just another cheesy kung fu clip

First let me state that I am not a Buddhist but I was speaking with another student today and the conversation turned to a quote from the Dalai Lama. When China invaded Tibet and killed many people, some of his followers went to him and asked what should be done. The Lama is reported to have said “We must pray for the Chinese.”

It was stated that this quote was used by some to vilify the Lama for how could he stand to see his own people slaughtered.

One could argue that the Lama is a moral absolutist, like Kant, and simply feels hating or harming the Chinese is wrong no matter what. Or…

Could it be that for the Lama the death of the many, innocent or not, was not as important as the actions of the still living aggressors? This may seem horrible but maybe to the Lama the dead have returned to the source, the Creator, or to Plato’s Big Truth. The dead have left this realm and there is nothing more he can do or provide for them. Now the dead are in the realm of the source/Creator/Big Truth and it is up this indescribable force to do with them what It will. Heaven, reincarnation, nothingness believe what you will.

But the living murderers what of them? If I remember right one of the roles of the Lama is to end the suffering of all by helping them find peace and nirvana. Once he had escaped the cycle of reincarnation he was “reassigned” to blissfully help others achieve the same. In the still living murderers, the Lama has the ability to achieve this.

I guess this might make the Lama an objectivist for his desire, like Roark’s, is in his work. If you notice the Lama did not say “pray for me, for I have work to do” because like any good objectivist, he does not expect or ask for the labor of another for his benefit. He would do Rand proud. Or maybe Rand, like all of us, stands on the backs and ideas of giants.