From Prayer Flags to Barbed Wire: a Week in Dharamsala

     While still in the US, Kevin clued me into the Dalai Lama's public event schedule.  I am not a practicing Buddhist nor do I fully understand the dharma of the Buddha, but I have a great reverence for the 14th Dalai Lama, his resilience and wisdom.  So when he announced a public teaching in October, I decided to go.  It would be my first trip outside of Delhi and a welcome change of pace.

    In 2014, I first became exposed to Buddhism and the plight of the Tibetan people while trekking in Nepal.  Growing up I had seen the "Free Tibet" bumper stickers and flags, not knowing the relevance it had in our global politics or culture.  Until this week I had no knowledge of the continued struggles of Tibetan refugees and the current levels of oppression in Lhasa.  It's easy for me, as a westerner, to isolate foreign conflict into a box that doesn't "involve" me, however as His Holiness reminded us today, there is no individual or intrinsic existence.  My time as an educator and being in India has taught me that the first step to connection is understanding. 

Tibetan Schools in India

Prior to attending a public teaching, visitors must register with the Dalai Lama security office.  I expected this to be much more involved than it was, so I arrived in Mcleodganj five days before the event began.  This is where the Dalai Lama and fellow Tibetan exiles settled in 1959 after India's Prime Minister Nehru granted him asylum and land to settle.  Although the city is guarded by the Indian military, it is considered an autonomous region with the Central Tibetan Administration governing over education, health, judicial and other societal departments. From the many momo stands to the handicrafts, Tibetan schools and the extensive libraries, the Tibetan people are dedicated to the preservation of their history, language, culture and religion.  

Children's artwork depicting their escape from Tibet.

    The new Tibet Museum  opened in February 2022 and provides visitors with an understanding of the spiritual history, contemporary culture and continued resistance to the Chinese revolution.  Prior to visiting, I was unaware of the uprisings in the 1980s and continued protests through 2012.  I was also ignorant to hundreds of the self-immolations of monks and nuns in occupied Tibet since the mid-2000s.  It's easy to forget (or possibly ignore) the tragedy that the people of so many Himalayan Buddhist villages face to preserve their identities and families, against a backdrop of mountains and forests.  Although the number of Tibetan refugees in India is declining, Tibetans continue to brave the harsh mountains to escape to freer lands.  

    As the days of the public teaching grew closer, the streets and cafes of Mcleodganj grew busier.  The teachings were at the request of the Taiwanese, so several tour groups of Taiwanese visitors with matching hats filled into the hotel restaurants.  I wondered what they thought knowing the history of Chinese occupancy and political chatter about their own autonomy.  The shop owners filled their shelves with cushions and FM radios - both essentials for sitting on the temple floor and listening to a translation of the teaching.  

The entrance to one of the temple rooms

The alter where H.H. sits.

    On the first morning of the teaching, we arrived at the temple around 8 AM and followed the "foreigners" sign.  After showing our registration we walked through a metal detector, were patted down and our bags searched.  No phones allowed.  We joined the rest of the crowd on the lower temple floor and assumed everyone was looking toward the gate because His Holiness would be arriving soon.  Indeed it was the case.  As soon as the iron gate opened, monks and nuns began chanting and everyone bowed with hands in a prayer position.  It felt instinctual in a the presence of such spiritual greatness.  As he greeted and blessed those in front, an elder nun was assisted toward him.  She was likely over 100 years old.  He placed his hand on her head and blessed her in an exchange that was not rushed, and sincere.  It was impossible to hold back tears in that moment. He slowly made his way through the temple to the top level where he sat for the teaching.  It was broadcast over a PA system and a large screen projected him for us not in the same room.  We sat amongst monks, nuns, Tibetan men and women, Sikh and Hindu followers, Jews and other western visitors - both believers and non believers alike.  I've attended several different religious ceremonies and events throughout my life, and this was the most welcoming and accepting of all.  He taught for about two hours and during that time snacks and tea were passed out to the nearly 1000 attendees, and the monks and nuns received Rs100.  At the end of session he walked to a car waiting for him close to the entrance, waving and smiling toward the crowd.  

    Although his teaching was translated over the radio, my free Delta earphones made it difficult to hear the English version over the Tibetan PA broadcast. However, I was able to pick up the central message from each day, or at least the parts I most needed to hear.

• Our physical bodies rely on peace-of-mind.
• Peace-of-mind comes when we have compassion for others.
• Peace within the world comes from peace-of-mind.
  
• Everyone is trying to figure out the meaning of existence and deserves compassion.
  
• Nothing exists as a stand alone entity - there is no independence, we are all dependent from birth.
• Happiness does not exist in isolation.

As someone who fiercely holds onto her independence and who can carry a grudge, this resonated deeply.

The second of the three days was the same ceremonial ritual and brought a similar crowd.  However there seemed to be an increased presence of armed guards and military police.  After the teaching, we decided to walk the kora path around the monastery.  It began with prayer flags and prayer wheels lining the edge of the walkway.  Occasionally a stupa or Buddha figure would appear, and of course dogs and monkeys.  It was peaceful and beautiful.  I always pray when I spin the wheels and and think about how fortunate I am to be where I am.  

We continued down the path to the residence area and to the martyr memorial of the 2012 self-immolation victims.  The path began climbing up a hill and at the top we were met by a wall.  The prayer flags were replaced with a double line of barbed wire and "no trespassing" signs.  This was the outer edge to the Dalai Lama's office and residence.  A sobering reminder that peace requires protection.

Defense wall protecting the
H.H. residence.

On the kora path