His Holiness the Dalai Lama Visits Norwegian Parliament and Nobel Peace Centre

Oslo, Norway, 9 May 2014 - His Holiness the Dalai Lama was met on the steps of The Storting, the Norwegian Parliament building by Ketil Kjenseth, Liv Signe Navarsete and other Members of Norwegian Parliamentary Group for Tibet, who escorted him into the building. Ketil Kjenseth explained that he was dressed in the local costume of his constituency, Oppland, to mark the fact that it was the first place in Norway to welcome and accommodate Tibetan refugees. After Members of Parliament, including members of the governing coalition, representatives and youth representatives of all other political parties, had introduced themselves, His Holiness was invited to speak.

“Brothers and sisters, I am honoured that you are receiving me. I’m a great admirer of democracy. I often say that the world belongs to the whole of humanity; we are the owners. Each country belongs to the people who live there. When a government is chosen by the people it is accountable to those people. Since 2011 I have completely retired from political responsibility and I have retired the institution of Dalai Lamas from this responsibility too.”Regarding the environment, he said that a Chinese ecologist had estimated the significance of Tibet to be equivalent to that of the North and South Poles, so he had described Tibet as the Third Pole. Asia’s major rivers ultimately have their source in Tibet and 1 billion people depend on their waters. One Chinese Prime Minister acknowledged that the unprecedented flooding in China was a result of deforestation in Tibet.

“As everybody knows, I’m a Buddhist monk,” His Holiness concluded, “committed to promoting human values, inter-religious harmony and the preservation of Tibet’s Buddhist culture and natural environment.”

Ketil Kjenseth opened the meeting to questions from the floor and the first was about religious conflict. His Holiness replied that in most cases such conflict is political or economic rather than religious. He commented that while it is sufficient for an individual to think personally of one religion, one truth, in today’s world on a community level we have to respectfully acknowledge several religions and several truths.

His Holiness the Dalai Lama speaking to members of the Norwegian Parliamentary Group for Tibet at the Norwegian Parliament in Oslo, Norway on May 9, 2014.
Photo/Duy Anh Pham
Asked how Norway can support human rights most effectively, His Holiness said that smaller nations like Norway may be seen as less of a threat and so able to establish the trust necessary to engage in dialogue about this. Trust and respect are key factors. When a similar question was posed a few minutes later, His Holiness said:

“Like peace, progress on human rights will not come about just by making good wishes, it will require action. Once in Hiroshima when there were prayers for peace, I suggested that we have to make efforts to create peace. “

Another questioner began by expressing the hope that His Holiness had felt the warmth with which he is received in Norway. He said: “You’re always smiling, what’s the reason?”

“Peace is actually related to inner peace. Anger destroys our inner peace, while love, compassion and forgiveness are its source. Religious traditions like Christianity and Islam see other beings as creations of God. I met an Israeli teacher who advised his Palestinian students to see hostile security guards as in the image of God. They reported back to him that it was very effective. Sometimes we just pay lip service to our religious traditions, but if we follow a faith, we should do so sincerely. As for why I laugh and smile, that’s my secret! Actually, I work for about 8 hours a day and at night I get 8-9 hours sleep. Laughter is one of our unique human abilities. The human smile is an expression of love and affection.”

To a question about how he sees the future of an autonomous Tibet, His Holiness said that as early as 1974 he and his advisers had decided that they needed to talk to China and that they could not seek independence. Tibet was historically a separate country, but what is past is past. He expressed admiration for the European Union whose members are prepared to be part of a greater whole. He said Tibetans want the Chinese authorities to grant the rights and privileges to Tibetan areas already mentioned in the Chinese constitution. These include human rights and environmental issues, for example where mining is being undertaken contrary to the wishes of the local people. Also China tends to look down on Tibetan language and culture, which is a kind of human rights violation. He said he tells Chinese friends, ‘Look at India with its many different scripts and languages and no threat of separatism.’ Tibetans want religious freedom, the right to preserve their language and culture.

His Holiness the Dalai Lama meeting with members of the Norwegian Parliamentary Group for Tibet at the Norwegian Parliament in Oslo, Norway on May 9, 2014.
Photo/Duy Anh Pham
“Finally, there is the fact that in the past Tibet acted as a buffer state between China and India. China’s stationing of so many troops in Tibet alarms India. If the situation in Tibet were normalized these troop numbers could be reduced.”

When a questioner suggested that human rights violations in Tibet are among the worst anywhere, His Holiness replied that about 15 years ago a local Party Secretary told a Party meeting that the ultimate threat to separate Tibet from China lay in Tibetan Buddhist culture and sought to suppress it. Tibetans like Norwegians are proud of their culture and were offended. Installation of CCTV cameras in every corner of Lhasa and in temples has created an atmosphere of fear and suspicion.

“Meanwhile,” His Holiness said, “many friends say that Xi Jinping is more realistic in his thinking. He is boldly challenging corruption. Recently, on a visit to France, he praised Buddhism as having a special role to play in reviving and revitalizing Chinese culture. We’ll have to see. The totalitarian system has become osssified after nearly 70 years, but many Chinese intellectuals are raising their voices in the cause of freedom. The EU should express support for these people and for Xi Jinping. The world’s moral support will help.

“At present China spends more on internal security than on defence; no one else does this. Wen Jiabao said that China needs political reform, suggesting even US style democracy. He was laying out policies on which to build in order that China can play a constructive role in the world. Secrecy and censorship don’t attract trust and respect.”

His Holiness the Dalai Lama speaking to members of the Norwegian Parliamentary Group for Tibet at the Norwegian Parliament in Oslo, Norway on May 9, 2014. Photo/JeremyRussell/OHHDLAsked again how Norway can contribute to ensuring human rights in Tibet, His Holiness recalled that Hu Yaobang went to Tibet to see for himself. He sent his own observers ahead to report back to him and rejected the concocted reports of local officials. It remains important for people to go to Tibet and to report what they find.

A question was raised about the self-immolations that have taken place in Tibet. His Holiness said that because it is a sensitive political matter and that hardliners distort whatever he says he prefers to keep quiet.

“When they began I told a BBC correspondent that such events were really very sad and questioned how effective they would be for the Tibet issue. Later, in Japan I stated that these events are symptoms of a cause which urgently needs to be investigated and addressed.”

Ketil Kjenseth concluded the meeting:

“Thank you for coming with your smile and positive values. It was a pleasure to have you here.”

His Holiness the Dalai Lama meeting with group of high school students at the Nobel Peace Centre in Oslo, Norway on May 9, 2014. Photo/Jeremy Russell/OHHDL
At the Nobel Peace Centre, His Holiness was welcomed by the director, Bente Erichsen, who showed him around. Among other things she showed him the Fred and Toca Loca children's display about Nobel Peace Prize winners that features him as one of the five best loved Nobel laureates. In a recorded conversation that will be played in schools, His Holiness spoke to a group of high school students about the value of affection and inner peace in creating a happier world. The Mayor of Oslo, Fabian Stang, took the opportunity to introduce himself to His Holiness.

Speaking to Tibetans and Tibet Supporters from Nordic countries he encouraged them, praising the value of Tibet’s Buddhist culture and expressing the hope that China continues to change. From there he went to the Folketeateret, where he was first presented with the Erik Bye Memorial Prize, commemorating the father of modern journalism in Norway. In his subsequent talk, His Holiness spoke about the need for ethics in our world, saying that the essence of ethics is love and respect for one another. These are fundamental values also expressed in all major religious traditions. He said that the distinction between non-violence and violence lies less in the nature of the action than in the motivation for it.

Tibetans and Tibet supporters from Nordic countries listening to His Holiness the Dalai Lama speaking during their meeting in Oslo, Norway on May 9, 2014. Photo/Jeremy Russell/OHHDL
When a Shugden supporter raised a question he explained that he had propitiated Shugden himself from 1951 until the early 1970s, when he realised there was something wrong with it. He stopped and eventually others came to know that. He said that since the 5th and 13th Dalai Lamas had opposed the practice he felt a duty to explain that to others. He went on to answer questions about the status of men and women in Buddhism and how to respond to the loss of loved ones.

At each event in Oslo, Tibetans and their friends and supporters turned out in large numbers to express their support for His Holiness and to wish him a long life. He in turn made a point of acknowledging and expressing his appreciation for their support.

Tomorrow, he travels to the Netherlands where he will hold meetings and give teachings.

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Global Buddhists come to Bodh Gaya for peace conference

The conference started with a special prayer session at the famed Mahabodhi Buddhist temple premises in Bodhgaya, Bihar.

The conference has been held for the last 25 years.

?This annual ceremony has been organising for the last 25 year, more than 25 year and today also as it happened in the morning, we prayed in the Nipunji Japanese temple and conference will take place in the afternoon from today,? said a Buddhist.

Monks from countries like Bangladesh, Cambodia, Laos, Nepal, India, Myanmar, Thailand, Sri Lanka, Vietnam and several other countries ,including India were participating in the event.

The purpose of holding such an event was to popularize the ideologies of Buddhism, especially peace and solidarity, among the masses from across the globe.

?The message of this conference purpose is to spread the teaching of the Buddha, peace, harmony, brotherhood, and solidarity among the human races in India and outside of India,? said another Buddhist.

Bodh Gaya is regarded as a holy spot as Lord Buddha is believed to have attained enlightenment under a tree and it still exists although in a pitiable state, even after thousands of years.

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Buddhist monks expand peace walk to Kennewick

Monks of the Nipponzan Myohoji Buddhist Temple on Bainbridge Island will be in the Tri-Cities on July 30 for a prayer walk for abolition of nuclear weapons.

The five-mile Kennewick segment will start at 9:40 a.m. at the Rite Aid on Highway 395 and Kennewick Avenue and proceed on Clearwater Avenue to Columbia Center Boulevard. It will end at Target.

The six-mile Richland segment will begin at 1 p.m. with a brief ceremony in John Dam Plaza. It will proceed north on George Washington Way to the 300 Area gate of the Hanford nuclear reservation.

The walk is open to the public. A support vehicle will provide rides for those who need a lift midwalk.

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Myanmar's prominent Buddhist monk talks peace and unity

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Yangon, Myanmar -- Bhante Ashin Nyanissara, commonly known as Sitagu Sayadaw, one of the most prominent Buddhist monks in Myanmar, has urged the government and the people to work together to safeguard the religion and the nationality in the country.

<< Sitagu Sayadaw giving speech at the ceremony (Photo - EMG)

Speaking at a special ceremony held at Aung Sann Tet Monastery in Insein Ywama, Yangon on June 27, Sitagu said, “The objective is good enough. We need to choose a word wise enough to capture the whole process of protecting the country as well as safeguarding the religion and the nationality. In front of the respected monks here, I would like to announce to you [the monastery's head] that a leading committee will be formed, and its organizational rules, structure, and title will be decided soon. The unity is very important," said Sitagu Sayadaw.

He also urged the monks attending the ceremony to be patient, forgiving, and united in accord with the Buddha teachings regarding the current situations.

"I'd like to request from here to all people from different religions such as Buddhism, Islam, Hinduism, and Christianity not to turn small incident into a bigger one. The ones who take refuge under a tree should not destroy it. What should not be retaliated must not be exaggerated. The wild exaggeration is the main cause behind the destruction of peace and unity. Nowadays the incidents like those have happened often in our country. We all should not take part in those incidents. If we do, we will be the same as the Time Magazine's cover story accused [of the Buddhism]," he added.

He also said the Buddhist monks should be aware of those who are behind the recent incidents and to act wisely.

Support from those persons having international outlook and the law experts is essential for the Buddhist monks to be able to protect the nationality and the religion. The government and the people must also cooperate in it, Sitagu Sayadaw said.

He also questioned the coincidence of religious riots with the peace talks between the government and the ethnic groups. He believed this is an attempt to derail the government’s peace effort, and he urged his fellow monks not to become the tools of the riot-inciting people.

“In our noble country, while the government is trying to build national unity and reconciliation with ethnic peoples, I think incitements to religious riots have come about to disrupt the peace process. Don’t be moved by the incitements. Our monks, be cautious not to become the tools of inciting people,” Sitagu Sayadaw told an audience of over 1000 monks.

During the occasion, Sitagu Sayadaw also condemned the cover story of TIME magazine’s July issue, which referred to a senior Myanmar Buddhist monk with the title “The Face of Buddhist Terror”. He said he opposed all the contents of the story, and took a vote on his opinion. All of the monks joined him to condemn the TIME’s story.

In his conclusion, Sitagu Sayadaw repeated the importance of unity, forgiveness and patience among the Buddhist monks, the government, and the law experts to protect the nationality and the religion.

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Conflict in Buddhism: 'Violence for the sake of peace?'

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Hong Kong, China -- For Thailand's Queen Sikrisit, the 2007 attack on a minibus in southern Thailand's Yala province -- in which suspected Muslim militants shot eight Buddhists through the head in broad daylight -- was simply further proof of what she'd been saying for more than three years.

<< Buddhists monks in Meiktila, Myanmar, where violence between Muslims and Buddhists left 43 dead last month

"We have to help people there to survive. If they need to be trained, train them. If they need to be armed, arm them," she was quoted as saying by one of her military staff, according to media reports.
Meanwhile, Thailand was convulsed by demonstrations condemning the attack.

Her response was to boost her support for the Or Ror Bor or Village Protection Force, the militia the Royal Aide-de-Camp department, under Queen Sirikit's direction, established in 2004.

Unlike other militia in the strife-torn region, whose make up reflects the local demographic, the Or Ror Bor is exclusively Buddhist, is often stationed near temple compounds and is tasked with protecting Buddhist communities.

While Buddhism is associated in the Western mind with pacifism, Buddhist nations such as Thailand, Myanmar and Sri Lanka have been engaged in vicious conflicts.

 Deadly ethnic unrest spreads in Myanmar New realities for Tibetans in China Why Buddhists, Muslims clash in Myanmar

In Thailand, state security is now locked in an increasingly bloody civil war with the Muslim minority near its border with Malaysia, in Myanmar civil strife looms between Buddhists and Rohingya Muslims in Rakhine State and Sri Lanka has just concluded a protracted civil war with its Tamil minority.

Cycle of birth and death

Buddhism, with its emphasis on karma and samsara -- the idea that the cycle of birth and death is driven by the actions of an individual -- is traditionally deeply averse to killing, believing it creates negative karma that will be revisited on a person in their own lifetime or in subsequent reincarnations.

So how do the largely Buddhist state security in these countries square their beliefs with the need to fight?

Michael Jerryson, Assistant Professor of Religious Studies at Florida's Eckerd College and co-editor of the book Buddhist Warfare, says that warfare is part of the human condition irrespective of religion.

"The first thing to remember is that people have a penchant for violence, it just so happens that every religion has people in it," Jerryson told CNN.

History of conflicts

He said that while Buddhism has a 1,600-year well-documented history of monastic-led rebellions and conflicts, the association of Buddhism in the Western mind is with pacifism.

"Buddhism certainly has a lot within its precepts about pacifism. In fact, almost every global religion does," he said.

However, Buddhism differs in that the act of killing is less the focus than the "intention" behind the killing, he said.

"When there are Buddhist monks traveling with soldiers in Sri Lanka and chanting with them and blessing them, their perspective is that they are not trying to support the violence but ... it's better to have soldiers with a cool, calm, clear head, with good intentions, than those that are hot headed," Jerryson said.

Self-immolations

He said Tibet's Dalai Lama spoke of the same focus on "intention" when asked about the recent spate of self-immolations in Tibet.

"He pointed out that these people are not on drugs, they don't seem insane but they're doing it for a cause - the intention seems to be clear," he said. "This is often used to rationalize violence within Buddhist circles but as we're seeing now with Myanmar and Thailand, cool heads are not prevailing now."

He said Buddhist states often mesh nationalism with Buddhism, justifying war on the grounds that a fracture in the nation state is a tear in the sacred fabric of a land which represents the well-spring of their belief.

"Sri Lanka often speaks about 'the little teardrop island' as the last true vestige of true Buddhism. So when the LTTE, the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam, tried to separate a portion of that 'teardrop island' it was analogous to attacking the mother," Jerryson said.

Political rhetoric

As with most countries that use violence to solve disputes, Jerryson says the political rhetoric will begin to assume that the means justifies the ends.

"The rhetoric of violence as a defense, and this is not unique to Buddhism, is the idea of violence for the sake of peace," he said. "That although this is an infraction, although we are gaining negative karma, it's for the greater good -- prima facie anyway."

Buddhist nation states have historically sought to use Buddhist doctrine to justify war. During the Japanese invasion of China in the 1930s, for instance, soldiers were told not only that they were defending Buddhism but that emptiness in Buddhism is the only true reality, therefore, in the end, nobody was being killed, Jerryson said.
Ultimately,added Jerryson, Buddhist countries battling insurgencies will find that their root problems are economic rather than sectarian.
"How many strong Buddhists states are we looking at in the world? How many of them are economically strong? Because with economic strength and vitality comes less likelihood of civil insurrections and wars.

"Of course, we see a lot violence with Islamic countries now, but we also see a lot of poverty with them too."

Identity crisis

For Thailand-based security analyst Don Pathan the problems in Thailand's south have less to do with religion than with identity.

"The fact that the Or Ror Bor is exclusively Buddhist, doesn't say anything about Buddhism in ethical terms; it's just something that sets them apart from other security units," Pathan told CNN. "The issue is not about religion."

He said that while there were many factors influencing the insurgency -- economic, historical and the fact, he says, that the violence has migrated from rural areas to the cities -- he had also noticed a generational dimension to the problems.

"My experience with the older generation is that I still sense a strong fabric of society that still gets along together -- people are still friends whether they are Muslim or Buddhist.

"But I don't get that sense very strongly with the younger generation."
He said that while older Buddhists generally speak functional Malay to communicate with their neighbors, younger people have little interest in learning the language, regarding it as something only their grandparents do. The state emphasis on speaking Thai at schools has created problems, he said, reinforcing differences between the two communities.

"And it's not just Thai, but Central Thai -- that's how ethnocentric the Thai nation state can be. But they don't seem to understand that's a problem; that we need to accommodate the local identity," Pathan said.

He said the confusion between culture and religion was one of the driving forces behind the violence.

"It's like (groups) that say they practice correct Islam, but what is correct Islam? Islam is a religion not a culture," he said. "The problem (in southern Thailand) is that they don't separate these things; for them it's two sides of the same coin."

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President presents peace lamp to Buddhist monk

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"The peace lamp would hopefully help allay the magnitude of conflict surfaced between North Korea and South Korea"

KATHMANDU, Nepal -- President Dr Ram Baran Yadav has presented a perennial holy peace lamp (Akhanda Dip) to South Korean Buddhist monk on Friday.

<< THT Online/File Photo
President Dr Ram Baran Yadav

President Dr Yadav handed over the lamp to Buddhist religious preacher Hejen of Dosunsa Monastery based in South Korea at the Presidential House in Sheetal Niwas.

A 80-member delegation of Buddhist monks headed by Hejen had arrived in Nepal from the monastery on the management of Nepal South Korea Lumbini Peace Lamp Expedition Citizen Main Function Committee.

The committee had brought the peace lamp to Kathmandu from Lumbini on Thursday. The lamp festival is set to take place in Korea to mark the Buddha Jayanti by illuminating lamps taken from Lumbini, the birth place of Buddha.

On the occasion, the President has expressed his hope that the lamp to be taken to Korea from Lumbini would impart a positive message to maintain human welfare and peace in the global context, said the committee coordinator Kapil Lama.

Minister for Foreign Affairs Madhav Prasad Ghimire and Minister for Culture, Tourism and Civil Aviation Ram Kumar Shrestha also expressed their view at the programme.

The peace lamp would hopefully help allay the magnitude of conflict surfaced between North Korea and South Korea, said Buddhist preacher Hejen.

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Sakyong Mipham Rinpoche, Kicks Off World Tour In Chicago To Guide Conversations On Fostering Peace

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Honorary Co-Chairs Mayor Emanuel & President Preckwinkle With Youth & Community Leaders Combat Youth Violence Through Lens Of Peace During Featured Youth Congress on Peace

CHICAGO, USA -- The Sakyong Jamgon Mipham Rinpoche, a recognized global leader in peace initiatives and the highest leader of Shambhala, kicks off his four-city international speaking tour with a weekend-long conference in Chicago,Imagining Peace, hosted by The Shambhala Meditation Center of Chicago, focused on identifying ways to foster peace at individual, community and societal levels.

<< Sakyong Jamgon Mipham Rinpoche

The Imagining Peace Conference will be held from Friday, April 26th through Sunday, April 28th, 2013, and will open with a talk from the Sakyong at Rockefeller Chapel at the University of Chicago, followed by Saturday's featured program, a Youth Congress on Peace, at Malcolm X City College and conclude on Sunday with the Sakyong's discussion on Peace Practices at Malcolm X City College.

Mayor Rahm Emanuel and Cook County Board President Toni Preckwinkle will serve as Honorary Co-Chairs of the Imagining Peace Conference and Saturday's featured program, a Youth Congress on Peace, to engage a broad community of youth, community members, advocacy groups, civic and community leaders in dialogue to envision peace for our streets, schools, neighborhoods, communities, cities and regions.

"The goal of the Imagining Peace Conference and the Sakyong's world tour is to facilitate contemplation on the Shambhala belief in the inherent goodness of all beings and to use this principle to guide dialogue on how we, as individuals, communities and as a society, can create peaceful practices to address societal challenges, such as violence, and youth violence in particular," said Tom Adducci, Executive Director, Shambhala Meditation Center of Chicago.

"By applying this principle, we can impart a socially transformative culture and practice that can strengthen our communities and bring about the best in human society."

The Imagining Peace Conference is the Sakyong's first stop on his Creating an Enlightened Society world tour with programs sponsored by Shambhala centers in four cities including Chicago, London, New York and San Francisco.

The conference provides an opportunity for the Sakyong Mipham Rinpoche, head of the Shambhala Buddhist lineage and spiritual director of Shambhala, to share his teachings on the principles of Shambhala and engage the community in dialogue about applying these principals in social action and cultural practices.

For more information, please visit: http://www.thinkincstrategy.com

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Cambodia’s Buddhist Monks Seek Peace

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Siem Reap, Cambodia -- At first glance, the life of a Cambodian Buddhist monk does not differ much from the life of an ordinary person. They sleep, eat, shower, talk, and laugh just like anyone else.

But the orange robes signify that these people are dedicating their lives to meditation.

About 130 mostly young monks live in Wat Bo, a pagoda in the heart of Cambodia’s temple city, Siem Reap.

The monastery requires them to shave their heads at age 3, but the lifestyle is attractive for children from poor families because of the opportunity to eat adequately and have the chance to study.

Among the monks is Piseth, a novice who since childhood has dreamed of being able to help his family.

“I became a monk because I was poor,” he said. “I know that someday I will return to a normal life. I dream about teaching Buddhism and English to children who, like me, have been led to become monks because of poverty.”

Piseth’s day begins at four in the morning to the rhythm of a drum announcing the start of a new day. After a quick shower, he and the others walk barefoot through the streets of Siem Reap in search of food offerings to help alleviate their hunger.

In silence, the Cambodian monks walk up to two hours per day carrying a silver bowl, where the predominantly Buddhist population deposit their offerings.

The adversity of this daily journey is evident in the monks’ cracked feet, which are washed with joy on return to the monastery before breakfast.

The cornerstones of Cambodian Buddhism are bonzes (monks) and wats (spiritual centers).

In the late 1950s, some 100,000 of a total population of 5 million were monks. This very high rate was largely due to the ease with which children could enter and leave the sangha (Buddhist community).

Becoming a monk and leaving the sangha are matters of individual choice, although in theory all Cambodian males over 16 should serve as monks for a period.

The majority of young people do not intend to become ordained lifetime monks ( bhikkhu ) and normally participate in the sangha for less than a year. Even if it is temporary, for the families it is a source of pride to have a child monk.

There are two classes of bonzes at a wat — the novices ( samani or nen ) and the bhikkhu.

It is in the wats that the daily life of a monk is developed.

In Wat Bo, the mornings and afternoons are dedicated almost entirely to studying. Subjects such as math, English and the teachings of Buddha make up the curriculum in monk schools.

Out of all their subjects, English is preferred by most, Piseth confesses, although they do not have many opportunities to practice it.

“I speak a little bit of English but can rarely practice it,” said Heng Bunchea, 38, another monk of Wat Bo.

“Many tourists come to take pictures when we pray or when we rest at the pagoda, but very few sit down to talk to us and if we don’t talk to them, we will not be able to improve our English.”

The continuous daily study is disrupted only by the hour dedicated to eating the last meal of the day.

This is one of the five precepts of the Buddhist monastic asceticism, which also includes not participating in any form of entertainment like singing, dancing or watching TV, using personal ornaments, sleeping in a luxurious bed or carrying money.

As the hours pass under the scorching Cambodian sun, shadows of the trees that cover Wat Bo serve as makeshift schools where several groups of novices speak about the Buddhist teachings they have learned during the morning class.

Suddenly, the sound of the drum breaks the tranquility and it is time to pray in the temple.

Little by little, all the monks who live in Wat Bo arrive at one of the temples located on the eastern side of the monastery. One by one they stand in position with their feet facing the direction opposite the large Golden Buddha statue that dominates the interior of the temple.

Between flashes of the cameras of tourists, the youthful voices create an almost magical atmosphere.

“Our sutras are dedicated to Buddha, to the Dharma and to the sangha,” Heng Bunchea explained.

On one side of the temple, several women in white robes with shaved heads are following the chants with deep devotion. Although making contact with the monks is forbidden for women, their role in the monastery is fundamental.

Adult women, especially widows, live in the wat and play an important role in the daily life of the temple.

They generally observe the same rules as the monks and prepare the altars among other tasks in order to guarantee the perfect functioning of everyday life in the small wat.

The night soon begins to fall over Siem Reap. The sky seems to honor the diligent human monks with their shaved heads and their robes in the colors of the sunset.

“I do not understand why countries go to war, why people kill other people, or why they go crazy for money,” Heng said. “But I do know that this happens in the world we live in, so I dream one day to see the world enjoying santepheap [peace].”

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Buddhist Meditation Center is an oasis of peace next to former Temple Mt. Ski Area

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Hudson, NH (USA) -- Meditation is peaceful and inwardly focused, but occasionally it requires a lot of noise and outward effort, such as when you’re bringing a 4-ton statue of Buddha from Vietnam to the edge of Peterborough.

<< Staff photo by William Wrobel
Kien Tan stands in the meditation temple at Temple Mountain Buddhist Meditation Center in Peterborough, NH where he and other monks meditate three times a day and hold classes for local residents every Saturday.

“This was very difficult to get here,” said Kien Tan, one of two monks in residence at the Temple Mountain Buddhist Meditation Center, on Route 101, as he gazed at the huge seated Buddha. It greets you as you drive up to the house just west of what was once Temple Mountain Ski Area.

This Buddha is one of a number of statues placed along mediation pathways that wind through several acres of the property, depicting Buddha in several stages of his life as well as other figures important in his story. Along with a beautiful, 1-ton gong hanging in a pagoda, and touches of lighting and stonework near a small pond, they help create a space that is unique in the region, where people come each Saturday to learn how to meditate from two monks who have spent their lives at the practice.

The center was founded by Tue Man, 35, who lives at the center with Kien Tan, 75, both of whom originally came from near Ho Chi Minh City in southern Vietnam. It follows the teaching of Vietnamese monk Thien Thanh Tu. (Note: The Telegraph’s typography cannot reproduce some punctuation marks used in Vietnamese names.)

The meditation center, which is registered as a nonprofit with the state, has been operating for about three years in a small, one-story house adjacent to what is now the Temple Mountain State Reservation, opposite Miller State Park and Pack Monadnock.

Many people became aware of it only last year when a large, ornate gate was built at the bottom of the driveway, visible to passing cars on Route 101.

When it received permission to operate as a “church/meditation center” from the Peterborough Planning Board in June 2011, the only stipulation was that it could not host overnight retreats.

The center was founded by about 10 Vietnamese families throughout the Boston area and New Hampshire, said Kien Tan, who, like Tue Man, speaks heavily accented and halting English. They came to New Hampshire to be on a mountain and yet still close to Boston, they said. The nearest similar temple is in Braintree, Mass.

The 11-acre property includes a small, one-story house at the end of a steep, 100-yard-long driveway. The house has not been altered from its domestic function except for the former living room, which has been turned into an open meditation center. A ceiling skylight illuminates a large sitting Buddha on an altar, surrounded by fruit and flowers, while the floor is lined with rugs.

The house is surrounded by trees and offers a beautiful view to the west, toward Peterborough and Mount Monadnock. The property is full of winding paths that have been painstakingly created over the years, often with flat stepping-stones that lead to statuary or small grottos.

In winter, after trees have lost their leaves, some traffic noise can be heard from Route 101, but otherwise it is still and quiet – except for when the occasional snowmobiler comes through.

Such peace is key the monk’s daily meditation, from 4-6 a.m. and 7-8 p.m., a practice that is key to their lives.

“It can make my mind awaken, (so) we have to know what we are,” Kien Tan said.

“You can know what is going on inside yourself,” Tue Man said.

Meditation is surprisingly difficult, they say. One of the draws of the center is the guidance that the monks can provide to a loose class that gathers Saturday afternoons.

“In a group it is easier – on your own self, it is not so easy,” Kien Tan said. “We have practiced. We can meditate anywhere and anytime.”

To help others approach this state, the center opens at 2 p.m. Saturdays. The men say various numbers of people show up from week to week for the free sessions, including a few regulars. Practitioners sit on floor rugs, in full-lotus or half-lotus position, or just kneeling if their joints aren’t up to it, for meditation and chanting.

Kien Tan says he came to the U.S. among the “boat people” who fled the Communist takeover at the end of the Vietnam War and has been associated with several Buddhist monasteries on the West Coast, the Southeast and most recently Michigan, before coming to New Hampshire to be part of the Temple Mountain Meditation Center.

Tue Man comes from the same area, although it was known as Ho Chi Minh City by the time he grew up.

“You prepare your mind with a vision of the Buddha,” he said of the work they do. “Those who come to learn, we can help them.”

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Buddhist monks’ art project spreads message of peace

Home The Americas US Central

Seven Buddhist monks was at the Spencer Museum of Art this week painstakingly constructing a sand painting called dul-tson-kyil-khor, meaning "mandala of colored powder." On Friday, the monks will tossed the sand painting into Potter's Lake in a symbolic gesture.

Lawrence, KS (USA) -- Yes, Tenzin Dekyong confirms, creating sand paintings is as difficult as it looks.

Photo by Richard Gwin

Monks’ necks and backs hurt from hunching over their work, faces just inches from the sand. And, yes, sometimes they make mistakes, which must be mended just as carefully - if not more so - as the purposeful details are created.

On Tuesday, Dekyong and six other Buddhist monks from the Drepung Gomang Monastery in India took a four-day process of creating a 5-by-5-foot mandala out of millions of grains of colored sand, painstakingly funneled into intricate designs on a platform in the Spencer Museum of Art Central Court, 1301 Miss.

On Friday, they swept up their entire project and poured the sand into Potter Lake.

The temporary display, Dekyong said, is a reminder that all we have — no matter how beautiful or carefully created — is impermanent.

Friday’s events included chanting and prayers and a procession from the museum to the lake. The monks believe placing the sand in a nearby body of water enables the water to carry the mandala’s healing energies throughout the world, according to an announcement from Kansas University.

Mark King and Rhonda Houser of Lawrence brought their 7-year-old son, Liam Kinghouser, to see the mandala in progress.

“We thought he might enjoy seeing them concentrating and creating something beautiful,” Houser said.

King said he’d watched monks creating a sand mandala once before, in Virginia, and that he’d wanted to visit since he heard the Spencer would be playing host to a similar event.

“It was such a good experience,” King said. “It’s just amazing — so peaceful.”

Through the course of building the mandala, a Sanskrit word for circle, the monks hope to spread their message of peace, love, compassion, unity and healing, Dekyong said. He said that specifically includes their hope for peace in Tibet, where Communist Chinese rulers do not allow Buddhists such as the monks to freely practice their religion.

The Drepung Gomang Monastery is in southern India, but most of its 2,000 monks are Tibetan. Their monastery originally was in Tibet, but the Dalai Lama and followers fled when the Chinese invaded and later rebuilt in India.

The design under way at the Spencer is called the Interfaith World Peace mandala. It has symbols signifying the world’s 12 major religions, the four elements and the four seasons.

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"Peace to our Mind. Happiness to our World"

Home Asia Pacific North Asia S/N Korea News & Issues

Slogan for Buddha's Birthday 2012

Seoul, South Korea -- The celebration committee of the Jogye Order of Korea Buddhism announced this year’s slogan to be Peace to our Mind. Happiness to our World as they opened the Buddha’s Birthday celebration poster and art installation by Lim Ok Sang.

The Jogye Order had a contest in February and chose the slogan created by Ahn Ho Suk, “Peace to Our Mind. Happiness to our World” and the artist and installation artist Lim Ok Sang created two posters based on the slogan.

In the book “The Life of an Artist: For the artist Im Ok Sang” by poet Kim Jong Hwan, states, “...Although Im Ok Sang is known to be an artist of great societal knowledge, he has the ability to pinpoint the darkness and light of current times..”

The Yeondeunghoe Lantern Festival will be from May 18th to the 20th, 2012.

Below is the full schedule:

May 18 ~ 28 (Fri ~ Mon) Exhibition of Traditional Lanterns at Bongeun-sa Temple and Jogye sa temple.
May 19 (Sat) 7:00 ~ 9:30 pm Lotus Lantern Parade at Jongno Street (Dongdaemun ~ Jogye-sa Temple)
May 19 (Sat) 9:30 ~11:00 pm Hoehyang Hanmadang (Post-Parade Celebration) at Jonggak Intersection
May 20 (Sun) Noon ~ 6:00pm Traditional Cultural Performance at front of Jogye-sa Temple

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Finding your inner peace and quiet

Home The Americas US Midwest

At Buddhist Center: prayers, reflection and your own yurt

BLOOMINGTON, Ind. (USA) -- No matter how I searched, the Wi-Fi wasn't there. No television either. Even my phone, struggling toward two bars, conspired against modernity.

<< The Kalachakra Stupa is one of the architectural highlights of the Tibetan Mongolian Buddhist Center. The center was started in 1979 by Thubten Jigme Norbu, the Dalai Lama's older brother. It sits on 108 wooded acres south of Indiana University. / JOSH NOEL / Chicago Tribune

But that's what you pay for at the Tibetan Mongolian Buddhist Cultural Center and its 108 wooded acres south of Indiana University. Not that you pay much. Renting one of the four yurts in these woods costs $65 per night.

What you won't get during your stay: what's mentioned above. Or soap in the bathroom.

What you do get: an eight-sided, one-room yurt (plus bathroom) that's nothing fancy but clean enough to walk across barefoot. You get a kitchenette, twin futons raised a couple of inches off the floor, a skylight and a small deck facing the woods. And, oh yes, inner peace.

I arrived for a weekend stay one Saturday afternoon. Sixteen University of Michigan students were also arriving for an "alternative spring break," as one told me.

"We're staying here for the week while volunteering at a domestic violence shelter in town," she said.

"Wow," I said. "Much more noble than getting wasted in Florida."

"Well, some of us have already made that trip," she said. "We're just looking for a different experience."

The Tibetan Mongolian Buddhist Cultural Center is the place to get it, and that begins with check-in. The office is inside the temple, and I almost committed the no-no of walking in with my shoes on.

But I caught myself, which made it the first time I had checked into an accommodation in my socks. In a yellow-walled office, a woman named Trish handed me a key, but I couldn't take my eye off a bumper sticker affixed to the filing cabinet: "Whatever you do . . . is it necessary, truthful and kind?"

Key in hand and shoes back on, I headed to my yurt, a simple hut at the edge of a dense gathering of trees.

Thubten Jigme Norbu, an Indiana University professor emeritus better known as the Dalai Lama's older brother, started the center in 1979 not only to preserve Tibetan and Mongolian cultures but to "promote interfaith peace and harmony," according to the center.

Of course, the place to do that, as well as stimulate the harmony within, is in the quiet of nature. Though this place isn't quite in the middle of nowhere -- single-family homes surround the property, and there's a Wendy's two miles away -- amid the thick trees and classic Buddhist architecture, things still feel a world away from the chain hotels of downtown Bloomington.

In the quiet and stillness, you slowly come to expect more of yourself -- more thought, more reflection, more deliberation. It slows you to the point that when finding a spider scurrying away for dear life on your yurt's lime-green wall, you shrug and go about your business. All creatures have their place.

As night fell, life was idyllic: a sliver of white moon hanging before twinkling stars and an inky black sky.

After a semi-restless night on one of those futons, I awoke to the bony trees quivering in the skylight. I wished it were summer, so I could see all these trees thick with life.

I made a quick oatmeal -- from oats left in the cupboard -- and headed to morning prayers. I knew nothing about them, but the regulars didn't mind, welcoming me into their sanctuary of maroon pillows on a carpeted floor with a photo of the Dalai Lama at the front of the room. For half an hour, they prayed. Eyes closed and legs folded, I tried centering myself amid their gentle, rhythmic tones.

The monks, unfortunately, were away for the Mongolian New Year, so a Bloomington rabbi stood in as guest speaker. He talked for an hour on the value of compassion.

Then came the weekly vegetarian lunch, which happens every Sunday after prayers and lecture. As we helped ourselves to spinach pie, a rice casserole and fruit, I noticed ants scurrying around the table and across a sign that said, "We have ants. Many, many ants. We don't kill ants, but let's not feed them. Please leave food covered and sealed."

At the table, I sat beside a man named Michael who was staying for a month. He had spent the past year driving across the country -- from California to Oregon to Arizona to Texas to Arkansas to Bloomington.

"I just follow the synchronicities and live in the moment," Michael said.

After lunch I headed out on the center's several miles of walking trails that take you up gentle inclines and get that clean Indiana air into your lungs. Across the fallen leaves, I soon ran into a man named Charlie, up from Kentucky for a month, as he strolled with his black Labrador-Rottweiler, Lily. He grew up that Southern rarity of Baptist and Catholic before turning to Buddhism 10 years ago.

"It's funny," he said, while I tossed sticks for Lily. "The more I study Buddhism, the closer I feel to Jesus."

He and Michael had weeks left there, but I was gone the next morning. You can be sure I remembered to remove my shoes at checkout.

IF YOU GO

GETTING THERE: The Tibetan Mongolian Buddhist Cultural Center, 3655 S. Snoddy Road, (812) 336-6807, tmbcc.net, is on the south edge of Bloomington, about five miles from Indiana University.

EAT: The yurts have kitchens, microwaves included, so bring food. If you'd prefer to eat well in town, try FARMbloomington, 100 E. Kirkwood Ave., (812) 323-0002, farm-bloom ington.com, or Roots on the Square, 124 N. Walnut St., (812) 336-7668, for well-prepared Indiana-grown and -raised food with vegetarian options. There's also Snow Lion, 113 S. Grant St., (812) 336-0835, a Tibetan restaurant started by the Dalai Lama's brother, which gets mixed reviews from locals.

STAY: Yurts at the Tibetan Mongolian Buddhist Cultural Center are available for $65 per night, $375 per week or $650 per month. Cabins book early in the fall. It also would be a fine alternative to the in-town hotels when traveling to Bloomington for an Indiana University football or basketball game.

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Follow Lord Buddha's path for world peace: Dalai Lama

Home Asia Pacific South Asia India

Bodh Gaya, India -- Tibetan spiritual leader, The Dalai Lama, today asked Buddhist devotees to follow the path of Lord Buddha for promoting world peace.

<< Buddhist monks take shelter from the rain during a teaching session being addressed by the Dalai Lama on the first day of the Kalachakra festival in Bodhgaya January 1, 2012 - Reuters pic

Buddhism should not only be viewed as a tradition but taken up as a matter of study and exercise, the Dalai Lama said while addressing devotees who had assembled at Bodh Gaya, a place where Lord Buddha attained enlightenment during Kalchakra Puja at Kalchakra ground here.

He described Lord Buddha as "an ancient ideologue and scientist of the religion and I am following the path of Buddha as a teacher for maintenance of world peace." The Tibetan spiritual leader conveyed his New Year's greetings to the devotees who had assembled here from all over the globe.

Enthusiasm was visible among the devotees who braved inclement weather condition and rains during the religious discourse by the Dalai Lama. Tight security was in place for the Kalchakra Puja.

The Dalai Lama had arrived here yesterday from Himachal Pradesh to participate in the 10-day Kalchakra Puja, which has religious importance in Buddhism. The Tibetan spiritual leader also offered prayers at the Mahabodhi temple here.

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The Karmapa Wishes for Peace and Harmony in the New Year

Home Dharma Dew

Dharamshala, India -- In an address the 17th Karmapa, officially known as His Holiness the 17th Karmapa, Ogyen Trinley Dorje, made to the media regarding the end of the current year and the fast approaching new year, he stated that he wishes we live this year with mutual love and respect for one another and for the earth that is our common home.

Referring to the popular belief that the world might end in 2012, he said "In fact, we never know what any given year might hold. But if we are sincerely committed to following a path of compassion and wisdom, this uncertainty about the future need not cause us any concern.

Whatever happens, we can simply keep our focus directed steadily at what matters most-cultivating compassion and equanimity, and acting to benefit others.""If we harbor this attitude in our hearts, we can make anything that occurs positive for ourselves and for others," he added.
Speaking of the numerous natural diasters that struck the planet this year, he offered his prayers to all those who suffered turmoil this year.

He concluded by stating that he offers his prayers to all those connected with him in any way during this year and to those who will connect in the coming future.

"May you find lasting happiness and peace. May all of us who share this planet go forward together into the new year in harmony," he concluded.

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Buddhist religion cultivates inner peace, compassion

BLAIR LOCKHART / The Daily Reveille

Practicing Buddhist and English literature senior Zach Jenkins meditates Oct. 6 in front of Dodson Auditorium fountain.

Assume the lotus position, focus on breathing deeply, acknowledge thoughts as they present themselves, then let them go as you drift toward inner peace.

This is what Zach Jenkins, practicing Buddhist and English literature senior, does several times a week to meditate.

"Buddhism helps me maintain an aura of positive energy," Jenkins said.

Jenkins first became interested in Buddhism a year ago when working at Teavana, a national chain of tea shops. One day, a customer sparked a conversation with him about a Buddha-shaped teapot and a discussion about Buddhism ensued.

"I had always been interested in Eastern religions, so I went to check out the Buddhist Temple in town," Jenkins said.

Buddhism is a tradition established in fifth century B.C. in India, said Paula Arai, associate professor of Asian religions.

"It was based on the teachings of Shakyamuni, a prince who asked questions on how to experience liberation and peace while knowing people suffer," Arai said.

She said Buddhism differs from other religions because it provides a path for followers to break the cycle of suffering, which is caused by three poisons – delusion, greed and hatred.

To be liberated from suffering, one needs to dissolve the three poisons, she said. Afterward, the person is left with the freedom to be compassionate.

"There are many kinds of meditation," Arai said. "All are effective tools to remedy the poisons of suffering."

Jenkins practices Zen Buddhism, a school of thought within Mahayana, the most popular of the three branches of Buddhism.

"The point is to focus on the here and now. With each new breath, new life enters you," Jenkins said.

The Buddhist said he likes how his religion is "really free" and does not condemn the tenets of other religions. Jenkins was born into a family that practices Catholicism, and he said his mother and friends are supportive of his religion.

"My father is a staunch Catholic," Jenkins said. "I consider our talks about religion as discussions of growth."

Arai said she has noted a high proportion of Buddhist converts come from a Catholic background. She said Buddhism is similar to Catholicism because they both involve daily rituals, and they both engage the body and mind.

Jenkins said the philosophy behind Zen Buddhism has helped him maintain mindfulness in his life.

"It helps me move past mistakes without lingering too much on the past," Jenkins said.

Jenkins said he always sees a variety of people when he visits the Tam Bao Temple on Monterrey Boulevard. There are people from all walks of life at the temple, from 40-year veterans to people just getting started, he said.

Thich Dao Quang, Abbot at the Tam Bao Temple, said attendance at his temple has increased since he began working there in 2003.

"Friday nights we have a meditation group of 65 to 70 people. Many are young people," Quang said.

He said many people visit the temple on Friday nights because the meditation and open discussion service are spoken in English, rather than Quang's native Vietnamese. Tam Bao Temple holds its English service every Friday at 7:30 p.m.

"There is tons you can learn from Buddhism; it helps develop skills which transcend all religions," Jenkins said.

____

Contact Josh Naquin at jnaquin@lsureveille.com

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Buddhist religion cultivates inner peace, compassion

Home The Americas US West

Faith employs healing meditations

Baton Rouge, CA (USA) -- Assume the lotus position, focus on breathing deeply, acknowledge thoughts as they present themselves, then let them go as you drift toward inner peace.

<< BLAIR LOCKHART / The Daily Reveille
Practicing Buddhist and English literature senior Zach Jenkins meditates Oct. 6 in front of Dodson Auditorium fountain.

This is what Zach Jenkins, practicing Buddhist and English literature senior, does several times a week to meditate.

"Buddhism helps me maintain an aura of positive energy," Jenkins said.

Jenkins first became interested in Buddhism a year ago when working at Teavana, a national chain of tea shops. One day, a customer sparked a conversation with him about a Buddha-shaped teapot and a discussion about Buddhism ensued.

"I had always been interested in Eastern religions, so I went to check out the Buddhist Temple in town," Jenkins said.

Buddhism is a tradition established in fifth century B.C. in India, said Paula Arai, associate professor of Asian religions.

"It was based on the teachings of Shakyamuni, a prince who asked questions on how to experience liberation and peace while knowing people suffer," Arai said.

She said Buddhism differs from other religions because it provides a path for followers to break the cycle of suffering, which is caused by three poisons – delusion, greed and hatred.

To be liberated from suffering, one needs to dissolve the three poisons, she said. Afterward, the person is left with the freedom to be compassionate.

"There are many kinds of meditation," Arai said. "All are effective tools to remedy the poisons of suffering."

Jenkins practices Zen Buddhism, a school of thought within Mahayana, the most popular of the three branches of Buddhism.

"The point is to focus on the here and now. With each new breath, new life enters you," Jenkins said.

The Buddhist said he likes how his religion is "really free" and does not condemn the tenets of other religions. Jenkins was born into a family that practices Catholicism, and he said his mother and friends are supportive of his religion.

"My father is a staunch Catholic," Jenkins said. "I consider our talks about religion as discussions of growth."

Arai said she has noted a high proportion of Buddhist converts come from a Catholic background. She said Buddhism is similar to Catholicism because they both involve daily rituals, and they both engage the body and mind.

Jenkins said the philosophy behind Zen Buddhism has helped him maintain mindfulness in his life.

"It helps me move past mistakes without lingering too much on the past," Jenkins said.

Jenkins said he always sees a variety of people when he visits the Tam Bao Temple on Monterrey Boulevard. There are people from all walks of life at the temple, from 40-year veterans to people just getting started, he said.

Thich Dao Quang, Abbot at the Tam Bao Temple, said attendance at his temple has increased since he began working there in 2003.

"Friday nights we have a meditation group of 65 to 70 people. Many are young people," Quang said.

He said many people visit the temple on Friday nights because the meditation and open discussion service are spoken in English, rather than Quang's native Vietnamese. Tam Bao Temple holds its English service every Friday at 7:30 p.m.

"There is tons you can learn from Buddhism; it helps develop skills which transcend all religions," Jenkins said.

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Local Buddhist monks spread message of peace

Home The Americas US Midwest

Bloomington, Indiana (USA) -- The Tibetan Mongolian Buddhist Cultural Center, located on Snoddy Road on the south side of Bloomington, houses eight monks (some of which are visiting from Mongolia), several workers, shrines and relics, all in the name of promoting a greater understanding of Buddhism and its core message of peace.

“We sincerely wish to promote a message of peace, compassion and loving-kindness,” Geshe-la said. “We try our best wherever we go on this tour, we try to share this message from a Buddhist tradition,” he said.

In an interview with a visiting monk, the idea that Buddhists do not proselytize was emphasized.

“We are not trying to make more Buddhists. We are trying to make more good people,” Geshe-la, whose given name is Lobsang Dhondup, said, speaking through Tenpa Phuntsoh, who interpreted for Geshe-la. “And to become good people, we should try to generate a good heart.”

The Tibetan Cultural Center was founded in 1979 by the eldest brother of the Dalai Lama, Thubten Jigme Norbu. Norbu, who was exiled from his native Tibet in the 1950s, served as a professor of Tibetan studies at IU and promoted the cause for Tibetan independence.

In 2007, the Center expanded its mission to include the preservation of Mongolian culture and spirituality and was renamed to reflect this addition.      

As a cultural center, it serves not only Buddhists, but hosts many interfaith retreats as well. The cultural building, when originally constructed, was an interfaith construction project.

Muslims, Jews and Christians all provided materials and labor in the construction of the building. This ecumenical spirit remains relevant today, as the center offers programs for people of all faiths.

The center offers opportunities for visitors to come and meditate in its temple area, most recently renovated in 2007 for the Dalai Lama’s fifth visit to the center.

This openness towards other religious traditions stems in part from the teachings of Buddhism and its belief that all people have the opportunity to find enlightenment, no matter what their religious background.

“All of the founders of the world religions have the same idea, same thought, same will. Same will,” Geshe-la said. “All the people of this world have a different mental disposition.

 “One of the core beliefs of Buddhism is that there are so many buddhas and bodhisattvas (enlightened beings) and they always take rebirth in different forms that will help the suffering of sentient beings.”

Buddhists believe all people can reach enlightenment.

“Buddha said that our mind is clear, naturally. A very luminous and knowing nature. And there are many afflictive emotions, defilements. These all are just residing temporarily inside our mind,” Geshe-la said. “They all are not naturally of the mind. The nature of the mind is really clear.”

Just as the sun, which shines naturally, may be covered by clouds, it is only temporary and the sun’s brightness still remains unchanged, Geshe-la said. “Eventually it is said that all sentient beings, if they practice, if they study, they all have the same potential to enter a state of perfection.”

The center, which has plans for eventually opening an educational center devoted to the promotion of Tibetan and Mongolian culture and spirituality, remains dedicated to the promotion of peace, harmony and understanding between the world’s religious faiths. 

Geshe-la said the teachings of Buddha cannot be forced upon a person, but instead must be embraced freely by the individual.

“The Buddha said that ‘I cannot pick you up from the suffering world. I cannot give my wisdom or my compassion to you. But I can show you the path toward enlightenment,’” Geshe-la said.

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