The tibet post international Newspaper

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.

2 I

TPI NEWS

15 April 2014

n

t e

r

n

a

t i

o

n

a

l

Editorial:

China Steals Tibet’s Natural Resources: Another Genocide?

15 April 2014

Dharamshala: The one-sided policy has robbed the Tibetans of their basis for cultural identity; causing the loss of their language in their homeland and commerce in dealings with communist authority, their culture, and now they’re facing a natural resource genocide. Tibetans have completely lost the right to independently practice their beloved Buddhism and adherence to their traditional way of life, they’ve lost their once sacred, pristine environment, and their confidence as a people, for they’re truly treated as third class citizens in their own country under Han Chinese occupation.

“There is evidence the Chinese people in Tibet are increasing month by month,” the Tibetan spiritual leader His Holiness the Dalai Lama has told international communities on various occasions, calling the population shift a “form of cultural genocide”; contented and confident people causing Tibetan marginalization by mass migration, which will render his homeland’s people an insignificant minority.

A minority that can be basically overlooked and ignored, for the Han Chinese or authorities of the communist regime hold all the power; economic, military, financial and political. The Han Chinese “reasoning” goes, that once Tibetans no longer exist as a distinct people, and their land is settled with a majority of Han Chinese, China will have “legitimized” their illegal occupation and annexation of Tibet that has a separate National Integration in the History of world.

So far, over 3,000 mine beds, deposits or mineralised sites with as many as 102 types of minerals were discovered in the so called Tibet Autonomous Region (TAR), Chinese official media has reported, quoting officials from the regional bureau of land and resources. What sweetness of words for the Han Chinese? When an occupying power exploits the resources of the occupied land at the expense of the original inhabitants, it builds itself on the ruins of what it has destroyed, and such theft of resources is obvious, even when the occupier tries to hide its actions behind noble principles. This malfeasance is made worse by claiming that the benefits in question are a financial gain for the communist regime. When such wrongdoing is compounded even further by acts of genocide against the Tibetan people, killing thousands and dispossessing hundreds of thousands in acts of ethnic cleansing, the situation is very serious indeed.

According to various news reports, the mineral resources in the Himalayan region have an estimated potential value up to 600 billion yuan (USD 100 billion). Among the variety of mineral reserves, Tibet is reported to have large chromium and cuprum (copper) far higher than other regions of mainland China. Twelve other mineral reserves rank among the top five across the whole country.

Reading this has truly incensed me, because it lays bare the motivations of the Chinese government for the world to see. Knowing about the genocide of the Tibetan people and their culture identity, how can the world do so much business with this country knowing what their government is doing? It boggles the mind. The Communist leaders are corrupt, they deplore freedom of speech, and they do not care for the people, the environment, nor the spiritual ties this land has to those who live there.

Imagine the damage to the environment their 21 highway project will cause. Imagine the damage to the land with all the aqueducts and other means of stealing Tibet’s natural resources, particularly mineral water, and excuses they will come up with to not have to be responsible for what they are doing in their own country. It is no wonder no date has been set for their latest scheme. It should bring international condemnation to them for their blatant attempt to ravage Tibet and other holy places of their resources particularly their water, and take the identity of their people away just for their own profit.

Legal or illegal? China has invited many companies and transnational oil giants including BP and Shell to explore for oil and gas equivalents after realising that its own companies lacked the expertise known

to drill in a region known for its complex geology.

Regarding my past 25 years of watching this experiment on my homeland, I feel that Tibetans are unable to exercise their economic rights to determine how their resources are utilised. They live in an atmosphere of fear and intimidation where opposition to an unsuitable project such as hydrocarbon extraction would have dire consequences. Perhaps one of the most controversial Chinese plans to tap Tibetan resources to date is China’s new water scheme, labelled the “big Western line”.

Tibetan natural resources should be considered a similar issue to “blood diamonds”, the term which refers to the conflict over criminally obtained diamonds; sold to finance serious violent acts including genocide and human rights abuses.

The blood diamond trade has been recognised as a global problem, with illegal organisations in a wide range of nations benefiting from the trade of these diamonds.

Tibet is a case in point. China’s extraordinarily repressive human rights abuses against the Tibetan people, combined with its efforts to exploit Tibet on a colonial mode include policies such as capital punishment, the one-child policy, the social status of Tibetans, and lack of protections regarding freedom of press and religion. The Tibet natural resource trade plays a similar role and is a global problem, with dictator and communist states around the world in a wide range of nations benefiting from the trade of these resources, including Tibetan water.

In 1998, China signed the three covenants comprising the International Bill of Rights, but it is still far from implementing these domestically and in Tibet. Individual and collective rights abuses continue to challenge the Tibetan people in their daily lives and in the future survival of their unique cultural identity.

Over 1.2 million Tibetans have been killed or have died under Chinese occupation. The communist regime systematically destroyed the many hundreds of years old culture of Tibet, with only 8 monasteries out of 6259 surviving to 1976. From 600.000 monks 110.000 have been tortured or killed, about 250.000 have been forced to renounce their faith and over 100.000 Tibetans including His Holiness the 14th Dalai Lama have been forced to leave their homeland.

OPINION

The Tibet Post International

The Diplomat speaks with the prime minister of Tibetans in exile

By Anuradha Sharma, The Diplomat: 7 April 2014

On April 26 it will be three years since you won the historic elections that made you the first political leader of the Tibetans, a post relinquished by the Dalai Lama. What has the experience been like?

The first year was anxious but I told myself this is my karma and I had to do the best I could to fulfill the aspirations of Tibetans in exile and Tibet. The 400-yearold institution of the Dalai Lama was changing course.

All of a sudden His Holiness had decided to pass on the baton of political head and that came to someone like me: young, new to politics and without much administrative experience. I was anxious about the transfer of political authority and so were the Tibetan people. In the second year, the anxiety subsided but it continued to be very hectic, and so it has been since then. Except Sikkim, I have been to all the Tibetan settlements in India, all Tibetan schools, 90 percent of the monasteries and around 80 percent of old-age homes. In North America and Europe, I’ve visited all major Tibetan communities except three or four places. I am still working hard and intend to continue doing so; the rest I leave to the collective karma of the Tibetan people.

What is it like managing a ‘nation’ without physical boundaries? What are the challenges and opportunities?

The major challenge is the travelling that is required to reach out to the Tibetan population across the globe in five continents. It’s a grueling schedule every time— seven countries in 13 or 14 days in Europe and seven states in eight days in the U.S. The normal schedule is 8 am to 8 pm, followed by dinner and informal interactions with the local Tibetan communities. By the time you go to sleep, it is past midnight and the next morning you wake up early to travel to another city or country.

The good part of it is the opportunity to meet different kinds of people, the exposure to different cultures and political systems.

Engaging with China without antagonizing India, is that a tightrope? A recent opinion piece in an Indian newspaper accused you of being “alarmingly proBeijing,” threatening India’s security. How do you react to that criticisms?

I was born in India and I’ve spent more years here than anywhere else. India has done the most for Tibetans, in fact more than any other country. Tibetans are forever grateful to India. The Middle Way approach has explicitly been our official policy since the early 70s and Tibetans seek genuine autonomy for Tibetan people. The “Memorandum On Genuine Autonomy For The Tibetan People” was presented to the Chinese government by the previous Khashag (cabinet) in 2008. “Genuine autonomy” essentially means the genuine implementation of autonomy rights enshrined in the Constitution and Autonomy Law of the People’s Republic of China for the minority nationals in both letter and spirit. I have continued working in accordance

Sikyong Dr. Lobsang Sangay DIIR Photo/ Tenzin Phende

with the policy that has long been in place. Neither the Indian government nor any official in the Indian government has raised any objection to it. Some critics who advocate the independence of Tibet do not seem to like the stand and make accusations of compromising the sovereignty of Tibet. I’ve met several leaders and people in authority in India and the reception I’ve got from them and the relationship I’ve had with them have been very positive. So, officially I don’t see any problem there. As for critics, what can I say? People write all kinds of things. I choose to ignore the allegations because they are baseless. As a political leader you expect some criticism from time to time.

But do you feel India could do a lot more?

We are guests in India and in no position to make any demands. Given a chance, we would like to urge upon India to make Tibet a core issue in its dealings with China. It is in India’s interest for the Tibet issue to be resolved. It is our appeal to India, as we do to any other country sympathetic to our cause, to press China to engage in dialogue to resolve the issue of Tibet peacefully.

But China has been consistent in refusing to recognize you as the political head, stalemating the talks.

Yes, there has been a stalemate since January 2010, not because of a lack of willingness from the Tibetan side, but because China is maintaining hardline policies at the ground level and hardline rhetoric at the leadership level.

They are on record that they don’t want to talk to me because talking to me amounts to recognizing the Tibetan administration. However, for us process is secondary and substance is primary. We have consistently urged a continuation of the dialogue between the envoys of HH the Dalai Lama and Chinese counterpart.

Three more self-immolations took place in Tibet in March this year, taking the total number of cases to 129 since 2009. What steps have you taken to address this issue?

We have consistently and categorically urged the Tibetan

China tortured Tibetan prisoner with pain-inducing injections

By Jane cook: 11 April 2014

Goshul Lobsang at his home a few weeks before his death. Photo: TPI

Dharamshala: - The Dharamshala, India based Tibetan rights group says the Chinese police and prison authorities brutally tortured a Tibetan political prisoner in detention, using pain-inducing injections.

“Goshul Lobsang, who recently died of torture injuries, might have received injections designed to cause and exacerbate his pain while he was being tortured in detention. The use of torture methods to increase pain is consistent with other Chinese torture tactics. For example, the Chinese adopted Soviet torture techniques to inflict pain faster,” said Tsering Tsomo, director of the Tibetan Centre for

Human Rights and Democracy (TCHRD).

“Goshul Lobsang was arrested on 29 June 2010[ii] by Machu County Public Security Bureau (PSB) officers.

For about 5 months he was subjected to severe torture including pain-inducing injections, and deprived of sleep and food by the interrogation officers in Machu County,” the report said, citing with a source who hails from the same village as Goshul Lobsang.

“Chinese officers used sharp-pointed objects such as toothpicks to repeatedly pierce and penetrate into the tops of his finger nails and cuticles of Goshul Lobsang. This stabbing, applied with force and consistency, resulted in severe bleeding, swelling and pain making Goshul

Lobsang unable to temporarily use his hands,” another source told group.

Normally, the use of techniques to make torture more painful does not result in any further violations of international law. This is because the fundamental question under international law is whether a person was tortured, not how much the victim was tortured.

However, in 1974 the UN General Assembly passed a resolution on Principles of Medical Ethics. While not legally binding on its own, the resolution recognized and emphasized a pre-existing rule of international law—that nobody is allowed to participate in torture.

The resolution emphasized that medical professionals should not use their unique knowledge or position to facilitate torture.

The use of pain-inducing injections on Golshul Lobsang to facilitate and expedite his torture was not only a violation of international law but also an extreme violation of medical ethics. The widespread and systematic torture in Chinese prisons cannot exist without the active and implied consent of medical professionals. The medical professionals working in Chinese prisons should use Golshul Lobsang’s death and the participation of medical professionals in his death as an opportunity to support medical ethics and oppose torture.

The group said they has also obtained a copy of a note written by Goshul Lobsang while he was imprisoned at Ding Xi (??) city in Gansu Province.

Goshul Lobsang shared the note which he had written on 28 September 2012 with a select group of friends on 1 March 2014.

P- 7......

community not to resort to any kind of drastic action, including self-immolations. Despite our appeals, selfimmolations have sadly continued, the blame for which goes to Chinese repression inside Tibet.

How to reconcile this form of violent agitation with the basic Buddhist principles of non-violence?

As human beings, self-immolation is extremely painful but, at the same time, we must keep in mind that none of the self-immolators so far has tried to hurt even a single Chinese person or cause any damage to Chinese property. So, even though it is a painful kind of death, the self-immolators are deliberately staying away from harming others. It a violent act upon oneself, yes; but in the larger sense, it cannot be summarily categorized as “violence” in that it is not aimed at causing harm to anyone else.

Are refugees still arriving from Tibet?

Yes. Many come for religious and secular education in India and some are forced out by oppressive Chinese policies. However, the number of arrivals has decreased because of the immense pressure the Chinese government places on the Nepalese authorities (Nepal has been the entry point for refugees fleeing Tibet) and the very strong sealing of the border areas.

You’ve never been to Tibet. How does Tibet seem to you from the memories your parents passed on to you?

I was born in a Tibetan settlement to my refugee parents in Darjeeling. My father, who was a monk in Lithang, and mother, who lived in Chamdo, were always arguing over whose village was more beautiful. I was told stories of a beautiful land, with clear streams, trees and flowers and farmland. But I guess the beautiful bit must have been true for the summers. (Laughs) Recently, I went to Arunachal Pradesh (a northeastern state in India bordering Tibet) and visited the Tawang and Tuting and Gelling areas. The McMahon Line was close by and I could visualize Tibet across it, similar to India on this side of the border. During my visit to Ladakh in July 2012 I could see Tibet on the other side—arid, dry mountains, without much vegetation. I am planning to go to Sikkim and set my eyes on Tibet on the other side.

These are my attempts to get as close as possible to Tibet in the current circumstances.

Are you hopeful that in your lifetime it will be possible to regain Tibet?

Yes, that’s why I left America and came here to work for that. During my Arunachal Pradesh trip, it was like retracing the steps of His Holiness and my parents. I remembered my late father in Bomdilla village where he first stayed after crossing over. I called up my mother from Tuting where she lived for a while before shifting to Darjeeling, where my parents met and lived. Both of them had followed His Holiness, who had crossed over through Tawang, 55 years ago. They didn’t have much with them when they crossed over to India because they intended to go back. Their wait to go back home has now crossed 55 years and my father passed away in 2004 without realizing that dream. This story is similar to thousands of Tibetans in exile and inside Tibet. All this makes me more determined in my cause. Fulfilling their dream is the sole purpose of my life. It is the quest for my own identity and dignity. Someday soon we shall have it.

In the past, you were a member of the Tibetan Youth Congress and also the Students for a Free Tibet, both of which are strong advocates of Rangzen, or complete independence of Tibet. Now, as the head of the Central Tibetan Administration, you are a staunch advocate of the Middle Path.

I still have the same passion for Tibet that I had earlier.

However, with time I’ve realized that it was wise and realistic on the part of our elders to opt for the Middle Path. It is a win-win situation for all: China can have its sovereignty and territorial integrity and Tibet can have its genuine autonomy.

The Dalai Lama’s objective was to separate politics from religion. Has that happened?

To a large extent. It’s still going through a transition, but institutionally and constitutionally and on a day-to-day basis, a clear separation has taken place. His Holiness still remains the most popular and most revered person among the Tibetans. But because he magnanimously devolved his political authority, he has been deliberate in his approach to ensure that the separation remains.

Is it possible to be a minister in the Tibetan government of exile without being religious?

Yes. Do you consult His Holiness for any executive decision?

Officially it is not mandated. But he has vast experience and it would be great to have his views, although he deliberately does not give formal instructions. He also joked once that now that I am an elected head of the people, I can be criticized by the people, including His Holiness himself. (Laughs) The last thing I’d want is criticism from him.

The Tibet Post International

TPI NEWS

Exile News

Sikyong of Tibet opens Meeting of Tibetan Chamber of Commerce

By James Dunn: 04 April 2014

The 9th annual general body meeting of the Tibetan Chamber of Commerce held at LTWA hall on 2 April 2014. Photo: TPI/Choneyi Sangpo

Dharamshala: - The Sikyong on Wednesday opened the 9th annual general body meeting of the Tibetan Chamber of Commerce, the first association of Tibetan businessmen in exile.

According to the Central Tibetan Administration official media “Tibet Net”, the inaugural session was attended by over 80 members of the association including; Mr Penpa Tsering, Speaker of the Tibetan Parliament-in-Exile, Mr Tsering Dhondup, Kalon of finance department and Mr Ajay Singh Mankotia, President of IndoTibetan Friendship Association, Dharamshala.

The members from various parts of the world including India and Nepal are participating in the three-day meeting being held at the LTWA auditorium, Dharamshala.

The chamber was formed with the aim of undertaking promotional activities to enhance

the business interests of its members and support entrepreneurship in the Tibetan community. It currently has over 233 members from diverse groups of business including carpet manufacturers and hoteliers to tours and travel agents.

In his inaugural address, Sikyong Dr Lobsang Sangay talked about unity, innovation and selfreliance, the three guiding principles of the 14th Kashag. He extolled the efforts of the Tibetan Chamber of Commerce to create a robust, selfreliant Tibetan community based on economic growth and prosperity.

Lamenting the prevalence of dependency syndrome in some parts of the society, he expressed that dependency on others for everything is the major cause of problems faced by people in underdeveloped countries. He urged the Tibetan people to work hard and honestly on our own strength

to create a self-reliant society, adding that, even though, we are dependent on world support for our political struggle, an ideology based on self-reliance is crucial for our movement.

Speaking on the importance of education, Sikyong said: “During the special conference of 2008, His Holiness urged the Tibetan people to focus on education of the Tibetan people. Therefore, education is one of the most important priority of the 14th Kashag.”

Sikyong Dr Sangay added that even in the field of business you need proper education to succeed.

Education is crucial to develop your capabilities and maximise the profit margin of your business. He called upon the Tibetan people to invest in education of the Tibetan children and cited examples of countries including Israel, Japan and Singapore where investment in education has brought them prosperity and global respect.

Explaining the current demographic situation in exile, Sikyong said: “we must bear in mind that the year 2020 will mark 70 years since the invasion of Tibet by China. By then, the generation of Tibetans with memories of a free Tibet will have greatly dwindled. The next generation of Tibetan leadership inside and outside Tibet has to cope with a crucial and challenging reality. Tibetans inside Tibet will have no personal memories of traditional Tibet, while Tibetans outside of Tibet will know only a life lived in exile.”

Mr Penpa Tsering, Speaker of the Tibetan Parliament-in-Exile discussed the privatisation of the enterprises owned by the Central Tibetan Administration during the 12th Kashag which led to the formation of the Tibetan Chamber of Commerce, to boost private ownership and economic growth in the Tibetan community.

12 Years Too Many: Release jailed Tibetan monk: Rights group

By Jane Cook: 07 April 2014

Dharamshala: - The Dharamshala based Tibetan rights group, Tibetan Centre for Human Rights and Democracy (TCHRD) Monday said it observes with deep concern the 12th anniversary of Tenzin Delek Rinpoche’s arbitrary arrest on 7 April 2002 which eventually led to life imprisonment.

‘Popularly known as A-Nga Tashi, Tenzin Delek Rinpoche is a highly-respected lama in Lithang County, Kardze (Ch: Ganzi) Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture in Sichuan Province, in the Tibetan province of Kham,’ TCHRD said, adding ‘Trulku is renowned for his active involvement in the restoration of Tibetan culture and religion, social welfare activities and his bold statements about repressive Chinese policies in Tibet. “ On 5 December 2002, Tenzin Delek Rinpoche and his nephew Lobsang Dhondup were sentenced to death with two years’ reprieve and death sentence respectively. Lobsang Dhondup was executed but Rinpoche’s suspended death sentence was commuted to life due to international pressure.

TCHRD believes that Rinpoche was wrongfully imprisoned and his basic human rights were denied during the entire process from detention to sentencing. He was secretly detained for seven months before his appearance at a court trial. He was denied access to attorneys or to private visitors during the entire duration of his detention, thereby confirming allegations of torture.

It is widely believed that Tibetan religious leaders, due to their ability to influence the local people, have always become soft targets for persecution in the hands of Chinese authorities. This pattern of perceiving religious leaders as threat has resulted in a series of arrests and unlawful imprisonment of revered lamas including Phurbu Tsering Rinpoche and Bangri Rinpoche, to name a few. Due to their personal charisma and moral standing among the local people, Chinese authorities have devised various means to demonise and taint the reputation of Tibetan lamas.

‘Recent information coming out of Tibet reveals that Rinpoche is in extreme health condition.

His heart condition has worsened and he has suffered nervous breakdowns in the past years.

He now carries a walking stick as his feet got injured due to unknown causes in prison. There is a great concern among Rinpoche’s disciples and followers that he is not receiving proper

Undated photo of Trulku Tenzin Delek Rinpoche. Photo: TPI

medical care in prison. He is now 64 years old and his condition remains critical,’ the Tibetan right group said.

‘It is deeply concerned about the health and well-being of Tenzin Delek Rinpoche who had spent a large part of his life making positive contribution to his community. TCHRD urges the Chinese government to release Rinpoche on humanitarian grounds so he could get immediate and appropriate medical care.

TCHRD appeals the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, governments and the international community to press on China to release Rinpoche,” TCHRD said.

Trulku Tenzin Delek Thupten Choekyi Nyima was born in 1950 to Tsepak Dorjee and Dolma Choezom in Lithang (Ch: Litang) County in Kardze Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture. He entered the monastery at the age of seven and sought his ordination from Khensur Shakpa.

In 1978, Tenzin Delek Rinpoche met with the previous 10th Panchen Lama at Labrang Tashikyil Monastery to express concerns over Chinese authorities inflicting torture on local Tibetans. He got the permission from Beijing to build a monastery and the Panchen Lama named it Kham Nalanda Thekchen Jhangchup Choling. In 1983, His Holiness the Dalai Lama recognised him as the reincarnation of Geshe Adham Phuntsok and gave him the name, Trulku Tenzin Delek.

When he returned to Tibet in 1987, Rinpoche was constantly under surveillance for alleged political activities and connections with the Dalai Lama. Until his arrest on 7 April 2002, Rinpoche was active in social welfare activities in Lithang County.

Between 1991 and 1997, Rinpoche built seven monasteries, hospital, an old people’s home and a school for orphans and children from poor families in Nyagchuka County.

He was also an active environmentalist and a teacher to hundreds of thousands of followers and disciples.

Rinpoche was very popular among the local

people as significant portion of them trusted Trulku Tenzin Delek over district cadres, to solve communal problems fairly and efficaciously, in part because of his willingness to approach provincial and central government officials when local efforts failed.In 2001, a series of bomb blasts ripped through Kardze Prefecture.

On 3 April 2002, a bomb went off in the city’s main square, Tianfu, in Chengdu. Shortly afterwards, Chinese police arrested Lobsang Dhondup, a relative and disciple of Trulku.

The Chinese police alleged that Lobsang Dhondup was involved with the explosions.

His room was ransacked and police found a photo of Trulku. It was how Trulku was linked to the entire incident. Both Trulku and Lobsang Dhondup had declared their innocence and the authorities could not produce any substantial evidence to corroborate their allegations, conviction and sentencing.

The persecution of Rinpoche and Lobsang Dhondup occurred at a time when China had just begun using the ruse of ‘war on terror’ to crack down on legitimate dissidence and activism in the aftermath of the 9/11 attacks in New York. Moreover, the controversial hardliner Zhou Yongkang served as the Party Secretary of Sichuan Province from 1999 to 2002, a period during which Trulku was arrested and sentenced.

Shortly after Tenzin Delek’s conviction, Zhou was promoted as China’s Minister of Public Security, a post he held with iron fist until 2012.

The well-known Chinese writer, Wang Lixiong had written on a Chinese language website, “Trulku Tenzin Delek is a lama who is respected by all the people. By putting the label of a terrorist on him, putting him on trial and clamping the death sentence on him, the Chinese police might think they have accomplished something great.” Wang Lixiong further wrote that he did not believe that Trulku was involved in the bombings: “By this act, the Chinese police have used one arrow to kill two deer.

The Chinese police have cut Trulku Tenzin Delek down to size and have claimed success in solving the mystery of the April bomb blasts.”

In a secretly recorded message, smuggled out of Tibet, Trulku had said: “Whatever [the authorities] do and say, I am completely innocent ... Around that time, one of my friends called me and asked if [Lobsang Dhondup] was my relative. Then I became suspicious that something serious was going on. When I heard about the explosions and arrest of Lobsang Dhondup, I suspected that I might be wrongly accused and arrested-that I might become a scapegoat.”

15 April 2014

3

Tibet Museum opens Self-Immolation Exhibit

By James Dunn: 04 April 2014

Dharamshala, April 4, 2014: Today in Dharamshala a new exhibition honouring and commemorating those who have self-immolated for the Tibetan cause has opened in the Tibet Museum.

The Exhibit creates a more permanent memorial than which already existed within the museum and allows visitors to Dharamshala to experience the full scale of self-immolation of Tibetans.

The Kalon for the Department of Information and International Relations, Dicki Chhoyang, officially opened the exhibit, which consists of 27 panels in Tibetan, English and Hindi languages, documenting the aspirations, last words of the self-immolators and the reasons that lead them to self-immolate in protest.

During the inauguration of the impressive new element to the museum on the wave of Tibetan self-immolations inside Tibet Dicki Chhoyang made a speech to explain why the Central Tibetan Administration had decided to create the exhibit: “This exhibit is an effort by the Central Tibetan Administration to ensure that international community is clear about what is self-immolation, why are Tibetans self-immolating, what is leading, up until now, 129 Tibetans to self –immolate.”

“Ever since the self-immolations began, we have urged the Tibetans inside Tibet not to resort to drastic forms of action. While the self-immolations continue, we have a moral responsibility to make sure that the international community understands the background,” she added.

“The Tibetans self-immolating are not politicians.

They are common Tibetan people including farmers, nomads, students, monks and nuns. We have also

Kalon Dicki Chhoyang speaking to media after inaugurating Tibet Museum’s new exhibition on Tibetan Self-immolations.

Photo: TPI/Choneyi Sangpo

documented how the Chinese government have responded to the self-immolation protests, she said adding, while we can appeal Tibetans inside Tibet not to self-immolate, the policies that are leading them to self-immolate are not in our control. It is in the hands of the Chinese government. So, through this exhibit, we hope that more and more people would understand the sad events taking place inside Tibet” The Tibet Museum, an undertaking of the Department of Information and International Relations, was established in 1998, to serve as a remembrance to the loss of Tibetan culture and lives through collected photographs and life histories.

Speaking to the collected media after the openning, Mr Tashi Phuntsok, Director of Tibet Museum said; “We have travelled across India particularly south and north-east India showcasing the exhibition.

Lots of people have turned up and expressed their solidarity with the Tibet issue after witnessing the exhibitions. Therefore, we are showcasing our new exhibition at our permanent base in Mcleod Ganj so that foreigners as well as our Indian friends can understand what’s happening inside Tibet.”

Tibetans in Nepal increasingly repressed after pressure from China

Tibetan refugees in Nepal calling for Human Righst and freedom, 18 March, 2011. Photo: TPI

By Yeshe Choesang: 04 April 2014

Kathmandu: - Tibetan refugees living in Nepal face increasing isolation and tighter curbs on freedom of expression and assembly as the country succumbs to pressure from neighbour China, Human Rights Watch (HRW) said on Tuesday.

Nepal is home to more than 20,000 Tibetans - for many from as far back as 1959, when their spiritual leader, His Holiness the Dalai Lama, fled to India after a failed uprising against China.

Since China invaded and took over Tibet in the 1950s, more than 20,000 Tibetans have come to live in neighboring Nepal. Until 2008, around 2,000 refugees made it to Nepal each year. After 2008, however, that figure dropped tenfold, Reuters reports. More recently, just 200 people have moved each year from Tibet to Nepal.

In its report, HRW said Tibetans in Nepal faced a “de facto ban” on political protests against China and curbs on public activities promoting their culture and religion. Tibetans interviewed by the rights body accused Nepali security forces of abuses such as excessive use of force, arbitrary detention, intimidation and intrusive surveillance.

“The situation for the Tibetan refugee community in Nepal has markedly deteriorated since China’s violent crackdown on protests in Tibet in 2008,” said HRW’s Asia director, Brad Adams.

“While good relations with China are important, restricting basic rights crosses a red line,” Adams said in a statement. “It only undermines efforts to uphold a very fragile rule of law in Nepal. It also encourages politically motivated policing and impunity for abuses.”

Nepali officials dismissed the report, denying the accusations of mistreatment. “We are treating the refugees on humanitarian grounds,” home ministry spokesman Shankar Koirala told the Thomson Reuters Foundation.

“There is no pressure on us from any country.”

Two-way ties between Nepal and China have strengthened in recent years, with China becoming a major donor of aid to, and trading partner of, its tiny neighbour, besides bringing major investments in infrastructure development, such as hospitals. But HRW says Nepal faces intense Chinese pressure to limit the flow of Tibetans crossing the border and restrictions have helped stem the number of those fleeing Tibet.

Fewer than 200 Tibetans arrived in 2013, down from an annual average of 2,000 before 2008.

Hundreds of refugees from Tibet trek for days across treacherous Himalayan mountain passes to reach Nepal every year, and then cross into India where they are given political asylum.

Those captured by Nepali police are usually promptly handed to the U.N.’s refugee agency UNHCR. “Yet, partly as a result of increasing cooperation between Nepal and China’s border security forces, there are significant concerns that Nepal may at times forcibly return Tibetans to China,” Human Rights Watch said.

Nepali police often stop anti-China protests and arrest Tibetan activists, the rights body says.

Authorities deny Tibetans identity documents that would allow them to access free education and health services, run businesses and travel abroad.

Normally, after the days-long trek from Tibet to Nepal, Reuters reports, Tibetans who make it safely across the border are put in touch with United Nations representatives. “Yet, partly as a result of increasing cooperation between Nepal and China’s border security forces, there are significant concerns that Nepal may at times forcibly return Tibetans to China,” Reuters writes.

Last month, the U.N. human rights agency urged Nepal to register Tibetans, saying the lack of documentation put refugees at risk.

4

TPI NEWS

15 April 2014

TIBET

Tibetan writer Shogdril sentenced to 13-years’ jail term

Undated image of Tsultrim Gyaltsen. Photo: TPI

By Yeshe Choesang: 07 April 2014

Dharamshala: - Tibetan writer detained last year on suspicion of involvement in activities challenging Chinese rule have been handed long term in jail, with his families only recently learning of his fate, according to sources coming out of Tibet.

Chinese police have detained Tsultrim Gyaltsen, a 27year old Tibetan writer in Driru County, eastern Tibet, on October 11, 2013. His arrest has sparked crowd gatherings outside a township government office and district office in Driru county, Nagchu Prefecture, Tibet Autonomous Region, following which at least

17 Tibetans were arrested on Sunday and Monday (3-4 November, 2013) and others were given stern warning.

Tsultrim Gyaltsen, also known as Shogdril was handed jail terms of 13 years, source said, citing local contacts. “It was only in March of this year that family members were told he is now in Chushul Prison, Central Tibet.

“Just after his arrest, local Tibetans appealed to the local authorities calling for the release of Tsultrim Gyaltsen which was subsequently denied,” sources said.

“The authorities later have instructed them to submit a written letter of appeal and asked them not to gather in front of any Chinese government office, even a five people gathering is now considered political,” sources coming out Tibet said.

“Local Tibetans have submitted petitions requesting for the release of Tsultrim, unfortunately, there has been no response,” said a source quoting the demands of the Tibetan petitioners.

Images coming out of the region show the increasingly tense situation in the region on 8 October, 2013 and many large military trucks loaded with full of Chinese security forces are arriving in.

Tensions escalated after Chinese authorities in the area forced Tibetans in several villages to fly the Chinese national flag atop their houses days before China’s national day on October 1, 2013.

China says planning policy will safeguard Tibetan language

By Yeshe Choesang: 09 April 2014

Dharamshala: Officials of the Chinese government in Tibet autonomous region said that they are working on passing a more sweeping regulation this year to preserve and promote the Tibetan language - amid concerns Tibet’s cultural heritage is disappearing from the repressive policies.

The region’s Tibetan Language Work Committee and other authorities have drafted the policy, which is expected to be enacted in September, according to committee deputy director Chodrak, the state controlled media ‘Xinhua’ reported.

The new policy would “provide legal protection for the rights and freedom of the people of the Tibetan ethnic group to study, use and develop their language”, Xinhua reported.

The move “clearly shows the attention being paid to the issue by the central and local governments”, the report said.

The Central Tibet Administration says that the Tibetan language - composed of various dialects - has been repressed by the Chinese government, which it says imposes the use of Putonghua.

“The Chinese government is repressing Tibetan culture by making the language redundant in all sectors,” said the administration, which advocates a self-governing Tibet.

“Tibet’s education system, controlled entirely

The main language spoken in Tibet is the Tibetan language or Mandarin?

by the Chinese and their communist ideology, is geared to suit the needs of Chinese immigrants,” it said.

Chodrak dismissed such claims, saying: “Such a rumour as [that] the Tibetan language is dying is totally groundless.”

Barry Sautman, a political scientist at the Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, told the South China Morning Post such concerns come from people who support Tibetan sovereignty.

“It’s coming from people who don’t like the idea that they are a part of China, and if you don’t like being a part of China, then you won’t want people learning the language of the country that you don’t like being a part of.

“There has been no effort to extinguish the Tibetan language, and there’s no indication that laws will simply cater to the non-Tibetan

migrants,” he said.

The draft regulation has a broader scope than existing regulations such as a 1987 provisions on the learning, use and development of the Tibetan language, which was amended in 2002, Xinhua said.

China says that the Tibetan Language Work Committee was set up in 1988.

According to the news agency, the central government encourages bilingual education in Tibetan schools and other regions with ethnic minority populations, where Putonghua and English are taught alongside ethnic languages.

“From 1987 up until 2002 there was an experiment to have wider use of Tibetan, particularly in official discourse,” Sautman said. “I would guess what’s being done now is a similar effect. Maybe the plan is to have more specific regulation that could therefore be more easily enforced, rather than principles that are open to wide interpretation.”

The use of Tibetan language is rarely seen whilst driving along the highway, sitting in a airport, bus or train station. This is due to the fact that the standard spoken and written Chinese language is widely used in Tibet in the textbooks, billboards, official documents and specially during their official meetings. Also because of the higher percentage of Chinese inhabitants to Tibetans means that China can justifiably move Tibetan off the walls and replace them with their own language.

Two officials handed 10-year term over protests in Driru, Tibet

By Yeshe Choesang: 07 April 2014

Dharamshala: - Chinese authorities have sentenced in secret two Tibetan village leaders to 10 years in prison in the restive Diru (Ch; Biru) County in Nagchu (Ch: Naqu) Prefecture, Tibet Autonomous Region (TAR), in the Tibetan province of Kham.

Both men Ngangtak, 54, and Rigsal, 31 were sentenced on 14 January 2014 for allegedly failing to fulfill their duties as villager leaders and in the case of Ngangtak, for instigating fellow villagers against the Chinese authorities. They were village leaders in Mokhyim Village in Diru County.

Both men Ngangtak, 54, and Rigsal, 31 were sentenced on 14 January 2014 for allegedly failing to fulfill their duties as villager leaders and in the case of Ngangtak, for instigating fellow villagers against the Chinese authorities. They were village leaders in Mokhyim Village in Diru County.

A source with contacts in Tibet told TCHRD that both men were detained and disappeared on 24 November 2013. Their whereabouts and condition continue to remain unknown to their family and friends. The exact charges for which they were sentenced are not known.

Family members of both men were not informed about the detention and subsequent sentencing. News of their sentencing became known through

Undated images: Trigyal, resident of Mokhyim Village and Rigsal, leader of Mokhyim Village. Photo: TPI

unnamed sources in Diru County Public Security Bureau (PSB) office.

Quoting local Tibetans in the area, the source told TCHRD that both men were punished for failing to suppress protests that erupted in Mokhyim last year after local Tibetans defied official orders to hoist five-starred Chinese flags on their rooftops. Residents of Mokhyim Village also took part in a protest last year in Diru County town when about 1,000 Tibetans from different villages of Diru County assembled to protest China’s “mass line” campaign.

Mokhyim villagers also protested against the recent closure of Drong Na Monastery in which many monks were arbitrarily detained and some were sentenced in secret. Ngangtak was accused of holding of a secret political meeting with 17 others at his home last year.

Another Tibetan man identified as Trigyal from Mokhyim Vilage was sentenced to 13 years in prison. He has a wife and five children. No other

details are available on Trigyal.

Ngangtak was born in 1960. He had been a villager leader since 1980 in Mokhyim. He has a wife and an unknown number of children.

Rigsal was born in 1983. He became a village leader around 2007. He has a wife and three children.

“Since September 2013, Chinese authorities issued strict orders to hoist Chinese flags on rooftops of each and every family in Diru County. This order was opposed by an overwhelming majority of Diru residents including ordinary nomads and farmers, monks and nuns, educated youths including even school children,” the group said.

Diru County has witnessed sustained protests against Chinese repression in the past years, with the situation deteriorating considerably since last year, resulting in numerous known and unknown arbitrary detention, enforced disappearances, torture and even shooting of unarmed protesters.

Last year, Chinese authorities in Nagchu Prefecture begun implementing a notification which requires police officers to use secret codes when relaying information in real time about the movement and activities of Nagchu Tibetans visiting Lhasa. This extreme surveillance measure covers, among others, Diru County, Drachen (Ch: Bachen) County and Sog (Ch: Suo) County, all located in the eastern part of Nagchu Prefecture.

The Tibet Post International

Tibetans and Tibet supporters protest Xi’s visit Belgium

Beernem (Belgium), 3rd April 2014: - At the occasion of the visit of the Chinese President Xi Jinping last Tuesday in Bruges, Lungta Association Belgium and International Campaign for Tibet organized a peaceful action for Tibet and respect for human rights in the afternoon. However, before the protest began more than 20 people in total were administratively detained, mostly Tibetans but also three Belgians, board members of “Vrienden van Tibet” (Friends of Tibet).

One Tibetan man had climbed over the fences on the Market just before the arrival of Xi Jinping, and shouted slogans in Chinese and English: “So many years! Why did so many Tibetans die? Xi Jinping! Chairman Xi, have you heard this? Chairman Xi, have you heard this? The Dalai Lama wants to return to Tibet! We want to return to Tibet! Why don’t you let us return to Tibet?”. This man has not seen his family in Tibet anymore since 1989.

All the Tibetans were detained because they are Tibetan, and were prevented from going to the protest. This raises many questions. If the police believe that there would be a threat or a breach of public order, someone can be administratively detained in Belgium for max. 24 hours. Apparently, even being Tibetan seemed to be a threat.

Jigmey Tenzin, 47: “I live and work in Bruges.

I had permission from my employer to join the peaceful protest in the afternoon. The organizers had official permission to protest. Shortly after 1.30 pm I was walking with my friend towards Minnewaterpark. In the center of the city, near Eiermarkt close to the Market, the police stopped us. My friend had a Tibetan flag in his pocket.

We knew that there was only authorization to protest at Minnewaterpark so all the time he kept the flag in his pocket. The polices asked where we were going, and we answered to the peaceful action for Tibet for which the Tibet groups had the official permission.”

“We had to show our papers, our ID, then we were promptly arrested, and had to sit in the police van as they drove us to the police station where we were kept until 4 pm. We were not alone there, there were several other Tibetans and even a few Belgians.

We have no idea what we did wrong and we don’t understand this at all,” he said.

Yeshi Wagma: “At 1.30 pm, my wife and I quietly walked from our home in Ezelstraat to Minnewaterpark. On the way we met a policeman. He asked us if we were Tibetans and we proudly said ‘yes we are Tibetans’. Then we had to show our papers. Shortly after they said ‘you are administratively detained’. In my backpack I had the Tibetan flag and the flag of Belgium, my host country where I live now.

We were taken to the police car where another Tibetan was sitting. At the police station several other Tibetans were there too, and they had experienced the same as us. I’m truly shocked, we didn’t violate any rule and we didn’t do anything wrong, as residents of Bruges we were just on the way to the protest, that’s all,” he said.

“You often hear politicians saying how important human values are, the right of free speech and the right to freedom of movement, and the importance of rights and democracy, but in practice, yesterday we were arrested without

I Adviser Adviser Adviser Adviser

n

t e r

n

a

By Jane Cook: 04 April 2014

any reason, simply because we are Tibetans.

We were only released after the protest. I come from Tibet, but I now live in Bruges and it felt uncomfortable to not be able to go where I want and to be detained for nothing. I still keep hoping for peace and that everyone may live happily and with dignity,” he stressed.

Not only Tibetans who were on their way to the protest were arrested. A lawyer from Bruges informed us that some Tibetan clients of hers on their way to her office (outside the center of the city) were also arrested and they missed their appointment.

From a reliable source, we learnt that before the visit of Xi Jinping, all facades of the houses on the route where the Chinese president would pass, were checked because nothing could refer to Tibet, such as a Tibetan flag in front of a window or a picture of H.H. the Dalai Lama. In Tibet, the Tibetan flag and a picture of the Dalai Lama are also strictly prohibited. Tibetans who are in possession of the flag or such photographs are put in prison for seven or more years.

Last Tuesday, there were more than 400 policeman in Bruges. Chinese security forces were obviously present and had very strict measures. There were even snipers stationed on the roof of the Concertgebouw, where the Chinese President would be received. This is similar to the Barkhor Square in Lhasa, where Chinese soldiers and snipers are on the rooftops around the square.

Tibetaanse-Vlaamse Vriendenkring (TibetanFlemish Circle of Friends), expressed her dismay and disgust from such practices which apparently Chinese standards are maintained and the law is dictated from Beijing. Bruges was a city under siege last Tuesday. The capital of West Flanders was a little bit like the capital of Tibet, where for decades there has been a massive Chinese military presence. The city of Lhasa is full of cameras and there are very strict controls, limited freedom of movement for Tibetans, regular checks, intimidations by the Chinese authorities and arbitrary arrests.

The protest in the Minnewaterpark was allowed only after the Chinese president had left the city. From 1.30 pm, about 120 Tibetans and Tibet supporters gathered. The Tibetan national anthem was sung, which is prohibited in Tibet itself, and there were speeches by the Chinese dissident Mona Zhimin Tang (former Tian An Men student in 1989), Vincent Metten of the International Campaign for Tibet, Peter De Roo of the political party N- VA (county councilor of West Flanders) and Dennis Barbion (president of Tibetan-Flemish Circle of Friends).

During the serene ceremony, all the names were called of the 130 Tibetans who have self immolated since 2009, to protest against the Chinese oppression. One by one, their pictures were shown and laid on the grass, with white balloons in between. In this way a small Tibetan graveyard arose “in Flanders fields”.

Afterwards there was a peaceful protest march through the center of the city. Slogans like “What we want? We want freedom”, “Long live the Dalai Lama” and “China is lying , Tibet is dying” were shouted.

t i

Dr Franz Pahl Mr Thomas Kemeil Mr Shalinder Kumar Ven Thupten Yarphel

o

n

a

l

Former speaker of South Tyrol, Italy A software engineer, Austria A professional graphic designer, India A Tibetan writer, India

Editor in Chief Mr Yeshe Choesang Chinese Editor Miss Keary Huang Tibetan Editor Mr Choneyi Sangpo Tibet Political Analyst Mr James Dunn Photographer Mr Artemas Liu Reporter Ms Yangchen Dolma Layout & Design Mr Choneyi Sangpo Distributor Mr Tashi Contributors to this editon Keary Huang Taiwan

Cameron Hickert USA

Jane Cook UK Jake Thomas Austria Kathryn Middel - Katzenmeyer USA James Dunn UK Yeshe Choesang India Choenyi Sangpo India Yangchen Dolma India Himalayan Literacy Trust (Head Office) Room #1 Top Floor, New Varuni House Temple Road, McLeod Ganj: 176219 Dharamshala, Distt. Kangra H.P., India

E-mail: editor@thetibetpost.com Skype: dhardhophonya1959 Mobile: +91-9882423566 www.thetibetpost.com Facebook: www.facebook.com/tpinews

H.H THE DALAI LAMA 5 TPI NEWS Humans have the ability to over- Pay more attention to inner values: His Holiness the Dalai Lama come sufferings through wisdom The Tibet Post International

15 April 2014

By Jane Cook: 08 April 2014

His Holiness the Dalai Lama during his talk at Seifu Gakuen Boys School in Osaka, Japan on April 9, 2014. Photo/Office of Tibet, Japan

By Jane Cook: 10 April 2014

Osaka, Japan, 09 April, 2014: - The spiritual leader of Tibet His Holiness the Dalai Lama said our Ignorance is described as the source of suffering and we can overcome it not through prayer, but by increasing our understanding and wisdom.

“I am pleased to be here once more. It makes me very happy to hear you recite the Heart Sutra. I recite it myself every day and reflect on what it says,” His Holiness said, after expressing his greetings to his old friend Hiroko, staff and students “Some of the thoughts that arise in our minds are conducive to peace of mind, while others disturb it. “This is why it is said that the disturbing emotions are a cause of suffering.

Our disturbing emotions latch on to qualities that things appear to possess,” he explained .

His Holiness said that “thinking about emptiness helps us understand that things don’t exist the way they appear. His Holiness mentioned the American psychiatrist Aaron Beck who told him that when we are angry about something or attached to something, the concerned object seems 100% negative or 100% attractive, whereas in fact 90% of the qualities we see in the object are a result of our own mental projection.

We exaggerate. In reality, objects are empty of such exaggeration.”

“One of human beings’ distinguishing characteristics is their intelligence. By studying, as you do here at school, you increase your wisdom. You belong to the 21st century and if you are Buddhists, you should be 21st century Buddhists. This means coming to understand the thought on the basis of which we develop faith.

The Buddha encouraged his followers to analyse and investigate his teachings. All major religious traditions teach about love and compassion, but Buddhism also teaches wisdom; the ability to overcome ignorance.”

“Human beings are social animals living in communities. If you think only of yourself, ultimately you’ll be the loser. You’ll tend to be suspicious and anxious about others. Without trust, your mind will not be at peace. Scientists have shown that constant suspicion, fear and anger also undermine our physical well-being.”

“Modern education tends to be focussed on material development, not on inner development, with little room for peace of mind.”

Asked about war His Holiness remarked that war results from a negligent attitude to problems when what is needed is dialogue and compromise. He clarified that he is a Buddhisyt monk, a follower of the Nalanda tradition, and asked what ‘life’ is he said that as long as there is a link between body and consciousness, there is life. Ignorance, he added, is overcome not through prayer, but by increasing our understanding.

Asked why Tibetans have faced such trouble he pointed out that they had created negative karma in the past and failed to use their intelligence at the appropriate time.

At the Myodo-kai Lay Buddhist Centre His Holiness first performed a brief consecration ceremony before addressing the audience. “We are all followers of the same Buddha Shakyamuni.

We recite the Heart Sutra that includes the mantra ‘Gate, gate, paragate, parasamgate, bodhi svaha’, which outlines how we make progress in the spiritual path. Dharma brothers and sisters, you have given steady support to Gyumey Tantric College, which for the last 600 year or so has been upholding the practice of both Sutra and

Tantra, and I’d like to thank you.

“Some of the thoughts that arise in our minds are conducive to peace of mind, while others disturb it. “This is why it is said that the disturbing emotions are a cause of suffering. Our disturbing emotions latch on to qualities that things appear to possess,” he explained, adding that “thinking about emptiness helps us understand that things don’t exist the way they appear.”

“One of human beings’ distinguishing characteristics is their intelligence, His Holiness said. By studying you increase your wisdom. You belong to the 21st century and if you are Buddhists, you should be 21st century Buddhists. All major religious traditions teach about love and compassion, but Buddhism also teaches wisdom; the ability to overcome ignorance.” He told the students that belonging to the 21st century they had the opportunity to shape the future. Where the 20th century was marred by violence, it is still possible to ensure that the 21st century is an era of peace.

His Holiness was asked about the meaning of true existence. He said: “When you look at me you see the Dalai Lama. You see the Dalai Lama’s body and hear his voice and he seems to truly exist. And yet if you examine what you see and hear more carefully in the light of Nagarjuna’s observation that ‘The Tathagata is neither one with nor completely different from his psycho-physical aggregates; It is not the case that the Tathagata exists separately from the aggregates and he has no ultimate existence because he is not different from the aggregates,’ there is nothing you can pinpoint that is the Dalai Lama.

The community of the Rinnanji Temple, welcomed His Holiness in the afternoon. He said: “I am now nearly 79 years old. At the age of 16 I took responsibility for Tibet at a difficult time and in so doing I lost my freedom. At the age of 24 I lost my country and became a refugee. I have met all kinds of difficulties, but as the Tibetan saying goes: ‘Wherever you are happy, you can call home, and whoever is kind to you is like your parents.’ I lost my country, but I’ve been happy and at home in the world at large. Living a meaningful life is not about acquiring money and other facilities; it’s about dedicating your life to helping others as much as you can.

“If you think only of yourself, you’ll be anxious, suspicious and full of fear. Such feelings create a distance between you and others. On the other hand, the more you think about others and try to benefit them, the easier you feel. The more compassionate you are, the better your health.

Since I became a refugee 55 years ago, I’ve met all kinds of people, from leaders to beggars.

All of them were the same as human beings; none wanted suffering, all wanted to be happy.

Of course, there are differences between us in relation to country, language and faith, but these are secondary. If we pay them too much attention we divide ourselves into ‘us’ and ‘them’. If each of the 7 billion alive today thought of themselves as members of the same human family there’d be no grounds to include some and exclude others.”

He spoke of the positive results that have emerged from 30 years of dialogue between modern science and the Buddhist science of mind. He said we train the mind by transforming it and we do that by employing the mind itself. Knowledge of this is inspiring increasing interest among modern scientists.

Osaka, Japan, 8 April, 2014: - “Japanese people need to give more attention on developing inner values along with technological and material development,’ His Holiness the Dalai Lama told a group of Shinto priests and practitioners in Sendai during an interactive discussion.

Highlighting of importance of meeting with different religious traditions as part of his commitment to promote religious harmony in the world, His Holiness the Dalai Lama said: “In order to develop religious harmony, it is very important to know the different traditions. To know the different religious traditions in a deeper way, it is not sufficient to read books, but meet with people who actually practice the spirituality.

In Japan, I had met with Shinto practitioners for the last many years. But this time, I would like to have a more academic discussion about how to develop inner values,” he said.

Describing inner emotions as destroyer of peace of mind, His Holiness the Dalai Lama underlined the need to include study of developing ethics and positive emotions in today’s education system. The 78-year-old Nobel Peace Prize winner and spiritual leader of Tibet said thinking only about material development and money causes competition, anxiety and distrust. It also leads to suicide.

“Some of my friends in US and Europe, who are

billionaire, are not happy. To much money fails to bring inner peace. Today’s education system only talks about material development rather than inner values, including ethics. As far as ethics is concerned, traditionally, we put all the responsibility on religious teachings. In today’s modern world, interest in religions is getting lesser,” His Holiness said.

“The existing education system alone has the responsibility to take care not only of physical world but also the internal world. A generation of people who is brought up under such system has no concern about the inner values. They think only about material values and money. Money is important, but it is equally important to develop inner values like compassion and sense of concern for other’s well being. This is the only source of real happiness and inner peace,” he added.

His Holiness said scientists in their research proved that negative emotions like anxiety and stress is destroying our immune system and physical health. “We have made efforts to make interaction between Buddhist science and modern science for the last many years. Many modern scientists and researchers, including those from the US-based Mind & Life Institute, have been showing great interest in studying about inner values in a secular way.”

“Buddhist science is a science of mind and modern science is that of physical body.

The interaction between the two in the last seventeen years has proved mutually beneficial,” His Holiness said, adding: “Many Japanese intellectuals and scientists are also showing genuine interest in this kind of academic study, which is a very positive development.”

His Holiness praised Shinto tradition of caring and respecting the nature. “My impression of Shinto tradition is that it very much love nature and respect trees and flowers. In today’s world, as human life has become too much mechanised with technological development. But since time immemorial, the life cycle has been evolving within the nature. So we must respect the nature.

So the ancient spiritual traditions, particularly Shinto and some US native religions, very much respect the nature, which I think is very relevant in today’s world,” he added.

His Holiness arrived in Japan’s capital Tokyo on Apr 6 for a series of events which include offering prayers and succour for the victims of the devastating earthquake and Tsunami which hit the country in Mar 2011, as well as to give public talks and religious teachings, to hold discussions with scientists and to interact with students. His Holiness will conclude his visit on Apr 18 with a meeting with the Tibetan community in Tokyo. This is His Holiness the Dalai Lama’s 20th visit to Japan since his first one in 1967.

Study the teachings of Buddha: His Holiness the Dalai Lama

By Jane Cook: 12 April 2014

Kyoto, Japan: - Describing the Buddha as a teacher, philosopher and scientist, the spiritual leader of Tibet His Holiness the Dalai Lama on Thursday, April 10, urged Japnese people to study teachings of the Buddha.

On his fourth day visiting Japan His Holiness visited Shuchi-in University in Kyoto in central Japan. He was welcomed by Ven. Kouzui Suguri, President of the University and Chief Abbot of Nakayama Dera and Ven Chijun Suga, President of Dosokai and Chief Administrator (No.2) of Zentsuji Temple. The University was reestablished in its current location in 1949.

The Nobel Peace Prize laureate said esoteric Buddhism first evolved following the preaching of the four noble truths by Buddha. Presenting a statue of Buddha to the president to the university, His Holiness the Dalai Lama on Thursday, 10 April said: “I always mention that Buddha was a teacher, philosopher and scientist about more than 2,500 years ago.”

Speaking to a packed auditorium at the university, the Tibetan spiritual leader spoke about the evolution of Tibetan Buddhism, particularly about its esoteric form, known as Mikkyo in Japanese. The Shuchin University follows Shingon Buddhism, a tantric Buddhist doctrine expounded by Kobo Daishi, a Japanese monk, civil servant, scholar, poet and artist around 7th century.

He explained in detail how Tibetan people’s interest in Buddhism started when the two queens of the country’s 33rd King Songsten Gampo during the 7th century, one from Nepal and another from China, brought two statues of the Buddha to Tibet.

Later, Buddhism flourished in Tibet during king Trisong Deutsen after he invited masters of ancient India’s Nalanda tradition from India such as Shantarakshita, Kamalashila and Guru Rinpoche.

Shantarakshita introduced the esoteric Buddhism in its purest form in Tibet.

“Since the real nature of mind is illuminating, ignorance as the real source of negative afflictions

His Holiness the Dalai Lama of Tibet during his talk at the university in Kyoto, Japan, on 10 April 2014. Photo/Jeremy Russell/OHHDL

can be eliminated through training the mind,” His Holiness said. Adding: “The key lies in understanding the concept of dependent arising that every phenomena or matters do not exist on their own. Quantum physics is a means to study empty nature of every phenomena and many scientists are showing interest in studying the concept of dependent arising.”

“You have requested me to talk about Tibetan secret mantra. Tibetans began to take an interest in Buddhism in the 7th century during the reign of Songtsen Gampo who had taken a Chinese and a Nepalese princess as wives. Both of them had brought statues of the Buddha with them, which were to inspire an interest in his teachings.

Later, Trisong Deutsan recognised that Buddhism originated in India and that is where he turned to learn more,” His Holiness said.

His Holiness said that Trisong Deutsan “invited Shantarakshita from Nalanda University and it was he who began the dissemination of Buddhism in Tibet. He also instigated the project to translate Indian Buddhist literature into Tibetan, which eventually formed the collections of the Kangyur and Tengyur. He wrote the ‘Ornament of Madhyamaka’,

which we still study today, and the ‘Compendium of Reality; the first a work of philosophy and the second a work of logic and epistemology.”

His Holiness stressed that great Indian masters like Nagarjuna and Aryadeva have examined these issues with reason and logic and vouched for the authenticity of the Sanskrit tradition, the practice of the bodhisattva vehicle, the perfection of wisdom vehicle and the vehicle of tantra. He quoted Chandrakirti describing five stages of tantra: 1. The generation stage 2. The completion stage 3. Isolation 4. The illusory body and clear light 5. Union His Holiness the Dalai Lama said that the generation stage involves the visualization of deities. In Highest Yoga Tantra this also involves taking the Buddha’s three bodies, the Truth Body, Complete Enjoyment Body and Emanation Body into the path through the processes of death, intermediate state and rebirth respectively. Whereas the Sutra literature speaks of taking three countless aeons or more to reach Buddhahood, tantric texts speak of doing so in one life in the one body.

His Holiness expresses sadness over Vietnamese Buddhist leader’s demise

By Yeshoe Choesang:

02 April 2014

Dharamsala, HP, India, 1 April 2014 - In a letter to the National Vietnam Buddhist Sangha His Holiness the Dalai Lama expressed his sadness about the passing away of His Holiness Thich Tri Tinh, the First Supreme Patriarch at the age of ninety-seven.

The spiritual leader of Tibet His Holiness the Dalai Lama ‘offered prayers for the Patriarch and conveyed his condolences to the Patriarch’s followers in Vietnam and elsewhere.’

Citing the Patriarch’s significant contribution to the promotion and preservation of Buddhist learning and culture in Vietnam, His Holiness wrote that “the best way to pay tribute to him would be to do whatever we can to implement the Buddha’s message of inner peace, non-

violence and compassion in our own lives.”

The Vietnam Buddhist Sangha on March 29 held a solemn memorial service at Van Duc pagoda in Ho Chi Minh City’s Thu Duc district

His Holiness Thich Tri Tinh of Vietnam. Photo: File

for the Most Venerable Thich Tri Tinh, who passed away the day before at the age of 98.

Born in 1917 in the Mekong Delta province of Dong Thap, Most Venerable Thich Tri Tinh took positions as First Deputy Patriarch and Chairman of the VBS Executive Council, and Deputy Chairman of the Vietnam Fatherland Front Central Committee during his lifetime.

He made significant contributions to gathering Buddhist followers in and out of the country to jointly build a strong Vietnam Buddhist Sangha.

He was conferred with a number of noble distinctions of the Party and State, including the Ho Chi Minh Order, Independence Order (first class), and Great National Unity Order.

According to reports, the funeral, which will run until April 2, has received a lot of attention from mourners nationwide.

6 •

TPI NEWS

15 April 2014

OM YOGA MEDITATION CENTRE

HATHA, ASHTANGA & KUNDALINI YOGA Certified by Indian Govt. & Yoga Alliance Drop-in Class Times: Yoga 8 - 9:30am 4 - 5:30pm

Meditation 7 - 8am 5:30 - 6:30pm

COURSES OFFERED: Yoga Teacher Training, Meditation, 6-Day Intensive Courses, Reiki - All Levels, Hindi Language KETAN LODGE, JOGIWARA ROAD, MCLEOD GANJ Tel: +91-98056-93514 +91-98164-94732 Om.yoga@ymail.com www.omyogaindia.com

HOTEL MOUNT VIEW Accommodation with advanced facilities: Bath tub, hot showers and TV Large balconies and imposing views European, Chinese and Indian cuisine Wi-fi facility Travel desk

Find us on Jogiwara Road, near Post Office, Mcleodganj www.mountainmagictours.com mountainmagic786@yahoo.co.in Tel: +91-98162-61717 +91-1892-221382, 221349

MOONWALK RESIDENCY A luxury hotel offering: Hot showers & TV, large balconies, imposing views European, Chinese & Indian cuisine, wi-fi & parking

Jogiwara Road, McLeodganj, Dharamshala – ten minutes’ walk 0867-987-1011 down fromTel: McLeodganj Main Square

E-mail: Blacktentcafe@gmailcom

Tel: +91 981 626 1717 / +91 1892 220389

www.moonwalkresidency.com moonwalkresidency@gmail.com

BHARAT OPTICALS WE CARE FOR YOUR EYES

Dealers in branded frames, sunglasses and contact lenses.

The only genuine and professional opticians in Dharamsala.

McLeod Ganj branch: Near Green Hotel, off Bhagsu Road.

Lower Dharamsala branch: Near Zonal hospital.

Special discounts for Tibetan customers

Tel: 01892-224629; 94180-17245

ARIES (Mar. 21- April 20) You should be trying to clear up legal contracts that have been pending. Don’t count on getting any help from those you live with. Don’t trust others with private information that could be used against you. Property investments will payoff.

Your luckiest events this month will occur on a Thursday.

TAURUS (Apr. 21- may 21) You can get phenomenal returns if you present your ideas to those who can back your interests. You should be making plans to spend some time with the ones you love. Don’t let them blame you. You may find travel to be most rewarding.

Your luckiest events this month will occur on a Friday.

GEMINI (May 22-June 21) You may be angry if someone tries to take credit for something you did. You need to put some trust in others.

Try to stay calm and do the best you can. Throw yourself into your profession.

Your luckiest events this month will occur on a Saturday.

CANCER (June 22-July 22) This will be a good day for research and for sitting down with some good, informative reading material. You may be confused emotionally. Your emotional state could leave you vulnerable and confused. Invest wisely. Your personal life could have you tied up in knots.

Your luckiest events this month will occur on a Thursday.

LEO (July 23-Aug 22) You may not want to spend time around family or your home. Your ability to work with detail will bring recognition. Do something together and you’ll be surprised how sweet a deal you can make. Try not to jump to conclusions.

Your luckiest events this month will occur on a Sunday.

VIRGO (Aug. 23 -Sept. 23) Be careful not to come on too strongly. Include the whole family or those you love. You will have to help family members sort out unfortunate difficulties. Keep busy and let them fume while you’re not around.

Your luckiest events this month will occur on a Saturday.

LIBRA (Sept. 24 -Oct. 23) Don’t delay; go to your physician or dentist and get to the bottom of the discomfort. You will find that social activities will be enjoyable and will promote new connections. Involvement in fitness clubs will be conducive to engaging roman tic connections. Finish those changes you’ve been talking about making to your residence.

Your luckiest events this month will occur on a Wednesday.

SCORPIO (Oct. 24 - Nov. 22) Make decisions about your professional objectives.

Deal with the needs of children and get into groups that deal with self awareness. Don’t gossip. Major job changes or opportunities to get ahead professionally are apparent.

Your luckiest events this month will occur on a Friday.

RESTAURANT & PIZZERIA

“Your Health is our Happiness” MEXICAN, ITALIAN, INDIAN, CHINESE, CONTINENTAL & THAI FOOD • Healthy and hygienic - no MSG • Everything washed with sterilized water • Homemade muesli and homemade curd • Large variety of fresh juices • Wood-fired pizza oven and clay Tandoori oven • Relaxed atmosphere including roof-top tables and Japanese style seating area • Live music every Sunday Located on Jogiwara Road, McLeod Ganj, across from the Tibetan Reception Centre (down from Post Office)

PERFECT 32 DENTAL CLINIC

On Jogiwara Road, McLeodganj, near the Post Office

Dr Natasha Mehra specialises in

COSMETIC DENTISTRY: Veneers, Metal-free Crowns, Smile Designing

LATEST TRENDS IN GENERAL DENTISTRY: Painless Extractions, Root Canal Treatments, Fillings (Metal/Mercury-free), Crowns and Bridges, Dentures, Gum Treatments & Oral Hygience Procedures ALL YOUR DENTAL SOLUTIONS UNDER ONE ROOF

COMPETITIVE RATES COME AND VISIT US FOR A CHAT OR CALL 09218-742046 FOR AN APPOINTMENT E-mail: perfect32dentalclinic@gmail.com

One of the finest Indian, Chinese,Continental,Thai Speciality in Mutton; • • • • • • • •

Rogan Josh, Mutton Saagwala, Mutton Rahra, Mutton Do Pyaza, Mutton Kadhai, Mutton Seekh, Babri Seekh Kabab, Gulati Seekh Kabab.

Hotel Fine-Dine Restaurant Coffee Shop Call: +91-9857-555333 +91-9857-666333

www.bellaheights.com

Anand

Dental Clinic Dr Dinesh Anand BDS (MIDA) Facilities Include: Light Cure Filling, Ultrasonic Scaling, Camp/Comp & Partial Dentures, Fixed Teeth, Fixed Ortho Treatment, X-Ray with Modern Equipment Above Himalayan Paradise Hotel, Shop No. 3 Jogiwara Road, Near Ane-Khumba Nunnery

TIBET KITCHEN

• BEST AUTHENTIC TIBETAN CUISINE IN TOWN • SPECIALISING IN THAI, BHUTANESE, CHINESE AND INDIAN FOOD • WE ALSO SERVE FRESH BEAN COFFEE

Healthy and hygienic. Homemade noodles. Internet surfing and wi-fi.

Party bookings available.

Open 11:00am to 9:30pm.

Located at McLeod Ganj Main Square Contact: 01892-221980 Mobile: 98058-75626

continue our service to journalism in exile!

Tashi Delek If you would like to sponsor an issue of The Tibet Post International newspaper, Please contact us via email; news@thetibetpost.com or call us anytime on; +91-9882423566 We would like to present a brief profile of your company or your own profile and any message to share with our readers, online and in print.

Outlook Tibet welcomes opinion articles on any subject related Tibet and Tibetans.

Submissions must be exclusive to us. Most articles are about 750 words in length, though some are shorter, and on sometimes we can sometimes run pieces as long as 1,200 words.

Tibet News Network www.outlooktibet.com Submissions must be sent by e-mail to: editor@outlooktibet.com.

Please put the name of the author followed by the topic in the subject line, and paste the text of the article into the body of the message.

Be sure to include day and evening telephone numbers and a short biography of the writer.

COMPUTER HUT

Dealers in: Desktops, Notebooks, Software, Peripherals, Wi-fi, Networking, CCTV CamNear Punjab National Bank, First Floor, Opp. J&K Bank, Kotwali Bazaar, Dharamshala CONTACT DALIP SINGH: 0-94180-34346; 0-98059-

Jimmy’s Italian Kitchen

RESTAURANT AND BEANS CAFÉ

Your support will help us

Submitting an article to Outlook Tibet

rfsfsdfs

Tel: 94181-22496 / 98164-50473

Sponsor an issue of The newspaper

CAPRICORN (Dec 22.- Jan. 20) They won’t get away with it. You need activity. Travel could turn out to be more exciting than you imagined.

Elders may need your help.

Your luckiest events this month will occur on a Friday.

PISCES (Feb. 20-Mar. 20) You should sit down with someone you trust and work out a budget that will enable you to save a little extra.

You can expect to experience delays or additional red tape if you deal with institutions. Don’t get depressed, get busy. You can accomplish a lot if you’re willing to put in a little extra time. Be careful not to come on too strongly.

Your luckiest events this month will occur on a Thursday.

BELLA HEIGHTS Temple Road, Mcleod Ganj

Our sterile, state-of-the-art clinic places special emphasis on INFECTION AND CROSS-INFECTION CONTROL

SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 23 -Dec. 21) Secret intrigues could get you into trouble. People who try to persuade you to do things their way will annoy you. New relationships will surface through work related events. Put your efforts into moneymaking ventures.

Your luckiest events this month will occur on a Tuesday.

AQUARIUS (Jan. 21 -Feb. 19) Make plans to do the things you enjoy. You need to keep busy doing things that you both enjoy. Sudden romantic infatuations could lead to a significant and prosperous connection. Your emotional partner will push the right buttons this month.

Your luckiest events this month will occur on a Monday.

The Tibet Post International

CARPE DIEM

NEED A DENTIST??? Then visit...

Monthly Horoscopes for the month of April, 2014 Sorces: Always Astrology

Classified

Thank you so much for your interest in being a The Tibet Post sponsor!

Visit us for fine Italian food, amazing views from the roof-top terrace garden, live music, stylish décor and yummy desserts!

Main Market, 2nd floor, opposite prayer wheels on Jogiwara Road Contact: 98161-24833

SMILE DENTAL CLINIC Confidence begins with a perfect smile Dr Rohit Chauhan BDS Facilities include:Teeth Whitening, Teeth Cleaning and Polishing, Tooth-Colour Filling; Crown and Bridge Work; Root Canal Treatment; Smile Designing

No compromise in quality of treatment

Jogiwara Road, Mcleodganj, Near Gu Chu Sum, Next toTashi Choeling Monastery Gate Cell: 0-86290-11445 / 0-80911-62609

The public schedule of His Holiness the Dalai Lama for Month Of May, 2014 Teaching in Riga, Latvia on May 5 & 6: His Holiness will give two-day teachings on the Heart Sutra (sherab nyingpo) & Gyalsey Thokme Sangpo’s 37 Practices of a Bodhisattva (laklen sodunma) at the request of a group of Russians. Contact Website: lv.dalailama.ru Teaching in Oslo, Norway on May 8: His Holiness will give a teaching on Geshe Langri Thangpa’s Eight Verses of Training the Mind (lojong tsikgyema) in the morning at Chateau Neuf the request of the Buddhist Federation of Norway and Karma Tashi Ling Buddhist Society.

Contact Website: dalailamaoslo.no Public Talk in Oslo, Norway on May 9: His Holiness will give a public talk on Cultivating Compassion in Everyday Life in the afternoon at Folketeateret. Contact Website: dalailamaoslo.no Teaching in Rotterdam, The Netherlands on May 11: His Holiness will give a teaching on The Three Principal Paths (lamtso namsum) in the morning at Ahoy Stadium. Contact Website: http://dalailama2014.nl Public Talk in Rotterdam, The Netherlands on May 11: His Holiness will give a public talk on Well-being, Wisdom and Compassion: a Secular Approach in the afternoon at Ahoy Stadium. Contact Website: http://dalailama2014.nl Public Talk in Frankfurt, Germany on May 14: His Holiness will give a public talk on Self-Awareness and Compassion in the afternoon at Fraport organized by Tibet House Germany. Contact Website: www.dalailama-frankfurt.info Discussion in Frankfurt, Germany on May 15: His Holiness will participate in a discussion with school children on Secular Ethics in Our Common World in the morning at St. Paul’s Church organized by Tibet House Germany in cooperation with the City of Frankfurt and the Foundation of Reading. Contact Website: www.dalailama-frankfurt.info Discussion in Frankfurt, Germany on May 15: His Holiness will participate in a discussion with philosopher Rainer Forst and others on Ethics Beyond Religion in the afternoon at St. Paul’s Church organized by Tibet House Germany in cooperation with the City of Frankfurt and Geothe University. Contact Website: www.dalailama-frankfurt.info

International 7 TPI NEWS Global Day of Action for the Students’ mass protest in Taiwan to end occupation of legislature release of Tenzin Delek Rinpoche 15 April 2014

The Tibet Post International

By Keary Hoan: 10 April 2014

Activists and supporters wear 12 face masks of Tenzin Delek Rinpoche to mark his 12 years of imprisonment and torture by chinese govt. and call for urgent release, Dharamshala, India, on 7 April, 2014. Photo: TPI

By Yeshe Choesang: 07 April 2014

Dharamshala: - On 7 April 2014, highly respected Tibetan religious leader, Tenzin Delek Rinpoche, will have been in custody for 12 years. Recent news indicates that Rinpoche is in very ill-health, with a heart condition, high blood pressure, and other worrying medical issues. Students for a Free Tibet-India and students of Tenzin Delek Rinpoche in Dharamshala said they are organizing day-long events on April 7th to participate in the Global Day of Action for the release of Tenzin Delek Rinpoche.

Tenzin Delek Rinpoche was charged with “causing explosions” and “inciting separatism”, charges for which noevidencehaseverbeenprovidedandhehassteadfastly maintained his innocence. His original trial (December 2002) was not held in accordance with international fair trial standards and he was denied the right to be represented by lawyers hired by his family. His second hearing (January 2003) was held in secret without due process. Rinpoche was given a suspended death sentence which was later commuted to a life sentence.

‘There are some people who say that taking up my case will make things worse for me. At this point, I have fallen to the lowest point. Nothing worse can come. So, you can make appeals and initiate campaigns for me.’- Tenzin Delek Rinpoche’s recent message from prison “Tenzin Delek Rinpoche is an innocent man.

We came to know that his health condition has deteriorated in prison and is very critical. Every day he spends in prison is one day too many,” said Geshe Nyima, student of Tenzin Delek Rinpoche in India.

“Today, on the Global Day of Action for the Release of Tenzin Delek Rinpoche, Tibet campaigners and supporters are coming together with his family and students across the world to create the public attention this campaign deserves. Today is a one-day global action call, and this is an ongoing campaign that we will work on over the year,” said Dorjee Tseten, Asia Director of Students for a Free Tibet-India.

His Holiness visits ......

continued from Front-Page......

He offered his condolences and sympathy to those directly affected by the quake and tsunami and urged them not to feel depressed but to have self-confidence, determination and a firm resolve. “If tragedy strikes, don’t lose hope.

Transform it into an opportunity to make things better.” He suggested that it is very sad to lose family and friends, but if we imagine that they can see us from heaven, or wherever they are, to see their loved ones dismayed and downhearted will only fill them with sadness too. To see us optimistic and full of hope will make them happy.

His Holiness recalled Tibetan refugees who were given land to live on in a hot part of India and complaining that they would die from the heat. On a later visit he teased them that they had survived after urging them to stay in the shade during the hottest part of the day.

He remarked on the care Japanese take over so much that they do. While making use of modern science and technology Japan still held strong spiritual traditions in Shintoism and Buddhism and concluded that too much solemnity and an artificial smile risks a move towards hypocrisy.

Answering questions from the audience he advised that it is always helpful to remain honest and truthful in the face of difficulty. “You should examine whether what you want to do is really feasible. Research your goal and adopt a realistic approach. Hope for the best, but prepare for the worst. Be honest, truthful and concerned for the wellbeing of others. To be self-centred instead leads to fear and suspicion, which more often than not ends in loneliness.”

About prayer he said it makes sense in traditions that believe in a creator to pray to god. From the Buddhist point of view, however, the Heart Sutra, for example, is not so much a prayer as a description of reality.

Asked what has made him happy, His Holiness replied: “To be a bhikshu, a Buddhist monk, and to be a follower of the Nalanda tradition. When I reach a new understanding of something I’m reading it brings me great satisfaction.

Thinking about the awakening mind of bodhichitta and emptiness brings me a real sense of joy.”

He concluded by reciting his favourite verse from Shantideva’s ‘Guide to the Bodhisattva’s Way of Life’: ‘For as long as space endures And for as long as living beings remain, Until then may I too abide To dispel the misery of the world.’

Tenzin Delek Rinpoche has been wrongly imprisoned.

His “crime” has been to devote his life to helping his community, working tirelessly to preserve the Tibetan identity, culture and Tibet’s environment. He has been persecuted for his support for the Dalai Lama, his promotion of Tibetan Buddhism and for his cultural and social development work in Tibet.

In Dharamshala, Students for a Free Tibet-India together with students of Tenzin Delek Rinpoche are organizing a photo action at the Main Temple where 30 nuns from Dolmaling nunnery are also sitting on a day-long hunger strike, followed by an evening talk and video screening at the TCV Day School, Mcleod Ganj.

Similar events are being organized by Students for a Free Tibet chapters and Tibet groups in major cities around the world, including Delhi, Paris, New York, Warsaw, Vienna, Zurich, Brussels, and Toronto.

China tortured ......

continued from Front-Page......

Just weeks before his death. In the note titled “Prisoner of Clear Conscience”, Goshul Lobsang clearly challenges the official Chinese propaganda that Tibetan activists are criminals deserving to be imprisoned. Instead he asserts that his conscience is clear and that he has no regrets for defying authoritarian, oppressive policies. Below is a translation of the note: Prisoner of Clear Conscience “I have a family. I have siblings. I have a wife and children. For them, I have sincere love and affection, and for the sake of this love and affection, I am determined to sacrifice my life. But for the sake of our own people, even if I lose this love and affection, I will have no regrets.

I am an ordinary nomad who loves his people, so I am willing to do anything for my people. I might lose this bony and haggard body that has suffered brutal pain and torture inflicted out of sheer hatred, I still will not have any regrets. I have the desire to follow in the footsteps of martyrs who expressed everything through flaming fire, but I lack courage [to do such a thing].

However, I don’t have the desire to bow my head in surrender to an environment, which denies freedom to speak out against lies and to struggle for equality.

[Therefore], I fell into such a situation [of torture and suffering], for which I, an ordinary nomad, have no regrets.

What I desire is a free world wherein people can enjoy a life of harmony – I don’t want an atmosphere of darkness, a society wherein life is subjected to oppression.

I have no regrets, although all of a sudden, I may be compelled to separate from the path of life that [I have been treading along] with my beloved mother, siblings, wife and children. I may have to depart with [feelings] of cold, heavy sadness, but I have no sense of guilt in my heart.

My clear conscience is my only asset in this world. I don’t possess anything other than this, and I don’t need anything other than this.

[But] my only regret that weighs heavily on my heart is the lack of profound sense of solidarity among our people, because of which we are unable to achieve a strong unified stand.

Fellow countrymen, we must have a far-sighted [political] vision and strong unity. We must have a strong sense of faith in our culture and tradition, and a sense of gratitude to those who have contributed so much to our nation.

Fellow countrymen of the Land of Snows, we must all uphold unity. May this unity be sustained for tens of thousands of years!”

Goshul Lobsang,28 September 2012,Dingxi, Gansu According to sources in the region, Goshul Lobsang led a difficult life, harassed by the local authorities since his return from India in mid1990s. He went to India in 1992 to study in a Tibetan school. He was first detained in late 1990s when many leaflets apparently calling for freedom appeared in Machu area. He never accepted the accusations and the Machu County PSB officers had to release him for lack of evidence. However, he continued to be under police surveillance making it difficult for him to lead a normal life.

Thereafter, for some time, he left for Lhasa and other areas but later returned to teach English to fellow nomads and neighbourhood children.

During the 2008 uprising, Goshul Lobsang took part in the protests that rocked Machu area for three consecutive days beginning 17 March. He even hoisted a Tibetan flag outside his nomad tent in defiance of the Chinese authorities.

In January 2009, when leaflets calling on Tibetans not to celebrate ostentatious Losar (Tibetan New Year) and the local authorities to stop colluding with human traffickers appeared in Machu, Goshul Lobsang and others shared these incidents on the popular Chinese instant messaging site known as QQ. The authorities had one more reason for target Goshul Lobsang after this incident.

On 10 April 2009, fed up with the authorities’ constant harassment of local Tibetans since the 2008 protests in Machu, Goshul Lobsang and some other Tibetans confronted the local officials in an attempt to clarify the matter. Instead of engaging in civil talks, the police officers started beating Goshul Lobsang and another Tibetan, Dakpa. The severe beatings prompted around 400 local Tibetans to directly confront the police, with some locals

Taipei: - Weeks-long mass protests led by Taiwanese students against a trade deal with China have agreed to relinquish their occupation of Taiwan’s parliament on Thursday, after top officials promised to meet some of their demands.

Thousands of Taiwanese students stormed the island’s parliament on 18 March after the ruling Nationalist party unilaterally passed the cross-strait service trade agreement, a pact with China that critics say could harm the territory’s small businesses and erode its political autonomy.

It was the largest anti-Beijing protest in years on the island, where Nationalists fled in 1949 after losing to the Communists in a civil war. Shouting “defend democracy, repeal the trade pact!” the protesters pledged to continue their opposition to a services trade agreement which has been nearly approved by parliament.

The demonstrators broke into the building in late March after the trade pact passed a crucial legislative hurdle and stood a single step away from full approval. Hundreds of protesters took turns occupying the building, repelling police efforts to evict them. Hundreds of thousands later marched on the president’s office after leading to scuffles with police in which several people were injured.

President Ma Ying-jeou enraged the demonstrators three weeks ago when he decided to fast-track a vote on a trade pact with China, bypassing a parliamentary committee that was supposed to vet the terms of the agreement line by line.

Demonstrators fear the deal could make Taiwan more susceptible to China’s influence.

“This movement is not over,” Miles Lin, the leader of the sit-in told fellow protesters. “After leaving here, we’re taking this movement out to broader Taiwan society.” Demonstrators, who carried sunflowers as a symbol of hope, said the trade pact will benefit wealthy companies with Chinese links and expressed fears it could lead to Chinese encroachments on Taiwan’s cherished democratic institutions.

The protesters first demanded that the party review the pact line by line, then later that it rescind the

Thousands of Taiwanese students protesting against a trade deal with China, at the Taiwanese legislature in Taipei, 10 April, 2014. Photo: TPI/Artemas Liu

pact and establish a public oversight mechanism for future cross-strait trade agreements. The occupation fanned out into a larger movement on 30 March. According to police, 116,000 demonstrators filled the streets around the legislature while protest organisers estimated the turnout at between 350,000 and 500,000.

Taiwan and mainland China have been at loggerheads since 1949, when U.S.-backed nationalist forces, led

by Chiang Kai-shek, retreated across the strait from Mao Zedong’s Red Army. These days, the People’s Republic is unlikely to take back Taiwan by force, but officials in Beijing still hanker after greater influence over this “renegade province” through shrewdly vitalizing business ties.

The parliament speaker Wang Jin-pyng promised on Sunday that the party would not review the trade pact until it had developed a mechanism for public oversight. On Monday, protest leaders announced plans to leave.

“Oversight legislation for the agreement still hasn’t been finalised, so it’s hard to say whether we’ll be satisfied or not,” said Li Yue, a 20-year-old protester from Taiwan’s National Tsing Hua University. “But looking at things right now, it doesn’t seem like

Two day conference in Japan focuses on Yoshio Imaeda, a Japanese scholar of Buddhism began the presentations. He recalled his surprise at finding that his father had no idea what he was reciting in front of his Buddhist altar. The monk who came to the house once a month could not explain either, nor could his teachers at school. Apparently Buddhism was to be followed but not understood. He decided to do his own research. He discovered that not only do Tibetans have the most exhaustive collection of Mahayana texts, but that Tibetan Buddhism remains a living tradition, despite the tragedy that has taken place in Tibet.

raising protest slogans and throwing stones. As the matter escalated, the police had no choice but to temporarily let go of Goshul Lobsang and Dakpa.

But the local authorities were firm in their resolve to arrest Goshul Lobsang as soon as possible but they did not want to antagonise the whole community. Therefore, on 12 April 2009, local authorities called a meeting of major village leaders in Bhelpan Township and served them an ultimatum to surrender the five ringleaders of the 2008 protests including Goshul Lobsang. It was around this time that Goshul Lobsang took to the mountains to escape arrest.

He spent about a year in wilderness without any access to basic necessities including food and medication.

On 29 June 2010, Goshul Lobsang was arrested by the Machu County PSB who held him for about five months in Machu County. On 26 November 2010, he was sentenced to 10 years in prison by the Kanlho (Ch: Gannan) Intermediate People’s Court and imprisoned at Ding Xi, about 100 km from Lanzhou.

He remained in prison for about three years in extreme health condition. By November 2013, the state of his health alarmed the prison officials who decided that Goshul Lobsang should not die in prison. Shortly after, Goshul Lobsang’s family members were called to fetch him but on the condition that they signed a letter stating that Goshul Lobsang’s medical condition was caused by natural causes. The family had no choice but to sign the letter because they knew Goshul Lobsang wouldn’t survive long and they wanted him to spend his last moments at his home. He was released on 29 November 2013.

On 19 March 2014, at around 1 am, Goshul Lobsang died surrounded by his family members. He was cremeted on 26 March 2014. He is survived by his mother Tardon, 73, wife Tarpey, 39, son Sherab, 18, daughter Dolma, 14, and unidentified siblings.

Goshul Lobsang was born in Gyutsa Village to nomadic parents in Bhelpan (Ch: Awangcan) Township in Machu (Ch: Maqu) County in Kanlho (Ch: Gannan) Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture in Gansu Province.

He described Japanese monks as professionals, particularly with regard to funeral arrangements, and Japanese Buddhists as emotional and sentimental, but not rational. He recounted going to a Buddhist temple at New Year and his son making a wish to excel in his studies, his daughter making a wish for the family’s good health, while their Tibetan friends made a wish that all sentient beings attain Buddhahood.

His Holiness laughed, saying: “This seems like a session of self-criticism. You should know that of 6 million Tibetans 99% don’t have much idea of what Buddhism is really about either. To be Buddhists in the 21st century we have to study. Not only monks, but nuns too. Over the last 40 years, nuns have been able to study and are now able to take the highest degrees. This approach of rigorous study goes back to Shantarakshita, the great scholar and logician from Nalanda who established Buddhism in Tibet.”

In his presentation, Thupten Jinpa quoted the Dhammapada as saying, ‘Mind creates our own world’ and the Udanavarga saying, ‘A disciplined mind is a happy mind.’ Mind has an important role to play. He talked about not only the potential of the meaningful knowledge of the Abhidharma, but also of Buddhist epistemology in the works of Dignaga, Dharmakirti and Shantarakshita that cast light on the nature and scope of knowledge. His Holiness remarked that whereas only one short text by Dignaga was available in China, and therefore Japan, Tibet possessed a rich body of epistemological literature. He recalled that once he began to study Dharmakirti in his teens, his mind became more questioning and sceptical.

Arthur Zajonc asked which comes first, practice or study. His Holiness referred to the three modes of understanding. First listening, reading and study lead to belief and conception. Critical reflection leads to conviction and deep familiarity with that leads to real understanding.

Under the theme ‘Change your brain by changing your mind’ Richard Davidson spoke about the findings of neuroplasticity, in which changing the mind can be shown to affect the brain; epigenetics, in which changing the mind can be shown to turn certain genes on or off; bidirectional communication between mind/ brain and body and innate basic goodness, the finding that infants prefer kindness over aggression. When he referred to examining meditators in a MRI scanner, His Holiness made an appeal that experienced Japanese monks and Zen meditators also participate in this research. When Davidson referred to work that is being

staying in the legislature will do much.”

On Monday, the territory’s president, Ma Ying-jeou, praised the protesters’ decision to disperse. Last week, he stood by the pact, arguing it would encourage more regional trade deals, and he claimed that the protesters’ concerns were unfounded. Ma’s approval rating has been in the single digits since September.

Although Taiwan-China ties have warmed in recent years, the trade pact – which would allow China to invest in 64 of Taiwan’s service sectors, including advertising, telecommunications and media – has proved hugely controversial. Critics say it would allow China to tighten its grip on Taiwan via investment and mass immigration. Supporters believe it would give the territory a much-needed economic boost.

Many Taiwanese say ‘Tibet is a lesson for Taiwan and it’s people. The people of Taiwan must wakeup it’s so called “one country, two systems.” The recent mass protests by Taiwanese students sent a clear message to Ma Ying-jeou’s government not to sell out their precious island. Tibet’s past and future have direct and pressing relevance to Taiwan because many Taiwanese people believe that Tibet’s current fate may well be their future too.’

.....

continued from Front-Page......

done with children with attention deficit hyperactive disorder (ADHD) His Holiness wanted to know if it seemed to be a result of environmental or genetic influences and whether there was any association with anxiety and feelings of insecurity; there was.

Dr Davidson reported that even short term compassion training, in which subjects spend 30 minutes a day over two weeks training in compassion can be shown to have positive effects on the brain. Finally, acknowledging the time that young people spend playing computer games, he reported a pilot project to develop such games that foster kindness and empathy rather than aggression.

His Holiness continued discussions with panellists over lunch. In the afternoon, Jay Garfield who has done extensive study and translation of Buddhist philosophical texts spoke about the need for introspection in coming to understand the mind, but cautioned about the drawbacks of cognitive illusions. He vividly demonstrated the power of optical illusions and the difficulty that even when we know what we are seeing is an illusion that appearance remains. He made the point that we are unable to measure or calibrate our introspective experience. Using the mind to examine the mind it becomes as much an instrument as a telescope or microscope, yet in this case object and instrument are mysterious. He also suggested that without a theory of mind, we cannot treat the data we derive at face value.

His Holiness responded that it is useful to just let the mind settle in thoughtlessness for some time to begin to be aware of its nature and that it is possible to develop an ability to examine the mind, for example when we want to observe anger.

In his presentation about the role of mind in quantum physics, Arthur Zajonc surprised His Holiness with his description of a particle with no size. Shigefumi Mori’s comparison of mathematics with art seemed enigmatic as he sought to relate the beauty of a statement of algebraic geometry to Monet’s depiction of light. He asked what is going on when, unable to find a solution to a problem, suddenly unbidden one appears to the mind. His Holiness suggested it is connected to the work already done and mentioned that a problem that can’t be solved during the day may be solved in dream time. He said that perhaps it is because in dream time sensory consciousnesses are inactive.

Arthur Zajonc took the opportunity to extol the power of thought, its clarity and accuracy. He pointed out that Einstein’s theory of relativity did not come about as a result of work or experiments in the laboratory. He reached his conclusions due to the power of thought.

8

TPI NEWS

The Tibet Post International Back Page Focus World religious have conmon goals despite ideological difference Tibetan youth detained in protest

15 April 2014

By Yeshe Choesang: 14 April 2014

His Holiness the Dalai Lama during his two day teachings at Koyasan University in Koyasan, Japan, on 13 April 2014/Photo/ Office of Tibet

Koyasan, Japan, April 13, 2014: - The spiritual leader of Tibet His Holiness the Dalai Lama Sunday said World major religious traditions have a common purpose of promoting positive human values despite their ideological difference.

On his fifth day of visit to Japan, His Holiness the Dalai Lama Sunday, April 13 began a two-day teachings on Tsongkhapa’s Concise Stages of the Path to Enlightenment and Geshe Langri Thangpa’s Eight Verses of Training the Mind at Koyasan University on Mount Koya or Koyasan, a sacred religious site for followers of Japan’s Shingon

Buddhism, Office of Tibet, Japan reported.

Addressing a packed auditorium comprising Japanese, followers from Korea, China and Mongolia, His Holiness the Dalai Lama said: “I am indeed very happy to be able to visit this sacred place for the third time. But what is different this time is that the weather is very cold.”

“All the religious traditions in the world, despite having different ideologies, have a common purpose of promoting positive human values like love and affection,” His Holiness said.

These “religious traditions preach tolerance,

forgiveness, contentment and self-discipline as antidotes to negative emotions like anger and hatred,” His Holiness said, adding: the negative emotions are the real causes of problems facing the world. So different religious traditions should respect each other as they have a common purpose.”

“All these traditions preach a same message to eliminate negative emotions which give rise to violence and conflicts in the world. But it is very sad that violence is still taking place between followers of different religious traditions, involving Sunis and Shias in Arab, Buddhists and Muslims in Sri Lanka and Burma,” he said.

He said in India, all the world’s major religious traditions and their own native faiths, has lived peacefully and harmoniously. “India is a model for other countries. If we make an effort, peace and harmony among the world’s major religious traditions could be achieved,” he said.

His Holiness said Buddhism, which also preach promotion of love, affection, tolerance and contentment like other religions, its ideology of dependent arising holds the key to eliminate negative emotions like ignorance that give rise to all the ills in the world.

His Holiness also underscored that collaboration between Buddhist science and modern science has the potential to create a peaceful and happier world.

On 15 April, His Holiness will conclude his threeday visit to Koyasan with a public talk on a theme titled “How should live our lives? – Religion and Ethics in the 21st century.”

Compassion is the source of genuine happiness: His Holiness

By Jane Cook: 02 April 2014

Dharamshala: - The spiritual leader of Tibet, His Holiness the Dalai Lama said, “The more love and compassion there is in your life, the happier you are.”

As social animals, having “sense of community love and compassion are the source of genuine happiness.”

His Holiness the Dalai Lama arrived in the Theckchen Chöling Tsuglagkhang this morning to commence preparatory procedures for the Medicine Buddha empowerment he was to give. “Today, the Tibetan Doctors Association have requested a Medicine Buddha empowerment from me, perhaps they think it will improve their skills. Still, reciting the Medicine Buddha mantra isn’t what will make you better at what you do, study and practice are the proper way,” His Holiness began.

“We Tibetans have a very profound medical system.

During the 8th century, the Emperor, Trisong Detsen, convened an international conference about medicine over which he presided, as a result of which Tibetan medicine became a synthesis of several traditions.

Now, in the 21st century, we need to take advantage of opportunities to improve it further.” He said that whether the teaching taking place is long or short, and whether you are giving it or listening to it, it is important to have a pure motivation.

He spoke about taking refuge in the Buddha, Dharma and Sangha, saying that the Dharma is the real refuge.

He added that in the Sanskrit tradition the main practice is generating the awakening mind of bodhichitta and an understanding of emptiness and the goal is complete enlightenment. Noting that Tibetan doctors were the principal disciples today, he also made mention of the large number of school students who were attending.

“Although we want happiness, we run after the causes of suffering,” His Holiness remarked, recalling that once he had been enthroned as Dalai Lama he had the opportunity to study the Dharma. However, confined to the Potala and Norbulingka he had little contact with ordinary people and their lives. That only occurred once he started to travel, first to Dromo in Southern Tibet, later to China, where he met many Communist leaders and after that to India where he met freedom fighters who had been followers of Mahatma Gandhi.

Through further travels he observed that everyone looks to material development expecting happiness to follow. Gradually, though, people have begun to realise that material development by itself is not

His Holiness the Dalai Lama teaching at the main Tibetan temple in Dharamshala, India on March 31, 2014. Photo: TPI/Chonyei Sangpo

enough. Nowadays, even scientists observe that peace of mind is what’s important, that peace of mind leads to physical well-being.

“Human beings are all born from their mothers with whom nearly all develop strong bonds of affection.

Affection becomes a part of us. The more love and compassion there is in your life, the happier you are. As social animals, like bees, we have a sense of community and within that context love and compassion are the source of genuine happiness.

“I’m a human being first and a Tibetan and Buddhist only second. As a human being what concerns me is how to bring happiness to the rest of humanity. What I have learned is that if you have a warm heart, you’re happier. This is why I make the effort to promote secular ethics. I am convinced that if the Buddha were to appear today what he’d teach would be secular ethics; this is what would be of most help to the 7 billion human beings alive today. What’s clear is that self-centredness is a source of trouble, while concern for others is a basis for happiness.” His Holiness clarified that while suspicion leads to mistrust and an inability to get on with others, honesty, sincerity, love and compassion attract friends.

Alluding to the extensive and rigorous study and training that characterize Tibetan Buddhism, His Holiness mentioned the crucial role the Tibetan language has played as the best language for accurately

We need your Support!

Please contact us:

Find out how you can get involved.

Whether it’s through donating money or items, running, raising money, campaigning, volunteering, or joining the Tibet Post group, all your generous support makes a great difference to the cause of Tibetan people.

E-mail: news@thetibetpost.com Mobile: 09418143289

Tibet Post International Room #1, Top Floor, New Varuni House, Temple Road, McLeod Ganj, Dharamshala District Kangra, H.P.

The Tibet Post International is looking for volunteers to help to write and edit the news, opinions, stories, interviews, and features related Tibet and Tibetan living in exile.

expressing the Nalanda tradition. He expressed gratitude to the early Tibetan Emperors who took up Shantarakshita’s initiative to translate Indian Buddhist literature into Tibetan, an achievement of which every Tibetan can be proud.

Finally, His Holiness paid tribute to Baba Phuntsog Wangyal who died on 30 March recognising how he was regarded as a Tibetan hero. Imprisoned in 1957 he remained dedicated to the welfare of the Tibetan people. He invited everyone to say a round of manis together for Phuntsog Wanygal and those who have died for the Tibetan cause.

The Vigil By: Tsoltim N. Shakabpa With the setting sun In the twilight of my days My work completed I sit in an easy chair And await the creeping darkness of night Into the wee hours of the morning When dew drops fall from your eyes This vigil I must keep And fight off temptations To fall asleep I know His knock will come when morning dawns All I want to do is exit gracefully When He comes for me And accept gratefully Whatever He has for me And when I am gone Think not of me in coming tomorrows But in memorable yesterdays, I am here to stay

calling His Holiness the Dalai Lama

By Yeshe Choesang: 14 April 2014

A young Tibetan man marching alone in the Manimego street, dege County, eastern Tibet, scattering paper flyers and shouting slogans calling long life of His Holiness the Dalai Lama, April 8, 2014. Photo: TPI

Dharamshala: - Chinese authorities April 8 detained a young Tibetan man after marching alone along a street in Dege County, eastern Tibet, scattering paper flyers and shouting slogans calling the Long Life of His Holiness the Dalai Lama.

The protest received voices of support from Tibetan onlookers, who praised the young man’s calls for the “long life of His Holiness the Dalai Lama.” After few minutes, a group of Chinese police took him to Dege district,” a Tibetan monk living in exile told The Tibet Post.

“A crowd Tibetans around the street praised his brave action and also recited ‘His Holiness the Dalai Lama,’ expressing their support for the peaceful protest,” he said, adding “his current whereabouts and wellbeing are unknown.”

“This is what we are calling a youth, a happy man,” locals called him “ and they chanted “His Holiness the Dalai Lama. He continued protesting even after locals asked him to disappear from the secene, before Chinese police arrived,” sources said.

“Later, many Tibetan have joined him in the protest against Chinese rule and calling long life His Holiness the Dalai Lama. The Chinese police arrived at the scene and arrested him,” he further said, citing with sources in the region.

Sources also confirmed “the youth’s peaceful protest, which occured around about 12:00 p.m. local time. But The protester’s name and other details also remain unknown.”

According to the sources, “the local Tibetans in Manigego town, Yilhung area, Dege County formed a nonviolence group in June 2013, where several questions were raised, including

condernming a recent fights between youths and vowed to prevent any further crisis in the future.”

An unknown number of Tibetans were detained, arrested, and/or sentenced as a result of their political or religious activity. However, Chinese state media has no report of the ongoing crackdowns on protests in Tibet.

Chinese government promised in advance of the 2008 Olympics to allow travel by foreign journalists to report freely through the country, foreign journalists have never been permitted to enter the Tibet Autonomous region except in tightly managed few groups.

From February 2012, in advance of the anniversary of the 2008 protests, foreign journalists were blocked from traveling in most Tibetan areas of Kham and Amdho regions in eastern Tibet.

The regime severely restricted travel by foreign journalists in recent years. A few foreign journalists visited Tibet by merely participating in highly structured, government-organized tours during which the constant presence of government minders made independent reporting impossible.

Kalachakra Tour 2014 Ladakh, India

A journey into the heart of Kalachakra His Holiness Dalai Lama’s teaching, initiation, and personal pilgrimage!

15 days / 14 nights 2nd to 16th July 2014 Tendrel Travel Dharamshala Dal Lake, Dharamshala Cantt 176216, H.P. Tendrel Travel Ladakh Ayu-Sabu, Leh 194101, LADAKH Phone: +91 9805163232 Email: info@tendreltravel.com Website: www.tendreltravel.com