The Book of Joy

live for a million years, then maybe it would be worthwhile to create
some problems. But our life is short. Now you see, we are guests here on
this planet, visitors who have come for a short time, so we need to use our
days wisely, to make our world a little better for everyone.”
Jinpa explained that there is a profound teaching by an ancient Tibetan
master: The true measure of spiritual development is how one confronts
one’s own mortality. The best way is when one is able to approach death
with joy; next best way is without fear; third best way is at least not to
have regrets.
“So earlier I was explaining about the night that we fled from
Norbulingka,” the Dalai Lama said, now turning to his own experiences
of facing the fear of death. “For me, that was the most frightening night
of my life, the night of the 17th of March, 1959. At that time, my life
really was in danger. I still remember the alertness of mind I felt as I
stepped out of the Norbulingka Palace in disguise, dressed in a Tibetan
layman’s clothes. All my efforts to calm down the situation in Lhasa had
failed. A huge crowd of Tibetans had gathered outside the Norbulingka
Palace, wanting to block any attempts on the part of the Chinese military
to take me away. I had tried my best, but both sides, the Chinese and the
Tibetans, were deeply entrenched in their positions. Of course, the
Tibetan side was deeply devout and was trying to protect me.” The Dalai
Lama paused and looked reflective as he recalled the devotion of his
people and their self-sacrifice for his safety.
This spontaneous gathering of Tibetans outside Norbulingka Palace
was the culmination of days of uprising against the Communist Chinese
occupation by the Tibetan people that first began on March 10, 1959. This
time, the public had come to prevent the Chinese authorities from taking
the Dalai Lama away from Norbulingka Palace, supposedly for his own
personal safety. Something had to happen. The situation was explosive
and the Dalai Lama knew that it could only lead to a massacre.
“So that night, the 17th of March 1959, the plan for my escape was
executed. We went at night and in disguise along a road that followed a
river. On the other side of the river was the Chinese military barracks.
We could see the guards. No one in our party was allowed to use