Reportage – 2003

War or a child's eyes

BODHGAYA, India, 25 January 2003

What Buddha preached 2500 years back is still relevant today. It is because human emotions have not changed. Buddha was an Indian prince, six centuries before the common era, who realised the hollowness of sentient beings existing in the cycle of life—Samsara. Cyclic existence means suffering.

To end this cycle, Buddha shunned wordly life and dedicated his life to overpowering it. Buddhists believe that he attained 'Enlightenment' and became freed from being born again.

The complete Buddha's teachings is believed to be available in Tibetan. The Dalai Lama is the most revered and authentic Buddhist master. He is also the undisputed leader of the six million Tibetans who are within and without Tibet. But he lives in exile in McLeod Ganj, a small northern Indian hill town. (The Dalai Lama is in exile because Communist China took over the country by force in 1959.)

While the most powerful countries were getting ready to attack Iraq for its alleged "possession of weapons of mass destruction", the Dalai Lama was teaching over 100,000 people in Bodhgaya, a little town in the Eastern Indian state of Bihar, on how to bring peace and help the whole world live in peace.

His specific teaching was the Kalachakra tantra, one of the highest Buddhist teachings. The Buddha was believed to have taught this to a King who passed this teaching down in an unbroken lineage till today.

The Kalachakra, or the "Wheel of Time", teaches how to have a Boddhi chitta or altruistic intention to benefit all sentient beings. To achieve such a state of mind there are many vows to be taken to get out of the three delusions—anger and hatred, desire or lust, and ignorance or lack of knowledge.

The vows include to restrain from killing, stealing, breaking in to a couple's life, lying, cheating, abusing, self righteous attitude, and harmful attitude towards others. The Kalachakra teaching is in this way a teaching for world peace.

It is wrong to imagine that after attending one such teaching it will change a person and there will be world peace. It may take even lifetimes to reach such a level of mental status. The negative emotions are too big to overpower!

While taking time off during the teachings I came across the realities of life. Everybody is hustling for their own livelihood, like I myself, trying to get some good photos and stories. A couple of monks trying their aim on the balloons was an interesting sight. They were Buddhist monks but they were shooting with a gun! Of course, they were shooting for fun, but what if China does not listen for a negotiation and once there is no Dalai Lama for Tibetans, wouldn't these monks shoot the Chinese? Would the world community and the so called "UN" only start paying heed to the Tibetan issue when this situation arises?

What was harder for me to understand was the reality of a child without eyes. I took some photos of the child in total disbelief. Questions arose in my mind, like would come to anyone: why was this child born like this?

Then, my inner voice spoke, isn't this what we call "Karma"? This child may have done something terrible in his previous lives. This inner voice subdued my emotion towards the child! But I definitely thought there must be a way that his eyes could be treated, when we are living in the space age and wasting our money on useless leisurely sprees.

Are war or production of missiles worthwhile when there is a lot to care about on the level of the basics of human lives? I think the child poses a very pertinent question on today's science and the United States' President about his longing to attack Iraq.

The Dalai Lama took time off to interact with journalists during these teachings. But before I tell about his interaction with the media, a few words on how I find the Dalai Lama. He is a person who is open to criticism, treats public views as important, and answers all the pertinent and strange questions put to him.

And, he acts like a normal human being—maybe he is, maybe not! On the last day of the teachings, the 20th of January when he was offered the long life prayers, he said "before the prayers begin let me go to urinate." He said he had a hard time once during one such prayer ceremony because it took a few hours.

No pretensions! He yawns openly, and blows his nose quite noisily too!

During the press conference, one important question by journalists was on the question of Tibet. The Dalai Lama said he is no longer seeking independence from China.

"Irrespective of past history, I am not seeking separation from China but seeking genuine self rule for Tibet."

He stated that genuine autonomy is a viable approach in the present times given the changing attitude and opening up of China. "China has been changing and there is every possibility of more change. Totalitarian systems or rule of terror have no future," he said.

He felt sudden dramatic change is not good either. "It will create chaos."

He maintained the visit by a Tibetan delegation to Beijing and the Tibetan capital Lhasa last September as a hope and a pointer for a talk by the Chinese authorities to resolve the Tibetan issue. "The atmosphere has been positive and I consider it a good start," he said adding, "The present situation of Tibet is neither good for China nor for Tibetans."

China's top priority is stability and unity. If there is dialogue and the Tibetan issue could be resolved, these can be achieved, the Dalai Lama said.

Developmental projects may be taking place in Tibet, but underneath there is fear. The treatment of media persons whom China invited is a clear example, he said. "They invite them (the media persons) but later they put lots of restrictions on them."

On the other hand, if Tibetans interact with media persons and other visitors, the Chinese officials threaten them with the Tibetan saying "water goes but the bridge remains." This is a clear indication of having to hide something, he said.

If China provides meaningful autonomy, Tibetans will have more satisfaction resulting in more stability and unity in China. And, the Dalai Lama termed this "mutual benefit."

On the Iraq crisis, the Dalai Lama said, "I wish there is no war in the world. Other means should be tried." Implementation of non-violence would create a world without war and suffering. Dialogue is a means to achieve this end, he said.

"There also should not be weapons of mass destruction. I am against both war and weapons. I am against violence and I cannot support such a thing. It is unthinkable for me," he said.

"War is an outdated concept. If people or a country want to live as a lawless independent country, maybe war is relevant. But in today's modern time, war is completely irrelevant."

"Destruction of Iraq will affect many people and countries. War means destruction, not just killing," he said.

Now, if science has the answer and Bush has the money, give light to the child first!