Attending the teaching with the Dalai Lama. May 10-12
Our first problem was finding out what to do and what it would be like to attend. Wangbue was able to drop us off at the sign in centre, which had a short line. We handed over our passports, posed for a picture and paid 10 rupees for a pass that would let us in to the teaching. Wangbui also lent us two radios which were necessary to hear the translations, as he spoke in Tibetan.
We got differing advice on what to bring, what time things happened at and what the space would be like. We had visited the temple and knew it wasn't huge and had also heard the intentions of everyone we spoke to of attending. Some people apparently lined up at 5:30 to get in but we decided to try to get there for 7. We were worried that there would only be standing room by that time but brought our cushions anyway.
We went with our friend Corinne, who had been to one before. The line up was long but relatively fast moving. We passed line ups for people checking their phones and late registrants. Foreigners had their own line with a metal detector that everyone ignored and a pat down for all entrants. Men and women were in separate lines for this reason, with the men's line being significantly shorter. I got to go to the front of the line as I had no bag.
After a typical airport patdown I got in. The upper level was teeming and the bottom level close to the temple had people's names taped to the floor to save their spots. There was still lots of space in the yard so I set down our cushions in a spot with a clear view of the screen, figuring we had no chance of seeing him in person. We happily chatted with those around us for awhile.
Corinne left the area where she had her name taped due to crowding and reported that there was an area with actual chairs that she was told was available. We had heard that chairs were only for the elderly and disabled so we changed spots and it was all true.
We sat in our chairs as the area slowly filled up over the next two hours, with monks on the ground and a combination of monks, locals and foreigners in the chairs. We were served bread and yak butter tea as we waited. There was a large screen in front of us and by the time things got started the floor everywhere and around us was packed with monks.
The screen had just shown the frequencies to hear each translated language but switched to a view of a car outside the temple. We saw the Dalai Lama come out and slowly walk in, supported by monks on each side and surrounded by security. He stopped to talk to people and bless them on the way in. most surprised was the army security guy who got a blessing and didn't look comfortable in receiving it.
We watched on the screen as he came inside the temple, walked up the stairs, did a loop of the central temple before entering it and getting seated. The whole process took about 20 minutes and was shown on the big screen. Everyone was quite quiet with hands in praying position during this time.
On he got seated, all of the monks and devout Buddhists prostrated themselves three times, then he started speaking. The teaching as sponsored by the Russian Buddhists so he greeted them and everyone else who showed up. The Russians had place of privilege around the central temple throughout the teachings.
The English translation had technical problems for the first 30 minutes or so, with much cutting out and loud static. Our translator could be heard asking what was going on and complaining that he had missed saying much of his translation. Eventually someone threw a switch and it was clear from then on in.
There was no translation while the Dalai Lama spoke, which was often for long periods, so he had long breaks in between his talking. We noticed that the Russian translator almost invariably went on much longer than our English one, which made us wonder if we were really getting all of the information.
We caught him talking about Buddhism being not just belief but logic and that it should be questioned and not merely accepted. He said it was the only religion to parallel with modern science. He mentioned the need for non-violence to be taught in the modern world and for making happiness and compassion priorities. He mentioned the gap between rich and poor.
He hailed Russia as being an important link between Europe and Asia and the importance of Mongolia. He then said the text was too long to read on that day and spoke of the importance of emptiness and clear light and the three wheels of the sutra.
After this he said he would deal with the text tomorrow and started to head out. They cleared attendees from the grounds beneath the stairs so that he could get right back into the car. As he came down the stairs we had our only clear live view of him that day before he got into the vehicle and went away. He had spoken for under an hour total and looked very tired as he left us.
Another high up Monk started giving a talk about the details of what the Dalai Lama spoke about and Meg went off to get string so that we could tie our cushions onto the chairs to reserve them for the next day. The area had to be cleared for the Russian delegation's lunch, so we took away our cushions and I waited for her return. Corinne stayed to hear the after lesson but we took off.
The second day we got up at the same time, worried that the usual influx of Indian tourists on the weekend would make today more crowded. Not so. We went straight through security and got a much more thorough pat down than the day before, with everything from my pockets emptied and inspected. At least I knew that as a male without a bag, I would get through first and save spots.
Our chair area was still there with almost no one in it. An hour later there were still excellent spots available, but we were enjoying chatting and looking around. We took turns walking upstairs, which was packed, at the reserved Russian area and the mainly Tibetan surrounding spots. Everyone walked clockwise around the main temple and people in their finery were crammed into every bit of floor space.
We had bread and salty tea again and this morning the Dalai Lama's car showed up earlier. As he walked in we stood up and were only a few feet away from him. A western man beside me leaned in and got blessed and the Dalai Lama took more time to talk and bless people today.
Once he got settled in he went over the text and added several points to expand on it or clarify points. The translation was clear today and they came around with masala chai during the talk. After he finished he walked down, got into his car and went away.
Almost everyone left at the same time today so it was much more of a crunch to get out. people here don't have the same sense of personal space so there was much pushing and people stopping and blocking the crowd behind them.
The third day we came later but still got our same seats. We had tea and bread and some young monks were sitting in front of us. One was 6 or 7 years old and was acting silly, including using his photo pass to see the Dalai Lama as a gun and pretending to shoot the monks around him.
The Dalai Lama walked in as before and it was announced that photos would only be taken with the Russian delegation in groups of 50 at a time after the talk. He did a ceremony that was supposed to bless those further along in their studies. He spoke at length of past sages from all branches of Buddhism and told us to envisage them as we confessed our errors, celebrated helping others and he then gave us a prayed that we should recite three times every morning once we wake up.
He then ceased his talk and the video shut off as he got ready for his photo shoot. Since he hadn't left, the main exit was blocked so it was even more of a squeeze leaving today. We got separated but all managed to find our way back to our lodging safely.
Our first problem was finding out what to do and what it would be like to attend. Wangbue was able to drop us off at the sign in centre, which had a short line. We handed over our passports, posed for a picture and paid 10 rupees for a pass that would let us in to the teaching. Wangbui also lent us two radios which were necessary to hear the translations, as he spoke in Tibetan.
We got differing advice on what to bring, what time things happened at and what the space would be like. We had visited the temple and knew it wasn't huge and had also heard the intentions of everyone we spoke to of attending. Some people apparently lined up at 5:30 to get in but we decided to try to get there for 7. We were worried that there would only be standing room by that time but brought our cushions anyway.
We went with our friend Corinne, who had been to one before. The line up was long but relatively fast moving. We passed line ups for people checking their phones and late registrants. Foreigners had their own line with a metal detector that everyone ignored and a pat down for all entrants. Men and women were in separate lines for this reason, with the men's line being significantly shorter. I got to go to the front of the line as I had no bag.
After a typical airport patdown I got in. The upper level was teeming and the bottom level close to the temple had people's names taped to the floor to save their spots. There was still lots of space in the yard so I set down our cushions in a spot with a clear view of the screen, figuring we had no chance of seeing him in person. We happily chatted with those around us for awhile.
Corinne left the area where she had her name taped due to crowding and reported that there was an area with actual chairs that she was told was available. We had heard that chairs were only for the elderly and disabled so we changed spots and it was all true.
We sat in our chairs as the area slowly filled up over the next two hours, with monks on the ground and a combination of monks, locals and foreigners in the chairs. We were served bread and yak butter tea as we waited. There was a large screen in front of us and by the time things got started the floor everywhere and around us was packed with monks.
The screen had just shown the frequencies to hear each translated language but switched to a view of a car outside the temple. We saw the Dalai Lama come out and slowly walk in, supported by monks on each side and surrounded by security. He stopped to talk to people and bless them on the way in. most surprised was the army security guy who got a blessing and didn't look comfortable in receiving it.
We watched on the screen as he came inside the temple, walked up the stairs, did a loop of the central temple before entering it and getting seated. The whole process took about 20 minutes and was shown on the big screen. Everyone was quite quiet with hands in praying position during this time.
On he got seated, all of the monks and devout Buddhists prostrated themselves three times, then he started speaking. The teaching as sponsored by the Russian Buddhists so he greeted them and everyone else who showed up. The Russians had place of privilege around the central temple throughout the teachings.
The English translation had technical problems for the first 30 minutes or so, with much cutting out and loud static. Our translator could be heard asking what was going on and complaining that he had missed saying much of his translation. Eventually someone threw a switch and it was clear from then on in.
There was no translation while the Dalai Lama spoke, which was often for long periods, so he had long breaks in between his talking. We noticed that the Russian translator almost invariably went on much longer than our English one, which made us wonder if we were really getting all of the information.
We caught him talking about Buddhism being not just belief but logic and that it should be questioned and not merely accepted. He said it was the only religion to parallel with modern science. He mentioned the need for non-violence to be taught in the modern world and for making happiness and compassion priorities. He mentioned the gap between rich and poor.
He hailed Russia as being an important link between Europe and Asia and the importance of Mongolia. He then said the text was too long to read on that day and spoke of the importance of emptiness and clear light and the three wheels of the sutra.
After this he said he would deal with the text tomorrow and started to head out. They cleared attendees from the grounds beneath the stairs so that he could get right back into the car. As he came down the stairs we had our only clear live view of him that day before he got into the vehicle and went away. He had spoken for under an hour total and looked very tired as he left us.
Another high up Monk started giving a talk about the details of what the Dalai Lama spoke about and Meg went off to get string so that we could tie our cushions onto the chairs to reserve them for the next day. The area had to be cleared for the Russian delegation's lunch, so we took away our cushions and I waited for her return. Corinne stayed to hear the after lesson but we took off.
The second day we got up at the same time, worried that the usual influx of Indian tourists on the weekend would make today more crowded. Not so. We went straight through security and got a much more thorough pat down than the day before, with everything from my pockets emptied and inspected. At least I knew that as a male without a bag, I would get through first and save spots.
Our chair area was still there with almost no one in it. An hour later there were still excellent spots available, but we were enjoying chatting and looking around. We took turns walking upstairs, which was packed, at the reserved Russian area and the mainly Tibetan surrounding spots. Everyone walked clockwise around the main temple and people in their finery were crammed into every bit of floor space.
We had bread and salty tea again and this morning the Dalai Lama's car showed up earlier. As he walked in we stood up and were only a few feet away from him. A western man beside me leaned in and got blessed and the Dalai Lama took more time to talk and bless people today.
Once he got settled in he went over the text and added several points to expand on it or clarify points. The translation was clear today and they came around with masala chai during the talk. After he finished he walked down, got into his car and went away.
Almost everyone left at the same time today so it was much more of a crunch to get out. people here don't have the same sense of personal space so there was much pushing and people stopping and blocking the crowd behind them.
The third day we came later but still got our same seats. We had tea and bread and some young monks were sitting in front of us. One was 6 or 7 years old and was acting silly, including using his photo pass to see the Dalai Lama as a gun and pretending to shoot the monks around him.
The Dalai Lama walked in as before and it was announced that photos would only be taken with the Russian delegation in groups of 50 at a time after the talk. He did a ceremony that was supposed to bless those further along in their studies. He spoke at length of past sages from all branches of Buddhism and told us to envisage them as we confessed our errors, celebrated helping others and he then gave us a prayed that we should recite three times every morning once we wake up.
He then ceased his talk and the video shut off as he got ready for his photo shoot. Since he hadn't left, the main exit was blocked so it was even more of a squeeze leaving today. We got separated but all managed to find our way back to our lodging safely.
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| This was the spot where he gave his talks, we only saw it on a tv screen. |
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| He was quite frail and needed support but still took lots of time to greet people on his way in. |
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| We're concentrating on the broadcast. If you blow up the picture, I am blocked by the second pillar on the right and Meg is right beside it. |
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