Conspiracy behind self-immolations
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Around 34 Tibetans have so far self-immolated themselves. Is it possible that the Dalai Lama as a reincarnation of the Bodhisattva Avalokiteshvara, and his so called ‘clique’, are behind all these self-immolations as this editorial writer with the China Daily claim in the below article?
Is it true that self-immolation, a form of suicide is against the Buddhist tenets?
Conspiracy behind self-immolations
By Shan Chu (China Daily) Updated: 2012-05-16 08:10
The early spring in the Tibetan-inhabited areas of west China was calm, until some horrifying news broke the peace. Some young Tibetans set themselves on fire, resulting in several deaths and serious injuries.
Watching the pictures of these self-immolations, I was choked with sorrow beyond words, especially as some of the victims were not yet adults.
It's not enough for us to merely extend our condolences to the families of those who died we should look into the root causes.
Is it purely coincidence that whenever there is a suicide by self-immolation the Dalai Lama clique immediately disseminates perfectly framed videos and sensational statements? The hands of the Dalai Lama and his clique are not clean, as the case of Rigzin Phuntsog, who committed suicide by self-immolation last year, shows.
An investigation found that on the evening of March 15 of last year, Rigzin Phuntsog, a 16-year-old lama at the Kirti Monastery in Aba county, bought three bottles of gasoline, accompanied by Lhadan, a lama in the monastery. Early on March 16, Rigzin Phuntsog told Lhadan and other lamas that he was ready and would set fire to himself that day. In the afternoon, Rigzin Phuntsog did set himself on fire after making sure that the lamas had finished reciting scriptures, guaranteeing that many of them would be on the street to witness his suicide.
A group of lamas from Kirti Monastery forcibly took Rigzin Phuntsog away from police who tried to save his life and held him for nearly 11 hours before they agreed to allow the injured monk to be taken to hospital. But as a result of the delay, Rigzin Phuntsog died in hospital of cardio-respiratory failure.
As is so often the case, shortly after the tragedy occurred, the Dalai Lama clique released images of the young monk's self-immolation. When questioned, the lamas from Kirti Monastery admitted that they had filmed the self-immolation and sent the images to Dharamsala - where the Dalai Lama and his clique gather - immediately after the incident.
From this it is clear that the self-immolations are nothing but staged scenes directed by the Dalai Lama clique as part of their separatist agenda. The Dalai Lama and his followers honor these innocent victims as heroes and martyrs, glorifying their self-immolations as a non-violent means of restoring their power and privilege.
Clearly, the Dalai Lama and his followers do not know the true meaning of "non-violent", as self-immolations are violent, brutal and extreme. They are against human nature, morality and the tenets of Buddhism. It is impossible for any reasonable person to endorse such acts.
The Dalai Lama claims that the self-immolations show the failure of the Chinese government's Tibetan policy. However, as a result of the preferential policies of the central government, Tibetans' average life expectancy has increased from 35.5 years in 1951 to 69 years today. Tibetan children enjoy free education, meals and lodging in schools. Most schools have Tibetan language classes daily. Farmers and herdsmen receive free medical care. Freedom of religion and normal religious activities are fully respected.
What an irony that the Dalai Lama, the former biggest serf-owner in Tibet before democratic reforms in the 1950s, who regarded human lives as disposable straws, should now portray himself as a human rights defender caring about the Tibetans who are leading incomparably better lives than ever before.
The self-immolations incited by the Dalai Lama and his followers are staged to win the world's sympathy and support. But their desperate attempts to exploit such horrific acts for their own gain have only served to reveal their heartless disregard for young lives and their political conspiracy.
The author is a Beijing-based scholar of international relations.
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erm this is more inclined to politics... we all know China is always monitoring Dalai Lama's movement...
The writer definitely sides the Chinese central government. I see most political dissenters have terrible time...
With regards to whether the monks are doing on their own accord, or been instructed to burn themselves, no one know.... Furthermore, it is not appropriate for us laypeople to comment whether they are right or wrong in their actions... Although it seems to be a waste of precious lives and insanity to the eyes of the media...
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Originally posted by 2009novice:
erm this is more inclined to politics... we all know China is always monitoring Dalai Lama's movement...
The writer definitely sides the Chinese central government. I see most political dissenters have terrible time...
With regards to whether the monks are doing on their own accord, or been instructed to burn themselves, no one know.... Furthermore, it is not appropriate for us laypeople to comment whether they are right or wrong in their actions... Although it seems to be a waste of precious lives and insanity to the eyes of the media...
Yeah, agree with you. Please read the link below and help to sign the petition : Sangha In Tibet, Stop Suicides.
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The first Buddhist precept said ‘Do not Kill’, but it is certainly a complex issue when it come to the subject of suicide. In one of the Jataka tales on the previous births of the Historical Buddha, we do come across the story of the Blessed One giving up his body to feed a staving tigress and her four cubs; a story of self sacrifice.
In chapter 23 of the Lotus Sutra we see the Bodhisattva Medicine King self immolating himself and was praise by the ‘Buddhas in these worlds’ as true diligence and is also called a ‘true Dharma offering to the Thus Come One’. This chapter is believed to be the main inspiration for the monks and nuns who self immolated themselves to protest against the Vietnam War.
It is stated in the ‘Mahaprajnaparamitasastra’ of Nagarjuna, that ‘this body is a reservoir of old age, sickness and death and must necessarily perish. But if one sacrifices one’s body to preserve morality, the benefit will be very great’. It is also stated that ‘Moreover, to commit murder, it is necessary to kill another person; to kill oneself is not murder’, and that ‘It is better to die than to kill, i.e. to sacrifice one’s own life to safeguard one’s pure morality.
One can see that self immolation, tragic and painful as it is to the individual, if done for some pure cause and not out of hatred or anger, though not condoned is not really against the Buddhist teaching based on the above quotes.
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In the Pali suttas, the Buddha clearly laid out that it is only faultless to take one's own life if one is no longer bound to samsara, i.e. there is no more further birth and the work has been done.
If you commit suicide and you are not liberated, there is no telling where you will end up in future, it is very likely you will fall into the lower realms as the next rebirth is dependent on your last mind state.
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Originally posted by An Eternal Now:
In the Pali suttas, the Buddha clearly laid out that it is only faultless to take one's own life if one is no longer bound to samsara, i.e. there is no more further birth and the work has been done.
If you commit suicide and you are not liberated, there is no telling where you will end up in future, it is very likely you will fall into the lower realms as the next rebirth is dependent on your last mind state.
Is it a reference to the case of Channa? If you are referring to arhats only that can take their own life, than the next question that will be asked is; Are arhats capable of suicide? They should be incapable of deliberately harming a living being including themselves in the first place.
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Originally posted by Aik TC:
Is it a reference to the case of Channa? If you are referring to arhats only that can take their own life, than the next question that will be asked is; Are arhats capable of suicide? They should be incapable of deliberately harming a living being including themselves in the first place.
Faultful harm, yes. But Channa and Buddha agreed that the death of an arahant is blameless. If it is blameless, then it may no longer be a real "harm", since it does not produce further suffering.
Of course if you kill an arhant that is a different matter - you will incur heavy karma to fall into avici hell, so heavy in fact as to prevent your own awakening for a very very long time.
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Originally posted by Aik TC:
The first Buddhist precept said ‘Do not Kill’, but it is certainly a complex issue when it come to the subject of suicide. In one of the Jataka tales on the previous births of the Historical Buddha, we do come across the story of the Blessed One giving up his body to feed a staving tigress and her four cubs; a story of self sacrifice.
In chapter 23 of the Lotus Sutra we see the Bodhisattva Medicine King self immolating himself and was praise by the ‘Buddhas in these worlds’ as true diligence and is also called a ‘true Dharma offering to the Thus Come One’. This chapter is believed to be the main inspiration for the monks and nuns who self immolated themselves to protest against the Vietnam War.
It is stated in the ‘Mahaprajnaparamitasastra’ of Nagarjuna, that ‘this body is a reservoir of old age, sickness and death and must necessarily perish. But if one sacrifices one’s body to preserve morality, the benefit will be very great’. It is also stated that ‘Moreover, to commit murder, it is necessary to kill another person; to kill oneself is not murder’, and that ‘It is better to die than to kill, i.e. to sacrifice one’s own life to safeguard one’s pure morality.
One can see that self immolation, tragic and painful as it is to the individual, if done for some pure cause and not out of hatred or anger, though not condoned is not really against the Buddhist teaching based on the above quotes.
I felt suicide is refering to deliberate attempt to end one's life but without any meaningful purpose. Self sacrifice is done to get a specific outcome or something.
I think the monks were very awared that a human body is a precious vehicle for enlightenment. They wouldn't commit suicide for nothing.
Mixing religions and politics is always messy... it is never a clear picture and the writers can tweak to any side of the story they want.By the way... you guys are really knowledgeable
able to compare and contrast lol -
This is more of a political issue rather than "religious" issue.
The Chinese communist government had been known for its religious and political repression, esp. for its suppression of Tibetan revolt against the Chinese communist rule in 1959 that ended in Dalai Lama escaping on exile. The Tibetan problem is caused by the Chinese communist and not by Dalai Lama.
The Chinese communist government does not believe in religion and had been one of the worst violators against human rights, committing atrocities in destroying religion in China esp. during cultural revolution, one reason why it is so keen in trying to hiding its brutal past.
The Monks in Myanmar had once protested in silence against tyranny and oppression by the military government.
If self-immolations are powerful ways of protesting against tyranny and oppression, then so be it, let alone courage. The law of karma is inescapable. If the Chinese communist government had killed or harmed so many innocent Tibetans, such evil act will be returned forth back to the government.
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Talking about the Tibetan politics.
What the Chinese communist government failed to understand is the cultural tradition in Tibetan buddhism of the reincarnation system of living Buddha that needs to be preserved. As Dalai Lama seeks for passing of lineage to the next Dalai lama, the Chinese communist government is determined to make sure the lineage is not passed on to next Dalai Lama, fearing that the Tibetans still held some legitimacy to Dalai Lama. Instead, the Chinese communist government breaks the tradition by choosing its own "Dalai Lama", hoping that it can still "control" Tibet. What the Chinese communist government don't understand is that such succession can only be done in religious way instead of a "political one".
The Tibetan government in exile had always campaigned for autonomy in Tibet (free Tibet), but alas the Chinese communist government maintained tight control in Tibet both politically and religiously. What the Chinese communist government had failed to understand is the importance of Dalai Lama to the Tibetan. I'm sure continue to slandering Dalai Lama will not help in impoving the Chinese communist government's image, but only serve to tarnish it.
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@yhjow……
Yes, it is more a political issue. I believe the Chinese Government does understand the Tibetan reincarnation system. They have numerous Tibetan monks from the various schools under their control that they can seek advice and information from. They are just trying to hijack the system and using it to control, subjugate and change the mindset of the Tibetan peoples. Slandering the Dalai Lama will certainly not help improve their image in the eyes of the Buddhist communities worldwide, but the same cannot be said of people who are not Buddhists and/or is ignorance of the Buddhist teachings. In fact, it can cast a bad image on the religion in the eyes of these non believers.
In trying to achieve their objectives, the Communists are basically undermining the foundation of one of the three pillars of Buddhism itself, i.e. the Sangha community. This will certainly allow other religion out to convert the Tibetans in Tibet so much easier. One can already see such thing happening in the remote regions of Nepal bordering Tibet. There, missionaries of other religion have already converted whole village of Tibetans to their faith.
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In the past, I always wondered how the Tibetans can be so sure that the person they claim to be the reincarnation of living Buddha is actually a living Buddha. I was thinking anyone can claim to be a living Buddha. My doubt was cleared after watching a video on how they recognise a living Buddha.
The 16th Karmapa wrote a sacred prediction letter of his next rebirth before his passing. He told his disciples to open the letter 11 years later after his departure (if I'm not wrong was 11 years later). In his prediction letter, he predicted the place he would be reborn, the names of his parents (next life), the year of his next rebirth and so on......... The video showed the whole process of his disciples searching for the 17th Karmapa. The 17th Karmapa was very young when his disciples went to look for him based on the 16th Karmapa's sacred prediction letter. To their surprise, the little 17th Karmapa knew his disciples were coming and he was all ready waiting for them to fetch him. The little 17th Karmapa could even tell his father that someone were coming to fetch him soon and he dressed up, sitting in the living room, all ready waiting for the arrival of his disciples. It's really amazing !
Following is the shorter version video showing the sacred prediction letter that the 16th Karmapa had written :
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=anzw8EdLH8I&feature=related
The 17th Karmapa
