3.16.2008

the dharma path

A dry desert valley opened out, and I saw a handful of lamas and young boys, acolytes, toiling over a piece of terrain. Closer, it was apparent that they were sculpting a miniature city—stores, temples, houses, people, dogs in the street—of sand. It stretched for half a mile, but was only about two inches high. So tiny and perfect.
"Wow," I thought when I woke up."What a lot of work to just crumble as it dries and to be swept away by the wind."
I think that, too, about those colored sand mandalas that Tibetan monks make.
And about the theocracy they built. Which the prevailing winds and the bootprints of Chinese soldiers have erased.

1 comment:

  1. I'm assuming you've all seen this.

    I just signed an urgent petition calling on the Chinese government to
    respect human rights in Tibet and engage in meaningful dialogue with
    the Dalai Lama. This is really important, and I thought you might
    want to take action:

    http://www.avaaz.org/en/tibet_end_the_violence/98.php/?CLICK_TF_TRACK

    After nearly 50 years of Chinese rule, the Tibetans are sending out a
    global cry for change. But violence is spreading across Tibet and
    neighbouring regions, and the Chinese regime is right now considering
    a choice between increasing brutality or dialogue, that could
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    We can affect this historic choice. China does care about its
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    President Hu needs to hear that 'Brand China' and the
    Olympics can succeed only if he makes the right choice. But it will
    take an avalanche of global people power to get his attention. Click
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    restraint in Tibet and dialogue with the Dalai Lama -- and tell
    absolutely everyone you can right away. The petition is organized by
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    deliver directly to Chinese officials:

    http://www.avaaz.org/en/tibet_end_the_violence/98.php/?CLICK_TF_TRACK

    ReplyDelete