Who's the Real Leader?

[jessicajameson]

In the last 24 hours, there has been a wave of news on the Dalai Lama's response to 2 more Tibetans self-immolating themselves.

His Holiness the Dalai Lama said, "The development is very sad. The issue is very political," and "There are some who feel that the self-immolations have occurred all of a sudden. It is not so and is directly related to more than two decades of policies by local Chinese authorities," he said.

Looking through all the articles, not once is Lobsang Sangye mentioned. Where is he in all of this?? Isn't the Dalai Lama suppose to step out of the political arena?

Looks odd that the secular leader of Tibet isn't speaking on behalf of his people. It's like getting the Pope to talk about political matters rather than the Italian Prime Minister Mario Monti.

Since last month (March), I'm not too sure how well Dr Lobsang Sangye will represent Tibet. In an interview, Dr Lobsang Sangye answered to the question, “What is it like being a prime minister without a country?" with "Well… I can’t say for sure because, Tibetans, we never had a country.”

Oh dear. Or maybe it's part of his political game after all?

http://www.stol.it/Artikel/Politik-im-Ueberblick/Politik/Der-Dalai-Lama-wird-die-Stiegen-zum-Potala-Palast-hinaufsteigen-Video

http://www.voanews.com/english/news/asia/Dalai-Lamas-US-Visit-Draws-Attention-to-Tibet-Turmoil-147817915.html

http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/world/china/Two-Tibetans-set-themselves-on-fire-Report/articleshow/12809299.cms

http://www.dnaindia.com/india/report_dalai-lama-blames-beijing-for-self-immolations_1678927

[Positive Change]

Every great Punch and Judy show has a great puppeteer... I certainly hope this is not this cliché. Having said that, I do not believe HHDL is playing puppeteer but if Lobsang Sangay would just step up already, bite the bullet and fight for his people NOW.

It has been more than a year now... is CTA really going the way it should having taken the reigns so to speak? Do prove us wrong Dr Lobsang Sangay and be the REAL LEADER already!

[beggar]

Unfortunately, this is probably because the person most at the forefront of the Tibet Independence issue has been the Dalai Lama all these years. Unfortunately too, there have been no other leaders or individuals within the Tibetan community that have been able to "compete" or shine in the secular world, enough to be able to speak on behalf of the people.

This situation now, where the Prime Minister is not once quoted or interviewed about the situation, is telling of the state of the Tibetan community in exile. It's true, they don't have a country. The fact that their leadership is not even recognised is a reflection of what little results they have created in the last 50 years for their own community. Sadly, there has not been any secular development, for a community, people and exiled government so mired in their religious affairs that the most basic fundamental necessities and civil liberties of their people have been overlooked.

Apart from their religion, their contribution to worldly affairs has been near zero. They have no leaders, no personalities, no experts or pioneers in any field. From a political standpoint, why should any country pay heed to what they have to say now? Why should any other world leader or media ask their opinion? Let's not forget that speaking to the CTA (and representatives of), indicates an acknowledgement of their governing body, and of this administration as a legitimate, ruling body. At this time, no country would want to risk stepping on the toes of the mighty giants India or China.

Asking the Dalai Lama is perhaps "safer" then as he is already a recognised world figure. You can't go wrong with a nobel peace laureate. And it's a feel good factor - on the world stage, you can't bash down a spiritual leader. You could however, ignore the political ones where necessary.

[dsiluvu]

This sure is interesting to know that despite all that talk about HHDL retiring from political affairs and having a new leadership in politics... it sure sounds like nothing much has changed.

This is actually a window of opportunity for Dr. Lobsang Sangay to show that he can lead the Tibetans in to the new light of democracy, freedom and just. So far this is what he has to say... and when you read... you can't help to wonder... what about the Dorje Shugden cause, what about Tibetans oppressing Tibetans? If within you are fighting, how do you unite on the outside as one?


Source: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/01/25/lobsang-sangay-immolation-tibetan-buddhist-monks_n_1231954.html
Lobsang Sangay Discusses Self-Immolation Of Tibetan Buddhist Monks


By Vishal Arora
Religion News Service

DHARMSALA, India (RNS) At least three Tibetan Buddhist monks drank gasoline and set themselves ablaze in January, bringing the count of self-immolations to 15 since March 2011.

Lobsang Sangay, the prime minister of the Tibetan government-in-exile, attributes the deaths to restrictions being imposed by the Chinese government on traditional Tibetan practices.

The U.S. State Department has raised concerns over the self-immolations. However, Beijing, which regards Tibet as part of China, alleges that Tibetan exiles are encouraging the monastic community to take this extreme step, disregarding the Buddhist principle of non-violence.

Sangay, a former scholar from Harvard Law School and the political successor of the Dalai Lama, spoke about religious restrictions and self-immolation in Tibet. Some answers have been edited for length and clarity.

Q: Why are monks and nuns self-immolating in Tibet?

A: Repressive policies of China have pushed them to the brink of desperation. Members of the Communist Party of China dictate what monks and nuns should do, how they should pray, and who should be allowed into the monasteries.

Those who give up worldly life to join a monastery see their follow monks as their world, their family. When they see their associates being expelled because they refused to denounce His Holiness the Dalai Lama or to stamp on his photograph, hopelessness sinks in. When they think their sufferings are not being noted, they take such a desperate step.

Q: Does Buddhism allow self-immolation?

A: It's a complex issue. One could refer to Jataka tales, which concern the previous births of the Buddha. In one story, the Buddha, in a previous incarnation, gives up his body to feed a starving tigress and her four cubs. Some other stories also talk about self-sacrifice by the Buddha.

Although suicide is violent and prohibited in Buddhism, some Buddhists believe it depends on the motivation. If you do it out of hatred and anger, then it is negative. But if you do it for a pure cause ... it's such a complex theological issue. You can't go either way or have a definitive answer. But the action is tragic, so painful.

Q: Do you discourage monks setting themselves ablaze?

A: My stand on self immolation is the same as that of the Dalai Lama, who has always discouraged drastic actions by Tibetans. He does not even endorse hunger strikes.

Q: Can you stop the wave of self-immolations?

A: I am expected to do something about it, but it has been challenging, difficult and painful. As a human being, it is so difficult to hear someone dying for a cause. And as a Buddhist, it is even more painful.

I went to the United Stated and Europe to get statements of support so that I could send a message of hope to Tibet. I tried my best to get everything I did covered by the Tibetan media. And during my visit -- almost until the last leg of my trip -- self-immolations stopped. I thought I was able to pass on the message of hope. But when I was in London, I heard there was one more self-immolation. That dampened my mood. I cancelled all my appointments for that morning.

Q: Do you see a solution to the Tibet-China conflict in sight?

A: I do believe so. That's why I have left Harvard to be in India to lead the movement. The Tibetan struggle has to go on. Had I not moved to India, where I am living on about $300 a month, my life would have been normal and boring.

One Buddhist lesson I have learned is that one who is born has to die. That means what you do is what you leave behind. If you live for yourself, you won't make much difference. I, as a Buddhist, as a Tibetan, want to live for a cause greater than myself and my life.

[harrynephew]

Seriously I think the situation is getting a bit out of hand right now. Regardless who stands in the front or who is supporting from the back, we have MONKS, PEACE LOVING PEOPLE who self-immolate. I think this is the worse event which is striking the Tibetan society these days.

How can we have Buddhist priests who are coined to pray for world peace daily but do not portray any form of peace in their livelihood? Self immolation is definitely nothing close to being peaceful!

I have personally been waiting for HHDL to speak up against this issue. It is breaching the points of the Vinaya, laid down by none other than the Buddha himself! How can a spiritual leader let monks of his own order die because of a secular cause?

It does not make any sense to me what has been said.

The statement made by Dr Lobsang is rather unappetizing, it shows clearly that he, as a Tibetan, is disillusioned with the cause of Tibet. What's more embarrassing is that he's the secular leader.......

As I've said, its better for Tibetans to preserve what's truly theirs - Buddhism than a country lost in the hands of a powerful country

[DharmaDefender]

I think theyve forgotten that their vows forbid them to take any life, including their own.

A little sad that self-immolations have become a non-violent symbol of protest, when its extremely violent - if you wont burn animal flesh, why burn your own? Yeah sure, act of desperation but look douchebag... burn yourself and thats one less Tibetan the Chinese have got to worry about.

The Tibetans always strike me as a passionate lot who act on impulse, ready to jump at a moments notice with whatever their government tells them is best. And I suppose the CTA have always played on this to keep the ban going... well CTA, you know what Hitler said? What luck for rulers that men dont think, and youve got 6 million people in your hands who clearly have rejected rational thought in favour of blind faith.

[shugdenpromoter]

Reading this post reaffirms what I have felt for along time. Tibetans in general are really sheltered and shallow. On top of this, most of the officials are for themselves thus they never progress.

Look, their greatest asset for them are the High Reknown Lamas like HH, Trijang Rinpoche, Geshe Kelsang Gyatso, Pabongka Rinpoche, Gangchen Rinnpoche and etc. Instead of promoting them and SUPPORTING them, they turn against them because of the Shugden issue (I have heard a lot of Tibetan officials are still practicing them quietly. Some even have their prayers/pujas done in Shugden monasteries) Look, the old protector house in Shar Gaden now has a list of sponsor on their wall from Dharmsala, these are Tibetan officials so who are they trying to fool.

My point here is that these great lamas are doing very well spreading TIBETAN Buddhism on their own without their ex government support. Look at what Geshe Kelsang Gyatso has achieved and what about Gangchen Rinpoche with his status with United Nation. If CTA could only back down and restrategies themselves,  they could still be around in the future. At this point, after HHis no longer with us (with respect) CTA will just go downhill.

Well, the current prime minister has a lot to prove, so far no results yet and the world is watching.

[Barzin]

It is sad when you allow a monk to talk about politics and finances.  In Tibetan tradition, they should know better a monk should be doing what he suppose to do, teach dharma and benefit sentient beings.  Not allowing the monks to fight, put another party down, and get politically involved.  It is definitely the job of the Prime Minister, in this case Lobsang Sangay.  It is true that we haven't heard much about him, what is he up to?  I am eager to know?  Perhaps hiding in the office counting hate mails?  How could he allow His Holiness to step up again to speak for his own people?  It is just perfect for His Holiness to step out of politics and do what he gotta do - Spread dharma.  And the Prime Minister should buck up and stand up for the people already.  Tibet has such beautiful culture, what makes Tibet is the world recognized peace, spirituality and Buddhism.  So many scholars and well established high lamas are originated from Tibet.  Not to even mention His Holiness is a public figure who is well respected and loved.  I just don't understand why the TIbetans don't work with what they have already and stop promoting petty issues and move on already. 

[vajratruth]

The purpose if having a leader is to lead and champion a Cause, but what is the real Tibet Cause today?

The Dalai Lama has in fact given up on a fully independent Tibetan rule and his resignation from political involvement means that whatever is left of the Tibetan Cause now no longer has a champion who can command international acceptance and respect.

The Kalon Tripa does not seem to have any real and innovative approach that he can engage the Chinese Government in.

The only export of Tibet recognized by the world is Buddhism and that has flourished very well without having a geographical location on the world map. Tibet has no Cause any more and in reality the CTA is defunct.

It is a pity that the CTA failed to see that its most important value lies in its spirituality and not so much in its culture. Should the CTA have made the preservation of Buddhism as their real cause, they would have found many strong allies in the world including China. But it would have made the CTA look very idiotic to have the spread of the Buddha's teachings as its main Cause, while imposing an equally idiotic ban on Dorje Shugden, the King Of Protectors of the Buddha's teachings.

Tibet has a lost cause and that does not require any leadership.

[Ensapa]

Getting HHDL to speak instead of the Kalon Tripa is a very shameful thing to do because these matters should have been spoken by the CTA instead of HHDL. What is interesting to note is that while CTA has an encouraging ring to the event, HHDL condemms the action as something shameful and politically motivated and blames the Chinese government for the attacks. Why the inconsistency?

Here, there are stark differences between HHDL's view and the CTA's view of things. Perhaps this is what HHDL wants to happen? A separation between church and state since that is the way to go for this time and age as there are many countries who adopt this stance and they run perfectly fine with little or no problems with the administration or with religion in general.

CTA should really get its priorities right now: to protect the culture of Tibet and ignore the ban, and grow in more ways than one or follow the old way of doing things which has been proven to be ineffective and problematic for everyone and has brought more harm than good for everyone. Tibetans should be given the freedom of whether or not they want to practice Dorje Shugden and still receive the benefits of every Tibetan citizen.

Perhaps, it is good that HHDL steps down, as it will teach the CTA on how to negotiate with the chinese more effectively as they can no longer hide behind HHDL's robe and leave the responsibilities to him while they do more things to undo the very cause that they are trying to fight for. They should never have gone that way in the first place but they did, so now they need to learn on how to stand up on their own two feet and learn how to deal with real issues without HHDLs help.

[samayakeeper]

When some articles written against Dorje Shugden were temporary removed fro the CTA website recently, some people wrote in giving positive comments that the new PM is somewhat, in a good way, instrumental for it. But no, all was short lived. Guess he is just a figure with strings attached to somebody's apron.

Now when he is given the opportunity to talk and act, he allowed somebody else to over shadow him. What more is there to say about this man?

[vajrastorm]

The interview of the new Kalon Tripa, Dr Losang Sangye, in regard to the recent self -immolation of several Tibetan Buddhist monks, shows him to be a leader living in the shadows of the Dalai Lama. This is rather disappointing, to say the least,  for someone on whom such high expectations have been placed.

When he describes this self-immolation as a "complex theological issue" and goes on to compare it to Buddha Shakyamuni throwing himself to a lioness and her cubs to stave off their hunger and to prevent the mother from eating her young(such a supreme act of compassion), it really made me wonder how he could politicize a noble act of Lord Buddha and cut it down to a mere act of suicide and place it on the same level as these acts of immolation.

On the one hand, he echoes HH the Dalai Lama in not supporting acts of violence. Yet, on the other, he appears to me to be supportive of acts of self-sacrifice for a political cause. There is no strong tone of a leader who  should strongly discourage all inflammatory acts of violence including self-immolation. Now that the Chinese have come down hard on Tibetan religious practices in the wake of the series of self-immolations of Tibetan monks, one wonders if the Kalon Tripa has been anything but an effective leader in handling this crisis.     








   

[Ensapa]

The interview of the new Kalon Tripa, Dr Losang Sangye, in regard to the recent self -immolation of several Tibetan Buddhist monks, shows him to be a leader living in the shadows of the Dalai Lama. This is rather disappointing, to say the least,  for someone on whom such high expectations have been placed.

When he describes this self-immolation as a "complex theological issue" and goes on to compare it to Buddha Shakyamuni throwing himself to a lioness and her cubs to stave off their hunger and to prevent the mother from eating her young(such a supreme act of compassion), it really made me wonder how he could politicize a noble act of Lord Buddha and cut it down to a mere act of suicide and place it on the same level as these acts of immolation.

On the one hand, he echoes HH the Dalai Lama in not supporting acts of violence. Yet, on the other, he appears to me to be supportive of acts of self-sacrifice for a political cause. There is no strong tone of a leader who  should strongly discourage all inflammatory acts of violence including self-immolation. Now that the Chinese have come down hard on Tibetan religious practices in the wake of the series of self-immolations of Tibetan monks, one wonders if the Kalon Tripa has been anything but an effective leader in handling this crisis.     








 

Kalon Tripa should not have even brought up Buddhism when talking about this issue as it is irrelevant. A political issue should remain strictly as a political issue, not mixed or tinted with religious views. It does not make sense to drag Buddhism into this, and try to justify the self immolations as a noble act in the name of Buddhism when the rest of the world knows that it is a negative action.

it is pretty obvious that the Kalon Tripa is not confident of his own leadership of tibet, and neither is he confident of his own opinions as he seems to only be a puppet who follows directions from either the Dalai Lama or from his own ministers who are already incompetent and have a long history of blunders. I think the Kalon Tripa should just stand up and do and say what is right instead of trying to justify what is wrong.

When everyone else can see that the action of self immolation is nothing but glorified suicide, it is extremely stupid to try to use Buddhism to try to justify the action as something noble and that the death was for the bigger benefit. No matter how one wants to see it, it is just not something noble or Buddhist and to justify it with a "Buddhist" reason does not really make sense, people can still see through.

It is also pretty amusing to see the kalon tripa changing his statement to align with HHDL's views, when clearly he was encouraging the immolations in a passive way by saying that their sacrifice will not be in vain (um, its not really a sacrifice because it did not benefit anyone) which would probably incite even more self immolations. Cmon take a stand lobsang sangay! stop hiding behind HHDL's robes if you want to be a good leader!

[pgdharma]

Any political matters must be handled by the Prime Minister, Lobsang Sangay and not be HHDL.  HHDL has already resigned from political involvement and it is the duty of the Prime Minister to speak up on the self-immolation of the two monks. But what has he done? In the interview he mentioned that he is expected to do something but he finds it challenging, difficult and painful. How can a leader be so weak and his mood easily dampened when he heard of the self-immolation? It is such a shame that the Prime Minister can't stand up for his people.
 

[DSFriend]

Looking through all the articles, not once is Lobsang Sangye mentioned. Where is he in all of this?? Isn't the Dalai Lama suppose to step out of the political arena?

Goes to show who is still in power.. Power and influence cannot be contained in Titles/Designations. But I wonder who the Tibetans are allowing themselves to be influenced, HHDL or Lobsang Sangye and WHY? Is it out of their deeply, rooted loyalty and devotion to HHDL as their spiritual head who is the highest authority in their believe system. Does this mean that though Lobsang Sangye is in position, he will not fully be able to carry out his function as Prime Minister until the passing of HHDL...?