The Dalai Lama’s Army ......(al Qaeda organization is attempting to assassinate the Dalai Lama)

NRO ^ | April 5, 2007 | Dave Kopel

[IrishMike]

A right to self-defense is recognized by the Dalai Lama — indeed, his predecessor tried to recruit an army. An al Qaeda organization is attempting to assassinate the Dalai Lama. Lashkar-e-Toiba, al Qaeda’s South Asian affiliate, is acting consistently with Osama bin Laden’s April 2006 denunciation of “pagan Buddhists.” This raises an interesting question: Can an ethical follower of Tibetan Buddhism kill someone in order to save the Dalai Lama? Or in order to fight religious totalitarianism in general?

Absolutely yes. Although some Westerners imagine that the Dalai Lama is an absolute pacifist, the teachings of the present Dalai Lama and of his predecessor, as well as the traditions of Tibetan Buddhism, all legitimize the use of deadly force against killers and would-be tyrants.

This may come as news to certain anti-American pacifists in the United States and Europe who are guilty of “Shangri-La-ism” — of what Jane Ardley (in her book The Tibetan Independence Movement) describes as the “idealized, romantic vision of Tibet as a land of enlightened, non-violent, happy and exotic people.” She observes, “For those in the West who look to Tibetan Buddhism for all the answers to their insecurities, the image of ‘violent’ Buddhists is uncomfortable particularly where Buddhism itself can be offered as a justification for their actions.” The tradition of forceful resistance to tyranny is very old in Tibet. For example, in the early centuries of the first millennium, ancient Tantric Buddhist texts gave “formulae for killing unjust kings” (Thomas Cleary, Classics of Buddhism and Zen, vol. 5).

Buddhist Tibet was a powerful warrior kingdom during the latter part of the first millennium. Later, during the thirteenth century, Tibet fell under Mongol control. The Mongols respected Buddhism, granted Tibet internal autonomy, provided military protection, and exempted Tibetans from military service.

[hawkboy]

And don’t forget the Gurkhas from Nepal, who serve in both the British & Indian Armies, Buddhist Warriors as well.

[hawkboy]

And don’t forget the Gurkhas from Nepal, who serve in both the British & Indian Armies, Buddhist Warriors as well.

[sukhoi-30mki]

Err,nope-the vast majority of Gurkhas are Hindus,like most Nepalese.

[pawdoggie]

A right to self-defense is recognized by the Dalai Lama — indeed, his predecessor tried to recruit an army.

Richard Gere and his gerbil will be most distressed to hear this.

[JudgemAll]

Transcendence is never more relevant than for a soldier at war and fighting all the hardships of real hell.

Maybe someone wake the tree hugging special ed hyppies of our universities about this reality.