The Leader I See In His Holiness The Dalai Lama

                  

 I find hope in the darkest of days, and focus in the brightest. 

I do not judge the universe. 

- Dalai Lama

 
 My recent visit to Dharamshala made me wonder about several things that are wrong in several places around the world and it also made me appreciate the good qualities in people and leaders that can positively change that. I do see beautiful people everywhere, who do whatever they want to do with sincerity and are kind to people to a large extent. I also see people who are so hypocritical and cunning, that you just want to run away from there. I also see leaders being elevated to the level of Gods, sometimes by sycophants or by their loyal followers, and rarely by the general populace. However, when I look at the reverence Tibetan people hold for Dalai Lama, it is often imbued with such sincerity and ingenuity that is so rare now. I could easily spot some of those reasons as being rooted in great human values.I It was easy for me as I've experienced the pain of dealing with people lacking those values.  

 A large component of Tibet's current blessing is in its enlightened leadership. Such leadership evokes respect in anyone who cares to see beyond the surface. My respect for Tibet and its leader comes from something deeper and obviously not from their current economic, technological and material flourishing. This aspect of human flourishing is certainly important to a large extent, but it doesn't even fill half of human potential. The people in any region of the world may choose any way of life they deem fit. They may choose to lead a life of material luxury or may simply be happy with a spiritual life sans material comforts. But the role of a leader calls for devoted service to the welfare of people and the environment regardless of all that. That is where the character of leadership at a time of such conflicts is so crucial to the future of its people. The leadership in Tibet seems to me to be the pinnacle of responsible leadership in this regard given such grave conditions.

His Holiness The Dalai Lama

The way the system works at large around the world now is exactly the opposite of what is required for people. It is as if every person who is willing to serve will be exploited for the benefit of the powerful. In such a case, you are almost driven to wonder whether they got confused between business and politics. Nope, they are really clever to acquire power, where they can control everything from money flow, who gets what, justice and get what ever they want with just a phone call.The intention behind acquiring and exercising such control is a completely different question.


I recently encountered some local politicians from India and elsewhere, who take offence at very simple acts such as raising or moving your hands while speaking. Some of them even threaten with life long acts of revenge for a show of your autonomy and being yourself even in a respectful way. Nothing matters to them until their thirst for revenge is quenched. Ideally speaking, you are the one who should be going around taking revenge for all the destruction they have done to you. Yes, it works exactly the other way around. Most of these leaders have got used to the politics of fear and exploitation that you can't even talk any sense to them.

The leader in Dalai Lama in contrast is not into exploiting a single citizen in his country for his own benefit. In fact, through his peaceful means he has avoided huge destruction that might have come to the people of his country, had he even indulged a notion of violent movement for freedom against the giant power China. When some citizens were angry at him for not letting them involve in a more aggressive stance, he made the wise decision to be patient.

The greed for money, fame (sound bytes/ poster space) and power amongst current leadership across the world is well known. If someone, if ever possible, even takes away their dog's kennel, you are doomed to experience hell on earth. I mean there is no going to hell. These leaders make sure they bring hell to your very own place. It borders to the point that they can even campaign "Vote for us, we'll bring hell to your own bath tub". Such is the emotional maturity and intentions of these people.

Potala Palace at Lhasa,Tibet

When the Dalai Lama was forced to leave his heavenly palace at Lhasa and take residence at a much humble dwelling, he decided to spread the message of patience, tolerance of hardships and compassion around the world. Such is the inspiring leadership Tibet is blessed with.

When I arrived at Dharamshala, I was pretty much filled with anger at the rotten way things are done in the society and the harm it brings to me, my family and millions of people in the society. When ever I see people being exploited and made fools, I just get so angry. Three years back, when I visited the museum after a meditation retreat, I cried for a couple of minutes looking at the atrocities that have happened there. I've probably outwardly cried in my adult years may be less than 10 times or so. So I've some clue as to the kind of suffering people there are going through. And here where ever I looked, there were these people with a kind countenance calmly going about their lives. Some of them were even filled with infectious happiness.

There was a participant in the course from the west,who mentioned to us that just being in his presence brings some kind of inexplicable joy. It is not easy to imagine the wisdom and level of emotional balance that it takes for a leader like Dalai Lama to spread joy where ever he goes. I mean think of you waking up everyday to the fact some citizen who adores you like anything and would even give his/her life for you is undergoing such torture in a distant place and as a leader you are pretty much helpless in preventing that from happening. In such a scenario, I might have gone, with my current mental state, in to a pattern of destructive rage. It is easy to fall into a state of apathy and anger in such a state of helplessness or even drop in to avarice and hatred. Being a responsible and empathetic leader he is, I could imagine the great wisdom and tremendous patience that is required to be like what he is now.

Even though, a huge component of such enlightened leadership comes from the knowledge of a deeper reality, he always emphasizes that all these qualities can be achieved with the cultivation of some basic human values. With such leadership, given other supportive conditions and the will of people, it is possible to elevate ourselves to a period of flourishing that is unparalleled in recent history.






















Disclaimer:  With the world caught in comparison sickness, it is possible to project their intentions on me. The purpose of this article is not to offend any one or any nation specifically or even to compare one nation with the other which is essentially lame.  It is to portray the qualities in a leader I respect and the benefit it brings to people and contrast that with some people who I'd to deal with recently.