Friday, 25 September 2015

The Dalai Lama

In my school days there was a chapter in Marathi text book by the famous author Anant Kanekar. It was titled ‘Personnel and Social’. It was about how the personnel life of renowned persons affects the social fabric of ordinary people. People follow by example and they emulate the life of their idols. He had stressed the same by quoting examples of first Prime Minister of India Jawaharlal Nehru and his relationship with female friends especially Lady Mountbatten and Gandhi being supported by two women alongside affected the general psyche of the public.
I was initially flabbergasted after reading in the newspapers today of the opinion expressed by the Saint Dalai Lama of his successor- ‘if female should be attractive’ which he reiterated to the interviewer. I have been following the Dalai Lama for years. In spite of living in exile from his beloved country Tibet he has led a very auspicious and spiritual life and his teachings have been broadly recognised worldwide. He has rapport with an entire gamut of luminaries who matter spiritually.
Why should he have made such a statement? The word Saint sounds more masculine in gender although there are several recognised feminine saints. There are many Indian Saints who are feminine and so not so attractive. Sainthood is a matter of holiness of the knowledge and wisdom of worldly matter. But what if a Saint is holy and attractive too? The Dalai Lama also said that due importance to should be given to women and they are better spiritual souls than men.
Yet it looks quite incomprehensible why The Dalai Lama chose his female successor attractive!


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