Tibetans in Tibet who protect their identity not ‘separatists’: Dalai Lama Phayul

The Dalai Lama saluting the Tibetan army personnel from the 22 regiment of the Indian Army present in the audience at TCV School, Leh-Ladakh. August 7 2016. Photo by Tenzin Dharpo.

CHOGLAMSAR, LADAKH, Aug 7: The Tibetan leader His Holiness the Dalai Lama currently on a short sabbatical in Ladakh today said that labeling Tibetans in his homeland Tibet as ‘separatist’s for protecting their identity and age old cultural heritage is untoward, further referring the efforts to protect and preserve the same as “natural and with reason”.

The Dalai Lama in his address said, “Just as it is natural for Chinese people to be proud and protective of their rich historical and cultural heritage; it is natural and with reason for Tibetans to be proud and make efforts to protect the rich and endangered heritage and identity. China’s relentless effort in the last few decades to isolate and suppress key differentiating traits such as Tibetan language has borne little results despite banning and disallowing teaching it in some regions.

“We are not against new ideas; in fact we are open to any idea that will serve to enrich us. The rich Tibetan Buddhism is essentially the Nalanda tradition that originated from India. We have adopted that. But the current Chinese policies and ideology is repressive thereby meeting with resistance by common Tibetans,” he further said.

The Tibetan leader who turned 81 last month mentioned that Tibetan heritage and origination is unique, recalling his meeting with a Chinese archaeologist at Harvard University who uncovered indigenous artifacts from Chamdo region that were discovered to be 80,000 years old. Similar discoveries of native relics, the Tibetan leader said, have been made in other parts in Tibet dating as back as from Stone Age periods. His Holiness who habitually relates to his audience with anecdotes shared, “Back in the 1940’s Hienrich Harrer and Peter Aufschnaiter built a miniature hydro power facility in Lhasa. While excavating the ground, they discovered a tomb with skeletal remains of some humans. Later the remains were found to be 3000 years old and indigenous to Tibet.”

The public audience held at TCV school’s main ground was attended by Ganden Tri Rinpoche, Jetsun Pema, Members of Parliament and over 5000 laity consisting of Tibetans from local settlements, Tibetan army personnel and TCV children.
The Tibetan leader will begin his formal itinerary in Ladakh from August 10 with a teaching on Atisha’s Lamp for the Path to Enlightenment (jangchup lamdron) and Nagarjuna’s Commentary on Bodhicitta (jangchup semdrel) at Thiksey Monastery. On August 11, His Holiness will confer a long life empowerment (tsewang) and long life prayer at Thiksey Monastery. Later on August 19 and 20, His Holiness will give a teaching on Shantideva’s A Guide to the Bodhisattva’s Way of Life (chodjug) at Shewatsel Teaching Ground. The next day, His Holiness will confer the Avalokiteshhvera Initiation (wang) at Shewatsel Teaching Ground and return to Dharamshala the following day.