Why is the Dalai Lama called his holiness? (2011)

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Why is the Dalai Lama called his holiness?

If the head of a new fad cult like Roman Catholicism can be called "his holiness" certianly the head of a large sect of Buddhism (which is older than both Islam and christianity and about the same age as Judaism) can be called 'his holiness".

Next question.

.. Because he is considered holy?

Hoom hom ho hum, it's off to work we go. Why are YOU not addressed as "Your Holiness?"

Actually, I am addressed as "Your Holiness"

Next question.

Aww - Gee [pun intended] - thought you were addressed as Occupant c/o Haye U.

Is he not considered to be the reincarnation of the Buddha in his religion? To his worshipers, that's pretty holy.

-Bill, otherwise known as Kraichgauer

IIrc not the reincarnation of 'the' buddha (ie, the original one), but of 'a' buddha (ie, an enlightened person who stayed on earth after enlightenment to help other people).

Gotcha.

-Bill, otherwise known as Kraichgauer

Why was Mother Theresa called "mother". She never had any children.

ruveyn

And whose master [or, if you etymologize more literally, how huge] is the rabbi?

Dem call me Mr. Yet I am no man's master. Dem call me Professor - yet I advance no theory. Feel free to call me Doctor - I have long tried to teach. But my physician teaches nobody, so why Doctor him? Lord Fauntleroy guards no bread, and Sir Gawain is younger than me so why call him older?

I would like to assume [but I know essentially zilch Tibetan] that His Holiness translates some conventional Buddhist title.

But you and I BOTH know Mother T is Mother because she is the head [and therefore is respected and obeyed] of a congregation of female religious, and there as in many cultures and social units. Father and Mother are conventional terms of respect.

Yes, it can seem stupid that a Catholic grandmother could have to address her 21 year old granson as Father. But this is HUMAN culture and HUMAN language and logic has NOTHING to do with any of it, brother.

Why not?

Why not? I think everyone should be called his holiness.

Works for me. From now on, I am to addressed as His Holiness, Kraichgauer.

-Bill, otherwise known as Kraichgauer

As, W Schwenk, mine old friend, is having said,

When everyone is somebody, nobody's anybody.

I had thought holy was one of the few words that still clung to a shred of meaning.