SONG OF THE WEEK – HAPPY BIRTHDAY SWEET SIXTEEN

July 6, 2015, is the 80th birthday of Lhamo Dondrub, whose religious name is Tenzin Gyatso, and is known to billions as the 14th Dalai Lama – at least based on our Western calendar; the birthday was celebrated a couple of weeks earlier under the Tibetan lunar calendar.  This completes the fifth complete cycle of Sweet Sixteen celebrations (16 x 5 = 80) for His Holiness, so I hope they have kept the party decorations in good shape back in Dharamsala.

Actually, the Dalai Lama will not be in Dharamsala for the festivities.  Instead, he is speaking in Anaheim, California on July 5 – when it will be the 6th in India, China and Tibet – and at the University of California Irvine on July 6, Pacific Daylight Time.  I hope he has time to visit Disneyland.  That seems like a good way to celebrate a person’s Sweet 16 birthday.

The Dalai Lama was born on July 6, 1935 in the tiny hamlet on Taktser, which had only 17 households.  It is now a part of the Chinese province of Qinghai, only about 25 miles from the provincial capital, Xining.  There have been reports that the Chinese government is tightening security in the area in anticipation of protests in conjunction with the Dalai Lama’s birthday.  I mention this because my son, Michael, is currently visiting Xining.  I assume, though, that he has no intention of protesting or doing anything else that Chinese police would perceive as threatening.

Astrologers tend to study temporal cycles such as those of Jupiter (11-12 years) and Saturn (29-30 years), but I am not aware of anyone who has previously studied the “Sweet 16 Cycle.”  Therefore, let us take a look at that cycle in the Dalai Lama’s life.

During the first 16-year cycle (1935-1951), the Dalai Lama-to-be was born, recognized and educated; he was installed as the spiritual leader of the Tibetan people, witnessed the Chinese invasion of his country and was recognized as the political leader of Tibet about four months after his 15th birthday.  His first 16 years were quite eventful – probably even more so than for most 16 year olds.

In his second 16-year cycle (1951-1967), the Dalai Lama initially tried to negotiate an agreement with Chinese, until halfway through the cycle he found it necessary to flee to India, in fear of his life, with a little help form the American CIA, and establish a government-in exile with some 80,000 of his closest friends and followers.  Through diplomatic intermediaries, he brought the plight of the Tibetan people to the attention of the United Nations, which adopted resolutions in 1959, 1961 and 1965 calling for China to respect the rights and dignities of the Tibetan people.

The third 16-year cycle (1967-1983) began badly as the Chinese Cultural Revolution, with its Red Guard, instituted repressive practices that caused the deaths of more than a million Tibetans.  In 1967, the Dalai Lama began a series of international trips to make the plight of his people known throughout the world.  He also prayed and meditated, along with followers around the world.  The worst of the atrocities against Tibet ended in 1979-1980, and the new Chinese government under the leadership of Deng Xiaoping, formally criticized the actions of the Cultural Revolution in a 1983 report.

In the fourth cycle (1983-1999), the Dalai Lama traveled extensively, bringing his message of compassion and quest to secure the rights of the Tibetan people to freedom-loving human beings all across the planet.  In 1989, he was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize; and by the end of the century, the Clinton administration had made it a central objective of Sino-American relationships that the Chinese engage in dialogue with the Dalai Lama to resolve outstanding political issues.

The work begun earlier by the Dalai Lama continued during his fifth Sweet Sixteen Cycle (1999-2015).  However, he also recognized that the traditional leadership positions of the one recognized as Dalai Lama had changed as the world modernized and the Chinese continued to destroy many aspects of Tibetan culture.  In 2011, he gave up his position as political leader of Tibet, stating, ““… the Tibetan people are the masters of Tibet, and not the religious leaders and kings and their heirs. Therefore, I always say that it is wrong for the religious leaders to hold political authority… Moreover, I will get more opportunity to speak strongly since I have implemented what I confidently and consistently emphasized – the separation of religion and politics.”

A few months later, the Dalai Lama gave us all a glimpse into what we may expect for the sixth Sweet Sixteen Cycle.  He must consider whether he will reincarnate.  As he put it:  “When I am about ninety I will consult the high Lamas of the Tibetan Buddhist traditions, the Tibetan public, and other concerned people who follow Tibetan Buddhism, and re-evaluate whether the institution of the Dalai Lama should continue or not.” He further said if the need for the institution is decided and “there is the need for the Fifteenth Dalai Lama to be recognized, responsibility for doing so will primarily rest on the concerned officers of the Dalai Lama’s Gaden Phodrang Trust.” The statement added, “Bear in mind that, apart from the reincarnation recognized through such legitimate methods, no recognition or acceptance should be given to a candidate chosen for political ends by anyone, including those in the People’s Republic of China.”

Much of this review of cycles has focused  on political matters.  The Dalai Lama, of course, has been even more important as a spiritual leader.  On the occasion of his birthday, I thank him for the lessons he has given our world in compassion, non-violence, humility and the exemplary life that may be lived in accord with the Buddhist Middle Way.  Perhaps we should even thank the Chinese for forcing the Dalai Lama onto the world stage from the relative seclusion of his predecessors high in the Himalayas.

Before quitting, I will say just a few words about “Happy Birthday Sweet Sixteen.”  The singer, Neil Sedaka, is only four years younger than the Dalai Lama.  Sedaka was a Jewish boy of Polish/Russian/Turkish ancestry from New York City.  His musical talent was recognized at an early age, and he began classical piano training.  He was more interested in rock and roll, however, and recorded a string of hits in the late 1950s and early 1960s.  He wrote the music for the songs he recorded, while the lyrics (such as they are) were written by Howard Greenfield. The Sedaka/Greenfield team also wrote hundreds of songs for other artists – some of which became huge hits (e.g., “Where the Boys Are,” “Venus in Blue Jeans,” and “Love Will Keep Us Together”).

With the “British invasion” and the changing musical taste of American teenagers, Sedaka’s commercial success came to a screeching halt in 1963.  He continued to be an excellent musician, though, and was chosen to represent the United States in the 1966 Tchaikovsky Classical Piano Competition in Moscow.  He was “disqualified,” however, because the Soviet bureaucracy had banned rock and roll music, and he was seen as a rock and roller.

Sedaka did come up with an interesting way to counteract the British invasion.  He moved to England, where had some commercial success in the early 1970s.  He is now back in the United States and tours and performs regularly, doing his old hits.

In recognition of the Dalai Lama’s 80 years on Earth, a tribute album featuring Sting, Kate Bush, Lorde, Of Monsters and Men, Bob Geldof1 and others, entitled The Art of Peace:  Songs for Tibet II, will be released on July 7.  That album does not include “Happy Birthday Sweet Sixteen – but you can listen to it here.2

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