Dear friends around the world,
I was in the planning stages and preparation for my retirement these few weeks when I was given this incredible news that that His Holiness the Dalai Lama is planning a private visit to China! A few weeks ago we saw in ‘The Wire’ stating Samdhong Rinpoche (Envoy of Dalai Lama) was visiting China. I quote from The Wire:
“Within this rapidly-unfolding scenario, the Dalai Lama appears to have sent Samdong on a discreet visit to Kunming (China)” by P. Stobdan on December 4th, 2017.
It was again ‘reconfirmed’ that Samdhong Rinpoche visited China discreetly sent by His Holiness in ‘Tibetan Journal’ published December 5th, 2017. So two media platforms are relaying the events that Samdhong Rinpoche has visited Kunming quietly as sent by the Dalai Lama and this can only be to negotiate a visit by the Dalai Lama to China or possibly Tibet eventually. I concluded that it must be to negotiate a visit of the Dalai Lama to China and eventually Tibet which I welcomed very much and what else can it be?
Dorje Shugden had taken trance of the oracle and told me personally that in the future there will be big political changes in way of positive benefits. The changes would be big and to look for it. If this comes true, this could be the political change Dorje Shugden told me clearly and precisely in February 2017. Today I get news that His Holiness is planning a visit to China! Stunning news indeed. Published December 15, 2017 in ‘The Tribune’* that His Holiness is planning a private trip to China! Just a few weeks after Samdhong Rinpoche’s published ‘discreet’ visit to China, now we hear His Holiness is planning a trip to China also. This is just the best news I’ve had in decades I must say.
In order for this to happen, the cold relations between Beijing and the Dalai Lama must be thawing out. At the same time, before Samdhong Rinpoche can even negotiate a potential visit for His Holiness the Dalai Lama to China, a green light must have been given by the generous Indian government. It is only courteous and proper that His Holiness would ask the Indian government’s opinion of a private visit to China because it can have major ramifications for many parties including Sino-Indian relations as well as Tibet and her six million people. The current president of the USA has refused to meet His Holiness the Dalai Lama unlike his predecessors and this might also be a factor in which the Dalai Lama is starting to open up to China. After all it was for decades the USA has supported financially the Dalai Lama and his Central Tibetan Administration (CTA) in Dharamsala, North India. The name Central Tibetan Administration was downgraded from Tibetan government-in-exile as requested by the Indian government. It does seem strange to have an exiled government of Tibet on the sovereign Indian soil and to add, India does adhere to the fact that Tibet is a part of China.
Personally I am overjoyed to hear this potential visit to China by His Holiness the Dalai Lama after 58 years of exile counting from 1959 when he left Tibet. There are millions of Tibetans in Tibet who wish very much to see His Holiness and a visit would definitely be such huge news for them. I personally feel it is excellent for His Holiness the Dalai Lama to visit China and there are some good results that would follow:
- China’s policies on Tibet would radically change. Many things that the people working under the Dalai Lama in CTA complain about would change in regards to governance of Tibet by China.
- As His Holiness the Dalai Lama is allowed to visit China, he will definitely know how to negotiate as he is a seasoned politician and spiritual leader on a visit or return to Tibet. This visit to China will eventually lead to a visit to Tibet. After all, there is nothing for His Holiness the Dalai Lama in China besides a visit.
- Many countries that do not allow His Holiness the Dalai Lama to visit due to deference to China, will be more open to him visiting.
- The six million people in Tibet will be overjoyed. Many of the older generation have passed away but there are many that are around the age of the Dalai Lama who have not seen him for 58 years and it would be a joyful reunion.
- For the last 58 years, His Holiness has a ‘protectorate of India’ travelling document which means he is a guest of India (refugee) but not a citizen. His Holiness has never taken Indian citizenship in hopes he can return to Tibet and perhaps live there again. So now he can become a ‘Tibetan’ citizen again.
- His Holiness the Dalai Lama would be overjoyed to see the places where he grew up, received his education, his palace, perhaps relatives and his beloved Tibet. After all who would not be happy to return to the land of their birth if all is alright.
- Perhaps the 150,000 Tibetans in India can also return to Tibet for visits without much red tape and if the Dalai Lama eventually stays in Tibet permanently, then can they migrate back also.
- It has always been a splinter in the foot for India’s relation with China as they have the Dalai Lama and Tibetans in India as their ‘guests’ for nearly six decades. With this warming up of relation between His Holiness the Dalai Lama and China, there is a potential the relation between India and China improves. Perhaps finally the Sino-Indian border issue can be resolved.
- His Holiness the Dalai Lama is now 82 years old and for normal mortals like us that is getting up there in the years. He has been living outside of Tibet longer than he has been in Tibet and it has been his personal wish to visit and return. He has mentioned this many times. It would be beautiful if his personal wish can come true after serving sentient beings for most of this life. He has worked very hard. It would be nice, if His Holiness the Dalai Lama can have his fondest wish come true.
- Much negative rhetoric true or false in regards to Tibet will reduce towards China once Dalai Lama visits. People cannot accuse Dorje Shugden practitioners of colluding with China or being paid by China to defame the Dalai Lama which for me is not true. All negative attacks on Dorje Shugden practitioners of colluding with China should in fact cease immediately. After all even while in planning stages of Dalai Lama’s potential visit, we should stop the rhetoric against China and make the path smooth so His Holiness can visit China and eventually Tibet. After visiting China, His Holiness himself will be working closely with China I am sure and as Tibetans we must follow suit.
There are many benefits to a visit to China by His Holiness the Dalai Lama but these are just a few. There are Tibetans who accuse Dorje Shugden practitioners such as myself of colluding with China to defame His Holiness the Dalai Lama which is not true at all. I have never said anything disrespectful to His Holiness the Dalai Lama and I respect him very much. I have never colluded with anyone or any governments to ‘work against’ His Holiness. I have not agreed with the Tibetan leadership to discriminate against Dorje Shugden as a spiritual faith or their practitioners. Because when you discriminate against a group of persons for their faith, it can open the doors to much more discrimination based on color, gender, sexual orientation and so on. This is not correct.
No spiritual or secular leader of the 21st century should ‘advise’ against anyone’s religion. Whether a person is in the ‘right’ religion or not is up to the individual and not any leaders. To divide and segregate anyone based on religion is dangerous and creates much sufferings. Also it will not look good for the political or spiritual leaders to be seen ‘advising’ against anyone’s faith. It makes them look narrow, intolerant, undemocratic and taking away religious freedom. Powerful spiritual leaders like His Holiness the Dalai Lama ‘advising’ against Dorje Shugden would lead his followers to ostracize and insult those who practice Dorje Shugden and other forms of segregation in order to please him which is what is happening.
Ironically China does allow the freedom to choose your religion as I have friends and relatives in Tibet and Xinjiang who are practicing Buddhists and so on. There is no issue of the practice of Dorje Shugden in China or Tibet from the side of the government. I would assume if His Holiness the Dalai Lama sits down with the leaders of China on his visit they would advise him to not speak for or against Dorje Shugden’s practice for the sake of harmony and peace in Tibet and the Chinese nation. In this way the 400 year old practice of Dorje Shugden would be free to be followed by its adherents without further prejudice, ostracization and segregation. China has repaired the 400 year-old historical chapel dedicated to Dorje Shugden called Trode Khangsar in Lhasa itself. This chapel was built by the 5th Dalai Lama in dedication to Dorje Shugden.
This would be a great event and I sincerely from the bottom of my heart wish His Holiness the Dalai Lama can visit China and eventually Tibet. I know he would be so happy and I would sincerely be happy for him. It is important for Tibetans outside of Tibet and their supporters to not berate China any further. We must do our best that the wishes of His Holiness the Dalai Lama will come true. On social media I have said many times that we Tibetans should not bombast and call China all types of derogatory names if we wish to fulfill His Holiness’s wishes. We must be civil and create the causes so that His Holiness the Dalai Lama can visit China and then finally Tibet. I wish the best for His Holiness the Dalai Lama always.
Sincerely,
Tsem Rinpoche
Tsem Rinpoche
*The Tribune is an Indian English-language daily newspaper published from Chandigarh, New Delhi, Jalandhar, Dehradun and Bathinda. It was founded on 2 February 1881, in Lahore (now in Pakistan), by Sardar Dyal Singh Majithia, a philanthropist, and is run by a trust comprising five persons as trustees. It is a major Indian newspaper with a worldwide circulation. In India, it is among the leading English daily for Punjab, Haryana, Himachal Pradesh, and the Union Territory of Chandigarh.According to the released ABC circulation figures for the period June-January 2013, The Tribune’s circulation in the region comprising the states of Punjab, Haryana (excluding Gurgaon and Faridabad), Himachal Pradesh, Jammu and Kashmir and Union Territory of Chandigarh is 3,26,568 copies, way ahead of Hindustan Times (1,43,421) and The Times of India (1,09,516).
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