This is a film by the Buddhist Broadcasting Foundation from 2005 recorded at a conference about the future of Tibetan Buddhism in Europe.
The conference was headed by HH The Dalai Lama, and discussed different issues that are involved with the future of the religion in the bloc.
The growing acceptance of the tradition raises questions of relationships with other religions, women’s issues and how to face the many challenges of a newly adopted religion.
Amongst the interviewees are HH the Dalai Lama, Soygal Rinpoche, Geshe Jampel Senge, Tulku Pema Wangyal, Alexander Berzin, Ani Carola Roloff and Dr Martin Kalff. The film was made by Babeth M. VanLoo.
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The video “Tibetan Buddhism in Europe” video is an excellent example of why Tibetan Buddhism is, sadly, not advancing in the US and Europe. If anything, it is dying out, in spite of all the wonderful movies and book sales. Tibetan Buddhism and its vinaya, where I took refuge 14 years ago, seems to be turning into a support system for Tibetan Buddhist monks and nuns and few others.
I live in Washington, DC. In 2015, in a city of over 5 Million, there are exactly 3 Tibetan Buddhist centers with a grand total of around 100 “western” members. The vast majority of monks in most monasteries in the US and Europe are Tibetan. A western monk or nun cannot even think of trying to enter a TB monastery unless he has a sponsor to foot all his expenses, including medical insurance. Hence, there may be one small TB monastery of less than 50 monks (guessing on the high side) on the east coast of the USA with a majority of western monks. So sad. Of visiting teachers, collecting donations for their TB monasteries in India, there is no lack.
I rejoice that westerners are donating to the relief of Tibetan refugees, Nepali Earthquake relief, etc. I am so sad that there is very little support from either the West or the East for legitimate TB centers and monasteries in the West, particularly the US East Coast. Such is our karma.
I am hopeful that the Dharma will find a way.
Sincerely,
Paul, Chantilly, VA
(you don’t need to post this comment. I apologize for venting my rant in this email, but the “rosy” view of this video is quite deceptive. One of the folk in the video, the quite notable Dr. Alex Berzin, of the amazing Berzin Archives web site, a Rhodes Scholar himself and a former translator for HH the Dalai Lama, even had to leave the monk-hood for lack of funding to carry on, I believe. The view of the conference table full of TB abbots with the 2 or 3 westerners, out on the end of the table, pretty much presaged the rest of the video’s content, sadly. If TB stays TB instead of including the rest of the world’s diversity in its hierarchy, it will simply die out in the west.)
Thanks for your perspective Paul.