Ordination Ceremony

The snow-capped mountain peaks appeared now and then amidst the trees as I was escorted up the hill.  The Dalai Lama’s private temple suddenly materialized beyond a garden path.  Although only a few minutes walk from the bustling town of Dharamsala, the temple setting was so quiet only the chirping of birds disrupted the stillness.  The private temple is not large.  The 60 monk and nun candidates, mainly youngsters from the Himalayan regions, five westerner novices and attendant monks nearly filled the room.  When the Dalai Lama entered, he first paid respects to a large painting of the Buddha above his throne, which is essentially a platform with a cushion.  Before commencing the elaborate ordination ceremony, he walked over and greeted the novices personally. 

Towards the end of the ceremony, small groups of novices approached the Dalai Lama who sat cross-legged on his throne.  He explained the significance of the Buddhist symbols—the robe, the sieve and the alms bowl—to the novices. I was taking photographs from the back of the temple, trying not to intrude, when unexpectedly, pointing at a spot next to him, the Dalai Lama said, “You can stand next to me and photograph from here!”  When I approached, I was moved to see the novices with their awestruck, glowing faces close to the Dalai Lama.  

The interpreter later told me that it was unprecedented for anyone to be allowed on the platform, especially to stand next to his throne.  Only the Dalai Lama is allowed to break protocol.  How did he know I wanted to take that particular shot?  It is common knowledge the Dalai Lama has loved watches and all things mechanical from a young age.  Less commonly known is the fact that he liked to photograph and would print his own work.  So, he was directing me!

Authentic Leader

During the New Year celebration so many people visited Dharamsala wanting to meet the Dalai Lama that he invited all international visitors to an impromptu gathering.  Over 500 people from 40 countries showed up.  Instead of sitting inside his temple, he sat on a chair placed on the steps of the courtyard facing the visitors who sat on the courtyard floor.  He first greeted the people with thanks for making the effort to come and visit him.  He then spoke of some of his favorite themes: compassion - the ultimate source of a happy life is warmheartedness; interdependence – our interests and others’ interests are very much interconnected – we are all part of the seven billion human beings and our survival totally depends on others’ care;  altruism – if you think only of yourself, even a tiny problem appears unbearable.  If you think more about others’ wellbeing, your mind opens wider and your own problem appear insignificant.  This was followed by a question and answer session.  Even in this informal setting, he listens carefully to the questions and responds to them earnestly.  If the questions raised points, he perhaps hasn’t previously considered, he would contemplate a bit longer.  He was clearly enjoying exchanging ideas with people from many nations and of all ages and learning something new.  

 As the above example illustrates, access to the Dalai Lama is surprisingly relatively easy, unlike situations surrounding other heads of state and religions. That’s why so many people travel to visit him. Clearly, he gets energized by greeting and meeting unexpected visitors. He is accessible and authentic: simply stated, what you see is what you get.  He has nothing to hide and his only agenda is to promote the development of the human potential. 

Demons with Horns

I often noticed that the Dalai Lama learns from his experiences.  While narrating past events, he always explains what he learned and how he uses this understanding in his life and practice.  For example, he told me of an incident in his youth. 

This is a strange story.  On July 16, 1951, General Zhang Jinwu, who was appointed as the Chinese representative in Lhasa, came to the monastery where I was staying.  Before the General entered my room, my brother, Lobsang Samten, peeked at him and came running to me.  He exclaimed, “the Chinese Communist is also a human being!”  You see, we had the impression the communists were demons with horns.

The Dalai Lama laughed as he continued: “When I saw that General Zhang turned out to be an ordinary human being like myself, it had a lasting impact on me.  From then on, I vowed to investigate before making uninformed judgments!”

Buddha taught the path to awakening but expected people to deepen their faith through study, investigation and analysis.  The Dalai Lama has learned that Buddhist teachings are applicable to even the lives of those who aren’t Buddhists.   

Meditation

In the three weeks I spent in Dharamsala, I photographed the Dalai Lama numerous times.  During that time, he kept an incredibly busy schedule.  He taught, attended his Long Life Prayer, performed ordinations, hosted a Mind & Life Dialogue and consulted the State Oracles, to name a few responsibilities.  If he spotted me in a crowd, he would smile, or if I were nearby, he asked me for my impressions.  On one such encounter, he extended to me an invitation to photograph him at home while meditating.

Many of his attendants had become quite friendly toward me, although from the perturbed manner by which one attendant greeted me as I was escorted to his meditation room, I had the impression this was a seldom-granted privilege.  The attendant placed a chair for me far from where the Dalai Lama was already seated and meditating.  The Secretary who had escorted me inched the chair a bit closer and told me not to disturb the Dalai Lama.  It was dark, so I set up my tripod.   

The Dalai Lama must have been amused with the commotion.  He called me and said, “First come here and we say good morning.“  Then he said, “I see you need light” and then switched on the light.   He held up one mala, a strand of 108 prayer beads, and told me he had escaped with this.  He then picked up a second mala and said, “This one is for you.”   I felt my heart skip and uttered a gasp.  He had already presented me with a bronze Buddha and a Dharma Wheel.  I felt overwhelmed.  The Dalai Lama gave a small chuckle.  Then he said, “You don’t need to sit there.  You can come as close to me as you want.”  Within seconds, he was absorbed in deep meditation.   

As I looked through the camera’s viewfinder one foot away from the Dalai Lama, he expression changed from quiet serenity to focused concentration while a simple grace illuminated him.  It was a rare privilege to witness this meditation.  More than ever, I wanted to share my experiences with others.  It is my hope that through these photographs and stories, people will gain greater insight into the rich Tibetan culture and its value to the world.

An Ancient Ceremony

Seeing the Dalai Lama on his throne, wearing the ceremonial yellow hat of the Gelug school, gave me a slight glimpse of how he might have appeared in Lhasa. Cabinet members sat on cushions on carpets to his left and monks from Namgyal Monastery stood at the back of the temple, chanting prayers to the sound of drums, horns and cymbals.  The scent and smoke of incense filled the room.  Suddenly the Medium entered with his attendants.  He was elaborately attired in layers of golden brocade with red, blue, green, white and yellow patterns.  He walked to his stool, which was placed in the center of the temple room facing the Dalai Lama.  His attendants tightly belted an elaborate apron with colorful tassels, supporting flags and banners around his waist. They then placed a large polished steel mirror, enclosed with semi-precious stones, around his neck.  The monks chanted throughout, invoking the Nechung Oracle to enter the medium.  It took over twenty minutes for the medium to fully enter into a trance and for the oracle to enter the medium.  At that point a towering ornate headdress was placed on his head.  His face had turned red and his eyes seemed focused on something distant. 

Hissing, the oracle leapt to his feet and postured with slow commanding steps, brandishing swords in both hands.  Hardly able to contain his fierce energy, he moved towards the Dalai Lama, took a deep bow and made ritual offerings before getting even closer to him.  They bent their heads together, the former asking questions while the latter responded.  Finally, the Oracle stomped back to his stool. Cabinet members lined up, each posing questions to the Oracle. Before responding he jolted up, postured again, all the time hissing.  At times the Nechung Oracle seemed to scold. At other times he seemed to instruct.  A scribe furiously jotted his responses for interpretation later on. As soon as the Oracle finished, he collapsed rigidly. The headdress, which weighed around thirty pounds, was quickly removed and he was carried out to the adjacent room to recover. 

Inside a Nomad's Tent

I was invited to stay with a nomad family.  What a comfortable and large tent it was.  The canvas was woven from yak hair and the ground was covered with canvas and well-worn woolen Tibetan carpets the size of a single bed.  I  instinctively took off my hiking boots before I  entered.  Tenzin Sangmo, a young woman in her early twenties, poured me butter-tea.  Fortunately, the milk was from goats and not yak, which would have been much stronger.  She then proceeded to knead dough, which she covered and placed aside.  There were two stoves, one in the middle of the tent with a chimney thrust out to an opening in the center of the tent and a second, smaller one, placed near the entrance. She then washed the rice, and placed the pot on the larger stove, washed the lentils, placed it on the smaller stove, and tipped the water into a bowl outside the tent.  When the dough had doubled in size, she rolled the dough into a long snake-shape, cut it into one inch pieces, then rolled them into small buns.  The buns were placed in a steamer on top of the pot holding the rice.  She then peeled and chopped potatoes and dropped them in a covered pan.  Another pot contained lentils.  Now and then she threw a handful of dried goat dung into the fire.  It was surprisingly odorless.  

I was so absorbed with the rhythmic ease in which Tenzin Sangmo prepared the meal, I didn’t look around the tent until she finished.  There were half a dozen rolled up blankets along the side of the tent.  At the back, facing the entrance was an altar with seven silver bowls, an incense holder, and a status of Buddha. On a low table, there was a radio, nail polish and make up.  I was puzzled why a nomadic woman would use makeup, but before I could ask her, a cacophony of yells, whistles, bleating and crying in shot gun cadence pierced the quiet. I pulled on my hiking boots and dashed outside. Hundreds of cashmere goats, with their long white fur glistening in the evening sun, encircled the tent. 

Love and Compassion are Necessities

On the surface, the Dalai Lama may appear as a leader of a celebrity cult. He certainly has the charisma, and his laughter transcends culture.  The Dalai Lama is not the head of Tibetan Buddhism. Unlike the Catholic Pope, he has no power in any of the monasteries. The four main schools of Tibetan Buddhist tradition operate independently.  Even so, the Dalai Lama has helped reestablish key monasteries in India and has modernized Tibetan Buddhism so it is more relevant in today’s world. He was able to do this through his formidable communications skills to inspire and motivate.

The Dalai Lama is not interested in gaining students, nor is he interested in proselytizing Tibetan Buddhism.  In fact, whenever he teaches where the majority of students are not Buddhists, he tells them that it is best if they keep their original religion. What he is interested in is to share what Tibetans have to offer to the world. Tibetan culture is interwoven with Tibetan Buddhism, but one doesn’t need to be a Tibetan Buddhist to develop mental calmness - which leads to love and compassion.  Love and compassion are necessities, not luxuries  Without them, humanity cannot survive.  These values are of great importance.

The Great teacher and example

The Dalai Lama is a charismatic person who puts everyone he meets at ease

Over the course of my travels, I have seen how the Dalai Lama’s vision has transformed every aspect of Tibetan society - from local government, education, monastic practices to the study and practice of Tibetan Buddhism by lay people. Tibetan traditions now accommodate the modern world, thus keeping Tibetan culture alive. It was therefore especially significant to meet with HHDL to see in person, how he transformed traditions to accommodate the modern world.

During my private audience, he looked at the photographs I had taken in the Tibetan settlements and often pointed to people he recognized or inquired where the photos were taken.  He smiled at the photo of a nomad baby wrapped in yak wool.  A woman embroidering elaborate Buddhist deities on a bright red costume captivated him.  From his joy in seeing the photographs, I realized he rarely sees his people going about their daily lives.

The Dalai Lama is a charismatic person who puts everyone he meets at ease. He frequently avoids protocol to get closer to people. More than once, I’ve seen him disregard the security guards to accept treats directly from people. I frequently saw how people defer to him; however, he knows how to affirm, empower them and put them at ease. His kindness is evident in the way he listens with his whole heart and mind. Above all, I saw the humanity of the Dalai Lama. The actions that make him human, rather than a deity - walking, talking and laughing - are ever present and often made me forget that he is the Dalai Lama. He is not an exceptional being or a God, which many Tibetans believe him to be, but a great example of what a human being can be.