What it Sounds Like the Dalai Lama Thinks

11-18-98  W 9:01 AM
After [Arabic writing] class last night, one of my students, Juma, who is from Kenya, was showing me how to say and write certain things in Arabic.  My name is [more Arabic].  He had been studying pronouns and he taught me a few in Swahili, like "me me" is "I" and "we we" you.  He works at some plant, plucking and butchering chickens, and brings me one every night even though I tell him not to.  He's sad and sweet and resigned--you can see that moving to America has been a goal realized, a disappointing, exhausting dream dream come true.
Last night I asked Shirelle if she likes the Dalai Lama.  She had just seen him portrayed in a movie with Brad Pitt, so she said, "Yes.  I think he's great."
"Do you want to hear the Dalai Lama's four causes which produce a superior being?" I asked.
"Sure," she said.
I read John Avedon's interview with the lama.  "One: Satisfaction with whatever food you get.  Two:  Satisfaction with rags for clothing--not wishing for fancy or colorful attire.  Three:  Satisfaction with just enough shelter to protect you from the elements,  Four:  An intense delight in abandoning faulty states of mind and in cultivating healthy ones in meditation."
She said, "Sounds like the Dalai Lama thinks homeless people are superior beings."
Ha!  She got me.  I had been hoping to triumphantly show her the shallowness of her materialism, but I'm a dick really, anyway.  He does kind of seem to be full of yak shit sometimes or more likely I am--maybe not yak shit, but American shit.  Really though, "Just enough shelter to protect yourself"?  What about that palace in Lhasa where he grew up?
I'm sure that attitude will only bring me bad karma.
The Lama also says, "With a pretty wife and children, you might be happy for some time.  In the long run, though, many problems naturally come about.  Half your independence--your freedom--is lost." (Half?)   If there is some benefit or meaning to experiencing the trouble that arises on giving up your independence then it is worthwhile.  If it is an effective situation which helps people, then it is good.  The trouble becomes worthwhile. But if it isn't, it is not worthwhile."
Yikes!  He ought maybe to be called the Didactic Lama with these childlike "Being There" pronouncements of wisdom--then again, this hits close to home.
Butt is asking me if I want a ride downtown.  This is to go to the Jewelry District.  I don't.  But again, if it's A, I want B; if it's B, I want A.  Fuck me.  But truly, my apprehension dwarfs my enthusiasm.  What do I do?
I forgot my banana.  I don't have any balls either.  What happened to my balls?  The village chief's daughter got up to leave the lounge when I did.  She asked if she could keep the aide we share.  I suppose she doesn't know que yo haria cualquier cosa en el mundo que ella quiere.   Man, are my heart strings in a tangle.    What else?       Like an idiot, I went over to the donut shop for a turkey and cheese croissant.  I saw the Adpated P. E. teacher.  "Ah, health food," she said.  Carl was talking about his humanities class after I met him coming out of the corner market on our way back to school.  His been learning about Gaugin and Van Gogh.