Tibetan Buddhism—relevant or a relic?
By Victoria Tustin, June 1, 2007

Tibet, a strangely beautiful and resonant word that conjures images of majestic peaks, prayer flags flapping in the brisk, cold air and an elaborate and colourful branch of Buddhism recently popularised in the West. It is exotic and seems far-removed from contemporary life. Its religious customs are fascinating to be sure, blazing with colour and penetrating chants, alive with a veritable troupe of Buddhas and elaborate visualisations by the hundreds. Rich, elegant, profuse and profound—but, relevant to us? Accesible to us? Those of us who haven’t even heard the mantra “om mani padme hum” let alone know what it means, may think not. 

With a little more investigation, we may come to a different conclusion. We’ll begin with a recap of the current state of humanity. As we well know the scourge of disease, famine, poverty, violence and abuse exists throughout all society. No one is completely exempt. The rich still die of cancer, sexual abuse knows no class barriers and we are all subject to violence, directly or indirectly experienced as fear, mistrust and depression. We may ask, why is this happening? What causes this suffering? Is it outside ourselves? Tibetan Buddhism has a lot to say on this subject and if we relax a little and think it over it really is very relevant and accesible.

Buddhism states that the “eight wordly concerns” and our deep attachment to them are responsible for the discontent, dissatisfaction and fragmentation in the psyche. This leads to fear and grief as the inexorable ebb and flow of life’s events disturb our brief moments of joy or contentment and plunge us once more into a state of emotional instability and confusion. These “eight wordly concerns” are: gain and loss, pleasure and pain, praise and blame, and fame and disgrace. We can all relate. A whole plethora of inner disturbances can result from the attachment we feel to these concerns. Taken to an extreme, this kind of attachment can produce truly horrifying results. 

When we start to be mindful of these attachments and how we are affected by them we are able to observe this state of inner conflict. We are constantly reacting to them—(M)whether with joy, despair or rage. Our moods affect those around us and trigger an equally unstable reaction and so it goes, on and on. 

Buddhism teaches that there exists a state of mind and being which transcends this samsaric wheel and allows us to experience our true nature. This is a state of total peace, transcendant joy and composure in the midst of the storm which rages around us. By cultivating this state of being using the tools of Dharma, which include mindfulness practice, meditation and compassionate action, we transform ourselves in to a positive source of love and inspiration for others—a refuge from the vicissitudes of daily life. Just as the Dalai Lama headed the initiative (in 1989) to set up “Zones of Peace” in various locations across the globe so must we make of our own psyche a zone of peace. Peace is not the sole responsibility of faceless politicians and buearocrats or even global leaders. Peace is something we can and should all work for first and foremost within ourselves. Thus may this inner state radiate out from us and into the world to bring transformation and positive evolution for all humanity. 

A group of Tibetan monks from the Gashar Tawon Khangsten Monastic University will be in San Miguel from 15th to 24th June. They will be leading an ecumenical ceremony for the purification of the environment and to bring peace and freedom from suffering for all beings on Sunday 17th June at 10 a.m. at Charco del Ingenio botanical gardens which in 2005 was declared a Zone of Peace by the Dalai Lama’s intiative. Entrance is free - please come dressed in white if possible and bring water and a hat. There will also be a free talk on Inner and world peace by the monks on Friday 15th June at 7 p.m. at El Sindicato the community center on recreo. For more information on the monks tour and the activities they will be offering including Tibetan astrology, Tibetan medicine, house and business blessings, pujas and initiations and sacred dance please call Alicia Mayo at 152 0376 or Victoria at 152-7854.







Letters, June 1, 2007

Editor,

Speaking for Amigos de Animales, an association dedicated to the well-being of animals, we are especially pleased with the decision of Mayor Correa to cancel the running of the bulls during his term.

We hope this will set a precedent for future governments in order to end the suffering of animals and the injuring of people.

Cathy Eignus

Dear Editor,

It was with exhilaration that I heard the decision Mayor Correa announced, that during his administration there would be no Sanmiguelada. This is truly a victory for San Miguel. In the six years I’ve lived here, I have seen this event go from questionable chaos involving multiple injuries and even fatalities to the complete degradation of the city of San Miguel, its streets, restaurants, parks and historic presence. The first year I watched close up the bulls running. I captured on camera the unmistakable and shocking experience that if several hapless bulls are unloaded onto prescribed streets of the city, they can be run half to their death with countless youth goading them, wrenching their tails til sometimes they break off, punching, grabbing, hitting, pulling. As the minutes passed, I saw the animals, (a dozen of them?) increasingly exhausted, tongues hanging out for lack of water and endless prodding, finally go down on their haunches, no longer able to resist the thousands of young men swarming at them 
like ants. I started applauding every injury inflicted by the bulls. I did not return another year to see this spectacle.

There is such a thing as animal rights. We are creating it inch by inch, day by day, animal by animal, family by family. San Miguel is a conscious city—alive, alert, evolving. We cannot tolerate the degradation of animals in this city. We are better than that. While I am sure the motivation for cancelling the Sanmiguelada reaches far beyond consideration for the animals, it also includes the end of such abuse of these bulls. I speak for all of us associated with the Sociedad Protectora de Animales in applauding Mayor Correa and his administration for this important and timely decision.

Natalie Chilton Hardy
Director General
Sociedad Protectora de Animales, SMA





Editor,

This is just one small story, one of so many such stories that make it appear we’re quite willing to accept things as they are. But if you start to think that we live in a Third World country with 40 million living in poverty, you can come to one of two conclusions: either something is wrong at the most fundamental level or some people are abusing their positions.

A small dinner for a group of politicians was given in Mexico City. There were just 10 of them and it was a mere four-hour affair. Wonderful—sharing a meal is one of life’s greatest pleasures. People relax, their spirits rise and one would think, if this sort of gathering is made up of politicians, so much the better. In this congenial atmosphere they are sure to develop great plans and arrive at sound decisions all for the benefit of their community, their constituents. After all, these are politicians, not mere mortals like you or me who at times invite them to share a meal at our homes in order to demonstrate our faith and confidence in them.

These ten important persons gathered in a home in Polanco but the meal was catered by a nearby hotel; there being no room for error in serving this illustrious group in which rests the future and security of our country. What concerns me is that these politicians paid a bill of 70,000 pesos. Yes, you read that correctly, seventy thousand pesos. That makes it 7,000 pesos per person, an hourly wage of 1,700 pesos for each hour of this four-hour meal.

Considering salary levels in Mexico, not to mention the minimum wage which is nothing but a joke, it would take a professor nine months to earn that amount, a day laborer making 1,200 pesos a week won’t see that in a year. Policemen, who risk their lives daily for our safety, will work for ten months to earn that much.

What I want to know is what in hell did these shameless jokers eat and drink? Because good food or bad, it all ended up going down the drain.

Ten people who took an oath to serve us, to serve their country, with one stroke of the pen, for one meal, spent an amount that could feed 2,000 people—a comida corrida runs about 35 pesos after all.

If our politicians are sybarites, so much the better for them. I enjoy hearing of those who enjoy life. If someone lights his havana with a 1,000 peso bill, that’s his business—as long as he’s doing it with his own money. Public money isn’t to be toyed with, it is not to be misspent, not to be wasted..

I certainly wouldn’t want this to sound like sour grapes because I wasn’t invited to the party, I haven’t mentioned any names, any political parties. I accept that I even voted for one of those present. What concerns me is that the poor of this country, the multitudes, continue to pay for decadent lifestyles of elected officials.

I propose, in all seriousness, that our senators and representatives be stipulated a meal allowance. This seemingly small change won’t immediately launch us into the First World but it will give us a measure of certainty that our public money isn’t being used for personal gain.

I invite you to contact me to discuss this and other problems. Let’s look for solutions together. 

Juan Villaseñor