The Dalai Lama will return to Tibet one day, a close aide predicts
The Venerable Samdhong Rinpoche, represented the Dalai Lama at the recent inter-religious meeting in Assisi convened by Pope Benedict XVI
GERARD 0'CONNELL
ROME
A close associate of the Dalai Lama, Lobsang Tenzin was born in eastern Tibet in 1939, but at the age of 5 was recognized, according to the Tibetan Buddhist tradition, as the reincarnation of the 4th Samdhong Rinpoche and given that title by which he is now known. Two years later he took his vows as a monk. He went into exile with the Dalai Lama in 1959 after the Chinese occupied Tibet, and now lives with him at Dharamshala, India.
Samdhong Rinpoche was elected as the first Prime Minister of the Central Tibetan Administration (The Tibetan Government-in-exile) in 2001, and held that post until April 2011. In this role he travelled widely to gain support for the Tibetan cause and to explain the Dalai Lama’s proposals for a negotiated settlement with China on the question of autonomy for Tibet.
A leading Tibetan scholar of Buddhism, he is also an authority on the teachings of Mahatma Gandhi.
In this interview, which he gave me October 28, he talks about the Assisi meeting, the dramatic situation in Tibet, the self-immolation of the monks there in protest against Chinese repression, and his conviction that an amicable solution can be found with China on Tibetan autonomy, and that the Dalai Lama will return home one day.
What has this Assisi meeting meant to you, how do you rate it?
It was wonderful! A number of different religious practitioners and religious leaders came together at one platform, prayed together, interacted with the public, and recommitted themselves to peace and non-violence, which is the need of the hour. This was a very appropriate initiative taken by His Holiness, Pope Benedict. After the first initiative in 1986, which was then very new and innovative, it is now continued and reinforced. I think everybody felt this is very useful.
The Dalai Lama was at the 1986 meeting, but could not come this time. Why?
A. His Holiness, the Dalai Lama, was invited this time too and very much wished to come because he has a very fond memory of 1986, but the invitation arrived a bit late and by then he was already committed to going to Japan, so he asked me to represent him.
You, of course, have played a very important role in your country’s history. What has it meant to you that the Vatican and the Pope have invited the religious representatives of the Tibetan people here?
That is very considerate of the Pope in spite of possible retaliation from some people in China. He chose to receive His Holiness, the Dalai Lama, and his predecessors chose to meet His Holiness too and to invite him in 1986. The Vatican has a very sympathetic attitude, and a very supportive attitude for the Tibetan cause and for the Tibetan people and, therefore, this time also they invited His Holiness, the Dalai Lama. So I think this is a real gesture of inter-faith harmonious relations.
You told me earlier that you see the Vatican’s invitation as a sign of sympathy for the situation of your country where young monks have recently set themselves on fire in protest at the intolerable Chinese repression there.
A. Yes. Actually the situation inside Tibet is worsening year by year. Since 2008, there have been repressive measures – very much the worst, and now it is almost impossible to live under these repressive measures, particularly for the monks and nuns. The freedom of religion has been grossly violated and so, greatly dispirited, they are now doing self-immolation. Since last March, nine young people have self-immolated: six monks and three lay people, including one nun. The oldest was in his early 30s, the youngest 17. It shows that the younger generations are no longer able to tolerate the repressive measures, the torture and the injustice. But since they are committed to non-violence, they do not resort to violent resistance against another person; they are just self-suffering and self-immolating to show their resentment and their dissatisfaction.
I hope the peace-loving international community is very sympathetic to us, but the political setups are not very helpful. In spite of all this injustice there is not much opposition from the political setups. We are not disappointed, however, because we believe the truth will prevail, sooner or later, and the Tibet issue will be resolved amicably.
Are these young people who immolated themselves considered as martyrs in the Buddhist tradition?
A. In the Buddhist tradition it may not be recommended, it is a kind of suicide. Giving up one’s own life may not be appreciated. But in the given situation there is no way out, so their sacrifice may not be going to waste, it will bring results sooner or later. People honor it because they see this as the ultimate sign of these young people’s love for their country, for their culture and for His Holiness, the Dalai Lama. All nine who have self-immolated made two demands: The Dalai Lama must come back to Tibet, and Tibet must have religious freedom.
Do you foresee the Dalai Lama returning to Tibet one day, and Tibet gaining its freedom again?
Yes, yes! It may take a long time. But if you look to India, you see that as a country India was living under foreign occupation for 400 years, and we (in Tibet) for only 60 years now. In a country’s history, 100 years is not a very long period. So have the confidence that we will be able to go back.
Are you not afraid that the culture of your country will be obliterated before then?
The culture genocide has been taking place inside Tibet, but the Tibetan culture is still alive, particularly in the diaspora, under the leadership of His Holiness, the Dalai Lama, and various religious Heads of the Tibetan tradition. So the culture is very much alive, and is now spread all over the world, so it is not possible that the Tibetan culture will disappear.
Were you happy to see two monks from mainland China at the Assisi meeting?
Of course, of course. At least they could come out, and were able to join with free religious leaders so they could see how the outside the world, at least the Western world, has freedom of conscience and freedom of speech. It is important for them to have this experience. For a long time there were repressive measures on religion (in mainland China), but now people once again are having a thirst for religion, for spirituality, so there is a lot of religious revival there. Moreover, lots of Chinese Buddhist monks come to India on pilgrimage, and we meet them. In China, before Communism came, the majority was Buddhist, and the other religions were a minority, but I don’t know the situation so well today.
My last question is about the Panchen Lama, Gedhun Choekyi Nyima, (the second highest Lama after the Dalai Lama) who was taken away by the Chinese authorities on 17 May 1995, at the age of six, and has not been seen in public since. Are you still looking for him? Do you know where he is?
There are doubts whether he is alive or not. Many people believe he is still alive. We are looking for him, yes. Even if he is in prison, he still is a Buddhist leader.
