Amid talks of the 14th Dalai Lama’s successions, sources in India have lashed out at China for trying to control the reincarnation by saying its approval is necessary for the candidate. Sources have said only India has a legitimate say in the Dalai Lama selection and that China was confusing the world and wants to control Tibet.
Sources said that being invited to an enthronement much like an oath taking ceremony of current times does not mean giving official legitimacy to the leader in question as the local people and those believing in him have already put him in the role of leadership. “This would mean those leaders from nations who had come to PM Narendra Modi’s oath taking ceremony have given him official legitimacy to govern India for the next 5 years, certainly not,” sources said.
Indian officials have questioned that when PRC continues to use various derogatory terms like ‘wolf in a monks robe’ for the Dalai Lama, why are they interested in seeking the control of the reincarnation of a man they so despise?
The first Dalai Lama was born in 1391 and the People’s Republic of China was established in 1949. ”How can they have claim over an institution that precedes their formation,” sources questioned. The Dalai Lama had formally set up the institution of the Ganden Phorang in 1642 which is before the PRC was formed.
PRC’s Founding Father Chairman Mao had infamously said ‘Religion is poison’ taking it from the Marxist maxim of ‘Religion is Opium to the masses’ when he met the Dalai Lama in 1956. This is a dictum even followed by the current Communist leadership in China led by President Xi Jinping. Hence, the question is as to why the CCP is so interested in controlling Buddhism in Tibet. The cultural revolution is a standing example and its impact remains large as religions and traditions including Tibetan Buddhism were destroyed and ravaged by the Communist Red Guards.
The abduction by the CCP of the current 11th Panchen Lama gives a clear indication of how Beijing has and continues to control Buddhism, but has failed.
ORDER NUMBER 5 MENTIONED BY CHINESE SPOKESPERSON
People’s Republic of China under the Communist Party of China called for Tibet’s invasion in 1949 and it was only in 2007 that they came up with ‘Order number 5’, which is a set of rules and regulations by Beijing to confirm the reincarnations of high lamas practising the Tibetan tradition of Buddhism. If the process laid out by PRC in the order number 5 is so vital to them, why did the PRC only introduce this order in 2007 and not immediately during the years post occupation?
No Tibetan law or religion demanded the establishment of the Order number 5. This order was introduced to control and strangle the practice of Buddhism, Indian sources said. Order number 5 is to control Buddhism, not to promote it.
Indian officials have stated that the PRC has no legitimate role in Tibet. While they thought controlling Buddhism was one way, but they have failed miserably as numerous monks and nuns have been fleeing Tibet. Since coming to power, Xi Jinping had made it his mission to sinicize the Tibetan tradition of Buddhism and he has done this by carrying out previous policy mentioned above (Order number 5) and also enforcing Tibetan Buddhist Institutes in Tibet to adopt and adhere to ‘Xi Jinping thought of Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era’.
CURRENT SITUATION OF TIBETAN BUDDHISM
The current monastic education in Tibet stifles proper education and debates. The number of monks/nuns have been restricted, displaying a portrait of His Holiness in a monastery or even possessing one is a punishable offense. A source said, “Namkyi, who escaped exile recently, highlighted to us all how by her carrying a picture of the Dalai Lama and calling for his return branded her as a political prisoner and she was sentenced.”
Recent incidents like the Larung Gar demolition, destruction of Buddhist Statue in Drago County, all indicate how the current communist leadership from Beijing views Buddhism and the Dalai Lama. Yet, still they claim to have legitimacy over the Dalai Lama which is “confounding”.
INDIA
India has a more legitimate say when it comes to the Dalai Lama as Buddhism originated and spread from India to the rest of the world. The Buddhism that the Dalai Lama teaches and other practices are by and large from the Nalanda tradition of Buddhism.
A statement by the Ministry of External Affairs must be made stating that India will support and endorse the 15th Dalai Lama in accordance with the processes set forth by the current 14th Dalai Lama and that it would strongly oppose outside interference and influence in matters related to his succession as it is a purely religious matter and it is for the Tibetans to decide for themselves; and should the 15th Dalai Lama wish to be in India, then he too shall be an honoured guest just like the 14th Dalai Lama and the Government of India shall provide all the support as offered to the current Dalai Lama to the 15th Dalai Lama. India should be seen as the main unifying force in safeguarding the sanctity of the succession process which will remove doubts and anxiety from the minds of Tibetans. In this context, the Government of India must publicly endorse the statement of His Holiness the 14th Dalai Lama, on the issue of his reincarnation made on September 24, 2011.
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