Apparently there's a huge conflict between Buddhists today concerning the Dalai Lama's decision to reject some past Buddhist beliefs that many find hard to accept.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wC-F6VUyGZM

I'm not that familiar with Buddhism but this is really shocking, especially the Dalai Lama's reaction and explanation of this conflict. And the things he apparently has said and some of his actions I'm just hearing about are also hard to believe.

This is like when Hitchens came out with his critique of Mother Teresa, it's very strange to see a darker side of a figure everyone sees as so perfect and benevolent.

Actually, all human beings have "darker sides." No matter how holy or just he may seem to be, he's still a human and from what I remember, no human being is truly perfect or just; for even they have hidden tendencies.

It's sad to see a religious figure be put in such a light, though.

Hence the saying, "Never meet your heroes."

Did you know that Ghandi disowned his gay son who later died as a penniless drunk in the gutters of Bombay.

The Dalai Lama is little more than a man on a soapbox. He and every other person is capable of power tripping when given the privilege of authority. His Holiness can kiss my common ass.

Meh. He's human & a hypocrite like many other people. Nothing big.

disappointing isnt it? But what do you expect?! He's the same as you and me. We're all sinful! No one is righteous...

First of all, this is what happens when religions join with governments. And in the case of Tibetans there are two spiritual tribes known as the red and yellow respectively. One's loyal to its spiritual leader-on-exile Dali Lama, while the other is being supported by the Chinese government. Who happens to be targeting Dali Lama over the international political scene.

Not only that, the Tibetan society isn't politically democratic, in the sense that not all people in Tibet have the right to be participating state's affair. Unless they're a member of the local spiritual group.

Now, if anyone of you is a political refugee on exile due to your religious faith being targeted by a foreign government, and you just happened to be the default spiritual leader due to your birthright based on a superstition of your religion. Just exactly what can you do as the Dali Lama? Not a heck of a lot when you're not in Tibet, because the rest of the world's religious scene is based on a monolithic faith.

So what if we're not perfect? When the teaching of Christianity claimed that we were created in the "perfect" image of God. Here's an individual who can't even be himself since birth, due to the political and religious ideologies of other people forced upon and drove him into exile. And yet there are those who would carelessly criticize someone, without them understanding the whole picture?

Just who are we to criticize and judge another individual for unwillingly being a "hypocrite"? When the false identity of that individual wasn't self-made in the beginning.

I understand the Dalai Lama is human and susceptible to flaws, but I'd expect more from him than I would the average person on the street.

The fact that he barely even explained the decisions he's made that have destroyed many people's faith and caused so much controversy goes beyond "human flaw". I think it is obviously a big deal, I personally don't care that much, but when the Pope makes decisions or behaves in a way that causes harm to many of his followers, people tend to not just say "well, he's human, no big deal." I think it's because the Dalai Lama seems like such a great leader regularly (unlike the Pope), people are not ready to be so critical of him.

This whole setup reminds me of the 1987 film The Last Emperor.

And if you've seen the movie, you too will understand just how powerless the Dali Lama is, as a political refugee on exile due to the Chinese government. His own religious faction may appears to be loyal to him, but that's because the Tibetan spiritual tradition demands a figurehead. When tradition has more influence than the will and responsibility of an individual, it's those who are administrating the politics that are operating and conspiring behind a vile of formality.

Miryurox I am not sinfull

I don't see why the abolishment of some practices could be seen as a something to scrutinize. The Catholic Church has undergone many radical reforms and it is still adapting to the constant changes happening around the world today. Such revolutionary changes are not restricted to any one religion in this case. I don't see why it can't happen as a natural process elsewhere. We can't do much about those who may not accept such changes but that's what makes the human race so variable. If we all agree on everything, there would be no need for anything else. No progress, no change, effectively "perfect". But we're not perfect because to be perfect is to stop evolving, stop progressing, effectively--death.

Yeah, so? How can he be a 'spirtual dictator' if he only controls a certain sect of Buddhist in a certain area? My family is very Buddhist, but, seeing as the variation I practice is different from his, I am not at all affected by his criticism of some no-named sect. Likewise, this no named sect is not under his spiritual juristiction, and, so, they need not heed him, and he may condemn their heresy to his heart content. No body wins and, much more important, no body loses. The higher powers, be they the natural or preternatural forces, deign that we should be endowed with the gift of free will, free thoughts, and free action. So he criticises, does he wield the power to destroy? And if not, why should we complain?

Sorry if i offended you!!! Im not trying to hurt any one here... but im just stating the obvious... we are sinful!!!

sinfull according to who?

I don't think she knows how to tell that by herself.