Grumble grumble
From a column in the Chicago Sun-Times:
"The 14th Dalai Lama, Tenzin Gyatso, now 73, is believed to be the reincarnation of the Buddha. But he is not a god."
Probably because I'm dating a Tibetan Buddhist, it really bugs me when the media messes this up. He is not considered a reincarnation of the Buddha! He's considered a reincarnation of a Bodhisatva! The difference? A Buddha is enlightened, and a Bodhisatva is attempting to become enlightened... which is something that we can all say for ourselves, in one way or another, no?
"The 14th Dalai Lama, Tenzin Gyatso, now 73, is believed to be the reincarnation of the Buddha. But he is not a god."
Probably because I'm dating a Tibetan Buddhist, it really bugs me when the media messes this up. He is not considered a reincarnation of the Buddha! He's considered a reincarnation of a Bodhisatva! The difference? A Buddha is enlightened, and a Bodhisatva is attempting to become enlightened... which is something that we can all say for ourselves, in one way or another, no?