Report: Chinese authorities demolishing historic Lhasa temple
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The Tibet Post reports that Chinese authorities have started demolishing historical buildings in the Tibetan capital of Lhasa, including Jokhang Temple, considered to be the holiest Buddhist site in the city. A large new shopping mall, which includes underground parking, is being built in the old section of Lhasa. Jokhang Temple is an extension of the Potala Palace, a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
Tibetan writer Tsering Woeser spoke out against the destruction on her blog and on social media, calling on UNESCO and other international organizations to stop the demolition. Her post on the social network Weibo reportedly received thousands of comments and shares before Chinese censors took it down. Read More @ Source | ||
 Several brand-new items have been added to the (not-for-profit) Shambhala Sun Foundation's online store, including 8.5 by 11-inch prints of some our most popular Buddhist-inspired art (including this enso by Kazuaki Tanahashi) as well as new calligraphy offerings by Thich Nhat Hanh. There's plenty more to be found in the our store, too, including books, t-shirts, and back issues of both the Shambhala Sun and Buddhadharma. All proceeds help the Shambhala Sun Foundation spread the wisdom of meditation and genuine dharma. Read More @ Source | ||
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May 9th 2013
Portland, Oregon, USA 8 May 2013 - Shortly after arriving in Portland today, having flown from one side of the United States to the other, His Holiness the Dalai Lama met staff and Tibetans students participating in the Global Leadership Initiative. He recalled that as early as the time of his predecessor, the Thirteenth Dalai Lama, there had been efforts to introduce modern education in Tibet. Then, soon after coming into exile in India, priority was given to setting up schools to educate children. Those have largely been successful, he said, but what is needed now is for Tibetans acquire expertise and specialised training
"I would like to remind you that we have our own system of writing that is the most suitable language available today for expressing Buddhist ideas. When anyone wants to investigate Buddhist thought today, Tibetan is the best means through which to do it. The heritage of Nalanda University, the culture and knowledge it upheld as a centre of learning, are now only available in Tibetan. "We may regret that the tragedy that befell Tibet was attributable to our lack of modern education, but as far as Buddhist science, logic and epistemology are concerned, they are presently only to be found in Tibetan. We are thus the custodians of a world treasure. Now, in addition, we need to produce specialised scholars who study up to PhD level and beyond. We may not need space technology, but there are many other aspects of knowledge and technology that would be of help to us. "
He remarked that one of the great qualities of classical Buddhist training was the development of the heart and he counselled the students to remember the need for kindness and integrity whatever they do.
Asked what advice he had for students in Tibet, His Holiness expressed his admiration for the dedication with which scholars and writers, many of them in Amdo, have worked to preserve and extend the use of Tibetan. While acknowledging that vernacular language varies according to the different regions of Tibet, the literary language is something shared in common right across the Tibetan Plateau. Recalling that in 7th and 8th centuries Tibet was a unified power that later fragmented, he noted that the unifying factors thereafter have been a common written language and a shared culture. He reiterated that what is important today, besides the acquisition of modern knowledge, is the preservation of Tibetan language, culture and Buddhist understanding. Tomorrow, His Holiness will participate in an interfaith event on Spirituality and the Environment in the morning and give a lecture on Universal Responsibility and the Inner Environment: The Nature of Mind in the afternoon.  Read More @ Source | ||
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I have no mercy for a society that will crush people, and then penalize them for not being able to stand up under the weight. ~Malcolm X Last night I watched an hour long documentary called War in the … Continue reading →
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His Holiness the Dalai Lama's talks and discussions from the Dalai Lama Environmental Summit at Maitripa College and the University of Oregon will be broadcast live on YouTube on Thursday, Friday, and Saturday. Click through for the full schedule with video links.
Webcast Schedule: All times Pacific Daylight Time (PDT = GMT-7.00) May 9: Interfaith Event His Holiness the Dalai Lama and religious leaders will participate in a discussion on "Spirituality & the Environment" at the University of Portland in Portland, Oregon, USA. Live webcast can be viewed at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3mRFgrcZivo Time: 9:30am – 11:30am PDT May 9: Public Talk His Holiness will speak on "Universal Responsibility & the Inner Environment" at the University of Portland in Portland, Oregon, USA. Live webcast can be viewed at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-VQakyDvkAY Time: 1:30pm – 3:00pm PDT May 10: Symposium His Holiness will participate in a symposium with scientists and scholars entitled "Life and After Life" Maitripa College in Portland, Oregon, USA. Live webcast can be viewed at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-inGigVypl4 Time: 9:00am – 11:00am PDT May 10: Public Talk His Holiness will give a public talk on "The Path to Peace and Happiness in the Global Society" at the University of Oregon's Matthew Knight Arena in Eugene, Oregon, USA. Live webcast can be viewed at http://www.uoregon.edu/ Time: 1:30pm – 3:30pm PDT May 11: Environmental Summit His Holiness along with political and environmental leaders will discuss "Universal Responsibility & the Global Environment" at the Veterans Memorial Coliseum in Portland, Oregon, USA. Live webcast can be viewed at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OM4HdOhovlk Time: 9:30am – 11:30am PDT May 11: Public Talk His Holiness will give a talk on "Inspiration for the Global Environment" at the Veterans Memorial Coliseum in Portland, Oregon, USA. Live webcast can be viewed at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K6hNwoE7wSM Time: 1:30pm – 3:30pm PDT For more information please go to http://www.dalailamaportland2013.net/ For times in your region, 9:30am PDT on May 9th in Portland, Oregon is the same as 10:00pm IST on May 9th in New Delhi, India; and 5:30pm BST on May 9th in London, England. Read More @ Source | ||
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Colleen Hanabusa, a member of the House of Representatives from Hawaii, announced last week that she plans to run in the state's Democratic Senate primary next year.
She'll be running against Brian Schatz, who was appointed to the Senate post by Governor Neil Abercrombie after longtime Senator Daniel K. Inouye died in December. Schatz's appointment came as a surprise to many, because Inouye wrote to Abercrombie just before he died to tell him he wished for Hanabusa to replace him. Read more at The Washington Post. Hanabusa is a practicing Buddhist; a campaign flyer from her 2010 congressional run said she "integrates her Buddhist values into American political leadership." If elected, she would be the second Buddhist senator, joining fellow Hawaiian Mazie Hirono, who became the first after she was elected in November. Along with Georgia representative Hank Johnson, Hanabusa is one of two Buddhists currently serving in the House of Representatives. Read More @ Source |
