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| Infants & polio vax UNICEF/India |
Activist Post
In the photograph above, taken on Jan. 10th, 2010, you will observe the 14th Dalai Lama, Tenzin Gyatso, administering bivalent oral polio vaccine (bOPV) to an infant at the Mahabodhi Temple Complex in the Indian state of Bihar, Buddhism's holiest site – the very place where Guatama Buddha is believed to have attained enlightenment approximately 2500 years earlier.
Click to view the Reuters video: Dalai Lama launches polio vaccine.
During this globally televised and deeply symbolic event, the Dali Lama vaccinated not one but two infants, ostensibly as an expression of compassion, as well as to lend his visible support for India's National Immunization Day, and for the larger Global Polio Eradication Initiative, whose duplicities and failures we have covered elsewhere.
The 14th Dalai Lama, mind you, is not only the exiled political leader of Tibet, but is believed by his devotees to be the living and breathing manifestation of the bodhisattva of compassion, Avalokiteśvara – and as a bodhisattva, an expression of enlightenment. It is therefore no small thing for him to be personally administering vaccines to infants, on the very spot that the Buddha was believed to have attained enlightenment.
The Dalai Lama Abandoned Buddhist Ethical Principles In Vaccinating Infants
The concept of doing no harm is fundamental to Buddhist teaching, as it is within other Indian religions (Hinduism, Jainism), and is known as ahimsa, literally "the avoidance of violence – himsa." One would not, for example, justify killing an animal in order to save one's own life, which is one reason why Buddhists are vegetarians.
Nor would one justify the killing of one child in order to save 1,000,000, as is often done by regulators in evaluating the costs/benefits of vaccines (which are known on rare occasion to maim or kill) to society as a whole. Simply, do no harm. This principle is no more open to negotiation to a Buddhist than Jesus being the Son of God is open to negotiation to a Christian.
The Dalai Lama himself once said
It was the precautionary principle, in fact, that lead the United States Public Health Service and American Academy of Pediatrics to determine that thimerosal (methylmercury) should be removed from vaccines as "a purely precautionary measure," despite what they said was a lack of convincing evidence of toxicity. By 2001, thimerosal was removed from almost all routine childhood vaccines in the US (it is still found in multi-dose vaccines targeted against flu and tetanus).
Not only has most of the existing vaccine safety research been funded by the manufacturers of vaccines themselves (or scientists directly funded by them), but much of the safety-checking occurs only long after a vaccine has been released onto the market and the general population has already been exposed to its risks, i.e. the most accurate vaccine safety (or lack thereof) information is ascertained through post-marketing surveillance studies, and adverse events reporting by the public.
In other words, the precautionary principle is disregarded in favor of the "weight of evidence" standard, which puts the burden of proving a medical intervention to be unsafe on those who are, or already have been, exposed to potential harm -- and often without being made fully aware of the true risks beforehand, which is essential for the medical-ethical principle of informed consent.
Moreover, vaccines clearly violate the principle of ahimsa in at least two ways: 1) all vaccines require harm to animal and/or human life (e.g. fetal tissue for diploid vaccines) in order to develop them. 2) All vaccines have serious, and sometimes lethal unintended, adverse health effects -- for unequivocal proof of this, view the "side effects" panel on any vaccine insert where the manufacturer is legally required to list them. The question therefore is not whether vaccines will do harm, rather, how many will be harmed and to what extent.
In the case of oral polio vaccine, the known risk of polio-vaccine induced paralysis is weighed against the theoretical benefits of the polio vaccine. Contrary to the precautionary principle, the standard is to determine "an acceptable level of harm [himsa]. If only a 'small percentage' of infants receiving the vaccine are expected to become paralyzed or die as a result of vaccination, then the vaccine is considered justifiable and will be approved for use. This, of course, violates the Buddhist ethical principle ahimsa discussed above.
The Dalai Lama Launched The New Bivalent Polio Vaccine In India Which Carried Far Higher Risks
Sadly, the Dalai Lama did not only personally vaccinate two Indian infants on Jan. 10th, 2010, but he also officially launched the new bivalent oral polio vaccine (bOPV), which according to a 2011 article published in the American Journal of Epidemiology, was found in a Hungarian population to result in over 4-fold higher risk of paralysis than the monovalent 3 oral polio vaccine, and a 70-fold higher risk of paralysis than the monovalent 1 oral polio vaccine, to which it was compared.
Even more disturbing is the finding that as many as 47,500 cases of polio-vaccine associated paralysis may have occurred in Indian infants and children in 2011 alone, following the launch of the "new and improved" vaccine. Adding insult to injury, the Global Polio Eradication Initiative claimed that polio was all but eradicated that year and that vaccine-induced cases of polio are exceedingly rare, if not altogether unworthy of mention.
Oral polio vaccine was phased out of use in developed countries because of its lack of safety. In fact, oral polio vaccine has been the #1 cause of polio paralysis in developed countries like the US since 1973. [i] The vaccine is associated with a phenomenon known as "reversion," where the vaccine itself causes polio paralysis, also known as vaccine-associated polio paralysis (VAPP). This is why a more expensive inactivated form (IPV) is now being used in countries that can afford it, and why the more dangerous form continues to be given to the poorer nations who can not afford a non-infectious vaccine.
Vaccination Violates Fundamental Medical-Ethical Principles Within Buddhism
One does not have to point to oral polio vaccine, specifically, to reveal the profound moral problems associated with vaccination. According to their religious beliefs, Buddhists are vegetarians, and there is not a single vaccine which is vegetarian. All vaccines have been created from cultured human, animal tissue and/or blood products.
Furthermore, vaccine development, historically, has depended on vast animal cruelty and aborted fetal tissue to produce vaccine antigen. (The GlaxoSmithKline bivalent oral polio vaccine launched by the Dalai Lama, in fact, was "propagated in MRC5 human diploid cells," according to the WHO Dossier. The MRC5 cell line was derived from the lung tissue of a 14-week old male fetus by J.P Jacobs in 1966).
Also, if compassion towards the sick and poor is the impulse behind global, universal vaccine campaigns, why is there not equal emphasis and economic support for improving sanitation, hygiene and nutrition? Billions of dollars have been expended to provide billions of doses of oral vaccine to Indian infants and children, not a penny of which has gone towards improving their immunity from the ground up, as it were.
We can assume that the Dalai Lama is not familiar with these facts, and is simply trusting the official position statements concerning vaccine safety and effectiveness put out by organizations like the Global Polio Eradication Initiative, which he has allowed himself – by accident or intention -- to become an official emblem of. See photo on their website here.
But, if this is the case, the Buddha himself advised against sheer faith in the knowledge of others:
The Buddhist scriptures actually reinforce the perspective that you simply can't vaccinate people out of poverty, environmental chemical exposures or suboptimal nutrition. For example, according to the Medicine Buddha Sutra, two of the 12 fundamental vows of the Medicine Buddha, known as Sangay Menla in Tibetan tradition, are #3: "To provide the sentient beings with whatever material needs they require" and #11 "To relieve those who suffer from terrible hunger and thirst." In other words, hungry folks need food, homeless folks need shelter, in order to be healthy.
To the Dalai Lama, 'Science' may be more important than Buddhist teachings. In his book, The Universe in a Single Atom: The Convergence of Science and Spirituality, The Dalai Lama penned:
His statement reminds me of another, made by Dr. Isaac Golden: 'To someone whose god is science, vaccination makes sense. But to someone whose god is God, it is appalling.'
The Dalai Lama, of course, has created controversy for his penchant for veal, and his belief that abortion may be appropriate if the unborn baby is ascertained to be determined to be "retarded." So, given his characteristically non-Buddhist beliefs, his support of vaccination is not all that surprising. It is, however, none the less disturbing.
The problem, of course, with the argument that Science trumps Buddhist morality (or any non-violent moral tradition), is that vaccinology is more pseudo-science than science. There is, for instance, a shocking lack of scientific evidence supporting the safety and effectiveness of flu vaccines -- and this, according to the Cochrane Collaboration's many meta-analyses on the subject. And yet, the WHO, the CDC, and myriad governmental health agencies around the world spout an endless stream of pseudo-scientific propaganda to the contrary. Even basic tenets, such as the antibody-based theory of vaccine-induced immunity have been called in to question, if not altogether disproved. Also, there is a growing body of research indicating that routine vaccines can cause well over 200 different adverse effects, including death. This is the science, mind you, speaking -- not opinion, or mere belief.
Your body is precious. It is our vehicle for awakening. Treat it with care. ~ the Buddha
Resources
[i] Strebel PM, Sutter RW, Cochi SL, et al. Epidemiology of poliomyelitis in the United States one decade after the last reported case of indigenous wild virus-associated disease. Clin Infect Dis 1992;14:568-79.
This article first appeared at GreenMedInfo. Please visit to access their vast database of articles and the latest information in natural health. If you can, help others; if you cannot do that, at least do not harm them. [emphasis added]The principle of nonviolence, or ahimsa, when applied to the environmental chemical exposures and medical interventions can be related to the precautionary principle, which states if an action has a suspected risk of causing harm to the public or to the environment, the burden of proving that it is safe falls on those taking the action.
It was the precautionary principle, in fact, that lead the United States Public Health Service and American Academy of Pediatrics to determine that thimerosal (methylmercury) should be removed from vaccines as "a purely precautionary measure," despite what they said was a lack of convincing evidence of toxicity. By 2001, thimerosal was removed from almost all routine childhood vaccines in the US (it is still found in multi-dose vaccines targeted against flu and tetanus).
Not only has most of the existing vaccine safety research been funded by the manufacturers of vaccines themselves (or scientists directly funded by them), but much of the safety-checking occurs only long after a vaccine has been released onto the market and the general population has already been exposed to its risks, i.e. the most accurate vaccine safety (or lack thereof) information is ascertained through post-marketing surveillance studies, and adverse events reporting by the public.
In other words, the precautionary principle is disregarded in favor of the "weight of evidence" standard, which puts the burden of proving a medical intervention to be unsafe on those who are, or already have been, exposed to potential harm -- and often without being made fully aware of the true risks beforehand, which is essential for the medical-ethical principle of informed consent.
Moreover, vaccines clearly violate the principle of ahimsa in at least two ways: 1) all vaccines require harm to animal and/or human life (e.g. fetal tissue for diploid vaccines) in order to develop them. 2) All vaccines have serious, and sometimes lethal unintended, adverse health effects -- for unequivocal proof of this, view the "side effects" panel on any vaccine insert where the manufacturer is legally required to list them. The question therefore is not whether vaccines will do harm, rather, how many will be harmed and to what extent.In the case of oral polio vaccine, the known risk of polio-vaccine induced paralysis is weighed against the theoretical benefits of the polio vaccine. Contrary to the precautionary principle, the standard is to determine "an acceptable level of harm [himsa]. If only a 'small percentage' of infants receiving the vaccine are expected to become paralyzed or die as a result of vaccination, then the vaccine is considered justifiable and will be approved for use. This, of course, violates the Buddhist ethical principle ahimsa discussed above.
The Dalai Lama Launched The New Bivalent Polio Vaccine In India Which Carried Far Higher Risks
Sadly, the Dalai Lama did not only personally vaccinate two Indian infants on Jan. 10th, 2010, but he also officially launched the new bivalent oral polio vaccine (bOPV), which according to a 2011 article published in the American Journal of Epidemiology, was found in a Hungarian population to result in over 4-fold higher risk of paralysis than the monovalent 3 oral polio vaccine, and a 70-fold higher risk of paralysis than the monovalent 1 oral polio vaccine, to which it was compared.
Even more disturbing is the finding that as many as 47,500 cases of polio-vaccine associated paralysis may have occurred in Indian infants and children in 2011 alone, following the launch of the "new and improved" vaccine. Adding insult to injury, the Global Polio Eradication Initiative claimed that polio was all but eradicated that year and that vaccine-induced cases of polio are exceedingly rare, if not altogether unworthy of mention.
Oral polio vaccine was phased out of use in developed countries because of its lack of safety. In fact, oral polio vaccine has been the #1 cause of polio paralysis in developed countries like the US since 1973. [i] The vaccine is associated with a phenomenon known as "reversion," where the vaccine itself causes polio paralysis, also known as vaccine-associated polio paralysis (VAPP). This is why a more expensive inactivated form (IPV) is now being used in countries that can afford it, and why the more dangerous form continues to be given to the poorer nations who can not afford a non-infectious vaccine.
Vaccination Violates Fundamental Medical-Ethical Principles Within Buddhism
One does not have to point to oral polio vaccine, specifically, to reveal the profound moral problems associated with vaccination. According to their religious beliefs, Buddhists are vegetarians, and there is not a single vaccine which is vegetarian. All vaccines have been created from cultured human, animal tissue and/or blood products.
Furthermore, vaccine development, historically, has depended on vast animal cruelty and aborted fetal tissue to produce vaccine antigen. (The GlaxoSmithKline bivalent oral polio vaccine launched by the Dalai Lama, in fact, was "propagated in MRC5 human diploid cells," according to the WHO Dossier. The MRC5 cell line was derived from the lung tissue of a 14-week old male fetus by J.P Jacobs in 1966).
Also, if compassion towards the sick and poor is the impulse behind global, universal vaccine campaigns, why is there not equal emphasis and economic support for improving sanitation, hygiene and nutrition? Billions of dollars have been expended to provide billions of doses of oral vaccine to Indian infants and children, not a penny of which has gone towards improving their immunity from the ground up, as it were.We can assume that the Dalai Lama is not familiar with these facts, and is simply trusting the official position statements concerning vaccine safety and effectiveness put out by organizations like the Global Polio Eradication Initiative, which he has allowed himself – by accident or intention -- to become an official emblem of. See photo on their website here.
But, if this is the case, the Buddha himself advised against sheer faith in the knowledge of others:
Do not believe anything simply because you have heard it. Do not believe in anything simply because it is spoken and rumored by many...Do not believe anything merely on the authority of your teachers and elders...But after observation and analysis, when you find that anything agrees with reason and is conducive to the good and benefit of one and all, then accept it and live up to it.What is so difficult to comprehend is how a political and spiritual leader with the equivalent of a Ph.D. in Buddhist studies (he attained the scholarly rank of Geshe), could fail to understand and/or abide by fundamental medical-ethical Buddhist principles, especially when concerning the health and well-being of the most vulnerable: poor and often sick infants.
The Buddhist scriptures actually reinforce the perspective that you simply can't vaccinate people out of poverty, environmental chemical exposures or suboptimal nutrition. For example, according to the Medicine Buddha Sutra, two of the 12 fundamental vows of the Medicine Buddha, known as Sangay Menla in Tibetan tradition, are #3: "To provide the sentient beings with whatever material needs they require" and #11 "To relieve those who suffer from terrible hunger and thirst." In other words, hungry folks need food, homeless folks need shelter, in order to be healthy.
To the Dalai Lama, 'Science' may be more important than Buddhist teachings. In his book, The Universe in a Single Atom: The Convergence of Science and Spirituality, The Dalai Lama penned:
If scientific analysis were conclusively to demonstrate certain claims in Buddhism to be false, then we must accept the findings of science and abandon those claims.
His statement reminds me of another, made by Dr. Isaac Golden: 'To someone whose god is science, vaccination makes sense. But to someone whose god is God, it is appalling.'
The Dalai Lama, of course, has created controversy for his penchant for veal, and his belief that abortion may be appropriate if the unborn baby is ascertained to be determined to be "retarded." So, given his characteristically non-Buddhist beliefs, his support of vaccination is not all that surprising. It is, however, none the less disturbing.
The problem, of course, with the argument that Science trumps Buddhist morality (or any non-violent moral tradition), is that vaccinology is more pseudo-science than science. There is, for instance, a shocking lack of scientific evidence supporting the safety and effectiveness of flu vaccines -- and this, according to the Cochrane Collaboration's many meta-analyses on the subject. And yet, the WHO, the CDC, and myriad governmental health agencies around the world spout an endless stream of pseudo-scientific propaganda to the contrary. Even basic tenets, such as the antibody-based theory of vaccine-induced immunity have been called in to question, if not altogether disproved. Also, there is a growing body of research indicating that routine vaccines can cause well over 200 different adverse effects, including death. This is the science, mind you, speaking -- not opinion, or mere belief.
Your body is precious. It is our vehicle for awakening. Treat it with care. ~ the Buddha
Resources
[i] Strebel PM, Sutter RW, Cochi SL, et al. Epidemiology of poliomyelitis in the United States one decade after the last reported case of indigenous wild virus-associated disease. Clin Infect Dis 1992;14:568-79.
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22 comments:
Why would anyone trust or believe in the "goodness" of the 14th Dali Lama?
He is the one who betrayed his people after signing the Seventeen Point Agreement with the newly victorious Chinese Communists, granting Tibet the same autonomy and protection Tibetans had originally requested from China's dynastic system centuries earlier. After signing the Agreement, this same Dali Lama then made an agreement with the CIA to train Tibetan fighters (in Colorado!) to fight the Peoples' Liberation Army for the "liberation" of Tibet, something that would have been automatic had this same Dali Lama had not signed the Seventeen Point Agreement. After the Dali Lama's pitiful band of "freedom fighters" were crushed by the battle-hardened PLA, the Dali Lama fled and set up his government in exile, funded by the CIA. He is a CIA asset and will, therefore, do anything his masters tell him to do, including poisoning and killing millions of children through vaccinations.
For decades, the Dali Lama lets his own people suffer needlessly because of what he did. He obviously is not a true Buddhist, so why are you shocked by this scum-bag's actions?
One minor point, is that vegetarianism is merely optional ... the Dalai Lama himself has been eating meat, ever since his doctor suggested it was necessary for him, with respect to specific health conditions/needs. So the Dalai Lama, when asked himself, has acknowledged that he does eat meat, because for him it is necessary, even though he would prefer not to.
I am a Soto Buddhist and everyone always assumes if your a buddhist you hold the dl (tibetan buddhist leader only) in esteem. I look at what he actual does with what he says and I see no difference in his actions as a symbol than the pope for catholics. I think he is a tool to lull people with.
Vaccinating children? FAIL!
Eating meat? FAIL
He is a big FAIL, that is all!
another unqualified pundit influencing millions with his ignorance. Joins the ranks of Bono and his support of GMO foods. You know both these traitors think they have tickets underground for the apocalypse.
Thanks for your article. I have always had my suspicions about him. Yes, he was allowed to be in the spotlight by the CIA and the controlling elite. So he has to follow along with the program. Too Bad. Just goes to show that people can't go around mindlessly worshipping a leader - they will end up disappointed.
Yes, it's hard to accept that the DL is part of the control system. Maybe he just doesn't know any better... hmmm, but that would make him just like the masses of fast asleep humans, and not a spiritual Master (has he ever claimed to be a spiritual Master?) Surely he has to be a Master, to be the spiritual leader of a nation? I am formally calling for him to step down as he is obviously not in a postiion to be in charge of the a nation's spiritual growth. Or is there something of which I am unaware? It just seems too ridiculous to be true.
Ask yourself why is Dalai Lama promoted by the powers that be and you should have the answer right there...
And remember the 'Dalai Lama' of Burma, Nobel Laureate Suu Kyi? Another of the masa's favorite suddenly going deaf/mute/blind to all the slaughter of muslims in her own country...
Is anyone else afraid? Afraid that while we have slept, the 'Machine' has become so large and powerful that we cannot stop it? Is it to be our just punishment for sleeping that we are to live out our days knowing we never were free and we never will be? I am willing to do whatever is in my power to do, but I am afraid.
Yes, The DL has been doing dodgy things for years, look at his current/recent bullying and abuses of other Buddhists - he removed their rights to education, health care and ostracised them all. Really sad. It's all in this book: http://www.westernshugdensociety.org/ebook/
I've been a buddhist for many years, and researched the DL fairly thoroughly. There are loads of wikileaks docs showing how the DL received millions from the CIA.
If the Dalai Lama were truly enlightened, he would have loudly rejected many of the things he has been advocating. He would reject it also because he would know if he died he would return through reincarnation as a teacher again. This man is NOT enlightened he has been caused to fall, if he ever was enlightened. He can return to the spiritual path, anyone can... He can be teacher once more... First he has to stand up against the Powers That Be in this world and denounce them. He has to admit to the falsehoods, the fear, the enticements that were given/done to him and deny the elites their stolen glory. If there is anything to what the Lama and many other spiritual teachers on the positive teach about existence then he will return if they kill him I think. If he returns to the positive path. It is all choice. Stray from the path then return and you are restored. But you can never be restored from negativity if you never choose or even try to leave the path of negativity (alone or with help). I hope if he has fallen that he will find his way back to the positive spiritual path. Hopefully in this life because his words of denouncement would be of great help to all of us facing these global tyrants!
you're quite silly anonymous !!!!Dorje Shugden has a lot of history behind the link you added and apparently the ebook you're mentioning comes exclusively from the Shugden followers .So,here are some other links from the official site of His Holiness ,read them too http://www.dalailama.com/messages/dolgyal-shugden
Great article! Thank you very much for writing this.
The DL.... Another puppet to keep the many asleep. Time to wake up!
@Sheila Holt... I completely agree with you. When I was a kid I thought it would be awesome to be alive at a time when the world was ending. Now, I fear that is coming true. I'm not going to go down without a fight, but I am also very afraid...
Nah, the info on his website is pure BS, all the well respected gelugpa lamas were/ are Shugden people. Their is never any justification for removing others human rights. Read the book.
I think y'all need to be a little bit more understanding. However spiritually developed you may be, it does not mean that every step is perfected and every action divine. The DL is not and cannot be aware of EVERYTHING. Every day every one of you here contributes to the malaise on this planet in someway - just the simple act of judgement of another is more destructive than a couple of vaccines, but YOU are not aware of this and so trust that your finger pointing and condemning is appropriate and justified. This does not mean that your intent is bad, it just means that you cannot be perfect, that you will make mistakes, that you will do things that seem to contradict your intentions and your voice because it's so easy to do so. The DL does not need to be perfect. He IS allowed to make mistakes. He may not know about the dangers of vaccines, and none of us know the circumstances around other decisions he has made, just as no-one knows the circumstances of the mistakes you too have made in your own life that have caused harm without ill intention. Relax a little, don't be so eager to pull down one of our view visible lights on this planet. Anyone who reads his books, listens to him speak, spends time with him in person will recognise a truly compassionate and kind individual... NOT a God, not perfection, not omniscient, just someone who cares, does their best, and will make mistakes. Look honestly at yourselves before pointing out the flaws in another. You might then find within a light worthy of being seen too.
Yep, you nailed this globalisy pseudo guru mate.
I agree with everything you've said.
Just because someone wears orange & smiles a lot doesn't make them spiritual or holy when they are serial liars & hypocrites who broadcast the over population myth & the agenda 21 depopulation plan.
Yeah, that's right...his doctor told him he should eat meat because he has hepatitis...
Only trouble is that this advice is unique in the treatment & management of hepatitis.
In other words, a lie. Fabricated. Fantasy.
& people believe this clown...
Stop setting this self serving feudal lord as something spiritual. He's not.
This seems to be an argument for suspending all critical thinking of someone who prances about on the world stage having his bills paid by the CIA & likes to be called his "holiness"
I am doing none of those things so the we all live in glass houses argument doesn't really do it.
There's abig difference between tolerance & ignoring dishonesty, corruption & hypocrisy.
Then prove his dishonesty, his corruption, his hypocrisy... PROVE it. You're gonna find it hard because you're gonna need to prove MOTIVATION, not just action. Y'see, you measure the Dalai Lama by Western thinking and attitudes with little to no awareness that there are NON-Westerners on this planet whose mindset is much less corrosive than your own. So, please, PROVE that this man is dishonest, that he is corrupt, that he is hypocritical. What you don't seem to allow for is the gap between a Tibetan culture and their values and our Western culture and what we value, and so you feel you can measure his actions to our standards, but this is impossible. Why do you presume that the DL has any comprehension of the CIA in the sense that you comprehend the CIA? By all means criticise the DL, but do so with reason, i.e. provide an argument or some evidence for your assertions that go beyond the expectation that he need be perfect to justify his socially allocated position.
dalai lama came to theosophical society of india.,chennai...as a exchange student frm china/tibet......and there he spent some days and then went back.much before his escape for dear life frm tibet which happened much later...he never mentions this in his autobiographical notes...EVER....
if he can avoid and hide these smaller facts...i assume he is checks a positive fr other dishonesties as well :-(
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