Dalai Lama Turned 80!

The Dalai Lama turned 80 yesterday and the whole world is celebrating. Roshi Joan Halifax sent out an announcement saying, “Yesterday, His Holiness the Dalai Lama—great model of compassion—turned 80. Join us in wishing him a happy continuation!”

I’m glad to see that Roshi Joan wrote “Join us in wishing him a happy continuation” because that is how Zen Master Thich Nhat Hanh teaches us to wish our relatives and friends a Happy Birthday. Her newsletter also displayed this quote, which I truly love:

“If our generation exploits everything available—trees, water, and minerals—without any thought for the coming generations, we’ll be at fault. But if we’re motivated by a genuine sense of universal responsibility, our relations with the environment and our relations with our neighbors, both at home and abroad, will be more balanced.”
— His Holiness the Dalai Lama

The Tricycle Daily Dharma sent out this expression of good anger from the Dalai Lama:

Good Anger
Anger that is motivated by compassion or a desire to correct social injustice, and does not seek to harm the other person, is a good anger that is worth having. – His Holiness the Dalai Lama, “The (Justifiably) Angry Marxist” His Holiness The Dalai Lama with Roshi Joan Halifax

This quote is apparently from The Dalai Lama on What Matters Most: Conversations on Anger, Compassion, and Action by Noriyuki Ueda.

The Lion’s Roar, the website for Shambhala Sun and Buddhadharma magazines (two magazines I read from cover to cover), wrote, “Yesterday, the Dalai Lama turned 80. Read Melvin McLeod’s commentary on His Holiness’ life and legacy, from our special publication, The Dalai Lama, plus a classic interview with His Holiness from 20 years ago. And check out birthday greetings he received from Broadway stars, George Bush, the US Government, and many more.

I’m sure there are millions of other good wishes going out to the Dalai Lama on this festive occasion. Will you join me in wishing the Dalai Lama a happy continuation?

Books by Noriyuki Ueda

The Dalai Lama on What Matters Most: Conversations on Anger, Compassion, and Action by Noriyuki Ueda The Dalai Lama as You’ve Never Heard Him Before A few years ago, prominent cultural anthropologist Noriyuki Ueda sat down with the Dalai Lama for a lively two-day conversation. This little book is the result. In it are some surprising truths and commonsense wisdom. “The attachm… [Read More…]