H.H's visit NYC, Organizer ticket sky Rock

Choni Tsultrim

5/22/2010


Tibetan leader His Holiness The Dalai Lama’s visit New York City is always such great benefit for all the walks of lives in the city whether they are Buddhists or non-Buddhists everyone has something positive to say about his teachings, compassionate nature and peacefulness and even his smile and gaggles give thousand of people peace and refresh their lives and even some times change people’s lives completely by listening to his teachings.

I remember couple of years ago HH gave teaching “ Three principles of the path to enlightenment” at Central park it was estimated close to a million of people gathered that day. I talked some of the people after the teaching. They told me that it was the best day ever they had in thier lives. Everyone was so happy that they learnt something from Dalai Lama. I remember some of my Chinese friends bought ticket for three days teaching at Music City Hall that year. They told me ticket was so expensive but it was worth.

Same as last two years teachings in North America really helped people to know about Buddhism and Tibet. Whenever people see any announcement on magazine or online about HH’s come over America and specially in New York City is something everyone talked about and expected so that we all can get a glimpse of bless if luck enough.

As a Buddhist I am no different from everyone else. I really felt that whole entire city has been enriched and blessed so much in so many ways and specially those are believers of Buddhism and particularly all the Tibetans and people from Himalayan range so much vibrated for the last two three weeks rushed for tickets and lined up 3:00 AM in the morning for the better seats and most importantly everyone wanted to be close to him to get the best bless which is totally understandable. The funny thing was those who paid $25-$35 over were allowed to enter actual hall to see real Buddha. Nearly thousand of people only got chance to watch TV in a separate hall even though paid $10 ticket. Half of the people in the separated hall are rebucking sharply about the separation and hundreds of people don’t even have ticket murmuring outside door with no chance to get in and see Buddha compassion they waited for long time.

There are few questions come aross to my mind:

1) Why there were only few Tibetans on the teaching in the Radio City Music hall among thousands ?
2) Did Tibetans know that HH is teaching in the city?
3) or because those days were not Saturdays and Sundays?
4) or $360 tickets were too expensive for Tibetans to go to teaching?
5) or Tibetans already knew what HH is teaching in New York?
6) Why Tibetans are rushing for public talk, not for three days teaching?

Maybe the ticket cost so much that most of Tibetan won’t be able to afford to buy even though wanted so badly to participate His Holiness’ teaching.

Two days ago I read an article about a student asked H.H Dalai Lama why his teachings are so expensive. H.H simply answered, “Organizer decide ticket price, and not me.” I knew there so many others have same questions but never get chance to put up publicly. I actually met a family friend in New Jersey yesterday. First thing he asked me if I got chance to receive teachings. Before I answered his question he shook his head and said, “I will not be able to get any teaching from Dalai Lama because it’s too expensive and I have got four family members if we go to teaching it costs my family over $1500 and plus food and transportation and we simply don’t have money to do it.

We all understand some money maybe go to charity and of course organizer needs money to pay off their expenses. But the question here everyone has is that……
1) should we sell teachings to benefit something else?
2) why teachings are over expensive?
3) Should we think about people have no money?
4) Are these teachings are only for rich people?
5) Does these teachings are for benefit entire sentient being or whoever has money?
6) Who decide cost of ticket to push away poor people’s participation?
7) Why we sell Dalai Lama to make money for ourselves to rich your organization or Centers?
8) Is this truly Buddhist way of benefit other?
9) Does Tibetan office or government ever thought about this issue?
10) Or do we still continue to ignore no matter what?

Few days ago VOA Pema Dorjee interviewed Director of Indiana Tibetan Center Aga Rinpochen at the airport while he was there to receive HH the Dalai Lama for three days Heart Sutra teaching. He actually mentioned that they are going to raise money by selling ticket and give some money to help Earth quack in Yushu. Although the attention is perfectly right but raise ticket price to sky rock to push away so many poor people and not give chance or consider affordability those who have no money specially during this crisis is absolutely wrong and selfish. I am not saying that help victims is wrong but they needs to refresh thier mind and they shouldn't zig zag on propose of teaching "Heart Sutra" in particuler area. Their focus should be the people around that area not raise money for the earth quack. They can raise money anytime they want for the victimized by earth quack but it is totally wrong over priced tikect and not give chance to poor people.

This is just an example. To my knowledge pretty much all the organizer across the country no matter where and what state, ticket price for HH's teaching is over beyond measure. We all need to wake up once again to refresh our mind why we sell over priced tickets, Why we treat Lord Buddha's teachings as business? most importantly we need to check our motivation by doing all these thing. If we hold wrong or non-virtuous motivation from the beginning then what's the hell to waste time and energy.

Finally, While I was finish writing this article, I got a phone from a friend saying that he called for ticket so many times nobody answers phone. Finally somebody called Dolak said in phone “we don’t have ticket now so don’t even think about to come over because heavy security and you won’t be able to get in hall.” My friend was absolutely torn and trashed down mentally and emotionally.

My Buddha, compassionate one,
why I am not allow to see you?
It because I don’t have money?
You compassionate I know you are watching on me
And you know how I am feeling
I wish I have the power to make everyone equal
So that we all equally enjoy your bless’
My prayers go on with those wanted to see you day and night.
May all sentient being equally bless by,
“You compassionate one”