I cried myself to sleep because it is one night before my rough draft for my Final is due; and I don't have an interview with a Buddhist. I had sent a request to a Buddhist who has his own publishing company. He agreed to answer my questions. I continued to send friendly reminders. I finally sent a firm inquiry and stated the due date was quickly approaching. On Monday, I received an email stating that I should get someone else. I thought to myself, yeah it must be really hard sitting around all day meditating. I was a bit sour, I confess. 

So, last night while my eyes were still able to open, I sat down on the computer and desperately started to hunt for anyone who would help me. I currently have an “A” and I just can't fail my class, I thought. I sent out half a dozen cold requests by email. Of course I turned to another religion immediately. Doesn't everyone when their questions aren't answered? I thought Hinduism is close to Buddhism. I have the Hindu books and it seems like there are many more Hindu teachers available online to help me. They are in India but, computer equipped. On the small chance that I would receive help, I sent an Urgent request to the Office of the Dali Lama. I guess in between his meditation and teaching, he does have time to forward emails to those who may be able to answer our questions. The Dali Lama chose Ten Tsepag.

            Ten Tsepag has a long history as a Buddhist. He is loyal and devoted. He like so many of the Buddhists in Tibet has suffered for their religion. I used Google and searched his name. There I found so many young and old Buddhist who are being arrested or detained by the Chinese government. Here is a link to a list of some of the individuals that have been detained. I hope that by now they have found their way safely home.

http://www.savetibet.org/files/documents/Prisoner_File_and_Woeser_tribute_041709.pdf

So, now that I have my interview, I began to read. The next 8 hours at work I contemplated how to filter out the profanity that begins the dialogue. Who would have ever guessed that profanity would be an issue for me. There is no real way for me to rewrite it. Things can get lost in translation. This is one of those times. The story has been shortened by Ten Tsepag. The original story is very old and much longer. Namgyal Monastery explains it this way: “But how does one actually engage in the practice of patience? First we must acquire a strong sense of the disadvantages of anger, of the benefits of patience, and a genuine willingness to practice patience. At this point, according to the great Fifth Dalai Lama, we must now deliberately imagine those people who are mean to us. We must look at how they treat us, at how they are disturbing us, and at whether they are likely to continue to trouble us because of their firm dislike and resentment.” And with that explanation, I begin my email interview.

Fw: Request for Interview for School Assignment on Tue, January 26, 2010 11:06:24 PM

To: ohhdl@dalailama.com

Subject: Request for Interview for School Assignment

Dear Dali Lama,

I am writing because I am taking a humanities religion course in college and need to
interview someone for my Religions course. I have included the questions regarding Buddhism and your experience. I am already running late because the previous Buddhist Monk agreed and then rescinded the arrangement. So, I ask that each Monk answer at least one question to help lift the burden from one.
 
My Final is due in two weeks so there is a great sense of urgency to receive answers to my questions. I am certain you hear this all the time.
Do not hesitate to laugh. I do understand that it is the greatest gift to laugh and hear the same things all the time. I am certain my prayers will be answered by email.

I would like to thank you in advance for assisting me in my
 mission to learn about the Buddhist religion, traditions, practices, and
 beliefs.

 Sincerely,
 Patricia Pearson

Re: Request for an Interview

Dear Patricia
I received your urgent assignment questionnaire from a colleague. I will try to answer quickly those I can.
     Q1.  Do you have a favorite Buddhist story you can share and then explain the lesson in it?
A1: The story goes that a man was sitting in meditative posture, eye closed and the right hand resting on the left palm, beside a road in Tibet. Someone was passing by him and asked, "What are you doing?"
The meditator replied, "I am practicing patience."
"Then eat shit."
"You eat shit!" the meditator retorted.
The lesson of this story is: think twice before you speak something lest you would show your true color. You will reveal your ignorance and embarrass yourself.
In Tibetan Buddhism it is emphasized to hold a low profile about your actual practice in public. Pretention will bring you down. It is always important to be sincere and dedicated in cultivating patience or love and compassion, etc. -- these are not for public display. True masters are always humble in private or public.
2. What are the important holidays and traditions of this religion?
    Q2. What are the important holidays and traditions of this religion?
A2: There are many but I will give you some: The Month of Miracles (coincides with the first Tibetan lunar month) during which the Buddha defeated six non-Buddhist masters in a series of contests in miracles. In celebration of this in 1409 the Tibetan reformer master Je Tsongkhapa (1357-1419) started the Monlam (Prayer) Festival in Lhasa, the capital of Tibet, in honour of the Buddha and to remember his wisdom and compassion for teaching the Dharma to the world. Another great event in the Buddhist calendar is the full moon day (Purnima) of the Vaisak month (fourth Tibetan lunar month) in memory of the Buddha's birth, enlightenment, and death. This is one of the most important days for the Buddhists. Thirdly, the day of the First Sermon of the Buddha given at Sarnath is on the fourth day of the Sixth lunar month in Tibetan calendar. Then the Buddha's return to the Earth after visiting his mother Mayadevi in the Realm of the 33 Heaven is on 22nd day of the Ninth Tibetan month. Apart from these there are many special days for each of the Tibetan Buddhist traditions in connection with their respective great masters such as Sakya Pandita for the Sakya tradition, Je Tsongkhapa for the Gelug tradition, Longchen Ramjamba for Nyingma tradition and so on.
     Q3. Please elaborate on the celebration held January 1st and its significance to the Buddhist religion?
A3: January 1st is not as important a day as the traditional Losar (Tibetan New Year) celebration for Tibetans. So it doesn't hold much significance apart from how people celebrate it in the western style. But Losar is a big deal; lots of preparation goes into it: cleaning homes, fresh painting of the house, new clothes, arranging the religious altar.
     Q4. How has religion shaped your life?
A4: Buddhist has been a way of life for Tibetans (and people who follow the Tibetan Buddhist tradition like Ladakh, Mon and Mongolia). Almost all aspects of Tibetan life and different culture and traditions are permeated with the teaching of the Buddha. So my life is very much influenced by Buddhism; my thought and lifestyle are influenced by its teachings.
     Q5. What are the challenges, if any, to practicing this particular religion?
A5: There are many challenges, especially for those who are new to this religious and its philosophy, it terms of their traditional and cultural backgrounds. It teachings encompass subjects from particles to the cosmic evolution to the doctrine of karma and rebirth to the philosophy of interdependent and compassion to the ultimate goal of Buddha hood for every sentient being revealed in the ideals of bodhisattvas and enlightened beings. In a nutshell, the teachings of Buddhism boil down to the philosophical theory of interdependent nature of things and the ethical practice of non-violence or non-harming.
     Q6. What do you believe is the most important concept of Buddhism?
A6: Of course, the most important concept of Buddhism is dependent origination or interdependence of everything in the universe and the concept that each and every one of us confused and suffering beings has the potential to become a Fully Enlightened One, a Buddha--we have Buddhanature within us which needs to be nurtured through training our mind.
     Q7. Why do you believe this concept is the most important?
A7: The reason is because it give me a holistic vision of my life and how I steer myself in relation to others in this life and lives beyond.
     Q8. Would you elaborate on the basic concepts of Buddhism?
A8: The belief in cause and effect (law of causality) and very practical concept as you become responsible for what you experience as a result of your action. Belief in rebirth is also another teaching which gives you hope and vision for enlightenment and progress. Compassion is fundamental to Buddhist practice of non-violence because you don't want others suffer through your actions as well as their wrongdoings. However, due to ignorance about the reality of who we are in relation others and the world--we are interconnected beings--we cause selfish goals to take priority at the cost of others and are unable to fulfill our own goals because of this error in our dealing. If you want happiness treat others well, with warm heart and sincerity--you'll be satisfied deep in your heart.
     Q9. What role does Tai Chi have in Buddhist religion?

A9: I'm sorry Tai Chi is not something Tibetan but, I think, Chinese. So, you should ask some Chinese. As far as I know, Tai Chi is not a Buddhist religious practice but some physical exercise which may be helpful for meditators and ordinary people alike. But Tai Chi per se may not be Buddhist practice.
     Q10.  Why are traditions like Dance, Calligraphy. Flower arranging, Chant, important?
A10/11: [I think these 2 Qs are one] Again, to the best of my knowledge, these are not the preferred teachings/practices of Buddhism but they are peripheral to the primary Buddhist meditations and cultivation of happiness and peace of mind. I must confess that dance, calligraphy, flower arranging, chant and drum may be important part of Buddhist practice in some countries like Japan, China etc. I don't know much about them. In Tibetan tradition there are ritual dances, drumming and chanting but they are not the most important parts of Buddhist practice.
     Q12. When are these traditions practiced?
A12: Tibetans have a unique script (or scripts) completely different from the Chinese. Our languages are also totally different but we share the Buddhist heritage of the ancient India, particularly the tradition of the Nalanda Monastic University. However, since the eighth century AD Tibetans have firmly established both the academic style study of Buddhism through dialectical debate and critical analysis, and its practice in meditation. Learning and practice are not divorced from each other.
     Q13. Why did you choose Buddhism for your Religion?
A13: In the free world you have choice to reject or accept religion and religious practices. I choose Buddhism because I find it most suitable to my way of thinking and believing. Without a bit of experience either it's not easy to say I'm a Buddhist by religion or spirituality. Buddhism gives me a broad range of practices to think about and integrate as much as I can. I was brought up in a Buddhist environment whole my life and I find it really the best way to spiritual realization.
     Q14. I want the questions to be balanced. Please share one of your favorite contemplation phrases used to perplex the mind. The example we were given in our reading said, "What was your original face before your parents were born?"  I found myself laughing because I was not beautiful before my parents were born.

Q14: The teachings of Buddhism are not meant to perplex the mind at all but to undo the confusion within through clear thinking. Of course, the teachings on emptiness are not easy to fathom but you are not ask to confuse rather than enlighten yourself through them. Nonetheless, if you ask to perplex your mind think along these line:
In the Diamond-Cutter Sutra the Buddha says:
Whoever sees me in form,
Whoever conceives me in sound,
They have entered the wrong path.
Those people do not see me.
And The Sutra Requested by Anavatapta says:
That which is born through conditions is not born;
It has no essence of birth.
What is dependent on conditions is stated to be empty.
Whoever understands emptiness is careful.
Regarding the Japanese Koan you have given it has to be understood along the same line of reasoning. You might have to study about the teaching of emptiness by reading some books by authentic teachers. Perhaps, The Key to the Middle Way and The Essence of the Heart Sutra by H. H. the Dalai Lama may be helpful. I would also say Thich Naht Han's Understanding the Heart Sutra is a nice commentary to the Heart Sutra.

I hope this helps you, however little. I'm sorry I couldn't contact any monk.

Take care and best wishes.
Tsepag
Rel. Trans. to H. H. the Dalai Lama

            I would like to thank Tsepag for taking the time to answer many of my questions and clarify some things about the Buddhist religion. I almost lost faith, and then to my surprise someone touched my heart like a cherry blossom on the first sunny day after a great rain.

            Buddhism is not for the weak hearted or those who are not willing to endure. Buddhism in Tibet encounters an incredible amount of prejudice and discrimination and violence. The arrests and detentions are alarming. Buddhist deaths by the Chinese continue. I see how the teachings of Patience have allowed the Buddhist to survive with their identity and culture. They have gained Global support. They are truly Buddha like. Patient.

References

Namgyal Monastery Institute of Buddhist Studies, (2006), Ithaca, NY.

Tags: Dali Lama Religion Humanities