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January 19 |
-The Hindustan Times |
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The Hindustan Times reports that the "Himalayan Buddhist Cultural Association and Tibet Support Groups" have made a formal request to the
government to allow His Holiness Karmapa to remain in India. In support of the request, they submitted a memorandum arguing that the Karmapa is not a security threat to India. Otherwise, the Indian media outlets
are relatively quiet today on our front. Full text. |
-Economic Times (India) |
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The Economic Times (India) is conducting an online "InstaPoll" asking "will the Karmapa issue hurt Sino-Indian
relations?" Poll. |
-Hong Kong Standard-
South China Morning Post |
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The Hong Kong Standard's
Pamela Pun shows the greater depth of analysis in some portions of the Eastern press as it examines how deliberate is the connection between the news of Reting Rinpoche and the Karmapa's arrival in India. Pun quotes experts who conclude such a connection is unlikely. Tsering Shakya, of the University of London, said any link was improbable, since "In Tibet, every monastery had its own living Buddha . . . . The Reting Rinpoches are Yellow Hats - the same sect as the Dalai Lama [and different from the Karmapa's order]. The Reting is significant as one of the few Tibetan lamas who can act as regent in the absence of the Dalai Lama. . . .
"Beijing-based Tibet-watcher Wang Lixiong said the enthronement of the 7th Reting Lama, days after the flight of the 17th Karmapa, could be a coincidence. . . 'It would be absurd if Beijing wanted to offset the
negative side of the flight of the Karmapa by publicising the new "reincarnation" (the 7th Reting) because the religious influence of the Karmapa was much more than the Reting's,' he said." Full text.The Karmapa and
Reting Rinpoche stories provide an opportunity for Chris Taylor to examine the critically important Tibetan system of reincarnate lamas. Writing in the Features section of the South China Morning Post
an article entitled Control of Tibet a Question of Faith, Taylor demonstrates an assured and knowledgeable hand in explaining this important practice of vesting temporal authority in reincarnate lamas
(Tibetan "tulku," pronounced closer to "trulku"). Key to understanding the tulku
system is to distinguish doctrines of reincarnation and rebirth. Rebirth is an axiom of Buddhism (and many other religions) and is glossed by Buddhists as an involuntary circling through the samsaric "wheel of life." Reincarnation, glossed by Buddhists as "voluntary rebirth," is, according to widely-accepted Buddhist doctrine, a capacity of enlightened beings. However, only in Tibet was the system of reincarnation institutionalized in such a way that administrative control and temporal leadership was vested in lines of reincarnated masters. Monasteries were the central institution of Tibet for religion and education. Traditionally in Tibet, since the second Karmapa established the tradition by recognizing himself, the heads of monasteries were
tulkus. Except for the Karmapas, most tulkus are recognized by other authorities. No matter whether or not one believes in the doctrines or rebirth and reincarnation, one cannot analyze Tibetan society without an
understanding of the institution of tulkus which pervades that society. In an example of excellent journalism based on solid research, Taylor points out that "the importance of reincarnate lamas and whose side
they are on is not to be underestimated in Tibet. Prior to the Chinese invasion of 1950, Tibet was a theocracy. Spiritual and economic power lay in the hands of reincarnate lamas, the most powerful of whom was the Dalai
Lama, who resided in the soaring Potala Palace, the administrative seat of the U. Second in power, and historically often a rival, was the Panchen Lama, who resided in Tashilhunpo Monastery in Shigatse, administrative
seat of Tsang. But there were many more - around 3,000 - reincarnate lamas, or trulku
as they are known in Tibetan, most of them presiding over tiny village monasteries with no more than a handful of monks in attendance." Taylor goes on to note that the Kagyu order was a traditional rival
of the Gelug order, and that confusing different reincarnation lines between the two is to misunderstand Tibetan society in a fundamental way. Only one small glitch in this article, the reference to the
Kagyu order as the oldest in Tibet. Without further qualification, the Nyingma order is usually considered older. With the notable exception of some outlets in London, most of the press writing on the
issue of this critical religious institution in Tibet have evidenced a lack of substantial research. We recommend reading this fine article from Taylor. Full text
in the South China Morning Post. |
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BBC- Reuters/Infoseek |
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In an example of the story which attracts mention of the Karmapa as an aside, and illustrates the geopolitical
perspective of news organizations, the BBC and Reuters
notes that the visit to China of Pakistan's most recent military ruler, General Pervez Musharraf, puts pressure on India, whose relations to China are already being strained by the appearance of the Karmapa in the country.
BBC full text and Reuters' full text. |
-CNN |
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CNN notes that His Holiness the Dalai Lama has been in secluded retreat and has not commented directly on the Chinese announcement about the
Reting Rinpoche incarnation. His Holiness Dalai Lama has interrupted his retreat only to meet the Karmapa. Full text. |
January 18 |
-
The New York Times |
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Erik Eckholme of the Times in China Anoints a 'Living Buddha,' but the Dalai Lama Dissents discusses the
Karmapa in an article about the announcement by the Chinese Government that it had approved an incarnation of Reting Rinpoche. The Dalai Lama's government has rejected the Chinese announcement. The status of His
Holiness Karmapa is discussed in the article as an example of the setbacks in what is termed China's "Tibet strategy," exemplified by the Karmapa's "unexpected appearance" in Dharamsala. This article is typical of a
number that have appeared about Reting Rinpoche's recognition: all group the Karmapa and Panchen Lama in the same "Tibet strategy" analysis. However, other than noting that China appeared to be allowing the recognition
of incarnate lamas, and speculating on China's intentions in doing so, all these articles by Western press outlets, including the Times,
fail to provide any further insight or highlight any subtleties about the strategies of the Chinese authorities. Yet other than nationality and profession, and the press abstraction of China's "strategy," the Karmapa has had no specific connection or relationship to the Reting line or Panchen Lama line.
The article almost meets the professional standards expected of the New York Times, but in addition to falling a little short of analytic excellence, it also contains the type of
glitches that required the esteemed press outlet to retract some nomenclature from its original story of January 8, 2000. First is the usage of "Karmapa Lama." Technically, the Karmapa is a "lama," or Buddhist teacher,
but use of this descriptive term obscures rather than clarifies the meaning of Karmapa. Lamas are not necessarily enlightened teachers. The use of the term lama for "Dalai Lama" and "Panchen Lama," is not a generic
descriptive term, but rather akin to a proper name. It would also be of service to international readers for news outlets to do more to explain the term "living buddha," which although it may be a valid and respectful
translation of the Chinese term, does not in its English form promote understanding of the Tibetan word "tulku" or of the institution of tulkus in Tibet. Full text. |
-The Telegraph
- The Deccan Journal
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In an editorial entitled Great Refuge, The Telegraph
opines that it is in India's interest to allow the Karmapa to stay in the country, but not to be bold about doing so, saying "New Delhi's minimalism is merely a manifestation of caution." India's place as the world's largest democracy demands that it provide refuge to His Holiness and other Tibetans, but India may be permitted to do so gently.
The Deccan Chronicle reported that India was "prevaricating" in its decision while it examined the circumstances of the Karmapa's departure from China. A six person team from Indian intelligence was
reported to have been in Dharamsala over the weekend. Along these lines, The Telegraph
editorial continues that "if, as seems likely, the Karmapa is a genuine refugee, China will suffer a great loss of face irrespective of what India does. After all, the Tibetan leader was handpicked by Beijing and showcased as the shining success of their minority policy." Thus, India may proceed slowly and quietly to minimize this embarrassment and protect its developing relationship to China, though it appears to be resolute in permitting the Karmapa to stay.
Full text. |
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The Hindu |
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Sujay Mehdudia in The Hindu
describes the frantic preparation at Situ Rinpoche's Sherabling Palpung Monastery, located about 8 kilometers from Baijnath. "People of the adjoining monasteries and the Tibetan community have been asked to make preparations for his welcoming the Karmapa. Rehearsals are already on to present Tibet's cultural programmes, including the famous lion dance. . . . Artists from Tibet are giving last-minute touches to the main entrance. All work, including cooking, cleaning and washing, is being done by the monks."
Mehdudia describes the background of the Palpung monastery project, begun in 1977, to provide "an opportunity to the people to study and practise Buddhism in the traditional monastic environment. . . . According to
Tai Situ Rinponche, the idea of the project is to preserve the Tibetan people's culture in a complete self- sufficient environment where everyone can study and practise." Full text. |
-The Times of India
|
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The Times of India
reports that the Chinese ambassador to India Zhou Gang is visiting India and asked India to comply with its agreements by precluding the Karmapa from engaging in political activities on Indian soil. Gang was subdued in responding to reporters questions about the Karmapa's arrival in India, hewing to the government's position that the Karmapa had arrived to obtain religious instruments, and would afterwards return to China. "Asked whether it would be acceptable to China if the Karmapa decides to stay in India, Gang said he did not wish to respond to hypothetical situations."
"'The Chinese government is worried about the safety of the Karmapa because of the complexities here between the various Tibetan sects. We are only asking the Indian government to inform us of his whereabouts,' he
said." Full text. |
- Indian Express- The Hindustan Times |
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The Indian Express
reports on its front page that Shamar Rinpoche granted the paper another "exclusive interview" to express his opposition to His Holiness Karmapa. In the long interview, Shamar Rinpoche provides advice for the Indian government as to how best to conduct their affairs with respect to the Karmapa. No critical questions or perspective are provided by the
Express editors or Arati R. Jerath, the author of the Express article. The Express provides a platform for Shamar Rinpoche to criticize the Defence Minister of India, George Fernandes, and
another Union Minister, Ram Jethmalani. Shamar Rinpoche accuses these government officials of lobbying within the Government to get the "China-backed Karmapa installed at the Rumtek monastery in Sikkim."
The Hindustan Times
at the same time reported that Shamar Rinpoche had obtained an ally in his criticism of Fernandes position on the Karmapa, when the "Communist Party of India (Marxist) came down hard and warned the Government not to allow the Karmapa issue to be used to damage the process of improving relations with China."
In the Indian Express article, Shamar Rinpoche explained his objections to allowing the Karmapa to go to Sikkim, the traditional seat of the Karmapas in India. Rinpoche noted that he believes his own
representative should run the monastery, and he argued that he had profferred a candidate "to take over the legacy of heading the wealthy Kagyu sect." Shamar Rinpoche based his request on geopolitical reasons, arguing
that "'I want the Karmapa in India to get the Rumtek monastery and the Rumtek crown because they are in India. Let the Chinese Karmapa keep the Tshurpu monastery which is in China. There is no problem in having two
Karmapas of the Karma Kagyu sect,'" Rinpoche told The Indian Express. Oddly, Shamar Rinpoche is the first to point out that his own candidate was not born in India, has no Indian passport
and is currently in France. Shamar Rinpoche's candidate in fact holds a Bhutanese diplomatic passport. (Rinpoche does not explain in the article how his Tibetan-born candidate obtained that passport, but it has
been widely reported that a former confederate of Shamar Rinpoche, now deceased, was married to a member of the royal family of Bhutan.) In the interview, Shamar Rinpoche dispenses other important points
of advice for the government of India.
- On India's failure to protect Indian citizen's civil rights:
"People in western countries are very naive about human rights. Situ Rinpoche type of people take advantage of this and bully India on this issue," Shamar declared."
- On China's more effective protection of Chinese citizen's civil rights:
Shamar Rinpoche "also questioned the claim that the Karmapa had fled religious persecution by the Chinese authorities. 'He is a VIP in China. All his expenses are being taken care of by the Chinese Government. He is in a very comfortable position. So there is no question of violation of human rights,' he insisted."
- On how to fix Indian customs and visa administration:
"Disputing George's remark yesterday that the Chinese visitor was welcome to stay for a while if he so wanted, Shamar said, 'The boy and his attendants, all of whom are Chinese citizens, came to India without a visa. Does this mean that any spiritual leader, even the Mahayana monks from Beijing, can come to India without a visa?''"
- On how to resolve Shamar's claims against the Karmapa through logical reasoning:
"'The logic is very clear. If China has sent him, how can India keep him here? If the Situ Rinpoche group in India has stolen the boy, how can China keep quiet? So he will have to go back to China or go somewhere else.'"
Shamar Rinpoche did not discuss the third alternative, that His Holiness Karmapa arrived here of his own free will, and at considerable peril, to pursue his religious training and studies. Although Shamar
Rinpoche appears to accept the validity of His Holiness Karmapa, his attempt to divide the Kagyu order based on geopolitical grounds is unprecedented. Full text of the remarkable interview at the Indian Express site. |
-Indian Express |
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The Indian Express
is conducting an online reader poll as to whether giving asylum to Karmapa will affect India's relations with China. A majority of the early voters have said "no." Poll. |
January 15-17 |
Click here to go to the news archive containing references
to articles on His Holiness the Gyalwa Karmapa dated January 15-17, 2000 |
January 12-14 |
Click here to go to the news archive containing references to articles on His
Holiness the Gyalwa Karmapa dated January 12-14, 2000 |
January 11 |
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Click
here to go to the news archive containing references to articles
on His Holiness the Gyalwa Karmapa dated January 11, 2000
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January 10 |
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Click
here to go to the news archive containing references to articles
on His Holiness the Gyalwa Karmapa dated January 10, 2000
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January 9 |
Click here to go to the news archive containing references to articles on His
Holiness the Gyalwa Karmapa dated January 9, 2000 |
January 8 |
Click here to go to the news archive containing references to articles on His
Holiness the Gyalwa Karmapa dated January 8, 2000 |
January 7 |
Click here to go to the news archive containing references to articles on His
Holiness the Gyalwa Karmapa dated January 7, 2000 |
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