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15
14
Good Bad
Debate Score:29
Arguments:26
Total Votes:31
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TheEccentric(3382) pic



The Dalai Lama: Good or Bad

Is the 14th and current Dalai Lama (one of the most notable figures in Tibetan Buddhism and Tibetan Exile politics) a good or a bad person? Behind this saintly Gandhi-like seeming firgure there lies a lot of controversy.

Good

Side Score: 15
VS.

Bad

Side Score: 14
2 points

He's kind of like the Pope of Buddhism, right? Do you think the Pope is bad?

Side: Good
1 point

OMFG he is not the pope of Buddhism! We don't have one!

Buddhism has no leader when the Buddha was dying he was asked who would lead after he died and he said no one but his teachings.

DL is only an important figure in one school of one small tradtion of Buddhism, even that he does not lead.

Side: Bad
GuitarGuy(6096) Disputed
2 points

OMFG he is not the pope of Buddhism! We don't have one!

I said "kind of like" the Pope. They're both figure-heads for their religion. Is The Dalai Lama not Buddhism's most well-known public figure?

DL is only an important figure in one school of one small tradtion of Buddhism, even that he does not lead.

That doesn't change the fact that everyone knows who he is and associates him with Buddhism.

Side: Good
1 point

The Buddhist teachings are good.

Introducing people to the ideals of Buddhism, giving them an opportunity to learn about Buddhism, is good.

It is an unfortunate reality of today's society that "celebrity" and all the things that come with it are necessary to reach a large audience.

So, it could be argued that by spreading awareness of Buddhist teachings; the Dalai Lama is knowingly sacrificing his own chances of reaching Nirvana. Which would make him good.

Side: Good
2 points

I have to admit he has done a lot of good work for the spreading of Buddhism.

However my teacher has set up over 1200 Mahayana Buddhist groups and centres around the world and sold over a million books, seriously Dalai who?

Side: Bad
GuitarGuy(6096) Disputed
1 point

And where do the profits from your teacher's books go?

Side: Good
1 point

He makes me smile... but then again, so does Charles Manson.

Side: Good

He is good because he is for peace and never tolerates violence of any kind.

Side: Good

He is an admitted hypocrite who has used the naturally peaceful and undogmatic religion of Buddhism to gain power.

He used to run a Theocractic feudal society in Tibet before the Chinese invasion in the 1950's where many people were poor serfs abused by owners such as him who gave awful punishments to any of them who tried to run away making him little better than the slavers in America and the Carribean in the 1700's.

He speaks of Religious freedom but does not practice it himself and imposes his ideal of Tibetan Buddhism on other practitioners and causes abuse towards Buddhists who are involved in practices he disdains.

Also he incourges people not to be materialistic and yet he hiself stays in 5 star hotels, gets to meet film stars and uses the internet.

Side: Bad
Intangible(4934) Disputed
1 point

Proof of your claims?

Also he incourges people not to be materialistic and yet he hiself stays in 5 star hotels, gets to meet film stars and uses the internet*

That is not being materialistic, that is just enjoying life.

Side: Good
1 point

"Proof of your claims?"

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/SerfdominTibet_controversy

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lWTD2MjCg0g

http://www.westernshugdensociety.org/dalai-lama/dalailama-suppresses-religious-freedom/

http://www.westernshugdensociety.org/dalai-lama/dalai-lama-nazi-connections/

"That is not being materialistic, that is just enjoying life."

Buddhist monks are supposed to renounce samsaric enjoyments.

My teacher Geshe Kelsang Gyatso is a real teacher and Gelugpa master who desires nothing more than to help other sentient beings, while I think "his holyness" the Dalai Lama desires nothing more than pleasure it pleases him to wear guccie shoes and go on unproductive interviews, some people may thing that frivollous.

Side: Bad
1 point

Hey,, I think he's bad we often come to know many problems related to him!!

http://www.fertilemind.com.au/category-maternity-tops-147.aspx

Side: Bad

He was a slaver .

Side: Bad