norbulinga is spring resident of Dalai Lamas since 5th Dalai Lama. Excuse me Mr Walsh, His Holiness was never on war films, rather interested in knowing what is happening in and around the  world. Those were clips of war and not war films. The 3 cars were brought to Tibet by previous Dalai Lama.. Not sure if His holiness has broken down all three or they sat there and waned. He was a curious teenager interested in harmless machines like watches and musical boxes..

We Tibetans believe that holy lamas has power to envision future, it might not make any sense to Mr Walsh though. Each Dalai Lama comes to continue the unfinished work of the previous. so His Holiness must have sensed the danger with or without the prophecy, that is a common sense. Tibet has followed a 'priest-patron reign' for many decades, His Holiness Dalai Lama as the head followed by two senior abbots and along lay members of kashag (cabinet). Collecting revenue from farmers, nomads and general public is what every country does, to run the government. His Holiness acknowledges that his government was flawed, was not a Utopian unlike most politicians who tries to cover it. His Holiness may have witnessed open fire of monks to army ( must be Chinese). That has a defense reaction out of desperation. I would have the cause behind action. His Holiness has to take the spiritual and temporal power at the age of 15, if situation of Tibet was good, he could have enjoyed few more years without having to carry the responsibility of six million people on his shoulder. Ask any historian, Chinese were to invade Tibet, with or without His Holiness as the head. 1950s was a bad time, But His Holiness as a 15 year boy took the responsibility instead of running away, asks for an appreciation and not a blame. Whatever he had done and still doing for his people no other leader has ever done.

Mr Walsh, that is why the Tibet issue is where it is today. It focuses on building mutual trust rather than increasing enmity.There is no compulsion that redemption should always be instigated by perpetrator. Tibetans and supporters rightfully accuse Chinese government for the situation of Tibet and not civilians of China. Government change with time and so should ones approach toward it. One of the most important reasons why struggle of Tibet stepped down from “complete independence” to "Genuine Autonomy-constitution of all three provinces of Tibet” late Deng Xiaoping said he is ready to discuss anything about Tibet except independence. His Holiness believes in non-violence. The refusal to adopt 'eye for an eye' strategy is not a sign of weakness here, rather an acknowledgment that peace cannot be brought by war.

The uproar was certainly the outcome of years of genocide, human rights violation, destruction of fragile rich ecological balance, constant attempts in eradication of Tibetan culture and language and deforming Tibetan Buddhism practices and monastic rituals. A few Tibetans may have felt a call for arms, which might have an impact, yet every Tibetan and those who share His holiness's take on violence approach know that an impact (no matter how huge) if it is reddened by blood of Tibetans with arms, won't be countable.

His Holiness's threat to resign was to stop the violence and save lives of individuals involved in this uproar. Tibetan government was flawed like all other in the world, yet the situation then was thousand times better than what it is now. If Tibetans get to go back to Tibet, there will be a new system of government, not the one that exists prior to the invasion. “The Middle Way” approach is similar to “governing dynamic theory' by John Nash where both parties have to make some compromises to avail the greater benefits.....

Just because a leader does not call for war and grab power like most politicians do, cannot label him/her ineffectual. Leadership is so much more than that. His Holiness is concerned about general welfare of people (both Tibetan and Chinese), understands the importance of building a stable relationship based on trust with everyone including China. That is what binds people rather than separates them. The gift of a good teacher is his/her ability to simplify the text without losing its real essence. Mr John, there is a string that connects samsara and global ethics. Every religion needs contemplation, Buddha has stressed the importance of doing so, instead of following it blindly. His Holiness is doing that which shows his secularity apart from being a liberal leader. Perhaps that is why there is no Buddhist extremists. It is nothing but humility of His Holiness when he denies of being a “living Buddha”.

The actual fact is there is an undeniable connection between science and Buddhism and His Holiness is attempting and encouraging to find those similarities via “Mind and Life workshop” held annually and other similar workshops and symposiums. His Holiness does not discourage westerner in adopting Buddhism but rather says it is better to follow the religion followed by ones forefathers. Permissibility of shooting at someone's leg or hand for self defense is a much accepted universal law. Dorjee phakmo's trivial judgments on His Holiness’ character need a thorough scrutinization.

It is one thing if the west would like Tibet to remain heavenly beautiful away from modernization and it is another that Tibetans still dream of returning to that existence. But let's face the reality and accept that it is now, impossible. But what has and will always remain constant is the unconditional compassion His Holiness has for his people and that of the world, with or without those baseless labels “splitter' or “wolf in a monk's robe”. Mr Walsh, in His Holiness's eyes two individuals (the one who worships him and the one who curses him) are equal object of compassion, which is pretty amazing. His Holiness's life has been on a constant-dynamism, as Mr John Walsh has described with too much sarcasm.

But there is another angle of looking at Pico Iyer's take, that is, it is un-denying that without any effort His Holiness journeyed centuries in few decades. But the beauty is how His Holiness has done it by maintaining the authenticity of Buddhism and Tibetanness very much intact and alive- growing richer with each horizon... And before i cease all i can add is may His Holiness live for many many more kalpas....

"Even if the Chinese leave nothing but ashes in our sacred land, Tibet will rise from ashes as a free country...." 

                                                           -His Holiness The Dalai lama

By tayangloru