The Dalai Lama among FP’s 500 Most Powerful People on Planet

[icy]

DHARAMSHALA, May 3: Tibetan spiritual leader His Holiness the Dalai Lama has been named by the prestigious Foreign Policy magazine in its list of the 500 most powerful people on the planet.

The Dalai Lama’s name features alongside some of the most powerful and richest people in the world including US President Barack Obama, China’s new leaders, Xi Jinping and Li Keiqiang, Indian PM Manmohan Singh, and UN Secretary General Ban Ki Moon among others.

The magazine in its May/June issue launched the inaugural FP Power Map, representing what it calls “0.000007 per cent of the world's population.”

“That's what we tried to do with the inaugural FP Power Map, our inventory of the people who control the commanding heights of the industries that run the world, from politics to high finance, media to energy, warfare to religion. Think of it as a list of all the most important other lists,” the magazine said.

The list has been broken into categories indicating the source of the person's power - silos, bully pulpit, force, brains, money and good and evil.

143 Americans are featured on the list alongside 16 from India and more than 30 from China.

The 77-year-old Tibetan Nobel Peace Laureate has regularly featured among varied lists and surveys of top global leaders.

In 2011, His Holiness the Dalai Lama was listed by TIME magazine among its "Top 25 Political Icons" of all time, along with father of the Indian nation Mahatma Gandhi.

[kris]

I am not surprised at all that HH Dalai Lama is among the top 500 most powerful people. Before HH Dalai Lama, Buddhism is hardly heard off in the western world (Europe, America, etc). It is Him who brought Buddhism to the world, and it is Him who stood up against the power country China by using the power of the western world.

He has so many followers and what He said carries a lot of weight. His Facebook fanpage has more than 5 millions like.

Therefore, it is VERY important to have Him to announce the lift of Dorje Shugden ban before He pass into clear light...

[dsnowlion]

No doubt His Holiness is one of the top most influential political icon. His Holiness basically opened the gates for Tibetan Buddhism to enter in to the Western world and from there spread all over the world. Even up till this day Tibetan Buddhism continues to grow because of His Holiness. When you say Tibetan Buddhism... it is simultaneous with His Holiness the Dalai Lama and vice versa. He is also the icon of Compassion, Kindness and Patience for having lost His country, people and home... He did not once reacted in anger and violence.
But here is my question.... "Why is it not so to His own people who practices Dorje Shugden?"

Even if there is a sudden change in faith, and belief, why is there no equanimity and kindness shown to the Shugdenpas??? We all really know, like what you said Kris, HHDL one word and comment can really change millions' perspective and attitude towards Shugdenpas... and it has begun as we here His Holiness' fierceness towards the Shugden issue becomes more and more relaxed.

However, there are still some idiots who continues to be difficult and hurt Shugdenpas... I just wished His Holiness would advice them to practice the very teachings He teaches... "loving kindness" which is the essence of Chenrezig's mantra, teaching and being and thus if we follow His Holiness, should we not act in this way too???

If we are really allowed to practice whatever we want so long as we do not take any initiations from His Holiness which He has made very clear... so why is there a need to have a "BAN" of the entire practice? It is a freedom of choice isn't it?

[Big Uncle]

Well, it is really no surprise to me as well that the Dalai Lama is on this list. The Dalai Lama is after all one of the most recognizable Buddhist leaders in the world. His image alone has brought millions onto the Dharma and even more have a hallowed image of Buddhism because of the Dalai Lama.

However, I believe that the Dalai Lama's popularity is not just because he is a religious leader but the fact that he had been a temporal leader of Tibet as well. Temporal as in political leader as well. Whatever it is, there are not that many Buddhist leaders with such charisma and enduring power to move thousands and millions onto the Dharma. Even when the Dalai Lama has suppressed Dorje Shugden practitioners and Lamas for so many years, it appears not to have tarnish his image. I find that very interesting.

I am not trying to put the Dalai Lama down but merely stating the facts. There's no denying his contribution to the growth of the world's Buddhadharma and perhaps, the whole Dorje Shugden controversy is to promote Buddhism via Dorje Shugden.

[Manjushri]

If you think of Buddhism, immediately, the shining smile belonging to the peaceful disposition of His Holiness springs to mind. HH has become an icon of not only Tibetan but an icon for Buddhism around the world. I remember when I was younger, everytime I thought about Buddhism, or Buddhas, HH's face would come to mind. Like how we associate the swoosh with Nike. It was and still is instantaneous.

I think it is because of his hard work in today's modern times that has brought Buddhism to the forefront around the world. Therefore, being named among FPs 500 Most Powerful People on the Planet doesn't come as a surprise to me. On social media alone, HH's popularity far superseeds any religious leader, and his followers comes in the millions.

Also, it is because of HH that DS has gained its worldwide fame and become such a popular and controversial topic in today's time. With millions of followers, who will not google about Dorje Shugden when Dalai Lama mentions it in his talk as an "evl spirit that will decrease his lifespan if practised". Thank you HH!

[Aurore]

On the spiritual side, a bodhisattva such as HHDL is able to make himself big and influential for a higher purpose. For HH to be one of the most powerful people on planet, it must be beneficial. Otherwise, why the need for an enlightened being to be known worldwide? What's HHDL's motivation? Perhaps, to bring Dorje Shugden to an international level as well?

For the greater good, a lama will do what it takes (even if he doesn't wish for it) to benefit millions of people. I think HHDL will continue to increase his influential power as much as possible just so Buddhism will flourish far and wide.

[Benny]

I am so proud to know that His Holiness has influence of such a magnitude ! That is why he has to be the very person to carry out the heavy responsibility of spreading Buddhism the world over , including Dorje Shugden . If it was not for the ban , i would not have known about Dorje Shugden at all , I would not be here typing these words and in fact this wonderful and illuminating site would not exists . I owe His Holiness , that much ! Thank you your Holiness and to the team behind Dorje Shugden .com , keep up the good work ! You guys are truly the unsung heroes .

[Ensapa]

The Dalai Lama's popularity is very well established and it cannot be denied at all. However, his political powers over other countries are starting to reduce as evident by the lack of respect that countries such as the US and Switzerland are treating him. He might have resigned from his political role but it does not diminish the power he has over the hearts of others just yet which means that once he lifts the ban on Dorje Shugden or speak positively about him, millions would follow without questioning

[WisdomBeing]

It is interesting that the Dalai Lama is constantly placed on these lists, yet he is not doing much more than other religious leaders. He has become an icon to represent peace and oppression because of Tibet being taken over. Even his Nobel Prize was just an international gesture to China to tell China to back off taking over the world. National leaders like to pose with the Dalai Lama because of the theory of association. However, because of China flexing their economic muscle, the western leaders are now being more reticent. The western leaders are put between a rock a hard place really because the people are all pro-Dalai Lama and want to stand up for free Tibet, yet if the country angers China, they can suffer economically. Like the very open rebuff China made to David Cameron just because he met the Dalai Lama. In a way, the people have to decide. If you want your leader to acknowledge Dalai Lama, be prepared for financial effects. For the leaders who would prefer to keep good relationships with China, perhaps you can ask the Dalai Lama what's with the Shugden ban? Lift that unfair ban and then we will talk!

[Ensapa]

It is interesting that the Dalai Lama is constantly placed on these lists, yet he is not doing much more than other religious leaders. He has become an icon to represent peace and oppression because of Tibet being taken over. Even his Nobel Prize was just an international gesture to China to tell China to back off taking over the world. National leaders like to pose with the Dalai Lama because of the theory of association. However, because of China flexing their economic muscle, the western leaders are now being more reticent. The western leaders are put between a rock a hard place really because the people are all pro-Dalai Lama and want to stand up for free Tibet, yet if the country angers China, they can suffer economically. Like the very open rebuff China made to David Cameron just because he met the Dalai Lama. In a way, the people have to decide. If you want your leader to acknowledge Dalai Lama, be prepared for financial effects. For the leaders who would prefer to keep good relationships with China, perhaps you can ask the Dalai Lama what's with the Shugden ban? Lift that unfair ban and then we will talk!

While nobody can dispute the charisma and the influence of the Dalai Lama, it is usually people who are caught in the whole romanticism of Tibet thing that kind of blinds them to seeing the actual situation: there is nothing much that can be done about Tibet being separated from China as China is strong in all aspects thanks to many decades of economic power and them learning from their own history. World leaders cannot afford to anger china and I wouldnt say that they are caught in a hard place, unless it is only after the popular vote that they are after and nothing else.

[Dondrup Shugden]

If the Dalai Lama is among FP's 500 Most Powerful People on the Planet, does it mean that all that he says and does are beyond logical analyses and all Buddhist must follow with blind faith.

The very essence of Buddhism has then failed to elevate our mind's nor will lead us to liberation. All Buddhist will be like a herd of goats going blindly about life.

It is completely acceptable that the Dalai Lama has done tons of great work to spread the Dharma and done much to benefit sentient beings.

But then why suppress the worship of Dorje Shugden and create much sufferings within the Vajrayana school of Buddhism.  Illogical.