Dharamshala — “Chinese communists have tried unsuccessfully to restrict Tibetan Buddhist culture, and it is clear that Tibetan Buddhist philosophy is more profound than Chinese communism. In contrast to that ideology, Tibetans exercise a kind of Buddhist democracy in their monasteries and nunneries. Tibet’s traditions are vast, deep and profound and have the potential to be combined with modern science,” said His Holiness the Dalai Lama.
His Holiness the Dalai Lama gives a two-day teaching on Concise Stages of the Path to Enlightenment of Tsongkhapa and confers the Avalokiteshvara Jinasagara Empowerment on the occasion of Buddha Shakyamuni's Birth, Enlightenment, and Parinirvana Day to 8500 people at Tsuglagkhang, the Main Tibetan Temple in Dharamshala, HP, India on June 13 and 14, 2022.
When His Holiness the Dalai Lama arrived at Tsuglagkhang in the morning around 7 am, more than 8,500 people from 56 different countries around the world, including 700 monks, nuns, and laypeople from the Sherabling and Chango communities who had requested the empowerment were filled with joy, His Holiness waves the gathering with smile and people smiled back with the joy of tears in their eyes.
“Today, Tai Situ Rinpoché is with us,” he has requested the Chenrezig Gyalwa Gyatso (Avalokiteshvara Jinasagara) empowerment. Avalokiteshvara can be practised according to all four classes of tantra, but Gyalwa Gyatso belongs to Highest Yoga Tantra,” His Holiness explained.
“The teaching of the Buddha does not just depend on faith, it is based on reason. What the Buddha said can be put to the test of reason. Later, the masters of Nalanda, such as Nagarjuna, showed how important it is to examine the Buddha’s teaching in the light of reason and establish that he was an incomparable teacher,” he said.
“I am a Buddhist monk who has studied logic and epistemology. I have learned that views like those propounded by the Mind Only School regarding the non-duality of subject and object can be put to the test of reason. Today, even scientists admire Buddhism’s vast and reasoned presentation of the workings of the mind and emotions,” he said.
“When we are children in the monasteries we study mind and awareness; we learn about the 51 mental factors. As for me, I have studied Collected Topics, mind and logic, as well as the Perfection of Wisdom and Madhyamaka teachings. It is important to study the classic texts, some of which I also memorized,” His Holiness explained.
“Negative emotions are the cause of disturbance of the mind, attachment and hatred are the cause of problems for the family, for nations. Therefore we should practice bodhicitta every day, the practice of bodhicitta will help us to achieve peace of mind, will also help others and ourselves in terms of mindfulness and health,” the spiritual leader of Tibet said.
“Chinese communists have tried unsuccessfully to restrict Tibetan Buddhist culture, and it is clear that Tibetan Buddhist philosophy is more profound than Chinese communism. In contrast to that ideology, Tibetans exercise a kind of Buddhist democracy in their monasteries and nunneries. Tibet’s traditions are vast, deep, and profound and have the potential to be combined with modern science,” His Holiness said.
