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Bookclub session 9/19/99Book and Resources
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ReviewMinutesBottom line: the book should have been named "My life under the influence of The Boy Lama" rather than "Reincarnation : The Boy Lama", which is rather misleading, since one doesn't get to know much objective information about reincarnation itself. Well, so far, we haven't really found the time to properly script this time's minutes. So what you find below are unfortunately rather random remarks. Maybe one of these days, that will be fixed - oh well... Random remarks:
Sonya: superficial western perspective Branko: no, doubt/ skepticism at beginning then points out proof later Holger: writer already biased; poor job of actually describing Buddhism and reincarnation Soyeba: what solid proof do you need Sonya: writer talk too much about her miserable journey thru India with very little emphasis on reincarnation all: title and back-cover was misleading; it should be "my journey to Tibet" or "my life with Lama Yeshe" or "the birth of western buddism" Maybe the publisher was the culprit for coming up with that catchy title. Branko: writer did try to depict the Lama's efforts to introduce Buddhism to western culture, e.g. Australia Tour, LA strip bars, breakfast at the monastery and mind reading at the teaching. Why do Lamas come back to earth if there are already good people who don't
need to be reincarnated since they're already enlightened? Note: present Dalai Lama is the 14th (?) and supposedly last one; next one will be appointed. Lorena to Charlene: Is there still any religion in China? What was it before Communism? Charlene: Officially, none. Cultural revolution around 1965 destroyed all religious symbolism, temples, art etc. Mao is now considered to be 65% good and 35% bad (cultural revolution being one of the bad things). Before Communism it was mainly Taoism and Buddhism. Now, Catholicism and Buddhism. Communism came from oppressed peasants who protested against institutionalized Buddhist lords. Lorena: let's go around the room and learn about each person's religion. Sonya: Hinduism (talks about good & evil and karma; one important
teaching is detachment, i.e. don't have any expectations; therefore you cannot
be disappointed). Buddhism was an offshoot of Hinduism. Judaism: God is vengeful Holger: why should one be good? Answer: Buddhism says: for inner peace; Christianity says: otherwise you go
to hell. Holger: but why? is punishment the only incentive/reason? Branko: what's really the goal of life? - Happiness. So it's for your own happiness. Holger: but is the idea of happiness/goodness relative or absolute? e.g. beating up other people might be someone's idea of achieving happiness. Paul O.: Conflict arises only when one tries to solve other people's problems from his/her own perspective. Paul O.: How does Buddhism punish criminals? Sonya: it practices non-violence. Branko: However, the book gives a different example: Lama whished Nato and US would threaten Lebanon (?) with bombers in order to prevent 10 years of unnecessary butchering of refugees. Sonya: that is the practical western Buddhism (Mahayana). Paul S.: Are people inherently good or evil? Charlene, Sonya, Soyeba, Laurena, Paul O.: good Paul S., Holger: evil Branko: neither good nor evil, just not ready for Starship Enterprise (of course, they haven't discovered warp speed, yet ;-) Paul S.: people are selfish; they are descended from animals; closer only to family and inner circle. Holger: 100% selfishness is fine assuming making other people happy is part of ones own happiness (because this implies other people's happiness). Branko: That reinforces the idea of giving without expecting. Holger: I'm not evil, the question is evil.
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© Holger
Antelmann 1997-2005
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