HHDL at Science Symposium and the European Rally for Tibet

[Positive Change]

Fresh off the press... Nice article from which I extracted a few interesting points:

http://dalailama.com/news/post/804-his-holiness-meets-the-austrian-chancellor-attends-a-science-symposium-and-the-european-rally-for-tibet

1. Describing it as a great honour for him to participate in the discussions, His Holiness noted that towards the end of the last century, scientists had begun to take a serious interest in the workings of our minds and emotions. He said he had been fascinated by how things work since he was a child and learned a great deal about how electricity functions from investigating the movie projector and generator that had belonged to the 13th Dalai Lama. About 40 years ago he began to learn about cosmology, neuropsychology and quantum physics and for nearly 30 years has been conducting regular dialogues with scientists. The purpose of these dialogues is, firstly, to extend human knowledge, not only in the material field, but also the inner space of our minds, and, secondly, through exploring such phenomena as a calm mind, to promote human happiness.
Most High Lamas and Buddhist scholars have long found the synergy between Buddhism and Science. There seems no conflict but only affirmations. How incredible to be exposed to a way of life that explains and teaches and not just relies on blind faith

2. His Holiness hosted a lunch at his hotel for all the speakers that was also attended by Kalon Tripa, Dr Lobsang Sangay, social and human rights activist Bianca Jagger, former French Foreign Minister and co-founder of Médecins Sans Frontières, Bernard Kouchner and other friends who were in Vienna to attend the European Rally for Tibet.
What an illustrious guestlist for a luncheon... I would give anything to be in that lunch conversation with Bianca Jagger (She is truly remarkable as she uses her fame to champion human rights), Bernard Koucher (Incredibly insightful man who founded Doctors without Borders which helps so many in their times of need where no one else would all across the globe)

3. “Over the 30 or 40 years that I have been acquainted with scientists, I have noticed how many of them are acutely aware of the limitations of their knowledge. It is a good quality to recognise that our scope for learning is vast. They display an open-mindedness that is really admirable.”
Beautiful message I thought

4. “Finally, I see how many of you are waving the Tibetan flag. Chinese hard-liners often refer to our flag as a symbol of splittist tendencies, but I want to tell you that when I was in China 1954-55, I met Chairman Mao Zedong and other leaders on several occasions. Once, Chairman Mao asked me, 'Do you have a flag?' I hesitantly answered, 'Yes,' and his reply was to say, 'Good, it is important that you keep this flag and fly it next to the red flag of China. So I feel I received permission then to fly this flag from Chairman Mao himself.”This i never knew... Interesting that Chairman Mao in his totalitarian expressions of "freedom" would recognise the need for an identity for the Tibetan people even though under the governance of China

[DharmaDefender]

Fresh off the press... Nice article from which I extracted a few interesting points:

http://dalailama.com/news/post/804-his-holiness-meets-the-austrian-chancellor-attends-a-science-symposium-and-the-european-rally-for-tibet

1. Describing it as a great honour for him to participate in the discussions, His Holiness noted that towards the end of the last century, scientists had begun to take a serious interest in the workings of our minds and emotions. He said he had been fascinated by how things work since he was a child and learned a great deal about how electricity functions from investigating the movie projector and generator that had belonged to the 13th Dalai Lama. About 40 years ago he began to learn about cosmology, neuropsychology and quantum physics and for nearly 30 years has been conducting regular dialogues with scientists. The purpose of these dialogues is, firstly, to extend human knowledge, not only in the material field, but also the inner space of our minds, and, secondly, through exploring such phenomena as a calm mind, to promote human happiness.
Most High Lamas and Buddhist scholars have long found the synergy between Buddhism and Science. There seems no conflict but only affirmations. How incredible to be exposed to a way of life that explains and teaches and not just relies on blind faith

I have to say that since Buddhas words are a statement of the truth, of course science and Buddhism will come to an agreement on many topics. No surprise there when both investigate the truth in their own way. What I find interesting is how adamant Western scientists are about proving theories with facts and figures, when the knowledge that they are testing their hypotheses against are relatively young in age compared to Buddhas knowledge.

2. His Holiness hosted a lunch at his hotel for all the speakers that was also attended by Kalon Tripa, Dr Lobsang Sangay, social and human rights activist Bianca Jagger, former French Foreign Minister and co-founder of Médecins Sans Frontières, Bernard Kouchner and other friends who were in Vienna to attend the European Rally for Tibet.
What an illustrious guestlist for a luncheon... I would give anything to be in that lunch conversation with Bianca Jagger (She is truly remarkable as she uses her fame to champion human rights), Bernard Koucher (Incredibly insightful man who founded Doctors without Borders which helps so many in their times of need where no one else would all across the globe)

3. “Over the 30 or 40 years that I have been acquainted with scientists, I have noticed how many of them are acutely aware of the limitations of their knowledge. It is a good quality to recognise that our scope for learning is vast. They display an open-mindedness that is really admirable.”
Beautiful message I thought

4. “Finally, I see how many of you are waving the Tibetan flag. Chinese hard-liners often refer to our flag as a symbol of splittist tendencies, but I want to tell you that when I was in China 1954-55, I met Chairman Mao Zedong and other leaders on several occasions. Once, Chairman Mao asked me, 'Do you have a flag?' I hesitantly answered, 'Yes,' and his reply was to say, 'Good, it is important that you keep this flag and fly it next to the red flag of China. So I feel I received permission then to fly this flag from Chairman Mao himself.”This i never knew... Interesting that Chairman Mao in his totalitarian expressions of "freedom" would recognise the need for an identity for the Tibetan people even though under the governance of China

Chairman Mao said a great many things that turned out not to be true after all, so I wouldnt take the word of a man who has the tongue of a snake. He promoted Communism, but then his same party got involved with the Panchen Lama selection after his death.

Having said that, His Holiness is extremely kind after all of these years to still have compassion for him, just as hes had compassion for people like that bloke in the sarin gas attack in Tokyo...now wheres the compassion for Dorje Shugden practitioners???

[Klein]

HHDL has been having open dialogues with scientists to discuss the similarities and differences between science and Buddhism. HHDL wrote:

"My confidence in venturing in science lies in my belief that as in science so in Buddhism, understanding the nature of reality is pursued by means of critical investigation: if scientific analysis were conclusively to demonstrate certain claims in Buddhism to be false, then we must accept the findings of science and abandon those claims."

The following is one of the books from the dialogues.

"MindScience
An East-West Dialogue
His Holiness the Dalai Lama, Author
Herbert Benson, Author_|_Daniel Goleman, Author
Robert Thurman, Author_|_Howard Gardner, Author

What is the subtle relationship between mind and body? What can today's scientists learn about this relationship from masters of Buddhist thought? Is it possible that by combining Western and Eastern approaches, we can reach a new understanding of the nature of the mind, the human potential for growth, the possibilities for mental and physical health?

MindScience explores these and other questions as it documents the beginning of an historic dialogue between modern science and Buddhism.The Harvard Mind Science Symposium brought together the Dalai Lama and authorities from the fields of psychiatry, psychology, neuroscience, and education. Here, they examine myriad questions concerning the nature of the mind and its relationship to the body."

It's interesting that HHDL is open to having dialogues in pursuit of the truth. However, when it comes to the topic of Dorje Shugden, he's not.

[Ensapa]

I'm wondering, if HHDL has already given up his political role, why is he still attending the european rally for Tibet? wouldnt that be part of his political duties and not his spiritual one? Also, wouldnt such actions anger China even more? If HHDL really wants to free tibet, he could have played well into China's hand -- just because he can and take control of not just Tibet, but China from the inside...like what the 11th Panchen Lama is doing  now....hmmmmm