Search Buddhist Channel

Dalai Lama welcome, but is his message so special?

By BILL WINEKE, Coulee News, July 24, 2008

West Salem, WI (USA) -- I sometimes wonder just how much attention we would pay the Dalai Lama if he showed up in Madison wearing slacks and a sport coat, rather than saffron robes and sandals.

While I’m in the wondering business, I wonder, too, how impressed we’d be with the $6 million Buddhist Temple about to be dedicated at Deer Park near Oregon if it had been constructed according to Frank Lloyd Wright’s “Prairie School” of architecture, rather than reflecting the architecture of Tibetan mountain monasteries.

The Dalai Lama, 73, arrived in Madison July 18 for a five-day visit. As always, we’re glad to see him. He is a world leader whose advocacy of peace and nonviolence is inspirational. His enthusiasm for building closer ties between science and religion is a blessing to both realms. His very presence is a gift to the Madison area’s Tibetan community. So, we welcome him.

At the same time, I’m always a little puzzled by the rapture so many Madisonians express when they’re in his presence.

I first met the Dalai Lama in 1979 when he made his initial visit to Madison. It was a pretty low-key affair (he spoke to 2,000 at Memorial High School and another 500 at St. Benedict Center, which is now known as Holy Wisdom Monastery) and the spiritual leader talked about compassion. He was for it.

I covered his appearances here in 1981 and in 2001. He spoke about compassion on those occasions, too, and his position hadn’t changed, though the crowds were bigger. He was here again last summer and will be honored at a “long life” ceremony during this visit.

My guess is that he will speak about the virtues of compassion.

I know this sounds flippant and arrogant, but I do question whether the awe with which we greet religious leaders like the Dalai Lama owes more to the trappings of their position than to the profundity of their ideas.

Buddhist monks are very exotic people, and Deer Park is a very exotic temple. But when one breaks down the public message of the Dalai Lama, one is left with a set of fairly unremarkable principles: Positive thinking can effect positive emotions; it is better not to get too attached to the material aspects of life; try to think well of all beings and try to remain mindful of the moment in which you exist.

This is a message that will, no doubt, lead to individual happiness. There is some doubt as to whether it leads to social justice or just encourages those who suffer to be content with their lot in life. My main problem with the Dalai Lama’s message is that we don’t ask it to compete in the arena of ideas; we don’t argue with the Dalai Lama the way we might argue with a theologian wearing a three-piece business suit.

Perhaps I’m just jealous. I preach at a rescue mission, and the last time I wore my robe there someone stole it after the service. People don’t tend to hold my views in awe.

Nevertheless, while I’m glad to have the views of the Dalai Lama in our marketplace, I think we ought to judge them on their merits and not just defer to them because of spectacle.

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