Tibetan writer Shogdril sentenced to 13-years’ jail term Vol. 03, Issue 107, Print Issue 31, 15 April 2014
His Holiness visits Sendai, Focus of the Tohoku Earthquake
12 Years Too Many: Release jailed Tibetan monk: Rights group
I n t e r n a t i o n a l
P-4....
B o d - K y i - Cha-Trin
A Voice For Tibet Bi-monthly
P-3..... www.thetibetpost.com
Rs.10
Two day conference in Japan focuses on the theme ‘Mapping the Mind’ By Yeshe Choesang: 12 April 2014
His Holiness the Dalai Lama during his talk in Sendai, Japan on April 7, 2014. Photo/Office of Tibet, Japan By Jane Cook: 08 April 2014
Sendai, Japan, 7 April 2014 - Following his arrival in Japan from India April 7, His Holiness the Dalai Lama today flew from Narita to Sendai. His Holiness was introduced by Ms Kawakami Hiroko, herself a Shinto priest, extolling his tireless work for peace and dialogue in the world. There followed an extensive Shinto ceremony with prayers, offerings and purification rituals. “Today, it’s a little more than three years since the most powerful earthquake to hit Japan and the consequent tsunami that caused extensive devastation followed by radiation problems,” His Holiness began. “Many people died, many lost their homes; there’s been widespread grief and sadness. The purification rituals the Shinto priests have performed today are intended to help. I have great respect for all religions because of their intention to help, because they bring people solace.” “The Indian Buddhist master Nagarjuna says that if you allow yourself to remain depressed you won’t be able to overcome the problems that confront you. Therefore it’s important to keep up your spirits and remain P- 7...... confident that you can do what you set out to do.”
Officials order Tibetan ‘Prayer Wheels’ Destroyed By Jake Thomas: 8 April 2014
Dharamshala: - Chinese authorities in a Tibetan county in Qinghai province have ordered a local clinic to destroy “prayer wheels” dedicated to the healing of disease, at the same time threatening to seize a sacred mountain and open it to exploration by mining firms. The prayer wheels—drums that are turned by hand to send out the blessings of written prayers contained inside—had been set up at the Central Heart Health Clinic in Dzora town in Golog (in Chinese, Guoluo) prefecture’s Matoe (Maduo) county, RFA reported. “These 24 prayer wheels were installed in 2010 with funds raised from the clinic’s patients on the initiative of the doctors,” source said, speaking on condition of anonymity. “They contained the six-syllable and hundred-syllable mantras of the Medicine Buddha, which are dedicated to the curing of diseases,” he said. Chinese officials “recently” arrived at the clinic, which practices both traditional Tibetan and modern medicine and is the largest in its area, and ordered that the prayer wheels be taken down, the source added. “They said that their installation had ‘political implications’ and warned that they would take action against those who had installed them if the prayer wheels were not quickly removed and destroyed.” Though local Tibetans “showed displeasure” and protested the demolition order, they had no choice but to comply, he said. “The Chinese authorities are now calling even our religious objects illegal and are treating the people who create them as criminals,” he said.
Kyoto, Japan, 11 April 2014: - Describing it as eyes able to see into the world’, His Holiness the Dalai Lama said ‘Mapping The Mind’ is about taking on whole system of mind and emotions, that will help with the problems we face today. According to the official website of His Holiness, a two day dialogue between scientists and contemplative scholars and practitioners focussed on the theme ‘Mapping the Mind’ in Japan’s erstwhile capital, Kyoto, began promptly Friday, 11 April, 2014. Arthur Zajonc, President of the Mind & Life Institute and Sakiko Yoshikawa, Director of the Kokoro Research Center, Kyoto University were brisk in their introductory remarks. They invited His Holiness the Dalai Lama to open the proceedings, which he did. “Spiritual teachers, scientists and brothers and sisters, I always emphasise the need for a sense that we are all members of one human family. From that point of view we are all brothers and sisters. I’m extremely happy that this meeting is taking place here in Japan. Mind & Life meetings have been happening for more than 25 years, but I have been keen that they should also be held in an Asian country where Buddhist ideas are historically part of the culture. In our discussions with scientists about mind, much of the understanding of the mind comes from ancient India. My own understanding is based on the Buddhist science of mind. This is not to say we have ever talked about past and future lives, liberation or emptiness, those are topics that are properly the business of Buddhists. We have confined ourselves to discussions of the mind, brain and so forth, which is why I think we can refer to conversations between Buddhist science and modern science.” He explained that all religious traditions talk about love, compassion, contentment and tolerance and their different philosophical views are intended to support practice of these values. He suggested that people of a Buddhist country may be more receptive to ideas that derive from ancient Indian
His Holiness the Dalai Lama during the “Mapping the Mind” conference in Kyoto, Japan on April 11, 2014. Photo/Jeremy Russell/OHHDL
psychology which are related to the practice of concentration (shamatha) and insight (vipasyana). To make progress in those practices, you have to know something about the mind and the way it works. He said that from the Buddhist point of view, there is no role for a creator, nor any sense of an independent, permanent self. Everything arises due to dependent origination, in other words, everything exists in dependence on other factors.
Tibetan man sets himself on fire in in Kham Tawu, eastern Tibet
Mapping the mind is about taking a wider perspective and coming to know about the whole system of mind and emotions. This will help us come to terms with the problems we face. The Tibetan word for translators means roughly, ‘eyes able to see into the world’. These days the role is filled by unbiased, open and objective scientists. P- 7...... Reshuffle in Offices of Tibet, Japan and Australia By Phayul: 14 April 2014
Dharamshala, April 14: The Kashag has announced that Mr. Sonam Norbu Dagpo, currently serving as the Representative of His Holiness the Dalai Lama, the Office of Tibet, Australia, will be the Secretary, DIIR from July 2, 2014. Mr. Dagpo will be succeeded by Mr. Lhakpa Tsoko, the incumbent Representative of His Holiness the Dalai Lama, Office of Tibet, Japan, as the Representative, Office of Tibet, Australia with effect from June 25, 2014. Mr. Lungtok, Joint Secretary at Department of Security, has been appointed the new Representative of His Holiness the Dalai Lama, Office of Tibet, Japan, with effect from June 16, 2014. Lungtok has also served as a Deputy Secretary at the Office of Tibet, Japan, on special appointment before his transfer to the Department of Security in 2013. With the complete devolution of His Holiness the Dalai Lama’s formal authority to the elected leadership in 2011, the constitutional authority to appoint Representatives, earlier vested with the Dalai Lama, was delegated to the Kashag headed by PM Lobsang Sangay. Offices of Tibet are the official agencies of His Holiness the Dalai Lama and the Tibetan government in exile. OoTs are present in 11 countries across the world.
Three Tibetans Detained in Restive Sog County
Tibetans hold prayer in memory of Phunwang By Jake Thomas: 08 April 2014
Dharamshala: - A prayer service held at the main Tibetan temple to mark the demise of Bapa Phuntsok Wangyal, the founder of Tibetan Communist Party and a strong advocate of the Middle Way Approach of the Central Tibetan Administration to resolve the Tibet issue. The prayer service was organised by the Department of Religion and Culture, Central Tibetan Administration. The special prayer was presided over by His Eminence Kirti Rinpoche, the head lama of Kirti monasteries. Members of the Kashag, Tibetan parliamentarians, Commissioners of the Tibetan Supreme Justice Commission and officials of the Central Tibetan Administration attended the prayer service along with local Tibetan public. Speaking at the prayer gathering, Sikyong or the political leader of Tibetans Dr. Lobsang Sangay said: “The Central Tibetan Administration condoles the sad demise of Bapa Phuntsok Wangyal and extends its deep solidarity with his family members.” Sikyong Dr. Lobsang Sangay read out a brief biography of Bapa Phuntsok Wangyal, underlining his deep commitment towards Tibetan culture and his strong advocacy for the return of His Holiness the Dalai Lama to Tibet and the Middle Way Approach to resolve the Tibet issue. Bapa Phuntsok Wangyal, also known as Phunwang, passed away on 30 March 2014 in Beijing after a prolonged illness. He was 92.
Trinley Namgyal, 32-year-old Tibetan man from Ganab Riyong village in Khangsar township, Kham tawu, eastern Tibet. Photo: TPI By CTA Official website, Tibet Net: 1 April 2014
Dharamshala: — A Tibetan man set himself on fire on 15 April in Tawu county in Kham region of eastern Tibet to protest against Chinese oppression. The man, identified as 32-year-old Trinley Namgyal, self-immolated in an apparent protest against the Chinese government’s continuing repressive policies in Tibetan regions. Namgyal set himself ablaze around 12.06pm (local time) near the Chinese government building in Khangsar township in Tawu County. The sources have also told The Tibet Post that soon after the incident, the man’s body was taken by locals to the Gongthal Monastery and that condition is presently unknown. “From the monastery, he was taken by his family members and is believed to have died of his severe burns,’ sources added. This incidence brings the total number of known selfimmolations in Tibet to 130 since February, 2009 and and of them 112 were reportedly passed-away due to their severe
injuries. A Buddhist nun self-immolated in June last year in the same county, in an apparent protest against the Chinese government repressive policies in Tibet. Due to four previous self-immolation protests that took place in the region over the recent years, the county and surrounding areas have suffered severe crackdowns and been under heightened restrictions and controls. The Chinese regime has blamed the self-immolations on hostile foreign forces that want to separate Tibet from China. Hundreds of people associated with the self-immolators have been detained. Some have been sentenced to long prison terms or death. The Central Tibetan Administration based in Dharamsala, India, has made appeals urging Tibetans to refrain from taking drastic actions such as self-immolations. The self-immolators called for the return of His Holiness the Dalai Lama and freedom for the Tibetan people.
A map showing Sog county in Nagchu prefecture in Tibet. Photo: RFA By Jane Cook: 4 April 2014
Dharamshala: - Chinese authorities have detained three Tibetans accused of activities challenging Beijing’s rule in Sog County, Kham region of eastern Tibet, at the same time freeing a prisoner jailed 14 years ago on related charges. Rinchen Wangdu, and Phurtse, ere taken into custody on March 28 in Trido township in Nagchu (in Chinese, Naqu) prefecture’s Sog (Suo) county, RFA reported. “They were accused of sharing text messages on events inside Tibet by phone,” Ngawang Tharpa, who lives in India, said, citing local sources. A monk known only as Ade was seized by police the same day at Sog county’s Drilda monastery, Tharpa said. “He was detained as a ‘person of interest’ in connection with the painting of independence slogans in red paint near an iron bridge in the area,” he said.