Search Buddhist Channel

We are India’s chelas: Dalai Lama

Hindustan Times, November 20, 2010

New Delhi, India -- “The relationship between India and Tibet is one of guru and chela,” said Tenzin Gyatso, the 14th Dalai Lama, at the first session of the Hindustan Times Leadership Summit 2010. “We learnt a lot from Indian scholars. And I always introduce myself to western audiences as a scholar of Indian thought… So we are chelas. But you must agree that we have been reliable chelas,” he added with a chuckle.

<< His Holiness the Dalai Lama addresses a gathering at the Hindustan Times Leadership Summit

The core of the message the Nobel peace prize winner delivered to the packed Darbar Hall of the Taj Palace Hotel in New Delhi was about finding inner happiness and compassion to promote peace and happiness in troubled times.

Quoting the eighth-century Buddhist scholar from Nalanda, Shantideva, the Dalai Lama said, “You cannot cover the whole world’s thorns with leather. But it’s enough to cover only your feet. Similarly, by controlling your own anger you can overcome your enemies.”

Giving the example of a Tibetan monk who spent 19 years in a “Chinese gulag”, he said, “When he came to India and met me, he said he was afraid in the prison. Was it for his life? No, he said he was afraid that he would lose compassion towards the Chinese people. That’s the Tibetan way.”

Prayers help believers to stay on the path of compassion. For non-believers, which he reckoned made up the majority of the world’s population today, “the secular way to warm-heartedness” must come through introspection and lived experiences, he said.

The leader of the Tibetan people also said that prayers alone don’t help when it comes to improving the lot of whole communities – for that, concerted action is needed.

“I was in Bihar recently to unveil a Buddha statue… The state’s chief minister said Bihar was more prosperous with the Buddha’s blessing. When it was my turn I said had it been because of the Buddha then the state would have prospered long ago,” said the Buddhist monk.

The questions at the end of the session brought in fresh energy to the interaction.

Hindustan Times Editor-in-Chief Sanjoy Narayan, who moderated the morning session, asked the Dalai Lama for a way to address the issue of disenchantment that seems to be rife among today’s youth.

The 75-year-old monk replied, “Our generation belongs to the 20th century, a century of violence during which more than 200 million people were killed. This century is new yet… But whether it will be as violent will depend on the young people of today. If they can shun the hypocrisy and artificial things of the previous generation and enrich their inner wealth, it’s possible.”

Suhel Seth, co-founder of Equus advertising agency, asked the Dalai Lama on his “succession planning”.

To this the Tibetan leader said with a laugh, “It isn’t a serious question to me. But the Communist government is looking at it very seriously… It’s for the Tibetan people to decide… If I die in the next few days, they may want to continue with the institution of the Dalai Lama. But if it’s 20, 30 years later, who knows?”

We Need Your Help to Train the
Buddhist AI Chat Bot NORBU!
(Neural Operator for Responsible Buddhist Understanding)

Dear Friends in the Dharma,

We seek your generous support to help us train NORBU, the word's first Buddhist AI Chat Bot.

Here are some ways you can contribute to this noble cause:

One-time Donation or Loan: A single contribution, regardless of its size, will go a long way in helping us reach our goal and make the Buddhist LLM a beacon of wisdom for all.

How will your donation / loan be used? Download the NORBU White Paper for details.

For Malaysians and Singaporeans, please make your donation to the following account:

Account Name: Bodhi Vision
Account No:. 2122 00000 44661
Bank: RHB

The SWIFT/BIC code for RHB Bank Berhad is: RHBBMYKLXXX
Address: 11-15, Jalan SS 24/11, Taman Megah, 47301 Petaling Jaya, Selangor
Phone: 603-9206 8118

Note: Please indicate your purpose of payment (loan or donation) in the payment slip. Thank you.

Once payment is banked in, please send the payment slip via email to: editor@buddhistchannel.tv. Your donation/loan will be published and publicly acknowledged on the Buddhist Channel.

Spread the Word: Share this initiative with your friends, family and fellow Dharma enthusiasts. Join "Friends of Norbu" at: https://www.facebook.com/groups/norbuchatbot. Together, we can build a stronger community and create a positive impact on a global scale.

Volunteer: If you possess expertise in AI, natural language processing, Dharma knowledge in terms of Buddhist sutras in various languages or related fields, and wish to lend your skills, please contact us. Your knowledge and passion could be invaluable to our project's success.

Your support is part of a collective effort to preserve and disseminate the profound teachings of Buddhism. By contributing to the NORBU, you become a "virtual Bodhisattva" to make Buddhist wisdom more accessible to seekers worldwide.

Thank you for helping to make NORBU a wise and compassionate Buddhist Chatbot!

May you be blessed with inner peace and wisdom,

With deepest gratitude,

Kooi F. Lim
On behalf of The Buddhist Channel Team

Note: To date, we have received the following contributions for NORBU:
US$ 75 from Gary Gach (Loan)
US$ 50 from Chong Sim Keong
MYR 300 from Wilson Tee
MYR 500 from Lim Yan Pok
MYR 50 from Oon Yeoh
MYR 200 from Ooi Poh Tin
MYR 300 from Lai Swee Pin
MYR 100 from Ong Hooi Sian
MYR 1,000 from Fam Sin Nin
MYR 500 from Oh teik Bin
MYR 300 from Yeoh Ai Guat
MYR 300 from Yong Lily
MYR 50 from Bandar Utama Buddhist Society
MYR 1,000 from Chiam Swee Ann
MYR 1,000 from Lye Veei Chiew
MYR 1,000 from Por Yong Tong
MYR 80 from Lee Wai Yee
MYR 500 from Pek Chee Hen
MYR 300 from Hor Tuck Loon
MYR 1,000 from Wise Payments Malaysia Sdn Bhd
MYR 200 from Teo Yen Hua
MYR 500 from Ng Wee Keat
MYR 10,000 from Chang Quai Hung, Jackie (Loan)
MYR 10,000 from K. C. Lim & Agnes (Loan)
MYR 10,000 from Juin & Jooky Tan (Loan)
MYR 100 from Poh Boon Fong (on behalf of SXI Buddhist Students Society)
MYR 10,000 from Fam Shan-Shan (Loan)
MYR 10,000 from John Fam (Loan)
MYR 500 from Phang Cheng Kar
MYR 100 from Lee Suat Yee
MYR 500 from Teo Chwee Hoon (on behalf of Lai Siow Kee)
MYR 200 from Mak Yuen Chau

We express our deep gratitude for the support and generosity.

If you have any enquiries, please write to: editor@buddhistchannel.tv

TOP