APPELLO DELLA CTA PER LA LIBERAZIONE DELL’XI PANCHEN LAMA A 20 ANNI DALLA SUA SPARIZIONE

L’Amministrazione Centrale Tibetana (CTA), nel corso di una conferenza stampa tenutasi ieri 21 aprile a Dharamsala, ha chiesto ai sostenitori della causa tibetana in tutto il mondo di esercitare pressioni sulla Cina affinché venga liberato l’XI Panchen Lama, Gedhun Choekyi Nyima ormai scomparso da vent’anni.

Il 14 maggio 1995 il Dalai Lama, massima autorità spirituale del Tibet e allora capo del governo tibetano in esilio, riconosceva in Choekyi Nyima, in un bambino di sei anni, nato a Lhari, nel Tibet centrale, il 25 aprile 1989, l’undicesima reincarnazione di una delle più alte personalità religiose: il Panchen Lama, seconda autorità spirituale del Buddismo tibetano. Read the rest of this entry »

Dhamkar

Dhamkar si autoimmola a Ngaba

17 aprile 2015. Un tibetano si è autoimmolato con il fuoco ieri, 16 aprile, nel villaggio di Gyadey, nella Contea di Ngaba. Si chiamava Dhamkar, aveva 45 anni ed era padre di sette figli di età compresa tra i 21 e i 7 anni. La sua morte avviene a meno di una settimana di distanza da quella di Tashi Khando, la monaca quarantaduenne immolatasi a Kardze il giorno 8 aprile.

Prima di darsi fuoco Dhamkar ha allestito, nel cortile della sua abitazione, un altare sul quale ha posto le fotografie del Dalai Lama e del defunto 10° Panchen Lama, le due più importanti figure del Buddismo tibetano. Allontanatosi di pochi passi, si è cosparso di benzina e si è dato fuoco. Già avvolto dalla fiamme ha gridato: “Lasciate tornare il Dalai Lama” e “Liberate Panchen Rinpoche”.

Il personale della sicurezza cinese, arrivato sul luogo della protesta, ha portato i resti di Dhamkar alla vicina stazione di polizia dove sono stati convocati per essere interrogati il fratello e il cognato del defunto eroe tibetano conosciuto da tutti per il suo temperamento pacifico e per il suo adoperarsi per la promozione della pace contro ogni forma di violenza. Read the rest of this entry »

Durissimo libro bianco di Pechino sul Tibet: “il Dalai Lama abbandoni ogni illusione”.

16 aprile 2015. In un durissimo libro bianco pubblicato in data 15 aprile la Cina chiede al Dalai Lama di abbandonare ogni illusione circa la possibilità di un dialogo sul futuro del Tibet e lo accusa, ancora una volta, di falsità poiché dietro la sua richiesta di autonomia nasconde in realtà una forma di indipendenza mascherata.

Nel Libro bianco sulla questione del Tibet, il governo pone come condizione per il dialogo “il ritiro totale del monaco da ogni attività, le sue scuse per i misfatti compiuti e la fine di ogni richiesta di autonomia per la provincia”. Pechino spera di poter gestire la sua successione, ma esperti religiosi e accademici chiariscono: “Solo l’attuale leader buddista potrà decidere sul futuro della sua carica, le ingerenze della Cina provocheranno solo nuovi danni”. Read the rest of this entry »

His Holiness the Dalai Lama speaking to a group of Taiwanese in Tokyo, Japan on April 14, 2015. Photo/Tenzin Jigmey

New Delhi. India, 14 April 2015 – At the conclusion of a successful two week visit to Japan, during which he has met and interacted with Japanese scientists, politicians, doctors, Buddhist communities, students and members of the general public, His Holiness the Dalai Lama had final brief meetings with Tibetans and Taiwanese. He encouraged Tibetans to work for all humanity not only to pursue their own interests.

“Being of service to others is part of our religious tradition,” he said. “In today’s world, Tibetan culture is attracting attention, so it would be a shame if we can’t keep it up ourselves. I tell people abroad that Tibetans have a reputation for being warm-hearted, but if Tibetans fight among themselves and kill each other it’s a disgrace. Get together, discuss what you’re doing, offer constructive criticism and try to improve. Read the rest of this entry »

His Holiness the Dalai Lama during the afternoon session of his teachings at Showa Joshi Women’s University in Tokyo, Japan on April 13, 2015. Photo/Tenzin Jigmey

Permission and Empowerment of Avalokiteshvara, the Stages of Meditation and the Three Essential Moment

Tokyo, Japan, 13 April 2015 – The Showa Joshi Women’s University Memorial Hall was empty this morning when His Holiness the Dalai Lama arrived. He took a seat facing the small pavilion containing the mandala and a thangka of 1000 armed Avalokiteshvara to begin preparations for the empowerment he was to give. During the hour that these took the hall steadily filled.

Today’s proceedings began with a recitation of the Heart of Wisdom Sutra in Japanese. His Holiness explained what he was planning to do: “We’ll go through the empowerment first this morning. An empowerment is necessary if your want to practise tantra. Although other tantric traditions employ similar techniques, what distinguishes Buddhist tantric practice is that it is done in the context of an understanding of emptiness and the awakening mind. It is also an opportunity to employ subtler levels of consciousness, the most subtle being the primordial mind of clear light. This is what is sometimes referred to as Buddha nature. It is the extraordinary mind that is eventually transformed into the body of the Buddha at enlightenment. Read the rest of this entry »

His Holiness the Dalai Lama’s Teaching the Heart of Wisdom and the Commentary on the Awakening Mind

Tokyo, Japan, 12 April 2015 – The weather was bright once more today and, being a Sunday morning, the streets were relatively empty as His Holiness the Dalai Lama drove across Tokyo to the Showa Joshi Women’s University. People waiting outside to enter the Memorial Hall that was the venue for the teachings were taken by surprise to see him arrive in a car. Many bowed and then waved.
His Holiness took his seat punctually at 9.30 before a capacity audience of 2100. They included 370 Koreans, 120 Mongolians and about 1000 Chinese, mostly from Taiwan with some from the mainland. “Since most of us customarily recite the Heart of Wisdom Sutra, we’ll have recitations in your various languages,” he announced at the beginning. “Today, let’s have the Korean monks and tomorrow the Japanese.” Read the rest of this entry »

His Holiness the Dalai Lama Gives a Public Talk at Souji Temple

Tokyo, Japan, 11 April 2015 – After two restful days with the Busshokai group in Kanazawa, His Holiness the Dalai Lama left this morning for Tokyo. He travelled by Kagayaki Shinkansen one of Japan’s newest, and most up-to-date bullet train services, which was only inaugurated last month. Passing through Nagano, the approximately 500 kms journey was completed in two and a half hours.

The drive from Tokyo station to Souji Temple in Yokahama on Tokyo’s congested roads was considerably slower. His Holiness was received by the Chief Priests of the temple and escorted into the main Buddha hall where he paid his respects before joining them for a traditional Japanese lunch. Read the rest of this entry »

in an answer to a question, His Holiness the Dalai Lama explaining the Buddhist way to fold hand together during his talk at the 40th anniversary celebrations of the All Japan Soto Young Priest Association in Gifu, Japan on April 8, 2015. Photo/Tenzin Jigmey

An Interview and a Teaching for the All Japan Soto Young Priests Association

Gifu, Japan, 8 April 2015 – In addition to several private audiences this morning, His Holiness the Dalai Lama gave an interview to Japanese journalists, Tetsuo Kogure and Kentaro Isomura of the Asahi Shimbun newspaper and Maki Osanai of Live Viewing Japan. They began by recalling that in the more than 25 years since His Holiness received the Nobel Peace Prize, terrorism has spread. They asked him how he sees the situation. He replied: ““After the September 11^th event, I wrote to President Bush to express my condolences, but I also said ‘I hope you can deal with the consequences of this in a non-violent way’. My concern was that in a situation in which there was already one Bin Laden, to use force risked creating 10 Bin Ladens or 100 Bin Ladens. The trouble is that the use of violence provokes a violent response. We have to remember that terrorists are human beings too and find a way to talk to them.”After the fall of the Berlin Wall, the Soviet Union collapsed and the Warsaw Pact dissolved. Several former members of the Warsaw Pact emerged as democratic states. The nuclear threat subsided, as a result of which the world became safer. It’s true that there have been severe terrorist incidents, but even they are mild in comparison to a nuclear exchange. Read the rest of this entry »

Yeshi Khando

UNA MONACA TIBETANA SI AUTOIMMOLA A KARDZE

10 aprile 2015. Yeshi Khando, una monaca tibetana di 42 anni si è data la morte con il fuoco ieri, 9 aprile, nella Contea di Kardze. Invocando il ritorno in Tibet del Dalai Lama, pregando per la sua lunga vita e chiedendo la libertà per il suo paese, si è cosparsa di benzina e si è data fuoco.

Nel volgere di pochi minuti la polizia è arrivata e ha spento le fiamme con gli estintori. I famigliari di Yeshi Khando sono stati convocati alla stazione di polizia ma non è stato loro consegnato il corpo né sono loro state fornite notizie sulle sue condizioni fisiche. L’eventualità che possa essere sopravvissuta non è stata confermata ma testimoni oculari hanno fatto sapere che la sopravvivenza di Khando è altamente improbabile a causa delle gravi ustioni che ricoprivano il suo corpo nel momento in cui è stata portata via dalla polizia.

Yeshi Khando, nata nel villaggio di Graksur, nella Contea di Drango, apparteneva al monastero di Jhomo, a Kardze. Con la sua autoimmolazione sale a 138 il numero dei tibetani che si sono autoimmolati dal 2009 all’interno del Tibet in segno di protesta per l’occupazione del paese da parte della Cina.

Nella notte tra il 4 e il 5 marzo era deceduta Norchuk, una nomade tibetana di 47 anni, immolatasi con il fuoco nella Contea di Ngaba.

Fonte: Phayul, Italia Tibet

His Holiness the Dalai Lama Addressing Students at Aichi Gakuin University

Nagoya, Japan, 7 April 2015 – This morning, His Holiness the Dalai Lama travelled from Tokyo to Nagoya by Shinkansen – ‘Bullet Train’, and drove to the campus of Aichi Gakuin University. The University’s history began as a Soto Zen training centre founded in 1876. It now offers 50,000 students education infused with a spirit of humanity derived from Soto Zen founder Dogen Zenji’s sense that study and practice should not be seen as different.

His Holiness was offered a traditional Japanese lunch in the company of professors and teachers. He then walked to the hall where he was to give his talk to an audience of 3200, interacting with thrilled students on the way. The 2400 students in the hall gave him an enthusiastic welcome as he took the stage.

“Respected elders and younger brothers and sisters,” he responded, “it is a great honour for me to speak to young people like you fresh, still growing men and women. Unlike me you have most of your lives before you. While the past is gone and can’t be changed, you may be able to reshape the future. You have a great opportunity, indeed a responsibility, to make happy individuals of yourselves, belonging to a happy community and nation, part of a happier humanity. Read the rest of this entry »

His Holiness the Dalai Lama looking at the Japanese version of his office's website in Tokyo, Japan on April 5, 2015. Photo/Tenzin Jigmey

Attending the Global Environmental Forum for the Next Generation

Tokyo, Japan, 6 April 2015 – This morning, His Holiness the Dalai Lama had a cordial meeting with a group of Japanese parliamentarians during which they discussed matters of mutual interest and concern.
After lunch, he joined a panel taking part in a Global Environmental Forum for the Next Generation before an audience of 1100 at the Yomiuri Hall. Once introductions were complete, His Holiness was invited to speak.

“Brothers and sisters, it’s a great honour to be with you once more and able to meet old friends again. It is our tradition, and I think it’s yours too, that once we have got to know each other, our friendship lasts until our final day. I feel moved to be meeting many of you again.

“Today the topic is the environment, which is something I’m still learning about. When I first arrived in India, I had no idea about the importance of the environment, but gradually I have come to understand its significance. One factor here is our increasing population. It’s 7 billion now and some say it may reach 10 billion by the end of this century. In this context, large numbers of people live in poverty. There is a huge gap between rich and poor, which we have to close and ensure more equality. Read the rest of this entry »

His Holiness the Dalai Lama’s A Day of Fruitful Tibetan-Japanese Exchanges

Tokyo, Japan, 5 April 2015 – Despite light drizzle and a grey sky, today began on a bright note with His Holiness the Dalai Lama’s visit to the newly relocated Liaison Office of his Representative for East-Asia. He recited prayers of consecration and, as tea and rice were served, selected a volume from the Kangyur to read. Addressing the 40 people who were present for the occasion, he said: “I’d like to express thanks to all our friends here. I very much appreciate your support. We Tibetans have had links with Japan since the time of the 13^th Dalai Lama, who sent a learned Lama here. Around the same time Ekai Kawaguchi came to Tibet and studied at Sera Monastery. I remember seeing a photograph of him in the 13^th Dalai Lama’s room. The Second World War broke out not long after the 13^th Dalai Lama passed away so links didn’t resume until we came to India as refugees. Read the rest of this entry »

His Holiness the Dalai Lama speaking at the Japan Doctors Association Hall in Tokyo, Japan on April 4, 2015. Photo/Tenzin Jigmey

His Holiness the Dalai Lama Talks to the Japan Doctors Association

Tokyo, Japan, 4 April 2015 – Having returned to Tokyo from Sapporo this morning, this afternoon His Holiness the Dalai Lama was invited to address not only the live audience in the Japan Doctors Association Hall, but also another 166,000 members across the country online. Moved by the formality of the 500 grave-faced, besuited physicians before him, His Holiness declared that while he usually speaks in English, he would begin in his own Tibetan language. He told them how happy he was to be with them and remarked that although the President of the Japan Doctors Association (JDA) had referred in his introduction to the Dalai Lamas being bodhisattvas, he prefers to think of himself as just a human being. Switching to English, he continued: “It’s a great honour for me to address such a gathering of people from the field of medicine, because, while almost every human activity can contribute to people’s welfare, doctors and nurses are often able to give people new life. Read the rest of this entry »

His Holiness the Dalai Lama during his talk on "Universal Responsibility" in Sapporo, Japan on April 3, 2015. Photo/Jeremy Russell/OHHDL

His Holiness the Dalai Lama’s Public Talk about Universal Responsability in Sapporo

Sapporo, Hokkaido, Japan, 3 April 2015 – The roughly 800 kms flight from Tokyo to Sapporo His Holiness the Dalai Lama took today was a journey from one season to another. In Tokyo spring has come with bright days, blue skies and the cherry blossom in full bloom. In Hokkaido, by contrast, it is still winter; cold, cloudy, wind-swept and wet. Piles of cleared snow are plain to see. He was the guest of the Sapporo branch of Junior Chamber International, a non-profit international non-governmental organization of young people between 18 and 40 years old. With members in about 80 countries, it encourages young people to become responsible citizens participating in social and economic development, while fostering international co-operation, good-will and understanding. The 1800 strong audience gave His Holiness a warm welcome as he took the stage and listened with rapt attention. Read the rest of this entry »

His Holiness the Dalai Lama Meets Foreign Visitors to Dharamsala

Dharamsala, HP, India, 30 March 2015 – His Holiness the Dalai Lama today met with an estimated 1100 people from 56 different countries in Asia, Australasia, Europe, North and South America and Africa. Among them were more than 100 Indians. He first posed for photographs with them arranged in groups according to nationality before sitting down below the Tsuglagkhang to speak to them.

“Some time ago I thought it would be good,” he said, “if, when there are quite a number of visitors here, I could meet with them and share with them some of my thoughts and experiences. So, you can not only see my face, but also hear about what I think.”

He mentioned that we are all the same as human beings. We all want to be happy and we all value each others’ affection. It is the experience of care and affection at the start of our lives that equips us to be able to show affection to others when we are older. He pointed out that scientists today have found that having constant feelings of anger and hatred is bad for our health, whereas showing affection does us good. Read the rest of this entry »

20^th Shotön Opera Festival Begins

Dharamsala, HP, India, 27 March 2015 – This morning, His Holiness the Dalai Lama presided over the opening of the 20th Shotön Festival in exile. The last such celebration of Tibetan opera in Tibet took place in 1958 and the tradition was revived on His Holiness’s advice in 1993. As he drove from his residence to the Tibetan Institute of Performing Arts (TIPA), the road was lined with Tibetans and other well-wishers, waves of white silk scarves in their hands as the early morning sun illuminated their joyful, smiling faces.

His Holiness was received at the gate to TIPA by the Director Wangdu Tsering Pesur and fully costumed artistes presented the ‘chema changpu’ offering. Sikyong Dr Lobsang Sangay and his cabinet colleagues, the Speaker of the Assembly of Tibetan People’s Deputies and the Chief Justice Commissioner were also present to welcome him. His Holiness made his way through the happy crowd, greeting friends as he went, and took his seat in the balcony viewing box prepared for him.

To begin with there was a call for a minute’s silence in tribute to the martyrs who have died for the cause of Tibet. Next, a statue of Thang Tong Gyalpo, the 14^th century adept, generally credited with founding the Ache Lhamo opera tradition was installed on the altar at the centre of the performing ground. Director Wangdu Tsering, speaking for everyone present, expressed gratitude that His Holiness was able to attend. Read the rest of this entry »

Nandini Chatterjee-Singh speaking during her presentation at the second day of the Science Ethics and Education conference at Delhi University in Delhi, India on March 25, 2015. Photo/Tenzin Chojeor/OHHDL

Science, Ethics and Education – Second Day

Delhi, India, 25 March 2015 – The second day of the Science, Ethics and Education conference at Delhi University began soon after 9am this morning with a presentation from Mind & Life veteran Clifford Saron. He is the principal investigator of the Shamatha Project and his talk focused on ways contemplative practices can provide mental and emotional training that helps teachers. He told His Holiness the Dalai Lama that in 2009 he had asked how to encourage ordinary people to investigate their minds and he had replied that it was up to people like him. He said that since then there has been a huge growth in interest in mindfulness, but not all of it positive. He cited an announcement “Make a killing on Wall Street – start meditating”.

Using a vivid graphic display of a cube Saron illustrated object orientation, dereification, meta-awareness, as well as aperture, clarity, stability and effort in relation to full time training in meditative quiescence and emotional balance as part of the Shamatha Project. This allows a much clearer assessment of the ways attentional, emotional and physiological processes are modified over a period of three months.

His Holiness reiterated an interest he has previously expressed in distinctions between nonconceptual and conceptual thought. He drew attention to the difference between a sensory perception and the image of an object in the mind and what investigators might find out about the mental level of practice. He also remarked:“It makes a difference whether the object on which you focus is an external object or the mind itself. He recommended taking the mind itself as the object of focus.” Read the rest of this entry »

Professor Gananath Obeyesekere delivering his presentation at the international conference on Science, Ethics and Education at the University of Delhi in Delhi, India on March 24, 2015. Photo/Tenzin Choejor/OHHDL

Science, Ethics and Education – First Day

Delhi, India, 24 March 2015 – A two day international conference opened today at the University of Delhi. Scholars and teachers with roots in the ancient knowledge traditions of India considered how they might contribute to a fuller more rounded education that includes ethical values in addition to more materialistic aims. The meeting attended by Delhi University students took place in the DS Kothari Centre for Science, Ethics and Education. Prof Meenakshi Thapan, moderator of the first session explained that DS Kothari was an outstanding teacher and a great educationist, who worked relentlessly to achieve a synthesis of science, education and moral values. Amongst his important contributions was the Kothari Commission on Secondary Education. His Holiness the Dalai Lama, who has also articulated a vision to include secular ethics in the common education system, was invited to give the inaugural address.

“Elder brothers and sisters, professors, and younger brothers and sisters. Delhi University has organized this meeting on this occasion with some support from Mongolian sources. Everybody knows that science gives us an important method for exploring reality. And coming to an understanding of reality is important if your approach to what you are doing is to be realistic. If it isn’t it’s not likely to succeed.

“I’ve been interested in science since I was a child. I was always curious to know how and why things worked. When I was given mechanical and clockwork toys I played with them for a while and then took them to bits to see how they worked.  Some of the time I was able to put them together again.” Read the rest of this entry »

La passione della Cina per la censura in rete

di Gian Luca Atzori

“Se si apre la finestra per cambiare aria, ci si deve aspettare che entri anche qualche mosca”: queste parole costituivano uno tra i detti favoriti da Deng Xiaoping durante la sua era di apertura e riforme, ma per molti rappresentano tuttora il background ideologico della moderna censura cinese. La Cina vanta il più avanzato sistema di controllo della storia dell’umanità, capace di contare quasi due milioni di impiegati che sorvegliano il web.

Marxismo per giornalisti

Dal suo insediamento il nuovo governo di Xi Jinping ha ripetutamente promosso campagne volte ad un maggiore controllo ideologico sui media e l’istruzione, oscurando migliaia di siti tra cui il New York Times e Bloomberg, o istituendo il nuovo esame di marxismo per i giornalisti. Dal 20 marzo anche il sito di Reuters è inaccessibile Read the rest of this entry »