Seems like the want the Dalai Lama back...

[jeremyg]

Here is an article that I found: (http://www.channelnewsasia.com/stories/afp_asiapacific/view/1186937/1/.html)

BEIJING: A mother of four died after setting herself on fire in a Tibetan-inhabited region of southwest China on Sunday, a rights group said, in the latest self-immolation to hit the country.

The death of Rinchen, 32, in Sichuan province's Aba town comes on the eve of the country's 10-day parliamentary session where growing social unrest across China is likely to be on the agenda.

Rinchen called for the return of Tibet's spiritual leader, the Dalai Lama, as she set herself alight near the restive Kirti monastery, London-based Free Tibet said in a statement.

AFP was unable to independently confirm the incident, and calls to local police and government officials in Aba went unanswered.

Rights groups say more than 20 people have set themselves on fire in Tibetan-inhabited areas of China over the past year, mostly in Sichuan, in protest at what is seen as repressive Chinese rule.

Authorities are particularly keen to avoid any protests during this year's parliamentary meeting -- the last under the current leadership before a major transition of power begins in the autumn -- which coincides with the sensitive anniversaries of the Dalai Lama's flight into exile in 1959 and of deadly riots in 2008.

China's top leader in Tibet has ordered increased controls over the Internet and mobile phones during the period, according to state media reports.

Tibetans have long chafed at China's rule over the vast Tibetan plateau, accusing Beijing of curbing religious freedoms and eroding their culture and language.

Tensions have increased markedly this year, and western parts of Sichuan -- which borders the Tibet autonomous region and has a large population of ethnic Tibetans -- have been hit by deadly bouts of unrest in recent months.

As a result, authorities have imposed virtual martial law in parts of the vast Tibetan-inhabited regions, increasing their surveillance of monasteries and cutting some phone and Internet communications.

China blames the Dalai Lama of inciting the self-immolations in a bid to split Tibet from the rest of the nation.

Many Tibetans who travelled to India in January with valid passports to attend the Dalai Lama's teachings have been detained on their return to China and made to undergo political re-education, rights groups say.

For me, this is overkill. I don't see a real reason to kill yourself for this reason. Especially since she was the mother of four. What i don't understand, is why they can't just be spiritual and practice what the Dalai Lama says. It's not like she needs the Dalai Lama to live comfortably. I understand that it is a protest, but I think it has gone a little too far, and now people are going to blame each other, and it doesn't help anything.

Let me know what you think, I am very interested to know. I'm sure positive change will have something to say haha!

[triesa]

Jeremyg, Positive Change will definitely say, it is such a waste of human precious life.....hahaha!

Obviously this mother of four wanted to bring out a strong message to the Chinese, that the Tibetans are living under extreme suppressive conditions under the Chinese rule,  the kind of living is almost equivalent to hell or death under this circumstances.

Then of course we will notice that she has 4 children, if she dies willingly just by sending this message of wanting Dalai Lama to come back, she is being irresponsible as who would take care of her children after she dies?

Remember in the other post, "An image so powerful"
http://www.dorjeshugden.com/forum/index.php?topic=1784.0
whereby the Vietnamese monks also killed himself by self immolation? He has no dependents, but this woman has , but killing oneself is killing....yet they both get their respective message across to the world.....

Does it justify one but not the other?

hmmmm.....this really got me thinking again....

[pgdharma]

Haha you got it right. Positive Change will say it is such a waste of human precious life. But then I will agree with him. This mother has four children who are dependent of her (as she is only 32 years so I guess her children are still pretty small)  as compared to the monk who has no dependents. Even though she wants to send a strong message I feel her action is wrong. Who is going to raise her children after her death? Besides that,  is her meditation and focus so stable like the Vietnamese monk who remained calm and composed when the fire engulfed him. How did she react? Was she in pain and suffering from the burn from the fire before she died? What was her last thought if she was in pain? Was it a positive or negative thought? If it's a negative thought, what would be her rebirth? To quote triesa,"the Tibetans are living under extreme suppressive conditions under the Chinese rule,  the kind of living is almost equivalent to hell or death under this circumstances. " What if her negative thoughts lead her to rebirth in hell or lower realms, wouldn't it be worse than the present condition of suppressive living?

[hope rainbow]

Positive Change will have to say that this is a waste of life.
For this I would probably agree.

In this world, there are realized beings that do things for others, whatever it is they do, from going to massage to setting oneself on fire.
We call this bodhicitta.

Then we also have beings that do things out of delusion, from going to massage to setting oneself on fire.
We call this ignorance.

I am not saying that the mother of 4 who died unfortunately is one or the other, I am not saying that (because I don't know).
In fact, my thoughts are with her right now, and with her mourning children. They must be in great pain right now, while we debate comfortably in front of our screen with the heating on. I think we should all dedicate our prayers to her and her children.
I think positive Change would agree with that.

[vajrastorm]

Yes, one's immediate reaction to this violent act- self immolation by a mother of 4 young children to make a strong and urgent plea for the return of HH Dalai Lama - is to criticize it as a foolish act, as Rinchen's four children will now be left motherless without anyone to look after them. I don't condone this act at all. However, I feel one has to check Rinchen's motivation. Would any mother with 4 children dependent on her just take her life knowing the consequences on her children, unless there was a very strong/higher/nobler cause or purpose which, to her, justified her act?

To her and many Tibetans back home in Chinese occupied Tibet, the return of their Spiritual Leader, whom they revere as 'God King'/ Bodhisattva Chenrezig, would mean the return to the state of high level of spirituality and stability they had known before. Now, Tibet is facing spiritual and cultural genocide.Rinchen, with a mind of childlike simplicity, just didn't know how to weigh and balance all factors to find a skillful middle way of action. That's all.

 

[hope rainbow]

To her and many Tibetans back home in Chinese occupied Tibet, the return of their Spiritual Leader, whom they revere as 'God King'/ Bodhisattva Chenrezig, would mean the return to the state of high level of spirituality and stability they had known before.

This is what I think: if the Dalai Lama was to return in Tibet, there is a possibility for more problems, eventually.
Why? Because once the Dalai Lama passes away (and I request here for Him to remain though), then what?
The "han" Chinese population in Tibet is MANY, and they have now been there for a very long time.
In many ways, they were not individually at fault, they also have families, they also have rights...
Who would "control" the Tibetan community in Tibet when the Dalai Lama is not there anymore?
How could violence be avoided? Even terrorism?
Sorry to say, but not all Tibetans are enlightened.... not all abide by principles of non-violence...

Read this press artilce:
http://www.dorjeshugden.com/forum/index.php?topic=1407.msg18110#msg18110

I come to think now that most probably, peace in Tibet, and freedom of religious practice will come from China and Tibet, not from the exiled Tibetan community.
In fact, I even think that The Dalai Lama has seen this many years ago already. HH has clairvoyance, I do not, but I can think logically.

If the Dalai Lama were to return and STAY in tibet, nationalisme would be revived, and would be very acute at the time of His Holiness' passing.
There are other options, better suited for the spread of spirituality in China and for peace, I think.