These were my comment, and responses to some comments below a video on YT, about JV speaking on Tibet and Buddhism.
Beautiful visuals of Tibet, the Lost Horizon - or temporarily Lost Haven!
Responding to a comment below the original yt video about the question of whether Buddhism is religion:-
Ajay Ray - that depends on the definition of the word "religion" which most of the world, divided between two out of three abrahmic religions which are conversionist and demand faith, punish doubts, and so on. In addition they define religions as one God, one holy book, one prophet set, and more such strictures. Buddha was a God, but Buddhism does not preach that or faith, and Nirvana is the important concept, so it's on the fence for them about whether to call it religion or not. India is completely mind boggling for them, hence the mostly abuse. If you haven't come across it yet, enjoy the bliss.
Responding to a comment below the original yt video about Tibet atmosphere, by Thubten:-
"I am Tibetan born in raised in India and currently living in Karnataka. I feel Tibetans in Tibet are more religious than Tibetans in India. Is it because of modern education and more exposure to worldly life that make us exile Tibetans less religious, i can't say."
Thubten - where one lives is bound to make a difference, especially while one grows and learns, and those that find other paths should be able to. But Himaalaya is extraordinary and unique in several ways, and it's not for nothing that not only those seeking spiritual path do pilgrimage of Himaalaya or go to tapa there, or live there, but far more, Himaalaya is held in worship by India, as abode of Gods - and this is not restricted, i suppose, to Tibet alone, although one does wish Tibet were free of occupation, free to once again proceed on to be spiritual home. But meanwhile, feel free to see India as home, too, say extended home, as long as needed or chosen, by you and yours.
Responding to a series of comments below the yt video about Buddhism:-
MG karthik
"I love Buddhism more than any religion on Earth.... Religions have blind belief 50 percentage and rest 50 percentage consists of culture and activities based on particular geographic area.... I love Buddha for his simplicity, with no preachings of any blind beliefs systems.... Monastaries are the most peaceful area.... Buddha means enlightenment :)"
"I love Buddhism more than any religion on Earth.... Religions have blind belief 50 percentage and rest 50 percentage consists of culture and activities based on particular geographic area.... I love Buddha for his simplicity, with no preachings of any blind beliefs systems.... Monastaries are the most peaceful area.... Buddha means enlightenment :)"
erwefgdfgzsfz
"Buddhist Tantra is the very intricate and matches Vedas with it's vast literature. Only initial fools think it's simple - like people who just see Bhakti in traditional Hinduism.
Btw, Tibetan tantra has enormous amounts of what is categorized as black magic in Vedic Tantra. Coming to your post - Read, travel, or meet people before loving one religion " more than any religion" . If that even means anything."
"Buddhist Tantra is the very intricate and matches Vedas with it's vast literature. Only initial fools think it's simple - like people who just see Bhakti in traditional Hinduism.
Btw, Tibetan tantra has enormous amounts of what is categorized as black magic in Vedic Tantra. Coming to your post - Read, travel, or meet people before loving one religion " more than any religion" . If that even means anything."
Sandeep Halder
"what Buddha taught was Hinduism only. he never uttered the word Buddhism. He propagated yagnavalkiya sutra"
"what Buddha taught was Hinduism only. he never uttered the word Buddhism. He propagated yagnavalkiya sutra"
Kavya
"+Sandeep Halder, NO, Buddha did NOT teach Hinduism. There was no need for Lord Buddha to teach Hinduism because there were many Hindu teachers were there at the time and you can see a lot of them now as well.I understand how much you love your religion and think it is the best, There's nothing wrong with that.., but you have no right to talk about something so deep like 'Buddhism' without any knowledge. Buddhism has no blind faith and no gods http://involved.It is a rational religion.Please watch Gautam Buddha series at least the first episode, it clearly shows how Lord Buddha found his own ways to Enlightenment while people were blind by many religions and faiths. India is a Hindu country for a reason & Buddhism was wiped out long time ago, so please let the Buddhists around the world to respect and worship Lord Buddha the way he deserves. I visited India and Nepal last year and I know what I am talking about.I didn't see anyone actually care about Lord Buddha at all, there was no respect than selling things to foreigners who were on pilgrimage. You don't have to comment about 'Buddhism' if you just have a basic knowledge.Thank you! Peace! "
"+Sandeep Halder, NO, Buddha did NOT teach Hinduism. There was no need for Lord Buddha to teach Hinduism because there were many Hindu teachers were there at the time and you can see a lot of them now as well.I understand how much you love your religion and think it is the best, There's nothing wrong with that.., but you have no right to talk about something so deep like 'Buddhism' without any knowledge. Buddhism has no blind faith and no gods http://involved.It is a rational religion.Please watch Gautam Buddha series at least the first episode, it clearly shows how Lord Buddha found his own ways to Enlightenment while people were blind by many religions and faiths. India is a Hindu country for a reason & Buddhism was wiped out long time ago, so please let the Buddhists around the world to respect and worship Lord Buddha the way he deserves. I visited India and Nepal last year and I know what I am talking about.I didn't see anyone actually care about Lord Buddha at all, there was no respect than selling things to foreigners who were on pilgrimage. You don't have to comment about 'Buddhism' if you just have a basic knowledge.Thank you! Peace! "
India offers the treasurehouse of spiritual knowledge that's accumulated over millennia, allows you to make a choice of a spiritual path including doing nothing, and much more - it's the one place, religion, tradition or culture, call it what you like, that tells you your goal is to discover - and unite with - the Divine that's within yourself; there are paths to choose from, and if you find one yourself, you are another teacher. You are free to become God.
Buddha was one of those that found such a path and achieved the fullest potential of being God that was his. He wasn't the only one, far from it. But he's kniwn mist outside, compared to others, hence the status of a separate religion.
That happened because of a vision that the then emperor of China had, of an immense golden God arising in West. He woke, sent for his minister who infirmed him that yes, indeed there had been a new God in India. Whereupon the emperor sent an emissary to find out all he could, and he converted his nation along with himself on return of the emissary. But the old beliefs were neither purged nor vilified, hence it was peaceful merger. Tao and Confucius were revered.
Similarly the underlying old Bon in Tibet that's not expunged but exists along with Buddhism.
Responding to a comment below the original yt video by सिध्दान्त सिंह आर्य:-
"Tibet ka old name trivistap hain aur woh vedic sanatan dharma ka udgam sthan
Hain
Hain
"Jaha shristi ke pratham manushya swyambhu manu ki utpati hui thi
"Jaha yogi raj shiv bhi 7apt rishiyon ke saath prakat huen the.
"Mahabharat aur ramayana mai bhi tibet(trivistap)ki mai basi alokik shaktiyon ka ullekh dea hua hain."
Manu has always sounded far too much like copy of bible, Noah's survival past flood, etc, imposed on Himaalaya improperly, unlike the vedas and epics that belong organically to India. Vedas are older and definitely don't speak of Manu, nor do any characters in say the wooing of Shiva by the daughter of Himaalaya with her tapas - and those were characters that belonged to Earth in India.
Responding to a comment below the original yt video by Rinske Raphael:-
"Its not tru, the women didnt count in tibet, the man used them for work. The women did everything in tibet, working on the land wile the man wore sitting on there as for more than 1000 years. A women could not get in the monestery only man. They never recived any schooling. Not good enough. Tell the truth about tibet how they abused the woman. For there labor. The man was spiritual the woman most feed them. Tibet spirituel Really? No they are not, only wen man en woman are equal to each other. If they want to make it even, than they should turn it around and let the females take over the the monestarys , but they never will do they. All the monestarys are filld with man only a handfull of woman is aloud. When is the next daila lama a femail"
If, with all the other advances in science, technology and philosophy that West has seen, and life changed so drastically since two centuries back, Vatican is still an all male bastion from pope to lowest priest, with nuns either secluded or serving, then - don't you think you rush to condemn Buddhism which never did anyone any harm, far too quickly?
Monasteries brought in males, yes, and usually in every religion women, if they were allowed a monkhood, they had separate monasteries - but in older texts there are definite mentions of female followers of Buddha, which of course meant celibacy. They weren't segregated either. Not by Buddha, certainly.
Tibet, as other Buddhist cultures, follow their own paths. Men and women in Tibet work, whether in households or monasteries. Women choosing monkhood is rare, yes. That might be because they have no need to escape - because marriages aren't as unequal as elsewhere.
And no, males aren't superior, even though it's convenient for the parents to coddle a son in older cultures where sons are expected to care for them in old age. Women exchange economic support for their kids in exchange for the old couple and others ensuring the guy has nowhere to run away from home, unlike in US, and the old people get a new lease on life with grandchildren while kids being in loving and calmer care of grandparents helps everyone.
Western women have it much harder, being groomed to be popular so they can catch someone, and hence told to stay out of science and not be too smart because smart girls aren't popular! India has parents doing what they can, and young of both genders resting assured they can devote their youth to education and concentrate, not having to spend energy elsewhere perforce - that being the key word.
