Sit on a chair before you read the following post which in on the Facebook wall of the Office of Tibet, Washington D.C. It was posted September 15, 2016. I've attached a screenshot in case it is deleted. The Head of the Office of Tibet, Washington D.C. is none other than the infamous Penpa Tsering, ex-Speaker of the Tibetan Parliament in Exile.
Paraphrasing His Holiness Dalai Lama,
it reads:
Office of Tibet - Washington, DC
September 15 ·
"Our history is more than 1000 years old and our religion and culture are profound. In Tibet today, even if people have a fire inside they are unable to even release the smoke. Therefore, it is up to those of us in free countries to make the situation in our homeland clear.
We’ve been in exile 57 years and it is crucial we keep our identity and culture alive not simply out of attachment, but because aspects of our culture can benefit the world. Due to the kindness of Songtsen Gampo and Trisong Detsen, with the help of Shantarakshita, the Buddhist traditions of Nalanda University were established in Tibet.
Among them the traditional logic and epistemology from India that is preserved nowhere else. Our tradition is distinguished by rigorous study and analysis, so while Buddhists in China, Japan and Vietnam recite the ‘Heart Sutra’ as we do, they have little appreciation of its actual meaning whereas we are readily able to explain it."
~ His Holiness the Dalai Lama
I've never felt so rotten before, nauseous. How low, how very low can politicians go in paraphrasing the Holy Words of His Holiness Dalai Lama, to take cheap shots at China, Japan and Vietnam all at once.
I dare say it is venomously political and done by politicians because the Facebook page is a page representing the Tibetan Government in Exile, not a page about the Dharma.
It is nauseating because in one stroke, it has made Tibetan Sangha out to be arrogant, pompous, smarter than thou and sectarian. I would be extremely ashamed if I were Tibetan Sangha and read this post. I wouldn't know where to hide my face. His Holiness wouldn't know where to hide his face and I think I know His Holiness well enough to believe so.
This is what happens when you allow politicians to play up religious issues which should only be the domain of the Sangha, Dorje Shugden included.
Do the Tibetans in exile a favor and spread this post to the Chinese, Japanese and Vietnamese Sangha and Buddhists. Let them respond to the CTA. Make the CTA answerable to their actions.
Two oracles and His Holiness have already lately admonished the CTA politicians for conducting a divisive and outright illegal elections. Now this.
I'm so ashamed, so, so ashamed.
