The Dalai Lama demonstrates how the world’s 6 billion nonmuslims can treat the world’s 1 1/2 billion muslims. In the above video the Dalai Lama hosts Kashmiri Ladhak muslims. The Dalai Lama emphasizes the ancient close ties between Tibetan and Kashmiri Muslims, Buddhists and Hindus. Including how Tibetan and Kashmiri Buddhists and Hindus have built mosques for muslims for centuries.
The Dalai Lama said that for too long Tibetan, Kashmiri and Indian muslims have been silent. Now they must speak out and inspire the rest of the muslim world to follow their impressive example. Tibetan, Kashmiri and Indian muslims have been less affected by the Islamic civil war than the rest of the muslim world. Sunnis, Shia and other sects of Islam get along reasonably well in Tibet, Kashmir and India. Tibetan, Kashmiri and Indian muslims also need to share their perspectives with the rest of the muslim world about harmony between muslims and nonmuslims.
The Dalai Lama is completely correct in this. Dharmic muslims (muslims of Tibet, Kashmir, India, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, Thailand, Malaysia, Indonesia) are a precious treasure and remarkable by global standards. The Dharmic peoples need to protect their muslims from Islamist extremists and encourage Dharmic muslims (Tibetan, Kashmiri, Indian muslims, Bharatiya muslims, Hindu muslims) to engage in dialogue with the rest of the muslim world.
As an aside, there are many close ties between Sufis, Hindus and Buddhists that the Dalai Lama alludes to (Dalai Lama uses the word “muslim” instead of “Sufi”). One of these ties is the connection between Mahayana Vajrayana Tibetan Buddhism, Trika Kashmiri Shaivism and Sufism. One of the mothers of modern Trika Kashmiri Shaivism is Lal Ded or Lalleshwari (perhaps 1320-1392). {Of course Trika is far older} Almost all Kashmiri Shaivites revere Lal Ded and her many amazing musical and poetic compositions. One of her main disciples was the great Sufi master Nund Rishi–patron saint of Kashmir. Nund Rishi remains incredibly revered and influential among Kashmiri muslims and the Rishi order of saints he founded. He is also deeply respected by Indian Sufis more generally, including in Ajmer India.
Most Sanathana Dharmic Uttara Mimaamsa orders emphasize 25 tattvas or subtle sub-elements or qualities that can be identified in meditation. But there is an infinity beyond them. Mahayana Buddhists break this down into many Swargas (often translated as heaven; perhaps these are levels of Samadhi). So do the Trika. The Trika combine Samkhya (one of the ten Darshanas) with Yoga (one of the ten Darshanas) with Purna Mimaamsa with Uttara Mimaamsa. Trika uses 36 tattvas–defining Tattvas closer to how the Samkhyas do. Of these 24 are Samkhya standard and unreal. {Note that Chitta is called Pritvi in Trika.} 7 are partly real and partly unreal. 5 come closer to the truth. In this Trika describes the Alokic or transcendental realms of consciousness in some detail, similar to how lord Buddha did. Note that Sufi Muraqabah descriptions are very similar to this. The wikipedia article is remarkably good and similar to many Sufi books I have perused. Many parts of the Muraqabah are almost identical to several
The Dalai Lama is asked about the Rohingya and expresses great sadness. He is sad that major global publications headline Buddhist monks with the title “terrorist.” The Dalai Lama alluded to the immense complexity and nuance required to deal with Rohingya. The Dalai Lama smiled and laughed sweetly while saying that others call him terrorist too. {I was impressed by how the Dalai Lama reacts to being called a terrorist. This is the Sanathana Dharma way. Loving and respecting our enemies and bad people with all our hearts, all our souls, all our minds and all our might. This includes loving and respecting those who are “white supremacist”, “Nazi”, “racist”, “bigoted”, “hegemonic”, “imperialist”, “colonialist”, “exploitative”, “oppressive” towards us. Or people who accuse us of these things and other permutations of being evil. }
The Dalai Lama counsels compassion or love. If not this then being “wise selfish” rather than “foolish selfish”. We are connected to others; benefit from their success and suffer from their harm. When we don’t treat others well we don’t
As an aside the Dalai Lama is asked 1 hour, 50 seconds in about the true state of Nirvana. The Dalai Lama tried to describe it with words, which is very difficult. My paraphrase would that a pure mind without any ignorance can see reality clearly through practice {Sadhana in Sanskrit}. Mere understanding is not sufficient. He said that ancient Indian and Buddhist literature describe learning Nirvana in three levels:
- Through hearing or reading {in sanskrit this is called Apta Shabda Pramana or Shastra Shabda Pramana}
- You yourself think deeply and understand through reasoning which gradually brings deeper experience and constant “think” {I would translate this as deep contemplation or Dhyaana or what Patanjali would call “Savitarka Samprajnata Samaapatti Samadhi” . . . it has specific names in Muraqabah texts as well. I would say a cross between Idraak and Waruud. Or similar to Kashf or Ihaam}
- Deep experience. This really affects our emotion. {I would say that this is transcending all 31 Swargas or levels of awareness. The Muraqabah equivalents might be Fanāʾ Fī ʾilāh, Safr-e-Nuzooli and Baqa billah and nafs al-mutma’inna}
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PS. Previous Brown Pundit articles on this subject are:
