His Holiness the Dalai Lama Concludes his European Tour with a Visit to the Vien Giac Vietnamese Temple
September 20th 2013
Hanover, Germany, 20 September 2013 - The concluding engagement of His Holiness the Dalai Lama’s current tour of Europe was a visit to the Vien Giac Vietnamese Temple in Hanover. On arrival he recognised several friends among the monks who came to receive him as he stepped out of his car and who then escorted him into the Temple.
His Holiness the Dalai Lama arriving at the Vien Giac Vietnamese Buddhist Temple in Hanover, Germany on September 20, 2013. Photo/Jeremy Russell/OHHDL |
Now, in many parts of the world there is a strong feeling against the use of violence and a robust desire for peace. Anti-war, anti-violence movements are strong. Values expressed by our various religious traditions like love, compassion, tolerance and self-discipline remain very relevant. Therefore, these traditions have a special responsibility to build peace in the world and it is important that there is harmony and respect among them.
His Holiness the Dalai Lama joining in prayers at the Vien Giac Vietnamese Buddhist Temple in Hanover, Germany on September 20, 2013. Photo/Jeremy Russell/OHHDL |
“The Buddha taught the Four Noble Truths on the basis of interdependence. All followers of the Sanskrit tradition recite the Heart Sutra, which says ‘form is empty, emptiness is form.’ According to the Buddha, the root of suffering is ignorance, the misconception that things exist inherently or independently, whereas they are interdependent, existing due to other factors. The emptiness he taught is not nothingness, but emptiness of independent existence.”
His Holiness explained that by understanding and thinking about interdependence our ignorance is reduced and our understanding of reality grows. That is how we transform our minds. We may pronounce the Heart Sutra mantra differently, but what it shows is progressive growth of understanding that culminates in Buddhahood.
“We take refuge in the Buddha, but ultimately our goal is to attain Buddhahood ourselves; quite an ambition! Buddha said we have the seed of Buddhahood, Buddha-nature, within us. When you are a young student it’s useful to have a goal to become something like a professor and for followers of the Sanskrit tradition of Buddhism it’s useful to have the ambition to reach Buddhahood.
His Holiness the Dalai Lama speaking at the Vien Giac Vietnamese Buddhist Temple in Hanover, Germany on September 20, 2013. Photo/Jeremy Russell/OHHDL |
“One motive for eliminating the mind’s defilements is our own liberation from suffering; the second is the elimination of the traces of defilements that are obstacles to knowledge. Once they are overcome you can see the Two Truths simultaneously, which is Buddhahood. If we practise the Three Higher Trainings with this motivation it becomes the antidote to the subtlest disturbing emotions.”
Coming back to the Heart Sutra mantra, His Holiness equated the final words, ‘Bodhi svaha’ to the elimination of all obstacles and their traces and the accomplishment of the all-knowing mind. He added that developing altruism and wisdom together should be the basis of daily Buddhist practice.
He stressed the importance, especially in the Sanskrit tradition, of investigation, recalling the Buddha’s own advice to his followers not to accept what he said out of faith alone but to investigate and test it. As twenty-first century Buddhists, he said, we should not only do chanting, although that has its place, more important is study.
“So, please study. Find out what the Buddha, Dharma and Sangha are. Remember that the Buddha wasn’t always enlightened, when he started out on the path he was like one of us. To understand what the Buddha is we have to understand the path.”
His Holiness the Dalai Lama with members of the monastic community at Vien Giac Vietnamese Buddhist Temple in Hanover, Germany on September 20, 2013. Photo/Jeremy Russell/OHHDL |
Another question referred to the decline and disappearance of the Dharma. His Holiness quoted the Buddha as saying that his teaching wouldn’t disappear because it was inadequate but because the followers no longer knew or supported the teaching properly.
Finally, a woman requested His Holiness to return as the 15th Dalai Lama to help people like her. He replied that as early as 1969 he made clear that whether or not the institution of Dalai Lama continued in the future would be up to the Tibetan people to decide. Only if they want it to continue will the question of the next Dalai Lama arise, otherwise, he said, he could be the last.
“However, that doesn’t mean that my rebirth will come to an end. My favourite prayer is Shantideva’s verse, which says:
For as long as space endures,
And for as long as living beings remain,
Until then may I too abide
To dispel the misery of the world.
So, I’ll be there.”
Leaving the Vien Giac Temple and clamouring devotees who did not want to see him go, His Holiness drove to Hanover Airport to begin the long flight back to India.
Das Dalai-Lama-Lachen erobert Hannover
Was tun gegen Traurigkeit, Furcht und Wut? "Psychopharmaka, Schlaftabletten und deutscher Wein helfen." Es sind diese Momente, die klar machen, warum Seine Heiligkeit, der 14. Dalai Lama, ein außergewöhnlicher Mensch ist. Er antwortet auf eine ernsthafte philosophische Frage, die ihm am Mittwoch nach seiner Rede in Hannover gestellt wird, erst einmal mit einem Scherz und lässt sein kindliches Lachen in der Swiss Life Hall erschallen. Dabei legt er immer wieder Wert darauf, dass er sich selbst für ganz und gar nicht außergewöhnlich hält. "Wir sind alle menschliche Wesen, mental, emotional und physisch gleich", so der Dalai Lama. Er bemühe sich darum, mögliche Barrieren, die zwischen ihm und seinen Zuhörern durch übergroßen Respekt entstehen könnten, sofort wieder abzubauen. Und das klappt halt sehr gut mit Humor.
Ziel ist der Aufbau von Patenschaften
Schwerpunkt des Besuchs sollten die Treffen mit Schülern sein. Der Dalai Lama wolle mit seinen kleinen Gästen über die dringenden Probleme der Welt sprechen und sie über Hilfsprojekte informieren, so die Veranstalter. Ein Ergebnis des Treffens solle der Aufbau von Patenschaften sein, die niedersächsische Schulen als Folge des Besuchs beispielsweise mit Kinderheimen, Kliniken oder Dorfschulen in Tibet knüpfen.
Besuch hat ungeahnte finanzielle Folgen
Der Exil-TibeterGeshe Gendun Yonten kennt den Dalai Lama seit Jahren und hat ihn eingeladen. Der Dalai Lama schätzt die Kinderhilfsprojekte, die Yonten in Tibet, Indien, Kambodscha und Russland auf den Weg gebracht hat. Mit seinem Besuch wollte das geistliche Oberhaupt erreichen, dass die Projekte bekannter werden und mehr Unterstützung bekommen. Weil es ein privater Besuch war, hatte das ungeahnte finanzielle Folgen für Yonten und seine Helfer im tibetischen Kulturzentrum in Hannover: Reisekosten, Logistik, Programmplanung, die Technik für die Großveranstaltungen und vor allem die Sicherheitsauflagen sollen sich auf rund 70.000 Euro belaufen.