Dalai Lama: Bush Has Lack of Understanding of Reality

Dalai Lama image Courtesy of The News Journal/Suchat Pederson 

The Dalai Lama, in a lecture in Philadelphia yesterday, told a group of about 2,000,

Things are not black and white. Things are relative. Things are interdependent. When we look at a situation we have to consider all the factors.

Many world disasters, including war, including the Iraq war, are due to lack of this holistic nature (looking at all the factors). Like Saddam Hussein -- ending things for him. Reality is not that simple.

Of course, I have great respect for, in fact, I love President Bush, because he is very frank, very straightforward. His intentions are good, but some of his policy in spite of his sincere motivation and right goal, and some of his method becomes unrealistic because of lack of understanding about reality.

He went on to explain,

"You cannot look in one direction. In order to see reality, (you) have to see in three or four or seven dimensions" and that this applies in the economical field, political field and international relations."

The Philadelphia talk was sponsored by the Mongolian Kalmyk Buddhist order, which his holiness, the Dalai Lama, said was very close, teachings-wise, to Tibetan Buddhism and to the challenge of maintaining its culture, having left its homeland.

The main message the Dalai Lama presented was the idea of aiming for world peace through inner and outer disarmament. He explained that to reach a point where nations would outwardly disarm, people must first inwardly disarm, by becoming compassionate, not just with friends, but with all people, including those perceived as enemies.

About 2000 people attended the event at the Kimmel center. Upon finishing his talk, he was presented with a large birthday cake which was shared with all the attendees-- a Dalai Lama cake.

Crossposted from OpEdNews.com

Follow Rob Kall on Twitter: www.twitter.com/robkall

Comments

[JamesRiddle]

Hello Dalai! I understand the whole Buddhism philosphy about loving your enemy, idiots, etc. And he is certainly correct that Bush is deeply unconscious. But to defend Bush's motivations is wrong. Bush fabricated evidence to hoodwink a country into war. I would not call these motives pure. The Dalai Lama is inferring that they are. Using the Dalai Lama's logic ,criminal means used to bring about a noble end pardon the instigator. If this is the Dalai Lama's idea of accountability we will never see the enlightenment he yearns for.

[researcher]

as jesus stated the meek shall inherit the earth

be a while for that to happen in the meantime vote repub

fighting three wars at once will be a breeze

mega dollars to be make doing just that for the have mores

and as americans will learn someday when the middle class is all but gone capitalism by its very nature is designed for the have mores

right now most americans think capitalism is the best deal in town even brag about it as 47 million americans dont have health care

we borrow from communists, socialists, and kings to keep our capitalism and imperialism afloat and still we maintain our economic system is the best in the world

it is called paradigm paralysis

[1will]

When the Dalai Lama gets his country back (and free) I'll start to believe he's onto something. Until then I think he's the one in need of a reality check.
The world has never been peaceful, calm or compassionate and it never really will be. We can make gains but we cannot change human nature worldwide. It's sad but true. We can all hold hands and sing we are the world but somewhere someone is going start a war due to greed, fear or hate. History proves me right.
I noticed the Dalai Lama has not returned to Tibet to, "Inwardly disarm, by becoming compassionate, not just with friends, but with all people, including those perceived as enemies."
That would be "Walking the walk" on a grand scale. His little speech was cute though.

[Darsan54]

Yea, and that Jesus guy, all he did was get convicted and killed as a criminal. Totally out of touch with reality. Man, what was he thinking?

[alltwisty]

Bwah!

[ohmercy]

it may always be, and I tend to agree with you on that point.
But that does not mean we do not benefit from those who take the opposite point of view.
The more people who begin the journey of compassion, even with enemies, the more peaceful we become and only take action when it is necessary after looking at all the facets.

Nothing wrong with that.

I'd say the Dalai Lama has been walking the walk for the last 50 years, And on a very GRAND scale.
He is a GRAND leader.

[Jonahson]

The Dalai Lama forgot Bush take his advice from higher up, if only Bush had listened to his more earthly brothers. Anyway the worst had already happened and it is a bit late for the advice. Millions had suffered and died and I doubt Bush has any inkling of what the Dalai Lama is saying.
Humans have to be more unselfish and overcome their self cherishing mind. Without these practices the conditions and merits for disarmament will not be there.

[ohmercy]

excellent pont.
As someone said above, even if we never fully disarm, even if their will always be disputes and even wars, the goal and path the Dalai Lama advocates for can only help even in the midst of a horrible reality.

No one suggests letting others invade and roll over and allow our country to be conquored and by the same token we should not be doing this either. (of course, this goes without saying.) Doing the practice of wishing only well on the breath and taking in the pain on the in breath can never hurt. Can you imagine if for one instant millions the world over did it?
I'm not suggesting that war will end but that moment of peace would be sublime.

The closest I ever came to experiencing that was after John Lennon was murdered. There was a gathering in central park. I forget how many were there but it was huge! for 10 minutes there was utter silence.
sublime indeed.

[Liberoservative]

Which is exactly what O is all about...
BIG PICTURE peoples!

All things are intertwine­d... we can't solve one problem without looking at the roots which caused the problem...

O's foreign policy strategy displays a brilliant mind when he realizes that we are in a global economy and that we will not solve anything without the buy-in of all the global powers... his security position.. in moving us into the 21st century of security threats... it's not the terrorists stupid! It is global poverty and the cowboy diplomacy that the USA has been displaying for the past 6 years... You win democracy with full stomachs and a few dollars in your pocket... not at the end of a gun.

[ohmercy]

WHAT?
Hardly.

Youy know, while most of you beat up Clinton and were using things like Kyl Lieberman Obama stated plainly he would have signed it... of course he didn't show up for that vote.I guess he didn't want his name attached to it , just because he *would* have signed it--- Plausible deniability? Once again having it both ways?
comparing Obama to the Dalai Lama is yet another example of the fricking hero worship of Obama supporters.

it really gets old after awhile.

[Mauiloa]

Listen up, George. When you get dissed by the Dalai Lama, you really better decide to get your act together, because he already knows that you're going to have to go through many more lifetimes to get it right.

As they say, President Dude, "Karma's a bitch!"

[ohmercy]

funny.

[tasukibeth1]

When you get publicly dissed by Serenity McHappypants, it's time to go home. I don't think I have ever heard the Dalai Lama ever say anything negative, and this comes awfully close.

[MarilynBB]

Unfortunately many people have a lack of understanding of not only more than the black and white version of reality but of the long term consequences of their words and actions.

Hopefully we can have a more expansive view of the world as the Internet opens all borders.

The Dalai Lama could well be listened to by world leaders. No wonder China is afraid of him.

[MysticInd]

Rob,
Great to see your article on Huff Post!

If only more would understand the wholeness that is found within as the Dalai Lama has stated, our world would be a better place.

[Rob Kall - Huffpost Blogger]

What an experience, being in the presence of His Holiness. It was so clear that he really does love George W. Bush, with all his flaws. I don' know that I'll ever be able to feel less than disdain and contempt for GWB. But the Dalai Lama sets and example worth shooting for, while at the same time grounding us with the reality that Bush's reality perception is impaired..

[pakiman]

I implore to read some objective history about your beloved Lama and Tibet...