By Bachi Karkaria
New Delhi – He’s more passion than compassion. More laughter than bliss. The Godking’s distinguishing marks are inoculation scars. He kicks off his acupressure rubber slippers and sits not in a bodhisattvik padmasana , but cross-legged like a matron settling down to gup-shup. Come down to earth with the Dalai Lama.
Unravelling the prayer beads at his wrist, he said, “ A lot of young Tibetans finger this rosary and recite the mantra, ‘Om Mani Padme Hum’ without wanting to know anything more about the Buddha’s message. So it becomes ‘Om, Om, Om. Mani, Mani, money, money!’ The fellow is not thinking of the ratna, but of rupees. Transformation doesn’t mean repeating a mantra.”
‘ A turtle teaches as much as Tibetan scroll ’
By Bachi Karkaria
New Delhi – Interviewed in his hotel room, the Dalai Lama married common sense to spirituality; tempered compassion with reality.
With his no-frills, no-angst style, it’s easy to forget that you are in the presence of one of the most revered persons on this planet, temporal and spiritual leader of today’s most potent metaphor of loss and longing.
The Poster Boy of Peace, expressed unconventional views on warfare.
Not Kalinga, but World War II and the Korean war were on his mind when he said battles can be a blessing in disguise. “They involved suffering, but they saved human rights, democracy and economic development. The Vietnam war had no saving grace. Only the next few years will show if the Iraq invasion brought meaningful change.
“The problem is that violence is unpredictable. However good the motivation, war can spin out of everyone’s control. Besides, the entire concept is self-destructive in a world that’s more interdependent. Today’s weapon can only be dialogue.”
Why has the Supermonk known more for mediation than meditation not taken his skills to the Middle East? “Simple answer, I haven’t been invited.” As for Ayodhya, he went on record to say “ I have no plan, no proposal, no intention to mediate.”
To media, he said, “Have long noses — like an elephant’s.” He proceeded to act out how it should “probe into, around, under, sideways to get to the truth. But Press freedom also implies freedom from agendas. It must take the holistic view of everything whether it is sex or violence. Why only media? Scientists must responsibly consider the implications of their research. If businessmen think only of profits, there is corruption, scandal and finally collapse. “
The man driven out from golden cocoon of the Potala Palace said, “I think the world is a better place than it was 100 years ago. When one group uses force, there is widespread protest in distant corners.” And said the person revered as a god, “Religion has little to do with this. It’s about humanity.”
He ticked off three commitments on his chubby fingers, “One, as a human being I try to promote basic values, concern and caring which add up to compassion. We have been given higher intelligence; we have to do more to preserve and less to destroy. Watching Discovery and National Geographic, I see that survival depends on care. Animal babies have a bond that depends on biological instincts, not religion or political rights. I learn as much from a turtle as from a religious text.
“Two, as a Buddhist, I am committed to promoting religious harmony. And, three, as a Tibetan, I am the Dalai Lama, inside out. My people put all their hope in me. I have ensured elected government in exile, instead of having leaders only nominated by me. I can now prepare for my next journey.”
