I became interested in Buddhism as a teenager.
Raised by not terribly orthodox Catholic Parents
- excommunicated (because he got divorced) Irish American father
and French/Indian Canadian mother -
But there was little opportunity to look into Buddhism at my one room
school in a village of mostly Lutheran converted Scandinavian or
German or Polish - American families.
Even tho my initial "spiritual crisis" hit at age seven and then was
amplified by the death of my father when I was 15, it wasn't until
when I was a student at a Presbyterian affiliated college that I had
any real chance to meditate on Buddhist writings and practices.
Eventually, of course, I became aware of His Holiness the Dalai Lama,
Tibet, the Tibet/China conflict, etc.
I have since been very intrigued by the demeanor of the Dalai Lama and
how he seems to wear his personal and political tragedies with such a
lack of fear and hatred towards those who have murdered his
countrymen, attacked his religion and occuped his nation.
I've wondered what is is that he knows that most of us, and certainly
me, seem to be missing.
Just recently I can into some information about something that he as
well as his Chinese oppressors (and the USA Inc's good
political/economic friends, now) know that has not gotten a lot of
mainstream press:
The United States CIA probably is not made of devout Buddhists, but
has shown quite a bit of interest in Tibet of late.
That may be because "Official Chinese pronouncements have
confirmed the existence in Tibet of the
BIGGEST URANIUM RESERVES IN THE WORLD."
So His Holiness grew up amidst the highest mountain peaks, most
pristine rivers & water sources and potentially most powerful/deadly
fissionable material on earth. Maybe that accounts for the twinkle in
his eye and slightly bemused smile...?
You can access the white paper report:
http://www.tibet.com/WhitePaper/white9.html
mjm