Re: Buddhism is peaceful?
Posted: Tue Mar 12, 2013 7:32 pm
Okay, I guess those are the documents then. I sort of expected more. I still am a little hesitant to jump from (1) wild claims about the superiority of one's own sect and the faults of others, to (2) the persecution of another sect and the physical destruction of monasteries, etc. Even, Tsongkhapa says things like, "those who think that with emptiness there is no functioning and functioning no emptiness will fall into a terrifying abyss."
However, I am no "Pabongkha supporter"… I have read in quite a few biographies accounts of monasteries being sacked in Pabongkha's name. At the moment I am translating documents about the history and lineage for one of my Lamas (Kagyu) and there are huge gaps because the monastery was destroyed by Gelugpas, and what has been lost is just irreplaceable. I have visited the rebuilt monastery in Tibet and seen the ruins (also due to the events of 1959) - it is tragic and shameful.
I personally find it hard to be convinced that it was not Pabongkha, but it was his secretary that gave such orders, or that it was out-of-control fanatics that did the damage - but that is just pure conjecture on my part so please ignore, Caz et. al. I understand that Pabongkha is a lineage lama to you guys and you may well be Vajrayana practitioners and committed to a certain view and so I get it and respect that.
However, I am no "Pabongkha supporter"… I have read in quite a few biographies accounts of monasteries being sacked in Pabongkha's name. At the moment I am translating documents about the history and lineage for one of my Lamas (Kagyu) and there are huge gaps because the monastery was destroyed by Gelugpas, and what has been lost is just irreplaceable. I have visited the rebuilt monastery in Tibet and seen the ruins (also due to the events of 1959) - it is tragic and shameful.
I personally find it hard to be convinced that it was not Pabongkha, but it was his secretary that gave such orders, or that it was out-of-control fanatics that did the damage - but that is just pure conjecture on my part so please ignore, Caz et. al. I understand that Pabongkha is a lineage lama to you guys and you may well be Vajrayana practitioners and committed to a certain view and so I get it and respect that.