The Dalai Lama in Frankfurt
Yesterday there was an important visitor in Frankfurt, the 14th Dalai Lama (Tenzin Gyatso) was a guest lecture and also in the coming days in the Commerzbank Arena on Buddhism. As one of the few - interesting for me - spiritual leader of our time, I would not let me take it, it plays more or less "live" to see himself on Thursday and was a "guest".
The Program: From 30
July to 2 August will speak of the Dalai Lama, always from 9:30 to 11:30, then there is a lunch break and then talk He again from 14.00-16.00 clock. Along with Dana, I took part only in yesterday's event and can therefore only refer to this "event" status.
excerpt from the booklet of the event:
Thursday 30 July
teachings: "The Middle Stages of Meditation" by Acharya Kamalshila
is based on the presentations of the important Buddhist-based text "The middle stages of mediation" of the Indian scholar Acharya Kamalshila. The Dalai Lama will read sections of it to explain and deepen, so that created a real understanding can. It will be clear that this philosophical text from the 9th Century, so modern, exciting and groundbreaking is like no other.
We booked our tickets for the best, including via third class city card. Two tickets for the price of one, ergo 14,50 for two people. Our seats were in accordance with the actual course of events far away place, but as we were sitting almost perfectly in the middle, we had a wonderful view of the stage and the three monitors, one could very well to recognize what was going on. Previously, we had but by the (depending on the person by seeking) by strong controls that have cost a lot of time and nerves. The organization was characterized by much effort, but little security and unity. One should take no food and no drinks, even umbrellas gets taken off you. The tasting is cumbersome, you have electronic card with a minimum of 10 € (not the rich, get two people to fill completely) charge and can pay at the cashier of the food stand just so. This card is a deposit of two euros, which are being replaced by tax returns. It is, therefore, not only once a snake, but thrice. Card, charge card use on the stand, you return the card. Terrible.
The food is vegetarian, which of course is only understandable in the context of the event, but two "power ball", the German dumplings are seasoned with curry see suspiciously similar, cost two euros and are even smaller than the aforementioned double. The kitchen and cashiers are friendly, but completely overwhelmed. Soft drinks are available in 0.5 L of standardized size and cost 3.70. A coffee 0.3, I think, it costs 2.70.
was organized by the lunch break such a debacle that I have eaten at the end nothing. I advise anyone to hide good food, plenty still to stock it, or spend the two hours break with a little trip back to the city center. By the queasy feeling in my stomach I could personally hardly follow the second part of the program, even if the Dalai Lama spoke partly in English and his Tibetan from his personal translator is expertly translated into German. It's still an enormously time-consuming and demanding for a lot of concentration, precisely because the issues do relate to philosophy.
Nevertheless, the event interesting and instructive. I will certainly be more engage with Buddhism. A (reproduced in his own words) comments by the Dalai Lama will certainly continue to keep me in remembrance:
"Many people try to Zen Buddhism, for example to live by side issues, such as setting up their homes with products from the Japanese culture or an adaptation to a different cultural lifestyle. But this is not Buddhism!
(Laughs Schepp himself, and thought with this statement two friendly Americans to Zen [do.] Living Buddhist)
word of the day (borrowed from www.tabibito.de/japan_blog/blogs/ ): How could it be otherwise be: 仏 教 (Bukkyo). Buddhism .
仏 (butsu) stands for the Buddha or Buddhism, and (kyo) is the sign of religion or education.
