Continued from An audience with His Holiness, Part 1...
The students from the British School wanted to know how they could find inner peace in today’s world of conflict and globalization. The Dalai Lama began his answer by telling of quarrels had with his siblings while he was a child; something everybody with siblings can relate to. He said that eventually the quarrels would subside and they would get along again. They would become intimate, and that this intimacy was something that created compassion. He went on to explain that when one is a child, they have no worries about another person’s background, economic status, or ethnicity, that there is a feeling of oneness that doesn’t come from religion or religious teaching. He advised us to continue to keep that open-minded spirit as we grow into adults, and when our minds become more sophisticated as a result, not to forget our basic nature.
His Holiness elaborated. As people grow they learn to immediately think in terms of religious faith, ethnicity, or social and economic background when they first meet one another. As a result these relationships often begin with a “what I will gain from this“ mentality. He emphasized the importance of keeping a “young” mind when forming friendships and again mentioned the inherent biological factor that creates some kind of compassion and sense of community. Our biology, if I understood correctly, is initially a seat for compassion.
The Dalai Lama’s testimony continued: This youthful compassion allows a person to develop a sense of community, or a “we” at a young age. The implications of this “we” stem far beyond our immediately accessible community, and why shouldn’t they? Is the “we” in our immediate social group the same “we” that others experience in social groups on the other side of the world? If so then all 6.7 billion of us are a bit more similar than “we” thought. His Holiness used the example of India and Pakistan. They are neighbors. As the societies increasingly become more globalized what one does to the environment, and how one reacts to global issues has an effect on the well-being of the other. India and Pakistan share some parts with each other, or you could say that in some ways they are a part of each other. Each is a part of the other‘s “we“. So it is in the best interest of these countries, and of individual peoples and communities to help their neighbors. Through destruction, violent, and negative activity, individuals, communities, and countries negatively influence their own interests.
His Holiness stated that when drawing upon our biological status as a basis for the seat of compassion, one can generate a peace of mind that can be used as a preventative measure to maintain good health. His teaching was that if illness happens, peace of mind can help recall the afflicted to a state of good health. He said that when facing a tragedy in a more calm and peaceful state one can handle it more realistically, and that with anxiety, anger, jealousy even small things can be difficult to handle. These negative physical states and emotions could impede the quest for inner peace in a competitive, global society.
His next point of advice dealt with actions and actors. His Holiness said that as far as actions are concerned, if other person takes advantage unjustly of you sometimes it is necessary to take countermeasures, but that the countermeasure only should apply to the action, not the actor. The actor, according to the Buddhist philosophy, is still a human being, still a part of “we“. His Holiness considers them to be like a family member. His advice was that one must react to the negative action without losing general sense of the actor’s well-being. According to his teaching, the reason why you are taking countermeasures to their misdeeds has to do with the aggressor’s own well-being. His Holiness explained that in the long term committing these negative or aggressive actions is harmful for the aggressor. This understanding is the practical attitude to have in these situations, according to him. But of course with everything, too much is not good. His Holiness let us know that it is unrealistic to use too much compassion.
To summarize this last point, the Dalai Lama used an example where a Buddhist mindset can indeed help one get closer to achieving inner peace. He asked the audience hypothetically what we would do if someone committed an angry or aggressive act against us. How would we react? To restate, in the Buddhist view, His Holiness explained, the act itself is what should be reacted to, not the person who sends the action your way. The angry action, after all is just a reflection of your and the aggressors karmic actions in this life and the last. So in order to develop inner peace in a world that is so competitive and fast-paced we should ask why the negative action was committed in our direction, but remain compassionate to the person who acted aggressively towards us. In this way we may forgive those who do harm to us, remain compassionate towards them, and work to understand negative disturbances in our lives. Sounds simple, right?
Their second question was something like, “what do you do in your free time?” He kind of chuckled a bit, and said, “nothing”. For those of you who were on the edge of your seats wondering about this, and dying to ask him yourself, His Holiness does not grab a beer and watch the game, does not play monopoly or scrabble with the extended family, doesn’t hit the cinema for a film and a rare bag of sour patch kids, and doesn’t beat his parliament in racquetball on the weekends.
Then it was our turn. Our first question was for advice on what we as future leaders, policy makers, and conscious citizens should do to create peace and positive change in the world. I was a little bit surprised when he deferred to his answer to the first question of the audience, saying that he had already explained it then. At first I didn’t understand why he thought he had answered the question already, seeing as how it was completely different from “how do we find inner peace?” I asked my host father about it, and he explained that to someone who hasn’t practiced Buddhism, and who only has the most minimal understanding of the Dharma, His Holiness’ simple English can seem, well, simple. But the more you understand about the philosophy behind the ideas, and how it works in conjunction with the Tibetan Buddhist worldview, the more those few words sound like prophecy. So I think that his answer to our question comes down to the same philosophical base of the first question of the British School group: Compassion as a means for inner peace and the well-being of your neighbors, or the “we”. As “future leaders” it will be in our best interest, then, to have our neighbors best interest in mind when we make career choices, advise financial decisions, or write policy briefs.
The next question came from Justin Landers, who is working on a promotional video for the Sarah College for Higher Tibetan Studies and the Institute for Buddhist Dialectics, to help raise funds for operational costs and improvements. He briefly explained his aims and asked His Holiness to give a statement concerning the significance of these institutions to the Tibetan community, and asked how those studying under their curriculums could use their experiences to better fulfill his wishes. He thought for a few moments, rocked slightly and gazed up at the ceiling, then quickly turned to Geshe-la Kelsang Damdul, assistant director of the Institute for Buddhist Dialectics and said,
“Did you ask him?”, after which he burst into laughter with the rest of the room, chalking the question up to a plug by the assistant director. The Dalai Lama does have a quick wit, and a wonderful laugh.
Now, with the crowds full attention he composed his answer. There were two things he wanted to address. He began by explaining the 1973 establishment date of the school of Buddhist Dialectics. He said that he and his administration at that time felt that young Tibetans that went through the Tibetan general school, established in 1960, were very bright and that many had shown interest in studying Buddhist philosophy. His Holiness was aware, however, that they didn‘t want to join a big monastic institution; that they were a little hesitant. So the institution was started mainly for those young Tibetans who had basic [modern/moral] education. There were other clientele that were interested in Buddhist studies and philosophy, specifically Europeans and Americans. His Holiness praised the small school for its productions up until now, and said that they have been “quite satisfactory”.
His Holiness paused a moment before continuing, and then turned his attention to the Sarah College. He spoke generally, mentioning the new programs, teacher training, and groups of students from western universities that have been coming to study there. Like the Institute for Buddhist Dialectics, said His Holiness, the Sarah College has become quite useful, and can make some contribution in terms of the promotion of general human value, and of better knowledge about the human mind, and human emotion, and how one can better tackle these different emotions. He said that he makes these claims of moral and psychological achievement as a part of Buddhist science, not a part of Buddhist religion. This was the first part of his answer.
The second part concerned the importance of the dialectic system that has been established for Tibetan discourse on science, philosophy, and religion. there is a special technique that comes from an ancient institution in Tibet. I apologize, but could not quite get the name right. His Holiness talked about the founder of Buddhism and his methods of reasoning. He commented on the Tibetan Buddhist tradition as it is used to emphasize studies and learning, not just meditation, and that the style of learning and disciplined study is one that uses a well established system of dialectics. But, the Dalai Lama said, neither English nor Chinese yet employ a similar system of dialectics that is so functional a method for the investigation of truth. His Holiness sought to clarify by making sure we knew that it was not the Buddhist tradition he was speaking of, but the technique to explain or to articulate Buddhist, philosophical, and scientific concepts.
The Tibetan leader expressed his hope that Tibetan dialectics could be introduced to the fields of medicine, modern medicine, economics, political science, and especially law. Using this dialectic system, he said, one’s understanding becomes more precise, and his/her method of explanation to others become more precise, and again His Holiness emphasized, especially in the field of law. A smile peeled across his face as he mused about the sharp mind a lawyer can develop by employing the Tibetan system of argument and debate, and how the practitioner can develop a very sharp mind. With that kind of mind, His Holiness said,
“lawyers win!” He erupted into laughter with the rest of us before returning to his normal poise.
He looked at the camera for his concluding remarks. He reestablished his opinion that the dialectic system for logical argument be used in other world languages. He said that in this way the dialectical school can make some contribution, as can the young students, to the world community. Quickly he turned to Dr. Sidky and fired off,
“what do you think?” To which Dr. Sidky immediately responded,
“Absolutely.”
Please note that my interpretation of the message given to us by His Holiness the Dalai Lama, when I am not simply reporting what was said and such interpretation is used, is my own. Please feel free to email me at miamitibetanstudies@gmail.com with questions, comments, arguments, or refutations of my take on the parts of the dialogue that were not specifically explained to us then and there. Thanks as always,
Zack
Tuesday, October 27, 2009
An audience with His Holiness, Part 1
We all woke early yesterday morning to get ready for our audience with His Holiness the 14th Dalai Lama. Some men wore jackets and ties while others wore male chupas. The women in our group all donned their own chupas, and we all met in style at the Pemathang hotel, where in the lobby we had breakfast and coffee and discussed the days events.
Students bought books written by His Holiness in hopes of getting them signed during the audience. We also purchased ceremonial Khatas to be placed over our necks, just in case we all got to receive a personal greeting by him. Jeeps arrived to pick us up and take us to the Norbulingka Institute at 10:30am. Because of His Holiness’ busy schedule we had a window of time during which he could see us, and we wanted to get to the Institute early. We arrived at about 11:30 for a possible audience at 12:30. We pulled up in our jeeps through the front gates, which were adorned with flags of red, yellow, and green, some of which were delicately embroidered with Tibetan knots, lotus flowers, and other powerful cultural symbols. We disembarked and made our way onto the grounds of the institute, stepping on a cobblestone walkway overtop of fountain streams that cut through the stones at various intervals at our feet. Through elaborately constructed pillared gates, painted with colors and hand-drawn symbols we moved. Prayer wheels lined the wide archway, and spun as we went beneath it.
As mentioned we first thought that we would be received by His Holiness at 12:30, and waited anxiously in the gardens of Norbulingka until then. The landscaping job was astounding. There was green everywhere. Sunken ponds met with retaining walls that moved with the contours of the earth. The stone and cobble pathways led in between bamboo clumps and large-leaved jungle shrubs, and showed characteristics of the harmonious relationship with nature that is central to the traditional Tibetan worldview. It holds that everything is interconnected, and that seeking to understand nature is better than attempting to subdue and control it.
Two and a half hours slipped by, or rather crawled by. One couldn’t help but remain anxious and slightly nervous about meeting a Nobel Peace Laureate, and one of the most revered spiritual leaders of our time. His direct connection to the very well-published human rights issues between Tibet and China also made the importance of this experience something close to astronomical. We are very lucky.
At about 1:30pm Geshes Kelsang Damdul and Geshe Jamphel arrived. It was a good sign that the time was drawing near. Geshe Kelsang Damdul is the assistant director of the Institute for Buddhist Dialectics. Geshe Jamphel is the principal of the Sarah College for Higher Tibetan Studies. Both are revered in within the community here for the scholarship and accomplishments. At near 2:00pm we received the signal to mobilize and all followed the monks towards the center of the Institute. A large crowed had gathered in a semi-circle on the massive concrete patio in front of the main four-story building. The architecture was much like many of the buildings here, concrete and squarish, but this one was adorned with colored paint, and square pillars and corners were incut with intricate interwoven lines and Tibetan symbols. We were ushered along the sides of the crowd of lay Tibetans, and monks and nuns. After a brief acknowledgement from security we moved up to main arched entryway of the Institute and after only a moment were ushered in by Geshe-la Kelsang Damdul.
The second security check went smoothly. Cameras were not allowed, so we had all left them at our houses, and phones had to be turned off. We were all ushered into a small room. About 45 plastic seats were placed in rows of eight or so, all in front of one single brown wicker chair. Whether on purpose or not, we’ll never know, but the chairs for us to sit in were all red and white. Did they know these are Miami’s colors? We sat and waited for another solid hour for His Holiness to arrive. We had plenty of time to check out the décor. Various Thangkas hung from the walls depicted such deities as Avalokiteshvara, Padmasambhava, Tara, and others I didn‘t recognize. A large incense burner fumed, and added to the spirituality of the place. Again the upper wall borders were striped with red, yellow, and green, and which created a warm glow when combined with the rest of the orange painted wall color scheme.
After many door-opening false alarms, the moment finally came and His Holiness the 14th Dalai Lama of Tibet was ushered in. Having read so much about His Holiness, of his exodus to India from Tibet in 1959, of the creation of a democratic government, and system for refugee processing and aid in exile, and having experienced many aspects of Tibetan culture through being here, observing, recording, interviewing, and talking with those to whom some my own experiences pale in comparison, I was very honored to be sitting where I was at that moment. He was accompanied by his personal envoy, and instructed us to sit down before he had reached his own chair.
We sat and Dr. Sidky, from the right side of the front row, began by thanking His Holiness for giving us the audience. He introduced Glenn Platt from AIMS at Miami, and told His Holiness of Dr. Platt’s multiple projects involving the preservation of ancient texts, and the creation of a freely accessible on-line Tibetan language learning software. Dr. Sidky also explained that Miami University had been bringing students to the area for over five years. He reminded the Dalai Lama about the memorandum that the University signed with His Holiness last December, solidifying the semester-long Tibetan Studies Program that we are all engaged in this Fall. Dr. Sidky also gifted to the Tibetan leader a celebratory text commemorating Miami University’s 200 years, and explained that the Provost’s invitation to visit the Oxford campus was still open. The Dalai Lama warmly acknowledged these words, and motioned for the eight or so students from the British School from New Delhi to begin with their questions.
Stay tuned.
Students bought books written by His Holiness in hopes of getting them signed during the audience. We also purchased ceremonial Khatas to be placed over our necks, just in case we all got to receive a personal greeting by him. Jeeps arrived to pick us up and take us to the Norbulingka Institute at 10:30am. Because of His Holiness’ busy schedule we had a window of time during which he could see us, and we wanted to get to the Institute early. We arrived at about 11:30 for a possible audience at 12:30. We pulled up in our jeeps through the front gates, which were adorned with flags of red, yellow, and green, some of which were delicately embroidered with Tibetan knots, lotus flowers, and other powerful cultural symbols. We disembarked and made our way onto the grounds of the institute, stepping on a cobblestone walkway overtop of fountain streams that cut through the stones at various intervals at our feet. Through elaborately constructed pillared gates, painted with colors and hand-drawn symbols we moved. Prayer wheels lined the wide archway, and spun as we went beneath it.
As mentioned we first thought that we would be received by His Holiness at 12:30, and waited anxiously in the gardens of Norbulingka until then. The landscaping job was astounding. There was green everywhere. Sunken ponds met with retaining walls that moved with the contours of the earth. The stone and cobble pathways led in between bamboo clumps and large-leaved jungle shrubs, and showed characteristics of the harmonious relationship with nature that is central to the traditional Tibetan worldview. It holds that everything is interconnected, and that seeking to understand nature is better than attempting to subdue and control it.
Two and a half hours slipped by, or rather crawled by. One couldn’t help but remain anxious and slightly nervous about meeting a Nobel Peace Laureate, and one of the most revered spiritual leaders of our time. His direct connection to the very well-published human rights issues between Tibet and China also made the importance of this experience something close to astronomical. We are very lucky.
At about 1:30pm Geshes Kelsang Damdul and Geshe Jamphel arrived. It was a good sign that the time was drawing near. Geshe Kelsang Damdul is the assistant director of the Institute for Buddhist Dialectics. Geshe Jamphel is the principal of the Sarah College for Higher Tibetan Studies. Both are revered in within the community here for the scholarship and accomplishments. At near 2:00pm we received the signal to mobilize and all followed the monks towards the center of the Institute. A large crowed had gathered in a semi-circle on the massive concrete patio in front of the main four-story building. The architecture was much like many of the buildings here, concrete and squarish, but this one was adorned with colored paint, and square pillars and corners were incut with intricate interwoven lines and Tibetan symbols. We were ushered along the sides of the crowd of lay Tibetans, and monks and nuns. After a brief acknowledgement from security we moved up to main arched entryway of the Institute and after only a moment were ushered in by Geshe-la Kelsang Damdul.
The second security check went smoothly. Cameras were not allowed, so we had all left them at our houses, and phones had to be turned off. We were all ushered into a small room. About 45 plastic seats were placed in rows of eight or so, all in front of one single brown wicker chair. Whether on purpose or not, we’ll never know, but the chairs for us to sit in were all red and white. Did they know these are Miami’s colors? We sat and waited for another solid hour for His Holiness to arrive. We had plenty of time to check out the décor. Various Thangkas hung from the walls depicted such deities as Avalokiteshvara, Padmasambhava, Tara, and others I didn‘t recognize. A large incense burner fumed, and added to the spirituality of the place. Again the upper wall borders were striped with red, yellow, and green, and which created a warm glow when combined with the rest of the orange painted wall color scheme.
After many door-opening false alarms, the moment finally came and His Holiness the 14th Dalai Lama of Tibet was ushered in. Having read so much about His Holiness, of his exodus to India from Tibet in 1959, of the creation of a democratic government, and system for refugee processing and aid in exile, and having experienced many aspects of Tibetan culture through being here, observing, recording, interviewing, and talking with those to whom some my own experiences pale in comparison, I was very honored to be sitting where I was at that moment. He was accompanied by his personal envoy, and instructed us to sit down before he had reached his own chair.
We sat and Dr. Sidky, from the right side of the front row, began by thanking His Holiness for giving us the audience. He introduced Glenn Platt from AIMS at Miami, and told His Holiness of Dr. Platt’s multiple projects involving the preservation of ancient texts, and the creation of a freely accessible on-line Tibetan language learning software. Dr. Sidky also explained that Miami University had been bringing students to the area for over five years. He reminded the Dalai Lama about the memorandum that the University signed with His Holiness last December, solidifying the semester-long Tibetan Studies Program that we are all engaged in this Fall. Dr. Sidky also gifted to the Tibetan leader a celebratory text commemorating Miami University’s 200 years, and explained that the Provost’s invitation to visit the Oxford campus was still open. The Dalai Lama warmly acknowledged these words, and motioned for the eight or so students from the British School from New Delhi to begin with their questions.
Stay tuned.
Monday, October 26, 2009
Sunday, October 25, 2009
Life in Mcleod
Having a tough time with picture uploads, so bear with me and check back later!
Last week was our first week at our new homes in Mcleod Ganj. The night before we left, on the 16th all of the Tibetan roommates put together a farewell party for us. They bought loads of cookies and soda, and invited us all to the third floor classroom after dinner. We shuffled in and proceeded to indulge in sweets, games, and good times. Everyone played classic camp games such as the human knot and duck duck goose, and all had a wonderful time. I took a break halfway through to have a Tibetan language tutor session with my teacher, Karma-la, and for a solid hour could hear the sounds of cheers, clapping, laughter, and the occasional fall of someone who tried to take those turns during duck, duck, goose a little too tightly.
The next morning some were milling about while others were packing and saying goodbyes. We rode up to Mcleod ganj, taking the now familiar roads to our new homes. Situated all throughout Mcleod the residences vary from two room apartments to two floor houses. Some have hot water, others only cold. Some have cable TV, others conversation. Some speak English well, some are learning Tibetan. Some have a private bathroom, others have to walk down the hall!!! Whatever the arrangements one thing remains the same -- nobody is underfed. It is Tibetan custom to offer food until one firmly refuses to eat anymore. This custom stems from the urge to make one’s guest feel at home, and to show that they don’t have to be shy about asking for anything, especially seconds during mealtime!
Classes are located at the Institute for Buddhist Dialectics at the bottom of Temple road. Each student walks to class every day, the furthest being about fifteen minutes away. Class times have been rearranged so that nobody has to walk home late at night, and so that the students have the afternoons mostly free. Buddhist Philosophy and Peoples and Cultures of Southeast Asia continue in a small, traditional Tibetan classroom, with pads on the floors and low tables for taking notes on. Dr. Sidky looks especially distinguished teaching behind a golden Khata on a padded throne-like chair. The applied anthropology guest lecture series continues as well from the library of the Institute, Our most recent lectures there have been from the health department and the institute itself.
Despite being spread out all over town the students meet regularly for classes, and get together to socialize afterwards. Some miss their roommates at the Sarah Institute and have made the trip once or twice back down the hill to visit with them. One of the favorite local hotspots is the Tibetan-run Coffee Talk Café, where one can order a macchiato complete with a portrait of the customer’s face drawn in chocolate syrup on the foam. Another is the Norling Restaurant, which serves a fantastic bowl of the traditional Tibetan noodle soup, thentuk. Hotel Tibet has a great rooftop dining room and serves everything from peanut masala to thentuk, to meat and veggie momos, and other traditional Indian/Tibetan cuisine. If you are going for a trek then Osha’s breadshop is a great place to stock up on bread, cheese, nuts, and other nutritional snacks like hummus and raisins. They also sell some good dietary supplements and vitamin C tablets. It is owned by a middle-aged Indian man, and the bread is baked daily on Bagsu road. Better get there early or it might be sold out!
One can sit at any one of these places, plug into the Internet, watch the eagles and Himalayan Griffons fly by, do homework, listen to the multi-ethnic conversations that are constantly brewing around us, etc.. I’ve personally heard dialogue in Hindi, Tibetan, German, English, Gaddi, French, Spanish, Arabic, Mandarin Chinese, and those are just the few that I can recognize. I was told by my host mother that during the 1960s there were only one or two westerners that came here for tourism or to study Buddhist philosophy. Now Dharamsala and Mcleod are a melting pot for cultural seekers, scholars, students, travelers, tourists, vagabonds, philosophers, and adventure addicts from around the world. It makes for quite an interesting place.
According to recent news sources four Tibetans were executed last Tuesday for their involvement in the March riots of 2008. There have been candlelight vigils nightly, and a rolling twelve hour hunger strike is in progress. This is a heart-breaking tragedy to many here, and has worsened opinions that peace talks will resume positively in the near future. See the New York Times report here.
Tomorrow is a big day. We have an audience with His Holiness the Dalai Lama at the Norbulingka Institute (linked on the right). We will have the chance to ask two questions to him, so we’d better make them good! What would you ask if you had the chance?
Thanks for reading!
Zack
Last week was our first week at our new homes in Mcleod Ganj. The night before we left, on the 16th all of the Tibetan roommates put together a farewell party for us. They bought loads of cookies and soda, and invited us all to the third floor classroom after dinner. We shuffled in and proceeded to indulge in sweets, games, and good times. Everyone played classic camp games such as the human knot and duck duck goose, and all had a wonderful time. I took a break halfway through to have a Tibetan language tutor session with my teacher, Karma-la, and for a solid hour could hear the sounds of cheers, clapping, laughter, and the occasional fall of someone who tried to take those turns during duck, duck, goose a little too tightly.
The next morning some were milling about while others were packing and saying goodbyes. We rode up to Mcleod ganj, taking the now familiar roads to our new homes. Situated all throughout Mcleod the residences vary from two room apartments to two floor houses. Some have hot water, others only cold. Some have cable TV, others conversation. Some speak English well, some are learning Tibetan. Some have a private bathroom, others have to walk down the hall!!! Whatever the arrangements one thing remains the same -- nobody is underfed. It is Tibetan custom to offer food until one firmly refuses to eat anymore. This custom stems from the urge to make one’s guest feel at home, and to show that they don’t have to be shy about asking for anything, especially seconds during mealtime!
Classes are located at the Institute for Buddhist Dialectics at the bottom of Temple road. Each student walks to class every day, the furthest being about fifteen minutes away. Class times have been rearranged so that nobody has to walk home late at night, and so that the students have the afternoons mostly free. Buddhist Philosophy and Peoples and Cultures of Southeast Asia continue in a small, traditional Tibetan classroom, with pads on the floors and low tables for taking notes on. Dr. Sidky looks especially distinguished teaching behind a golden Khata on a padded throne-like chair. The applied anthropology guest lecture series continues as well from the library of the Institute, Our most recent lectures there have been from the health department and the institute itself.
Despite being spread out all over town the students meet regularly for classes, and get together to socialize afterwards. Some miss their roommates at the Sarah Institute and have made the trip once or twice back down the hill to visit with them. One of the favorite local hotspots is the Tibetan-run Coffee Talk Café, where one can order a macchiato complete with a portrait of the customer’s face drawn in chocolate syrup on the foam. Another is the Norling Restaurant, which serves a fantastic bowl of the traditional Tibetan noodle soup, thentuk. Hotel Tibet has a great rooftop dining room and serves everything from peanut masala to thentuk, to meat and veggie momos, and other traditional Indian/Tibetan cuisine. If you are going for a trek then Osha’s breadshop is a great place to stock up on bread, cheese, nuts, and other nutritional snacks like hummus and raisins. They also sell some good dietary supplements and vitamin C tablets. It is owned by a middle-aged Indian man, and the bread is baked daily on Bagsu road. Better get there early or it might be sold out!
One can sit at any one of these places, plug into the Internet, watch the eagles and Himalayan Griffons fly by, do homework, listen to the multi-ethnic conversations that are constantly brewing around us, etc.. I’ve personally heard dialogue in Hindi, Tibetan, German, English, Gaddi, French, Spanish, Arabic, Mandarin Chinese, and those are just the few that I can recognize. I was told by my host mother that during the 1960s there were only one or two westerners that came here for tourism or to study Buddhist philosophy. Now Dharamsala and Mcleod are a melting pot for cultural seekers, scholars, students, travelers, tourists, vagabonds, philosophers, and adventure addicts from around the world. It makes for quite an interesting place.
According to recent news sources four Tibetans were executed last Tuesday for their involvement in the March riots of 2008. There have been candlelight vigils nightly, and a rolling twelve hour hunger strike is in progress. This is a heart-breaking tragedy to many here, and has worsened opinions that peace talks will resume positively in the near future. See the New York Times report here.
Tomorrow is a big day. We have an audience with His Holiness the Dalai Lama at the Norbulingka Institute (linked on the right). We will have the chance to ask two questions to him, so we’d better make them good! What would you ask if you had the chance?
Thanks for reading!
Zack
Friday, October 16, 2009
Student Projects, Part 2
Continued from Student Project, Part 1:
Stephen’s research deals with the Tibetan language. He has identified through research that language is central to the Tibetan identity. In His Holiness’ Memorandum to the Chinese government it is stated that the preservation of Tibetan language is the top priority. The dichotomy between written and spoken Tibetan makes it one of the world’s unique languages, and also one of the most difficult to learn. One of the most popular language learning tools for Tibetan is the Monlam Universal Tibetan Pronuncations computer software. This program allows users to hear pronunciations of all of the consonants, vowels, prefixes, suffixes, and character modifications used in written and spoken Tibetan. It also has an extensive vocabulary list, readings, stories, and explanations of the development of the language, and differences between informal, and honorific speech. Unfortunately it is entirely in Tibetan, which makes navigation and the readings difficult for English speakers. Stephen’s objective is to help make this Tibetan language learning tool available for widespread use by learners in India, Nepal, Bhutan, the United States, the United Kingdom, and even Tibet, where a non-political program would perhaps be accepted by the Chinese government. He would like to translate it into English, retool the program for ease of use, and find the means to distribute it internationally.
Jennie is interested in human rights issues in Tibet. She has found that the Central Tibetan Administration can only sponsor eighty political prisoners, providing food, shelter, etc. each year for a maximum of three years, after which a new group is cycled in. She is interested in sponsorships, grants, and donations that are available to help political prisoners not under the aid of the CTA. Her other main focus, in conjunction with Renate, is the issue of lack of treatment for political prisoners suffering from trauma. She is interested in fostering international awareness of their suffering, and will be working with Dr. Akers and the Amethyst house in order to bring a trained specialist to Dharamsala to help train further counselors and treat the victims of torture. Jennie will be an intern with the State Department this Spring and will be working with them to write grants and proposals to create action and aid for those struggling here.
Drew is studying the political situation between Tibet and China. He has found that there are two camps within the community that have their own beliefs and opinions in regards to the Dalai Lama’s Middle-Way approach to Tibet-China situation. The first is comprised of those who support His Holiness’ approach of autonomy within the Chinese constitution and and who are willing to compromise with the Chinese government. The second, and according to his research, minority camp, is made up of those who believe that Tibet should have total independence from China. Drew has been asking his interviewees what they think the next big change is that needs to happen in order for talks with China to proceed. Their answer has been unanimous: China needs to be less stubborn, and make decisions based on a more democratic process. Drew has found that when there are still two sides (Middle-Way vs. Independence) it allows China to look only at the independence side and to use its existence as a way to justify their current policies towards Tibet. His focus now lies on discovering ways to reach educated Chinese with information on the Dalai Lamas policies, so that incorrect views displayed by the Chinese government can be remedied.
Liz has chosen the environment for her area of study. Throughout the research process she has been able to discern that there is a severe lack of environmental education going on within the Tibetan community. The students here at Sarah genuinely wish to help the environment, but haven’t been taught how. Liz’s research is aimed at giving the Sarah campus a more science based focus, and providing improvements to the waste system here. She has found that the garbage cans on campus are labeled according to whether or not they are for trash, plastic and glass, or aluminum. Each one is correctly labeled, but are done so in Tibetan using a script that many of the students are still learning. Part of her project is to add universal symbols - pictures - to the garbage cans so that their use can be clearly understood. She is also searching for scientific documentaries that can be donated to the college. Using the video editing studio at Sarah these videos can be dubbed in Tibetan and shown to the students, which she believes will help educate them and raise environmental awareness
Sarah is working with the monastic community here. Freedom of religion is one of the main reasons many Tibetans move into exile. As mentioned in the last update, Buddhist philosophy permeates almost every facet of Tibetan culture, and certainly has a profound effect on daily life. Thus, the preservation of religion is plays an important role in the preservation of the culture as a whole. She’s interviewed a number of monks on campus and has found that none of them have been supported by their families. She’s been researching the Department of religion and culture, which is set up to operate and maintain the monastic community. Like many of the students at Sarah, the monks under the umbrella of the monastic system also receive a stipend, but theirs is only about 200 rupees per year for a maximum of 15 years. Those not receiving the stipend supplement their income by have large prayer groups in temples. These group prayer sessions are often requested and paid for by sponsors. The money they make is redistributed amongst the monks, and can be used for a meal or two typically, but there is never any net gain. Sarah has identified another issue as well: a large number of the most proficient teachers are being lost to the western world, and there are only a fraction of masters (Geshes) left in Tibet. Her project will be seeking solutions to these problems in terms of international NGOs and financial support groups/sponsors.
These are brief descriptions of the projects that each student has designed. The work put into these projects far exceeds the justice I have done them in a paragraph or so. But the semester is only half over. Each student will moving toward having a real and positive impact on the Tibetan community here through their research and action, and we are all excited to see in which direction these
Stephen’s research deals with the Tibetan language. He has identified through research that language is central to the Tibetan identity. In His Holiness’ Memorandum to the Chinese government it is stated that the preservation of Tibetan language is the top priority. The dichotomy between written and spoken Tibetan makes it one of the world’s unique languages, and also one of the most difficult to learn. One of the most popular language learning tools for Tibetan is the Monlam Universal Tibetan Pronuncations computer software. This program allows users to hear pronunciations of all of the consonants, vowels, prefixes, suffixes, and character modifications used in written and spoken Tibetan. It also has an extensive vocabulary list, readings, stories, and explanations of the development of the language, and differences between informal, and honorific speech. Unfortunately it is entirely in Tibetan, which makes navigation and the readings difficult for English speakers. Stephen’s objective is to help make this Tibetan language learning tool available for widespread use by learners in India, Nepal, Bhutan, the United States, the United Kingdom, and even Tibet, where a non-political program would perhaps be accepted by the Chinese government. He would like to translate it into English, retool the program for ease of use, and find the means to distribute it internationally.
Jennie is interested in human rights issues in Tibet. She has found that the Central Tibetan Administration can only sponsor eighty political prisoners, providing food, shelter, etc. each year for a maximum of three years, after which a new group is cycled in. She is interested in sponsorships, grants, and donations that are available to help political prisoners not under the aid of the CTA. Her other main focus, in conjunction with Renate, is the issue of lack of treatment for political prisoners suffering from trauma. She is interested in fostering international awareness of their suffering, and will be working with Dr. Akers and the Amethyst house in order to bring a trained specialist to Dharamsala to help train further counselors and treat the victims of torture. Jennie will be an intern with the State Department this Spring and will be working with them to write grants and proposals to create action and aid for those struggling here.
Drew is studying the political situation between Tibet and China. He has found that there are two camps within the community that have their own beliefs and opinions in regards to the Dalai Lama’s Middle-Way approach to Tibet-China situation. The first is comprised of those who support His Holiness’ approach of autonomy within the Chinese constitution and and who are willing to compromise with the Chinese government. The second, and according to his research, minority camp, is made up of those who believe that Tibet should have total independence from China. Drew has been asking his interviewees what they think the next big change is that needs to happen in order for talks with China to proceed. Their answer has been unanimous: China needs to be less stubborn, and make decisions based on a more democratic process. Drew has found that when there are still two sides (Middle-Way vs. Independence) it allows China to look only at the independence side and to use its existence as a way to justify their current policies towards Tibet. His focus now lies on discovering ways to reach educated Chinese with information on the Dalai Lamas policies, so that incorrect views displayed by the Chinese government can be remedied.
Liz has chosen the environment for her area of study. Throughout the research process she has been able to discern that there is a severe lack of environmental education going on within the Tibetan community. The students here at Sarah genuinely wish to help the environment, but haven’t been taught how. Liz’s research is aimed at giving the Sarah campus a more science based focus, and providing improvements to the waste system here. She has found that the garbage cans on campus are labeled according to whether or not they are for trash, plastic and glass, or aluminum. Each one is correctly labeled, but are done so in Tibetan using a script that many of the students are still learning. Part of her project is to add universal symbols - pictures - to the garbage cans so that their use can be clearly understood. She is also searching for scientific documentaries that can be donated to the college. Using the video editing studio at Sarah these videos can be dubbed in Tibetan and shown to the students, which she believes will help educate them and raise environmental awareness
Sarah is working with the monastic community here. Freedom of religion is one of the main reasons many Tibetans move into exile. As mentioned in the last update, Buddhist philosophy permeates almost every facet of Tibetan culture, and certainly has a profound effect on daily life. Thus, the preservation of religion is plays an important role in the preservation of the culture as a whole. She’s interviewed a number of monks on campus and has found that none of them have been supported by their families. She’s been researching the Department of religion and culture, which is set up to operate and maintain the monastic community. Like many of the students at Sarah, the monks under the umbrella of the monastic system also receive a stipend, but theirs is only about 200 rupees per year for a maximum of 15 years. Those not receiving the stipend supplement their income by have large prayer groups in temples. These group prayer sessions are often requested and paid for by sponsors. The money they make is redistributed amongst the monks, and can be used for a meal or two typically, but there is never any net gain. Sarah has identified another issue as well: a large number of the most proficient teachers are being lost to the western world, and there are only a fraction of masters (Geshes) left in Tibet. Her project will be seeking solutions to these problems in terms of international NGOs and financial support groups/sponsors.
These are brief descriptions of the projects that each student has designed. The work put into these projects far exceeds the justice I have done them in a paragraph or so. But the semester is only half over. Each student will moving toward having a real and positive impact on the Tibetan community here through their research and action, and we are all excited to see in which direction these
Student Projects, Part 1
This week concludes our stay at the Sarah College for Higher Tibetan Studies. On Friday we will all be moving ten kilometers up into the mountains to the town of Mcleod Ganj, where His Holiness the Dalai Lama makes his residence. As mentioned earlier, the Tibetan Government in Exile is located here, and has strong concentrations of departments and offices located throughout Mcleod and Dharamsala. It’s been a busy couple of weeks. All of the students have been thoroughly engaged in independent research, and have each produced a needs assessment paper according to feedback they have received from government officials, their roommates, and the students and teachers on campus. The next step is to create a policy brief to be hypothetically sent to a congressman, state senator, or President Obama on what action should be taken to improve one issue based on the needs of the Tibetan community.
The purpose of this is that when the students return to Miami in Ohio they will be presented with opportunities to talk about their experiences here, and may be asked some difficult questions by both American students and Miami’s large Chinese population. What would your answer be if a student said, “I was taught as a youth that Tibet has always been a part of China”, or perhaps “The Dalai Lama is a separatist that only wants independence for Tibet, and is conducting his peaceful campaign under the disguise of the middle-way path.” These are difficult issues to address.
Each student gave a short presentation on the results of the first stage of his/her research during class yesterday. Here’s the minutes:
Justin is working with the members of the administration to create a promotional video for the Sarah Institute, that will be shown to many international organizations and donors to the college, as well as prospective students. Throughout the research process it came to Justin’s attention that one of the biggest challenges for the college was money, and his video is designed with this in mind. He has been working hard to find out about the significant role that Sarah plays in the Tibetan community. Like many students he has been interviewing the Tibetan student body here, faculty, and administrators to record life histories, the history of the college, classes and activities here, and their position withing the larger scope of the Tibetan community.
Emily is creating a traditional Tibetan cookbook for the Tibetan community in and around Dharamsala. She has found that most of these traditional recipes are passed down orally. Because many of the older generations stay in Tibet, and cannot afford to make the trip across the border into Nepal, Bhutan, and India, there are less ways for Tibetan youth to learn about their traditional cuisine. Indian cuisine has also had a large influence on traditional Tibetan meals, and a new wave of culinary art is being introduced into the mainstream. Emily has contacted Abbot Laboratories in Ohio, and is trying to work with them to get nutritional supplements and information to the Tibetan community. Abbot also has an internship program, and Emily will working on sending a Tibetan woman to the United States to attend the program. The woman would then be able to spread nutritional facts to the Tibetan community upon her return. She is working closely with Ryan on several facets of her project.
Renate’s project is centered around support for and awareness of female political prisoners. Throughout her research she has noticed a lack in counseling and emotional/mental support for women suffering from Post Traumatic Stress Disorder. She has found that many women are horribly mistreated and tortured in Chinese prisons in ways that men are not. Upon her return to Miami Renate will be the President of the Association for Women’s Studies at Miami, and will take a proactive role in creating a partnership between AWS and the Tibetan Women’s Association (TWA). Through this partnership she hopes to bring awareness to the plight of the female political prisoners. To generate this awareness Renate hopes to include a spotlight monologue in the popular Vagina Monologues, which will run on a national scale. The proceeds generated for this on campus she would like to donate to the TWA. She is also planning on working with Dr. Akers and the Amethyst House in Columbus, Ohio to offer further support in terms of counseling and treatment to these women.
Ryan is also working on nutritional education within the Tibetan community. He’s come up with the B.E.A.N. program. The acronym stands for Breakfast Education Adds Nutrition program. Through interviews Ryan has been able to discern a real need within the community at Sarah. Many students complain of getting hungry at night, because dinner is early -- at 5:30pm. Most of them receive a stipend each month from the school to help provide them with certain needs, but it is only 200 rupees per month, or about four dollars. Buying snacks and sodas becomes out of the question. It is often the case that the only snacks available are salty and sweet treats like chocolate and chips. Through the B.E.A.N. program Ryan hopes to educate and implement alternate eating schedules for the students to provide them with a more nutritional, balanced diet. For breakfast most only have tea and toast, and according to his research, don’t have the opportunity to get sufficient amounts of vitamins and protein. He will see about moving dinner to a later date, and providing free healthy snack for the students each day, such as nuts or fruit. Simple things like switching white rice to brown rice could improve help when implemented on a daily basis. Coupled with educational pamphlets about nutrition he hopes to develop good eating habits amongst the younger generations.
Brian is focused on the economic stability of the Tibetan refugee system in Dharamsala. His interviews and research have indicated that financial support for the Tibetan school system is solid. Most of the funding for educational programs is facilitated through the government. But 40% of Tibetans that come into exile are over the age of 30 and can’t go to school, which creates problem and a need for job training. This is done through transit schools or the Institute for small trades learning. These institutes train adults to be tailors, computer specialists, restaurant owners, carpenters, etc. Brian has found that while programs for education are well funded, these other institutes are often left wanting. His continuing research is focused on exploring economic stability options and income generating enterprises like micro finance, and will be looking at the kinds of support that comes in from NGOs and international organizations in regards to them.
Alyssa is asking the question, “what does it mean to be Tibetan?” She has been in contact with numerous students on Sarah’s campus and is curiously exploring the multifaceted Tibetan identity. Because cultural preservation is such as large project outlined by the Central Tibetan Administration, it is important for an anthropologist to understand how the Tibetans construct their identity, and in turn their culture. She has found that through education many Tibetans play an active role in this preservation. Sarah institute is a primary educational institute in terms of language and religion, and as such is also one of the most concentrated research locations for fieldwork of this kind. Alyssa has also been studying what happens when groups of Tibetans are sent to America, and how they struggle with cultural preservation there.
Jackie is our art education specialist. Her interest here is on ancient Tibetan Thanke paintings and the Norbulingka Institute, where artists are trained and paintings are created. She’s been in contact with a Thanke master, and has been looking into transit schools and the Tibetan Library and Works for more information on the creation and preservation of the paintings. Through her research she has found that the 12 year training program offered at the Norbunlingka Institute is too expensive for many students to pay for to attend all at once. Currently the Institute has twenty-five students, but its directors may have to limit attendance to twenty students next year due to lack of funds to pay for facilities and teachers. Thanke paintings tell stories related to the schools, teachings, and practices of Tibetan Buddhism. Since Buddhism is so central almost every facet of Tibetan life, both for the monastic communities and the laypeople, the preservation of the art of Thanke is paramount. Jackie has considered splitting up the program into three year sections so that students could have a gradual payment plan, and could use their education after each three-year period to produce enough art to get by and pay for the next section of their schooling. She would also like to work with Glenn Platt of AIMS at Miami to work on digitizing important works for preservation. Another project Jackie is working on in conjunction with other students in the program is to put together a Thanke exhibit at the Miami University Art museum. The general idea is to raise funds to bring the Thanke master, or other educated Thanke painter to the United States where he/she would raise awareness through giving presentations at the Miami Art Museum, the Cincinnati Art Museum, OAEE, and other Ohio art education programs.
More student projects to come later today. Enjoy!
The purpose of this is that when the students return to Miami in Ohio they will be presented with opportunities to talk about their experiences here, and may be asked some difficult questions by both American students and Miami’s large Chinese population. What would your answer be if a student said, “I was taught as a youth that Tibet has always been a part of China”, or perhaps “The Dalai Lama is a separatist that only wants independence for Tibet, and is conducting his peaceful campaign under the disguise of the middle-way path.” These are difficult issues to address.
Each student gave a short presentation on the results of the first stage of his/her research during class yesterday. Here’s the minutes:
Justin is working with the members of the administration to create a promotional video for the Sarah Institute, that will be shown to many international organizations and donors to the college, as well as prospective students. Throughout the research process it came to Justin’s attention that one of the biggest challenges for the college was money, and his video is designed with this in mind. He has been working hard to find out about the significant role that Sarah plays in the Tibetan community. Like many students he has been interviewing the Tibetan student body here, faculty, and administrators to record life histories, the history of the college, classes and activities here, and their position withing the larger scope of the Tibetan community.
Emily is creating a traditional Tibetan cookbook for the Tibetan community in and around Dharamsala. She has found that most of these traditional recipes are passed down orally. Because many of the older generations stay in Tibet, and cannot afford to make the trip across the border into Nepal, Bhutan, and India, there are less ways for Tibetan youth to learn about their traditional cuisine. Indian cuisine has also had a large influence on traditional Tibetan meals, and a new wave of culinary art is being introduced into the mainstream. Emily has contacted Abbot Laboratories in Ohio, and is trying to work with them to get nutritional supplements and information to the Tibetan community. Abbot also has an internship program, and Emily will working on sending a Tibetan woman to the United States to attend the program. The woman would then be able to spread nutritional facts to the Tibetan community upon her return. She is working closely with Ryan on several facets of her project.
Renate’s project is centered around support for and awareness of female political prisoners. Throughout her research she has noticed a lack in counseling and emotional/mental support for women suffering from Post Traumatic Stress Disorder. She has found that many women are horribly mistreated and tortured in Chinese prisons in ways that men are not. Upon her return to Miami Renate will be the President of the Association for Women’s Studies at Miami, and will take a proactive role in creating a partnership between AWS and the Tibetan Women’s Association (TWA). Through this partnership she hopes to bring awareness to the plight of the female political prisoners. To generate this awareness Renate hopes to include a spotlight monologue in the popular Vagina Monologues, which will run on a national scale. The proceeds generated for this on campus she would like to donate to the TWA. She is also planning on working with Dr. Akers and the Amethyst House in Columbus, Ohio to offer further support in terms of counseling and treatment to these women.
Ryan is also working on nutritional education within the Tibetan community. He’s come up with the B.E.A.N. program. The acronym stands for Breakfast Education Adds Nutrition program. Through interviews Ryan has been able to discern a real need within the community at Sarah. Many students complain of getting hungry at night, because dinner is early -- at 5:30pm. Most of them receive a stipend each month from the school to help provide them with certain needs, but it is only 200 rupees per month, or about four dollars. Buying snacks and sodas becomes out of the question. It is often the case that the only snacks available are salty and sweet treats like chocolate and chips. Through the B.E.A.N. program Ryan hopes to educate and implement alternate eating schedules for the students to provide them with a more nutritional, balanced diet. For breakfast most only have tea and toast, and according to his research, don’t have the opportunity to get sufficient amounts of vitamins and protein. He will see about moving dinner to a later date, and providing free healthy snack for the students each day, such as nuts or fruit. Simple things like switching white rice to brown rice could improve help when implemented on a daily basis. Coupled with educational pamphlets about nutrition he hopes to develop good eating habits amongst the younger generations.
Brian is focused on the economic stability of the Tibetan refugee system in Dharamsala. His interviews and research have indicated that financial support for the Tibetan school system is solid. Most of the funding for educational programs is facilitated through the government. But 40% of Tibetans that come into exile are over the age of 30 and can’t go to school, which creates problem and a need for job training. This is done through transit schools or the Institute for small trades learning. These institutes train adults to be tailors, computer specialists, restaurant owners, carpenters, etc. Brian has found that while programs for education are well funded, these other institutes are often left wanting. His continuing research is focused on exploring economic stability options and income generating enterprises like micro finance, and will be looking at the kinds of support that comes in from NGOs and international organizations in regards to them.
Alyssa is asking the question, “what does it mean to be Tibetan?” She has been in contact with numerous students on Sarah’s campus and is curiously exploring the multifaceted Tibetan identity. Because cultural preservation is such as large project outlined by the Central Tibetan Administration, it is important for an anthropologist to understand how the Tibetans construct their identity, and in turn their culture. She has found that through education many Tibetans play an active role in this preservation. Sarah institute is a primary educational institute in terms of language and religion, and as such is also one of the most concentrated research locations for fieldwork of this kind. Alyssa has also been studying what happens when groups of Tibetans are sent to America, and how they struggle with cultural preservation there.
Jackie is our art education specialist. Her interest here is on ancient Tibetan Thanke paintings and the Norbulingka Institute, where artists are trained and paintings are created. She’s been in contact with a Thanke master, and has been looking into transit schools and the Tibetan Library and Works for more information on the creation and preservation of the paintings. Through her research she has found that the 12 year training program offered at the Norbunlingka Institute is too expensive for many students to pay for to attend all at once. Currently the Institute has twenty-five students, but its directors may have to limit attendance to twenty students next year due to lack of funds to pay for facilities and teachers. Thanke paintings tell stories related to the schools, teachings, and practices of Tibetan Buddhism. Since Buddhism is so central almost every facet of Tibetan life, both for the monastic communities and the laypeople, the preservation of the art of Thanke is paramount. Jackie has considered splitting up the program into three year sections so that students could have a gradual payment plan, and could use their education after each three-year period to produce enough art to get by and pay for the next section of their schooling. She would also like to work with Glenn Platt of AIMS at Miami to work on digitizing important works for preservation. Another project Jackie is working on in conjunction with other students in the program is to put together a Thanke exhibit at the Miami University Art museum. The general idea is to raise funds to bring the Thanke master, or other educated Thanke painter to the United States where he/she would raise awareness through giving presentations at the Miami Art Museum, the Cincinnati Art Museum, OAEE, and other Ohio art education programs.
More student projects to come later today. Enjoy!
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