Dalai Lama Brings Message of Hope to a Changing Mongolia

The Dalai Lama, spiritual leader of Tibetan Buddhism, led Mongolian worshipers in services at an outdoor sports stadium here Saturday, delivering a message of religious faith and of secular hope for a better future.

Flanked by about 200 red-robed Mongolian monks, the Dalai Lama, in a dark crimson robe and yellow shawl, spoke to reverent crowds about both traditional Buddhist themes and the economic crisis faced by Mongolia today. About 7,000 Mongolians attended the morning event, and twice that number came for an afternoon session.

“If people are suffering, then they must look within themselves,” the Dalai Lama told his listeners, many of whom held prayer beads or blue silk scarves as gestures of devotion. “Suffering and happiness is your own affair. If you have faith in the Buddha, and have proper actions, then the Buddha will look upon you kindly. But happiness is not something ready-made he can give you. It comes from your own actions.”

Implicitly linking these ancient Buddhist themes with today’s Mongolia, the Dalai Lama noted that this landlocked and long-isolated nation is in the midst of a difficult economic transition from a centrally controlled socialist system toward a capitalist market economy. He called on the people of Mongolia to show “determination, patience and self-confidence.”

Buddhism in Mongolia forms an integral part of Tibetan Buddhism as a whole, with all Mongolian monks chanting scriptures only in the Tibetan language.

Twice during the morning session, the Dalai Lama tried to lead the crowd in chanting sutras. While Buddhism has centuries-old historical roots in Mongolia, and most people here say they are believers, the religion faced severe repression until just last year, and few in the crowd were familiar with the Tibetan chants.

The overall reaction, however, was very warm.

“I have a great feeling, because the Dalai Lama came and gave a sermon to the Mongolian people,” said Buuvee, a 44-year-old man from the countryside wearing a traditional woolen robe and pointed felt cap. “The Dalai Lama gave the Buddha’s teaching for future happiness, for the good of the people. . . . I believe in the future of Mongolia, because Buddhism influences the people to have something good, to be able to use religion to push away bad things.”

Speaking with foreign reporters Saturday evening, the Dalai Lama predicted that Buddhism will play a role in the ultimate worldwide collapse of communism, including its power in Tibet and all of China.

“Though they call themselves Marxist or Communist, still I believe they are more nationalist than genuine Marxist--actually they are practicing the authoritarian system,” he said. “The failure (of communism in many countries) I think confirms that due to communications and other factors--the world conscience--the authoritarian system has no future.” He added that “the Buddhist faith, and also I think, to a certain extent, other faiths also” play a role in this trend.