News Analysis India

Tag: Dalai Lama

  • PM to address Buddhist summit, Dalai Lama may also participate a day later

    Express News Service

    NEW DELHI: Prime Minister Narendra Modi will address the two-day Global Buddhist Summit in Delhi next week, where top Buddhist scholars and practitioners from across the globe will participate. The Dalai Lama is expected to attend the event on the second day, but there is no confirmation yet on his participation.

    The Summit will be held on April 20 and 21 and will focus on the Buddhist way of dealing with the challenges the world faces today. There is a lot of curiosity around the Dalai Lama’s participation, especially after the controversy around a video showing his interaction with a boy.

    Sources said the Dalai Lama’s participation will be subject to his health condition. “Since he is senior in age, his mobility is restricted and he needs assistance. There is a lot of security around him. It is for these reasons that confirmation on his attendance hasn’t been received yet,” said sources.

    Among the keynote speakers of the Summit is Prof Robert Thurman, a leading American expert on Buddhism. He was awarded the Padma Shri in 2020 for his work on discovering India’s ancient Buddhist heritage. Meanwhile, the Tibetian Parliament in exile on Friday alleged that China is behind the viral video and vilification campaign against the Dalai Lama.

    NEW DELHI: Prime Minister Narendra Modi will address the two-day Global Buddhist Summit in Delhi next week, where top Buddhist scholars and practitioners from across the globe will participate. The Dalai Lama is expected to attend the event on the second day, but there is no confirmation yet on his participation.

    The Summit will be held on April 20 and 21 and will focus on the Buddhist way of dealing with the challenges the world faces today. There is a lot of curiosity around the Dalai Lama’s participation, especially after the controversy around a video showing his interaction with a boy.

    Sources said the Dalai Lama’s participation will be subject to his health condition. “Since he is senior in age, his mobility is restricted and he needs assistance. There is a lot of security around him. It is for these reasons that confirmation on his attendance hasn’t been received yet,” said sources.googletag.cmd.push(function() {googletag.display(‘div-gpt-ad-8052921-2’); });

    Among the keynote speakers of the Summit is Prof Robert Thurman, a leading American expert on Buddhism. He was awarded the Padma Shri in 2020 for his work on discovering India’s ancient Buddhist heritage. Meanwhile, the Tibetian Parliament in exile on Friday alleged that China is behind the viral video and vilification campaign against the Dalai Lama.

  • Not seeking independence for Tibet, want meaningful autonomy: Dalai Lama in Ladakh

    By ANI

    JAMMU: Tibetan spiritual leader the Dalai Lama on Friday said that India and China must solve the border dispute through talks and peaceful means.

    The remarks by the Dalai Lama come ahead of the 16th round of Corps Commander-level meetings between India and China, expected to start on July 17, in the backdrop of a stand-off between the two countries along the Line of Actual Control in the eastern Ladakh sector and the Galwan clashes of 2020.

    The 14th Dalai Lama on Friday left for Ladakh after a stopover in Jammu where he had arrived on Thursday from his base in Dharamshala.

    “India and China are both competitive nations and neighbours, sooner or later you have to solve this problem through talks and peaceful means. The use of military force is outdated,” the Dalai Lama told ANI.

    Earlier talking to reporters in Jammu yesterday, the 87-year-old spiritual leader said that the majority of people in China realize that he is not seeking independence within China but meaningful autonomy and preservation of Tibetan Buddhist culture.

    “Not Chinese people, but some Chinese hardliners consider me a separatist. Now, more and more Chinese are realising that Dalai Lama not seeking independence but within China meaningful autonomy and to preserve Tibetan Buddhist culture,” the Dalai Lama said.

    The Tibetan spiritual leader was responding to a question on China objecting to his visit to Ladakh.

    The Dalai Lama also said that more and more Chinese are showing interest in Tibetan Buddhism. “Some of the Chinese scholars have realized that Tibetan Buddhism is truly knowledge and tradition and a very scientific religion.”

    The Tibetan spiritual leader is on a two-day official visit to Jammu and Kashmir and the Union Territory Ladakh. This is the first official tour of the Dalai Lama outside his base in Dharamshala since the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020. The visit also marks his first visit to the region since the abrogation of Article 370 in Jammu and Kashmir.

    The spiritual leader’s trip is likely to irk China as Beijing had recently criticized Prime Minister Modi, for extending wishes to the Dalai Lama on his 87th birthday, stating that India should stop using Tibet-related issues to interfere in China’s internal affairs. The External Affairs Ministry had slammed China’s criticism and said that it has been a consistent policy of the government to treat the Dalai Lama as a guest in India.

    Meanwhile, India and China have been engaged in a standoff since April-May 2020 over the transgressions by the Chinese Army in multiple areas including the Finger area, Galwan Valley, Hot springs, and Kongrung Nala. The situation worsened after violent clashes with Chinese troops in Galwan Valley in June 2020.

    JAMMU: Tibetan spiritual leader the Dalai Lama on Friday said that India and China must solve the border dispute through talks and peaceful means.

    The remarks by the Dalai Lama come ahead of the 16th round of Corps Commander-level meetings between India and China, expected to start on July 17, in the backdrop of a stand-off between the two countries along the Line of Actual Control in the eastern Ladakh sector and the Galwan clashes of 2020.

    The 14th Dalai Lama on Friday left for Ladakh after a stopover in Jammu where he had arrived on Thursday from his base in Dharamshala.

    “India and China are both competitive nations and neighbours, sooner or later you have to solve this problem through talks and peaceful means. The use of military force is outdated,” the Dalai Lama told ANI.

    Earlier talking to reporters in Jammu yesterday, the 87-year-old spiritual leader said that the majority of people in China realize that he is not seeking independence within China but meaningful autonomy and preservation of Tibetan Buddhist culture.

    “Not Chinese people, but some Chinese hardliners consider me a separatist. Now, more and more Chinese are realising that Dalai Lama not seeking independence but within China meaningful autonomy and to preserve Tibetan Buddhist culture,” the Dalai Lama said.

    The Tibetan spiritual leader was responding to a question on China objecting to his visit to Ladakh.

    The Dalai Lama also said that more and more Chinese are showing interest in Tibetan Buddhism. “Some of the Chinese scholars have realized that Tibetan Buddhism is truly knowledge and tradition and a very scientific religion.”

    The Tibetan spiritual leader is on a two-day official visit to Jammu and Kashmir and the Union Territory Ladakh. This is the first official tour of the Dalai Lama outside his base in Dharamshala since the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020. The visit also marks his first visit to the region since the abrogation of Article 370 in Jammu and Kashmir.

    The spiritual leader’s trip is likely to irk China as Beijing had recently criticized Prime Minister Modi, for extending wishes to the Dalai Lama on his 87th birthday, stating that India should stop using Tibet-related issues to interfere in China’s internal affairs. The External Affairs Ministry had slammed China’s criticism and said that it has been a consistent policy of the government to treat the Dalai Lama as a guest in India.

    Meanwhile, India and China have been engaged in a standoff since April-May 2020 over the transgressions by the Chinese Army in multiple areas including the Finger area, Galwan Valley, Hot springs, and Kongrung Nala. The situation worsened after violent clashes with Chinese troops in Galwan Valley in June 2020.

  • Problems, disagreements best resolved through dialogue: Dalai Lama on Ukraine crisis

    By PTI

    DHARAMSHALA: Tibetan spiritual leader the Dalai Lama on Monday expressed anguish over the Ukraine crisis, and said that problems and disagreements are best resolved through dialogue.

    War is outdated and non-violence is the only way, the Nobel peace prize winner said on the Russian offensive in Ukraine.

    In a statement issued here, he said, “I have been deeply saddened by the conflict in Ukraine. Our world has become so interdependent that violent conflict between two countries inevitably impacts the rest of the word. War is outdated, non-violence is the only way. We need to develop a sense of the oneness of humanity by considering other human beings as brothers and sisters. This is how we will build a more peaceful world.”

    “Problems and disagreements are best resolved through dialogue. Genuine peace comes about through mutual understanding and respect for each other’s wellbeing,” the Dalai Lama said.

    Hoping that peace is swiftly restored in Ukraine, he said, “We must not lose hope. The 20th century was a century of war and bloodshed. The 21st century must be a century of dialogue.”

  • China has no right to interfere with reincarnation process of Dalai Lama: Tawang Monastery head lama

    Express News Service

    TAWANG: Debunking the Communist China’s endeavour to select the successor of the 14th Dalai Lama, the head lama of the important Tawang Monastery said that China has no right to meddle with the process as China does not believe in religion.

    Gyangbung Rinpoche, the Abbot (Head Lama) of the monastery during his interaction with a select group of journalists visiting Tawang Monastery, added that China is creating disputes along the Indian borders as it sees India as a challenge.

    “China which does not believe in religion, has no right to interfere in the religious affairs of ours. China is searching for the successor of 14th Dalai Lama for which only the Dalai Lama has the right. China is trying to politicise this issue and wants to destroy our religion. In this regard, we want India’s support along with other world powers. For this the support of the Indian government is very important,” Rinpoche said.

    Tawang Monastery is the second most important monastery for the Tibetans, after the Potala Palace in Lhasa, Tibet, as the 6th Dalai Lama was born in Tawang which China has been claiming as the portion of Tibet.

    The Tawang monastery is also known as Gaden Namgyal Lhatse in Tibetan meaning ‘celestial paradise in a clear night’ was founded by Merak Lama in 1680-1681 has its effect all over the world. China has adopted an incremental approach in increasing its influence over Tibet and the religious institutions there.

    Calling the Chinese approach not good for it and for the world, Rinpoche said, “The right to find the 15th Dalai Lama is with the Dalai Lama, Tibetan and Himalayan people.” The first Dalai Lama, who is considered as the living reincarnate of Buddha was born in 1391.

    The abbot praised India for its peaceful approach but said it may not work with China which wants to establish its supremacy. “China always tries to control the world, which is totally impossible in the 21st century. It wants to become the superpower in the world. To gain control in Asia, China sees India as a challenge so it wants to overpower India. This is the reason why it is creating unnecessary disputes in India’s Arunachal Pradesh, Ladakh and Himachal Pradesh,” he said.

    He also asked India to take stern steps as and when required in dealing with China. “It is good that India wants to stay with peace and tranquillity with the neighbouring country but at the same time it should also harden its approach in dealing with China in such a scenario,” he said.

    There is ensuing tension between India and China since it moved its troops along the Line of Actual Control in Eastern Ladakh in May 2020. “India is a peace-loving country and I appreciate this. Even after tensions, India always talks of peace and tranquility across the globe. It is good that India wants to stay with peace and tranquility with the neighbouring country but at the same time it should also harden its approach in dealing with China in such a scenario,” said Gyangbung Rinpoche.

    Currently the Tibetan Government in exile is based out of Dharamshala and 14th Dalai Lama who escaped from China is also living there.

    The Head Lama reiterated the old request of conferring the Dalai Lama with India’s highest award Bharat Ratna. “He has grown up in India and wherever in the world he visits he always talks of India’s character of peace, prosperity, culture and religious beliefs,’ he said.

    India has been the birthplace of Buddhism. Lama praised India for its work towards promoting Buddhism. In November-December, a world-level seminar will be held on Buddhism at Nalanda. “I am happy that the government is taking up several projects for Buddhism,” he said.

    India’s land borders or the LAC with China today are essentially those between India and Tibet. Besides a common border, parts of India share cultural linkages with Tibet.

    Until the escape of the Dalai Lama in 1959, there was extensive trade and people-to-people contact between Tibet. One of the most sacred sites for Hindus – Mount Kailash and Lake Manasarovar – are in Tibet.

  • Dalai Lama hails Nobel winning journalists for their courage

    By PTI

    DHARMSHALA: The Dalai Lama on Saturday hailed Nobel Peace Prize winners Maria Ressa and Dmitry Muratov, both journalists, for standing up to autocratic forces in their countries under challenging conditions.

    Ressa and Muratov were jointly awarded the Nobel Peace prize by the Sweden-based foundation on Friday.

    The Dalai Lama said he was happy to learn that this year’s prize had been given to the two journalists for their efforts to defend freedom of expression and freedom of the press in the Philippines and Russia.

    He said the Nobel Committee has honoured these two as representatives of journalists everywhere, who put themselves at risk in standing up for this ideal under challenging conditions.

    “Journalists have a key role to play in promoting human values and a sense of social and religious harmony,” he said, adding that he greatly admires the courage of both the journalists.

    “Freedom of expression and freedom of the press are crucial to our being able to promote harmony and friendship between nations, disarmament and a more peaceful world order,” the spiritual leader said.

    Ressa, a Filipino journalist, has been working for years to expose abuse of power and corruption in her country, especially under the current Duterte regime known for its brutal anti-drug crusade.

    In 2012, she founded Rappler, a digital media investigative portal, which she still heads.

    Muratov became one of the founders of Novaja Gazeta in 1993 and has been its editor since 1995.

    Over the years, Muratov has worked to expose corruption, police abuse, “troll factories”, unlawful arrests and electoral frauds in Russia.

  • India should share its ancient knowledge with the world: Dalai Lama

    By PTI

    DHARAMSHALA: The Dalai Lama on Thursday said India should share its ancient knowledge with the world and praised the country’s secular approach to treating all spiritual traditions with respect.

    “Although our world has changed a great deal since the time of Buddha, the essence of his teaching remains as relevant today as it was 2,500 years ago.

    Buddha’s advice stated simply is to avoid harming others and to help them whenever you can in whatever way possible,” he said in a statement released by his office on Thursday in Dharamshala.

    Indians were our gurus, but now the time has come for India to share its knowledge with the rest of the world, the Buddhist spiritual leader said.

    It will be necessary to present ancient Indian knowledge in a secular and academic way, the Nobel laureate said while praising the Indian tradition of respecting all spiritual traditions with respect.

    Connecting Buddhism with India, the Dalai Lama said, “When I first came to India, I reflected on the close links between this country and my home land, Tibet. As the Honourable Prime Minister (Narendra Modi) has said, India is the land of Buddha. The ultimate purpose of Buddhism is to serve and benefit humanity.”

  • In move likely to irk China, US Secretary of State Blinken meets Tibetan leader in Delhi

    Express News Service
    NEW DELHI: In a move that is likely to ruffle feathers in China, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken on Wednesday held a meeting with the Dalai Lama’s representative Ngodup Dongchung in the capital.

    The development was confirmed by the spokesperson of the Tibetan Government in Exile, also known as the Central Tibetan Administration, Tenzin Lekshay. “The two leaders met for around 10 minutes,” Lakshay said.

    The meeting is the second between US government officials and the CTA after the November visit of former head of the CTA Lobsang Sangay to the White House. It also comes days after Chinese President Xi Jinping made an unannounced visit to the region to review development projects. The last high profile meeting between the US and Tibet came in 2016 when the Dalai Lama visited Washington and metthen President Barack Obama.

    ALSO READ: Jaishankar and Blinken hold talks on wide-ranging issues

    Blinken’s Tibetan engagement continued after the Director of the Tibet House and the former interpreter of the Dalai Lama, Geshe Dorjee Damdul, were present at his meeting with civil society members. The Blinken-Dongchung meeting assumes significance as Washington has been consistently expressing concerns over human rights violations in Tibet and the Xinjiang region of China.

    Experts believe that Blinken’s meeting with leaders of the CTA will make it clear that the US is serious in engaging with Tibetan leaders and the office of the special coordinator for Tibetan issues was not a symbolic gesture by the Trump administration.

    “Blinken’s visit to Tibet House underscores the fact that the US is serious in engaging Tibetan leaders and international partners to address its concerns on issues pertaining to Tibet including human rights and religious freedom so that a meaningful dialogue is promoted between China and the Dalai Lama. This in essence has been defined as the purpose behind the establishment of such an office by the US State department,” Sinologist BR Deepak said.

  • Dalai Lama’s advisers, NSCN leaders listed as potential targets of Pegasus: Reports

    By PTI
    NEW DELHI: Top ring of advisers around the Dalai Lama and several leaders of the National Socialist Council of Nagalim (NSCN) are among those listed as potential targets of Israeli spyware Pegasus, an international media consortium reported on Thursday.

    In the continuing series of reports on revelations from the international collaborative journalistic investigation called the Pegasus Project, the Wire has reported that phone numbers of multiple people close to Dubai Princess Sheikha Latifa, who was captured by Indian soldiers in 2018, were added to a list of potential targets for surveillance.

    According to a report in The Guardian, the phone numbers of the top ring of advisers around the Dalai Lama are believed to have been selected as those of people of interest by government clients of NSO Group.

    “Analysis strongly indicates that the Indian government was selecting the potential targets. Other phone numbers apparently selected by Delhi were those of the president of the government-in-exile, Lobsang Sangay, staff in the office of another Buddhist spiritual leader, the Gyalwang Karmapa, and several other activists and clerics who are part of the exiled community in India,” it claimed.

    “Senior advisers to the Dalai Lama whose numbers appear in the data include Tempa Tsering, the spiritual leader’s long-time envoy to Delhi, and the senior aides Tenzin Taklha and Chhimey Rigzen, as well as Samdhong Rinpoche, the head of the trust that has been tasked with overseeing the selection of the Buddhist leader’s successor,” the report added.

    The Pegasus spyware was created by Israeli technology firm NSO.

    The government has dismissed the reports on the use of Pegasus software to snoop on Indians, saying the allegations levelled just ahead of the Monsoon session of Parliament are aimed at “maligning Indian democracy”.

    In a separate report by the Wire, the phone numbers of several top leaders of the National Socialist Council of Nagalim (Isak Muivah), NSCN (I-M) were added to a list of numbers of persons of interest believed to be generated by an Indian client of the Israeli spyware company.

    “In the aftermath of the August 2015 framework agreement, which is intended to resolve the six-decade-old Naga political issue, the NSCN (I-M) has been in talks with the Modi government to flesh out the details of a final settlement.

    Among the top leaders of the NSCN (I-M) whose phone numbers have been found in the leaked database are that of Atem Vashum, Apam Muivah, Anthony Shimray and Phunthing Shimrang.

    “The leaked records also shows that N.Kitovi Zhimomi, convenor of the Naga National Political Groups (NNPGs), with which the Modi government is also in parleys to find ‘one solution’ to the Naga issue since end 2017, was selected as a possible candidate for surveillance towards the end of 2017,” the Wire report said.

    In another report, the Wire said, after princess Sheikha Latifa fled Dubai – where her father, Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid al-Maktoum, is the ruler – her closest relatives and friends had their telephone numbers added to a list of potential targets of a military-grade spyware.

    “Latifa’s own number was added just before she fled but she had ditched her phone in Dubai before slipping across to Oman.

    While the UAE authorities had multiple methods of surveillance at their disposal, the analysis of a leaked database highlights how her escape seems to have coincided with the inclusion of several numbers related to Latifa appearing on a list of potential Pegasus targets,” the report said.

    The reports have been published by The Wire in collaboration with 16 other international publications including the Washington Post, The Guardian and Le Monde, as media partners to an investigation conducted by Paris-based media non-profit organisation Forbidden Stories and rights group Amnesty International.

    The investigation focuses on a leaked list of more than 50,000 phone numbers from across the world that are believed to have been the target of surveillance through Pegasus software of Israeli surveillance company NSO Group.

  • India has consistent policy to treat Dalai Lama as an honoured guest: MEA

    By PTI
    NEW DELHI: India has a consistent policy of treating the Dalai Lama as a respected religious leader and an honoured guest in the country, the Ministry of External Affairs said on Thursday.

    The assertion, in response to a question, came two days after Prime Minister Narendra Modi called up the Tibetan spiritual leader and greeted him on his 86th birthday.

    “It is the consistent policy of the government of India to treat his holiness the Dalai Lama as an honoured guest in India and as a respected religious leader who enjoys a large following in India,” MEA spokesperson Arindam Bagchi said at a media briefing.

    “His holiness’s birthday is celebrated by many of his followers in India and abroad,” he added.

    Bagchi was replying to a question on the Indian government wishing the Dalai Lama on his birthday.

    Prime Minister Modi on Tuesday said on Twitter that he spoke to the Tibetan spiritual leader and greeted him on his birthday in what was seen in some quarters as a subtle message to China amid strained ties between India and that country over the border standoff in eastern Ladakh.

    Several union ministers including Nitin Gadkari, Hardeep Singh Puri and Dharmendra Pradhan as well as chief ministers Pema Khandu (Arunachal Pradesh), Arvind Kejriwal (Delhi) and Prem Singh Tamang (Sikkim) were among those who also tweeted to convey their greetings to the Tibetan spiritual leader.

    The Dalai Lama while responding to the birthday greetings said in a virtual address he has taken “full advantage” of India’s freedom and religious harmony and is committed to reviving ancient Indian knowledge.

    The Tibetan leader also said he is committed to non-violence and compassion “until my death”.

    The 14th Dalai Lama has made India his home since fleeing China in 1959.

    The Chinese government officials and the Dalai Lama or his representatives have not met in formal negotiations since 2010.

    Beijing has in the past accused the Dalai Lama of indulging in “separatist” activities and trying to split Tibet and considers him as a divisive figure.

    However, the Tibetan spiritual leader has insisted that he is not seeking independence but “genuine autonomy for all Tibetans living in the three traditional provinces of Tibet” under the “Middle-Way approach”.

  • PM Modi wishing Dalai Lama a message for China: Tibetologist

    Express News Service
    BENGALURU: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday morning called the Dalai Lama and wished him on his 86th birthday. “It is the first time that an Indian Prime Minister phoned the Dalai Lama on his birthday. It’s a great message for China at a time of renewed tensions on the Line of Actual Control (LAC). It is a message for the Tibetans that India cares for the Dalai Lama and the Tibetan people,” said the well-known Tibetologist Claude Arpi.

    The Dalai Lama, in a video message posted on Facebook, thanked all his well-wishers. “I want to express my deep appreciation to all my friends, who showed me love, respect and trust. For myself, for the rest of my life, I am committed to serving humanity and protection of climate condition,” said the Dalai Lama.

    He added that since he became a “refugee and settled in India, I have fully utilized India’s freedom and religious harmony. I really appreciate India’s concept of secular values with honesty, karuna (compassion) and ahimsa (non-violence). I am committed to non-violence and compassion until my death. I hope all my human brothers and sisters will also keep non-violence and compassion till their death,” said the Nobel laureate and the highest spiritual leader of Tibet.

    Meanwhile, the Tibetans living in exile in Bengaluru and the five settlements in Karnataka on Tuesday celebrated the 86th birthday of His Holiness the Dalai Lama. Karnataka has the biggest Tibetan settlements in the world – at Bylakuppe and Hunsur in Mysuru district, Kollegal in Chamarajanagar district and Mundgod in Karwar district.

    “Every year we celebrate His Holiness’ birthday with group prayers, chanting of ‘Om Mani Padmi Hum’ – one of the most revered Buddhist mantras – a thousand times, cutting of cake, singing and dancing among other festivities. This year, because of the Covid restrictions, we had limited the festivities to smaller groups,” said the Chief Representative, South India, Central Tibetan Administration (in exile) Thupten Tsering.