Time Asia's cover story for its "special issue" released April 22 is entitled "Asian Heroes." Some 25 persons are singled out from all over Asia for their inspirational qualities. "From political leaders to protesters, athletes to rock stars, these heroes have won battles for noble causes, surmounted the greatest of odds and stood as examples of the best in all of us. TIME salutes the individuals whose valiance inspires us." Individuals are listed by countries. His Holiness Karmapa was selected by Time for Tibet.

The South China Morning Post reports on the piece as follows: "Taiwanese singer A-mei, Hong Kong martial arts film star Jackie Chan, Myanmar dissident Aung San Suu Kyi and a Japanese cartoon cat were among 25 Asians chosen by a United States-based weekly magazine as 'Asia's greatest living heroes'. Time said in its latest issue, with A-mei on the cover, that the lives and work of the 25 have 'a profound impact on the people around them'. . . . The young Karmapa Lama, who fled to India, was described as 'a symbol of hope in the fight against repression in Tibet', while Hong Kong explorer and conservationist Wong How-man was also named in the list of Asia's living heroes."

Time introduces their selections by noting that heroism is not limited to a chosen few, but is demonstrated also in the daily lives of ordinary people, when we complete the task that has been set for us. Karl Taro Greenfeld writes that the "most basic form of heroism" is to persevere despite obstacles, despite the publicity of our failures and anonymity of our victories. "In so many of our days and lives, there is a low-wattage sort of heroism that we should take a moment to celebrate. Each of TIME's heroes, in his or her own way, is representative of that grassroots valiancy. For all their fame, these are also folks who are simply doing a job."

The feature on the H.H. Gyalwang Karmapa Ogyen Trinley Dorje celebrates his accomplishment of awakening the daily heroism of Tibetans living in and outside their native country, laboring to freely practice their religion in the face of grave obstacles. Tenzing Sonam, the author of the essay on His Holiness, writes that "To me, a Tibetan born and brought up in exile in India, news of [the Karmapa's] escape came like a reviving gust of fresh air that blew away the cloud of confusion and inertia that seemed to have descended upon our decades-old freedom struggle. With that one act of desperation and courage, the Karmapa exposed the Chinese lie that Tibetans were happy and prospering under their rule and that they were free to practice their religion. . . . The Karmapa's escape was a loud wake-up call to those of us who have spent a lifetime in exile. It reminded us forcefully that the cause we are fighting for is alive and just and as desperate as ever."

The essay is entitled "Grandmother Courage" and the running header reads "The KARMAPA's daring escape from China keeps hope alive for Tibetans." Sonam explains that His Holiness's heroism lies in his integrity and his perseverance in holding to his spiritual path: "Ever since his state-authorized enthronement at the age of seven in 1992, the Karmapa had been carefully groomed to assume the role of Chinese puppet. But something went wrong with the plans. Despite the Chinese authorities' best efforts at brainwashing him and despite his youth, the Karmapa grew up with a strong sense of his own convictions; his spiritual training proved stronger and more profound than the Chinese could have imagined." The TIME Asia issue, dated April 29, 2002, was released April 22 throughout Asia and the text is also currently available at the TIME Asia website.

The Press Trust of India reports on growing dissatisfaction about the government's refusal to allow His Holiness the 17th Karmapa to go to his traditional exile seat in Sikkim. Residents of the Indian states have been waiting for His Holiness to come Dharma Chakra Centre since the Karmapa's arrival India in January 2000. So far, the central government has refused to allow the Karmapa to enter Sikkim.

Residents of Sikkim recently increased the volume of their requests to the central government: "It is almost two years since the 17th Karmapa fled Tibet to seek refuge in the land of Buddha. We have been requesting both the state and Centre that Urgyen Thinley Dorjee be allowed to ascend his seat at the Rumtek Monastery as per tradition," said a spokesman for the All Sikkim Buddhist Organisation.

"These requests were dealt with 'lightly'. None considered the suffering of the people being 'unjustifiedly deprived' of the blessings and teachings of their guru." The spokesman continued that the populus who yearned for the arrival of His Holiness had been patiently waiting for action from New Delhi, but suggested their patience was wearing thin: "We don't want to stage public protests in the form of massive rallies which always result in disruption for everybody, but we are now at a stage where it would appear that this is the only way our demands will be taken seriously." The Karmapa has repeatedly requested permission to go to Sikkim, but has been rebuffed so far. The primary opposition to His Holiness travel to Sikkim seems to be coming from the Ministry of External Affairs. According to press reports from India, the MEA has found it advantageous to make the most of China's opposition to His Holiness the Dalai Lama to assist in their foreign policy agenda, and this policy now has apparently been extended to the Karmapa.

The South China Morning Post article entitled "Buddha's Golden Touch" provides a fascinating insight into the long historical connection between China, the Karmapas , Sikkim and Tibet. Desiree Au writes about an auction of Chinese Art at Christie's Hong Kong in April of 2002. The theme of the Christie's auction is "Imperial Patronage Of Buddhist Art."

The centerpiece of the auction is a rare thangka produced in the Yongle period in the Ming dynasty (1403-1425). Originally, the thangka was commissioned by the emperor Yongle, "who was convinced he was a reincarnation of Manjusri, the Bodhisattva of Wisdom, and spared no expense or effort to foster ties with Tibet. The piece is believed to have been made as a gift to the highest member of the Tibetan Buddhist order at the time, the Tibetan Fifth Karmapa. He visited the emperor in 1407 to perform religious ceremonies in honour of Yongle's deceased father Hongwu (1368-1398) as well as rites of initiation for the ruler himself. 'I think that in many ways emperors used religion politically, especially in the case of China and Tibet,' Lin says. 'Alliances are formed through religious exchanges.'" Not so much has changed in the past seven centuries, it seems, though the political use of religion is not carried out so much these days by Kings, but rather by "secular" governments.

The article identifies the central image as that of Raktayamari, which might mean the thangka looks something like this, but it is not possible to be sure.

The provenance of the thangka is traced through the former King of Sikkim: "It was given by the chogyal of Sikkim, Sir Tashi Namgyal, to an Englishman in the 1940s. It appeared at a Christie's auction in New York in 1994, making a record price of US$1 million (HK$7.8 million). Lin says the tapestry is now owned by a 'non-Asian collector', adding it will fetch in excess of HK$10 million. 'Nothing parallels this,' Antebi adds, pointing out that the tapestry's complicated stitches, natural dyes and its intricate depiction of its subjects - down to the angle of the hair of the recumbent ox - probably took years of the imperial embroiderers' time. " The auction is scheduled for April 29 from 10.30am at the JW Marriott Hotel in Hong Kong; advance viewing begins April 26.

Mustang, described as "a last refuge for a culture all but crushed in neighbouring Tibet" is the subject of a South China Morning Post article. Another version of the article by Paul Raffaele is reprinted in The Australian Weekend Magazine. The King of Mustang is interviewed about his country's precarious relation to China: "'China's invasion saddened me very much. The Chinese should leave Tibet, and the Dalai Lama should return to rule.' Brave words so close to the Chinese border, even for a king. Ruling over just 7,000 inhabitants, the 69-year-old monarch's 2,012-square-kilometre kingdom of Mustang thrusts like a thumb into the belly of Tibet. His subjects are ethnic Tibetan and still live much as Tibetans have tried for centuries."

The SCMP article opines that Mustang is protected by China's desire to maintain good relations with Nepal. Nevertheless, moved by his Buddhist faith, "Two years ago, Mustang's king again tested Chinese tolerance when he allowed one of Tibet's most important lamas, the 15-year-old Karmapa, head of the powerful black-hat Kagyur sect, to travel through Mustang in his escape to India. " This SCMP article provides valuable, hard-to-obtain information about the history and current situation in near-inaccessible Mustang region, and further insight into the social and political background of the Himalayan region.

"Addressing the gathering on the occasion the Chief Minister said that his Government has always supported His Holiness, Orgyen Thinley Dorjee, as the 17th Gyalwa Karmapa and has been requesting the Centre time and again for early solution to Rumtek issue by allowing His holiness Orgyen Thinley Dorjee to take his rightful seat at Rumtek Dharma Chakra Centre. . . . He the said that he would once again discuss the Issue with the Prime Minister, Mr.Atal Behari Vajpayee during his next visit. He said that the state government has always safeguarded the religious sentiments of the Sikkimese people and will continue to do so forever . . . ."

The Herald also reports Chamling's pledge to have the Attorney General review the court's order about the inventory of sacred relics at Rumtek. More information on the court order controversy is available below.

Journalist Swati Chopra interviewed His Holiness Karmapa in an article published in Tricycle. Chopra, who brings a contemplative style to the article, writes that she found "a quality in this old young person that was textured with drama, gentleness and wisdom."

The most striking portion of the interview is the Karmapa's response to an open-ended inquiry at the conclusion of the article, in which he directed his comments to the United States audience that forms the base of Tricycle's readership, stating: "Among all my predecessors, it was the Sixteenth Karmapa who visited the United States. It is because of the Buddha activity that people in the U.S. and elsewhere in the world know the Karmapa. As his reincarnation, I respect and rejoice in his Buddha activity.

"As an incarnation of him, I have sincere prayers and dedication toward the whole world and that all sentient beings have peace and harmony. Specifically, the US has had to face terrible tragedy at this time. Since September 11, it has been my prayer that this sort of event, in which lives are lost and people hurt, not happen again in future anywhere in the world. My wish is that every human being live in peace. And whatever conflict there is between countries might be resolved to the benefit of all, without war."

We hesitated a bit in reviewing this piece because Tricycle has had a controversial history within the Tibetan Buddhist community, which in 1998 resulted in claims that the magazine had deliberately distorted an interview with a prominent Tibetan Buddhist teacher to reflect a political viewpoint of the editorial staff. Last September, however, Media Life reported changes in Tricycle editorial staff: "James Shaheen, who has served as Tricycle's publisher for the last five years, succeeds founding editor Helen Tworkov, who is stepping up to head the magazine's parent company, The Buddhist Ray Inc."

In this issue under Shaheen, Chopra's article about His Holiness asks some required political matters, but in general eschews a political slant and markedly adopts an almost meditative tone at points in the article. Chopra describes her encounter with the Karmapa by saying that the "young man's spirit shines through. To me, he seems quite his own person, with his own views. His response also makes me think that perhaps what reincarnates, in the case of realized beings, is their wisdom, and not the personal characteristics of a particular birth. . . . [T] here emanates from him what I can only describe as a profound stillness. He seems to be simply observing all that's happening around him. The disturbances, no more than ripples on water, arise and gently taper away."

In the interview, His Holiness talks on a varieties of topics, from the birds who were so beloved to the 16th Karmapa, to the way the members of the world community might approach the martial affairs of our times, as well his own way of dealing with his current situation in India and his own interests in poetry, music and painting.

Chopra notes that representatives from the MEA (Ministry of External Affairs) actively monitored the interview, an apparent routine activity for the ministry. The MEA appears to be the moving force behind the restrictions still in place on the Karmapa's movements. The involvement of the MEA indicates that the government of India continues to place H.H. Karmapa within a political context of India's relations to external countries, and in this context it is noteworthy that MEA head Jaswant Singh, was scheduled to be in China at the end of March to negotiate on border ("LAC") matters. His Holiness has adopted India as his home, just as did the 16th Karmapa, and we assume that the government's grant of refugee status was in recognition of the Karmapa's decision. We hope to see India shift its view to treat His Holiness as a resident of India, and note that Indian domestic affairs are currently under the purview of the Home Ministry headed by L.K. Advani.

This issue of Tricycle featuring the Karmapa's interview arrived at newsstands in March.

The Times of India reports that an Indian court in Sikkim, at the request of foes of the current Rumtek administration, has ordered an inventory of historical religious objects of the Karmapa. The order has stirred controversy and raised issues of state control over religious activity. The sacred objects stored at the monastery were brought from Tibet and are hundreds or even thousands of years old, and include relics of the Buddha and other revered Buddhist teachers from ancient India, as well as relics of teachers from the Kagyu order. All objects that are subject to the inventory are highly sacred and revered within the lineage of the Karmapas and the Kagyu order in general, as well as by all devoted Buddhists throughout the world. The court order applies legal principles typically applied to monetary disputes.

According to a public statement by the petitioners in the suit, the litigation is a civil suit filed on July 31, 1998 by Shamarpa Rinpoche, T.S. Gyaltsen, and Gyan Jyoti Kansakar et al. against the state of Sikkim, and others. In the petition to the court, the claimants attached a schedule listing "movable properties" it wishes inventoried. The court order apparently directs that the Reserve Bank of India Regional Director Mr. Vinod Kumar Sharma prepare an inventory of the items listed in the schedule.

In legal disputes over money, movable items of personal property, such as cars and furniture, termed "chattels," are differentiated from houses and property, which cannot be moved. Chattels are valued in legal disputes based solely on their monetary value.

The items listed in the schedule to the petition, however, are spiritual in nature. They include relics of the Buddha, statues of great Buddhist masters like Nagarjuna, as well as statues and precious possessions from previous Karmapas, precious texts, and similar items revered through centuries by Buddhists everywhere. By treating these holy items as mere monetary objects, the petition has caused a collision between the legal system of the court and the religious tenets of Buddhism.

The order has been objected to, but If petitioners prevail, one proposed compromise is to allow a religious person with the authority to open these treasures in the presence of an observer appointed by the court. The only person with such religious authority is the 17th Karmapa, who is currently barred from Rumtek by order of the Ministry of External Affairs of the government of India.

The Tribune reports that the court ruling has thus prompted a renewed series of requests to the government of India to permit His Holiness Karmapa to return to Rumtek. "The Minister for Religion and Culture in the exiled Tibetan government Mr Thupten Lungrik, said they had made several requests to the Indian Government but permission was still awaited. Admitting that the opening of the relics at Rumtek should be done only by the Karmapa as this was the tradition, he said that Mr Tashi Wangdi was acting as the representative of their Cabinet (Kashag), in New Delhi, to take up the matter with the Ministry of External Affairs.

"Mr Tashi Wangdi, a former minister for Religion and Culture in the Tibetan government when contacted the Delhi, said he was in constant touch with the Ministry of External Affairs and had made a request only last month to allow the Karmapa free movement. 'Though the followers of the Karmapa, have not approached me directly on the issue of Karmapa opening the relics at Rumtek, but since this has been the tradition, I shall convey their sentiments to the Indian government,' he stated.

“'We do not wish to bother the Indian Government time and again on the issue but we are confident that they will take into account the sentiments of the Dalai Lama, who had personally requested the Home Minister, Mr L.K. Advani, to allow the Karmapa to go to his traditional seat at Rumtek,'said Mr Wangdi. He added that at the time of granting refugee status to the Karmapa the Indian authorities had said that he could not be allowed to visit Rumtek for the time being. "

The Times of India reports somewhat humorously on the Karma Shri Nalanda Institute, established by His Holiness the 16th Gyalwang Karmapa, located at the Karmapa's main exile seat in Rumtek.

In this streaming news clip from ANI, the Dalai Lama looks fit as he delivers a talk to a large audience in Dharamsala on Chotrul Deuchen ("Miracle Day,") one of the four major Buddhist holidays commemorating major events in the life of the Buddha. The reference to the ANI news video is at the The Tribune newspaper website.

The AP has also released a photo of the event. Karmapa News is following the health of the Dalai Lama since he cancelled the Kalachakra at which His Holiness Karmapa was scheduled to be attend.

The Tribune of India reports that senior Tibetan spiritual heads and monks from various monasteries held a long life offering for the Dalai Lama, who is recuperating after illness.The special offerings were held at the Namgyal monastery , next to the palace of the Dalai Lama in Mcleodganj on Saturday. by monks of various monasteries

A photograph of His Holiness the Dalai Lama leaving the temple after the conclusion of the ceremony by Angus McDonald has been published by the AP.

The Office of His Holiness the Dalai Lama issued a statement upon His Holiness's return to Dharamsala yesterday and wishing everyone a happy Losar:

"On 7 February, His Holiness set out for Dharamsala and arrived here in the morning of 10 February. Now that His Holiness is in fine health, we ask all to set your minds at rest. As announced on 15 December, His Holiness will be in retreat for some time. We extend our heartfelt appreciation to all Tibetans for your prayers for the speedy recovery of His Holiness." The full statement is at the Tibet.net website.

His Holiness has cancelled his North American tour previously scheduled in April, in order to rest. The Tribune reports that all five traditions of Tibet are engaging in prayers for His Holiness the Dalai Lama for the next ten days at Namgyal Monastery.

It will not be so easy for the Dalai Lama to refrain from his regular schedule. On Tuesday February 12, 2002, for example, he gave a public audience to 500 recently arrived Tibetan refugees. The Tribune reports that "In a complete deviation from the exiled government’s recent decision to cancel all tour programmes, private and public meetings of the Dalai Lama, in view of his illness the spiritual head of the Tibetans addressed about 500 Tibetan refugees who recently arrived here, for almost 20 minutes in his palace. The Tibetans were relieved to see him hale and hearty and tears were rolling down their cheeks. . . . 'There is no cause for worry at all as I am feeling absolutely fine after the illness,' the Dalai Lama assured the refugees."

His Holiness the Dalai Lama departed Mumbai (Bombay) India for his residence in Dharamsala, India, today. Before he left, he held a press conference at his hotel. Regarding his health, His Holiness stated that doctors had declared him "completely fit." AP. He also stated that "I feel completely cured and my appetite is becoming bigger.'' Reuters.

His Holiness arrived in Bombay some ten days ago for treatment of an infection, and now heads back to Dharamsala, the seat of the Tibetan Government in exile.

The Bombay Paper Midday reported that "Hundreds of Tibetans turned up at The Leela, Sahar, to see him off. The street was dotted with traditional Tibetan costumes and tall stemmed flowers and posies. He clarified at a press conference that he had been admitted to the Lilavati Hospital, Bandra, from January 27 to February 3 for an amoebic infection of the bowels and said he had no ulcer or tumour."

Ramananda Sengupta in Mumbai for Rediff.com writes that the Dalai Lama's "sprightly step and beaming demeanour belied the fact that he had recently been released from Leelavati hospital, where he had undergone treatment for 'inflammation of the bowel'. He said that the constant travel and strain had triggered off this ailment. This sudden illness had led to the postponement midway of the 10-day Kalchakra festival, which kicked off in Bodh Gaya in Bihar on January 21. After recounting how and when he had last had such severe stomach problems, (in 1958 and then again in 1959, the former sparked off by some grapes, 'possibly from India') he expressed his immense gratitude to all those who worked and prayed for his speedy recovery."

The Dalai Lama has fully recovered from his recent disorder, but worries over his illness have prompted a number of speculations about the future effects his inability to work vigorously would have on prospects Tibet and for relations between exiled Tibetans and China. In the Hindustan Times, Pawan Sharma writes that while there is nothing "worryingly wrong" with his health, "the sudden, and persisting, illness has made people, especially the Tibetans, consider a question they have even dreaded asking themselves: What and who after the Dalai Lama? The Dalai has been the face of the Tibetan struggle for autonomy in, or independence from, China, for many decades now. There is no other Tibetan who comes anywhere near him, neither the Panchen Lama foisted by China nor the one recognised and accepted by Tibetans or even the 17-year-old Karmapa who stunned the world by escaping to India a year ago. For the world, the Tibetan cause begins and ends with the 67-year-old Dalai Lama." Sharma notes that the Tibetan exile government has moved to a democratically elected structure, but that the Dalai Lama's stature is not easily replacable.

Mark Abley of the Montreal Gazette points out that the Karmapa is often mentioned in discussions of future leaders of Tibet, since "Tibetan spirits were buoyed in 2000 when another young lama, the Karmapa, emulated the Dalai Lama by escaping across the snow peaks to India. Still only 16, the Karmapa shows promise of becoming a dynamic leader in his own right. But he represents only one of the often feuding schools of Tibetan Buddhism, and it's unclear whether he could ever command the respect given the Dalai Lama."

In another article on the Hindustan Times, an unnamed correspondent notes how India has used His Holiness the Dalai Lama and the Tibetan movement for its own political purposes. On the one side are the unabashed statements of an official from the Indian Ministry of External Affairs: "The Dalai Lama is a cause celebre in the West and, points out a MEA official, 'The Indian embassy in Washington has basked in his reflected glory for years.' Says an official, 'Every time we wanted to up the ante with China, we have used the Dalai Lama as a counterweight.' Fear of losing this is one reason they feel India cannot be just a passive observer about the Dalai Lama's passing away. The succession cannot be allowed to go 'wrong.'" The other side of the Indian establishment argument is that New Delhi cannot get involved in what he "called the 'intricacies of internal Tibetan politics.' New Delhi's earlier interference in a lama struggle is one reason there are now three Karmapa Lamas running around." Indeed, the government has reportedly gone so far as to request His Holiness to name a successor.

Back Issues Of Karmapa News

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March 3 - May 1

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March 13-15

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March 10-12

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March 4-6