Dalai Lama indicts China for using religion as a political tool

In the formative years since 1950, the Dalai Lama, the spiritual leader of Tibetan Buddhism, has become an eyesore to Chinese leaders.  It raises a pertinent question does China want to expand its tentacles into Tibet's mountainous kingdom for good?

Consequently, the spiritual leader Dalai Lama is at the centre of a perpetual controversy. The Tibetan government in exile believes that China has been preparing to interfere with the succession of the Dalai Lama for the past fifteen years or so.

Is China trying to install its own person as the next leader? The Tibetans vehemently oppose any sort of Chinese interference in their affairs.

While the religious leadership remains with the Dalai Lama, since 2011, the political leadership of the Tibetan community has devolved to the directly elected Sikyong, or president, of the Tibetan government-in-exile.

Till then, the temporal head of the Tibetan government-in-exile, elected by the Kashag, or parliament-in-exile, was Kalon Tripa, or prime minister, with the Dalai Lama as the overall head.

A popular uprising in 1959 against the Chinese, who had invaded Tibet in 1950, was put down by the Chinese administration with an iron fist.

According to historical facts, from 1642 until 1705 and from 1750 to the 1950s, the Dalai Lamas or their regents headed the Tibetan government (or Ganden Phodrang) in Lhasa, which governed all or most of the Tibetan Plateau with varying degrees of autonomy. This Tibetan government enjoyed the patronage and protection of firstly the Mongol kings of the Khoshut and Dzungar Khanates (1642–1720) and then of the emperors of the Manchu-led Qing dynasty (1720-1912). There were several Tibetan representatives present at the signing of the 1913 treaty between Tibet and Mongolia, declaring mutual recognition and independence from China; however, the legitimacy of the treaty and the declared independence of Tibet were rejected by China. The Dalai Lamas led the Tibetan government following their rejection until 1951.

After the upheaval, the Tibetan lamas found their government in exile, and the Dalai Lama moved to Dharmasala in India.

During the latter part of December last year, there was a security hiccup as far as the Dalai Lama was concerned.

When Dalai Lama was planning to visit Bodh Gaya where the Lord Buddha attained enlightenment for a discourse on Dhamma Indian Police detected a suspected woman spy following Dalai Lama.

Indian media reported the matter extensively and said: Following an extensive 24-hour manhunt for a suspected Chinese spy, the Bihar police ADG J.S. Gangwar in the last week of December confirmed that the accused is under custody and is being interrogated.

A security alert was issued by the police in Bodh Gaya for a suspected Chinese spy named Song Xiaolan, along with a sketch.

Bihar police conducted a search in Bodh Gaya ahead of the first day of the Dalai Lama's teachings, asking residents for information on her. Various media sources have reported that the suspect was staying in various parts of the country, especially in Gaya, for the last two years as a covert agent; the police also described her as being slim and having short hair.

Gaya Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) Harpreet Kaur said that they had been getting input on the Chinese woman for the last two years. "Local police have received reports about a Chinese woman who has been living in Gaya." We have been getting input on her for the last two years. In view of this, an alert has been issued, and searches are underway.

Local intelligence officials have claimed that she stayed for the maximum time in Bodh Gaya, possibly to receive updates on the ongoing teachings and the activities of the Dalai Lama. Security was beefed up in the area following a threat, as the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) called it "a security issue" but refused to comment further on it.

"It looks like a security issue; I don’t have any updates on it." "I certainly don’t think this is the right forum to talk about security-related aspects," MEA spokesperson Arindam Bagchi said at the weekly briefing. According to Business Today, Song came to India in 2019 before returning back to China. She came to India again, left for Nepal for a few days, and then traveled to Bodh Gaya in Bihar.

In an interview with PTI, President of the Tibetan government-in-exile Penpa Tsering pointed out that a replay of the 1995 appointment of a rival Panchen Lama by the Communist government of China, while a boy chosen by the Dalai Lama as the incarnate of the Lama was whisked away from the public eye, can be expected.

"What happens after the present Dalai Lama is no more is a big challenge for the Tibetans, especially if the Sino-Tibetan conflict is not resolved," he said on Tuesday.

"We believe China will definitely interfere with the succession process of the Dalai Lama... They have been preparing for that for the last 15 years," he added.

Tsering, who also holds the title of Sikyong, stated that the Chinese government issued a "diktat" in 2007 on the need for it to be involved in the succession of all reincarnated lamas.

In doing so, he aimed to utilize religion as a political tool, even though China should not be involved at all, nor should any other government.

"They (the Chinese) intervened in 1995 when they chose a boy (Gyancain Norbu) as the Panchen Lama. ""The boy recognized by His Holiness (the Dalai Lama) as the Panchen Lama (Gedhun Choeyi Nyima) was whisked away, and we still have no news of whether he is alive," he said.

Nyima has not been seen by any independent observer since May 17, 1995. While the Chinese government claims he lives a "normal" life, Tibetan exiles and human rights groups believe that he is being held in a "Chinese gulag as a prisoner. Tibetan Buddhists believe that the soul of a high Lama, or "living Buddha," after his death may be reborn as a "soul boy" and can be found through the interpretation of arcane signs.

"Communist China professes not to believe in religion, yet it wants to interfere in what is a purely religious function," rued Tsering, adding that the Dalai Lama, in jest, has said that if the Chinese government is so interested in reincarnation, it should study Tibetan Buddhism.

To prepare the world and Tibetans for the day when the 14th Dalai Lama passes away, a six-point plan has been prepared. The cornerstone of the plan, Tsering said, is a democratic transition.

While the religious leadership remains with the Dalai Lama, since 2011, the political leadership of the Tibetan community has devolved to the directly elected Sikyong, or president, of the Tibetan government-in-exile. Till then, the temporal head of the Tibetan government-in-exile, elected by the Kashag, or parliament-in-exile, was Kalon Tripa, or prime minister, with the Dalai Lama as the overall head.

On December 29, 2022, the Dalai Lama gave his first spiritual discourse in recent times.

"Today, in this special place where the Buddha attained enlightenment, I would like to hold a ceremony for generating the awakening mind of bodhicitta and taking the Bodhisattva Vows," His Holiness declared. "This, the Seat of Enlightenment, is the most sacred of the sites associated with the Buddha." Elsewhere he taught the Four Noble Truths and the Thirty-seven Harmonies of Enlightenment, but here we are reminded of the essence of all his teachings, which is to discipline the mind for the benefit of sentient beings as extensive as space.

"I generate bodhichitta every day, cultivating a concern for the welfare of others." The more you become acquainted with such motivation, the more you’ll find you hold others dearer than yourself. In this way, you'll realize that you and others are interdependent.

"Since I received the transmission of "Entering the Way of the Bodhisattva" (Bodhicharyavatara), I have engaged in the practice of equalizing and exchanging self and others every day. Doing so is a source of true happiness. The practice of Bodhichitta is the essence of all Buddha's teachings. With this in mind, we need to remember that all 8 billion human beings alive today wish to be happy and avoid suffering. As far as this is concerned, we’re all the same. "Once you’ve developed bodhichitta, you’ll find that unfavourable circumstances become favourable."

A group of senior Buddhist monks from Sri Lanka, who were on a pilgrimage to Bodh Gaya recently, are trying to get His Holiness the Dalai Lama's visit to Sri Lanka. Sri Lanka is experiencing a severe economic crisis. The Buddhist monks think that a visit by the Dalai Lama to Sri Lanka could draw a large number of tourists and pilgrims to Sri Lanka. This will boost the economy.

They met the Buddhist spiritual leader, the Dalai Lama, in Bodh Gaya on December 27 and were overwhelmed by witnessing a large gathering in the holy city.

The Most Venerable Waskaduwe Mahindawansa Mahanayake Thero, Sri Sambuddha Sasanodaya Sangha Sabha, told ANI in an interview: "His Holiness came to India, and people should know why he came to India." Why did he settle in India? India helped His Holiness, and now, because of His Holiness, we know thousands of tourists are in Bodh Gaya."

He added, "These days, Bodh Gaya is very cold, and people rarely come, but people are there because of His Holiness." Bodh Gaya is beneficial in many ways. Is Tibet benefiting? "We need to consider this part as well."

The high-ranking monk wished the Dalai Lama would visit Sri Lanka and help overcome the economic hardships his country has been facing currently.

"I believe His Holiness has also been to Bodh Gaya. If he goes to Sri Lanka, many thousands of tourists will come to the country, which will boost the economy because we are in a crisis situation. And if His Holiness comes to Sri Lanka, many tourists will flock here, similar to what happened in Bodh Gaya. "We will be blessed, and the economy will also be boosted," he said.

Most Ven Makulewe Wimala Mahanayake Thero, Chief Prelate of Sri Lanka's Ramanna Maha Nikaya, was also delighted to meet the Dalai Lama.

He said, "His Holiness the Dalai Lama is a spiritual leader, and we were very happy to meet him there." We have an understanding of spiritual activities. So, Mahasangha from Sri Lanka is happy to see what His Holiness is doing.

Ven. Muruddeniya Dhammarathana, thero of the Asgiri Chapter, said, "Actually, we are very happy." Bodh Gaya is like our motherland because Lord Buddha got enlightenment there.

He added, "We saw thousands of people there, especially listening to His Holiness the Dalai Lama's speech." We were very happy seeing and listening to his teaching, and again, we were so lucky to come and worship the sacred Bodhi tree. We have a very reasonable chance of being present.

Sri Lanka is still recovering from an unprecedented financial crisis it faced in 2022 that also sparked political turmoil in the island nation.

India extended much-needed help to a neighbour in need by providing financial assistance of nearly 4 billion USD during the year.

On their visit to India, the high-ranking Sri Lankan Buddhist prelates thanked Prime Minister Narendra Modi for the help and also sought the blessings of their spiritual leader, His Holiness the Dalai Lama, to overcome the challenges.