Ven Damdul-Parents - October 2023
Shikshantar school was graced with the presence of Venerable Geshe Dorji Damdul, Director of Tibet House, the Delhi-based cultural center of His Holiness the Dalai Lama on a late afternoon of 27th October ’23. Geshe La holds an interest in varied topics related to science and philosophy, secularism and Buddhist philosophy, motivating him to co-author books on related topics sharing his knowledge and wisdom with the wide world.
Geshe La began his talk by first appreciating the school and its team for creating a space where children could express themselves with ease and comfort at all times. He spoke about the role played by facilitators, who are like parents nurturing ‘Little Buddhas.’ Geshe La elaborated on the qualities that will help children bring about a difference in the world- Good education - that which educates the heart and the mind Integrity Compassion
When talking about compassion that comes with integrity, Geshe La widened the scope of its practice to include all life forms. Addressing everyday situations in which we tend to override ‘integrity’ and ‘compassion’, he gave the example of when we boil pasta and then drain off the excess hot boiling water into the sink, thereby showing no compassion for the small mites that inhabit the area.
Geshe La offered practical tips to situations faced by teachers and parents alike. He spoke about school as a ‘temple of generosity’ in different forms - Of material resources Of affection and love Of protection Of advice and guidance
In a world where each individual is surrounded with abundant material resources, practicing generosity would mean guiding children to develop a large heart and share their resources with all. ‘Generosity of love and affection’, he said, is about creating an interpersonal space that allows change, trust and respect for each other, ‘protection’ is working towards lifting the ‘mind and the heart’. Finally, and gently he advised on allowing children to ask questions, on being considerate, shower love and affection and give them space. He also warned us all against being ‘helicopter moms’
While answering questions from parents on dealing with differences in level of intellect among children or dealing with situations when children feel socially left out Geshe La shared that children are like ‘rockets’ who need precision in terms of love and guidance to stay on track through their journey of growth. When asked for suggestions to help a ‘gifted child’ who very often feels socially lonely, Geshe La showed another way of looking at this exclusion - he said that the gifted persons are amongst us to fulfill a larger purpose in life for which they need to focus on their energies.
The entire session was an opportunity for each member of the audience to descend to the essence of being a compassionate human being with integrity and values interdependence. There was food for thought and a reflection on one’s practices as a kind and compassionate individual in all situations.
Geshe La’s wealth of knowledge and wisdom, shared through practical doable tasks, resonated with the school's philosophy and practice of nurturing simple authentic relationships with every living form around.