President Bush to meet Dalai Lama

Spotted on theage.com.au web site this morning:

GEORGE Bush is to become the first American president to meet the Dalai Lama in public.

Mr Bush will meet (The Dalai Lama) next month in a gesture that risks infuriating the Chinese Government. They will meet at a ceremony in front of the symbol of American democracy, the Capitol Building, where the Tibetan leader will be presented with the Congressional Gold Medal.

Lodi Gyaltsen Gyari, Special Envoy of the Dalai Lama, said in the ICT statement Thursday, “Honoring His Holiness with the Congressional Gold Medal is a strong endorsement of His Holiness’ tireless commitment to enhancing the principles of non-violence, religious harmony, tolerance, and promoting a sense of universal responsibility.”**

China reacts with fury to any recognition given to the Dalai Lama, who fled into exile in 1959, and whom it regularly accuses of trying to "split" Tibet from China.

Last week, China criticised German Chancellor Angela Merkel after meeting the Dalai Lama and backing his call for more cultural autonomy for Tibet.

Following the ceremony, the Dalai Lama will speak on the West Lawn of the Capitol. The ceremony will also mark the first time the West Lawn will be used for a Congressional Gold Medal celebration in the medal’s 200-year history.

Thousands of Tibetans and supporters of Tibet are expected to gather for one of the most significant international tributes to the exiled Tibetan leader since the Nobel Peace Prize was awarded to him nearly 20 years ago.**

Read this article on theage.com.au web site.

• Related: the telegraph (London)
• Related: **The Hill web site (Washington, DC)

Dalai Lama Statement on Burma (Myanmar)

A message posted on the website of His Holiness The XIVth Dalai Lama:

I extend my support and solidarity with the recent peaceful movement for democracy in Burma. I fully support their call for freedom and democracy and take this opportunity to appeal to freedom-loving people all over the world to support such non-violent movements. Moreover, I wish to convey my sincere appreciation and admiration to the large number of fellow Buddhists monks for advocating democracy and freedom in Burma.

As a Buddhist monk, I am appealing to the members of the military regime who believe in Buddhism to act in accordance with the sacred dharma in the spirit of compassion and non-violence.

I pray for the success of this peaceful movement and the early release of fellow Nobel Peace laureate Aung San Suu Kyi.

Tenzin Gyatso
September 23, 2007

posted at dalailama.com

China bans Buddhist 'reincarnation' without government permission

Spotted on the kalingatimes.com web site. As ironic (absurd?) as this may be, it does not appear to be a hoax, as mention appears on other prominent sites:

China bans Buddhist 'reincarnation' without government permission
By Mayank Chhaya

Notwithstanding the inherent absurdity of the action, China has banned Buddhist monks from "reincarnating" without government permission.

As of Sep 1, China's State Administration of Religious Affairs (SARA) will begin managing reincarnation, in a barely concealed move to try and checkmate the 14th Dalai Lama.

"This move indicates that China will increase legal support toward the administration of the Living Buddha. The head of SARA, Ye Xiaowen, said in his statement that the regulation was passed on July 13, and will enter into force as of Sep 1," a statement quoted on the official Chinese government website said.

(This decision) shuts out the possibility of the Dalai Lama reincarnating within Tibet without government permission.

"There are three principal conditions for the Living Buddha. Most local religious followers and Lama temple administrative organisations should require his reincarnation; the reincarnation system should be valid and passed on up to date; the temple requiring Living Buddha's reincarnation must be a unique and legal temple suitable for nurturing and supporting the Living Buddha," the site said.

"The regulation also states that the Living Buddha has to be initially approved by the religious affairs department of the autonomous region or province. If the Living Buddha has great impact on Tibetan Buddhism, he will be examined and approved by the government of the autonomous region or province. If his influence is significant, then he has to be approved by the SARA and the State Council. The regulation also states that upon approving such an application, governments should solicit opinions from relevant Buddhist associations," the site said.

In a significant assertion, the statement said: "If there is any self-claimed Living Buddha without government and religious affairs department approval, this said reincarnation would be illegal and invalid."

The issue of reincarnation goes to the very heart of Tibetan culture.

Although since the 1959 exile of the Dalai Lama, Beijing has taken complete control of Tibetan life. Since 1991 it has approved some 1,000 living Buddhas, including the 11th incarnation of the Panchen Lama, this is the first serious move to institutionalise the process of managing reincarnation.

Lodi Gyaltsen Gyari, special envoy of the Dalai Lama in Washington, said: "These stringent new measures strike at the heart of Tibetan religious identity. They will only create further resentment among the Tibetan people and cannot override the Party's lack of legitimacy in the sphere of religion."

The move is perhaps the most direct challenge till date to the authority of the Dalai Lama over Tibet's religious and spiritual affairs. With the 14th Dalai Lama getting in on years at 72, the Chinese decision is a well thought-out one keeping in mind the inevitable happening to him in the years to come.

It shuts out the possibility of the Dalai Lama reincarnating within Tibet without government permission. Although non-believers around the world have viewed the issue of reincarnation with a great deal of scepticism and amusement, in the context of Tibet it remains the centrepiece of spiritual life.

The Dalai Lama has said that after this life he is likely to reincarnate outside Tibet for obvious reasons.

So far Beijing had stayed away from usurping the power to arbitrate Tibetan tradition's most important aspect. With this decision, it has all but removed the person of Dalai Lama from the discourse.

The International Campaign for Tibet quoted Tibetologist Gray Tuttle as saying: "Why is the atheistic government of China involving itself in the controversial issues of authorising Tibetan Buddhist reincarnations 50 years after forcibly annexing Tibet? The communists may have felt that raising a generation of Tibetans without religion during the Cultural Revolution would put an end to the need to work with and through the religious elite, but the revival of Buddhism in the period of reforms made it clear they were wrong."

Read the article on the KalingaTimes web site
Related: The Times Online, China Daily, China.org.cn

My main purpose is the promotion of Human Values - Dalai Lama

Yesterday His Holiness spoke to German broadcaster Deutsche Welle [wiki].

DW: Your Holiness, please tell us about the human rights situation in Tibet.

Dalai Lama: It's still very serious. About a month ago I met a Tibetan who spent eight years in a Chinese prison. His only crime, which took place in a village near Lhasa, was to express his own feelings.

China reacted harshly when you spoke about the issue of Tibet in Hamburg. Did that surprise you?

Not at all. Even I live in silence. There's always some sort of condemnation. They just keep going on like that.

What do you think of the German government's stance toward Tibet? Do you think Berlin does enough for your cause?

The German government is like other governments -- basically sympathetic. Certainly there's a sense of concern. The question is whether that's adequate. We appreciate expressions of concern from the outside world. That's necessary and helpful.

What are your goals when you visit other countries?

My main purpose and motivation is not the issue of Tibet, but rather the promotion of human values in order to have happier individuals, families and communities -- and, in that way, a happier humanity. I consider that to be my contribution. I think every human being has a responsibility to better the world. That's my conviction, and I always try to promote that. My second goal is the promotion of religious harmony. When I teach in India, more and more Chinese come. Sometimes, the Chinese government puts up restrictions to prevent Chinese from coming to India. But despite that, some Chinese always come. Many of them say that, after seeing the Tibetan community, they found big difference as to what they had heard in China. Eventually there's some positive impact.

You have said that you could be the last Dalai Lama. Could you please explain?

As early as 1969, I made clear in an official statement that it was up to the Tibetan people whether or not the institution of the Dalai Lama should continue. That means that if the majority of the Tibetan people decide that the old institution of the Dalai Lama is no longer relevant to the Tibetan nation, it will cease to exist. If I were to die soon, I think most of the Tibetan people would want to keep the institution. If I live on 20 or 30 years, it might be different. That's okay. That would be an end with dignity.

Do you ever hope to return to Tibet?

Oh yes. All Tibetans get homesick and hope to see their own country. Me, too. But at the same time, I'm a Buddhist monk. So mentally and personally one's own birthplace isn't all that important. There's a Tibetan saying: "Home is where you feel good, and your parents are anyone who does good things for you." [Editors Note: The Dalai Lama said this in Tibetan, English translation from news reports.] I really enjoy the very positive atmosphere of Hamburg. In the past nine days, I really feel it's my home. Many people, including those from the media, were full of smiles. Like friends.

DW's Hans Jürgen Mayer participated in the interview with the Dalai Lama

• Read the article on the Deutsche Welle web site.
• Read the artcile on the Phayul.com web site.
• Related: MP3 Audio news report from Radio DW
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"The human rights situation in Tibet is still very serious" - The Dalai Lama

From the EUX.TV web site:

On Monday the Dalai Lama, visiting the German city of Hamburg for a series of lectures and talks with supporters of Tibetan Buddhism in Europe, criticized the actions of Chinese security forces in Tibet.

"The human rights situation in Tibet is still very serious," the Dalai Lama said, adding that there had been repeated incidents with Chinese guards at the border.

"Many who tried to escape were shot," the exiled spiritual and political leader told Deutsche Presse-Agentur dpa, adding that Tibetan culture was being undermined by the Chinese.

"We notice that Tibetans who were born in India have more Tibetan qualities than Tibetans who were born in Tibet. The older generation were full of knowledge about Buddhism. They are almost gone," he said.

Asked if his popularity in western nations was a form of pressure on the Chinese government, he said, "My main motivation is not the Tibet issue. My concern is the promotion of human values ...

"When people ask me about Tibet, naturally I have to answer them.

"The Chinese are also showing more and more interest in Tibetan Buddhism. That is making their attitude on Tibet more positive," he added.

The Dalai Lama told the interviewers he disapproved of hunger strikes in protest at China by Tibetan students living in New Delhi.

"I can understand their frustration, because there has been no sign of improvements in Tibet," he said. "But from a Buddhist point of view I cannot approve. Suicide is also a form of violence."

Asked if it was possible he might be the last Dalai Lama, he said, "As I've often said, the institution of the Dalai Lama will remain in place as long as it is of use to the Tibetan people.

"If the majority of the Tibetan people decides that the institution is no longer necessary, then there will be no more Dalai Lama. When I soon die, I believe that a majority of the Tibetan people will want the institution to be continued.

"If the Tibetan situation develops positively in the next 20 to 30 years, then the majority of the people might decide that the Dalai Lama is no longer so important.

"I'm the 14th Dalai Lama. Not the best, but at the same time not the worst. Quite a popular Dalai Lama."

Read the article on the EUX.TV web site.
Related: The Dalai Lama begins Germany visit (Phayul.com)
Related: Upcoming Schedule (dalailama.com)