Osel Hita Torres, Boy Chosen By Dalai Lama As Reincarnation Of Spritual Leader, Turns Back On Buddhist Order

The Guardian:

As a toddler, he was put on a throne and worshipped as by monks who treated him like a god. But the boy chosen by the Dalai Lama as a reincarnation of a spiritual leader has caused consternation and some embarrassment for Tibetan Buddhists by turning his back on the order that had such high hopes for him.

Read the whole story: The Guardian

Comments

[ZenBoy2000]

I practice within the same lineage, its rather funny, LOL! There's a movie coming out dealing with this issue. Made by Gesar Mukpo. However Dzongsar Khyentse's comments right at the end of the clip is probably right on the money.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Un2bk-ddtf8

[jim666]

Yes, the history thus far of Western tulkus has been mostly disappointing, to say the least. I wish I could see Gesar Mukpo's film.

[Pema]

its your expectations....i guess we are gonna have to save ourselves. lol, buckle up we are gonna have to work for it now. they came, they gave, we were and are lazy...go figure the disspointment, what have we done as practioners except grumble over getting up at 4 am to meditate. I am not speaking of you in specfic, just american practioners in general.

[xtiangodloki]

Certain parts of this story sure made me LOL; the part which the poor kid explained that the only movie he could watch was The Golden Child, and that since age of 6 he was only allowed to socialize with other reincarnated souls (of presumably other lamas) although he was allowed to live right next to Richard Gere.

I find it odd this is the only article critical of Dalai Lama I have ever seen reported by the "western" media. Surely the whole forcing kids onto their "destiny" thing would normally generate a lot more anger and controversy than this. This is a testament to Dalai Lama's ability to manage and contain potentially damaging information. Of course, this also illustrates the amount of bias in our media as well.

[Atcha]

It's more likely that the other kids are Tibethan and find this "destiny" the best possible option for them

[HWNA]

I thought those parts were funny as well, but the desire to make a villain out of a man who personifies compassion is just petty.

[StephenJK]

Yes. Very ridiculous and very petty. This is the tradition of Tibetan Buddhists and look at the history to see every Dalai Lama has been the embodiment of compassion, love and happiness (although their experiences may not have always been so happy).

[FairTalk]

It is taboo to critize the Dalai Lama.

I am being deadly serious.

Wake up.

[hominidx]

You're filled with compelling arguments. I'm surprised you've not used the word "sheeple" yet.

[DubyaGump]

Good for him, he is an adult and it is his life after all.

[lawrencemuh]

the boy in indeed enlightened .. with common sense.

[Macready]

maybe it is time for the Dali Lama to reconsider how they appoint their new spiritual leader . . .

[arvay]

A good illustration of the unreliability of the "good guy vs. bad guy" interpretation of world events.

China is undoubtedly in the process of absorbing Tibet into China -- sending huge numbers of Chinese to Tibet to ethnically overwhelm the Tibetans much as they overwhelmed the residents of so-called Inner Mongolia. Chinese rule has been oppressive and insensitive to Tibetan culture. And of course China shared the insanity of the Cultural revolution with the hapless Tibetans. Destruction of ancient monasteries and writings was as barbaric as the Taliban destruction of ancient Buddhist statues in Afghanistan.

At the same time, as even the Dali Lama has acknowledged, much of Tibetan traditional culture has been obscurantist and anti-progress. Along with the new Chinese settlers will come more advanced concepts and additional contact with the wider world.

Similarly, the communism of the USSR was a bad idea, but the effects of its atheist policies in Central Asia have been positive -- these people seem largely immune to the blandishments of fanatical Islam. The sight of Kazakhs sipping vodka is heart-warming.

One heritage that I hope is not lost -- somehow the Tibetans transformed themselves from a warlike people into pacifists. If that can be accomplished elsewhere without a retreat into religious obscurantism, that would be something for us all to treasure.

[Khirad]

Next you'll tell me that the Qingzang railway really isn't for the Tibetan's benefit! ;)

Great synopsis.

[jim666]

Those are some pretty far-reaching conclusions to draw about another, very different culture, based on an article about a European boy who was thrust into a situation in that culture that he had little hope of understanding. The notion that Han Chinese in Tibet, who are quite racist to Tibetans, will elevate Tibetan culture with their "advanced concepts"--a triumphalist modernist assertion--is akin to saying that black slaves were lucky to have white masters to elevate them from their benighted savagery. Get real. China in Tibet is bad for Tibetans, period.

Tibet managed to produce a culture in which women enjoyed more freedom than in any of their Asian neighbors. Although not immune to sectarian strife and violence, Tibetans spent most of their surplus revenue on building impressive institutions of monastic education, rather than on, say, their military. These monasteries, far from "obscurantist," were centers of lively philosophical, psychological, and religious debate. The Tibetan attitude to hunting was such that visitors would remark how tame the wild animals were, that you could walk right up to them and nearly touch them.

Compare that to the brutal Chinese military, the heavy-handed propaganda and lack of free exchange of ideas under the nominally Communist regime, the myopic, relentless pursuit of modernization and the degradation of the environment. What "advanced concepts" are they bringing again? Maybe "religious obscurantism" wasn't as bad as the alternative.

[arvay]

The Chinese policy in Tibet isn't really comparable to American slavery. Reasoning by parallels is always risky, but the fate of Tibet is more like that of the Kurds in Turkey. Or possibly more like the fate of Celtic people under Roman rule.

I agree that China's actions there have been horrible and have caused probably irreversible damage.

But modern medicine, access to modern technology and knowledge about the rest of the world aren't "triumphalist," they are objectively beneficial developments. And while the diversion of their resources away from war toward monasteries was indeed an advance, the monk-heavy society still featured rule by a religious elite. Sometimes their musings led to benefits, sometimes to superstition.

Some Western people over-romanticize these kinds of things -- the influence of Rousseau still lives.

I agree it would be far better if the Tibetans had been left alone to work these things out for themselves. But China is evolving also and has much to offer Tibet potentially. I think the Chinese will realize that life offers more than stripping natural resources and getting rich, ideas that can be bolstered by Tibetan influence.

Given the opportunity, the two peoples can exchange influences, like the Romans and Gauls. That, after all, resulted in France.

[marley22]

I don't know, I think Tibet just needs the Open Society Institiute to show them the way. They've been closed for too long; time to open up, let the world in.

[DaveScriv]

Most of the world's media have promoted the Dalai Lama as a 'good guy' and the Chinese Government as the 'bad guys' over the issue of Tibet. Remember all those protests before the Olympics.

Although the Chinese Government is certainly heavy-handed in many of its policies and methods, this story shows they might be at least partly right about the Dalai Lama and the influence of Buddist temples and monastaries over Tibeten society. This might be a good time for the Chinese to allow some respected neutral journalists and documentary film makers into Tibet to give the rest of the world an accurate idea of life there. I'd guess average Tibetens would be better off with more freedom; with less control over their daily lives by either the Chinese or the Buddists.

[Amalek]

Myths are quaint, but not when you have to live in medieval conditions under a theocracy.

[FairTalk]

Your idea is great, Dave. But can you point out to me a single western non-biased against China journalist?

http://www.ethanzuckerman.com/blog/2008/03/25/bridgeblogging-chinese-anger-over-perceived-media-bias/

[FairTalk]

The tradition of "recognizing" a rebirth, a Tulka, started with the Karma-Kagu order, and was adopted by the gelugpa, after they initially objected to it.

It involves taking a very young child, usually 2 years old, from it's mother, and having him raised in a monestary by monks.

The sad longing the small child has for his mother is the basis for the teaching of compassion that the Dalai Lama often teaches on his many trips abroad.

[JohnnyKong]

"By 18, he had never seen couples kiss. His first disco experience was a shock. "I was amazed to watch everyone dance. What were all those people doing, bouncing, stuck to one another, enclosed in a box full of smoke?"

Poor kid.

[Khirad]

Like a rumspringa!

[Cosmic-Zantor]

I find Buddhist philosophy and morality to be very interesting, and if somebody put a gun to my head and forced me to belong to a religion I would choose Buddhism, but ultimately the supernatural aspects of Buddhism are just as silly as the notion of Jesus rising from the dead or walking on water, Santa living in the North Pole, Zeus lording over other gods on Mt. Olympus, Vishnu, or Darth Vader.

Fiction is fiction. Sometimes fiction is compelling and carries within it valuable themes and lessons on morality, but it doesn't mean the characters are real.

I congratulate this man on realizing that he was in an absurd situation and retaking control of his own life. Many others would have fallen into the dogma and the fiction and embraced the false persona given to them .

[FairTalk]

You mean you find the Dalai Lama's use of a living Oracle of concern? LOL

[Cosmic-Zantor]

What I find "of concern" is that a young kid was snatched up and almost had his life taken control of due to fictional religious beliefs, but I'm happy he was able to think for himself and take control of his own life.

That's it.

I'm at a loss as to how you can possibly construe this opinion as a negative or something worthy of mockery. What's with the hostility?

[Norge]

No.
He is only having adolesent indignation. He can never in this life time undo those levels built into him from the early months of his life through the thousands of hours of conditioning.

As for the DalaLama, he is wise enough to play his part and he knows well what he is doing. He is one with enormous patience.

[FairTalk]

The Dalai Lama is a paid CIA agent.

[Norge]

FairTalk,

Get real.

The Dalai Lama is an agent of the outer realms and not central information agency. That is simply conspirousy thinking.

[FairTalk]

The Dalai lama has been a paid CIA agent since 1959. His two eldfer brothers are also both CIA agents since the early 1950s.

This is not a conspiracy throey, this is a US government program for the purpose of destablizing China.

http://www.state.gov/www/about_state/history/vol_xxx/337_343.html

[jim666]

Now that we've heard from the People's Republic, what does everyone else have to say?

[FairTalk]

A sick and archaic practice, I hope China puts an end to this fundamentalist practice. Some traditions cannot be allowed to continue.

This cruelity is actually the basis of the Tibetan Buddhist teaching on "compassion" that the Dalai Lama loves to "teach" us.

In fact, it is nothing more than child abuse.

[MisterSlippery]

Perhaps the ChiComs have a valid point about the dangers of Western Decadence.

[EvilCartman]

I study Buddhism, but not Tibetan, I steer clear of it (and its many gods/protectors) and have always thought Dalai Lama is a fraud. I'd rather read Thich Nhat Hanh or Suzuki or the old zen masters from china (Lin Chi, Hui Neng, etc). Dalai Lama is a big fake. Sorry.

[gifu]

Go with the Crooked Cucumber. I really believe he pulled it off, in the lie he was given on this plane. It took him until the end, but Suzuki broke through, I truly believe, Alan Watts took things to another level, too, IMO. The Wisdom of Insecurity and the Book are still absolute mind blowers.

[gifu]

...life he was given on this plane. Not "lie", like my sloppy fingers posted....

[FairTalk]

I agree with you. The Dalai Lama has compromised his ability to modle Budhism, because he has allowed himesly to become a tool of the CIA, taking $180,000 yearly payment to leave Tibet voluntarily, in 1959, and lie about China. Another 2 million yearly was paid for his supporter. In addition, he is hardly a man of peace, aprovinmg the training of Tibetans as contras during the 1950s, at Camp Hale Colorado, and then setting up terror camps in Mustang.

Sadly, the Dalai Lama is a political animal of the lowest kind.

I love Suzuki, and reccomend his study without hesitation.

[EvilCartman]

Master Seung Sahn (korea) is good too. his book "Dropping Ashes on the Buddha" "Wanting Enlightenment is a big mistake" very funny stuff. Suzuki is good. Thich Nhat Hanh is excellent also (look him up) Vietnamese monk, good no-nonsense teaching, he has nice book on Master Lin Chi too.

[snobama]

can believe you have been studying anything...

[Acleacius]

Life is the journey.

[gifu]

So are Steve Perry and Neil Schon......