Comment

Comment by Karen Tara Hanegan on January 11, 2012 at 8:42pm

I just wanted to add a comment to introduce myself to the group; I have just joined. I am very happy to have found this place! - Karen Tara Hanegan

Comment by Dr. Dennis W. Zerull on August 18, 2010 at 8:10pm

All sentient beings have the right to be happy and be free from suffering.

Comment by Jayne Holland on October 23, 2009 at 11:54am

To Jigme and other Freedom Fighters for Tibet: I am sure I cannot understand the depth of your frustration, but I do believe that HH The Dalai Lama would not want the freedom of Tibet to come from violence, hatred, and certain death to many innocent people. In the US, there is much frustration at the continuing death toll of so many of our young men and women in the US War with Iraq. I know this may not feel like it is the same type of situation, but I believe anyone that loses a Loved One to Violence suffers the same Great Pain. And that is never a good thing, regardless of what country is suffering and who is suffereing...Even it were someone in China! I live in the US, and when I have talked to Mothers and Fathers and Sons and Daughters that have lost members of their Family to this kind of violence, it is a terrible sadness to see.
I'm sure you would not want to bring that kind of pain to your own Family that Loves and Cares for You.

In one of HH The Dalai Lama's videos from a class he taught recently in the US, He stated that:

The quest for happiness is not one to complete in a week, years or even a lifetime. It may take aeons! But this does not matter. Since what is the meaning of life? Nothing, but what we give it.

"As long as sentient beings suffer and remain, I will remain and serve." This is how any hour, any day or year, any century or millennium, even aeons become meaningful.

Life has no meaning but what we give it. If one wastes one's life with meaningless activities, even one day of life is too long. With meaning, time has no meaning.

Be brave, have trust, just be good!

All the best to you, and I hope that in the months since you first wrote the words below that you have "softened" your beliefs towards taking a violent road to freedom.

Thousands of candles can be lighted from a single candle,
and the life of the candle will not be shortened.
Happiness never decreases by being shared.

--- Buddha-

I send much Love and Light to You and Your Family and Friends.

JayneH

Comment by Jampa Tsering on April 16, 2009 at 5:33pm

If we look back, we have achieved a lot. The whole worold today knows TIBET and TIBETANS. This i think is the result of the non violent approach of H.H.The Dalai Lama followed by the fellow tibetans. If taken positively, we have almost finished the building of a nation once we get freedom.

Comment by Jampa Tsering on April 16, 2009 at 5:29pm

Violence should not be an alternative to escalate the movement of FREE TIBET.

Comment by Michael John Smith on January 21, 2009 at 7:10pm

Dear Jigme and other freedom fighters,

violence against the Chinese by Tibetan exiles in India will result in three things:

1. Contempt by the Chinese and greater hardship in Tibet
2. All Tibetans will be thrown out of India and Indians and many others will stop supporting a free Tibet
3. His Holiness will lose face and millions of people all over the world will be thrown into confusion about Buddhism itself

Please look at your situation again and get real.

Comment by Patrick Mahoney on January 21, 2009 at 2:55am

Jessyka & Jigme..... I understand, and respect, both of your views. They reflect, I think, the deep frustration of Tibetans and supportive Westerners alike. I often tell people that I doubt I could be as patient as the Tibetan people have been all these years....yet we must be. My first reaction to upsetting things is an urge to do something about it. Through a big portion of my life, I followed those urges...thinking my frustration and passion would make things right....or at least help. Often, this is not the case. The universe is full of counter-intuitive "laws," one of which HHDL tries to teach us: violence will only result in more violence....so we must counter violence & ill things with good...not revenge. However, is it violent to disrupt electrical systems, "the smooth flow of Chinese business," or the death train to Lhasa? (I call it that, because I think it will bring death to Tibet....as Mao hoped/planned) I don't think so, as long as no one is hurt. Ghandi perfected the art of civil disobedience...in a non-violent way. These are options, I think; to vent a bit, and to send a message to Chinese Govt that they can't continue to destroy without consequence.

Jigme, you are a positive and happy guy.....to hear "Poison for Poison" worries me. Again, I totally understand. But throwing away 50 yrs of sacrifice is not good either....so moderation must be considered. Is civil disobedience violent? I think you should ask HHDL about that.

Comment by jigme on December 16, 2008 at 3:49pm

Quit India , This two word drived the british away from india,And i hope Free tibet will drive the chinese away from Tibet,but if you think logically protesting in foregin land infront of chinese embassy wont do anything,if it would helped,than Tibet should have been free by now,the one thing india goet freedom is not only the path of Mahatma gandhi,but a lot of sacrifices of other radical youth like Chandra shekhar Azad,Bhagat singh,lots of martyr,who choose to fight by giving up their own life,and i also think we the youth of tibetan should carry like this task,i know being a buddhist what i am thinking and what i am planing is bad,but as a freedom fighter point of view i know i am not wrong.Not a single inch of Tibet shall be free if we continue stuggle non-violence way,we have to do some wrong action,i know i am sounding like idiot,What this kid can do? But look at the history Hitler,Bhagat singh,che guevera including mao tsetung,they were one man against a nation,and only poison can destroy a poison,and i think its time for us to become a beast which our religion tries to stop.I deeply respect buddhism and his holiness dalai lama but i dont have any strength to see my own people die,i cant promise that i will Free tibet,or save those tibetan people ,but i can promise that in near future china and chinese people shalll face same fate of innocent people who died in tibet for over +50 years.

Comment by Beverley Anne Jones on December 15, 2008 at 1:04am

Comment by Jessyka on November 9, 2008 at 11:50pm

I truly hope that the Dalali Lama will see change for Tibet and tibetans in his lifetime. I hope that he will be able to return home, and see the change that he has spent his WHOLE life working for!

In talking to my mom the other night about the plight for Tibet, I found myself soundling like a history teacher going back to facts from the 1950's and stats up till now. As I was talking, I realized the many things China has stated over the years that has "helped" Tibet and its locals. Bringing in business, roads, tourism etc. To the detriment of the Tibetan culture, language, monestaries, and especially the freedom of religion. Boy that sure doesn't seem like "help" to me! Not to mention the mass murders...

And since the Olympics and the riots in March, tourism has come to a halt, no journalists are allowed in (and the two from Austrailia were given an itenerary by the Chinese). And more and more blood has been shed. Hmmm...help?

I was also reminiscing about a small little squable with a chinese protestor at the "Seeds of Compassion" event here in Seattle regarding Tibet vs. China. She stated that the "Tibetans had nothing to complain about! That China has brought in billions of dollars and took them out of the dark ages." Ugh!!! (as she was standing there with a picket sign in front of the arena). I couldn't help but yell back, "Yes, lots of money and business. Chinese businesses! But the Tibetans NEVER asked for any help! They don't look at money the same way you all do! The didn't want tourism, roads and constant noise like the Chinese anthem playing outside the palace! Lhasa is a holy place! Not Las Vegas!"

I thought the real issue was that China was running out of room for it's people, so they needed Tibet's land (and water) to expand. ?
It's amazing to me that after all this bloodshed, after all these years they still don't "understand" Tibetans.
How do you change an entire country's mind?

Shanti
(and thank you for listening)