24  September 2011

Introduction

My fellow Tibetans, both in and outside Tibet, all those who follow the Tibetan Buddhist tradition, and everyone who has a connection to Tibet and Tibetans: due to the foresight of our ancient kings, ministers and scholar-adepts, the complete teaching of the Buddha, comprising the scriptural and experiential teachings of the Three Vehicles and the Four Sets of Tantra and their related subjects and disciplines flourished widely in the Land of Snow. Tibet has served as a source of Buddhist and related cultural traditions for the world. In particular, it has contributed significantly to the happiness of countless beings in Asia, including those in China, Tibet and Mongolia.

In the course of upholding the Buddhist tradition in Tibet, we evolved a unique Tibetan tradition of recognizing the reincarnations of scholar-adepts that has been of immense help to both the Dharma and sentient beings, particularly to the monastic community.

Since the omniscient Gedun Gyatso was recognized and confirmed as the reincarnation of Gedun Drub in the fifteenth century and the Gaden Phodrang Labrang (the Dalai Lama’s institution) was established, successive reincarnations have been recognized. The third in the line, Sonam Gyatso, was given the title of the Dalai Lama. The Fifth Dalai Lama, Ngawang Lobsang Gyatso, established the Gaden Phodrang Government in 1642, becoming the spiritual and political head of Tibet. For more than 600 years since Gedun Drub, a series of unmistaken reincarnations has been recognised in the lineage of the Dalai Lama.

The Dalai Lamas have functioned as both the political and spiritual leaders of Tibet for 369 years since 1642. I have now voluntarily brought this to an end, proud and satisfied that we can pursue the kind of democratic system of government flourishing elsewhere in the world. In fact, as far back as 1969, I made clear that concerned people should decide whether the Dalai Lama’s reincarnations should continue in the future. However, in the absence of clear guidelines, should the concerned public express a strong wish for the Dalai Lamas to continue, there is an obvious risk of vested political interests misusing the reincarnation system to fulfil their own political agenda. Therefore, while I remain physically and mentally fit, it seems important to me that we draw up clear guidelines to recognise the next Dalai Lama, so that there is no room for doubt or deception. For these guidelines to be fully comprehensible, it is essential to understand the system of Tulku recognition and the basic concepts behind it. Therefore, I shall briefly explain them below.

Past and future lives

In order to accept reincarnation or the reality of Tulkus, we need to accept the existence of past and future lives. Sentient beings come to this present life from their previous lives and take rebirth again after death. This kind of continuous rebirth is accepted by all the ancient Indian spiritual traditions and schools of philosophy, except the Charvakas, who were a materialist movement. Some modern thinkers deny past and future lives on the premise that we cannot see them. Others do not draw such clear cut conclusions on this basis.

Although many religious traditions accept rebirth, they differ in their views of what it is that is reborn, how it is reborn, and how it passes through the transitional period between two lives. Some religious traditions accept the prospect of future life, but reject the idea of past lives.

Generally, Buddhists believe that there is no beginning to birth and that once we achieve liberation from the cycle of existence by overcoming our karma and destructive emotions, we will not be reborn under the sway of these conditions. Therefore, Buddhists believe that there is an end to being reborn as a result of karma and destructive emotions, but most Buddhist philosophical schools do not accept that the mind-stream comes to an end. To reject past and future rebirth would contradict the Buddhist concept of the ground, path and result, which must be explained on the basis of the disciplined or undisciplined mind. If we accept this argument, logically, we would also have to accept that the world and its inhabitants come about without causes and conditions. Therefore, as long as you are a Buddhist, it is necessary to accept past and future rebirth.

For those who remember their past lives, rebirth is a clear experience. However, most ordinary beings forget their past lives as they go through the process of death, intermediate state and rebirth. As past and future rebirths are slightly obscure to them, we need to use evidence-based logic to prove past and future rebirths to them.

There are many different logical arguments given in the words of the Buddha and subsequent commentaries to prove the existence of past and future lives. In brief, they come down to four points: the logic that things are preceded by things of a similar type, the logic that things are preceded by a substantial cause, the logic that the mind has gained familiarity with things in the past, and the logic of having gained experience of things in the past.

Ultimately all these arguments are based on the idea that the nature of the mind, its clarity and awareness, must have clarity and awareness as its substantial cause. It cannot have any other entity such as an inanimate object as its substantial cause. This is self-evident. Through logical analysis we infer that a new stream of clarity and awareness cannot come about without causes or from unrelated causes. While we observe that mind cannot be produced in a laboratory, we also infer that nothing can eliminate the continuity of subtle clarity and awareness.

As far as I know, no modern psychologist, physicist, or neuroscientist has been able to observe or predict the production of mind either from matter or without cause.

There are people who can remember their immediate past life or even many past lives, as well as being able to recognise places and relatives from those lives. This is not just something that happened in the past. Even today there are many people in the East and West, who can recall incidents and experiences from their past lives. Denying this is not an honest and impartial way of doing research, because it runs counter to this evidence. The Tibetan system of recognising reincarnations is an authentic mode of investigation based on people’s recollection of their past lives.

How rebirth takes place

There are two ways in which someone can take rebirth after death: rebirth under the sway of karma and destructive emotions and rebirth through the power of compassion and prayer. Regarding the first, due to ignorance negative and positive karma are created and their imprints remain on the consciousness. These are reactivated through craving and grasping, propelling us into the next life. We then take rebirth involuntarily in higher or lower realms. This is the way ordinary beings circle incessantly through existence like the turning of a wheel. Even under such circumstances ordinary beings can engage diligently with a positive aspiration in virtuous practices in their day-to-day lives. They familiarise themselves with virtue that at the time of death can be reactivated providing the means for them to take rebirth in a higher realm of existence. On the other hand, superior Bodhisattvas, who have attained the path of seeing, are not reborn through the force of their karma and destructive emotions, but due to the power of their compassion for sentient beings and based on their prayers to benefit others. They are able to choose their place and time of birth as well as their future parents. Such a rebirth, which is solely for the benefit of others, is rebirth through the force of compassion and prayer.

The meaning of Tulku

It seems the Tibetan custom of applying the epithet ‘Tulku’ (Buddha’s Emanation Body) to recognized reincarnations began when devotees used it as an honorary title, but it has since become a common expression. In general, the term Tulku refers to a particular aspect of the Buddha, one of the three or four described in the Sutra Vehicle. According to this explanation of these aspects of the Buddha, a person who is totally bound by destructive emotions and karma has the potential to achieve the Truth Body (Dharmakaya), comprising the Wisdom Truth Body and Nature Truth Body. The former refers to the enlightened mind of a Buddha, which sees everything directly and precisely, as it is, in an instant. It has been cleared of all destructive emotions, as well as their imprints, through the accumulation of merit and wisdom over a long period of time. The latter, the Nature Truth Body, refers to the empty nature of that all-knowing enlightened mind. These two together are aspects of the Buddhas for themselves. However, as they are not directly accessible to others, but only amongst the Buddhas themselves, it is imperative that the Buddhas manifest in physical forms that are accessible to sentient beings in order to help them. Hence, the ultimate physical aspect of a Buddha is the Body of Complete Enjoyment (Sambhogakaya), which is accessible to superior Bodhisattvas, and has five definite qualifications such as residing in the Akanishta Heaven. And from the Body of Complete Enjoyment are manifested the myriad Emanation Bodies or Tulkus (Nirmanakaya), of the Buddhas, which appear as gods or humans and are accessible even to ordinary beings. These two physical aspects of the Buddha are termed Form Bodies, which are meant for others.

The Emanation Body is three-fold: a) the Supreme Emanation Body like Shakyamuni Buddha, the historical Buddha, who manifested the twelve deeds of a Buddha such as being born in the place he chose and so forth; b) the Artistic Emanation Body which serves others by appearing as craftsmen, artists and so on; and c) the Incarnate Emanation Body, according to which Buddhas appear in various forms such as human beings, deities, rivers, bridges, medicinal plants, and trees to help sentient beings. Of these three types of Emanation Body, the reincarnations of spiritual masters recognized and known as ‘Tulkus’ in Tibet come under the third category. Among these Tulkus there may be many who are truly qualified Incarnate Emanation Bodies of the Buddhas, but this does not necessarily apply to all of them. Amongst the Tulkus of Tibet there may be those who are reincarnations of superior Bodhisattvas, Bodhisattvas on the paths of accumulation and preparation, as well as masters who are evidently yet to enter these Bodhisattva paths. Therefore, the title of Tulku is given to reincarnate Lamas either on the grounds of their resembling enlightened beings or through their connection to certain qualities of enlightened beings.

As Jamyang Khyentse Wangpo said:

“Reincarnation is what happens when someone takes rebirth after the predecessor’s passing away; emanation is when manifestations take place without the source’s passing away.”

Recognition of Reincarnations

The practice of recognizing who is who by identifying someone’s previous life occurred even when Shakyamuni Buddha himself was alive. Many accounts are found in the four Agama Sections of the Vinaya Pitaka, the Jataka Stories, the Sutra of the Wise and Foolish, the Sutra of One Hundred Karmas and so on, in which the Tathagata revealed the workings of karma, recounting innumerable stories about how the effects of certain karmas created in a past life are experienced by a person in his or her present life. Also, in the life stories of Indian masters, who lived after the Buddha, many reveal their previous places of birth. There are many such stories, but the system of recognizing and numbering their reincarnations did not occur in India.

The system of recognizing reincarnations in Tibet

Past and future lives were asserted in the indigenous Tibetan Bon tradition before the arrival of Buddhism. And since the spread of Buddhism in Tibet, virtually all Tibetans have believed in past and future lives. Investigating the reincarnations of many spiritual masters who upheld the Dharma, as well as the custom of praying devotedly to them, flourished everywhere in Tibet. Many authentic scriptures, indigenous Tibetan books such as the Mani Kabum and the Fivefold Kathang Teachings and others like the The Books of Kadam Disciples and the Jewel Garland: Responses to Queries, which were recounted by the glorious, incomparable Indian master Dipankara Atisha in the 11th century in Tibet, tell stories of the reincarnations of Arya Avalokiteshvara, the Bodhisattva of compassion. However, the present tradition of formally recognizing the reincarnations of masters first began in the early 13th century with the recognition of Karmapa Pagshi as the reincarnation of Karmapa Dusum Khyenpa by his disciples in accordance with his prediction. Since then, there have been seventeen Karmapa incarnations over more than nine hundred years. Similarly, since the recognition of Kunga Sangmo as the reincarnation of Khandro Choekyi Dronme in the 15th century there have been more than ten incarnations of Samding Dorje Phagmo. So, among the Tulkus recognized in Tibet there are monastics and lay tantric practitioners, male and female. This system of recognizing the reincarnations gradually spread to other Tibetan Buddhist traditions, and Bon, in Tibet. Today, there are recognized Tulkus in all the Tibetan Buddhist traditions, the Sakya, Geluk, Kagyu and Nyingma, as well as Jonang and Bodong, who serve the Dharma. It is also evident that amongst these Tulkus some are a disgrace.

The omniscient Gedun Drub, who was a direct disciple of Je Tsongkhapa, founded Tashi Lhunpo Monastery in Tsang and took care of his students. He passed away in 1474 at the age of 84. Although initially no efforts were made to identify his reincarnation, people were obliged to recognize a child named Sangye Chophel, who had been born in Tanak, Tsang (1476), because of what he had to say about his amazing and flawless recollections of his past life. Since then, a tradition began of searching for and recognizing the successive reincarnations of the Dalai Lamas by the Gaden Phodrang Labrang and later the Gaden Phodrang Government.

The ways of recognizing reincarnations

After the system of recognizing Tulkus came into being, various procedures for going about it began to develop and grow. Among these some of the most important involve the predecessor’s predictive letter and other instructions and indications that might occur; the reincarnation’s reliably recounting his previous life and speaking about it; identifying possessions belonging to the predecessor and recognizing people who had been close to him. Apart from these, additional methods include asking reliable spiritual masters for their divination as well as seeking the predictions of mundane oracles, who appear through mediums in trance, and observing the visions that manifest in sacred lakes of protectors like Lhamoi Latso, a sacred lake south of Lhasa.

When there happens to be more than one prospective candidate for recognition as a Tulku, and it becomes difficult to decide, there is a practice of making the final decision by divination employing the dough-ball method (zen tak) before a sacred image while calling upon the power of truth.

Emanation before the passing away of the predecessor (ma-dhey tulku)

Usually a reincarnation has to be someone’s taking rebirth as a human being after previously passing away. Ordinary sentient beings generally cannot manifest an emanation before death (ma-dhey tulku), but superior Bodhisattvas, who can manifest themselves in hundreds or thousands of bodies simultaneously, can manifest an emanation before death. Within the Tibetan system of recognizing Tulkus there are emanations who belong to the same mind-stream as the predecessor, emanations who are connected to others through the power of karma and prayers, and emanations who come as a result of blessings and appointment.

The main purpose of the appearance of a reincarnation is to continue the predecessor’s unfinished work to serve Dharma and beings. In the case of a Lama who is an ordinary being, instead of having a reincarnation belonging to the same mind-stream, someone else with connections to that Lama through pure karma and prayers may be recognized as his or her emanation. Alternatively it is possible for the Lama to appoint a successor who is either his disciple or someone young who is to be recognized as his emanation. Since these options are possible in the case of an ordinary being, an emanation before death that is not of the same mind-stream is feasible. In some cases one high Lama may have several reincarnations simultaneously, such as incarnations of body, speech and mind and so on. In recent times, there have been well-known emanations before death such as Dudjom Jigdral Yeshe Dorje and Chogye Trichen Ngawang Khyenrab.

Using the Golden Urn

As the degenerate age gets worse, and as more reincarnations of high Lamas are being recognized, some of them for political motives, increasing numbers have been recognized through inappropriate and questionable means, as a result of which huge damage has been done to the Dharma.

During the conflict between Tibet and the Gurkhas (1791-93) the Tibetan Government had to call on Manchu military support. Consequently the Gurkha military was expelled from Tibet, but afterwards Manchu officials made a 29-point proposal on the pretext of making the Tibetan Government’s administration more efficient. This proposal included the suggestion of picking lots from a Golden Urn to decide on the recognition of the reincarnations of the Dalai Lamas, Panchen Lamas and Hutuktus, a Mongolian title given to high Lamas. Therefore, this procedure was followed in the case of recognizing some reincarnations of the Dalai Lama, Panchen Lama and other high Lamas. The ritual to be followed was written by the Eighth Dalai Lama Jampel Gyatso.  Even after such a system had been introduced, this procedure was dispensed with for the Ninth, Thirteenth and myself, the Fourteenth Dalai Lama.

Even in the case of the Tenth Dalai Lama, the authentic reincarnation had already been found and in reality this procedure was not followed, but in order to humour the Manchus it was merely announced that this procedure had been observed.

The Golden Urn system was actually used only in the cases of the Eleventh and Twelfth Dalai Lamas. However, the Twelfth Dalai Lama had already been recognized before the procedure was employed. Therefore, there has only been one occasion when a Dalai Lama was recognized by using this method. Likewise, among the reincarnations of the Panchen Lama, apart from the Eighth and the Ninth, there have been no instances of this method being employed. This system was imposed by the Manchus, but Tibetans had no faith in it because it lacked any spiritual quality. However, if it were to be used honestly, it seems that we could consider it as similar to the manner of divination employing the dough-ball method (zen tak).

In 1880, during the recognition of the Thirteenth Dalai Lama as the reincarnation of the Twelfth, traces of the Priest-Patron relationship between Tibet and the Manchus still existed. He was recognized as the unmistaken reincarnation by the Eighth Panchen Lama, the predictions of the Nechung and Samye oracles and by observing visions that appeared in Lhamoi Latso, therefore the Golden Urn procedure was not followed. This can be clearly understood from the Thirteenth Dalai Lama’s final testament of the Water-Monkey Year (1933) in which he states:

“As you all know, I was selected not in the customary way of picking lots from the golden urn, but my selection was foretold and divined. In accordance with these divinations and prophecies I was recognized as the reincarnation of the Dalai Lama and enthroned.”

When I was recognized as the Fourteenth incarnation of the Dalai Lama in 1939, the Priest-Patron relationship between Tibet and China had already come to an end. Therefore, there was no question of any need to confirm the reincarnation by employing the Golden Urn. It is well-known that the then Regent of Tibet and the Tibetan National Assembly had followed the procedure for recognizing the Dalai Lama’s reincarnation taking account of the predictions of high Lamas, oracles and the visions seen in Lhamoi Latso; the Chinese had no involvement in it whatever. Nevertheless, some concerned officials of the Guomintang later cunningly spread lies in the newspapers claiming that they had agreed to forego the use of the Golden Urn and that Wu Chung-tsin presided over my enthronement, and so on. This lie  was exposed by Ngabo Ngawang Jigme, the Vice-Chairman of the Standing Committee of the National People’s Congress, who the People’s Republic of China considered to be a most progressive person, at the Second Session of the Fifth People’s Congress of the Tibet Autonomous Region (31st July 1989). This is clear, when, at the end of his speech, in which he gave a detailed explanation of events and presented documentary evidence, he demanded:

“What need is there for the Communist Party to follow suit and continue the lies of the Guomintang?”

Deceptive strategy and false hopes

In the recent past, there have been cases of irresponsible managers of wealthy Lama-estates who indulged in improper methods to recognize reincarnations, which have undermined the Dharma, the monastic community and our society. Moreover, since the Manchu era Chinese political authorities repeatedly engaged in various deceitful means using Buddhism, Buddhist masters and Tulkus as tools to fulfil their political ends as they involved themselves in Tibetan and Mongolian affairs. Today, the authoritarian rulers of the People’s Republic of China, who as communists reject religion, but still involve themselves in religious affairs, have imposed a so-called re-education campaign and declared the so-called Order No. Five, concerning the control and recognition of reincarnations, which came into force on 1st September 2007. This is outrageous and disgraceful. The enforcement of various inappropriate methods for recognizing reincarnations to eradicate our unique Tibetan cultural traditions is doing damage that will be difficult to repair.

Moreover, they say they are waiting for my death and will recognize a Fifteenth Dalai Lama of their choice. It is clear from their recent rules and regulations and subsequent declarations that they have a detailed strategy to deceive Tibetans, followers of the Tibetan Buddhist tradition and the world community. Therefore, as I have a responsibility to protect the Dharma and sentient beings and counter such detrimental schemes, I make the following declaration.

The next incarnation of the Dalai Lama

As I mentioned earlier, reincarnation is a phenomenon which should take place either through the voluntary choice of the concerned person or at least on the strength of his or her karma, merit and prayers. Therefore, the person who reincarnates has sole legitimate authority over where and how he or she takes rebirth and how that reincarnation is to be recognized. It is a reality that no one else can force the person concerned, or manipulate him or her. It is particularly inappropriate for Chinese communists, who explicitly reject even the idea of past and future lives, let alone the concept of reincarnate Tulkus, to meddle in the system of reincarnation and especially the reincarnations of the Dalai Lamas and Panchen Lamas. Such brazen meddling contradicts their own political ideology and reveals their double standards. Should this situation continue in the future, it will be impossible for Tibetans and those who follow the Tibetan Buddhist tradition to acknowledge or accept it.

When I am about ninety I will consult the high Lamas of the Tibetan Buddhist traditions, the Tibetan public, and other concerned people who follow Tibetan Buddhism, and re-evaluate whether the institution of the Dalai Lama should continue or not. On that basis we will take a decision. If it is decided that the reincarnation of the Dalai Lama should continue and there is a need for the Fifteenth Dalai Lama to be recognized, responsibility for doing so will primarily rest on the concerned officers of the Dalai Lama’s Gaden Phodrang Trust. They should consult the various heads of the Tibetan Buddhist traditions and the reliable oath-bound Dharma Protectors who are linked inseparably to the lineage of the Dalai Lamas. They should seek advice and direction from these concerned beings and carry out the procedures of search and recognition in accordance with past tradition. I shall leave clear written instructions about this. Bear in mind that, apart from the reincarnation recognized through such legitimate methods, no recognition or acceptance should be given to a candidate chosen for political ends by anyone, including those in the People’s Republic of China.

The Dalai Lama
Dharamsala

(Translated from the Tibetan)

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APPEAL

The current situation prevailing at Kirti Monastery in Ngaba in

northeastern Tibet is extremely grim because of the stand-off between the

Chinese military forces and the local Tibetans. The monastery, housing

approximately 2500 monks, is completely surrounded by Chinese armed

forces, who at one point prevented vital food and other supplies from

entering the monastic compound.

The local Tibetans fearing that this siege on Kirti Monastery is a prelude

to large scale detention of the monks have surrounded the soldiers

blockading the monastery and have filled the roads so as to prevent

Chinese trucks and vehicles either entering or leaving Kirti.

The local Chinese blockade of Kirti Monastery began on 16 March 2011, when

a young Tibetan monk at the monastery tragically set himself on fire as a

way of observing the third anniversary of the widespread peaceful protests

that shook Tibet in 2008. Instead of putting out the flames, the police

beat the young monk which was one of the causes of his tragic death. This

act created huge resentment among the monks, which resulted in this

massive blockade of Kirti Monastery.

I am very concerned that this situation if allowed to go on may become

explosive with catastrophic consequences for the Tibetans in Ngaba.

In view of this I urge both the monks and the lay Tibetans of the area not

to do anything that might be used as a pretext by the local authorities to

massively crackdown on them.

I also strongly urge the international community, the governments around

the world, and the international non-governmental organizations, to

persuade the Chinese leadership to exercise restraint in handling this

situation.

For the past six decades, using force as the principle means in dealing

with the problems in Tibet has only deepened the grievances and resentment

of the Tibetan people. I, therefore, appeal to the Chinese leadership to

adopt a realistic approach and to address the genuine grievances of the

Tibetans with courage and wisdom and to restrain from using force in

handling this situation.

The Dalai Lama

April 15, 2011

]]> http://www.friendsoftibet.gr/web/wordpress/2011/04/16/appeal-by-hh-the-dalai-lama/en/feed/en/ http://www.friendsoftibet.gr/web/wordpress/2011/03/30/easter-market/en/ http://www.friendsoftibet.gr/web/wordpress/2011/03/30/easter-market/en/#comments Wed, 30 Mar 2011 06:43:06 +0000 marina Uncategorized http://www.friendsoftibet.gr/web/wordpress/2011/03/30/easter-market/en/

 

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]]> http://www.friendsoftibet.gr/web/wordpress/2011/03/30/easter-market/en/feed/en/ http://www.friendsoftibet.gr/web/wordpress/2011/03/22/his-holiness-on-his-retirement/en/ http://www.friendsoftibet.gr/web/wordpress/2011/03/22/his-holiness-on-his-retirement/en/#comments Tue, 22 Mar 2011 07:16:08 +0000 marina Uncategorized http://www.friendsoftibet.gr/web/wordpress/2011/03/22/his-holiness-on-his-retirement/en/

After coming into exile, I have made sincere efforts to establish a
democratic system of governance in the last more than 30 years. The
Tibetans in exile say “our democracy is a gift from His Holiness
the Dalai Lama.” Ten years ago, the system of electing Kalon Tripa
through democratic elections was introduced rather than nomination
of the candidate by the Dalai Lama, which was not correct. Since
the direct election of Kalon Tripa, the system of the institution
of Gaden Phodrang of the Dalai Lama as both the spiritual and
temporal authority has ended. Since then I described myself as in
semi-retired position.

Since then ten years have passed and the day will come for us when
we have to follow a meaningful democratic system. The rule by kings
and religious figures is outdated. We have to follow the trend of
the free world which is that of democracy. For example in India,
besides its huge population and diverse languages, religions and
culture, but on the whole it remains very stable. This is because
of democracy, the rule of law, free expression and media.  To the
contrary, China under the authoritarian rule is always facing
problems. It was mentioned in a recent Chinese government’s
document that it is allocating more budget to maintain internal
stability than national defense. This shows that they have more
enemies inside rather than outside, which is a matter of shame.

The government of the People’s Republic (of China) is meant to work
for the people’s welfare. So fulfilling the people’s aspirations
must come through democratic elections. If the leaders are selected
through elections, it would be a matter of real pride. But to hold
power at the barrel of the gun rather than through elections is
immoral and outdated as well. So the system of one-man rule is not
good. Therefore, it is not at all good if the Dalai Lama keeps on
holding ultimate power. The Dalai Lama as the spiritual and
temporal authority of Tibet did not begin during the period of the
first four Dalai Lamas. It started during the time of the fifth
Dalai Lama under different circumstances and the influence of the
Mongol chieftain Gushri Khan. The system has brought many benefits
since then. But now as we are in the 21st century, sooner or later
the time for change is imminent. But if the change comes under the
pressure of another person then it will be a disgrace to the former
Dalai Lamas. Since the fifth Dalai Lama, Ngawang Lobsang Gyatso,
the Dalai Lamas have assumed both spiritual and temporal rule over
Tibet. As I am the fourteenth in line of that institution, it is
most appropriate if I on own initiative, happily and with pride,
end the dual authority of the Dalai Lama. Nobody except me can make
this decision and I have made the final decision. The leadership
democratically elected by the Tibetan people should take over the
complete political responsibilities of Tibet. Some kind of a
vestige of the dual system will remain if I am vested with the
political authority in the Charter. This should change and now
seems to be the time to do it.

I can talk a little about the great deal of accomplishments that I
have made for the Tibetan cause, as the Tibetan people both in and
outside Tibet put faith and trust in me and there are also many
people around the world who consider the Dalai Lama as someone they
recognise, trust and love.  So now is the right time to end the
dual system of governance established during the fifth Dalai Lama
and retain the kind of unanimity and recognition gained by the
first four Dalai Lamas in the spiritual domain. Particularly, the
third Dalai Lama received the honorific title of an ecumenical
master with yellow hat. So like them I will continue to take
spiritual responsibilities for the remaining part of my life.

Personally, I have been working for the promotion of moral values
and religious harmony in the world. These are proving quite
beneficial. Moreover, I receive many invitations from different
schools and universities around the world. They are not asking me
to come to preach on Buddhism as such, but to teach how to promote
inner happiness and Buddhist science to which many people take
interest and love to listen. So when the present Dalai Lama is in
such a position, it would be a matter of great pride if the 400-
year-old rule of Dalai Lama as both the spiritual and temporal
authority gracefully comes to an end. No one else except me can
decide to end something started by the fifth Dalai Lama and my
decision is final.

Recently, I received telephone calls from Tibetans inside Tibet
saying they are extremely worried and feel abandoned as I am
retiring. There is absolutely no need to worry. After taking
retirement, I will continue to lead Tibet in spiritual affairs like
the first four Dalai Lamas. Like the second Dalai Lama Gedun
Gyatso, who founded the Gaden Phodrang institution and led Tibet
spiritually with unanimous mandate, I will also retain that kind of
spiritual leadership for the rest of my life. Perhaps if I bring no
disgrace on the people and make good efforts in the future, I will
continue to lead spiritually.

If such a Dalai Lama with an unanimous mandate to lead spiritual
affairs abdicates the political authority, it will help sustain our
exile administration and make it more progressive and robust.
Similarly, the international community, who support the Tibetan
cause, will commend the Dalai Lama’s sincerity for the complete
democratization of the Tibetan polity. It will raise our prestige
in the world. On the hand other, it will fully expose the falsehood
and lies of the Chinese government that there is no Tibet problem
except the issue of the Dalai Lama’s personal rights. The Tibetan
people inside Tibet should not feel discouraged because I have made
this remarkable decision by taking in consideration the benefit of
the Tibetan people in the long run.  The Tibetan administration in
exile will be more stable and progressive. Contrary to the system
of the Chinese Communist’s authoritarian rule in Tibet, our small
community in exile has been able to establish a complete modern
democratic system.

In the long run this decision will make our exile administration
stronger and efficient. Where else, if we compare our community in
exile with the authoritarian communist regime in China, we have
actually become a modernized society. This is our glorious
achievement. Tibetans inside Tibet should be proud of this
achievement. You all should understand and realise that I am not
discouraged and I have not given up on the cause of Tibet.

I am a native of the land of snows. All the six million Tibetans
from the land of snows carry the common responsibility of the
Tibetan cause.  As for me, I am also one  Tibetan from the Amdo
region of Tibet, so until my death I have the responsibility of the
Tibetan cause.

While I am still healthy and present amidst you all, you should
take full responsibility of the Tibetan affairs. And if some
problem arises that necessitates my help, then of course, I am
still here. I have not given up and neither am I disheartened. The
democratic system that we have followed till now can take full
responsibility and after considering the many requirements and
reasons, I am asking the democratic system to take full
responsibility. All of you present here and all of the Tibetans in
Tibet should not get disheartened. There is no reason to worry.

Just yesterday, I met a Chinese scholar who told me that he was
conducting a research on the Tibetan electoral process and had also
come here five years ago. He told me that this time around,
Tibetans were very actively participating and fully utilizing their
democratic rights. He praised the advancements that the Tibetan
democratic system had made. So these developments represent our
growing political awareness and the strides that we have taken in
our democratic process. And so the decision to devolve my power is
also a part of advancing democratization process.

Those of you from Tibet when you return and if there are people to
whom you can confide then tell this to them. This may also be
broadcast on the radio as well. I have made this decision to retire
after giving thorough thought over it for years and years and for
the ultimate benefit of Tibet. There is no reason at all for you to
be disheartened.

On the other hand, Ganden Phodrang is not being shut down. Ganden
Phodrang is the institution of the Dalai Lamas and as long as I
live, I will need a small institution. So, this Ganden Phodrang
will still remain. What is happening is that Ganden Phodrang is
relinquishing its political responsibilities.

And then, regarding the future reincarnations, of course there is
no hurry as of now. But after 20 or 30 years when I am near my end,
then depending mainly on the wishes of the Tibetan people and also
the people of the Himalayan regions and other Buddhists who are
connected to the Dalai Lamas, if they so wish then the 15th, 16th
and 17th Dalai Lamas and so forth, will come. So Ganden Phodrang
will still remain intact. Political changes are bound to come but
such a move will lend stability. Ganden Phodrang reverting back to
its role and responsibility as being the spiritual head as during
the times of the second, third and fourth Dalai Lamas have great
significance and reason.

In the long run, if you think about it, then this change and
decision I am making has great benefits for the Tibetans. In my
letter to the Tibetan Parliament, I suggested that the title of
Ganden Phodrang Shung will have to be changed. Ganden Phodrang will
remain but it will not take any political responsibilities as we
are now a democratic establishment.

The Tibetan word ‘shung’ may not necessarily translate in English
as government. We don’t use the English word ‘government’ as such
to describe our exile administration. At one instance during a
press conference in Delhi, Rinpoche was also there, a journalist
addressed Samdhong Rinpoche as the Prime Minister of the exile
government. So, I instantly clarified that we don’t use these
titles like Tibetan ‘Prime Minister’ or the Tibetan ‘Government-in-
exile’. We call our administration the Central Tibetan
Administration. Of course there are Tibetans in exile and we need
an organization to look after them. This is the direct
responsibility of the administration. Generally, the few of us in
exile, being Tibetans, have the responsibility to articulate the
aspirations of the Tibetans inside Tibet and to tell the world of
the real situation inside Tibet.  We have never called our
administration the Tibetan exile government. Calling the
administration the Ganden Phodrang Shung is another case in matter.
So, the precise title is the Central Tibetan Administration whose
leaders are all democratically elected.

To be true, this provides the leaders of the Tibetan autonomous
areas in Tibet a reason to think. Those of us in exile, though
remaining as refugees in alien countries, have carried out a
genuine electoral process. If those leaders are really capable and
confident, then let the Tibetans inside Tibet democratically elect
their own leaders. Whatever the case maybe in the rest of China, if
we could emulate the exile system in Tibet itself then it would be
very good.

So, the many political changes that I have made are based on sound
reasons and of immediate and ultimate benefit for all of us. In
fact, these changes will make our administration more stable and
excel its development. So, there is no reason to get disheartened.

This is what I wish to explain to you.

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Times of India | Mar 13, 2011Tenzin Tsundue

Once, in the 1970s, when the Tibetan exile government in Dharamsala had only one telephone, a secretary called the Dalai Lama’s office which was two kilometers uphill on the ridge of McLeod Ganj. The secretary called the Dalai Lama’s PA, Lama Tara la. The voice on the other end said the PA was not in his office and asked if he could take a message. On enquiring who was on the line the voice said “Tenzin Gyatso”. No one of that name worked in that office. So the secretary asked “Tenzin Gyatso who?’’ It was then that the secretary’s tubelight blinked. He was talking to the Dalai Lama himself. He immediately hung up. Tibetans love making jokes about government officials. Over the years people spiced up the story by saying the secretary knelt down and offered three prostrations to the telephone.

When we meet Chinese activists and intellectuals, our debates are contradictory on almost all historical narratives. But about the origins of the Dalai Lama there are no two stories. In 1578, the grandson of Genghis Khan, Altan Khan, invited Tibet’s spiritual leader, the incarnate lama Sonam Gyatso, to Mongolia and gave him the title ‘Talé Lama’ meaning ‘Ocean of Wisdom’  – now anglicized as ‘Dalai Lama’. His two predecessors were posthumously named the First and Second ‘Talé Lamas’. The Fourth, Yonten Gyatso, was a Mongolian. And Altan Khan’s son, Gushri Khan, using his sweeping military might, helped the Great Fifth Lobsang Gyatso and installed him as the ruler over all Tibet. Since then the Dalai Lamas have been our spiritual and political leaders.

But the relationship between the Tibetan populace and the Dalai Lama is older than this 400-year history. From our parents and grandparents we learn early in childhood that our guru is the incarnation of Avalokitesvara, the bodhisattva of love and compassion, and that he had even earlier in history come to serve the Tibetan people. In the almost 200 years of Tibetan empire building, from the seventh to the ninth centuries – as Buddhism arrived from India – the Tibetans were the most brutal warriors, plundering China, invading Mongolia, expanding their empire into the land of the Pathans in the west and India to the south. In the seventh century Avalokitesvara is believed to have manifested as the 33rd emperor of Tibet, Songtsen Gampo, who first helped Buddhism flourish in the Land of Snow.

But the relationship between the Tibetan people and the bodhisattva of compassion goes back to the very origins of the Tibetan race. We believe that we come from the coupling of the Avalokitesvara monkey avatar and the ogress, the avatar of the female deity Tara. This makes all Tibetans the children of the Dalai Lama.

The Tibetans may not have had a strong standing army, nor learned to exploit their rich resources to make bombs, but they have someone they are rightly proud of – the ‘Wish-fulfilling Gem’, Chintamani, the Yeshin Norbu as His Holiness is known in Tibetan. Tibetans working close to him address him as ‘Kundun’’, the holy presence, while His Holiness signs his name simply Dalai Lama Tenzin Gyatso.

Of all of his 14 lives, this Dalai Lama has been the most relevant to Tibetans personally, touching every life. The suffering Tibetan people under Chinese occupation – as more than a million, one sixth of its population died from starvation and torture – found unity under his leadership. As the head of the numerically dominant Gelukpa school of Tibetan Buddhism, the Dalai Lama has won the hearts of believers of all other sects by his non-sectarian practice and lineage teachings. History will hold him to be the most iconic Dalai Lama ever, although he’s spent most of his life in exile, even calling himself son of India.

Today, instead of preparing for his next incarnation, the Dalai Lama is investing his faith in something more modern and sustaining – Democracy. This has been his long-standing vision: To create a system and culture of accountability within the Tibetan community. Instead of begging His Holiness to lead us on, we must come forward and take up the challenge he is handing over to us, his children.

http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/home/sunday-toi/special-report/The-future-is-here-the-leader-has-seen-it/articleshow/7689138.cms

The writer is aTibetan activst

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Sudip Mazumdar  | 2011-02-27 12:40:00

Now that Ogyen Trinley Dorje, better known as the 17th Karmapa, has been cleared of money-laundering charges by the Indian government, it is in order to take a look at the inept handling of a matter of great national importance and religious sensitivity. But first a recap: A random police check on a car carrying Indian rupees worth a little over $200,000 on Jan 26 led to a series of raids on the 25-year-old Karmapa’s shelter in exile. His modest living quarters in the Gyuto Tantric monastery in the sleepy village of Sidhbari in Himachal Pradesh yielded cash worth over $1 million in some 20 foreign currencies, including about 10 per cent of the total amount in Chinese yuan. Lower level police officials and unidentified sources quickly fed gullible reporters with charges ranging from the Karmapa being a Chinese ‘mole’ sent to India to spread Chinese influence in Himalayan border states to money-laundering to shady land deals. Few bothered to check with the Karmapa’s aides before repeating the serious charges. Some media outlets aired blatant lies such as Chinese SIM cards having been found in his monastery and that he had visited Hong Kong and met Chinese officials there. Recovery of Chinese yuan was proffered as evidence of his being a Chinese mole. But there were 20 other foreign currencies including Malayasian ringgit to Singapore dollar. If Chinese yuan makes him a Chinese spy then he could jolly well be a Malaysian mole or Singaporean agent. The police recovery lists never mentioned Chinese SIM cards. It was also found that the Karmapa’s office didn’t hold foreign currency secretly and had twice sought the government’s permission to receive unsolicited donations from a large number of devotees, including an increasing number from China. But an unsure government, prompted by a suspicious section of the officialdom, was still sitting over the application. ‘The Karmapa’s trust had also sought and received preliminary permission from the town and country planning department of the state government to buy land in the state,’ says the Karmapa’s lawyer, Naresh Mathur. ‘There was nothing hush-hush or shady in all this.’ Amidst all these allegations, the tall, handsome and intelligent Karmapa remained unruffled even as messages of support poured in from Tibetan exiles and Buddhists from across the world. The Dalai Lama himself threw his weight behind the Karmapa saying that the young popular lama has many visitors from China who offer him donations in Chinese yuan. Since his daring escape and arrival in India in 2000, the Karmapa has been a source of suspicion for a section of India’s security establishment which had put severe restrictions on his movements. He was allowed only one trip to the US in 2008. He is under surveillance round the clock. Intelligence officials listen in on all his meetings. Those agents must be too dumb or utterly incompetent not to notice money being put in the donation boxes. Beijing’s leadership must be gleeful in seeing a possible rallying force for the Tibetan cause facing such ignominy in his host country. ‘It is clear that China is the first to benefit from the present messy situation in Dharamsala,’ says Claude Arpi, an author and expert on Tibetan affairs. ‘The last thing Beijing wants is to see the Dalai Lama designate a ’spiritual’ successor before he leaves this world. Beijing has been planning for decades for the Dalai Lama’s succession’. Any disarray and confusion among Tibetans obviously helps the Chinese leadership’s plans to keep the restive region under control. ‘China gains from this episode without having to lift a finger,’ says Dibyesh Anand, who teaches in London’s Westminster University and has authored a book on Tibet. ‘The Karmapa cannot become a unifying religious figure for the Tibetans and their supporters after the Dalai Lama passes away, because in order to do that, he needs to remain in India, have trust of the government and the people, and be allowed to travel without too many restrictions. China gains from this. ‘ Add to this India’s own chaotic and opportunistic party politics. The BJP-ruled Himachal Pradesh government planted stories in the media with little respect for the sentiments of Indian Buddhists. Peace-loving and intensely loyal Himalayan Buddhists felt let down by the vicious attacks. Similar attacks on Muslim or Hindu religious figures would have invited violent protests. Instead of throwing stones, they held prayer meetings in Delhi’s Jantar Mantar. Much of the Indian media of course ignored those peace vigils. ‘Indians in the Himalayan region are not treacherous beings and to see them as willing allies in an effort to destabilize India is simply preposterous,’ says Thinlay Topgay, a lawyer from Sikkim who now works in New Delhi. ‘The Karmapa is not running the local office of the Chinese security establishment.’ By allowing wild rumours to gain currency, India’s paranoid security establishment has scored an ignominious self-goal, much to the amusement of its Chinese rivals. India has never really appreciated both the diplomatic and strategic advantage and the goodwill that it has derived from sheltering the Dalai Lama and the Tibetan refugees. It is time India handled them, including the Karmapa, with care.

]]> http://www.friendsoftibet.gr/web/wordpress/2011/02/27/the-karmapa-case-lies-plants-and-damage-control/en/feed/en/ http://www.friendsoftibet.gr/web/wordpress/2011/02/01/karmapa-chinese-spy-music-to-the-ears-of-communist-china/en/ http://www.friendsoftibet.gr/web/wordpress/2011/02/01/karmapa-chinese-spy-music-to-the-ears-of-communist-china/en/#comments Tue, 01 Feb 2011 07:10:32 +0000 marina News http://www.friendsoftibet.gr/web/wordpress/2011/02/01/karmapa-chinese-spy-music-to-the-ears-of-communist-china/en/

By Jamyang Dorjee

The recent police raids conducted at Karmapa’s residence in Dharamsala with media that led to recovery of international currencies including Chinese currency and subsequent accusation by the media, particularly some television channels of him being a Chinese spy and money laundering is most unfortunate and seemed pre planned. As the spokesperson for  Karmapa Mr Karma Toden, former MP Rajya Sabha rightly said in his press conference” the very flight of Karmapa to India ten year back gained international media coverage and exposed China’s misrule in Tibet ,which could not have been work of Chinese spy”. Generally, malicious attacks on defaming the institution of spiritual masters like Shankracharya and Swami Ram Dev and others in India have been the modern day trend of so called secular media

His Holiness Karmapa, the Head of the Kagyupa sect of Tibetan Buddhism, has millions of followers around the world including those from the Chinese who come to visit him in hundreds every day. Ever since he came to India, every visitor who comes to meet him undergoes a strict security drill. Every one of the visitor is registered and frisked by the security officials and the itinerary of his tours outside Dharamsala is undertaken with prior approval of the external affairs ministry, Government of India. He has no freedom to move freely as he wishes and meet guests without the knowledge of the security agencies.

In accordance with Buddhist tradition, devotees  offer money in their own currency – be it an Indian, an American, European or a Chinese at any given time of the day. Hence it would be ridiculous to charge any religious head of being a spy simply because his disciples offer him Chinese currency. The offerings were made in the presence of security agencies and will continue to happen unless the Government of India opens a foreign exchange counter at his office and makes it mandatory for every disciple to exchange and offer in Indian currency. Yes, it is a fact that the staff should have acted according to the law of the land and promptly deposited the money to the trust account without accumulating. This was a total administrative failure and trying to link this to unfound issues and defame an institution is misleading and disinformation.

Karmapa left behind his monastery, one of the richest in Tibet, his dear parents and close disciples to come to the land of his Guru and not to be a subject of humiliation like this. Even after 11 years in India, he is not allowed to visit Rumtek, his main seat in Sikkim or buy land and built a new monastery to be called his own in Himachal Pradesh and is still staying in a monastery that does not belong to his sect. Yet even at this young age, he inherited a responsibly to logistically support thousands of his monks and nuns in various monasteries in India and Nepal including his main monastery in Sikkim. These monasteries neither have trees where money is grown nor received any kind of Central or state Government funds to meet daily expenses of for food, clothing and studies. They are dependent on their Lamas. Personally Karmapa does not have even a pocket on his saffron robe.

Ever since Tibetans came to exile 60 years back, with all the money and power, China could not win the heart of a single Tibetan who will spy for them with a design to hurt India’s security and that includes His Holiness Karmapa. On the almost all the of six million Tibetans in Tibet turn their heart towards India where their ultimate refuge (soul ) His Holiness the Dalai Lama, Karmapa and others live. Off course the Chinese have every reason to suspect Tibetans but why India? Many Tibetans who studied in India and returned back to Tibet are today languishing in Chinese jails for their crime of studying in India.  In India, many Tibetans have laid their life from the hills of Kargil to the plains of Bangladesh for the security of their adopted motherland, outside of the media glare for security reasons. Tibetan youths continue to serve in the Indian army with dedication.

 

When Over 50,000 people gathered on September 26, 2010 in the peaceful Himalayan state of Sikkim and organize rally to urge the Government of India to lift travel restrictions so the Karmapa can come home, why were the media not excited then as today to highlight the sentiments of his disciples?. The Karmapa  lineage’s relations with the Sikkimese people date back to the time of the 12^th Karmapa, Changchub Dorji  (1703–1732). It is time that media understand the depth of the rich Buddhist Sangha tradition in general and particularly the true sentiments of the disciples instead of hurting them by throwing grossly speculative and baseless accusations.  Karmapa is neither a spy of any country nor a magician to perform tricks as challenged by one of the claimant of the Rumtek throne from time to time. He is an institution that embodies 900 years old legacy of Kagyu tradition of compassion and peace. Such accusations will be music to the ears of Communist Chinese authority and I wish our media be little mindful of playing such music.

The writer is an editorial consultant to Radio Free Asia, Washington DC and the Asia Regional Coordinator of the Conservancy of Tibetan Art and Culture, an international NGO.

 

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