The Dalai Lama

[Bintul Huda]

Bismillah Al Rahman Al Raheem
In the Name of God, The Compassionate, The Merciful

Salam, Peace to all
The following is an extract from the introduction to the book, 'The Art of Happiness' by HH Dalai Lama and Howard C. Cutler. I dunno, I guess I thought we could all learn from the Dalai Lama's attitude to his fellow man.
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I found the Dalai Lama alone in an empty basketball locker room moments before he was to speak before a crowd of six thousand at Arizona State University. He was calmly sipping a cup of tea, in perfect repose. 'Your holiness, if you're ready......'
He briskly rose, and without hesitation he left the room, emerging into the thick backstage throng of local reporters, photographers, security personnel, and students- the seekers, the curious, and the skeptical. He walked through the crowd smiling broadly and greeting people as he passed by. Finally passing through a curtain, he walked on stage, bowed, folded his hands, and smiled. He was greeted with thunderous applause. At his request, the house lights were not dimmed so he could clearly see his audience, and for several moments he simply stood there, quietly surveying the audience with an unmistakable expression of warmth and goodwill. For those who had never seen the Dalai Lama before, his maroon and saffron monk's robes may have created a somewhat exotic impression, yet his remarkable ability to establish rapport with his audience was quickly revealed as he sat down and began his talk.

"I think that this is the first time I am meeting most of you. But to me, whether it is an old friend or a new friend, there's not much difference anyway, because I always believe we are the same; we are all human beings. Of course, there may be differences in cultural background or way of life, there may be differences in our faith, or we may be of a different color, but we are all human beings, consisting of the human body and the human mind. Our physical structure is the same, and our mind, and our emotional nature are also the same. Whenever I meet people, I always have the feeling that I am encountering another human being, just like myself. I find it much easier to communicate with others on that level. If we emphasize specific characteristics, like I am Tibetan or I am Buddhist, then there are differences. If we can leave the differences aside, I think we can easily communicate, exchange ideas, and share experiences."
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Ma'aslama
Peace to all
(p.s. sorry about the colour, couldn't help myself)

[binny]

Thats the sprit Bintul, keep up the good work & thoughts.
It seems to me, when all seems lost, as if there could be no peace,it`s comforting to remember we`re not so different after all.
There will be a day, when all peoples put goverments/politics aside, & yearn & embrace a world in peace.
Peace to you Bintul, & to all

[Amir Ali]

Peace be upon you Bintul Huda,

Thanks for that post. I've always respected the Dalai Lama. He came to New York's Central Park and about 50,000 came to see him. A close film maker friend of mine made a documentary about him.

One cannot deny the unity of human beings and claime God to be one. If there is One God, then surely He created also the Buddhists, the Christians, the Hindus, The Jews, The Muslims, The Africans, the Chinese, etc.

[Bintul Huda]

Salam, Peace to you Binny and Amir Ali

For me, the Unity of God, is not just a concept but is a transcendent Reality. God says in the Qur'an that He breathed His spirit into us when we were created, so we all have the divine within us. If thats not grounds for treating each other with compassion and respect, then I don't know what is. I loved the above quote when i first read it because it put a feeling that i'd had for a while into words. If in your everyday conversations and transactions, you look at people as simply humans like yourself, it removes so much of the arrogance and egotism which continues to drag human beings down to what we have in the world now; widespread war, murder, intolerance and suffering. When we realise that we are all mere drops in an infinite ocean, there is no place for arrogance.

Sometimes it feels as though everyone is striving and yearning for the same things in life, just in their own way. It reminds me of a story narrated by Jalaluddin Rumi:

Four people were given a piece of money.
The first was a Persian. He said: 'I will buy with this some angur.'
The second was an Arab. He said: 'No, because I want inab.'
The third was a Turk. He said: 'I do not want inab, I want uzum.'
The fourth was a Greek. He said: 'I want stafil.'

Because they did not know what lay behind the names of things, these four started to fight. They had information but no knowledge.
One man of wisdom present could have reconciled them all, saying: 'I can fulfil the needs of all of you, with one and the same piece of money. If you honestly give me your trust, your coin will become as four; and four at odds will become as one united.'

Such a man would know that each in his own language wanted the same thing, grapes.

Ma'aslama
Peace to all

[Amir Ali]

Peace be upon you Bintul Huda,

God says in the Qur'an that He breathed His spirit into us when we were created, so we all have the divine within us. If thats not grounds for treating each other with compassion and respect, then I don't know what is.

I admire your way of thinking. There's a lot to be learnt from your posts. I see you also like to read "The Mathnawi" - I also have great admiration for Maulana Rumi. Please continue to share and enlighten us.

Peace,

[Amir Ali]

Peaqce be upon you all,

Here's a poem by the great Sufi Ibn Arabi with the similar reasoning:

[B]My heart is open to all the winds:
It is a pasture for gazelles
And a home for Christian monks,
A temple for idols,
The Black Stone of the Mecca pilgrim,
The table of the Torah,
And the book of the Qur'an.
Mine is the religion of love.
Wherever God's Caravans turn,
The religion of love
Shall be my religion
And my faith.[B]

[binny]

Peace Amir & Bintul,



"Do you know what is better than charity and fasting and prayer? It is keeping peace and good relations between people, as quarrels and bad feelings destroy mankind." (Muslims & Bukhari)

I enjoy the thread, keep it coming!


One from Dalai (not necessarily going with the thread,maybe it is, but something to ponder)

My religion is very simple, My religion is kindness - Dalai Lama

Peace to those who seek peace, peace to those who do not, may thier eyes be opened to this possibilty, may we keep these doors open to them.

[Bintul Huda]

Salam, Peace binny and Amir Ali,

Thanks for the quotes. Sufi literature stresses that God is Love (Allah is Al-Wadood according to the Qur'an) and so all love, whether human-human love or that between you and God, is Divine. All the other Divine attributes; mercy, compassion, forgiveness, stem from this love. I thing this is a very simple but beautiful concept, and as all humans are capable of love, this is a great thing unites us all. Perhaps we may not say that we believe in 'God' but just by having these basic human attributes, we automatically attatch ourselves to Him.

Staying on the theme of the Dalai lama, perhaps straying from the theme of the thread, i found this on the internet. The concepts are quite simple but it brought a smile to my face :):

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Spring Wisdom from Dalai Lama

I N S T R U C T I O N S F O R L I F E

1. Take into account that great love and great achievements involve great risk.

2. When you lose, don't lose the lesson.

3. Follow the three Rs:
Respect for self
Respect for others and
Responsibility for all your
actions.

4. Remember that not getting what you want is sometimes a wonderful stroke of luck.

5. Learn the rules so you know how to break them properly.

6. Don't let a little dispute injure a great friendship.

7. When you realize you've made a mistake, take immediate steps to correct it.

8. Spend some time alone every day.

9. Open your arms to change, but don't let go of your values.

10. Remember that silence is sometimes the best answer.

11. Live a good, honorable life. Then when you get older and think back, you'll be able to enjoy it a second time.

12. A loving atmosphere in your home is the foundation for your life.

13. In disagreements with loved ones, deal only with the current situation. Don't bring up the past.

14. Share your knowledge. It's a way to achieve immortality.

15. Be gentle with the earth.

16. Once a year, go someplace you've never been before.

17. Remember that the best relationship is one in which your love for each other exceeds your need for each other.

18. Judge your success by what you had to give up in order to get it.

19. Approach love and cooking with reckless abandonment.

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Ma'asalama
Peace to one and all

[Khawlah]

See the general forum if you want to learn about sufism.

Bintul Huda forget Rumi, read instead the books of Ibn Taymiyyah or Abdul Wahhab. Read something beneficial to the dee.

I'm not criticising you sister, i used to read Rumi and be sympathetic to sufism BUT IT IS NOT the right way

[jamila]

Originally posted by Khawlah
See the general forum if you want to learn about sufism.

Bintul Huda forget Rumi, read instead the books of Ibn Taymiyyah or Abdul Wahhab. Read something beneficial to the deen.

I'm not criticising you sister, I used to read Rumi and be sympathetic to sufism BUT IT IS NOT the right way
Assalam Alaykum,
I have to agree whole heartedly with Kawlah, here. Allah perfected our religion for us before the prophet (sawa) died, and we are told to take back to Allah'a word and the perfect example (the Messenger (sawa) when we disagree about anything. Sufism not only taints Islam with other (human originated) philosophies and practices, but these have affected the very aqiyda of the religion. The true way is to understand, as fully as you are able, Tauheed, and then your ritual duties to Allah, your duties to family, the poor, society and the state ACCORDING TO THE SUNNAH. His recommendations of authors to read will give you a clear idea, inshallah, of the exact meaning of 'La Ilaha Ill Allah' and what it implies in practice. I'd also recommend you read some recent Ulema, like Sheikh ibn Gibreel, Sheikh Uthaymeen, Sheikh Nasser Al Albani and Sheikh ibn Baz. Though Sheikh Albani differs on certain points of fiqh, he is by far the most respected of recent Scholars for his Knowledge and interpretation of Ahadiyth. Read Bukhari and Muslim, too.
jamila

[julaybib]

I think there is nothing wrong to learn a bit of sufism. It teaches us to love Allah and view this world as something so meaningless, in a heart-warming way. But I understand that some sufis had gone too far in their search of love and devotion to Allah, that they even neglected some of the laws and guidance set by the very God they have been looking for all along.

I agree with Jamila, everything must begin with Tauheed. Other things that we learn are just a way to get us closer to Him.

[binny]

I think we all can agree, Bintul enjoys speaking of, if not enjoying peace itself. I enjoy some of Rumi, & the story of the four people with money, brings up the different negative human traits, with a solution.
If we want to change our focus to Bukari & Muslim, I have no objections. In fact I offer:
When Allah created his creatures He wrote above His throne: 'Verily, my Compassion overcomes my wrath." (Bukhari & Muslim)
"When two persons are together, two of them must not whisper to each other, without letting the third hear; because it would hurt him." (Bukhari & Muslim)
"You will not enter paradise until you have faith; and you will not complete your faith till you love one another." (Muslim)
"Allah is One and likes Unity." (Muslim)
And, I know I already used this one, but it`s one of my favorites:. "Do you know what is better than charity and fasting and prayer? It is keeping peace and good relations between people, as quarrels and bad feelings destroy mankind." (Muslims & Bukhari)

Unity & peace to all

[Bintul Huda]

Asalamunalaikum, Peace to all
Originally posted by Khawlah
Bintul Huda forget Rumi, read instead the books of Ibn Taymiyyah or Abdul Wahhab. Read something beneficial to the dee.

"I am giving people what they want. I am reciting poetry because people desire it as an entertainment.
In my own counry, people do not like poetry. I have long searched for people who want action; but none will patrinize this action; but all they want is words. I am ready to show you action; but none will patronise this action. So I present you with- words."-Rumi

Words can be powerful but what I seek is wisdom and enlightenment. Books may please me and provide me with theoretical knowledge, but what I seek is Knowledge in action, knowledge of myself. What will benifit me will be what penetrates through to my heart and soul, what provides me with a Light in the dark. Wisdom is formless and its consequences unlimited and undescribable. I seek wisdom wherever I can find it; it doesn't matter who says it, its about what is being said and the effect it has on me.

"We will soon show them Our signs in the Universe and in their own souls, until it will become quite clear to them that it is the truth. Is it not sufficient as regards your Lord that He is a witness over all things? (Suratul Fussilat, 41:53)

Sometimes we search high and low, from the land to the sea, coast to coast for that which will bring us peace and contentment. We seldom realise that what we seek is within ourselves and everything external is just a tool to help us uncover what was there all along.

Totally conscious, and apropos of nothing, you come to see me.
Is someone here? I ask.
The moon. The full moon is inside your house

My friends and I go running out into the street.
I'm in here, comes a voice from the house, but we aren't listening.
We're looking up at the sky.
My pet nightingale sobs like a drunk in the garden.
Ringdoves scatter with small cries, Where, Where.
It's midnight. The whole neighbourhood is up and out in the street thinking, The cat burglar has come back.
The actual thief is there too, saying out loud,
Yes the cat burglar is somewhere in this croud.
No one pays attention.

Low, I am with you always means when you look for God,
God is in the look of your eyes,
in the thought of your looking, nearer to you than yourself,
or things that have happened to you
There's no eed to go outside.

Be melting snow.
Wash yourself of yourself.

A white flower grows in the quietness.
Let your tongue become that flower.-Rumi

If Abdul Wahhab or Ibn Taymiyyah allow you to find yourself and your Lord, then please read them. In my search for contentment, peace and spiritual growth, I try to look no further than within myself, and whatever I read and from whatever source, if it helps me, then I take it aboard, if not then I'll disregard it. To me, my primary source of knowledge is the Qur'an and then hadeeth. Mystics like Rumi help me in uncovering the secrets of those Divine words.

"And the soul and Him Who made it perfect,
Then He inspired it to understand what is right and wrong for it;
He will indeed be successful who purifies it,
And he will indeed fail who corrupts it." (Suratul Shams, 91:7-10)

Ma'aslama
Peace to all

[Amir Ali]

Peace be upon you all,

We need to bump this post up again.

Thank you Bintul Huda for being an an exceptional human being...On the same theme - here's another great one from the Mathnawi:

I was, on the day when the heavens were not;
no hint was there that anything with a name existed.

Through us named and names became apparent
on the day when no "I" or "We" were there.

A hint came in the revelation of the tip of the Beloved's tress
when the tip of the Beloved's Tress was not.

I surveyed; He was not on the Cross.

I went to the idol-temple, to the ancient pagoda;
No trace was visible there.

I went to the mountains of Herat and Candahor.
I looked, He was not in that hill and dale.

With set purpose I fared to the summit of Mount Qaf
In that place was only Anqa's inhabitation.

I bent the reins of search to the Ka'ba;
He was not in that resort of Old and Young.

I questioned Ibn Sina of His State;
He was not within Ibn Sina's range.

I fared towards the scene of two bow-lengths distance,
He was not in that exalted court

I gazed into my heart;
There I saw Him; He was nowhere else.

- Maulana Jalaluddin Rumi

Note: Herat and Candahor are places in Afghanistan. Mt. Qaf is the mythical residence of Simrugh, who is identical with God in certain mystical literature. Ibn Sina is recognized as a great intellectual and the poet uses his name synonymously with human intellect. Distance of two bows length is referred to in the Quraan as the distance at which the Prophet stood from the Throne of Command on the Night of Ascension.