A
S im p le
M onk
b y
L a ra
H .
J a c o b s o n
Tw o
m en
i n
sim p lere d
a n d
o ra n g e
ro b e s
s ta n da tth eg a rla n d e d
p o d iu m
o nth ele fts id e
o f th e
s ta g e .
T hey
fa c e
a n
a u d ie n c e
o fo v e r
o n e
th o u s a n d
p e o p le
i n
th e
a u d ito riu m
o f
S to n yB r o o k 'sS ta lle rC e n te rfo r th eA rts.
T he
fa m o u s
h o ly
m an
s a y s
s o m e th in g
i n
a
th ic k
y e tflo w in g
la n g a u g e ,
a n d
th e
in te rp re to r
a t
h is
s id e
tra n s la te s :
"N o rm ally
I
c o n s id e r
m yselfav e ry
la z ys tu d e n t,b u to v e r th ey e a r s
i tseem s
th is
la z y
s tu d e n th a s
re c ie v e d
m any
aw ards
a n d
d e g re e s !"
T he
a u d ie n c e
la u g h s
i n
re s p o n s e .
A nd
s ob e g in sth e
a c c e p ta n c e
a d d re s s
a n d
le c tu re
g iv e n
b y
T e n tz in
G y a ts o ,
th e
F o u rte e n th
D a la i L am a
o fT ib e t.
A
p a n e l
o f
S to n y
B ro o k
a d m in is tra to rs
p r e s e n te d
H is
H o lin e s s
w ith
th eh o n o ra ry
D egree
o f D o c to r
o fH um ane
L e tte rs
a ta n
u n p re c e d e n te d
v is it
t oth e cam pus M onday, S e p te m b e r1 7 ,1 9 9 0 .
F o r tw o
y e a rsA rth u rP . G ro llm a n ,S to n y
B r o o k 's
P ro fe sso r
a n d
C h a irm a n
a t
th e
D e p a rtm e n t
o f
P h a rm o c o lo g y ,
h a d
b e e n
re q u e s tin g
th e
D a la i
L a m a 's
v is it
t o
th e
U n iv e rs ity .
F in a lly ,th e
o ffe r
w as
a c c e p te d ,
a n d
a s p a rto f th eU n iv ersity
a t S to n yB r o o k 's
D is tin g u is h e d
L e c tu re
S e r ie s ,
th e
h o lie s t
o f
h o lie sw ast og iv ea na d d r e s sh e r e ,o p e nt oth e
p u b lic .
A s p a rto f h isv is itth e
m onk
w o u ld
a ls o
a tte n d
p riv a te
m e e tin g s ,
re c e p tio n s ,a n d
a
p r e s sc o n f e r e n c e
b e fo reb e in gu s h e r e d
o fft o
N ew ark, N ew
J e r s e yfo ry e t a n o th e re v e n t.
W hoi sth isg o d -k in gth a ti s w orshippeda n d
re v e re d
b y
som e
fo u rte e n
m illio n
T ib e ta n s
a n dB u d d h is ts ?
T e n z in
G y a ts o
w as
b o rno n
a
sm allf a r m
i n
n o rth e a s te rn
T ib e to n
J u ly
6 ,
1 9 3 5 .
T ib e t's
re c o rd e d
h is to ry
b e g a n
i n
1 2 7
B .C .,
a n d
i t s
in d e p e n d a n t
s ta tu s
a n d
i t s
b o rd e rs
re m a in e d
la rg e ly
u n c h a n g e d
fro m
th e1 0 thc e n tu ryu n tilth eC o m m u n is tC h in e s e
in v a s io n
i n
th is
c e n tu ry .
I n
T ib e t
th e re
e x is te d
fo r h u n d re d so fy e a rsah u g eB u d d h is t
m o n a s tic
system ,in c o m p a ra b le
t o
a n y
o th e r.
T he
D a la iL am ai sth es p iritu a lle a d e ro f th is
s y s te m
a s
w ell
a s
b e in g
a
so rt
o f g o d -k in g ,
re v e re d
b y m any
o th e rB u d d h is ts
a llo v e r th e
w o rld .
H e
i s
b e lie v e d ,
a c c o rd in g
t o
th e
T ib e ta n
B u d d h is t
c o n c e p t
o f
th e
tra n s m ig ra tio n
o fso u ls,t o
b e th e
in c a rn a tio n
o f G edun
T ru p p a ,
a
fifte e n th
c e n tu ry
m onk
w ho
w ho
w asa n
a v id
d is c ip le
o f a n o th e r
h o ly
m an.
G edun
T ru p p a
h a d
am onastary
b u ilt,
y e t,a si t
w as m oreth a n
a
lifetim ejo b , sw o re
o n
h is
d e a th b e d
t o
re tu rn
a n dc o n tin u e .
T he
q u a litie s
o f th is
m onk
s u p p o rte d
th e
n o tio n
th a th e
w asa nin c a rn a tio n
o f th eT ib e ta n
g o d
C h e n re z ig ,
L o rd
o fIn fin ite
C om passion,
a n
id e a
w h ic h
th e
F ifth
D a la ila te r
c o n firm e d .
G edun
T ru p p au s h e r e d
i nth ef i r s ta p p e a r a n c e
o f
th e
c o n c e p t
o f
th e
b o d h is a ttv a ,
o r
th e
e n lig h te n e d
b e in g
th a t
e x is ts
t o
s e r v e
h u m a n ity .
Som e
y e a rs
a fte r
h is
d e a th ,
th e
h ig h
d ig n ita rie s
o f
a
fa m o u s
m onastary
i n
D re p u n g
d e c la re d
G edun
T r u p p a 's
re tu rn
u n d e r
th e
nam e
o f
G edun
G y a ts o ,
th u s
b e g in n in g
th e
D a la iL am a
lin e .
G y a ts o
to o
c la im e d
h e
w o u ld
re tu rn
a n d
c o n tin u e
h is
e x is te n c e ,a n d
i n
1 5 4 3 ,ay e a ra fte rh isd e a th ,
S o n a m
G y a ts o
w as
p ro c la im e d
t o
b e
th e
re in c a rn a tio n
o f th e
fo rm er.
I n
1 5 7 8 ,S o n a m
G y a ts o
w ent
t o
v is it
a
M ongol
s o v e re ig n ,
A lta n
K han,
s u p p o s e d ly
p e rfo rm in g
m ira c le s
a n d
d is p la y in g
h is
s u p e rn a tu ra l
p o w e rs
a ll
th ro u g h o u t
M o n g o lia .
S o n a m
G y a ts o
c o n v in c e d
K hanth a th e w asth e
re in c a rn a tio n
ofth eg r e a t K u b la i K h a n ,a n d th a t (G yatsoh a d
b e e n
h is
s p iritu a l
te a c h e r.
I n
to k e n
o f
h is
a p p re c ia tio n ,K han
b e s to w e dth et i t l eo fT a -la i
L am a
u p o n
th em onk
-ta -la im e a n in g
'o c e a n
w id e ',
re fe rrin g
t o
h is
w isdom .
T he
t i t l e
a n d
th e
m onk
a re
th e
sam e
o v e r
fo u r
h u n d re d
y e a rsla te r,ale g a c y
c re a te d .
W hen
a
fo rm er
D a la i
L am a
d ie s ,
i t
i s
b e lie v e d
th a th e
p a s s e s
in to
th e
b o d y
o fa
n e w b o rn
c h ild .
I t
i s
th e n
u p
t o
th e
m ost
re v e re d
m onksi n
T ib e t( s e c o n d
t o
th e
D a la i)
tos e e ko u t th e iro ldm a s te r e n v e lo p e d
w ith in
a
b ra n d
n e w
p a c k a g e .
T he m e th o d su s e di nth is
s e a r c h
a re
a n c ie n t
a n d
m y s tic a l.
O n ly
s h o rtlya fte rth ed e a th
o f th eT h irte e n th
D a la i
L
e
p h o to :M a x in e
H ic k s
F o u rte e n th
w as
o n .
R e p o rte d ly ,
afe w
d a y s
a fte r h isd e a th
th eT h irte e n th 's
c o r p s e 's
h e a d
m y sterio u sly
tu rn e d
t o
fa c e
eastw ard,
g iv in g
d ig n ita rie s
th ef i r s tc lu e
a st o
w hat d ire c tio n
h is
n e w b o rn
in c a rn a tio n
w as
t o
b e
s e a r c h e d
fo r.O n
th e
s h o re so f th e
s a c r e d
L ake L ham oi
L a ts o ,
ag ro u p
o fm onksle d
b yth e
re g e n to f
T ib e tm e d ita te d
o n
w here
th e
n e w b o rn
g o d -
k in g
w as
t o
b e
fo u n d .
T he
re g e n t,
R e tin g
R im p o c h e ,w ass a idt oh a v eh a dav is io ni nth e
la k e
o fa
b u ild in g
w ith
tu rq o is e
tile s ,a n d
a
b ro w n
a n d
w h ite
s p e c k le d
d o g
fris k in g
a ro u n d .
T hese
d e ta ils
w ere
re c o rd e d .
O th e r
om ensa n d
p o rte n ts
o f,s u c hk in da re
re p o rte d
t oh a v e
a id e di n
th e
s e a r c h
o fth e
F o u rte e n th
D a la i
L am a.
N early
a
y e a r
a fte r
th e
e x c u rs io n
t o
th e
la k e ,i n
1 9 3 6 ,ap a rty
o f h ig h
d ig n ita rie s
le ftth e
L and
o f Snow s,a
c e n tra l
m onastary
i n
L hasa,
t o
b e g in
th e
s e a r c h .
T hey
w ere
d is g u is e d
a s
tra d e rs ,
a n d
th e
le a d e ro f th e
p a rty ,K e-T sang
R im p o c h e ,
w as
d r e s s e d
a s
a
s e rv a n t.
F o llo w in g
v is io n s
a n d
om ensth e yfo u n d
af a r m
w ithtu rq o is etile si n
th e
A m do
re g io n ,
i nT akster,a n d
th e
nam ed
a b o v e
d o g
w asru n n in g
a b o u ti nfro n to f th e
-o r
W .1 11 10 wW \u00fd v
I k.A r"Id
a
I
S e v e n te e n
P o in tA greem ent
,w h ic h
p ro v id e d
th a t
C h in a
w o u ld
h a v e
fu ll
c o n tro l
o v e rth e
fo re ig n
p o lic y
a n d
m ilitary
a ffa irs
o f T ib e t,
w h ile
th e
C h in e s e
w o u ld
n o t
im p o s e
a n y
refo rm s
u p o n
T ib e ta n
p o litic a la n d
re lig io u s
system s.
T he
D a la i
L am a
a lle g e s
th a t
th e
tre a ty
h a da n
ille g a lly
fo rg e dS e a lo f T ib e to n
i t .
S till,
th e
p e a c e -lo v in g
D a la i
L am a
a tte m p te d
t o
a c t
o u t
h is
p rin c ip le s
o fn o n -
v io le n c e ,
a n d
w as
c o n v in c e d
(a s
h e
s t i l l
is )
th a tth eo n ly
w ayt od e a l w ithth eC h in e s e
w as
th ro u g h
c o o p e ra tio n
a n d
p e rs u a s io n .
F o r
e ig h t
y e a rs
h e
trie d
t o
r e s is t
C h in e s e
V Iu
c o n tin u e do n
p a g e5
O c to b e r
1 ,1 9 9 0
p a g e
3
I
I
I
,
I
i
_
I
i _
I I I
h o u s e .
A s th e
com pany w as
h a v in gte aatw o -
y e a ro ld
b o y
cam e
ru n n in g
u p
a lo n g s id e
K e-
T sang
R im p o c h e
a n d
ju m p e d
o n to
h is
la p .
T heb o yg r a b b e do n to
as trin g
o fb e a d sa ro u n d
th e
m onks'n e c k .
" T h e y 'r ey o u rs
i fy o u
te ll
m e
w ho
Iam ,"s a id
th ed is g u is e dd ig n ita ry .
W ith o u td e la yth e
c h ildr e s p o n d e d , "Y ou a re
a
lam a
fro m
S era"
H e
s p o k e
th e
d ia le c t
o f
L hasa,w h ic h
fe w
s p o k ei n
h isre g io n .
T he governm ent w asg re a tly
in v o lv e dw ith
th ea ffa irs
o f th e
m o n a s tic
system ,
e s p e c ia lly
th is
s e a r c h .
A ll
fin d in g s
o fth e
d ig n ita rie s
w ere
re p o rte d
t oth eT ib e ta nr u l e r s .
A so u to f
th re e
c h o ic e s
th e
l i t t l e
b o y
fro m
T a k s te r
seem ed
t o
b e
th e
o n e , th e
s e a r c h
p a rty
w ent
b a c k
t o
th e
f a r m
a n d
th o ro u g h tly
te s te d
th e
c h ild ,a s k in g
h im
t o
c h o o s e
b e tw e e n
o b je c ts
th a tb e lo n g e d
t o
th e
T h irte e n th
D a la iL am a
a n d
o fte n tim e s
fla s h ie r,g a u d ie r
item s
th a t
n o rm a lly
ab o y
o f tw o
w o u ld
g ra b
fo r.
E ach
tim eh ec h o s e th ep o s s e s i o n s th a th a db e lo n g e d
t o
th e
fo rm er
g o d -k in g .
W hen
e ig h t
b irth m a rk s
w ere
d is c o v e re d
o n
th e
c h ild
th a t
a reth e
a ttrib u te so f th ish o lyin c a rn a tio n ,th e
m onks
w ere
c o n v in c e d .
T hec h ild
w asb o u g h t
fro m
th e
g o v e rn o r
o f
T a k s te r
fo r
1 0 0 ,0 0 0
th o u s a n d
C h in e s e
d o lla rs
a n d
a tth e
a g e
o f
fo u rw asta k e n
a n d
r a is e d
i n
a c c o rd a n c e
w ith
h istitle .
H e
w ase n th ro n e d
a s th eF o u rte e n th
D a la iL am a
o fT ib e t
i n
th e
y e a ro f th e
Iro n
D ra g o n ,F e b ru a ry2 2 ,1 9 4 0 .
T e n tz in
G y a ts o
w as
ta u g h t
a n im m ense
a m o u n t;S a n s k rit,lo g ic ,
m e ta p h y s ic s ,
m usic,
p o e try ,
a s tro lo g y ,
a n d
m uch
m ore.
H e
a c q u ire d
th eg e s h e
lh a r a m p a ,th e
B u d d h is t
d o c to r
o f law .
H e
h a s
s p e n th is
l i f e
d o in g
h o u rs
o fin te n s e
a n d
-s tre n u o u s
m e d ita tio n .
H eh a s
alo v efo r assem bly
a n d
reassem bly
o f
m a c h in a ry ,
a s
w ell
a s
a
p a s s io n
fo r
p h o to g ra p h y .
A lth o u g h
m any
y e a rs
o fh is
y o u n g
l i f e w ere
s p e n ti n
W orld
W arI I ,d u et o
T ib e ts '
is o la tio n
h e
a n d
h is
c o u n try
w ere
b a re ly
to u c h e db yi t .
H ow ever,p o litic a lu n r e s t
b u b b le du n d e rn e a th
th e
s u rfa c e .
I t w asa t th is
tim e
th a t
th e
n e w ly -c o m m u n is t
C h in e s e
governm ent
b e g a n
s ly ly
a n
a tte m p t
t o
o v e rta k e
th e
in d e p e n d a n tT ib e ta n
n a tio n .
I n
1 9 4 9
th e y
h a d
g a in e d
c o n tro l
o fm a in la n d
C h in a
a n d
i tw as
a n n o u n c e d
o n
B ie jin gra d io
th a t T ib e t w asap a rto fC h in a .I n
1 9 5 0 T e n tz in
G y a ts ow as fifte e n
y e a rso ld .A tth is tim e
M ao
Z e d o n g
s e iz e dT ib e t.
I t
w as im p e ra tiv e
fo rth e
p e o p le
th a tth e
a d o le s c e n tg o d -k in g
c la im
h is
a u th o rity .
I nr e s p o n s e
t oth ec rie so fh isp e o p le
h ed id
a s
h e w as
a s k e d
-a n d
e n te re d
in to
a
s tru g g le
w ith
a g ig a n tic
reg im e
i n
w h ic h
b o th
s id e s
w o u ld
n e v e r
re le n t.
I n
n e g o tia tio n s
w ith
th e
C h in e s e
th e
D a la i
L am a
a n d
h is
dem ocracy
w ere
fo rc e d
t o
s ig n
th e
fa m o u s
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