Aung San Suu Kyi delivers Nobel Peace Prize speech... 21 years later!

[Positive Change]

What a beautiful speech delivered by Aung San Suu Kyi. She talks about Duka or Suffering... about the 6 types of suffering as thought by the Buddha! She is clearly giving a Dharma speech.... how amazing!!!! Truly a remarkable woman. Inspirational and the epitome of strength and resilience! Thank you Madam Aung San Suu Kyi for being you!

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-18464946


Article:
Burma's pro-democracy leader Aung San Suu Kyi has begun giving her Nobel speech in Oslo, 21 years after receiving the Nobel Peace Prize.

Ms Suu Kyi said winning the prize "made me real again", and was reassurance Burma's plight had not been forgotten.

The head of the Nobel Committee described her as "a precious gift to the world community".

She chose not to travel to Norway's capital to collect her prize in person fearing she would not be allowed back.

Ms Aung San Suu Kyi spent much of the past 24 years under house arrest in Burma. She was freed in late 2010.

Her visit to Oslo is part of a tour of Europe, her first since 1988, which she began in Geneva, at the UN's International Labour Organisation.

On Saturday, Suu Kyi will meet members of the Burmese community who are exiled and now live in Norway.

Opening the ceremony in Oslo, the chairman of the Norwegian Nobel Committee, Thorbjorn Jagland, said:

"Dear Aung San Suu Kyi, we have been waiting for you for a very long time. However we are well aware that your wait has been infinitely trying for you and one entirely of a different nature from ours.

"In your isolation you have become a moral voice for the whole world."

In her Nobel lecture, she said she heard she had received the prize on the radio and it had felt "unreal".

But at the same time, it had "opened a door in my heart".

"Often during my days of house arrest it felt as though I were no longer a part of the real world," she said.

Winning the Nobel Peace Prize "made me real once again. It had drawn me back into the wider human community".

And she added, the Nobel Peace Prize drew the attention of the world to the struggle for democracy and human rights in Burma.

"We were not going to be forgotten."

On Thursday, Ms Aung San Suu Kyi had to cancel a dinner with Swiss officials after falling ill at a news conference in Bern, complaining of exhaustion.

In her speech at the UN, she welcomed steps by the international community to reach out to her long-isolated country.

"I would like to call for aid and investment that will strengthen the democratisation process by promoting social and economic progress that is beneficial to political reform."

The two-week-long trip - seen as another milestone for Burma's political progress - includes visits to the UK, Switzerland, Ireland, France and Norway.

It is her second recent overseas trip, after visiting Thailand in May.

Her decision to travel is seen as a sign of confidence in the government of President Thein Sein, who has pursued a course of reform since coming to power last year, in Burma's first elections in 20 years.

Ms Aung San Suu Kyi is the daughter of Burmese independence leader Aung San, who was assassinated in 1947.

She became the leader of Burma's pro-democracy movement when, after living abroad for many years, she returned to Burma in 1988, initially to look after her sick mother.

She never left the country, fearing its military rulers would not allow her to return and was unable to receive her Nobel Peace Prize in person, or be with her British husband, Michael Aris, when he died in 1999.

[Positive Change]

I actually caught this live and wanted to share it immediately... The link may not work after this life feed. I will look for it on facebook of which I am sure will appear and post it here! Am speechless!!!!!

[Positive Change]

Here is the powerful, Dharma filled speech delivered by her:

http://youtu.be/URA8AlBDvvE
	Small | Large

[Klein]

I watched the entire talk by Aung San Suu Kyi on the youtube

Aung San Suu Kyi speech in Norway on June 16, 2012

. She was humble, concise, wise, compassionate and selfless. Although she is free from house arrest, she appealed to the public to free all prisoners of conscience in Burma.

Her entire speech was infused with dharma teachings. She spoke of the 6 great dokars or sufferings. They are:
1. To conceive
2. To age
3. To be sick
4. To die
5. To depart from those we love
6. To be forced to live in propinquity with one whom we do not love

She added that it is therefore logical to alleviate sufferings of others.

It is clear that she has infused her dharma knowledge into her daily life amidst so many trials and tribulations. Her peaceful methods have won the hearts of many.

If the ban on Dorje Shugden's practice is lifted, many people will be led to the dharma, leading a life with greater understanding of love and compassion. As Aung San Suu Kyi said, ultimate world peace may not be possible but the journey there would suffice for now.

[sonamdhargey]

Thank you for sharing this video. A truly remarkable being who sacrificed in the name of peace, democracy and human rights for her fellow countrymen. A true Buddhist who never used any act of violence to fight her cause but fight with perseverance and determination. Being under house arrest for 24 years is a long time it shows how strong, compassionate and determined she is. Thank you Ms. Aung San Suu Kyi. A very beautiful speech.

[vajratruth]

If ever it were possible to have a living, breathing and walking embodiment of the synthesis of Buddhism and modern politics, Madam Aung San Suu Kyi would be it.

Her speech in this post is yet another extension of her philosophy that clearly springs from a firm foundation in her understanding of Dharma.

She once wrote, “ Rulers must observe the teachings of the Buddha. Central to these teachings are the concepts of Truth, Righteousness and Loving Kindness. It is government based on these very qualities that the people of Burma are seeking”.

And on another occasion,:

“The quintessential revolution is that of the spirit, born of an intellectual conviction of the need for change in those mental attitudes and values which shape the course of a nation's development. A revolution which aims merely at changing official policies and institutions with a view to an improvement in material conditions has little chance of genuine success. Without a revolution in spirit, the forces which had produced inequities of the old order would continue to be operative, posing a constant threat to the process of reform and regeneration. It is not enough merely to call for freedom, democracy and human rights. There has to be a united determination to persevere in the struggle, to make sacrifices in the name of enduring truths, to resist the corrupting influences of desire, ill will, ignorance, and fear”

Just in one quote she speaks of a change in mental attitude, which is also the cornerstone in the shift in our perspectives that is required to see the true reality of all phenomena. She speaks of Truths and the need to resist the poisonous fumes of Ignorance and Fear (which is an Attachment).

If you were to follow her in all her speeches, her politics seems to focus more in restoring harmony rather than to defeat the military government of Burma. To her the shift in the people’s own minds and the need to accept collective responsibility is more important than political moves that result in mere shifts in the balance of power.

A very good story I heard of this very Dharmic Peace Ambassador was of an incident reported in Forbes, where on an April day in 1989 in the Irawaddy Delta when Suu Kyi  courageously walked toward soldiers with rifles aimed at her, with a commanding officer giving the countdown to shoot. At that time she was with some of her followers whom she motioned to move aside and be away from harm’s way. She said “It seemed simpler to provide them with a single target”. Her kindness could not be ransomed by a fear of death.

[DS Star]

I watched the entire talk by Aung San Suu Kyi on the youtube Aung San Suu Kyi speech in Norway on June 16, 2012. She was humble, concise, wise, compassionate and selfless. Although she is free from house arrest, she appealed to the public to free all prisoners of conscience in Burma.

Her entire speech was infused with dharma teachings. She spoke of the 6 great dokars or sufferings. They are:
1. To conceive
2. To age
3. To be sick
4. To die
5. To depart from those we love
6. To be forced to live in propinquity with one whom we do not love

She added that it is therefore logical to alleviate sufferings of others.

It is clear that she has infused her dharma knowledge into her daily life amidst so many trials and tribulations. Her peaceful methods have won the hearts of many.

If the ban on Dorje Shugden's practice is lifted, many people will be led to the dharma, leading a life with greater understanding of love and compassion. As Aung San Suu Kyi said, ultimate world peace may not be possible but the journey there would suffice for now.

Klein, Aung San Suu Kyi to me is a real Bodhisattva just like Mother Theresa and HH the Dalai Lama, who sacrifice their own needs and live their lives for the sake of others' benefits.

Obviously she is a realised Buddhist practitioner who uses Dharma as her guide during her 23 years house arrest. Aung San Suu Kyi exhibits Buddha's virtues of love, compassion, sympathetic joy and equanimity on the highest level; she gives hope for humanity. Her peaceful manner in facing junta's aggression is another testimony of her strong belief in Buddha's teachings especially on Karma, good begets good and evil begets evil

Dhammapada Verse 2:

Mano pubbangama dhamma – manosettha manomaya
Manasa ce passannena – bhasati va karoti va
Tato nam sukhamanveti – chaya va anapayini

Mind is the forerunner of (all good) states.
Mind is chief; mind-made are they.
If one speaks or acts with pure mind, because of that,
happiness follows one, even as one's  shadow that never leaves

[dsiluvu]

Aung San Suu Kyi: A lesson in the value of kindness

After waiting 21 years to make this speech, the Burmese politician showed she walks in the footsteps of Gandhi and Luther King


http://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/asia/aung-san-suu-kyi-a-lesson-in-the-value-of-kindness-7856643.html

When I joined the democracy movement in Burma, it never occurred to me that I might ever be the recipient of any prize or honour. The prize we were working for was a free, secure and just society where our people might be able to realise their full potential. The honour lay in our endeavour. History had given us the opportunity to give of our best for a cause in which we believed. When the Nobel Committee chose to honour me, the road I had chosen of my own free will became a less lonely path to follow. For this I thank the committee, the people of Norway and peoples all over the world whose support has strengthened my faith in the common quest for peace.

She is truly a rare jewel in our world today. He speech leaves one thinking deeper and inspires people with hope and light. And noble and humble she is with such grace... she could be a Bodhisattva of our time... perhaps Mother Tara and Burma her children. Definitely someone that will be remembered and honored even after she is long gone... just like Ghandi & Mother Teressa.

Her entire attitude and spirit is due to her Buddhist path and practice. If there is anyone lay who really applied the teachings and walk the talk... i would say Aung San Suu Kyi
She has not only given hope to Burma but also hope to many people around the world.

[Positive Change]

She is indeed a beacon of acceptance and surrender towards a higher goal. She is also a shining example of resilience, of fortitude, of compassion, of servitude and most of all of integrity. She never once wavered in her stance amidst her personal trials and tribulations (torn away from her young children, never seeing them grow up, torn away from the man she loved, never even able to nurse him and see him before he passed away, torn from a nation which love her, torn from the very fabric of decency that begets a woman of her stature and position. And yet she comes out WINNING!

The junta tried to break her spirit, break her solace, break the very fibre of her being but she emerges the true champion. And I believe strongly due to her incredible reliance on her faith, on Buddhist principles and the path. We should all take this as a brilliant example of how to deal with the Dorje Shugden ban... no need to fight fire with fire, fight with fortitude, resilience and integrity. Fight the Dharmic battle using compassion and wisdom and at the same time use knowledge to crush indifference and ignorance!

[Positive Change]

She is indeed a beacon of acceptance and surrender towards a higher goal. She is also a shining example of resilience, of fortitude, of compassion, of servitude and most of all of integrity. She never once wavered in her stance amidst her personal trials and tribulations (torn away from her young children, never seeing them grow up, torn away from the man she loved, never even able to nurse him and see him before he passed away, torn from a nation which love her, torn from the very fabric of decency that begets a woman of her stature and position. And yet she comes out WINNING!

The junta tried to break her spirit, break her solace, break the very fibre of her being but she emerges the true champion. And I believe strongly due to her incredible reliance on her faith, on Buddhist principles and the path. We should all take this as a brilliant example of how to deal with the Dorje Shugden ban... no need to fight fire with fire, fight with fortitude, resilience and integrity. Fight the Dharmic battle using compassion and wisdom and at the same time use knowledge to crush indifference and ignorance!

Imagine if each and everyone of us "battling" this ban were to have even an ounce of her qualities, the ban would be lifted much sooner and perhaps in fact, if we did have these qualities, the ban would not matter in the first place! Just a thought!

[ratanasutra]

Aung San suu Kyi who went through many of difficulty things in her life, instead of become anger or bitter person but she turns it around to use her experience to encourage myanmar people. She never think about herself once, only thinks about others welfare. She is inspire to many.

Her actions are indeed purely from Dharma deeply as she can take all the suffering and accept it.

May there will be more people like her so our world will be more peaceful.

[Tammy]

She is the best example of how a true Buddhist should behave, she put the benefits of other people before her's, she gave up her family to stay in her homeland where the people need her most, her method is non violent and she is humble to the core. She treat her guru with respect - she truly walk the talk of Buddha's teaching.

I wish her well and I am 100% sure it is time for her to take the lead in making the change in her people's future.

[Klein]

Aung San Suu Kyi delivers a speech in Westminister Hall to both the House of Commons and the House of Lords. She is the 1st Asian Woman and if I may dare say, the 1st Buddhist to be given this privilege. She talks about using practical ways to address issues like her father.

Her clear speech, insightfulness, wisdom, focus, compassion, skillful means to attract support and selflessness are indications of a Buddhist who has been practising the dharma. In a news report it wrote,

"Aung San Suu Kyi has taken her own daily meditation practice very seriously since her first years of house arrest. "It has helped to strength en me spiritually," she told Alan Clements, author of a book of interviews with her entitled The Voice of Hope. "What you do when you meditate is you learn to control your mind through developing awareness." She confided to a friend that meditation had "saved me from depression in the worst moments of my life . . . It's what enabled me always to hold my head high."

The following is the speech that Aung San Suu Kyi gave in Westminister Hall.

Aung San Suu Kyi's address to both Houses of Parliament - in full.

[bambi]

She is someone I truly respect and admire. For her courage, love, kindness, care and understanding for her country and the people. Although she suffered house arrest for 15 of the past 21 years, she continued to spend her time reading philosophy, politics and biographies that her husband had sent her. She passed the time playing the piano, and was occasionally allowed visits from foreign diplomats, I've read. Can you imagine, even though she was being confined in the same place, she never gave up hope on her people and country. The whole world was watching everything that was happening. During the ordeal, she practice diligently on Buddhism and never gave up. She took the teachings and applied it with faith and hoping that the people watching her can see and do the same.

Aung San Suu Kyi was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 1991. The decision of the Nobel Committee mentions:

The Norwegian Nobel Committee has decided to award the Nobel Peace Prize for 1991 to Aung San Suu Kyi of Myanmar (Burma) for her non-violent struggle for democracy and human rights.

...Suu Kyi's struggle is one of the most extraordinary examples of civil courage in Asia in recent decades. She has become an important symbol in the struggle against oppression...

...In awarding the Nobel Peace Prize for 1991 to Aung San Suu Kyi, the Norwegian Nobel Committee wishes to honour this woman for her unflagging efforts and to show its support for the many people throughout the world who are striving to attain democracy, human rights and ethnic conciliation by peaceful means.
—Oslo, 14 October 1991

Look at this beautiful picture! Two of the most respected people in Buddhism together.
 
http://www.mizzima.com/news/world/7362-dalai-lama-suu-kyi-meet-in-london.html

“I welcome the release of fellow Nobel laureate Aung San Suu Kyi and extend my appreciation to the military regime in Burma. I extend my full support and solidarity to the movement for democracy in Burma and take this opportunity to appeal to freedom-loving people all over the world to support such non-violent movements,” the Dalai Lama said.

[DSFriend]

Many thinks that politics shouldn't be mixed with religion. However, every bone in Aung San Suu Kyi's is about politics but NOT the politics which is built on power to control, power of greed and self gratification, power to destroy.

Politics becomes just a vehicle for Aung San Suu Kyi to infuse spirituality, hope, freedom, love for humanity.

To me, she is one of the greatest political leader and spiritual leader who ranks at the top together with the various leaders of all faiths. What stands out is how Aung San Suu Kyi accomplished her mission  unlike many other of politicians and spiritual leaders is that she was locked away instead of setting foot or broadcasted thru the media all over the world  for years and years.

She was bound to be silenced, to be put away, to be forgotten. But no circumstances and no one can stop this lady. How inspirational. She kept to her mission, and in the face of opposition, she revealed how meditations and the dharma kept her going.

If meditations and the dharma is good enough for her to go thru what she went thru, it will certainly be good enough for anyone of us if we apply it in our lives.