Il Dalai Lama ad Aspen Colorado

[Marco Mayer <mayerkos at yahoo.it>]

che ne pensate?
mm
‘Celebration of Tibetan Culture’ in Aspen Kicks off
Posted on 26 July 2008 by admin

Aspen, Colorado,: His Holiness the Dalai Lama arrived in Aspen, Colorado, from Madison, Wisconsin, late Friday morning to participate in the program “A Celebration of Tibetan Culture”, organized by the Aspen Institute in coordination with the Conservancy of Tibetan Art & Culture.

The three-day program began on 24 July and brings together eminent scholars, teachers, practitioners, and tradition-bearers from around the globe to shed light on the rich historical and philosophical significance of Tibet and its impact on global issues today.

Kalon Tripa Samdhong Rinpoche, Special Envoy Lodi Gyari, Arjia Rinpoche, Sogyal Rinpoche, Dzogchen Ponlop Rinpoche and Geshe Lobsang Tenzin Negi are some of the Tibetan experts participating in the discussions.

Non-Tibetan experts include Matthieu Ricard, Jeffrey Bader, Orville Schell, Bob Thurman, Pico Iyer, Matthew Kapstein, Michael van Walt, Hemanta Raj Mishra, Isabel Hilton, etc. A scholar from China, Shi Yinhong, is also participating in the programs.

Traditional Tibetan prayer flags flutter at the Aspen Institute in Colorado, which is hosting a three-day symposium on the celebration of Tibetan cultureOn the first day, His Holiness participated in a discussion led by Mr. Waltern Isaacson, president of the Institute, and Mr. Pico Iyer, noted writer. It was attended by members of the Institute, including the former Secretary of State Madeliene Albright.

His Holiness began by responding to a question about the rational behind his effort at dialogue between Buddhists and scientists. He said both Buddhism and science had things to learn from each other. He talked about his own curiosity as a child that led him to observe the changes in nature and to explore the moon through a strong telescope while he resided in the Potala. He said this enabled him to alter some of the conventional belief among Tibetan Buddhists, including the feeling that the moon had its own light source.

When Mr. Isaacson opened the floor for questions from the audience and invited Secretary Albright to ask the first question, His Holiness rose up from his seat to greet her. Secretary Albright asked His Holiness how important it was to speak out on the issue of Tibet considering how the Chinese were accusing him of a cabal.

His Holiness responded by saying it was important to know the reality by doing thorough investigations on issues such as the Tibetan and other struggles. He said basically the Tibetan struggle was truthful and just. Sometimes, in the process he said force gets the upper hand. Therefore, he said we need support from the people.

His Holiness said “elder statesmen” like Secretary Albright could help in educating the Chinese people to know what is really going on in Tibet. He said heavy censorship in China is making the Chinese people ignorant while the rest of the world had the ability to get the truth from different sources.

Looking at Secretary Albright, who was sitting in the front row, His Holiness said, “You know we are not seeking separation.” He said it was in the Tibetan people’s own interest to seek a solution within China provided our culture, language and delicate environment can be preserved.

His Holiness referred to President Hu Jintao’s initiative for a harmonious society and said he fully supported it. He said in order to have a harmonious society trust was a key factor. However, he said the use of force and heavy-handed suppression was destroying the trust.

His Holiness said China was aspiring to be a superpower and deserved it. It is the most populated country with an ancient civilization. However, superpower status cannot be achieved through nuclear weapons or a powerful army and there is the need of a moral authority, His Holiness added.

On another question about the Olympics and this being a last opportunity for His Holiness to make a statement, he said he had been supportive of Olympics for China even before it was formally awarded.

When asked about his feelings about the 21st century His Holiness felt in general the picture is much better in the 21st century compared to the 20th century. He said, overall, there is a desire for peace and the idea of nonviolence was increasing. He talked about popular movements and the spirit of forgiveness that is there whether in Japan (by the Japanese toward Americans after the Atom bombs) or between the French and the Germans.

The Chairman of the Aspen Institute presented His Holiness with an award.

Participants witnessed monks from the Drepung Loseling Monastery constructing an elaborate sand mandala on campus and Tibetan artist Sonam Dhargye sculpting, in ancient Tibetan Buddhist method and tradition, vibrant and stunning works made out of colorful yak butter.

Traditional Tibetan prayer flags decorate the campus, and throughout the week, interactive demonstrations of ancient Tibetan and Himalayan arts will continue to provide opportunities for tradition-bearers and program participants to meet in an intimate environment.

On Saturday, 26 July, His Holiness will give a public talk on “Values based leadership and Universal Responsibility.” The event is sold out and will be web cast live on www.aspeninstitute.org.

Symposium highlights from Thursday, 24 July:

* Sogyal Rinpoche, world renowned Tibetan Buddhist spiritual leader and author of The Tibetan Book of Living and Dying, led the audience in a meditative exercise, drawing on the following ancient Tibetan phrase, translated into English: “Water, if you don’t stir it, will become clear,” and explaining: “The mind, left unaltered, will find peace,” he said.

* Buddhist monk and author Matthieu Ricard spoke about the scientific findings of studies on what creates happiness ? and what does not. “Can marriage create happiness?” he says. “There is a peak in happiness the year you get married, and then five years later, you come back to where you were five years before the marriage.”

* IMAX filmmaker and mountaineer David Breashears presented a photography show that exhibited and documented the rise of modernity in Tibet and the shrinking of glaciers there.

* Eminent Tibetan musician, composer, and Grammy nominee Nawang Kechog performs the wood flute (prior to the conversation with His Holiness).

* Geshe Lobsang Tenzin Negi begins the morning of programming with a guided group meditation session in an idyllic meadow on campus.

* Lama Thubten Zopa Rinpoche advises on how to transform difficulty into happiness using 20th century Tibetan texts, Buddhist psychology, and practical wisdom.

* A panel of expert scholars discusses China and Mongolia’s surprising patronage of Tibetan Buddhism and the historical legacy that precedes it.

* Dr. Pratapaditya Pal, one of the world’s foremost experts on Tibetan, Himalayan, and South Asian art, explains the intrinsic connection between art and religion in Tibet, and how art is critical to enlightenment, showing key pieces from the Pritzker collection.

* A distinguished panel, moderated by acclaimed author and psychologist Daniel Goleman, explores what Buddhist theory and practice have to offer to scientific understanding in psychology, cognitive science, and neuroscience.

* History’s closest observers of His Holiness the 14th Dalai Lama’s author and journalist Pico Iyer, Samdhong Rinpoche, Kalon Tripa Samdhong Rinpoche, Lodi Gyari, special envoy of His Holiness the Dalai Lama and chief interlocutor with the Chinese government, explain and comment on the mind, the personality, the leadership, and the decisions of this man, the world’s most famous refugee.

* The sand mandala created by Tibetan Buddhist monks is completed and open for viewing before its ceremonial dissolution on Saturday.

–Report prepared by Mr Bhuchung K Tsering. Editing by Lobsang CHOEDAK



      Posta, news, sport, oroscopo: tutto in una sola pagina. 
Crea l'home page che piace a te!
www.yahoo.it/latuapagina