Download Midnight Dharma: Diamond Way Buddhism on the Air

Midnight Dharma: Diamond Way Buddhism on the Air (Some Remarks to the
Spreading of Tibetan Buddhism in the West)
Jan Polívka
Midnight Dharma is a one hour long periodic Buddhist radio programme1, every fourteen
days on Thursday from midnight to one o’clock a.m. on Prague Radio 1.
“Radio 1 is the oldest private radio station broadcasting in the Czech Republic. Officially
established in the spring of 1991, Radio 1 actually began broadcasting in the autumn of 1990 as a
pirate radio station. The station was situated inside the pedestal of the former Stalin Monument as
a part of the Totalitarian Zone exhibition. Radio 1 was the first independent privately owned radio
station in the republic. The difference between Radio 1 and other commercial radio stations is in
its musical programmme. Rather than concentrating on the usual hit parades, top 40s, and golden
oldies Radio 1 focuses its attention on more serious work, specifically on alternative, independent
music of all styles (electronic, rock, jazz, reggae, ambient etc.). The most important thing for all
the people from Radio 1 is to spread quality music. During its 13 years of existence Radio 1 has
become an important cultural phenomenon.”2
The creator of Midnight Dharma is Petr Mikulášek. He has been a moderator on Radio 1 for
more than 12 years. He said that the idea of Buddhist programme had been born when he had
lived two years abroad and he had been in contact with dharma only with the help of internet.
For that reason he suggested this format in the Prague centre of the Society of diamond way
and after an agreement in Radio 1, Midnight Dharma was created in this easy and impulsive
way.3 The first episode was broadcasted on 10th August 2006. Now, people who can speak
Czech can listen to this programme live on the internet in the whole world. Exact numbers,
how many people listen to this programme, aren’t known. “But more than four hundred
downloads of an episode from 28th June 2007 within a half of July is a high number.”4
Petr Mikulášek and his guests, travelling teachers of diamond way, mostly Jakub Kadlec
Radek Růžička and Roman Lauš talk about various topics which are connected closely or
distantly to the practising of diamond way.
Jakub Kadlec received a retreat, “became Buddhist”, in 1994. Till 1997 he was a president of
the Society of diamond way in the Czech Republic and he was a teacher of Buddhism until
2002 after lama Ole Nydahl’s request. He works as a product manager. Radek Růžička
graduated at the faculty of medicine in 1984. He received a retreat in 1996. And Roman Lauš
received a retreat in 1998 in Brno. He is a part-owner of a Translation Company. He is also an
editor-in-chief of a magazine Buddhismus dnes (Buddhism Today) and he founded a
1
All episodes for download on http://www.radio1.cz/pulnocnidharma
http://www.radio1.cz/
3
Petr Mikulášek in personal letter from 17th July 2007.
4
The chief of Radio 1, Saša Michailidis in personal letter from 17th July 2007.
2
publishing company Bílý deštník (White Umbrella) with other members of the Brno
meditation centre of Diamond way in 2000. This publishing company published most of lama
Ole Nydahl’s books. Roman Lauš taught Buddhism till the end of 2003.
Midnight Dharma spreads a specific version of Buddhism which is connected with lama Ole
Nydahl. Ole Nydahl has a cardinal importance for the Society of diamond way.
In the summer of 1968 Ole Nydahl and his wife Hannah went to Nepal on their honeymoon.
Ole Nydahl said nothing about reasons why they chose Nepal. Because Ole Nydahl was a
casual smuggler of hashish and they carried with them one book by Evans-Wentz, Tibetan
yoga and secret doctrine (which includes Kagyu(pa)’s teachings5), I suppose there were two
reasons, drugs and Buddhism. And at the end of 60’s in the West there were ideal conditions
for an influx of eastern traditions including Buddhism, apart from other things as a conclusion
of a growing stronger socio-cultural movement which is known as a contra-culture.6
“Many sociological studies demonstrate that religious consciousness, which is connected with
alternative culture, was born in a privileged class of young people.”7 I think that Ole Nydahl
was one of them because his father was a university teacher and he was a well-known author
of textbooks of the German language. For these people, who were looking for new ideas,
spirituality, moral and cultural values, and a personal realisation, there was one attractive
possibility – a trip to Northern India to visit real lamas. “Eastern wisdom thanks the bridge
which was built between psychology and the spiritual world for a big part of its success.”8 Ole
Nydahl used drugs like LSD. His dissertation from Philosophy was about a book The Doors
of Perception by Aldous Huxley. He thought that drugs changed the world and that drugs
changed people’s mind. Now, he says keep yourself out of drugs! For our full awakening and
enlightenment we need only our mind – now and here and right methods.9 He was impressed
by his first trip to Nepal. He returned to Nepal very soon. On this second trip, Ole Nydahl and
his wife Hannah met lama Cechu Rinpoche gave them blessings and he transferred them
energy of Kagyu’s line. But he still continued on smuggling of hashish. When he returned to
Denmark, police detained him. In prison he had the first meditation experience. He said: “We
were successfully using recommended methods and techniques because of that people must
be initiated by a skilled spiritual teacher and need years of preparation.”10 In prison he found
5
Kagyu(pa) is one of four Tibetan schools of Buddhism (The others are Nyingma(pa), Sakya(pa) and
Gelug(pa)).
6
Compare with Dušan Lužný, Nová náboženská hnutí, Brno: Masarykova univerzita 1997, p. 35-39.
7
Frédéric Lenoir, Setkávání buddhismu se západem, Praha: Volvox Globator 2002, p. 201.
8
Frédéric Lenoir, Setkávání buddhismu se západem, Praha: Volvox Globator 2002, p. 201.
9
Ole Nydahl, Moje cesta k lamům, Praha: Společnost Diamantové cesty 1999, p. 9.
10
Compare with Ole Nydahl, Moje cesta k lamům, Praha: Společnost Diamantové cesty 1999, p. 38.
out that smoking hashish is not good for meditation. Ole Nydahl was sentenced to four
months of imprisonment. It was the mildest punishment possible. This was the end of
smuggling and taking drugs. He left for Nepal again. He met the 16th Karmapa (the leader of
Kagyu), the first tulku (conscious reincarnation) – when he was born he identifies himself all
the time, on 22nd December 1969. Ole Nydahl and his wife became the first western learners
of the 16th Karmapa. Ole says “Nobody of us knew how blessings, initiations, recitations and
other things work, but all of us were keen on their integrity and energy which was really
felt.”11 Ole Nydahl and his wife received retreat from Karmapa. Karmapa gave them the
names of dharma. Ole’s name is The Ocean of Wisdom and his wife’s, Hannah’s name is
Powerful Bloom of Lotus. At Karmapa’s residence in exile in Sikkim in India Ole Nydahl
firstly officially explained Tibetan teachings and culture to the people from the West. In the
autumn of 1972 Karmapa empowered Ole Nydahl to establish centres of Diamond way in the
West. After his return to Europe lama Ole Nydahl decided that he would teach others what he
learned himself. But it was important for him to pass Diamond way that way which would
bridge cultural differences between the West and the East. He helped to build a bridge
Frédéric Lenoir speaks about. Yes, the bridge, which was built between psychology and the
spiritual world. His opinion is that many people were very confused by exotic and misleading
books and that a clear presentation of Tibetan Buddhism would certainly help them.12 Ole
Nydahl exchanged drugs for Buddhism.
Now, I want to compare Buddhism which was spread by the Society of Diamond way with
the tradition of Gelug in the West. For this purpose I used the work of my colleague Zdeněk
Novotný13.
Firstly, it is very important to know who wanted to spread Buddhism14 in the West - Tibetans
or western people? The process of meeting the West and Buddhism started in India, Nepal or
Sikkim. Buddhist teachers had the first western learners in their home country. When western
learners invited their Buddhist teachers to the West, these teachers didn’t give lectures only to
sympathizers but they gave public lectures as well. Since then, Tibetans became active in this
process. Initiations, public lectures, popular books about Buddhism, a Buddhist publishing
company, television programmes (and also radio programmes☺) and web pages; Buddhists
from Tibet participate in these activities. Tibetans obviously didn’t plan any conversion of
Ole Nydahl, Moje cesta k lamům, Praha: Společnost Diamantové cesty 1999, p. 58.
Compare with Ole Nydahl, Moje cesta k lamům, Praha: Společnost Diamantové cesty 1999, p. 166.
13
Zdeněk Novotný, Rabten Čhödarling: Centrum pro tibetská buddhistická studia v Liberci (k tématu tibetského
buddhismu na Západě), Brno: Masarykova univerzita 2005.
14
I speak about Tibetan Buddhism for this time only.
11
12
western people to Buddhism. Western supporters invited them to spread dharma. An activity
of Tibetan lamas, who spread Tibetan Buddhism in the West, was usually adapted. My
colleague Zdeněk Novotný supposed that if the Tibetans wanted to spread dharma in the West
we might think about politically and economically implied sense of this effort.15 I have one
remark to the politically implied sense. On one hand we have the tradition of Gelug which
started with a membership of Tibetan runaways and started opening to the public later. On the
other hand we have the tradition of Kagyu. In Europe this tradition concentrated especially on
Europeans and lay practice. There is something like a secondary European structure. My
opinion is that we can think about some kind of an exile movement but not in Society of
diamond way. It is connected to the role of Tibetans in this group. Travelling teachers and
people who guide periodic meditations are European; the most of the initiation is transmitted
through Ole Nydahl, and only sometimes it is the Tibetan lama gives some public lectures or a
has a special initiation. Kagyu is more adapted than Gelug. Secondly, Gelug represents the
political power (everybody knows Dalai Lama) and Karmapa, the leader of Kagyu is only a
spiritual teacher not a political leader. I said something about the adaptation of Buddhism. But
where and why did this adaptation start? The Chinese occupation of Tibet brought Sangha a
new impulse in a form of pulling out from the traditional cultural environment. Sangha is
under influence of many new things. Tibetan Diaspora became the centre of “spiritual
travelling”. Tibetan monks and lamas showed people a completely different way of thinking.
They changed under an influence of this fact consciously or unconsciously. 16th Karmapa
started the process of an adaptation of learning of his school – Kagyu and lama Ole Nydahl
finished this. I think that nowadays Society of diamond way represents the most adapting
Buddhism in the West. The most important fact is that they say Buddhism isn’t a religion. In
this view there is another fact maybe a bit funny. They are registered in the Czech Republic as
a religious movement from June 8th 2007 on the base of law no 3/2002 digest. In their view,
Buddhism is a science about mind.16 By the way Jakub Kadlec had a very interesting but
wrong and incompetent idea. He said “The religionists say that Buddhism is a religion. But
Buddha isn’t God.”17 For me it is funny because who should know what religion is than
people who study Religions? Their presentation of meditation and other typically Buddhist
Compare with Zdeněk Novotný, Rabten Čhödarling: Centrum pro tibetská buddhistická studia v Liberci (k
tématu tibetského buddhismu na Západě), Brno: Masarykova univerzita 2005, p. 12.
16
This is very frequent western myth about Buddhism. For me there is one very inspiration work of my teacher
Jana Rozehnalová, Obraz tibetského buddhismu v českém kulturním prostředí, Brno: Masarykova univerzita
2003.
17
In episode from 8th February 2007.
15
techniques are methods which improve mainly our contemporary life. 18 This modernized type
of Buddhism which is based on a meditation and rational comprehension of learning without
elements of folk religiosity (rituals, cosmology) is typical for the Society of diamond way.
Midnight Dharma is a typical example of the activity of the Society of diamond way. Petr
Mikulášek and his guests speak about a meditation, feelings and emotions and what exploits
their energy in everyday life, nothing about eschatology or rituals.
Before I finish I would like to go over the key points of self-presentation of the Society of
diamond way again. Buddhism isn’t based on dogmas. It is a science about mind in a sense. It
is erudite information about our mind and consciousness. In Buddhism there aren’t
prohibitions but a recommendation how a man may live more effectively.19 “East teachings
activate western mind. Thanks to these teachings we may fully use its abilities.”20 They want
mainly to develop clarity and independence which are very important in today’s world.21
In the end I want to say one prediction of Guru Rinpoche22: “After a flaming bullock goes on
wheels and everywhere there will be an iron bird flying, after Tibetans crawl in all directions
as ants, dharma will come to the country of a white man.”23
18
In Czech newspapers Mladá fronta DNES on 6th June 2007 there was interview with 17th Karmapa. In this
interview Karmapa said „Buddhism is a method, which make it possible for us to behave better, work better, live
better and mainly keep clear essence of our heart.“
19
In episode of Midnight Dharma from 24th August 2006.
20
Jakub Kadlec in episode of Midnight Dharma from 19th October 2006.
21
Compare with http://www.karmapavpraze.cz/buddhismus.
22
Padmasambhava in Sanskrit. He is one of historically certifiable founder of Tibetan Buddhism.
23
Ole Nydahl, Moje cesta k lamům, Praha: Společnost Diamantové cesty 1999, p. 177.
Sources:
Ole Nydahl (ed. Juraj Turek), 108 otázek a odpovědí: Buddhovy nauky v každodenním životě,
Brno: Nakladatelství Bílý deštník v rámci Společnosti Diamantové cesty 2002.
Ole Nydahl, Hovory s lamou Ole Nydahlem, Praha: Ogme 1996.
Ole Nydahl, Jak se věci mají: Živé pojetí buddhismu, Brno: Bílý deštník v rámci Společnosti
Diamantové cesty 20013.
Ole Nydahl, Moje cesta k lamům, Praha: Společnost Diamantové cesty 1999.
Secondary References:
Frédéric Lenoir, Setkávání buddhismu se západem, Praha: Volvox Globator 2002.
Dušan Lužný, Nová náboženská hnutí, Brno: Masarykova univerzita 1997.
Zdeněk Novotný, Rabten Čhödarling: Centrum pro tibetská buddhistická studia v Liberci (k
tématu tibetského buddhismu na Západě), Brno: Masarykova univerzita 2005 (bakalářská
práce).
Jana Rozehnalová, Obraz tibetského buddhismu v českém kulturním prostředí, Brno:
Masarykova univerzita 2003 (diplomová práce).
Internet-References:
http://www.bdc.cz/index.php
http://www.bdc.cz/phowa/cz/phowa.htm
http://www.karmapa.cz/uvod/
http://karmapavpraze.cz/
http://www.radio1.cz/
http://www.radio1.cz/pulnocnidharma/
Other Sources and References:
Personal correspondence with Saša Michailidis and Petr Mikulášek