The 11th Panchen Lama’s Kalacakra Initiation: The Beginning of the End for the CTA

H.H. the 11th Panchen Lama

The Dalai Lama is easily one of the most recognized personalities in the world today. This is in part due to the plight of the Tibetan people after the Tibetan exodus of 1959, and in part due to the popular albeit incorrect view that the Dalai Lama is the most ‘attained’ and qualified Buddhist in the world. The Dalai Lama has been riding on the crest of his stardom as the most visible victim and refugee for decades. And this, coupled with his usefulness as India and the Western powers’ most effective thorn in the side of a rising China who threatens the global balance of power, has meant that the Dalai Lama has been left unfettered for over half a century.

Emboldened by the passivity of the nations of the world intoxicated by his charm, and empowered by his cult status, the Dalai Lama has progressively decimated the nation of the Tibetan people via a series of moves calculated to divide and subdue the only people who can puncture the Dalai Lama myth, the Tibetan people themselves led by the spiritual leaders of the various Tibetan Buddhist sects. We see how the Dalai Lama successfully split the Tibetan people via introducing confusion and schism into the community – the two Karmapas, the Dorje Shugden ban, the definition and direction of the ‘Tibetan Cause’ – rangzen or umaylam, and last but not least, by engaging in political gamesmanship with China, using the recognition of the 11th Panchen Lama as a gambit. Next to the Dalai Lama, the Panchen Lama is regarded as the highest Tibetan lama in terms of status although they rank equally in terms of spiritual importance.

 

The Panchen Lama

The 10th Panchen Lama had been a very important figure in Sino-Tibetan history and when the Dalai Lama escaped to India in 1959, it was the 10th Panchen Lama who chose to remain in China to represent the Tibetan people, protect the Tibetan culture and act as an intermediary between the Tibetan people and their new overlords, the government of Mao Zedong. Initially seen as a traitor, he eventually won the hearts and trust of the Tibetan people by his defiance of Chinese government policies that he deemed to be unfair towards the Tibetans. And when the 10th Panchen Lama openly voiced his opposition to the harsh treatment of the Tibetan people by Mao’s army, he was incarcerated.

The 10th Panchen Lama (left) and the 14th Dalai Lama (right)

When the 10th Panchen Lama passed away, both China and the Dalai Lama hastened to claim the right to find his reincarnation. For China, finding and enthroning the next Panchen Lama would mean getting a handle on the control that steers the Tibetan psyche. For the Dalai Lama, it would mean denying China any legitimate opportunity to shape Tibetan thoughts and actions. Critics say that both intended to use religion as a political tool. When the Dalai Lama’s chosen candidate disappeared mysteriously, China recognized and enthroned a six-year-old boy, Gyaincain Norbu, who became Bainqen Erdini Qoigyijabu, the 11th Panchen Lama.

If anyone could rival the 14th Dalai Lama’s deistic hegemony, it would be the 11th Panchen Lama as both have long been regarded as equals in terms of religious authority and this, and not political weight, is what moves the Tibetan people and adherents of Tibetan Buddhism. And so from Dharamsala, word quickly spread that the ‘Chinese Panchen Lama’ was a fake reincarnation and no more than a puppet of the Chinese government.

However, many who understand the divine nature of a Buddha’s mind or ‘life force’ (the Panchen Lama is long regarded as an emanation of the Buddha Amitabha) argue that no worldly maneuvers can outwit the passage of an enlightened being returning to resume his sacred work to lead all sentient beings out of suffering. In addition a high lama of the 10th Panchen Lama’s caliber can manifest concurrent Body, Speech, Mind, Activity and Quality emanations.

Nevertheless, for over 20 years, the new Panchen Lama remained relatively low-key as the Dalai Lama continued to lord over the Tibetan Buddhist domain with his every word taken as secular law and celestial mandate. And in that time, the world turned a blind eye to the Dalai Lama’s tyranny that included the forced division of the Karma Kagyu sect, inciting violence to undermine events of religious leaders the Dalai Lama does not approve of, and unilaterally declaring the deity of a group of Buddhists the Dalai Lama opposes, to be a demon and its worshippers, outcasts who are to be denied even the most basic human rights.

However, a recent event in Tibet indicates that change is underway and that perhaps the reign of the 14th Dalai Lama is coming to an end.

 

The Rise of the 11th Panchen Lama

The Kalacakra Tantra, meaning the ‘Wheel of Time’ belongs to the highest yoga tantra and like all Tantras, is an esoteric practice given to only the most qualified practitioners. However, a unique feature of the Kalacakra Tantra is the geo-location of its mystical pure realm known as Shambala, which is believed to be on the planet Earth. By that virtue, the Kalacakra is believed to be a particularly efficacious practice that allows denizens of our planet to enter the mystical pure land of Shambala, and hence its popularity, usually drawing tens to hundreds of thousands of initiates.

The 11th Panchen Lama arrives to commence the four-day Kalacakra event, the first in 60 years in China

News media reported that hundreds of thousands of Tibetans received the Kalacakra initiation from the 11th Panchen Lama

Kalacakra initiations and teachings also happen to be the Buddhist event the 14th Dalai Lama is especially known for. And whether by design or not, the masses drawn to the Dalai Lama’s Kalacakra initiations become bound by oath to obey the Dalai Lama and by default support his views and agendas.

And so, when it was announced that the 11th Panchen Lama would be conducting a Kalacakra initiation in his summer palace, Dechen Kelsang Phodrang, in Shigatse within the Tibet Autonomous Region (TAR), it became clear that the Dalai Lama and his supporters saw what was in fact a victory for the Dharma, to be a matter of concern instead.

After weeks of preparation, the event commenced on 21 July 2016, a historic day since the last Kalacakra initiation conducted in China was 60 years ago, ironically by the 14th Dalai Lama before his escape to India. The success of the Panchen Lama’s Kalacakra event cannot be understated and various media reported that the four-day occasion drew crowds of over 100,000 each day. Many braved long journeys to Shigatse to be present. In addition, many high lamas such as Nyetru Rinpoche, the young incarnation of the illustrious Denma Gonsa Rinpoche, and prominent lamas such as Lama Jampa Ngodup were in attendance.

 

A Problem for the Dalai Lama and CTA

If ever there was a need for evidence to show that the Dalai Lama’s government is more interested in personal gain than the welfare of the Tibetan people, then such evidence can be clearly seen in the way Dharamasala responded to this joyful affair.

Phayul.com, the CTA’s mouthpiece reported a few days before the event that:

The Chinese appointed Panchen Lama Gyaltsen Norbu regarded as the ‘fake Panchen’ by most Tibetans is set to give the foremost Buddhist teaching, the Kalachakra initiation or the ‘wheel of time’ teachings next week in Tashi Lhunpo monastery, the seat of the Panchen Lamas in Shigatse, Tibet.

And on the first day of the Panchen Lama’s Kalacakra initiation, Phayul.com reported:

The Tibetan Women Association, Students for a Free Tibet, Gu Chu Sum Movement and the National Democratic Party of Tibet (NDPT) today organized a ‘scarf offering ceremony’ near Tsuglakahang Temple, to a portrait of the Panchen Lama Gendun Choekyi Nyima recognized by the Dalai Lama.

Supporters of the CTA offering khatas to the empty throne of the Dalai Lama’s candidate for the seat of the Panchen Lama

Instead of rejoicing that hundreds of thousands of Tibetans would be blessed by this rare and highly propitious ritual, the CTA chose to turn it into an opportunity to slander the Panchen Lama. The CTA would rather Tibetans who have been refugees for over half a century and no closer to having legitimate citizenship anywhere, make offerings to an empty throne, than to rejoice in the good fortune of hundreds of thousands of their countrymen attending this Panchen Lama’s event.

Dharamsala regards the Panchen Lama as a ‘fake’ but completely disregards the fact that the person who is the 11th Panchen Lama is also a monk, trained and qualified to give the very beneficial Kalacakra initiation. Clearly the CTA labels a lama good or bad depending on whether or not the lama toes the CTA’s political line, not by the lama’s individual qualities and spiritual attainments. This is patently wrong. Just because a lama does not vigorously agree with the CTA and the Dalai Lama’s politics does not disqualify him as a competent, practiced and attained monk and neither does it negate the blessings and power of Kalacakra. Neither the Dalai Lama nor the CTA can claim ownership of the Kalacakra initiation or indeed any part of the Dharma and neither can they insist on monopolizing any Buddhist rituals.

The fact that Dharamsala even attempted to, presumably under the instructions of the Dalai Lama, if not with his consent (seeing that nothing happens without the Dalai Lama’s approval) is a clear indication of their priorities and lack of sincere Buddhist values.

Moreover, it is a well-known belief that a fake or falsely recognized incarnation of a high lama will not posses the merits to occupy the high seat for long. He will simply not have the force and karmic puissance to hold that high position. And yet, we see the 11th Panchen Lama growing in relevance and activity and displaying the demeanor of an enlightened being.

Neither can it be said that only Kalacakra initiations given by the Dalai Lama are potent. The line of Dalai Lamas as well as Panchen Lamas have historically been intimately involved in this tantra. Both have written important commentaries on Kalacakra and both are associated with various kings of Shambala, the pure realm of Kalacakra. Therefore, initiations given by the Panchen Lama are every bit as potent as those of the Dalai Lama.

The Dalai Lama and CTA have also implied that the event is a manufactured gambit by the Chinese government to assert authority in Tibetan Buddhist matters, and that the sponsors of the Panchen Lama’s Kalacakra initiation do not have pure intentions.

However, the very same accusations can be levied at the Dalai Lama prolifically giving Kalacakra initiations (33 up until 2014, which is a lot more initiations than any other lamas have given in the past). A key aspect of the ritual is the initiate visualizing his or her rebirth as the child of the lama performing the initiation, or belonging to a sacred community with the lama as the central focus. Therefore it can also be said that in conducting as many Kalacakra rituals as the Dalai Lama has, he maintains his symbolic dominance over the people, very much in the same way the feudal lords of old Tibet did. In addition, how do we know what motivations all the Dalai Lama’s sponsors had?

The way the CTA attacks the Panchen Lama’s Kalacakra initiation is strange and incongruous when we try to see it from an assumption that it is the government of Avalokiteshvara. However, if we were to shift our assumption and view the CTA as nothing more than a corrupt and incompetent administration that hides behind the veil of the Dalai Lama’s supposed divinity, it all makes sense.

 

The Undoing of the Dalai Lama’s Government

The rise of the 11th Panchen Lama is a bane to the Dalai Lama’s coterie for a number of reasons:

  1. It is evidence that contrary to the CTA’s well-oiled propaganda machinery, China is not opposed to Buddhism and in fact carefully promotes it. China has always been firm that it does not oppose Tibetan Buddhism but it is the Dalai Lama’s splittist objectives and activities that often hijack Buddhist apparatus for its political purposes.At no point during the four-day Kalacakra initiation did the Panchen Lama or any Chinese official indulge in anti-Dalai Lama rhetoric or political agenda. On the other hand, it is common for the Dalai Lama to use teachings and sacred events to attack those whom he has decided to be enemies with, such as Dorje Shugden practitioners.
     
  2. Neither do we see the supposedly ‘bigoted’ Chinese government impose conditions on anyone attending the Panchen Lama’s event. This is in stark contrast to the way the Dalai Lama’s camp forbids practitioners of Dorje Shugden to attend the Dalai Lama’s teachings and other spiritual events intended to liberate all beings;
     
  3. It is also clear that since his official installation in 1995, the 11th Panchen Lama has progressively gained the trust and devotion of the Tibetan people. The number of Tibetans who travelled great distances and withstood days of rain and cold to see and receive blessings from him means that the Panchen Lama has gained acceptance as the Dalai Lama’s significance to Tibetans in the Autonomous Region begins to wane. Over time, the young Panchen Lama’s popularity will only increase, as the aging and ailing Dalai Lama becomes a fading memory;
     
  4. As the Panchen Lama’s activities grow, so does the number of his disciples and this is precisely what the Dalai Lama does not wish to see. Those who regard the Panchen Lama as their guru will surely oppose the Dalai Lama’s attacks on the Panchen Lama, on China and on worshippers of the Dharma Protector Dorje Shugden, seeing that the line of Panchen Lamas have always believed in Dorje Shugden. It was after all the 4th Panchen Lama Losang Chokyi Gyaltsen who recognized Tulku Drakpa Gyaltsen (from whom Dorje Shugden arose), as Manjushri. To the Dalai Lama, this represents a drastic weakening of his use of religion as a political tool;
     
  5. The Panchen Lama’s ascendancy is also seen as a problem for the CTA and the Dalai Lama. They have openly declared this Panchen Lama to be an impostor. And yet as this Panchen Lama gains popularity and the acceptance of the Tibetan people, the Dalai Lama may have to recant his accusations or lose the support of the Tibetan people, which he cannot afford to do. It would not be the first time the present Dalai Lama would go back on his decision, based on his supposed omniscience, as the Dalai Lama’s camp would have you believe.

A similar situation occurred with the 10th Panchen Lama. The 14th Dalai Lama had initially rejected the boy known as Gompo Tseten as the rightful incarnation of the 9th Panchen Lama. Instead the 14th Dalai Lama recognized another candidate as the 10th Panchen Lama. However, Gompo Tseten had the support first of the Kuomintang and later the Chinese Communist Party. The 14th Dalai Lama, concerned that the newly legitimized 10th Panchen Lama might, with the support of China claim secular and religious control over Tibet, decided to quickly recognize the Chinese-endorsed 10th Panchen Lama. The Dalai Lama’s first choice of the 10th Panchen Lama was unceremoniously relegated to the position of ‘Panchen Otrul’ or merely an emanation of the Panchen Lama.

So, we see that the Dalai Lama has been proven to be quick to change his mind on whom he deems to be the ‘right’ incarnation of a high lama, depending on which way the political winds blow. As it turned out, the 10th Panchen Lama whom the Dalai Lama initially denied performed tremendous deeds for the Tibetan people as well as the religion that left no doubts in anyone’s mind that he was an enlightened being;

The Dalai Lama’s persecutions of Shugden worshippers spread worldwide as monks and nuns, left with no other choice, took to the streets to protest the Dalai Lama’s religious ban

Tibetan lamas asking the Dalai Lama not to deny them their right to practice their beliefs. The world turns a blind eye.

The Dalai Lama and CTA’s days of unchecked abuse of power, corruption and manipulation of the Tibetan Buddhist religion is coming to an end. As it turns out, so is their persecution of Dorje Shugden practitioners. For over 20 years, the CTA has made every effort to destroy an ancient and holy Dharma Protector practice and in the process, they have distorted the Dharma, divided Tibetan Buddhists worldwide and forced countless Buddhist believers into confusion and broken samaya.

In the same time span, Dorje Shugden masters who, according to the Dalai Lama, should be burning in Avici Hell became learned and knowledgeable, matured, began manifesting the high attainments they had achieved in their previous lives and emerged as the powerful lamas they are.

His Holiness Trijang Chocktrul Rinpoche, another rising Dorje Shugden lama

We see this in the rise of the 11th Panchen Lama, H.H. Trijang Chocktrul Rinpoche, H.E. Rabten Rinpoche, H.E. Zawa Tulku Rinpoche, H.E. Tsem Tulku Rinpoche, Lama Michel Rinpoche, H.E. Achok Rinpoche and the return of great masters such as H.E. Domo Chocktrul Rinpoche and H.E. Denma Gonsa Rinpoche, all great masters who did not abandon their faith in Dorje Shugden. None of this was supposed to happen if the Dalai Lama is right about Dorje Shugden being a demon.

Concurrently we see the tremendous rise of China as a world super power. China had no interest or stake in the Dorje Shugden conflict until Dharamsala made it their business to get involved, by accusing Shugden believers worldwide to be covert agents of China trained to undermine the Dalai Lama. Combined, they represent the unraveling of the Dalai Lama’s CTA, not because Shugden lamas harbor any anti-CTA or anti-Tibetan agenda but because their mere presence exposes the CTA’s malicious agenda that it has carried out for decades.

 

H.H. the 11th Panchen Lama giving Kalacakra Initiation


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More Pictures from the Kalachakra Initiation

Both ordained Sangha and lay people traveled from great distances to attend the Kalacakra initiation given by H.H. the 11th Panchen Lama

Hundreds of thousands of people flocked to Tashi Lhunpo Monastery for the blessed event. For many, to receive the Kalacakra initiation from the Panchen Lama is a dream come true

A humble and yet grand canopy set up for H.H. the 11th Panchen Lama

H.H. the 11th Panchen Lama giving the Kalacakra initiation

H.H. the 11th Panchen Lama in Tantric dress

Thousands of Sangha were in attendance

H.H. the 11th Panchen Lama walking amongst the crowd

H.E. Denma Gonsa Rinpoche, who was recognized by H.H. the 11th Panchen Lama, was also present

Many Sangha members took photos with their cellphones, to share this blessed event with as many people as they can

 

Panchen Lama Qoigyijabu Part 1


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Panchen Lama Qoigyijabu Part 2


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Panchen Lama Qoigyijabu Part 3


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Panchen Lama Qoigyijabu’s 20th Enthronement Anniversary


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  1. Panchen Lama Gyaltsen Norbu is regarded as the ‘fake Panchen’ by the Tibetans in exile, but there is also doubt that the current Dalai Lama is the ‘false Dalai Lama’ , that Reting Rinpoche and his friend Ketsang had chosen the false reincarnation of the Thirteenth Dalai Lama. This was apparently quite widespread before Tibetans went into exile.

    It is said that in examining the boy, Ketsang thought that the boy “was attractive looking, and thought that this would be good enough”. As detailed in
    ‘Ocean of Truth Explained’, Ketsang lied about the results
    of his examination of the boy.

    It is said that when Taktra’s term as Regent was almost finished, the Tibetan government Kashag (‘Cabinet of Ministers’)
    received many reports from different people about how Reting and
    Ketsang had chosen a false reincarnation of the Thirteenth Dalai
    Lama, and for this and other reasons the government sent soldiers
    to Reting Monastery to arrest Reting and bring him to Lhasa. The (current) Dalai Lama was to be removed from his position, but a number of lamas strongly requested the government through Taktra Rinpoche to delay the removal of Lhamo Dondrub from the position as Dalai Lama as it was a time of great upheaval in Tibet.

    I see a parallel between the 14th Dalai Lama and the 11th Panchen Lama. We cannot be sure whether both or any of them are the real incarnation. However, what we can see is the results or work they are doing. So for the reason of furthering Buddhadharma in the world, we should let ‘the show’ continue, whether they are real or fake. As a non-Tibetan Buddhist, I think whether or not one is a real Tulku is not important, the estate, the rank, these are not important, but the propogation of Buddhadharma done by them.

    Likewise the issue of two Karmapa is equally bad where the CTA has sent people to sabotage Karmapa Thaye Dorje in Ladakh. Whether Thaye Dorje is the real Karmapa or not, he is doing a good job as a teacher and extensively to bring Buddhadharma to many.

    I think I have to echo view of some that the tulku system is starting to fall apart, and perhaps should be removed totally, in the case of being used as political tool or personal gain.

  2. As a New Kadampa Buddhist, I very much appreciate the fact that our teacher, Ven. Geshe Kelsang Gyatso, has abolished the tulku system in his lineage. Instead, our senior teachers practice scholarship and teaching ability, and choose their leaders democratically under a constitution. It is very reassuring.

  3. Wow, thanks DS.com admin for sharing this sacred Kalachakra Initiation event. It is so holy even just touring by the pictures above.

    Nice to see thousands of Tibetans attended the Kalachakra Initiation by The 11th Panchen Lama. Hence from the article above we can understand more about the inter-related of Panchen Lama, Dalai Lama and CTA.

    I like the title very much ” The 11th Panchen Lama’s Kalacakra Initiation: The Beginning of the End for the CTA “

  4. For sure, the Dalai Lama would regard this development as bad news. The Panchen Lama is so young and yet conducts himself so well and every bit like a high lama.

    It is very exciting news that a high lama who is of the same status as the Dalai Lama has the support and backing of a global superpower to spread the Dharma. I expect that the Panchen Lama would in due course tour the globe and spread the Buddha’s teachings.

    What I like is that this Panchen Lama does not get involved in politics and does not take advantage of religious events to further a secular agenda. We have all seen too much of that already.

    The 4th Panchen Lama was known to have a very close relationship with Tulku Drakpa Gyaltsen and so I would expect that as the 11th Panchen Lama grows in his maturity and activities, so will the lineage of Dorje Shugden. And there is nothing the CTA can do about this.

    The bigger the Panchen Lama grows, I guess the less relevance the CTA will have. Similarly as more time goes by, this Panchen will have more and more disciples and equal the Dalai Lama as the most popular Buddhist in the world.

  5. The analysis on the impact of the Kalachakra initiation by Panchen Lama in China on the Tibetan in exile community is astute to say the least. It presented a panoramic view of a very misguided Tibetan cause and the constant power-brawl between Dharamsala and Beijing. Dalai Lama, who is used to decades of international stardom without contest as a result of the Tibetan exodus, is finding it a struggle to arrest the fading of support. Considering that the emerging new order of the world rest with China instead of the West, Dalai Lama’s position as the well-polished puppet placed to deprecate Beijing all along is falling through the crack. The fabricated lies and tools used by the Dharamsala machinery to instill fear and control had amazing effect on the Tibetans in the past but not anymore.

    Years of accusing Dorje Shugden lamas as traitor and linking them to China, as well as defaming Dorje Shugden as demon had gotten Dharamsala nowhere, but had taught the people some valuable lessons on how low the politicians would go. Newer lies such as the 2 Karmapas and accusing the 11th Panchen Lama as fake are now quickly and easily identified as dirty techniques to create confusion and schism among the Tibetan community so that Dharamsala can assert control. It is just amazing that there are still people who fell for it despite the news circulating in both mainstream and alternative media. To be fair, probably the Tibetans were left with no choice since there is no rival to Dalai Lama’s rank and position in both spiritual and secular world.

    Personally, I felt the time is ripe for the 11th Panchen Lama to emerge. Why? The Tibetans are already tired of the dirty tricks used on them for over half a century with nothing done to improve their welfare and social status. They succumbed to Dalai Lama’s atypical policies because they generally revered the Dalai Lama as the unrivaled spiritual head. Now, Tibetans in exile can look up to Panchen Lama instead as a recharged symbol of hope and spirituality, probably even the savior to reunite Tibetans in exile with Tibet, considering the good relationship with Beijing. This is something that had been fanned as the Tibetan caused but now sounded nothing more than the echo amidst the Himalayan mountains since nothing was done to advance the cause, except fetching huge funds from the west to thicken the pockets of a few, in Dharamsala.

    This is the setting for change to be underway. The much awaited spiritual renaissance that grant unity and harmony has finally arrived.

  6. This is a first on many levels, the first Kalachakra initiation after 60 years. China is transforming at an accelerated rate, as China joins the modern world, who can predict the direction of the Chinese.

    With the support of Buddhism that China is showing and acting out on a local and global level, could China be the next superpower for the spread of Buddhism, time will tell. A 100k people benefiting from the Kalachakra initiation is a great start to that.

    We truly rejoice that Buddhist teachings are spreading once again from China. What the Panchen Lama did with the Kalachakra initiation, is deemed to be a challenge and problem for the 14th Dalai Lama and CTA, undermining their spiritual authority and their monopoly over Tibetan Buddhism. All the Dalai Lama’s are Avalokiteshvara and omniscient. Hence it is interesting to note that it was the 5th Dalai Lama who suggested the establishment of Panchen Lama’s system of reincarnation.

  7. The Panchen Lama and Dalai Lama has always been working together hand-in-hand in preserving and spreading the dharma in Tibet while holding their political role in governing Tibet and her people. This has been the tradition for centuries until 1959 where the Panchen Lama continued to stay back in Tibetan to fight for the Tibetans’ rights while the Dalai Lama escaped to India. It makes sense that the Panchen Lama is supported by the Chinese due to their experience with the Panchen Lama after the Dalai Lama’s escape. Whether it is for political reasons or not, the Chinese is supporting religious and accept all lineages equally without discrimination. There is no sign that says “All are welcome, EXCEPT for Dorje Shugden practitioners.”

    The rising of China is inevitable and instead of using the Dalai Lama’s stardom as a thorn to “counter-attack” China, the world leaders should come together harmoniously and work together to bring more benefits to the denizens of mother earth, serving the highest purpose of humanity.

  8. In the meantime Dharamsala carries out some lame khata offering ceremony to make a statement. Like a bunch of silk scarves are going to change the world or change peoples minds about China. Why is it Dharamsala always has to play the victim? Arent they tired of playing victim for the last 60 years?

    Soz but I for one am glad the Panchen Lama did this. Good for the Tibetans to make a connection and the Chinese leadership accumulated a lot of merit by allowing this to take place. Its probably whats propelling their ascend to power to be honest. Every country has its time to be a superpower and it looks to be Chinas turn. India was in the past with their various empires, then you had those in the Middle East before recent ones like the UK and our cousins across the pond. Well weve got Theresa May now and the States is about to get Trump so I guess our times up, ha.

  9. This is a great to have this Kalachakra initiation presided by the 11th Panchen Lama publicly in China. More than 100,000 people attended the initiations showed that Panchen Lama has very much influence in dharma growing.

    Now, let’s think about if the 11th Panchen Lama was a fake reincarnation, he may not able to perform the Kalachakra initiation so well in front of this big crowd of 100,000 people. If the 11th Panchen Lama is wrongly enthroned or he is false, I believed that he has no great merits to support him in the spreading dharma. But what we can see now is over 100,000 people attended in this Kalachakra initiation, this showed that the 11th Panchen Lama is become famous and his teachings are accepted by the people.

  10. No problem at all!

  11. These write ups clearly reflect frustrations of Dorjee Shugden community. There is no substance, only filled with fake information intended to mislead other people. The truth is the Communist China has been paying or rewarding this community over the years for standing against HH the Dalai Lama or CTA.

  12. Doma Nyerchig,

    The truth is, if you’re Tibetan in the Indian settlements you’re either the elite establiahment or you’re languishing as a stateless refugee even after 50 years. Or more likely you’re now a citizen of another country and already given up hope of the Tibetan Cause and the rest of your countrymen stuck in Dharamsala or Nepal.

    You people keep accusing China of bad things and maybe they did many bad things but CTA bully Tibetans just like Communist.

    The longer Tibetans depend on CTA the more worse life will be soon.

  13. Can’t we just rejoice that hundreds of thousands are receiving the Kalachakra Initiation? Can’t understand why people just want to make things complicated and mixed up with politics eg setting up empty throne with a portrait of the Panchen Lama Gendun Choekyi Nyima recognized by the Dalai Lama at Dharamsala or be a sour grapes and saying all the bad things about this mass initiation.
    Absolutely childish and non-Dharmic at all!

    As a Buddhist, regardless of which traditions, which lineages we are following, we should focus on Buddha’ core values – Wisdom & Compassion and respect all.

    I truly rejoice in mass Kalacakra Initiation by His Holiness Panchen Lama as I know thousands will be benefited from the initiation and be closer to Dharma.

    May His Holiness Panchen Lama continue to turn the wheel of Dharma and spread Dharma especially in places that hard to get Dharma eg China.

    May the Shugden ban be lifted and all conflicts arise in the Buddhist Societies will be resolved soon so that everyone can just focus on practicing Dharma for enlightenment.

  14. It is amazing that the Tibetan leaders in exile (Dharamsala) and their subordinates are not happy about a monk (whatever his label is) which is the Panchen lama to give the Kalacakra to hundreds of thousands and benefit them. By receiving Kalacakra initiation so many will be blessed.

    The Tibetan leadership in exile can spread rumours that the participants of this initiation by Panchen Lama were forced to attend the teachings. One look at the pictures and see the simple Tibetans with their hands folded in reverence can see clearly they are faithful and no one is forcing them to attend. More malicious rumours spread by Dharamsala’s exiled Tibetan leaders to defame a religious event in Tibet they don’t sanction. They are jealous that so many attended the Kalacakra by Panchen Rinpoche which means Dharamsala’s propaganda against Panchen lama is not working. Panchen Lama’s fame and name is growing more and more and this frightens the Tibetan exiled leaders-karma coming back. More people attend the Panchen Lama’s Kalacakra then any other lama giving initiation and the exiled Tibetan leadership in Dharamsala, N. India are jealous of this point as it shows they are losing grip. But then again, who needs their sanction to make this precious event spectacular as it was.

    One good point to remember, which is no matter what religion or denomination you are, you may attend Panchen Lama’s religious ceremonies. Even if you practice Dorje Shugden, there is no discrimination against you. I guess Panchen Lama is not afraid of Dorje Shugden ‘harming’ him? But if Dalai Lama gives any religious ceremonies, Dorje Shugden practitioners may not attend because Dorje Shugden will ‘harm’ the Dalai Lama. –this is their claim-research it out. How can Dorje Shugden harm Dalai Lama but not Panchen Lama? Aren’t they equally powerful? Anyone can attend Panchen Lama’s religious discourses and it’s open and free but Dorje Shugden people cannot attend Dalai Lama’s ceremonies. What a stark difference in so called religious freedom and lack of freedom.

  15. Om, glorious deity of Shambhala,

    Three world’s ruler Red Faced One,14
    Protectors of Loseling’s scholars,
    Including Dorje Shugden come here.

    Pleasing, harmony producing samaya substances,
    Especially mansions, red and white tormas,
    A mountain of flesh and bones as vast as the ocean,
    Including all objects of desire I offer.

    Partaking with enjoyment, study, listening, meditation,
    Virtues of theory and practice, please increase.

    Increase favorable conditions, remove unfavorable conditions,
    Assist us on the path of wisdom and compassion.

    For the monks possessing the three trainings, may there be auspiciousness.

  16. @Doma Nyerchig

    People who practice DS practice are confronted with the situation that their protective deity, that arises from the self arising wisdom and compassion of space- and conciousnesscontinuum like all other deites/deities are the self arising wisdom and compassion of space- and conciousnesscontinuum itself, suddenly is called an evil spirit and to practice the protective aspect of wisdom and compassion suddenly is called worshiping an evil spirit beause of reasoning that has no substance.

    Vajrayana is about pure perception and ecperience of reality or non-duality because reality is non-duality and because of this there is this basic freedom of lastingness and non-existence or self arising wisdom and compassion of space- and conciousnesscontinuum that makes pure perception and experience possible and where all the deities arise from and why they are there all the time everywhere anyway.

    These are aspects of our own inherent dignity or wisdom and compassion. So all these aspects are the aspects of our own conciousnesscontinuum and within ourself all the time and we can use this, our own wisdom and compassion, by dharma practice that has to be free of eternalism and nihilism of course. So if there is something wrong with the practice then you can change the practice text to have a pure practice text that is free of eternalism and nihilism but why this “ban” and so on? If there is something wrong you can change but never give up dharma itself.

    So the conciousness of DS can’t be evil because it is basicly free of lastingness and non-existence. All beings are buddhas! Therefore it must be wisdom and compassion inside all beings and this wisdom and compassion inside of dorje shugden is used in the dharmapala practice of ds to protect the teachings of wisdom and compassion (dharma) and the consiousnesscontinuum from eternalism and nihilism. That’s just all and we need to practice dharmapala practice to protect dharma transmissions and our own conciousness from eternalism and nihilism.

    Just look into the world with all the terrorism and criminality that is rooted in duality (eternalism and nihilism) because of ignoring non-duality. Duality is not there but an illusion a black magic trick of ignorance that creates the illusion of duality. So we need to protect ourself from black magic/ignorance, duality, extremism and violence. And this is not worshiping an evil spirit but is just to protect dharma and oneself from harmful magic/black magic/satanism and so on by the way. To study and practice wisdom and compassion is not black magic/worshiping, don’t missperceive dharma!

    Non-Duality means free of lastingness and non-existence duality, free of good and bad duality, free of god and devil duality, free of friend and enemy duality and so on that is what shunyata really is and teached in all dharma lineages until today, it is free of all extremes/extremism of all kind.

    Communists came and destroyed tibetan culture in tibet, many tibetan people left tibet but why there are some tibetan people who go against other tibetan people who practice dorje shugden practice? Why discrimintation in the name of democracy that is based on wisdom and compassion (inherent dignity)?

    Is this helpful for the tibetan cause?
    Is this dharma?

    What do we need to understand?

    Dorje Shugden represents, like all the other dharmapala deities, the self arising protective aspect of ones own conciousnesscontinuum. The protective aspect within the dharmapalas conciousnesscontinuum that arise from spacecontinuum is within our own conciousnesscontinuum also. That is not worshiping an evil spirit at all but you only use the protective aspect of the self arising wisdom and compassion to protect yourself with wisdom and compassion. That’s all but not worshiping an evil spirit! So if HHDL says not to practice your dharmapala practice, it means not to protect yourself with wisdom and compassion. This is like a teacher asks you not to practice dharma and throw away dharma. But why?

    Because it harms the life of HHDL to practice wisdom and compassion?
    Because of wisdom and compassion harms china?
    Because of wisdom and compassion harms the tibetan cause?

    WHAT?

  17. Who is more spiritually powerful? Panchen Lama or Dalai Lama?

    If Dalai Lama is more powerful how come he is afraid of Dorje Shugden and do not allow Dorje Shugden Buddhists to attend his talks/rituals?

    How come Panchen Lama allows everyone to attend his religious talks/rituals even Dorje Shugden Buddhists and there are no restrictions on them?

    Who gives more religious freedom to the people? Panchen Lama or Dalai Lama?

    Panchen Lama allows all people to attend his public teachings without restrictions. But Dalai Lama does not. Dorje Shugden people barred from attending Dalai Lama’s public teachings.

    Does anyone understand my point?

  18. @Carole McQuirre,

    Actually when I was reading through this post, it didn’t really catch on in my mind but now that you mention it, it is food for thought.

    Why is one so open and the other bars people because of their faith?

  19. @Carole,

    What you said makes quite a lot of sense, and it is something I have wondered for a long time as well. HH Dalai Lama is believed to be Chenrenzig, and many high lamas have high regards for HH Dalai Lama too. But it is very strange that a Buddha Chenrenzig cannot “handle” a “small” deity Dorje Shugden. Why so scared of this “small” deity? Why not just do a ritual to destroy the deity?

    Your point of who has more religion freedom is also very interesting. I didn’t think of it this way before. HH Dalai Lama always said China does not have religious freedom, and He always advocate the religion freedom around His world tour, but Dorje Shugden practitioners are not allowed to attend His talks? How ironic.

    I fully agree your point of view.

    To add salt to the wound, Tibetans in China is now enjoying much better quality of life compared to those in exile; while on the the hand, those living in exile are under the leadership of corrupted CTA, and the money donated to CTA is not well spent.

    And now HH Panchen Lama is now openly giving Kalachakra initiation, and we can see CTA is really worrying. That’s why CTA twisted the face and openly accusing the Panchen Lama’s initiation as wrong, even though they know it very well that anyone can give Kalachakra initiation.

    I wish CTA can wake up from this dream and stop accusing Dorje Shugden as the scapegoat.

  20. Well Carol…. you sure ask some very blunt but truthful questions!

    Indeed it is obvious now as the world has witness the biggest Kalachakra initiation under China and under no scrutiny of segregation or any form of discrimination on anyone due to their differences in faith, race or culture. Totally different from Dharamsala and while they might condemn it, saying Panchen Lama is a fake, the fact of the matter is that He still manage to pass an authentic initiation and plant seeds of Dharma in the mind stream of more than 100 thousand present. That’s something any genuine Dharma practitioner would rejoice in.

    It seems like Dharamsala is acting more like a Communist than a Democratic government… since there is less freedom of religion and huge segregation in amongst its people.

  21. Thank you for the sharing.

    The analysis on the qualities in between the two highly attained Lamas had widen my eyes on issues pertaining to politicised religion.

    No matter how bad the situation is, a Bodhisattva definitely can overturn the situation to minimize the harm or even without create any harmful action.

    The recent Kalacakra Initiation clearly shown the world on the quality of The 11th Panchen Lama and the Buddhist value in equality. The crowd of over 100,000 per day in the four-days occasion represent the fact of the Tibetan people who put their trust and their rely upon the 11th Pancen Lama.

    Finally the title of this article The 11th Panchen Lama’s Kalacakra Initiation: The Beginning of the End for the CTA, relates very well to the current situation.

    May religious freedom concept be practiced at all places over the world, may Dorje Shugden ban be lifted immediately, may all great Lamas continue to flourish their dharma work and spread to the ten directions.

  22. Thank you for sharing. It’s definitely an article shed some light to many issues on these:
    * Who is qualify to give Kalachakra’s initiation and teachings
    * What makes one qualify to give the Kalachakra teachings and initiations
    * Only high lamas? Only HHDL? Only you are someone recognised by CTA can give Kalachakra initiation?
    * One attained lama who is accused as “fake”, did his/her teachings/initiation given to the mass became invalid, carry no blessings at all?
    * MOST IMPORTANTLY, why Dorje Shugden practitioners were barred from attending HHDL’s teachings and initiations, but they are allowed to attend to 11th Panchen Lama’s Kalachakra initiation?

    Are the fate, the life of Dorje Shugden is not important at all, compared to other non Shugden practitioners? Where is the equanimity when one acts in this way? Even a non-Buddhist can attend His Holiness’s audience, teachings and initiations…

    One still can accuse Chinese government is using the religion or 11th Panchen Lama to gain political interest. But who cares, hundred thousand of people who attended the Kalachakra teachings and initiations definitely benefitted!

  23. Dear DS.com

    Thank you for the well-written article. I sincerely rejoice in the 11th Panchen Lama’s work and success and I hope he will continue to work for the benefit of beings in this life.

    I agree with you that the Tibetan leadership has continuously tried to undermine the influence of the 11th Panchen Lama and faintly tried to promote their choice of Panchen Lama. Personally I have no issue with people promoting their own Lama, but the real problem here is what is the contribution of CTA’s chosen Panchen Lama. We hardly see him in the Dharma scene.

    I agree with you that China allow everyone to attend Panchen Lama event while CTA or the Dalai Lama follower Dharma event always have a condition that DS practitioners cannot attend. I think it reflects badly for CTA.

    Michaela

  24. I rejoice for the many who received the Kalachakra initiation!!
    H.H. the Panchen Lama is very kind and offers this to all people – without restriction! These are great news and powerful pictures!

  25. This is really a great news thanks for sharing this sacred Kalachakra Initiation by H.H. the Panchen Lama is very kind to give this to all the people without restriction.. wow all the DS practitioner and non practitioner received the Initiation what a blessing.. This is called religious freedom. look at he crowd so many people. ha ha ha CTA must be very jealous many people attended the Kalacakra Initiation by Panchen Rinpoche.. Lets see CTA long can keep the BAN ON SHUGDEN…

  26. It is really OUTSTANDING news that everyone without prejudice can attend the Kalacakra by Panchen Rinpoche no matter what their spiritual orientation is.

    It is not the case with Dalai Lama. If you practice Dorje Shugden you may not attend Kalacakra. That is strange because everyone should have religious freedom.

  27. It’s a total fantasy to claim the “beginning of the end for CTA”! Unfortunately for us Ribs, there’s a far bigger enemy in a superpower called China, specifically the Communist Party of China, that is occupying our country and who would love to use the divisions within the exiled Ribs to further it’s interests. But I suppose this is
    beyond the myopia of this publication and the people behind it, who already look compromised as stooges of a foreign power killing our brothers and sisters without any let up or remorse!!

  28. It’s a total fantasy to claim the “beginning of the end for CTA”! Unfortunately for us Tibs, there’s a far bigger enemy in a superpower called China, specifically the Communist Party of China, that is occupying our country and who would love to use the divisions within the exiled Tibs to further it’s interests. But I suppose this is
    beyond the myopia of this publication and the people behind it, who already look compromised as stooges of a foreign power killing our brothers and sisters without any let up or remorse!!

  29. Love these colorful pictures of the initiation. What a really huge gathering of ordained and lay.

    Is this initiation heralding the coming of age of the new generation of masters to come out and spread the pure teachings of Lama Tsongkhapa and the propagation of the practice of Dorje Shugden? Definitely an occasion to witness – for the spreading of the Dharma to benefit so very many.

    I guess, when one accuses others of being stooges of China, one has to remember that the CIA also has their own agenda in their financing.

    The CIA is not so innocent and stainless either.

  30. Dear Tamdin Gyalpo,

    Tell you what’s not a fantasy. We Tibetans are still lost after following this CTA for more 50 years. How many more years we should follow blindly? Maybe China took out homeland but it’s the CTA that’s stopping us form returning. Look at all the policies that CTA is doing to break up Tibetan unity.

    Just look at where we are now? After all the bug talk, just look at where Tibetans are now. CTA is corrupt and before be deal with China problem we must deal first with CTA problem.

  31. Worldly “government” never had, don’t has and never will have control about the enlightnend activities of space- and conciousnesnesscontinuum.

    Due to space is sovereign and worldorder of all worlds in space, worldly “government” has no sovereign like space.

    But remember that cultures that where and are based on eternalism and nihilism or illusion, because reality is free of lastingness and non-existence, have failed in history of mankind and soner or later they dissappeared because illusion is impermanent.

    That’s why dharma will stay and nations will fail because nations have cultivated eternalism and nihilism. It’s selfdestruction.

    That’s why I would recommend all nations to cultivate dharma/wisdom and compassion, so that they have a future. Otherwise they simply will fail, they have no future with all the ignorance and violence.

    So, it is important to aknowledge the inherent dignity or wisdom and comapassion as once identity and based on that to cultivate dharma or a so called dharma culture, to overcome injustice, abuse of power and business crime around the world. Otherwise all these nations will fail.

    Just check law and activities of public hand and economy around the world, to find out that they are all about to fail because of their eternalism and niihilism.

    So guess why a wisdom and compassion culture is still alive since over 18.000 years and why all the dualistic cultures appeared and dissappeard during this time until today?

    This is the way it will continue, dharma will stay but nations that have cultivated eternalism and nihilism will dissappear sooner or later.

    So stay with dharma and your nation has a future, or you nation will simply fail.

    It’s just that simple.

  32. I (as an ethnic tibetan) cannot for the life of me see how the 11th Panchen Lama (selected under the auspices of the Chinese Government) giving a valued Kalachakra will lead to the end of the CTA (Central Tibetan Adminstration) also known as the Tibetan Government in Exile which is based at Daharamsala; India.

    If he is able to deliver a genuine Kalachakra (let us not politicize this matter of religion) he will prove that he is a “Lama” a religious teacher, just as the Dalai Lama or the Karmapa are. So if people benefit from his teachings then that is good. Why not?

    It was my understanding that those who practice the worship of Dorjee Shugden accuse others of religious intolerance. Why are you doing exactly what you are protesting against? Just my two cents worth.

  33. Also Dorji, when you give your opinion, never use the term “we Tibetans” because you are including all Tibetans in your point of view irrespective of whether you are right or wrong. Just say “I” when you are giving your personal opinion. The only time you would use the term “we tibetans” is when you are the democratically elected to represent all those Tibetans who elected you. Until then you are just another Tibetan like me expressing our own personal opinion.

  34. What will the all the people around the world and in Tibet do now? Dalai Lama says he is happy that Tibet is a part of China and should remain a part of China. So many Tibetans self-immolated for Tibet to be independent and now Dalai Lama did a 360 degree turn and says he wants to go back to Tibet and China and Tibet should be a part of China. So unbelievable. So many are angry and disappointed.

    Tibetans ready to be part of China: Dalai Lama
    Organised by the Central Tibetan Administration (CTA), the event was a part of “Thank You India – 2018″ held by the Tibetan community across India to mark 60 years of its exile in the country.
    Indo-Asian News Service
    Bengaluru
    Tibetans are ready to be a part of China if guaranteed full rights to preserve their culture, the Dalai Lama said on Friday.
    “Tibetans are not asking for independence. We are okay with remaining with the People’s Republic of China, provided we have full rights to preserve our culture,” the 83-year-old spiritual leader said at “Thank You Karnataka” event here in the city.
    Organised by the Central Tibetan Administration (CTA), the event was a part of “Thank You India – 2018″ held by the Tibetan community across India to mark 60 years of its exile in the country.
    “Several of Chinese citizens practicing Buddhism are keen on Tibetan Buddhism as it is considered scientific,” the Nobel laureate said.
    Born in Taktser hamlet in northeastern Tibet, the Dalai Lama was recognized at the age of two as the reincarnation of the 13th Dalai Lama, Thubten Gyatso. He fled to India from Tibet after a failed uprising against the Chinese rule in 1959.
    China annexed Tibet in 1950, forcing thousands of Tibetans, including monks, to flee the mountain country and settle in India as refugees.
    Since then, India has been home to over 100,000 Tibetans majorly settled in Karnataka, Himachal Pradesh among other states.
    https://www.greaterkashmir.com/news/india/tibetans-ready-to-be-part-of-china-dalai-lama/293109.html

    d

  35. Dear Dalai Lama,

    Since you started the cruel ban against the 350 year Dorje Shugden practice, how has it benefit your Tibetan society and Buddhism in the world? Things have become worse and most educated Tibetans can see this. They don’t speak out not because they don’t see your ban as wrong, but you instill fear in them and not respect. It is like fear of a dictator. I am sorry to say so. Everyone is divided. There is no harmony. Before your ban there was more harmony and unity.

    By enacting the ban, you split the monasteries, split so many families, split regions in Tibet apart, split your disciples from you, split your own gurus from you, split Tibetan Buddhism apart. You have created so much disharmony.

    It is not democratic what you have done to ban a religion within your community. You always talk of tolerance and acceptance and democracy and yet you do not accept and tolerate something different from your beliefs. When people practice Dorje Shugden you ostracize them, ban them from seeing you, ban them from using Tibetan facilities. You know you have done that. There are videos that capture your speech and prove this point. You even had people expelled from monasteries just because they practice Dorje Shugden. Some of the monks you expelled have been in the monastery for over 40 years. Many older monks shed tears because of this.

    Many young educated Tibetans lost confidence in you as they saw the damage the Dorje Shugden ban created and they lose hope. Many have become free thinkers. They reject what you have done. So many people in the west left Buddhism because of the confusion you created with this ban against Dorje Shugden which is immoral.

    You could of had millions of people who practice Dorje Shugden to support, love and follow you, but you scared them away. They are hurt and very disappointed. They loved you and respected you deeply before the ban. It has been 60 years and you have failed to get Tibet back. Your biggest failure is not getting Tibet back after 57 years in exile. Now you are begging China to allow you to return to Tibet to the disappointment of thousands of people who fought for a free Tibet believing in you. So many self-immolated for a free Tibet and now you want Tibet to be a part of China with no referendum from Tibetans. Just like a dictator, you decide on your own. It was your government and you that lost Tibet in the first place. Your policies and style of doing things do not benefit Tibet and Buddhism. You have been the sole ruler of Tibet your whole life and you still have not gotten our country of Tibet back for us. Our families and us are separated. Yet you create more pain by creating a ban to further divide people. Please have compassion.

    No other Buddhist leader has banned or condemned any religion except for you. It looks very bad. You are a Nobel laureate and this is not fitting of a laureate. You should unite people and not separate them by religious differences.

    You said Ms. Aung San Suu Kyi did not do right to the Rohingya people in Myanmar due to religious differences, but you are doing the same thing to the Shugden Buddhists within your own society. There is a parallel in this. You separate the Shugden Buddhists from the others in Tibetan society.

    You have lost so many people who would have loved and supported you. You have lost so much support around the world. The Shugden Buddhists who love you number in the millions. When you are fast losing support from governments and private people, it will not do you well to lose more.

    After you are passed away in the future, the rift you created between the Dorje Shugden and non-Dorje Shugden people will remain for a while and that will be your legacy. Disharmony. You will be remembered for this. Not as a hero but a disharmony creator.

    Dorje Shugden will spread and further grow, but you will be no more as you are a human. No one wishes you bad and in fact we hope you have a long and healthy life, but we have lost so much hope and have so much despair because of you. All the hundreds of Dorje Shugden lamas, tulkus and geshes are maturing and there are hundreds of Dorje Shugden monasteries in Tibet who will not give up Dorje Shugden. You have made a mistake. These hundreds of teachers and teachers to be will spread Dorje Shugden further in the future.

    The gurus that gave us Dorje Shugden as a spiritual practice and you have called these holy gurus wrong and they are mistaken in giving us Dorje Shugden. How can you insult our gurus whom we respect so much? If they can be wrong, then you can be wrong. Then all gurus can be wrong. So no one needs to listen to any guru? You have created this trend. It is not healthy. Your own gurus practiced Dorje Shugden their whole lives. Your own gurus were exemplary and highly learned.

    Dalai Lama you have created so much pain with this ban against so many people due to religion. You are ageing fast. Are you going to do anything about it or stay stubborn, hard and un-moving. You show a smile and preach peace and harmony wherever you go. But will you do the same to your own people? Please rectify the wrong you have done. Please before it is too late. You can create harmony again or you can pass away in the future with this legacy of peace. May you live long and think carefully and admit what was a mistake in having this unethical ban against Dorje Shugden religion.

  36. Why doesn’t the United States and its allies end Refugee Status for the useless Tibetans? They have been refugees for 60 years now and don’t tell me they still cannot get their lives back in order?

    Tibetans really know how to put on a good show and use people, take their money and do nothing in return.

    Trump and Allies Seek End to Refugee Status for Millions of Palestinians
    In internal emails, Jared Kushner advocated a “sincere effort to disrupt” the U.N.’s relief agency for Palestinians.
    BY COLUM LYNCH, ROBBIE GRAMER | AUGUST 3, 2018, 2:12 PM
    Jared Kushner, U.S. President Donald Trump’s son-in-law and senior advisor, has quietly been trying to do away with the U.N. relief agency that has provided food and essential services to millions of Palestinian refugees for decades, according to internal emails obtained by Foreign Policy.
    His initiative is part of a broader push by the Trump administration and its allies in Congress to strip these Palestinians of their refugee status in the region and take their issue off the table in negotiations between Israel and the Palestinians, according to both American and Palestinian officials. At least two bills now making their way through Congress address the issue.
    Kushner, whom Trump has charged with solving the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, has been reluctant to speak publicly about any aspect of his Middle East diplomacy. A peace plan he’s been working on with other U.S. officials for some 18 months has been one of Washington’s most closely held documents.
    But his position on the refugee issue and his animus toward the U.N. Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA) is evident in internal emails written by Kushner and others earlier this year.
    “It is important to have an honest and sincere effort to disrupt UNRWA,” Kushner wrote about the agency in one of those emails, dated Jan. 11 and addressed to several other senior officials, including Trump’s Middle East peace envoy, Jason Greenblatt.
    “This [agency] perpetuates a status quo, is corrupt, inefficient and doesn’t help peace,” he wrote.
    The United States has helped fund UNRWA since it was formed in 1949 to provide relief for Palestinians displaced from their homes following the establishment of the State of Israel and ensuing international war. Previous administrations have viewed the agency as a critical contributor to stability in the region.
    But many Israel supporters in the United States today see UNRWA as part of an international infrastructure that has artificially kept the refugee issue alive and kindled hopes among the exiled Palestinians that they might someday return home—a possibility Israel flatly rules out.
    Critics of the agency point in particular to its policy of granting refugee status not just to those who fled Mandatory Palestine 70 years ago but to their descendants as well—accounting that puts the refugee population at around 5 million, nearly one-third of whom live in camps across Jordan, Lebanon, Syria, the West Bank, and Gaza.
    By trying to unwind UNRWA, the Trump administration appears ready to reset the terms of the Palestinian refugee issue in Israel’s favor—as it did on another key issue in December, when Trump recognized Jerusalem as Israel’s capital.
    In the same January email, Kushner wrote: “Our goal can’t be to keep things stable and as they are. … Sometimes you have to strategically risk breaking things in order to get there.”
    Kushner raised the refugee issue with officials in Jordan during a visit to the region in June, along with Special Representative for International Negotiations Jason Greenblatt. According to Palestinian officials, he pressed the Jordan to strip its more than 2 million registered Palestinians of their refugee status so that UNRWA would no longer need to operate there.
    “[Kushner said] the resettlement has to take place in the host countries and these governments can do the job that UNRWA was doing,” said Hanan Ashrawi, a member of Executive Committee of the Palestine Liberation Organization.
    She said the Trump administration wanted rich Arab Gulf states to cover the costs Jordan might incur in the process.
    “They want to take a really irresponsible, dangerous decision and the whole region will suffer,” Ashrawi said.
    Saeb Erekat, the Palestinians’ chief negotiator, told reporters in June that Kushner’s delegation had said it was ready to stop funding UNRWA altogether and instead direct the money—$300 million annually—to Jordan and other countries that host Palestinian refugees.
    “All this is actually aimed at liquidating the issue of the Palestinian refugees,” hesaid.
    The White House declined to comment on the record for this story. A senior executive branch official, speaking on condition of anonymity, said U.S. policy regarding the U.N.’s Palestinian refugee program “has been under frequent evaluation and internal discussion. The administration will announce its policy in due course.”
    Jordanian officials in New York and Washington did not respond to queries about the initiative.
    Kushner and Nikki Haley, the U.S. ambassador to the United Nations, both proposed ending funding for UNRWA back in January. But the State Department, the Pentagon, and the U.S. intelligence community all opposed the idea, fearing in part that it could fuel violence in the region.
    The following week, the State Department announced that that United States would cut the first $125 million installment of its annual payment to UNRWA by more than half, to $60 million.
    “UNRWA has been threatening us for six months that if they don’t get a check they will close schools. Nothing has happened,” Kushner wrote in the same email.
    State Department spokesperson Heather Nauert said at the time that the U.S. had no intention of eliminating funding for Palestinian refugees, and that it was taking time to explore ways to reform UNRWA and to convince other countries to help Washington shoulder the financial burden of aiding the Palestinians.
    But the following day, Victoria Coates, a senior advisor to Greenblatt, sent an email to the White House’s national security staff indicating that the White House was mulling a way to eliminate the U.N.’s agency for Palestinian refugees.
    “UNRWA should come up with a plan to unwind itself and become part of the UNHCR by the time its charter comes up again in 2019,” Coates wrote.
    She noted that the proposal was one of a number of “spitball ideas that I’ve had that are also informed by some thoughts I’ve picked up from Jared, Jason and Nikki.”
    Other ideas included a suggestion that the U.N. relief agency be asked to operate on a month-to-month budget and devise “a plan to remove all anti-Semitism from educational materials.”
    The ideas seemed to track closely with proposals Israel has been making for some time.
    “We believe that UNRWA needs to pass from the world as it is an organization that advocates politically against Israel and perpetuates the Palestinian refugee problem,” said Elad Strohmayer, a spokesman for the Israeli Embassy in Washington.
    Strohmayer said that Palestinians are the only population that is able to transfer its refugee status down through generations.
    The claim, though long advanced by Israel, is not entirely true.
    In an internal report from 2015, the State Department noted that the U.N. High Commissioner for Refugees “recognizes descendants of refugees as refugees for purposes of their operations.” The report, which was recently declassified, said the descendants of Afghan, Bhutanese, Burmese, Somali, and Tibetan refugees are all recognized by the U.N. as refugees themselves.
    Of the roughly 700,000 original Palestinian refugees, only a few tens of thousands are still alive, according to estimates.
    The push to deny the status to most Palestinians refugees is also gaining traction in Congress.
    Last week, Rep. Doug Lamborn, a Republican from Colorado, introduced a bill that would limit the United States to assisting only the original refugees. Most savings in U.N. contributions would be directed to the U.S. Agency for International Development, the United States’ principal international development agency. But USAID is currently constrained by the Taylor Force Act, which restricts the provision of humanitarian assistance to the Palestinian Authority until it ends a policy of providing aid to families of fallen terrorists.
    “Instead of resettling Palestinian refugees displaced as a result of the Arab-Israeli Conflict of 1948, UNRWA provides aid to those they define as Palestinian refugees until there is a solution they deem acceptable to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict,” Lamborn’s bill states.
    “This policy does not help resettle the refugees from 1948 but instead maintains a refugee population in perpetuity.”
    A congressional aide familiar with the legislation said its intent isn’t to gut UNRWA funding, but redirect assistance to descendants through USAID.
    “The people that are suffering should still get assistance, but through appropriately defined humanitarian channels and aid programs,” the aide said.
    Similarly, Sen. James Lankford, (R-Okla.), has drafted legislation that would redirect U.S. funding away from UNRWA and to other local and international agencies.
    The bill, which has not yet officially been introduced, would require the U.S. secretary of state certify by 2020 that the United Nations has ended its recognition of Palestinian descendants as refugees.
    “The United Nations should provide assistance to the Palestinians in a way that makes clear that the United Nations does not recognize the vast majority of Palestinians currently registered by UNRWA as refugees deserving refugee status,” reads a draft obtained by Foreign Policy.
    Previous U.S. administrations have maintained that the vast majority of Palestinian refugees will ultimately have to be absorbed in a new Palestinian state or naturalized in the countries that have hosted them for generations.
    But the fate of the refugee issue was expected to be agreed to as part of a comprehensive peace pact that resulted in the establishment of a Palestinian state.
    “It’s very clear that the overarching goal here is to eliminate the Palestinian refugees as an issue by defining them out of existence,” said Lara Friedman, the president of the Foundation for Middle East Peace.
    “This isn’t going to make peace any easier. It’s going to make it harder.”
    https://foreignpolicy.com/2018/08/03/trump-palestinians-israel-refugees-unrwaand-allies-seek-end-to-refugee-status-for-millions-of-palestinians-united-nations-relief-and-works-agency-unrwa-israel-palestine-peace-plan-jared-kushner-greenb/

    DS.com Trump and Allies Seek End to Refugee Status for Millions of Palestinians (1)

  37. Supreme Court of India JUSTICE Mr. MARKANDEY KATJU (RETD) writes that Tibet is much better under the Chinese than it was under the lamas who only wanted to make the populace slaves. It was feudal and it will never return to the backwardness again.

    Time has come to acknowledge that Tibet has vastly improved under Chinese rule
    JUSTICE MARKANDEY KATJU (RETD) | 12 August, 2018
    From a terribly poor state hinged on a feudal system, Tibet has modernised and grows faster than the rest of China
    This article has been prompted by Jyoti Malhotra’s article in ThePrint ‘Tibetan government quietly changed its PM’s designation. India won’t be unhappy about it‘.
    China’s annexation of Tibet in 1959, ousting the Dalai Lama, had attracted it worldwide criticism. The Dalai Lama fled and was granted asylum in India, where he set up a government-in-exile with its headquarters in Dharamshala.
    The Chinese claim Tibet on the grounds that it has been part of the country since the Yuan dynasty of the 13th century, which is disputed by the government-in-exile. But let us leave this that matter aside.
    The more important question is whether Chinese rule has benefited Tibet.
    The answer is that it undoubtedly has. As the Reuters’ Ben Blanchard writes: “Today Tibet is richer and more developed than it has ever been, its people healthier, more literate, better dressed and fed”.
    Although Ben goes on to argue that this development masks “a deep sense of unhappiness among many Tibetans”, I will disagree. How can anyone be unhappy if s/he is healthier, better fed and better clothed?
    Under the rule of the Dalai Lamas (Buddhist priests), the people of Tibet were terribly poor, almost entirely illiterate, and lived like feudal serfs.
    Today, Tibet presents a totally different picture. The illiteracy rate in Tibet has gone down from 95 per cent in the 1950s to 42 per cent in 2000. It has modern schools, universities, engineering and medical colleges, modern hospitals, freeways, supermarkets, fast food restaurants, mobile stores and apartment buildings. The capital Lhasa is like any other modern city.
    While the economic growth in the rest of China has slowed down to about 7 per cent, Tibet has had a 10 per cent growth rate in the last two decades.
    Tibet has huge mineral wealth, which was only awaiting Chinese technology to be tapped. Nowadays, it has numerous hydro and solar power plants and industries running with Chinese help.
    Tibetan literature is flourishing, contrary to claims that the Chinese want to crush Tibetan culture.
    Of course, now the lamas cannot treat their people as slaves.
    The so-called ‘government-in-exile’, of which Lobsang Sangay claims to be the President, is a fake organisation, funded by foreign countries. They only want to restore the feudal Tibet, ruled by the reactionary lamas, something which will never happen.
    The writer is a former judge of the Supreme Court of India
    https://theprint.in/opinion/time-has-come-to-acknowledge-that-tibet-has-vastly-improved-under-chinese-rule/97172/

  38. While the government of Nepal has framed a policy to tighten the noose around non-governmental organisations, they have welcomed 30 Chinese NGOs to enter the country. These NGOs will penetrate the country’s social sector at the grassroots level. This is the first time such a large number of Chinese NGOs have entered Nepal at one time. Nepal is increasingly open to Chinese influence, a sign that ties between both countries are strengthening, while India’s influence is being reduced. The time has passed for India’s monopoly to remain uninterrupted in Nepal as opportunities to engage with China are being welcomed.

    30 Chinese NGOs all set to work in Nepal
    REWATI SAPKOTA
    Kathmandu, July 30
    At a time when the government has framed a policy to tighten the noose around non-governmental organisations, 30 Chinese NGOs have entered Nepal to penetrate the country’s social sector and the grassroots.
    The Social Welfare Council Nepal and China NGO Network for International Exchanges, an umbrella body of Chinese NGOs, have signed a memorandum of understanding to enable Chinese NGOs to work in Nepal. The agreement was signed yesterday between SWCN Member Secretary Dilli Prasad Bhatt and CNIE General Secretary Zhu Rui in the presence of Minister of Women, Children and Senior Citizen Tham Maya Thapa and Chinese Deputy Minister of External Affairs Wang Yajun.
    The agreement has paved the way for the first batch of 30 Chinese NGOs to work in Nepal for a period of three years. Their contract will be extended based on the consent of SWCN and CNIE. Representatives of these 30 Chinese NGOs were also present during yesterday’s signing ceremony. They have agreed to work in partnership with local NGOs to implement their programmes and projects.
    The Chinese NGOs are eyeing areas such as livelihood, healthcare, education, skill-based training, community development and disaster management. This is the first time such a large number of Chinese NGOs has entered Nepal at one time. The Chinese assistance so far in Nepal has largely been limited to development of infrastructure projects. But the entry of these NGOs indicates China is keen on making its presence felt in Nepal’s social sector and the grassroots, which, till date, have remained domains of the West and countries such as Japan and India.
    The MoU signed between SWCN and CNIE states that Chinese NGOs will be mobilised for ‘the benefit of needy Nepalis and to enhance ties between China and Nepal through people-to-people support programmes’.
    “The Chinese NGOs will abide by the law of Nepal in its entirety while carrying out development cooperation in Nepal,” says the MoU, adding, “Chinese NGOs will submit programmes to the SWCN to carry out development activities in partnership with Nepali NGOs and SWCN in line with plans and policies of the government of Nepal.”
    The MoU was signed at a time when the government has drafted the National Integrity Policy to limit activities of NGOs and INGOs, as some of them were found ‘trying to break communal harmony and proselytising Nepalis’. There were also concerns that high administrative cost of many NGOs and INGOs was preventing money from reaching the real beneficiaries. The policy clearly states that NGOs and INGOs cannot spend more than specified amount under administrative and consultant headings. They will also be barred from working against Nepal’s interests, culture and communal harmony and conducting activities to promote their religious, social or other agenda, adds the policy.
    Around 48,000 NGOs are currently registered in Nepal, of which only 1,600 have been receiving funds from INGOs, as per SWCN. The SWCN has directed INGOs and NGOs to spend 60 per cent of the budget to generate tangible results, while the remaining can be used to cover administrative costs and organise training, meetings and seminars.
    https://thehimalayantimes.com/nepal/30-chinese-ngos-all-set-to-work-in-nepal/

  39. The cracks in Tibetan society are starting to show, and it is now coming to the attention of local Indians who have all but identified the Tibetan leadership as the source of the divisions. According to this author, disunity amongst the Tibetans is now creating problems for Indian law enforcement agencies, and this disunity may culminate in young Tibetans holding silent grudges against their host country. It is incredible that after six decades of generosity from India, Indians are now facing the very real possibility Tibetans can be ungrateful towards India. The Tibetan leadership totally failed to impart positive values upon their exiled community, like gratitude for those kindest to them and the need to repay these kindnesses with real, tangible results. It’s also very unlikely that the Tibetan leadership will now start to do this, after six decades of failing to do so. Indians need to realise this, and see that there is no benefit for their nation to align themselves with the Tibetan leadership, and there never will be.
    Tibetan disunity not in India’s interest
    John S. Shilshi
    Updated: August 7, 2018, 11:00 AM
    India is home to the Dalai Lama and an estimated 120,000 Tibetan refugees. Though this humanitarian gesture on India’s part comes at the cost of risking New Delhi’s relations with China, India has never wavered in ensuring that Tibetans live with dignity and respect. Notified settlements across the country were made available so that they can live as independently as possible and practice Tibetan religion and culture. They are also allowed to establish centres of higher learning in Tibetan Buddhism. As a result, several reputed Buddhist institutes came up in Karnataka, and in the Indian Himalayan belt. In what may be termed as a gesture well reciprocated, and because of the respect and influence His Holiness the Dalai Lama commands, the Tibetan diaspora also lived as a peaceful community, rarely creating problems for India’s law enforcement agencies.
    The situation, however, changed from 2000 onwards when unity amongst Tibetans suffered some setback due to developments like the Karmapa succession controversy and the controversy over worshiping of Dorje Shugden. In a unique case of politics getting the better of religion, two senior monks of the Karma kargyue sect of Tibetan Buddhism, Tai Situ Rinpoche and late Shamar Rinpoche, developed serious differences after the demise of Rangjung Rigpe Dorje, the 16th Karmapa, in 1981. This animosity ultimately led to emergence of two 17th Karmapa candidates in the early nineties. While Tai Situ Rinpoche identified and recognised UghyanThinley Dorje, late Shamar Rinpoche anointed Thinley Thaye Dorje as his Karmapa candidate. Enthronement of their respective protégés at the Rumtek Monastery in Sikkim, the supreme seat of the Karma Kargue linage, being their primary objective, both started indulging in activities monks normally are expected to, and bitterness spewed against each other.
    The bitter rivalry assumed a new dimension when UghyenThinley Dorje suddenly appeared in India in January 2000. The competition became fiercer and hectic political lobbying, never known in the history of Tibetan Buddhism on Indian soil, became common place. Apart from pulling strings at their disposal in Sikkim as well as in the power corridors of New Delhi, these senior monks spat against each other with allegations and counter allegations, widening the gaps between their supporters. His Holiness the Dalai Lama, choosing to favour one of the candidates—a decision many Tibet watchers felt was ill-timed—had also limited possible scope of rapprochement. Hence, the Karma Kargyue followers are now vertically divided, while the camps are dragged into a long drawn legal battle.
    Another development that unfortunately split the Tibetans is the controversy over Shugden worshipping, which again is an internal matter of the Gelugpa sect, to which the Dalai Lama belongs. It erupted as a result of the Dalai Lama urging Tibetans to refrain from worshiping Dorje Shugden, a deity believed to be a protector, according to Tibetan legend. Shugden practitioners, who felt offended by the call, describe it as an attack on freedom of religion, a right, which Dalai Lama himself tirelessly fought for. On the other hand, die hard Dalai Lama followers perceived the questioning of the decision as one challenging the wisdom of the Dalai Lama and mounted massive pressure on Dorje Shugden practitioners to relent, with some even demolishing the statues of the deity. The rivalry ultimately led to split in two Gelug monasteries in Karnataka, and Serpom and Shar Garden monasteries in Bylakupe and Mundgod respectively came under the control of Shugden followers. The bitterness associated with the split is exemplified by the fact that till today, members of these monasteries are treated as some sort of outcasts by the others. Thus, for the first time, the Tibetan diaspora in India gave birth to sections opposed to the Dalai Lama, with spillover effects in Tibet and elsewhere.
    For India, with a fragile internal security profile, a divided Tibetan population on its soil is not good news. It has several long-term implications. It is common knowledge that China considers Dalai Lama as a secessionist, one plotting to divide their country. The latter’s claim of “all that Tibetans were asking for, was a status of genuine autonomy within the Constitution of the Peoples’ Republic of China”, had fallen into deaf ears. China also considers him as someone who plays to the Indian tune to tickle China. Therefore, at a time when China has successfully shrunk the Dalai Lama’s space internationally, India continuing to extend the usual space for him is viewed as complicity. Sharp reaction from China when he was allowed to visit Arunachal Pradesh in April 2017, is a recent example. Such being the delicate nature of India-China relations on matters and issues concerning Tibetans, India can hardly afford to ignore the division within the diaspora. Past experience of dubious elements from Tibet having succeeded in infiltrating the Central Tibetan Administration, including the security wing, should be a warning.
    It is also time India understands the reason behind Tibetans seeking Indian passports, despite an existing arrangement for issue of Identity Certificates, which is passport equivalent. Some had even successfully taken recourse to legal remedy on the issue, and left the government of India red-faced. These changing moods should not be viewed as desires by Tibetans to become Indian citizens. They are triggered by the pathetic state of affairs associated with issuing of Identity Certificates, where delays in most cases are anything between six months to one year. Early streamlining of the process will drastically reduce their desire to hold Indian passport. It will also remove the wrongly perceived notion among some educated Tibetan youth, that the cumbersome process was a ploy by India to confine them in this country. While India should not shy from requesting the Dalai Lama to use his good offices to end all differences within the community in the interest of India’s internal security, it will also be necessary to ensure that young Tibetans do not nurse a silent grudge against the very country they called their second home.
    https://www.sundayguardianlive.com/opinion/tibetan-disunity-not-indias-interest

  40. Although the Dalai Lama has offered an apology, the Arunachal Pradesh Congress Committee (APCC) still expressed their disappointment over his controversial comment on Nehru, the Arunachal Pradesh Congress Committee (APCC). Dalai Lama called Nehru self-centred.

    The Congress said Dalai Lama being a foreigner should shun and refrain from interfering in the internal as well as external affairs of India.

    Dalai Lama should abstain from imparting controversial information to students: Arunachal Congress
    Dalai Lama should know that a spiritual leader like him is shouldering great expectation: APCC
    | DAMIEN LEPCHA | ITANAGAR | August 12, 2018 9:58 pm
    disappointment over the recent statement made by Tibetan Spiritual Leader the 14th Dalai Lama in which he called Jawaharlal Nehru, the former Prime Minister of India as “self-centered” and the one responsible for parting India and Pakistan.
    “Although Dalai Lama expressed regret over his controversial comment, the APCC is extremely thwarted by it. A Tibetan spiritual leader calling names to an Indian leader who sweated most to keep him and his followers safe from Chinese aggression is simply not acceptable. Today, India is home to lakhs of Tibetan refugees who are living in 37 settlements and 70 scattered communities across different states of India,” APCC vice-president Minkir Lollen said in a statement on Sunday.
    “Dalai Lama may have forgotten that India provided a beam of light and hope to Tibetans remaining in Chinese-dominated Tibet and in the neighbouring Chinese provinces politically cut off from the Tibetan heart land. All these happened only because India has great leaders like Gandhi and Nehru who took the responsibility of social burden to shelter thousands of persecuted Tibetans then in 1959,” Lollen added.
    Minkir said Dalai Lama should know that a spiritual leader like him is shouldering great expectation, hope and trust of millions on record and the same are watching his contribution towards the mankind.
    “In such circumstances, Dalai Lama should abstain from imparting partial and controversial information to the students who are the torch bearer of the nation,” the Congress said.
    Further stating that the statement of the spiritual leader could be a politically motivated one and made with an effort to approach Prime Minister Narendra Modi for survival of his continuation in the country, the Congress said Dalai Lama being a foreigner should shun and refrain from interfering in the internal as well as external affairs of India.
    https://nenow.in/north-east-news/dalai-lama-should-abstain-from-imparting-controversial-information.html

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.…Instead of turning away people who practise Dorje Shugden, we should be kind to them. Give them logic and wisdom without fear, then in time they give up the ‘wrong’ practice. Actually Shugden practitioners are not doing anything wrong. But hypothetically, if they are, wouldn’t it be more Buddhistic to be accepting? So those who have views against Dorje Shugden should contemplate this. Those practicing Dorje Shugden should forbear with extreme patience, fortitude and keep your commitments. The time will come as predicted that Dorje Shugden’s practice and it’s terrific quick benefits will be embraced by the world and it will be a practice of many beings.

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