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When the Sky Fell to Earth - Crackdown on Buddhism in Tibethttp://www.savetibet.de/fileadmin/user_upload/content/berichte/112004ReligionReport.pdfSoon after the 1959 exodus of Tibetans, the Dalai Lama convened a meeting of the major Tibetan Buddhist teachers at his residence of Swag Ashram near Dharamsala.
This 1961 photo shows heads of the main schools of Tibetan Buddhism who fled to exile, as well as many other teaching lineage holders. If these individuals, who represent the living tradition of Tibetan Buddhism, had not fled to exile, they would likely have been imprisoned and suffered public humiliation, as endured by the likes of the 10th Panchen Lama and Mindroling Chung Rinpoche, both who remained in Tibet.
This meeting was part of the first steps the Dalai Lama took at divesting political power from the Gelug school and aristocratic families and the democratization of the Tibetan government in exile.
The front row of the photo [left to right] is Kyabje Dudjom Rinpoche, head of the Nyingma school; the 16th Gyawla Karmapa, head of the Karma Kagyu school; Kyabje Sakya Trinzin, head of the Sakya school, Tenzin Gyatso, the 14th Dalai Lama; Yong Dzin Ling Rinpoche, the senior tutor of the Dalai Lama and future head of the Gelug school; Trijiang Rinpoche, junior tutor to the Dalai Lama; and Bhakula Rinpoche of Ladakh, former minister in the Indian parliament and ambassador to Mongolia.
The second row includes Chogye Trichen Rinpoche, Dilgo Khyentse Rinpoche, Druk Tuktse Rinpoche, Drayap Kyapgon Rinpoche and Serkyong Rinpoche. Many other religious luminaries and abbots of significant monasteries in Tibet, as well as the Tibetan government in exile cabinet are also pictured.
