Dorje Shugden

 Would you buy a used ghost from this man?

To the deities, Six Armed Mahakala, Karmaraja and Magzor,  

To the oathbound protectors The Four Faced Mahakala, Chamsing Begtse, etc. Who have been propitiated and whose practice (has been done)

I offer this sublime libation.

The so-called Drakpa Gyaltsen pretends to be a sublime being, even though he is not,

And since this interfering spirit and creature of distorted prayers

Is harming everything - both the dharma and sentient beings –

Do not support, protect or give him shelter, but grind him to dust.

                                  ---The Fifth Dalai Lama

I have been thinking about the Dalai Lama's remarks this past Saturday, regarding the practice of Dorje Shugden. I also did some background research on the matter, with particular emphasis on the incidents of murderous violence, and the techniques used in the various smear campaigns that accompany this controversy.

A hostile foreign intelligence service has within its arsenal a well-known battery of tactics and techniques. Chinese intelligence, in particular, is more than capable of fielding operations of subtle sophistication. They are some of the most darkly talented clandestine operators in the world, and of that I have absolutely no doubt.

When I examine the Dorje Shugden controversy in detail, I see that it has all the hallmarks of a put-up job. I am left with the conclusion that the Dorje Shugden affair is a Chinese clandestine service-run black operation designed to destroy His Holiness the Dalai Lama, and Buddhism as practiced in Tibet.

Actually, it is a classic of its type. They teach it in certain schools.

For Westerners, who may feel, rightly or wrongly, that they "don't have a dog in the fight," the matter should be very simple:

(1) On the one hand, we have some sectarian zealots who want to worship a hungry ghost.

(2) On the other hand, we have His Holiness the Dalai Lama, and the heads of every school of Tibetan Buddhism.

Who do you want to back? Who gets your vote? It really is that easy: either you side with the covertly managed ghost-worshippers, or you side with the Dalai Lama.

It makes me sick to my stomach when I see Westerners, dressed up like monks and nuns, protesting against the Dalai Lama in the name of some idiocy that doesn't belong to them.  There's a real arrogance attached to this, wherein these people believe they "know better" simply because they invested themselves in something.

The Soviet clandestine operators used to have a name for dupes like this: govnoed, which freely translates as "shit eaters." How appropriate. These people are allowing themselves to be used by the Chinese intelligence services against the Dalai Lama and Buddhism, and they have convinced themselves they are doing the right thing. There are even some ostensibly Nyingmapa "personalities" invested in this, apparently unaware that Dorje Shugden's true believers have desecrated images of Padmasambhava and put Nyingma lamas to death by murderous plots.

If a Chinese assassin were to harm His Holiness, the backlash would be insurmountable. However, if they could promote an assassin from "within," legitimately or notionally "within," then that would satisfy their operational goals quite handsomely. Similarly, if an external agency launches criticism of Buddhism, that is one thing. But, if they can manufacture dissent, again seemingly from "within," then operational goals are well served.

How convenient to have a hot button issue. How convenient to have a slowly  and carefully established track record of violence. How convenient to have exquisitely targeted smear campaigns. All it takes now is one fringe operator with something to prove, carefully nurtured by a clever handler.

The best way to guard against something terrible happening is by educating people to the threat, and then defusing the rhetoric by isolating the principal organs. We can identify them easily enough. They are running around in Germany quite a bit, and we also see them in the United States, in various guises. It is well within the capabilities of U.S. Department of State's  Bureau of Diplomatic Security (DS) to preselect these threats.

I think it is high time we take a bright light to these creeps.

It is also high time we understood that this is not a "Dalai Lama issue" per se: rather, he is the one with the moral courage to mention it in public. His comments this past Saturday were balanced and liberal: "If you want to practice Dorje Shugden, you are at liberty to do so, but if you do, don't take vows with me." That is very, very clearly stated.

There is a film documentary, Dorje Shugden, The Spirit and the Controversy, which interviews eminent lamas of the four Tibetan Buddhist schools. They state:

H.E. Tai Situ Rinpoche,  Karma Kagyu Tradition

"We Kagyu followers normally do not mention this name without fear. There is no Shugden practitioner among Kagyu followers. The reason why we fear the one I name just now, is because we believe that he causes obstacles to spiritual practice and brings discord in families and among the community of monks."

H.H. Mindolling Trichen Rinpoche, the late Head of the Nyingma Tradition:

"Shugden is a ghost. We Nyingma practitioner do not follow him. We propagate only those protectors that were bound by Padmasambhava. Shugden came after Padmasambhava. Shugden is a hungry ghost in the human realm."

H.H. Sakya Trizin, Head of the Sakya Tradition:

“In the beginning the Sakya throne holder Sakya Sönam Rinchen bound Shugden to protect Dharma. However, neither Shudgen nor other worldly spirits were depended upon during prayer meeting at Sakya. The statue of Shugden was in some shrine rooms but in the lowest category in the pantheon. No Sakya follower has ever taken life pledging empowerment through the medium of Shugden… Later Shugden worship decreased strongly among Sakyas due to the efforts of three leading Sakya lineage lamas” [including the root Guru of Sakya Trizin who was] “extremely unhappy with Shugden practice and advised on the demerits of Shugden practice. One of his disciples, Ngawang Yönten Gyatso, took strong actions to remove Shugden statues from the Sakya monasteries and to destroy them. Khyentse Dorje Chang Chökyi Lodrö was also very unhappy with Shugden practice, although he didn’t destroy statues, he performed rituals to banish Shugden. Since these three leading Sakya Lamas were against Shugden, this practice declined greatly among Sakya followers.”

H.H. the 100th Ganden Tripa,  late Head of the Gelug Tradition:

[..] Gelug Lamas of the past would have taken notice of Shugden if he was really the embodiment of the three refuges. But there is no historical record to show that they took any interest in Shugden. Therefore I can not accept Shugden as the embodiment of the Three Refuges."

H.H. the 14th Dalai Lama quoting the 5th Dalai Lama:

"In his autobiography the 5th Dalai Lama writes that he performed a fire ritual against Shugden during which he composed a prayer to protect the deities. In the prayer the 5th Dalai Lama says that he is performing this ritual to vanquish Dorje Shugden who is harming the Buddhadharma and sentient beings. He clearly says that Dragpa Gyaltsen’s negative prayer resulted in his rebirth as Shugden."

This makes it clear that orthodox Tibetan Buddhism is united in its condemnation of Dorje Shugden. As His Holiness said this past Saturday, "only somebody with realization equal to the Fifth Dalai Lama should try to modify the Fifth Dalai Lama's words." Similarly, only somebody with realization equal to Tai Situ Rinpoche, Kyabje Mindrolling Trichen, Kyabje Sakya Trizin, Ganden Tripa, and the Fourteenth Dalai Lama should try to second-guess their words.

Our business is to practice the dharma according to the dharma. Our business is not to worship demons or ghosts. Neither is it our business to side with people who are out to harm the Dalai Lama or Buddhism, and we are certainly not about to let ourselves be used by the fun-loving lads from Old Shanghai's well-funded department store kiddie show.

Long live His Holiness the Dalai Lama... and remember who to call...

Daily Tibetan Astrology: September 30, 2009

Chinese 12th, M-T-K 12th. Sheep, Gin, White 6. Not such a good day for important acts and petitions. Avoid conflicts and litigation. One should cultivate the local deities.

Published every day at 00:01 香港時間 but written in advance and auto-posted. See our Introduction to Daily Tibetan Astrology for background information. If you know the symbolic animal of your birth year, you can get information about your positive and negative days by clicking here. For specific information about the astrology of 2009, inclusive of elements, earth spirits, and so forth, please consult our extended discussion by clicking here. The Ox Year baden senpo (bad days to raise prayer flags) this year (2009) are: October 1, 2, 13, 28; November 9, 23, 24; December 5, 20, and next year (2010) are: January 1, 12, 16, 28; February 8. Click here for Hong Kong Observatory conversion tables. Daily Tibetan Astrology copyright (c) 2009. All rights reserve

Road Trip Redux

Off and running again... you know how it goes. This is the busy season: situations everywhere, invitations fluttering like confetti, people out trying to catch each other like fireflies to light up the ambition jar, lots of resolutions about this and that. I just don't need any of that in my life. Also, the big crowds this past weekend really sent me running. Too much for me, so I am off to the high hills and far valleys with tent and some brand new gear to try out. Will report at length if and when I hit a wifi hotspot. In the meantime, we may experience intermittent service interruptions.

Daily Tibetan Astrology: September 29, 2009

Chinese 11th, M-T-K 11th. Horse, Kham, Yellow 5.Good day for diplomacy. Don't disturb the earth element today. Try to eliminate old problems today, not start new ones.

Published every day at 00:01 香港時間 but written in advance and auto-posted. See our Introduction to Daily Tibetan Astrology for background information. If you know the symbolic animal of your birth year, you can get information about your positive and negative days by clicking here. For specific information about the astrology of 2009, inclusive of elements, earth spirits, and so forth, please consult our extended discussion by clicking here. The Ox Year baden senpo (bad days to raise prayer flags) this year (2009) are: October 1, 2, 13, 28; November 9, 23, 24; December 5, 20, and next year (2010) are: January 1, 12, 16, 28; February 8. Click here for Hong Kong Observatory conversion tables. Daily Tibetan Astrology copyright (c) 2009. All rights reserve

Dalai Lama in Long Beach, Part Two

Fortunate connections continued on Saturday, as I was again able to attend His Holiness the Dalai Lama's program of teachings and empowerments in Long Beach, California. Also, on a personal note, what made Saturday really special for me was the companionship of my youngest daughter at this session.

The scheduled event was a Medicine Buddha empowerment, but he began with a lengthy question and answer session that elicited both laughter and applause from the audience of approximately 15,000 people -- the second capacity crowd in two days.

He then made a spontaneous decision to give both upaseka and bodhisattva vows to those in the audience who wished to make such commitment. His explanations of the vows and commitments was done with such open liberality and good humor, that it actually encouraged one to become so engaged.

One noteworthy aside: after the genyen vows, but before the bodhisattva vows, His Holiness gave an extensive statement and admonition concerning the practice of Dorje Shugden. He said that anyone is free to practice Dorje Shugden, but in the event one wished to do, he politely asked that they not take vows with him.

He stated that he, himself, had once been involved with the practice, but he began to notice something wrong. He said that he researched the matter very carefully, and found in the writings of the Fifth Dalai Lama ample reason not to pursue the practice any further.

He said that only someone who has realization equal to that of the Fifth Dalai Lama should attempt to modify the Fifth Dalai Lama's words. He said that as someone who carries the name "Dalai Lama," it was his duty to carefully preserve the Fifth Dalai Lama's explicit meanings and instructions.

I must say, I was somewhat surprised that this weighs so heavily upon his mind. He stated that the Dorje Shugden practice was causing enormous trouble at various monasteries, and so forth. I know from reading news reports that some monks are clinging to this practice, but I do not understand why they feel it necessary to go against his wishes. This is the sort of thing that plays into the hands of the most wicked schemers -- the ones who mean to do harm to His Holiness and to Buddhism on the operative theory of divide and conquer.

The program ended with the Medicine Buddha empowerment -- a very beautifully explained visualization, and the deepest sort of transmission. During the whole presentation, as he did on Friday, His Holiness also went to some length to include non-Buddhists in the practices. He came just short of saying "you don't have to be Buddhist to take bodhisattva vows, but it helps." Under the broadest possible interpretation of his remarks, it would not be unfair to report that may not be what he said, but it may be what he meant. In over 45 years, I have never heard dharma employed to include monotheistic believers the way it was this past Friday and Saturday -- the product of an extremely compassionate intention to move past sectarianism and doctrinal differences in order to be of genuine benefit to all sentient beings.

Well, it is true, isn't it? If Buddha walked in the room right this minute, I don't think he would be asking to see membership credentials. There comes a point where one has to grow up and realize that what is printed on your t-shirt pales in comparison to what is printed on your heart.

Thereafter, program organizers announced that the event had cost some USD $260,000 to produce, that all tickets had been given away for free, and that donations had raised an excess of USD $33,000 after all expenses were paid. They then presented the USD $33,000 to His Holiness, who refused the gift saying:

"There are too many lamas who accept money for teaching. I do not accept money for teaching, so you should keep this money and use it for your own center's purposes."

 This two-day event was sponsored and organized by Genden Shoeling, a predominantly Vietnamese center in Westminster, California. It was really quite flawlessly and perfectly accomplished, and nobody who attended found even the slightest reason to complain about any aspect of the presentation. This center has done everyone in Southern California an enormous service, and all sentient beings have benefited thereby. The City of Long Beach Police Department and the Mayor's Office were extraordinarily cordial and helpful, as well.

I cannot give enough praise to Genden Shoeling: it was a wonderful, wonderful two days in a great  California city.

Such joyousness!

Daily Tibetan Astrology: September 28, 2009

Chinese 10th, M-T-K 10th. Snake, Khen, Green 4. Today is Guru Rinpoche Day. However, please note that today is also nyi nak, so it a good day to stick close to home. Some people take that to mean "hide under the bed," but I don't think that is necessary. When in doubt, practice cures all ills.


Today is also Yom Kippur.

Today is a great day to get out the red food coloring, barley flour, honey, and butter, and make a nice torma for the puja at 6:00 o'clock in the evening.

Published every day at 00:01 香港時間 but written in advance and auto-posted. See our Introduction to Daily Tibetan Astrology for background information. If you know the symbolic animal of your birth year, you can get information about your positive and negative days by clicking here. For specific information about the astrology of 2009, inclusive of elements, earth spirits, and so forth, please consult our extended discussion by clicking here. The Ox Year baden senpo (bad days to raise prayer flags) this year (2009) are: October 1, 2, 13, 28; November 9, 23, 24; December 5, 20, and next year (2010) are: January 1, 12, 16, 28; February 8. Click here for Hong Kong Observatory conversion tables. Daily Tibetan Astrology copyright (c) 2009. All rights reserve

Dalai Lama In Long Beach, Part One

Sometimes, contrary to fiction, there is a series of fortunate events.

Through such a series of fortunate events -- really, a last minute thing -- I spent most of Friday listening to His Holiness the Dalai Lama discourse on the Four Noble Truths, after which he graciously bestowed the Amitabha Empowerment -- which must surely stand as the first overtly inter-faith action tantra empowerment I have ever attended.

It is difficult to write about what he said, because the nature of the experience is that everyone hears something different, you know? So, I am only mentioning what I heard.

The venue was Long Beach Convention Center, filled to capacity, and His Holiness was extraordinarily humorous, gentle, and precise. The audience laughed when he said, "Sometimes, when I talk to my brothers in other faiths, we find so many things in common. However, if they show some interest in emptiness, I tell them, 'You don't have to concern yourself about emptiness, this is a Buddhist's business.'"

I wish I could bring you photographs of the event, but as those of you who have attended his events know, the "no camera" policy is becoming stricter and stricter. Neither were cell phones allowed. He looked and sounded in excellent health, was wearing his now-famous red eyeshade, and seemed a much younger man than he actually is. As mentioned elsewhere, he does 20 minutes at top speed on the treadmill every morning.

His Holiness began the morning session by having the Diamond Sutra chanted in Sanskrit, Chinese, and Vietnamese, after which he chanted the Heart Sutra in Tibetan. He then lectured for two hours, followed by a break, after which he returned and lectured for another hour, before bestowing the Amitabha empowerment.

During the empowerment, he paused proceedings to explain, "If you are not Buddhist, for example if you are Christian, you don't have to use Buddhist visualizations. You can visualize the object of your faith, and you can make a promise that you will respect them, and follow their teachings, and that you want to contribute to humanity by becoming a helpful human. If you cannot help, then at least do no harm. That is the basic message: we are all human." I am paraphrasing -- it was so much more beautifully said than this.

Amitabha Buddha himself was saying it.

Daily Tibetan Astrology: September 27, 2009

Chinese 9th, M-T-K 9th. Dragon, Dwa, Blue 3. Today is a zin phung day. Watch out for more earthquakes.

Did you know that dragons are real opera singers? I believe the word is "histrionic." Try to modulate the histrionics today.

Published every day at 00:01 香港時間 but written in advance and auto-posted. See our Introduction to Daily Tibetan Astrology for background information. If you know the symbolic animal of your birth year, you can get information about your positive and negative days by clicking here. For specific information about the astrology of 2009, inclusive of elements, earth spirits, and so forth, please consult our extended discussion by clicking here. The Ox Year baden senpo (bad days to raise prayer flags) this year (2009) are: October 1, 2, 13, 28; November 9, 23, 24; December 5, 20, and next year (2010) are: January 1, 12, 16, 28; February 8. Click here for Hong Kong Observatory conversion tables. Daily Tibetan Astrology copyright (c) 2009. All rights reserve

Daily Tibetan Astrology: September 26, 2009

Chinese 8th, M-T-K 8th. Rabbit, Khon, Black 2. Today is a Medicine Buddha Day, which is great for the people in Southern California, because the Dalai Lama is in Long Beach today, giving the Medicine Buddha Initiation. I have many friends attending and am waiting to hear their reports. It is also Tara Day and a superb Naga Day. 

Avoid traveling at night, or dangerous areas (robbers, bandits, politicians). Also avoid emotional disturbances, arguments, and upsets.

Published every day at 00:01 香港時間 but written in advance and auto-posted. See our Introduction to Daily Tibetan Astrology for background information. If you know the symbolic animal of your birth year, you can get information about your positive and negative days by clicking here. For specific information about the astrology of 2009, inclusive of elements, earth spirits, and so forth, please consult our extended discussion by clicking here. The Ox Year baden senpo (bad days to raise prayer flags) this year (2009) are: October 1, 2, 13, 28; November 9, 23, 24; December 5, 20, and next year (2010) are: January 1, 12, 16, 28; February 8. Click here for Hong Kong Observatory conversion tables. Daily Tibetan Astrology copyright (c) 2009. All rights reserve

With the Tibetans In Tent and Temple

Here is a remarkable read: With the Tibetans in Tent and Temple: Narrative of Four Years' Residence on the Tibetan Border, and of a Journey Into the Far Interior, by Susie Carson Rijnhart, M.D. The dates are 1895-1899, which causes some revision on our "first" lists. Seems they left America for Tibet in 1894.

Unfortunately, this book was written by a Christian missionary. That she rather tragically lost her husband and only child on this venture did not soften her view of Buddhism in general and Tibetan people in particular. Still, I do not perceive her as a fanciful liar, and while the picture she paints of the Tibetans and their lamas is less than flattering, it is interesting nonetheless.

The whole book is online here. Definitely worth a visit.

Daily Tibetan Astrology: September 25, 2009

Chinese 7th, M-T-K 7th. Iron Tiger, Li, White 1. Good day for offerings.Good for travel east or west. Good for travel in general.

Not a good day for weddings, and if you have small children you should mind where they run.

Published every day at 00:01 香港時間 but written in advance and auto-posted. See our Introduction to Daily Tibetan Astrology for background information. If you know the symbolic animal of your birth year, you can get information about your positive and negative days by clicking here. For specific information about the astrology of 2009, inclusive of elements, earth spirits, and so forth, please consult our extended discussion by clicking here. The Ox Year baden senpo (bad days to raise prayer flags) this year (2009) are: October 1, 2, 13, 28; November 9, 23, 24; December 5, 20, and next year (2010) are: January 1, 12, 16, 28; February 8. Click here for Hong Kong Observatory conversion tables. Daily Tibetan Astrology copyright (c) 2009. All rights reserve

Killer Earthquake Strikes Bhutan

At least thirteen people are dead and 1,100 homes damaged after a 6.1 magnitude (as reported by USGS) earthquake struck Bhutan on Monday, at 2:53 P.M. The epicenter was 110 miles east of Thimphu, near the border. This is not far from the site of the largest earthquake ever recorded on land, the 8.5 Assam quake of 1950. Owing to aftershocks, people are afraid to sleep in their homes, and many have resorted to sleeping in the open.

The Bhutanese prime minister has reportedly characterized the event as, "one of the biggest disasters we've seen in recent times." Twenty-three monasteries and chortens have been damaged by the earthquake. Bhutan is located along the boundary between the Indian and Eurasian tectonic plates. The Indian plate is moving northwards relative to the Eurasian plate, pushing the Himalayas upwards as the plates collide. As a result, large earthquakes are frequent in the area.


Severe damage is seen at the Lhuentse Dzong, the Trashigang Dzong and the old and new dzongs in Trashiyangtse.

You can see local coverage at the Bhutan Broadcasting Service website.

This is not good news under any interpretation of events, and we pray for our many brothers and sisters in the region.

Daily Tibetan Astrology: September 24, 2009

Chinese 6th, M-T-K 6th. Ox, Zon, Red 9. According to the Chinese calendar, today is the second of a duplicated lunar day. Same-same like yesterday, with the added admonition that today isn't good for traveling. A good day for longevity rituals, initiations for long-life practice, and prosperity rituals.

Not necessarily a good day to spend, but a great day to receive money. This includes collecting old debts, but take care that arguments, litigation, or controversy doesn't break out.

Published every day at 00:01 香港時間 but written in advance and auto-posted. See our Introduction to Daily Tibetan Astrology for background information. If you know the symbolic animal of your birth year, you can get information about your positive and negative days by clicking here. For specific information about the astrology of 2009, inclusive of elements, earth spirits, and so forth, please consult our extended discussion by clicking here. The Ox Year baden senpo (bad days to raise prayer flags) this year (2009) are: October 1, 2, 13, 28; November 9, 23, 24; December 5, 20, and next year (2010) are: January 1, 12, 16, 28; February 8. Click here for Hong Kong Observatory conversion tables. Daily Tibetan Astrology copyright (c) 2009. All rights reserve

Traveling Temple: China to Chicago to Stockholm

Some time ago, we chronicled the first Tibetan temple in America: the so called Bendix Temple, built in China, in 1930 for Chicago's Century of Progress.

Now, we have new information about this unusual temple. It seems that it has left our shores, and traveled to Sweden, where they hope to erect it near Stockholm. The man behind this is Max Woeler, and there is a site detailing his efforts.

I am so very pleased that this temple, which languished in storage at Oberlin College for 50 years, and Sweden for 20 years, will now see its 20,000 pieces reassembled. According to the Woeler site, noted above, it has now been largely restored. You know, when you read the story, you are left with the unmistakable impression that Oberlin really screwed this up.

See also here  for more information.

Daily Tibetan Astrology: August 23, 2009

Chinese 6th, M-T-K 5th. Ox, Zon, Red 9. According to the Tibetan calendar, today is the Vernal Equinox. Don't know if that will stand up to scientific scrutiny, but there you go. According to the Chinese calendar, today is the first of a duplicated lunar day. A good day for longevity rituals, initiations for long-life practice, and prosperity rituals. They've got HIs Holiness the Dalai Lama booked in Memphis today (double-billed with Natalie Cole of all things), so if you're on the East Coast of the U.S.A., you want to be there.

Not necessarily a good day to spend, but a great day to receive money. This includes collecting old debts, but take care that arguments, litigation, or controversy doesn't break out.

Today is somebody's birthday! You know who you are! My deepest wishes for your long life and complete happiness go forth in the ten directions. My love for you has no frontier.

Published every day at 00:01 香港時間 but written in advance and auto-posted. See our Introduction to Daily Tibetan Astrology for background information. If you know the symbolic animal of your birth year, you can get information about your positive and negative days by clicking here. For specific information about the astrology of 2009, inclusive of elements, earth spirits, and so forth, please consult our extended discussion by clicking here. The Ox Year baden senpo (bad days to raise prayer flags) this year (2009) are: October 1, 2, 13, 28; November 9, 23, 24; December 5, 20, and next year (2010) are: January 1, 12, 16, 28; February 8. Click here for Hong Kong Observatory conversion tables. Daily Tibetan Astrology copyright (c) 2009. All rights reserve

Kevin Kelly: Not Since Stewart Brand

His name is Kevin Kelly, and not since Stewart Brand have we had such an inspired visionary. He has formulated what he calls the New Rules for the New Economy, and I think everyone should read them. In keeping with our post on Yvon Chouinard, I want to mention that Kelly is another person whose worldview has been profoundly shaped by late 20th century Buddhism in America. He also has quite a love affair going with Asia, chronicled on a state-of-the-art blog you just have to see. Kelly is the founding executive editor of Wired. We expect no less.

Tortured by Lamas

It wasn't always fun and games. In 1898, and that would be the days before an avuncular Richard Gere found religion, a gentleman named A. Henry Savage Landor published a book describing his imprisonment and torture at the hands of dastardly Tibetan lamas. You can read the whole thing online, by clicking here.

Although the book has colorfully impressive (or impressively colorful) "documentation" in the form of physician's statements, statements of minor officials, and the like, I have a number of problems with this account.

First and foremost, the author states he was whipped, burned, beaten, and so forth. All of us clearly understand that this is not how lamas torture people.

And just how do lamas torture people, you ask?

Been hit up for "center improvements" lately?

Tibet On Film

From Australia, and the keyboard of Michael Organ, comes this nicely done Tibetan filmography. He has obviously gone to some considerable effort to make his listings as complete as possible, and has managed to include most if not all of the early European material -- Germany's 1921 production Life and Death being the first chronological entry. Well worth a visit.

Daily Tibetan Astrology: September 22, 2009

Chinese 5th, M-T-K 4th. Mouse, Zin, White 8. Get ready. Today is Chinese 5th because the 4th is omitted this year. Today is also the Vernal Equinox, however, tomorrow (the Tibetan 5th) is the equinox according to the Tibetan calendar. Today is good for taking important steps, a good day for sang, and a good day for offering to the protectors. 


Did you know that the Vernal Equinox is the Libra International Holiday? If it isn't, it should be. Unnh... can you move that picture frame just a little bit to the right? Ah, that's better... but, let me get out the tape measure, just to sure.

Today is also one of the best days this year for a wedding. Not up for it yet? How about an engagement?

Published every day at 00:01 香港時間 but written in advance and auto-posted. See our Introduction to Daily Tibetan Astrology for background information. If you know the symbolic animal of your birth year, you can get information about your positive and negative days by clicking here. For specific information about the astrology of 2009, inclusive of elements, earth spirits, and so forth, please consult our extended discussion by clicking here. The Ox Year baden senpo (bad days to raise prayer flags) this year (2009) are: October 1, 2, 13, 28; November 9, 23, 24; December 5, 20, and next year (2010) are: January 1, 12, 16, 28; February 8. Click here for Hong Kong Observatory conversion tables. Daily Tibetan Astrology copyright (c) 2009. All rights reserve

Always Possible

Just an ordinary stroll down an ordinary path this morning, around 8:00 A.M., not a care in the world. Chatting happily with a companion, thinking about the next minute, the day ahead, future plans. Very typical.

Note to self: stay in the moment. Zooming into the approximate optical center of picture one, above, at the fork of the path, you see who is all coiled up and ready for business. If you look carefully, you will also see my bootprint about two inches this side of him.

The only reason I didn't get bit is because he didn't want to.

Well, either that or professional courtesy.

The 1972 Chouinard Catalog

If you take a fundamentally moral man, add Buddhist ethics, and a reverence for nature in all its aspects, you get Yvon Chouinard -- a blacksmith by trade -- who in his youth loved falcons.

Eager to see falcon nests, he learned to climb rocks. Eager to save money, he used his 'smithing skills to make his own equipment. Along the way,  he became one of the most famous mountaineers in the world, founder of the Chouinard Equipment Company, and arguably the father of modern rock climbing as it is understood today. He also managed to found and operate one of the most environmentally conscious companies in the world: upscale recreation clothing manufacturer Patagonia.

But, when all is said and done, perhaps his most notable achievement was the 1972 catalog for his mountaineering equipment company. Yes... an equipment catalog actually changed the face of mountains all over the world.

In 1957, Chouinard began forging hard-steel pitons, which he sold out of the trunk of his car at Yosemite. The improved pitons led to the genesis of big-wall climbing at Yosemite, yet by 1970 Chouinard began to notice that the steel was damaging the rock faces.  Chouinard was an impressively mature adherent to the Buddhist concept "do no harm." Although the sale of these pitons comprised seventy percent of his income, Chouinard pulled them from the market. Instead, he developed hexagonal chockstones and other gear which led to the advent of "clean climbing."

Clean climbing completely revolutionized the sport of climbing all over the world, and saved countless rock routes from serious damage. Had Chouinard not done what he did, most popular rock would look like pincushions by now, with cracks damaged beyond use.

His 1972 catalog set it all in motion -- as one commentator says, it was more a collection of essays than a sales catalog -- and now this historic document has thoughtfully been placed on the web for all to read.

So, why the heck am I sawing away at mountain climbing, and old catalogs on Digital Tibetan Buddhist Altar? Simply because I think it is instructive to begin assessing the impact that Buddhism had on America in the second half of the twentieth century -- most particularly in the 1960s and early 1970s. I am also particularly interested in the impact it had on the modern environmentalism movement.

These sorts of things happened in California all the time in those days, and nobody thought very much about it --- one just tried to do the right thing, following one's ideals, or romantic notions, or both, to wherever they wished to go.

Tarthang Rinpoche used to have a saying that he repeated over and over: "Whatever you wish to do, strongly do."

When I look at Yvon Chouinard, I think of those words.

Daily Tibetan Astrology: September 21, 2009

Chinese 3rd, M-T-K 3rd. Dog, Kham, White 6. Today is a zin phung day, and also Respect for the Aged Day in Japan. One more reason I'm moving to Japan. Dog Monday, eh? Don't get a haircut or wash your hair. Don't make important requests (that was for yesterday, remember?) Avoid office or workplace conflicts. Don't bicker with your spouse or children, and leave the lawyer for later.

Well, what is today good for? Prosperity rituals are particularly favored today. It also doesn't hurt to work in iron today. Hmm... blacksmithing? That gives me an idea.

Published every day at 00:01 香港時間 but written in advance and auto-posted. See our Introduction to Daily Tibetan Astrology for background information. If you know the symbolic animal of your birth year, you can get information about your positive and negative days by clicking here. For specific information about the astrology of 2009, inclusive of elements, earth spirits, and so forth, please consult our extended discussion by clicking here. The Ox Year baden senpo (bad days to raise prayer flags) this year (2009) are: October 1, 2, 13, 28; November 9, 23, 24; December 5, 20, and next year (2010) are: January 1, 12, 16, 28; February 8. Click here for Hong Kong Observatory conversion tables. Daily Tibetan Astrology copyright (c) 2009. All rights reserve

Don Croner Now In E-Book

Don Croner's indispensable Travels In Northern Mongolia is now available in a Kindle edition from Amazon, together with his unique work Guide to Locales Connected With the Life of Zanabazar. If you are not already familiar with his contributions, drop this blog and visit him. You will be very glad you did.

Daily Tibetan Astrology: September 20, 2009

Chinese 2nd, M-T-K 2nd. Bird, Khen, Yellow 5. Today is in every respect ideal for making important requests, or presenting petitions to persons in authority. I cannot see a more perfect day. Pity is, today is Sunday, so persons in authority aren't in the office.

Well, every person in authority doesn't have an office, now do they? And, today's important requests are not strictly limited to persons in authority, now are they? So, today's message is: if you make a request, the answer is likely to be yes.


Published every day at 00:01 香港時間 but written in advance and auto-posted. See our Introduction to Daily Tibetan Astrology for background information. If you know the symbolic animal of your birth year, you can get information about your positive and negative days by clicking here. For specific information about the astrology of 2009, inclusive of elements, earth spirits, and so forth, please consult our extended discussion by clicking here. The Ox Year baden senpo (bad days to raise prayer flags) this year (2009) are: October 1, 2, 13, 28; November 9, 23, 24; December 5, 20, and next year (2010) are: January 1, 12, 16, 28; February 8. Click here for Hong Kong Observatory conversion tables. Daily Tibetan Astrology copyright (c) 2009. All rights reserve

Turn Off the Machine

Every so often, you have to turn off the machine, and for me that usually happens this time of year. I have a long, long list of things to do, not the least of which is ger repair and maintenance, cabin repair and maintenance, and my own repair and maintenance. Then, after everything is repaired and maintained, I have some courtesy visits to make back home in Asia.

So many deserts, so little time.

Busy, busy, busy until the Tibetan New Year rolls around, which happens to be on Valentine's Day 2010. Was sort of planning to treat myself to retreat for 2010 - 2012, so we might have a long absence in the works.

What to do with my giant infant, the Digital Tibetan Altar Blog? The readership right now is simply astonishing -- the largest audience we have ever had, and it keeps growing at a steady rate. If I go walkabout, who will keep the world safe for naljorpas, desert dwellers, and rabbit fanciers?

When I was previously on holiday, my experiments with guest authors didn't seem to work out all that well. Will there will be a black hole in this blog when I am gone? Should I start a blog about not blogging?

What is that word academics like to use? Oh, yes... sabbatical.

While I am on sabbatical, I will still post from time to time, and there is always the trusty auto-post, written today for your viewing pleasure next month. However, if I go on retreat, naljorpas, desert dwellers, and rabbit fanciers will have to fend for themselves. You know, I warned you many times this was coming.

It is like the epitaph on a hypochondriac's tombstone:

"I TOLD YOU I WAS SICK!"

There are something on the order of 1,200 posts on this blog already, so in an emergency you can use the search function or just browse. On the other hand, you could just turn off the machine and go on your own sojourn, or sabbatical, or retreat. Worst comes to worst, you could always stop reading about Buddhism, talking about Buddhism, buying "Buddhist supplies," and thinking about Buddhism, and actually practice, but I realize that is probably asking too much.

Those of you from the sixties remember Abbie Hoffman's Steal This Book.

Well, this is Terrible Tenpa's Turn Off the Machine.

Why, you ask?

Paris Hilton looks for copy of High Desert
at L.A.'s trendy Bodhi Tree Bookstore

I don't know... sometimes it doesn't demand a lot of angst or examination. Sometimes it doesn't need a whole lot of explanation. Sometimes it is sufficient to merely state that this is just the way things are.