There are different views on this:

My spiritual teacher Vethathiri Maharishi had a saying “violence against violence equals nonviolence” and of course Krishna would say “fight the battle Arjuna.”

"Historical luck" is that like divine orchestration?

Here is a plan.

We can simply individually boycott Chinese products I think that the revenue loss would instantly be a strong enough incentive to have the government party grant Tibet sovereignty and everything could heal. I already do so.

All we need is the unity and will to do so and express that collectively. Not our government or the president but us the people directly to the Party Members.

It is simple when you are going to stores ask, if they have an domestic products section, tell them you won’t buy Chinese made products.

Wal-Mart is indirectly funding the oppression of Tibet; I think 70% of the products they sell are from China. Maybe if we send Wal-Mart a message they will send a message to China and cancel orders?

It’s a non-violent way to effect change, similar to certain empires that use economics rather than armies.

BUY DOMESTIC IT IS THE GREEN THING TO DO

We should buy domestic because importing increases the production of green houses, raises the price of oil and threatens national security because we lose domestic production capability creating a huge national security issue, because we are unable to provide for or defend ourselves. If we all raise a home garden it is good for national security.

PROTECT YOUR COUNTRY GROW A HOME GARDEN

Support localization and the benefits of having lower transportation costs.

As for the Olympics it’s all about ego completion, okay so there can be a spiritual aspect to sports. We want to embrace the Chinese people (of course most will be party members that they allow to interface) and mingle with them at the Olympics and give them some insight.

Maybe those attending the Olympics can organize a message sending presence on Tiananmen square.

IMPORTING GOODS IS BAD FOR THE ENVIRONMENT

LOCAL IS GREEN

Unless of course they switch back to big sailing vessels that would be cool.

BUY DOMESTIC IT IS THE GREEN THING TO DO

Yes, I do believe that one must stand up for their rights, as well as others, but do it in a loving intent with respect. It's a hard balance as peace/love faces oppression and/or injustices, but it must be done to change poor situations for the betterment of all. It's like love is high (higher consciousness) and can see, but oppression is low (lower consciousness) and cannot see anything as the low must be controlled, since it is dominated by the ego. So until the low can become high, it must be held back in the way and manner that it understands. It's sad for the high, but the low doesn't mind, as that's what it can relate to - so the low will really respect the high for taking a stand. And when the low becomes high, it will appreciate the what was done for them. But I guess everyone has their own way and what they will and will not permit, as well as their lessons. Well, that's my very simple take on this unfortunately situation.

Love, Char

My daugher Carmen wrote a very small simple storie.
The teacher of her School asked to wirte something that started with: This is not about....
Carmen wrote:This is not about the war in Iraq, the war in Afghanistan, the civil war in Kenya, the price war in Dutch supermarkets, the war against terrorism nor the war between Jews and Muslims.
What it's not about is simple. We give it too much attention, so that it only increases hate.
That's why it's about the Olympic fire that represents peace. Peace in Tibet

Personally I feel it is not a litmus test for Buddhism. It is, however, for the rest of the world and so far their reactions have been confusing. When dealing with China, everyone walks on egg shells.

Dara

Hi Deepak,

We hold emotions for a reason. They move us into action when injustice is in front of us. It's time to move with emotional force of justice!

Thanks for your post! Our prayers go out to China and Tibet. To the people, the land and spirits of the land/water/sky. We encircle that part of our home/planet in light of love.

Trish~~

Aloha Deepak and Everyone

I like the thought virtue is it's own reward. Forgiveness is the greatest weapon there is. And with the many worlds concept, Micho Kahu shares we can't kill our parents who are in another world. We might kill someone that looks like them but it cant be them for we wouldn't be in this world. With that the authority issue becomes irrelevant. We will all come to the realization we will always be children... and enter the gates of Heaven. love patty

My "Litmus test" is:

When you see a Violent and a Victim and you have to take up arms or hit; then you should see if not taking up arms will benefit the Victim or the Violent. If the Violent will be benefitted then I not indulging in Non-Violence.. but INACTION.

In this case, the world needs to get back to China in its own coin.

As bloggers and media, at the very least we need to build a crescendo for a COMPLETE BOYCOTT of the Beijing Olympics.. so this regime is hit economically at least by private action (since the Governments are not doing any thing anyways!).

I propose a Beijing Boycott. I have registered a BeijingButchers.com domain.. if anyone would like to join in and create an awareness site.. I am all for it..

Cheers,
Desh

The tenth Guru of Sikhs, Guru Gobind Singh, gave the world a unique concept of 'Miri' and 'Piri' which translated means concept of 'taking care of this world or the world within time' and 'taking care of the other, spiritual world or world timeless'. He ordered every sikh of his times to keep in one hand the prayer bead and in the other the sword.

Obviously prayer bead was for prayer and sword was for fighting for he ordered every sikh to not to tolerate any injustice being done to anybody in front of him and to fight for justice.

He also said "Chun Kaar Hama hilte dar gujashat, halaal asat bardan va samsheer dast." Which means "When all ways to secure justice fail, picking up sword is just."

Harb

"How much pain and oppression can you stand and still exhibit loving kindness and compassion? I wonder if that's really fair. The Tibetans face a political crisis that should be met with political action." Deepak

I don't know why political action, or any action at all, couldn't come from a place of loving kindness and compassion. This is what I believe is the message of the Dalai Lama. I think he is pointing out that anything coming from another place than love for everyone involved will only lead to more and more violence. He has never advocated passivity, his whole life is a demonstration of peace in action.

I think that the Dalai Lama knows very well that most Tibetans haven't found the place of oneness with the oppressor, and he also knows that if the Tibetans should respond with violence to violence ... the wheel will keep turning, generation after generation. So he is doing his best to help them find the way out, meaning the point of unity. In unity, even armed resistance would be an act of love, and it would have real power to actually change something. Otherwise, it is as Deepak writes- will anything work? I doubt it.

Of course the rest of the world, every one of us, can't just sit idly by and look enlightened. We can and must act in all ways we are moved to, but it is imperative that each one of us finds the deepest place in ourself that we have access to- as close to love as we can. It is, after all, easy to love a friend. How about learning to love China, while doing all we can to help Tibet?

I think at this point, the Dalai Lama needs help to get his message heard even more, we need to remind ourselves that love doesn't mean passivity and also that hating is never necessary. We can act, stop the massacre, but we can stay centered in as much compassion as we have access to while doing it.

I agree with Dara's comment 4 and Aurora's comment 9.

I would say that I do not think the Dalai Lama is that enlightened--I read his book The Path to Happiness (or something like that) and I did not like it very much. Basically, I think his pacifism is getting kind of old. I am not saying he advocate violence, (I AM NOT SAYING THAT) but it seems maybe he should do something more along the lines of crying out to the global community, show some distress, show some empathy for his people. Is his pacifism more of a self-absorbed state? I don't know. But I don't really think that he is so enlightened, I am sure he is a nice person and beyond that I am not sure if he is "enlightened".

Wanted to share a blog post where a friend - who has spent time in Tibet and China - discusses the scenario there in context of the Tibetans. Very instructive and interesting.

http://drishtikone.com/?q=blog/olympic-torch-tibetans-and-indian-celebrity-reactions

Cheers,
Desh

I too could not read the Dalai Lama's book and I forgot which one it was, but it was a popular book. I think maybe that it was not for me at that time. I have thought about going back to reading it at some point. His book reminded me about the Bible and I get enough of that in one book. So I look for the meatier material.

BTW: Aurora - I agree with your post and really liked what you said.

I think I might sign that petition, as well. If nothing else it would send a strong message, even tho I do not want to hurt the Chinese folks by doing so, assuming the government will not change their position without some type of gentle force, such as this simple act.

Love, Char

There are many things revealed here, and - warning- I am not going to sugarcoat them because of the seriousness of the situation.

The article linked to by Desh shows that the way the Chinese treat Tibetans is exactly, to a "t", the same thing White Europeans did to the American Indian. All the techniques for squashing the indigenous culture are the same, from suppressing their language, to denying them education and jobs, and industrializing their ancestral homelands.

This has a lot to do with why America as a nation will do nothing for the Tibetans. It is because, historically speaking, we are on the same moral turf as the Chinese on this issue.

The second reality is that business as usual trumps human rights in the world political arena. The main reason the US won't do anything is because we don't want to disturb our business arrangements with China.
Many huge US corporations are dependent on trade agreements with Chinese companies, and the largest US banks are dependent on financial servicing of US debt by the Chinese. At this point if the Chinese boycotted the USA, it would have afar more devastating effect on us than if we boycotted the Chinese.

Um, the Chinese know that.

And it won't work to attack, invade or try to use the CIA for "regime change" in China. None of those strategies are workable on the Chinese. Look how a war with Iraq devastated the US. What effects do think a war with China would have on the US?

Um, the Chinese know that too. We can have Nancy "Praying with the President" Pelosi say some stuff, but that is a calculated strategy by Washington to appease Americans. You'll note she won't go to China and the Chinese will not respond to her. Why should they bother? What are we going to do - attack them? Duh.

Condi Rice may go, and she will urge restraint during the crackdowns - but she will not advocate for Tibet. Parse her words - you'll see I'm right on that. She will stop short of advocating for Tibet.

The Dalai Lama has responded with a very reasonable invitation to dialogue with the Chinese.

Read his speech here:
agonist.org/quiet_bill/20080330/dalai_lama_an_appeal_to_the_chinese_people?highlight=tibet

But the social conditioning and pressure from the government is too much. No Chinese official can respond appropriately to the Dalai Lama without risking political - and possibly even physical - assassination by the Party.

It is not a litmus test for Buddhism, because Buddhism is a well-established worldwide religion which will go on regardless of the fate of Tibet. It is not a litmus test for China, because nothing is at risk for them, and everyone knows exactly what to expect from them already.

The litmus test is for the USA. The neocons have always talked tough about dealing with China.

But now their bluff is called. China will do what it wants, and the neocons are reduced to negotiating the terms of the huge American debt the Chinese are now in control of (that the neocons themselves largely created).

Wal-Mart, GE, Boeing, and even tech companies like Microsoft, will suffer greatly if business with the Chinese is affected by politics. Wal-Mart needs all the cheap plastic crap and clothing the Chinese produce, and Microsoft needs third world engineers and software testers.

Check it out:
belanger.wordpress.com/2007/09/03/chinese-factory-workers-cant-believe-the-crap-they-make-for-americans/

The litmus test is for the USA, and to a lesser degree, other western nations.

So far, we are failing miserably.

But so what? Wal-Mart still has plastic Chinese crap and socks and underwear cheaper than you can buy it if it was made by Americans.

Happy shopping!

I was watching a bit of the AZN network tonight and they were showing "Countdown To Beijing" which basically made Beijing look like the ultimate tourist destination. Tibet didn't exist in "Countdown To Beijing." Expect more of the same. And there will be all kinds of cheap plastic Olympics doo-dads and one-size-fits-all baseball caps and really cheap tee-shirts. Spend your savings there! Yay!

To send a personal message to your head of state (Avaaz.org)go to:

http://www.avaaz.org/en/tibet_report_back/5.php/?cl=69637475

For a list of Tibet- related petitions from Care2.org, go to

http://www.thepetitionsite.com/browse-petitions/non-profit

and write "Tibet" in the search motor.

What's Dalai Lama doing?

Despite stern warning to Dalai lama from the Indian Foreign Minister not to carry out political activities on Indian soil Delhi's elite were left spellbound by the monk when he recently visited Indian capital to participate in a workshop. Many privately (without TV crews or press) went up to his room on 6th floor of run-down government hotel Ashoka to seek his blessings and some shared their feelings in press.
Here are a couple of articles which I found interesting:

The first article is by Vinod Mehta, chief Editor of Outlook, a prominent journalist of leftist-liberal views who promoted activists like Arundhati Roy and Medha Patkar to the international stage and a man not particularly known by proximity to religious leaders.

He writes about the meeting:

"Holy men put me off because they surround themselves with much pseudo-piety. This fugitive monk, arguably the closest thing to Him on our planet, greets you with a beaming smile, folded hands, wearing badly-stitched robes. There is no necklace round his neck, no mysterious beads on his forearms, no vibhuti on his forehead, no colourful garlands embrace his neck, no glittering rings adorn his fingers. More: there is no incense burning in his spartan but spacious hotel suite, no devotional music in the background. His Holiness, sitting cross-legged on the sofa, looks and sounds refreshingly commonplace with a pronounced weakness for jests...

...This 72-year-old celebrity priest has the innocence and enthusiasms of a four-year-old child. As he relates the brutal tales of "cultural genocide" in Tibet, he remains, miraculously, unemotional, devoid of bitterness or desire for revenge. I hope I am not trivialising my conversations because we were discussing matters of life and death and unspeakable violence by the Chinese. However, throughout my 90-minute chat with Tibet's supreme leader, I was constantly made aware that I was talking not to a religious-political saint fighting for basic civil rights for his people but to an ordinary human being simultaneously burdened by divine status and a Nelson Mandela-like mission.

...As I get up to leave, I instinctively touch his feet (message for Rupert Murdoch: no, he doesn't wear Gucci loafers) not because I believe he is the 'son of God' but because he has goodness written all over him."

Read full artcile here:
http://www.outlookindia.com/full.asp?fodname=20080407&fname=Col+Vinod+%28F%29&sid=1

The second article is from Hindustani Times in which Abhishek Singhvi, Member of Parliament and Spokesperson for the ruling Congress party says:

"Recently, for the first time, I met the Dalai Lama. To be correct, it was the first one-on-one meeting, with only my wife accompanying me. Our earlier meetings -- mostly at conferences or functions -- never went beyond a casual exchange of pleasantries.

...The first thing that struck me was a child-like simplicity in his eyes, in the way he listened and spoke. Everything he said and did came from the heart. There was no premeditated strategy, no glib talk, no posturing and no flamboyance. Ours was a private visit with no agenda, we only wanted to be blessed by his noble presence.

... It was evident the Dalai Lama's soul is steeped in spirituality and austerity is a way of life for him. His entire being radiates benevolence, compassion and equilibrium. In that sense, he truly exemplifies Buddha's teachings and way of life. To be always in sync, in harmony and never to take or allow his followers to take extreme positions is his sincere conviction and continuous effort. Sometimes onlookers feel frustrated with his steadfast insistence on non-violence and even deem his stand counterproductive given the nature of the adversary. But the Dalai Lama believes and practises Gandhian non-violence and Buddhist equanimity. He is truly a unique apostle of peace in an era of strife and hegemony."

Read the full artcile here:
http://www.hindustantimes.com/StoryPage/StoryPage.aspx?id=20b77ab4-91e3-44db-97ee-5a3448edc502&MatchID1=4679&TeamID1=6&TeamID2=3&MatchType1=1&SeriesID1=1179&MatchID2=4674&TeamID3=4&TeamID4=8&MatchType2=1&SeriesID2=1177&PrimaryID=4679&Headline=Peace+practitioner

no doubts The Dalai lama is truly a unique apostle of peace in an era of strife and hegemonyas said by intelligent Manu Singhvi and righty said by Mr chopra that Tibet Isn't a Buddhist Litmus Test.

we've invented a fictitious and a mighty falsely below the par world for ourselves.

At the same time without greed, our current economic and social structures would implode.

no one has been able to construct a society where communal altruism dominates individual greed.

We simply cannot have unrestrained greed and equality.

When Spiritual People in Danger, its time to Reboot the World !!!!!
There is no religious freedom in tibet. Most of their monastries have be damaged in last 50 years and now only 4-5 are left where are there is a limit on the becoming a monk...as becoming monk is one of preferred way of living and Nirvana is Buddhism aim .imagine how much pressure on spiritual people their and under how much fear they are living...
If you will ask any spiritual person..that what is the think which he/she hate most ..the answer will be "VIOLENCE"...and now they are living under violence...have to turn to violence to protect themselves..As the present Dalai Lama who is 75 yrs now is now leading the last battle of their freedom as there is no lama as his succesor as the child which Dalai lama choose as next Dalai Lama was killed along with his family by Chinese govt. as soon as he was choosen.

The Peace, Spirituality, Meditation, Nirvan and the message of Non -violence which was the essence of Tibet Buddhism and reason of Dalai Lama's Noble prize will extinct forever from the earth in next few years by Chinese....

and the Coward Indian and other Govt cannot even release a Bold Statement in Favour of the poor and harasses people.

This is the extent of Sin on earth when the spiritual people are not protected that is the time for Dooms Day.

God cannot wait for Long.

May be 21 dec 2012 is the time for final verdict for peace on earth when Maya calender expires and as per NASA calculations the sun will change its magnetism poles North and South after many 1000's of years on the same day i.e 21 dec 2012 which effects on earth can be dangerous...