The diamond has always been the most precious posssession out of creation, beyond even gold, The most grand princess resplendent in her riches of gemstones and gold had to have a centerpiece that held a diamond for all to see who was most precious. All would look in awe as this diamond of a person glided around among her admirers. She had diamonds in her eyes, and there was splendor all around;and so she flowed as one of a few where those human diamonds such as she.

In China was Confucous, who taught of good behavior and obedience to the emperor state. Confucious he did not believe in an after life, nor do many modern Chinese. Then came Guatama Buddha who lived from 560 to 480 B.C. Buddha was born as a prince in royalty in a palace of diamonds. Buddha's mother died when he wasa youth. He left his wife and children at age 29. So it was that at age 29 Prince Guatama left his royal life behind to find in a simpler way to live. Buddah went to find peace somehow within.

At that time the ancient religion of Hindhu beliefs held that there were many gods and goddesses, many fables and stories, in that the world was balanced on the back of a giant turtle, or gods with many arms. The existing religion also supported the bias of the times. It also had a caste system that is hard for India to shake, and it had become a central part of the faith. On top were the usually lightest skinned leaders and those of the court, who were then deemed closest to God.

Many religions still follow this five thousand year old Brahmin superiority over other faiths. Buddha was high in this caste system, actually in the second highest caste system, those of the warriors, who had to be that high, like modern day bureaucrats but more as protection on their way to Heaven first. Down it went until the darker skinned people were the real life and spiritual untouchables, and were perhaps going to have to undergo many transformations before such harmony and suffering could be completed.

And until that, their children were doomed as they to be the sewage duty for all this life. Buddha rejected all these thoughts. His quiet, diamond eyes found eight steps to bliss, painful discovery at a time. By the time of his gentle death at age eighty, a very old age for that time, Buddha had began his last mortal day with a simple meal with his family of friends, and they all began a final meditation as one in this life. At the end of the meditation, which my faith encourages twenty minutes as perfect, gentle Buddha had followed his meditation into Heavenly Nirvana so blissfully.

A diamond of a life was lived with Buddha. It was three followers of Buddha surely, who were wise and from the east, there to look in to the diamond eyes of baby Jesus, the Christ child. The next son of God would surely have eyes that glittered like diamonds and when they saw this was so then they knew. And this search is still the way Buddhists next door to India of Buddha, in high mountain Tibet. Here when the reigning holy man is frail or in fear of dying, most other holy men begin to prepare for their journey in search of the next leader.

After the death of their dear leader, these three wise men follow the trails of Tibet. They look into many eyes, each set of eyes in Tibet, each new born child. Some times it has taken the holy men years before they find their next reborn leader. When that diamond of a soul baby is found, all holy men must agree. When they look into those eyes the diamond soul must be seen and felt by each wise man. When that does occur then all rejoice and praise their leader. The new dali lhama is always a he, at least so far in history.

He is adopted and brought up in that holy place in Tibet now a Museum, and they would always there nurture him for life. Diamond souls in Lhasa, there are diamonds in the eyes of the most kindly at church, or in a smile in a grocery line, and as our souls every day in life. Researchers at the University of California have showed that there are eight general virtues of those who report most bliss and happiness in their lives, live the longest, report best health for age, gender, and income group.

These sound an awful lot of church going people who do charity work that I have known.