Session 2 Part 1 - The Dalai Lama - Essential Writings - editor Thomas A. Forsthoefel
Introduction - The Teachings of Buddhism
"Love and kindness are the very basis of society. If we lose these feelings, society will face remendous difficulties; the survival of humanity will be endangered. Together with material development, we need spiritual development, so that inner peace and social harmony can be experienced. Without inner peace, without inner calm, it is difficult to have lasting peace. In this field of inner development, religion can make important contributions." ... p156

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Index Commentary PowerPoint Videos Discussion References
Commentary - Jock McTavish
Editor Thomas Forsthoefel has selected writings of the Dalai Lama on 3 pillars of Buddhism: Wisdom, Morality and Meditation, and then on the subject of Religions and the World. The first one third of the book is his own introduction of the basics of Buddhist principles. This to prepare us for the words of the Dalai Lama. For the underlying philosophies and principles of Buddhism are quite distinct from Western traditions. We come through different doors to a familiar call of compassion for others.

Spiritual transformation per Forsthoefel "isn't becoming something you are not; it is becoming more who you are.

The appeal of Buddhism in the West is due to:
  1. The erosion of reason in the postmodern world.
  2. In the secular world, the consequence of materialism, war, ideologies, and cynicism.
  3. In the religious world, alienation due to control, sexism, patriarchy
  4. That Buddhism is emminently rational, psychological, and therapeutic.
  5. That it strives to see things "as they really are".
  6. That it is focused on the person and resistant to authority.
  7. That it is not about "belief" and very little to do about "God".
  8. That a key quality of all human beings is a deep "holy longing", and this in all cultures.
  9. That this impulse finds new expressions continuously in history.
The present Delai Lama is considered to be the 14th incarnation of the same wise soul. He was reborn in 1932. In 1950 the Chinese invaded Tibet and tried to wipe out the Buddhist religion. The Delai Lama and many Tibetans live in exile in Dharamsala, India.

The eight fold path describes the way to the end of suffering, as it was laid out by Siddhartha Gautama whom history calls The Buddha. It is a practical guideline to ethical and mental development with the goal of freeing the individual from attachments and delusions; and it finally leads to understanding the truth about all things. Together with the Four Noble Truths it constitutes the gist of Buddhism.
The Eightfold Path The Four Noble Truths
1. Right View Wisdom
2. Right Intention
3. Right Speech Ethical Conduct
4. Right Action
5. Right Livelihood
6. Right Effort Mental Development
7. Right Mindfulness
8. Right Concentration
1. Life means suffering.
2. The origin of suffering
is attachment.
3. The cessation of suffering
is attainable.
4. The path to the cessation of suffering
is the eightfold path.
Lynn Chazotsang, in her address last monday (see notes) returned often in her comments to the Buddhist notion of emptiness. This key principle is not so much that there is nothing, or that we are nothing, but rather that nothing exists by itself. That we are part of everything. That nothing exists except in relationship to others. It is out of this "emptiness" that compassion is born. The structures and practices of Buddhism have precisely this purpose of compassion.

Now we will watch a portion of Rick Ray's documentary movie "10 Questions for the Dalai Lama", which rather well presents the man whose words we will be reading in the four following chapters. This documentary shows what it is that catches the world's attention about this holy man, how thoroughly rooted he is in Tibbetan Buddhism and how thoroughly uprooted things have become.
PowerPoint Presentation - click whatever works below - the complexity is because computers are like that!
Try this first - full screen - click to advance. Try this second - webpage version -
You can download and save the normal PowerPoint file,
if you right click the link above and then "save target as".
click lower arrows to advance.
.
Video Presentations
The video presentation is a low definition excerpt of an excellent and highly recommended documentary film, Rick Ray's "10 Questions for the Dalai Lama". It is embedded in the above PowerPoint presentations as the last slide. If you are a user of Apple itunes, you can easily download the full hour and a half documentary for only $10. The photography is of course excellent and the larger story is well done. It has much to do with China and politics. Our excerpt is more focused on the spiritual issues.
Summary of Discussion Notes
There was an appreciation of the Dalai Lama's writing style. It was much easier to understand and appreciate. His speech has a rambling style that is often hard to follow.

The approach to suffering seems particularly eastern. While an awareness of the core value in both Christianity and Buddhism of compassion, it was observed that historically it has appeared that in the east, a sense of karma obviates a sense of moral obligation to work to change matters, whereas in the west there is a strong tradition not only of charity but of work towards systemic justice.

The metaphysical approach takes some getting used to. It seems generally very similar to our own philosophy though. What is best for everyone seems to have both practical and theoretical considerations. There is resonance with our own experience.

The key idea of interdependence is most interesting. The notions of karma, of cause and effect make more sense now.

Compassion is hard to implement.
References Related to Chapter Two There are many excellent web resources on Buddhism. Here are 2.
The Apple itunes podcast series have many excellent feeds on Buddhism. Of special interest are the famous lectures of Alan Watts - an Episcopal priest who introduces the East to the West as best as ever done. You must open an account with the Apple store, but all the podcasts are FREE. Just search "Alan Watts".
Robert Thurman is Professor of Indo-Tibetan Buddhist Studies at Columbia University, and has contributed much to the public debate. Here is a sample of his funny/serious teaching style - a TED talk: "We can be Buddhas".
The Calgary area magazine "Synchronicity" had a lead piece by the Dalai Lama in celebration of his visit to Calgary this fall. "The Meaning of Life", no less. An excerpt from his book of the same title. Click for a free registration to Synchronicity and read the 4 full pages.
Clicking the icon left will activate the e-mail on your machine and direct your comments to us. Comments are welcome and will be posted with usual editorial courtesies. St. David's United Church.Calgary, Alberta, Canada. Jan 2008