The media has been abuzz about the words of HH The Dalai Lama who, in a question about killing Osama Bin Ladin stated, "in the case of Bin Laden, his action was of course destructive and the September 11 events killed thousands of people…so his action must be brought to justice.”
The implication in the media has been mulling over the seeming paradox of the famously non-violent priest who even admonishes his own countrymen from attacking the genocidal persecutors of his own rightful homeland. This does seem a bit confusing but not if you understand Tibetan Buddhism in a more historical context. It is also helpful if we stop syncretizing Buddhism as if it were a Western religion replete with a black/white right/wrong western theology. There isn't even a 'The' in their 'Ology'. Just as their 'justice' is not ours. They are not a sin/punishment religion, they are a consequences/responsibility philosophy.
Buddhism is a philosophy that looks at ethical choices in terms of Karmic actions and Dharmic actions. Kharmic actions are those of humans and have consequences desirable and undesirable. No good or evil judgments here. Dharma is the desired state where all is in harmony with the desires of the universe (at least in a nutshell) and the desired human potential. The workings of Man can be termed Evolutionary and summed up as 'Just Try'. The Universe; "Just Is'. Justice. There is a constant striving for the search (karma) for compassion and justice (dharma). One is not better either.
If we look at what His Holiness is saying in this light many things emerge. He is not prescribing, he is describing. He is saying, 'when you do this, that happens'. Justice. He also says that he understands. What he does not say is that he would not ever do the same thing. That wouldn't fit in with Buddhist Philosophy.
So would he ever prescribe violence? The gotcha type media of the Wall Street Journal would have you believe he was ambiguous and hypocritical or situationally politic. The left leaning press would have you believe he was equally ambiguous but still non-violent. Neither is being truthful.
In the Dharmnapada it is written that the Buddha himself tells us, "'He abused me, he struck me, he overcame me, he robbed me' — in those who harbour such thoughts hatred will never cease." But the Dalai Lama tells us in that same speech that 'forgiveness does not mean forgetting.' So what does he mean?
"He abused me, he struck me, he overcame me, he robbed me..." Certainly there is a progression here and extended to its worst degree we might find the actions of Bin Ladin. The Dalai Lama said that the killer of thousands must be brought to justice. His philosophy also prescribes who must mete out this justice. So why doesn't he attack China? Surely they have killed more than a few thousand...
Tibetans have long practiced Boabom, their unique martial art. It too is a progression that steps from meditation, to movement, to dance, to physical art, to martial art, to weapons. Each person in the culture learns the moves one at a time and steps up the purpose of the basic movement. These various aspects of the practice equate to the steps of querant, novitiate, student, monk, warrior, master. Implicit in this progression is the idea that His Holiness is alluding to. Justice or right action. Right action is appropriate to the place in the progression. Yours and your enemies. A child does not attempt justice because of the consequences or karma that might happen. A warrior might choose differently and a master like the Dalai Lama would also choose differently; for himself. For him, the master, 'Dialogue is the only way' Boabom would teach, 'The only way for now...' For Now.
Because underneath the spate of recent Lama Bulls is an unmistakable message to China who is becoming increasingly genocidal to the monks. This most recent speech is part of a series of surprising speeches that speak on the uprisings in North Africa, the unrest in China, Democracy, the rise of India and now, a not so veiled admonition to Pakistan and China in the guise of a his holiness homily. Like Jesus, the Lama is a very political warrior priest. His words are nuanced, layered and far reaching. While the world is playing International Chess, he is playing GeoPolitical 'GO'...
Compassion for the world might necessitate killing its predators. As countries we also are in an evolution. We (the US) are more warrior than priest and we also have the mastery to carry out justice with relatively little undesirable consequences. Not so for, say, Tibet. It has neither the strength or mastery to overcome its genocidal oppressors. But the Dalai Lama is not excluding the possibility. His alliances with India and the US has the GO playing complexity of a man who reads Sun Tzu. When the progression of Tibet is appropriate to action and China is weak or facing a third army, Tibet will not be meek. Wars and countries have been lost underestimating monks of every sort and, then, the Buddha will kill and we must not be surprised. Or judge... Because Dharma will have been forgotten. We can only hope the Peace Buddha comes before then.
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