Syllabi weren\u2019t a big issue \u2013 1500 copies in less than an hour, stapled (saved by technology). I found the video that we were supposed to watch, previewed it, and managed to get it to class. Durring the lecture all went well enough. It was simple stuff: who am I? What is the class about? What is the schedule? etc. Of course that was after <\/span>I had to have tech-support summoned because I couldn\u2019t figure out the computer system (it\u2019s a touch-screen, you have to touch<\/span> it\u2026 \u2019till then the mouse and keyboard are deactivated and everything else is behind locked doors).<\/p>\n I let them know I was a bit nervous. I told them that I went to the market and was delighted to find \u201cZen Tea<\/a>\u201d \u2013 (which I brough with me) with a label which promises \u201cTo energize the body, uplift the spirit and enlighten the mind.\u201d They found that cute; one asked if it was working. I reminded him of my \u2018technical\u2019 difficulties and said, \u201cI don\u2019t think so.\u201d But I said this is an aspect of Buddhism<\/a> we\u2019ll get to later in the course, namely Buddhism in America today. Will it become a clothing label or a soft drink sales pitch \u2013 or will it maintain vitality and change some of the fundamental structures of American Society (individualism, consumerism, etc.)?<\/p>\n Then I showed a picture of the Dalai Lama: (see lecture slides<\/a>) and read them a quote about the Dalai Lama I found in the New York Times, calling him a \u2018religious leader, head of state, pop icon, multimedia phenomenon and ascetic Buddhist<\/a> superstar.\u2019 (see here<\/a>) \u2014 But this is not<\/span> how traditional Tibetans see the Dalai Lama, whom they more commonly refer to as simply Kundon<\/span> (the All-Purposeful One) or \u2018Yishin Norbu\u2019 (the Wish-fulfilling Gem), or \u2018Gyalwa Rinpoche\u2019 (the Precious Adept). So just who is<\/span> the Dalai Lama? This is another topic we\u2019ll discuss later in the class. <\/p>\n All in all I\u2019m satisfied \u2013 tired \u2013 and ready to get to work on our next class\u2026<\/p>\n Or, at least \u201csurvival\u201d (I won\u2019t put up the big \u201cMission Accomplished\u201d banner just yet). Syllabi weren\u2019t a big issue \u2013 1500 copies in less than an hour, stapled (saved by technology). I found the video that we were supposed to watch, previewed it, and managed to get it to class. Durring the lecture all […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":118,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-709","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-uncategorized"],"yoast_head":"\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/blogger.googleusercontent.com\/tracker\/7907151-115679828667324853?l=americanbuddhist.blogspot.com\")