7/30/2019 Self-Immolations Go Agains Buddhist Tenets

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Self-immolations Go against Buddhist Tenets2012-03-30 10:41:49 CRIENGLISH.com Web Editor: Fuyu

In response to the self-immolations of monks and nuns in Tibetan regions recently, two researchers at China Tibetology Research Center, Tenzin Lhundrup and Lian

Xiangmin, said during an interview with China Radio International that self-immolation violates the basic tenets of Tibetan Buddhism and must be stopped as soon

as possible.

They called on all parties to play an active role in avoiding such events from happening again, rather than inciting more self-immolations or politicizing the event.

Tenzin Lhundrup, a Tibetan academic from Lhasa, expressed his sadness and sympathy over the self-immolations. He emphasized that self-immolation ignores

people's life and goes against basic tenets of Tibetan Buddhism and that it must be stopped.

"The Tibetan people believe in Tibetan Buddhism and respect all human beings and lives. The self-immolations in recent months were unprecedented in history. The

young people are innocent. And I hope such events will never happen again," he said.

Dr. Tenzin Lhundrup has been dedicated to Tibetan social development for many years. In his opinion, it is urgent to prevent monks and nuns from being incited to

immolate themselves. The related parties should act positively, rather than negatively, toward the event.

"I hope that those concerned with this issue can play an active role, instead of sensationalizing the event or spreading the event as a political issue. Only in this way

can we prevent self-immolation and control its impact so as to put Tibetan Buddhism influenced and other impacted regions back on the right track as soon as

possible."

Lian Xiangmin, an expert in Tibetology research, believes that there is constant instigation or plotting behind the continuous self-immolations of monks and nuns in

Tibetan regions.

"I have noticed that since the self-immolations in the Tibetan regions of Sichuan province, some overseas websites, especially the websites from the Dalai clique and

the so-called spokespeople and overseas representatives of the Dalai Lama, have played up the event, which has led to more self-immolations. From this aspect, I

consider that they should take some responsibility for the event."

Referring to the ongoing "nine haves" project of temples in Tibet, namely "having the portraits of former and current state leaders displayed, having national flags,

having roads, having water, having electricity, having radio and TV, having film, having book stores, and having newspapers", Tenzin Lhundrup said the project has

greatly improved the infrastructure of Tibetan temples and boosted orderly and comprehensive economic and social development in Tibet.

In Lian's view, compared to other Buddhist temples and other religious sites, the Tibetan Buddhist temples are more like a community that integrates into villages,

consisting of both common people and monks and nuns. After his investigations, Lian believes that hanging portraits of state leaders there is not to be blamed.

"Who manages the temples? There is usually a temple management committee consisting of monks, laypeople and officials at the basic levels. And it also depends on

where to hang the portraits of state leaders. If you put the portraits in the hall where the figure of Sakyamuni and other Buddhist figures are enshrined, of course it is

inappropriate. But if they are hung in the offices of temple management committees, it is fully reasonable."