Last Sunday, I attended a ‘debate’ between a Western philosopher and Christian minister entitled “Does God Exist? A Debate” held at the Salt Lake Downtown Library.

I was amazed at the attendance. The turnout for a Sunday afternoon event in Downtown SLC was rather impressive. There were die-hard atheist. There were christians. there were Mormons (mind you I am not trying to separate members of Church of Latter Day Saints from Christians but here in SL we do see a separation of the members so I mention them separately).

the Debate was a “debate.” I am not sure that this is my choice of dialogue to work through a matter. My problem with the set up is likely a personal one. I attended in order to listen to and understand the alternative points of View to better understand each side’s View. Unfortunately, I think that the set up of a debate is arranged for each side to compete to Win. This does not allow each side to best explain their View. It is set up to best try to win.

Despite the flaws in the arrangement (at least from my perspective). I did enjoy and learn from the presentation.

Towards the end of the debate, there was an opportunity to ask questions from the audience. Mind you, most of the members of the audience who asked questions were more interested in telling the panel their opinion. Their questions were mostly secondary to expounding their opinion.

The second to the last question was probably the best question. “ Which one of you is likely to give in to the others side in the end?”

The Christian minister “ I cannot ever stop my faith. I pray that my friend on the other side comes to know God.” There is no changing him here.

The philosopher “I know that reason is on my side. I will never believe and think that my colleague will someday realize that his belief is not true.” Again, there is not breaking here, as well.

I think that this summarized the entire debate. Either one believes or one does not believe.

So I asked the last question of the afternoon. My question had two parts.

“Let us assume that God does not exist. Is there anything wrong about a community or society constructing such a God for the purpose of providing guidance to it members.”

Part two, “Let us assume that God does exist. Is there anything wrong with someone living a moral and ethical life without believing and worshiping him?”

First the philosopher answered saying that he found nothing inherently bad about creating a God for a good cause. In fact, in his opinion, that is exactly what societies’ throughout the world have in fact done. He did not respond to the second part of the question.

The Christian minister responded saying that making up a God would be very dangerous because they would be living a lie. As far as not believing in God where God exists, it is one one of the God’s primary demands that we worship and honor him. This would be a big problem.

My View: If God exists, he or she does not need my worship. Being all powerful and all knowing, God would not ‘need’ anything from me. If God does does not exist, then creating God for the purpose of providing a tool for people to live their lives would not seem to be inherently bad. It is only when different beliefs conflict and fight as to who is right that the problems would surface.

I just received the letter from Lama Osel in Brazil. He asked me to please post this important message from Chatral Rinpoche to students of Buddhism as well as teachers and organizers of centers. This was also published in the Taiwanese newspaper “China Times,” on Sunday April 22, 2007 on page A1.

It appears that there are many abusing their alleged connection to Chatral Rinpoche in order to attract power, money, and influence. They are claiming to have a “special connection” which they then misuse and abuse. (I am not surprised!) This letter was written and published in Taiwan, for primarily the Taiwanese community. However, I find it appropriate for this Declaration to the West as well. Second, while Chatral Rinpoche has not spoken of those abusing and misusing the names of other great masters, the Declaration can be applied to them as well.

The letter is attached as it was translated into English. For the benefit of anyone who wants to read, I have rewritten (with minor corrections in the translation) below for easy reading:

Declaration

a) I wish to say a few important guidelines with regard to misuse of my humble name by different Buddhist monks, yogis, and lamas – those who are either visiting Taiwan or [have] settled down in southeast Asia in different countries despite of my repeated appeal to everyone. It is a matter of big surprise for me that several Buddhist Lamas whom I have never even met in my lifetime nor never given them any teachings, are also using my humble name continuously for their personal monetary benefit which is an extreme matter of shame and a big fraud. Wearing monk’s robes, cheating, and misleading lay people are a serious crime and breaks all Buddha’s principal Vows. [You are] sowing serious [negative] Karma for yourself and at the same time ruining Buddhism. I feel sorry for such gross negative activities by [these] Buddhist lamas, khenpos, yogis, and monks residing abroad. I strongly object to those who are using my name directly or indirectly by any means.

My constant guidelines and advice to all persons [whether he is a] reincarnated lama, yogi, khenpo or ordinary monk, with whom I happen to meet from day to day, are always same and are [stated] below:

1. If you are a serious Buddhist student and Dzogpa Chenpo (Dzogchen) practicitioners, one should spend your life in retreat with minimum comfort and giving up all luxuries of attachment.
2. Do not waste your time in touring all foreign countries including Taiwan – [this] is fruitless.
3. Do not beg for donations [using] different excuses such as construction of a big monastery, stupa, zangdokpalri, or bumtsog; big offerings; or setting up a new Buddhist center.
4. Do not sell out Dzogpz Chenpo under different pretext for your own personal benefit.
5. Always be humble and do not try to expose yourself in front of others even though you may have [some] knowledge [of] Buddhism.
6. Do not cheat others in the name of Dzogchpa Chenpo by giving initiations or teachings which you have never received from a legitimate high lama or Guru and [have] not done practice by yourself.
7. Finally, I myself never have [even the]slightest desire to visit any foreign country nor have I any specific reason [to do so].

b. In the past, I have experienced several occasions, that despite my unwillingness and objection, reincarnate lamas, yogis, khenpos and monks who have come to see me are taking photographs with me by force under different pretexts. Due to electronic supremacy, people are coming with different types of electronic equipment so as to record my voice or photograph me, which are not easy to detect by people of my age.

c. Hence, I [hereby] notify all the Buddhist followers all over the world, do not, I repeat, do not believe the person who is possessing such photographs or are making false claims that he or she is my student in the past or present. Please do not believe [them] on just showing a photograph, video, [or others items with me]. Therefore, I, the undersigned with full consent, reject such types of false claims made by different Buddhist centers, monasteries, institutes, reincarnate lamas, khenpos, yogis, and ordinary monks henceforth.

In conclusion, once again, I sincerely appeal to all Buddhist followers all over the world and Buddhist Centers including the people who are taking interest in Buddhism religion; kindly take note of my above cited humble declaration and suggestions. After seeing this article in newspapers, I hope [that] everyone would clearly understand me and my personal opinion hereafter.

Dated April 19, 2007

Thanking you,

Declaration by Chatral Sangay Dorje

We are constantly faced with false teachers and false practicitioners here and throughout the world. You have a teacher? Check his authority and lineage closely. there are many fakes out there. It seems that we in the United States are willing to follow just about anyone if we like what they are saying - as if this means what they are saying must be true. It also plays well with the all too many self-help experts who make up all kind of stuff and then find amny who openly follow them. It is almost like, if you make it up and it sounds good, you can sell it! I guess those who follow get what they deserve.

I take Chatral Rinpoche’s advice to heart and remind myself to focus on my daily practice with no expectation of fame, fortune, praise, or recognition.

Many Dharma Blessings,

Geoff

Anyone who has read the news or check international activities on the web has surely become aware of the amazing peaceful protest taking place in Myanmar (Burma) over the last week. See for example Herald Tribune (http://www.iht.com/articles/2007/09/24/news/myanmar.php) or
Guardian (http://www.guardian.co.uk/burma/story/0,,2176613,00.html).

I pray for the safety of all the people of this country and for the removal of this despicable military government. It has taken the efforts of tens of thousands of Buddhist monks peacefully protesting to raise the attention of the world to this country’s terrible regime.

Of interesting note is the acts of the Buddhist monks leading the protest with no more than begging bowls in hand and chants of love and compassion in their hearts. Even the military can be brought down with love and compassion outpouring from such thousands.

I read one article likening their methods to Matin Luther King and Mahatma Ghandhi. Actually, world press, this is Buddhist practices in action. We as Buddhist learn that we should stand up against injustice but should refrain from harming another person in doing so.

May the ways of peaceful and nonviolent resistance prevail.

Please say prayers of support and protection to these peaceful warriors.

(there is an interesting sideline to this matter related to China and its support (again) of a despicable regime….but you can look up that matter for yourself if you chose.)

Many Dharma Blessings,

Geoff

As I mentioned in my previous posting, last month was wonderful with having great teachers staying with me. It is what they do and how they act that is the greatest teaching for me.

Lama Osel would get up every morning and practice for hours before doing anything else for the day. While I never asked him this, I get the feeling that once the daily practice is complete for the day, whatever else happens that day is just “extra.”

What do I mean by this “extra?” Our practice and meditation is what provides the fuel for not only this day but also our future (including future lives but we won’t get into this here). Fully fueled up every morning gives us the opportunity to the most good for that day and plants the seeds for even greater things in the future.

One morning, after we had both completed our practices, we were sitting there just talking. As I look around to the representations and photographs of great teachers in my meditation room, I realized that every one of these masters had been GREAT PRACTICITIONERS. No matter what ever they had done in their lives, their example as practicitioners always stood out.

This was the common thread passing through each and every one of them. Biographies of these teachers always recount the importance of their time in practice – every single day.
First and foremost, each one was a practicitioner who put their practices first!

While I have always tried to practice every day, I do not feel that I put the emphasis on its daily importance. As the result of Lama Osel’s example and the realization that great masters are always daily practicitioners first, I have adjust each day to put my practice as the only Must Do Today item. I promise to never miss a day of practice. Nothing else could ever be as important.

Many Dharma Blessings,

Geoff

This last month was one of those great times where I had the opportunity to spend time with great Tibetan Buddhist teachers. Khenpo Choga Rinpoche (Dzogchen Monastery) spent a week here and Lama Osel (Shechen Monastery) had stayed the previous two weeks here. I feel completely blessed and fortunate. I feel that no matter how long I study and train in Buddhism, I will never reach a tenth of their wisdom and depth of their practice….however, I will keep trying.

Khenpo Choga Rinpoche posed a very interesting question while he was here. He asked “What are the major obstacles and misunderstanding of Buddhism here in the West?” I started to write down them and share them with him. However, I thought it might be helpful to put them down here. If there is anyone out there who would like to add to this list please write.

While I definitely know very little about the wisdom and essence of Buddhism, I feel somewhat comfortable with responding to all of the following items. I would like to keep this writing short so I am not going to go into detail explanations here. Maybe in the future, I will.

First, here is my list of objections/problems I hear from Westerners:

- No God
- It’s a foreign religion (Asian and Indian based)
- Its confusing
- Bad examples: False teachers and false practicitioners

Second, here is my list of matters related to Buddhism which are misunderstood in the West:

- No self: you are saying that I do not exist?
- Rebirth/reincarnation and past lives
- Nonattachment (really misunderstood even by lots of Western Buddhist!)
- Loving All beings
- Deities within Tibetan Buddhism
- Prostrations
- The importance of a teacher
- Nonviolence/ not harming others no matter what
- Attention to death and dying
- Attention to suffering in our lives

If you have anything to add, let me know. Also, if anyone reads this and would like a explanation of any of these, let me know. It’s a great way for me to know what to add in the future.

Many Dharma Blessings, Geoff