Logically speaking, while His Holiness does not, at this point, outwardly show a tendency toward Buddhist exclusivism by claiming one religious ideology as true and another false, it is difficult for me to comprehend how there can be no problem when conflicts obviously exist within the Buddhist religion as well as between Buddhism and Christianity. Those he considers conflicts within the philosophical field (SLU 663). He then goes on to point out philosophical doctrinal differences existing within Buddhism itself, particularly covering the theories of emptiness and selflessness. He sees no conflict or problem between the two. Once again, apparently on the side of religious pluralism, the Dalai Lama points out how the idea of God as the creator of all and dependence upon his will is doctrinally perfect for some people, while for others, dependence upon oneself and believing in the self as the creator is more beneficial for spiritual growth. Christians believe in God as a permanent, almighty creator, whereas Buddhists believe the universe has no first cause or creator and there is not a permanent pure being such as the God of Christian understanding (SLU 662). In other words, all persons of faith are called to give and love more fully if they are truly living out their religious beliefs.ĭoctrinally however, there is an insurmountable difference in the ultimate divinity. He also believes all religions emphasize honesty and humility, and a call for all religious persons to strive for becoming better human beings. In an example of Buddhism and Christianity taken together, His Holiness believes the purpose of the different philosophies in each religion are similar in that each religion is directed to the achievement of permanent human happiness as its ultimate goal. Although the Dalai Lama takes a positive stance and approach to various world religions, choosing to focus on the similarities between them, he never loses sight of the fact that there are major differences as well. To His Holiness, integration is possible when it is different religions co-existing side by side but he disagrees with the possibility of a convergence such as Hick discussed. The Dalai Lama, in his interview with Cabezon, agreed with the idea of convergence, or integration, but to a lesser degree than Hick suggests. Hick’s theory suggests an eschatological unity, going beyond the ultimate unity of faiths, wherein everyone would be fulfilled and transcended by the truth, but still less than the whole truth. These different forms come from what I can only call the same religion, because it involves a potential osmosis of membership in the institution and a possible interchange of ministry (SLU 640). He doesn’t feel as though everyone will think or worship in the same way, or experience the divine in similar fashion across the board, but rather forms of the same dominant tradition spread across the globe. One of the items Hick posits is a possible convergence of the world religions so one day belonging to rival ideological communities of faith may be rendered obsolete (Saint Leo University 639). In this paper, using John Hick’s hypothesis of religious pluralism as a base, and an interview with His Holiness by Jose Ignacio Cabezon, I will show how the Dalai Lama is a proponent of religious diversity, even agreeable with some of Hick’s theory, but still maintains an exclusivist viewpoint regarding Buddhism. However, underneath his acceptance and tolerance of other world religions, His Holiness seems more of a religious exclusivist. On the surface, the Dalai Lama appears as something of a religious pluralist, which falls in line with the theory presented by John Hick. On the rare occasions he grants interviews, His Holiness not only discusses Buddhism, but he also carefully addresses the benefits of religious diversity in the world today. While emancipation has not yet come to pass, His Holiness the Dalai Lama, as he is called, has taken the opportunity of his exile to travel the world and open up the mysteries and practices of Buddhism to the rest of the world. The Dalai Lama has worked ceaselessly to promote the nonviolent emancipation of Tibet ever since. He assumed the rule in 1950, but in 1959 the Chinese occupation forced him to leave his home in Tibet. Tenzin Gyatso was designated the fourteenth Dalai Lama, the spiritual and temporal head of Tibet, in 1937 at the age of two.
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