Dharamshala, India— The Tibetan religious leaders and the Buddhists of the Himalaya regions jointly passed the three-point resolution clearly illegitimized China's meddling in religious affairs of the Tibetan Buddhism and states "the Karmic bond between the Dalai Lamas and the Tibetan people have been inseparable. The 14th Tibetan religious conference held at T building in Gangchen Kyishong from November 27-29, 2019.
His Holiness the 14th Dalai Lama of Tibet, graced the 14th Tibetan religious conference on the last day of its three executive days in Gangchen Kyishong as the key-honored guest. He greets the heads of the various traditions of Tibetan Buddhism and native Tibetan Bon tradition as well as their representatives who have come to participate in the Religious Conference. While addressing the religious conference in Dharamshala, India on Friday, His Holiness also confirms that he is in excellent health and completely joyful.
The spiritual leader of Tibet said that the Tibetan Buddhist tradition has the potential to contribute to humanity. Buddhism as religion will serve a spiritual purpose and Buddhist science and philosophy could contribute towards modern education and emotional hygiene greatly. With an increasing number of scientists and scholars taking interest in the Buddhist tradition which emphasizes the use of reason, logic and how Tibetan Buddhist tradition is comparable to modern science in its focus on logic. With the ever-mushrooming number of Chinese people taking a key interest in Buddhism and recognizing Tibetan Buddhism as a complete profound form of Buddhism, he added.
His Holiness also mentioned about the 8th century Nalanda master Shantarakshita who was invited to Tibet by the then Tibetan king Drisong Detsen. Shantarakshita visualized the translation of Indian Buddhist literature into Tibetan and the first Tibetan Buddhist monastery Samye was established in Tibet which included a Monastic section and a Translation section where the translation of texts of Buddha’s teachings (Kagyur) and commentaries by Indian masters (Tengyur) was carried out, the noble peace laureate emphasizes. He also said how the 33rd king Songtsen Gampo had invented the current Tibetan alphabets from Indian script with the Tibetan scholars studying Gupta alphabets. "During king Trisong Detsen’s reign, the Tibetan scripts and language were further polished as a compilation of Buddhist literature and texts covering vast and knowledge of ancient Indian literature were translated into Tibetan," he reminds.
His Holiness also says that 60 years of exile is a blessing in disguise as it raises an opportunity to re-affirm Tibetan identity belonging to one of the pinnacles of cultural and religious traditions.
Chanting prayers from the words of truth (Dentask Monlam) which are a sermon of compassion to all suffering beings that he composed in 1960. And he requests all devotees to pray for the fellow brothers and sisters who sacrificed their lives for Tibetan cause. "It is an act of courage and practice of nonviolence, so to remember them while reciting the words of truth," he preaches. Tibetans inside Tibet are a source of strength and courage for the Tibetans in exile and likewise it has contributed the Tibetans success stories in exile, he reminds all, saying "the karmic bond between the six million Tibetans and the Bodhisattva is very strong and that they will be spiritually connected in years and years to come, under the guidance of the Buddha of compassion."
The three-day conference presided by the heads and important figures of various traditions of Tibetan Buddhism and native Tibetan Bon tradition including those from the Himalayan region issued a joint declaration of resolutions;
- The Karmic bond between the Dalai Lamas and the Tibetan people have been inseparable and the present status of the Tibetan people being extremely critical, all Tibetans genuinely wish for the continuation of the Institution and Reincarnation of the Dalai Lama in the future. We therefore strongly supplicate to His Holiness the XIV Dalai Lama for the same.
- The authority of decision concerning the way and the manner in which the next reincarnation of the XIV Dalai Lama should appear solely rests with His Holiness the XIV Dalai Lama himself. No government or otherwise will have such authority. If the Government of the People’s Republic of China for political ends chooses a candidate for the Dalai Lama, the Tibetan people will not recognize and respect that candidate.
- Regarding the method of recognizing the future reincarnations of the Dalai Lama, the same unique Tibetan traditional method, which has been continuously used until now, will be followed. This method conforms to be basic philosophy and tenets of the Buddha dharma and originated in Tibet over 800 years ago.
Buddhists of the Himalayan region voiced their favor to support the three-point resolutions passed by the 14th Religious conference in Dharamshala. They urged that Dalai Lama lineages to continue and in case of China’s interferences, they would strongly dismiss the Chinese recognized Dalai Lama, said the Buddhists of Himalaya regions.
His Holiness the 14th Dalai Lama is known throughout the world as a leading advocate for peace-making and non-belligerent. His message is one of kindness and compassion to all sentient beings. Over the last 60 years, he has traveled around the world spreading a message of peace and universal responsibility. He also believes that the common aim of all religions is to foster tolerance, altruism, and love. He retired from politics in 2011 but, as one of six million Tibetans, His Holiness said he will continue to serve Tibet’s cause.
In 1959, His Holiness the 14th Dalai Lama along with thousands of others escaped to India, where he was given political asylum. The spiritual leader has set up a government and rebuilt monasteries where masters pass on their teachings to young monks. Tibetans in exile have succeeded in gradually rebuilding their monasteries, preserving their culture and restructuring their society, in spite of the extremely difficult circumstances.
The Chinese Communist totalitarian regime (PRC) began their invasion of Tibet in 1949, reaching complete occupation of the country in 1959. Since then, more than 1.2 million people, 20% of the nation's population, have died as a direct result of China's illegal invasion and ruthless occupation. In addition, more than 99% of Tibet's six thousand religious monasteries, temples, and shrines have been looted or decimated, resulting in the destruction of hundreds of thousands of sacred Buddhist scriptures.
