Religion and Theology

In my personal opinion, religion as contrasted to spirituality is interwoven but may
stand out as two separate entities on their own merits. While religion is handed down to
mankind through the ages, and may be, to some considered man-made, spirituality falls in
the realms of cultivating the inner self to the goodness of humanity and the development
of a collective sense of harmony both with the external environment and  individuals
around us and the internal universe within us. Thus, I see Buddhism as a doctrinaire to
follow in the art of living, more spiritual in nature than religious, excluding as it does the
existence of a God which is central to most religions.

Thus, that the Dalai Lama is considered a  spiritual head instead of a religious one
comes as little or no surprise for me. The present Dalai Lama, Tenzin Gyatso, now
exiled in India, however does raise queries in mind- is he the end of a spiritual era,
claiming as he does  that he may or may not be re-incarnated in the next life- perhaps
following the traditions of many bodhisattvas who refrain from reincarnation and maha
nirvana-or finding the ultimate peace as is theorized by Buddhists- in order to relinquish
the world from suffering, and stating as he had in a press release to the Polish press in the
mid-70s that the office of Dalai Lama, which was created for the purport of social
benefit, was fast coming to the end of its benefit to mankind.

In my opinion, the Dalai Lamas role as spiritual leader smacks on the theories of
engaged spirituality which encompasses the gamut of spiritual and religious individuals
who endeavor to transform the world collectively and individually through societal
betterment. With progressive political ideology tempered with compassion and peace,
engaged spiritualists such as the Dalai Lama temper the polity with the philosophy of
goodness and well-being towards the world. Indeed, the Dalai Lamas extensive travels
to troubled regions of the world, political et al, as peace-maker delving into the values
and mores of the Buddhist 8-Fold Path as a means of synchronizing the world into a
harmonious unit is an outstanding example of engaged spirituality. To quote the Dalai
Lama himselfThere can be no peace as long as there is grinding poverty, social
injustice, inequality, oppression, environmental degradation and as long as the weak
shall continue to be downtrodden by the mighty and powerful. His message grows in
intensity through another of his quotes who provides the opportunity to cultivate
patience Not our friends Our enemies give us the most crucial chance to grow.

I feel this last quote to be one of the best examples that links the world of Tibetan
spirituality to that of engaged spirituality, both of which cultivate the growth of the inner
self and consciousness with collective efforts towards the betterment  of society. Indeed,
in verses taken from Tibetan Buddhism which hone at developing the mind, persona,
inner consciousness in an attempt to bring about a uniformity to the polarities of the
external world, the realms of engaged spirituality are once again enhanced- and
advocated by His Holiness Tenzin Gyatso, Tibets 14th spiritual head. These verses
enshrine teachings similar to the teachings of Christ and support the co- dependence of all
human beings on one another for sustenance, comfort, joy, economic and social
interdependence. Social change is brought about only when inner spiritual awakening
harnesses with the collective towards betterment. Again, in teachings reminiscent of
Christianity- the proverb to turn the other cheek- the Dalai Lama advocates that to all
those who provoke us into anger, jealousy and emotional defilements we should exercise
our inner desires for goodness- thereby hinging on the Buddha in every individual- and
consider them our teachers and tempters.

As mentioned earlier, the best teachers of patience are our enemies- and I would like to
stress that these  may be connoted as out internal foes- our vices, our emotional woes.
our excesses- all of which have to be conquered to attain the mahanirvana, or final state
of peace and enlightenment- as well as our external foes which come in the form of
threatening individuals who implode on the tempo of our emotional, psychological,
physical well-being with patience and compassion, so as to create a world which is in
synchronicity with the inner persona of the individual as well as with the extraneous
factors which govern mankind..

This essay is but a small drop in the teachings of the Dalai Lama, a term which literally
translates as Great Ocean of learning( RN Rahul Sheel, The Tibet Journal, Autumn
Issue, 1999) and is my small endeavor to further the cause of Buddhism as still waters,
similar to my faith, do indeed run deep