Thursday, November 11, 2004
For David, and anyone else who enjoys the comic timing of the Dalai Lama. Excerpt from an interview with His Holiness Tenzin Gyatso, circa 1993:
Q: In a recent issue of the Buddhist magazine Tricycle, the actor Spalding Gray asked you about your dreams, and you said you sometimes dreamtof women fighting.
A: Women fighting? No, no. . . . What I meant was that, in my dreams, sometimes women approach me and I immediately realize, "I'm bhikshu, I'm monk." So you see, this is sort of sexual. . . .
Q: In your dreams, you realize this and you "fight" the feeling?
A: Yes. Similarly, I have dreams where someone is beating me and I want to respond. Then, immediately I remember, "I am monk and I should not kill."
Q: Do you ever experience rages? Even Jesus had rages.
A: Don't compare me with Jesus. He is a great master, a great master. . .. But as to your question, when I was younger, I did get angry. In the past 30 years, no. One thing, the hatred, the ill-feeling, that's almost gone.
Q: So what are your weaknesses and faults?
A: Laziness.
Q: It is said that you get up at 4 in the morning. How can you be lazy?
A: It's not that kind of laziness. For instance, sometimes, when I visitsome Western countries, I develop an enthusiasm to improve my English. Butwhen I actually make the effort to study, after a few days, my enthusiasm isfinished. [Laughs.] That is laziness. Other weaknesses are, I think, angerand attachments. I'm attached to my watch and my prayer beads. Then, of course, sometimes beautiful women. . . . But then, many monks have the same experience. Some of it is curiosity: If you use this, what is the feeling?[Points to his groin.]
Q: In a recent issue of the Buddhist magazine Tricycle, the actor Spalding Gray asked you about your dreams, and you said you sometimes dreamtof women fighting.
A: Women fighting? No, no. . . . What I meant was that, in my dreams, sometimes women approach me and I immediately realize, "I'm bhikshu, I'm monk." So you see, this is sort of sexual. . . .
Q: In your dreams, you realize this and you "fight" the feeling?
A: Yes. Similarly, I have dreams where someone is beating me and I want to respond. Then, immediately I remember, "I am monk and I should not kill."
Q: Do you ever experience rages? Even Jesus had rages.
A: Don't compare me with Jesus. He is a great master, a great master. . .. But as to your question, when I was younger, I did get angry. In the past 30 years, no. One thing, the hatred, the ill-feeling, that's almost gone.
Q: So what are your weaknesses and faults?
A: Laziness.
Q: It is said that you get up at 4 in the morning. How can you be lazy?
A: It's not that kind of laziness. For instance, sometimes, when I visitsome Western countries, I develop an enthusiasm to improve my English. Butwhen I actually make the effort to study, after a few days, my enthusiasm isfinished. [Laughs.] That is laziness. Other weaknesses are, I think, angerand attachments. I'm attached to my watch and my prayer beads. Then, of course, sometimes beautiful women. . . . But then, many monks have the same experience. Some of it is curiosity: If you use this, what is the feeling?[Points to his groin.]
