Was
Dalai Lama upstaged in Washington? By Saransh Sehgal
DHARAMSALA, India -
There were more reasons than usual for Beijing to
feel furious over United States President Barack
Obama's date with the Dalai Lama last week. Annual
meetings with the Dalai Lama have become almost
traditional for US presidents, as has China's
angry response.
What was different this
time, however, was the coincidental presence in
Washington of nearly all of Tibet's important
religious and political figures in exile. The 17th
Karmapa Lama, Ogyen Trinley Dorje - the Dalai
Lama's potential successor - and the newly
sworn-in prime minister of the exiled Tibetan
government, Lobsang Sangay, were in town attending
the Kalachakra for World Peace, an 11-day Buddhist
ritual that attracted a US audience of thousands.
While the Karmapa's presence at the
Kalachakra drew media
attention, the main event for
Tibetan interests remained the Dalai Lama's second
meeting with Obama since he became president. "This meeting underscores the
president's strong support for the preservation of
Tibet's unique religious, cultural and linguistic
identity and the protection of human rights for
Tibetans," said a White House statement after the
meeting.
Though the sentiment was a rare
departure from the US's oft-reiterated commitment
to its "one China" policy, the meeting again led
China to warn of a possible impact on Sino-US
relations. Vice Foreign Minister Cui Tiankai
summoned the US representative in Beijing to lodge
"solemn representations".
Obama's meeting
with the Dalai Lama "severely interferes in
China's internal affairs, hurts the Chinese
people's feelings and harms China-US relations",
said Foreign Ministry spokesman Ma Zhaoxu in a
statement. "The Dalai Lama has for a long time
used the banner of religion to engage in
anti-China splittist activities ... We demand the
United States conscientiously handle China's
principled and just stance, immediately take steps
to remove the baneful impact, stop interfering in
China's internal affairs and stop abetting in and
supporting 'Tibet independence' anti-China
splittist forces."
After years of similar
spats, Beijing's protests over the Dalai Lama's US
visit appear routine, especially as the spiritual
leader retired from politics in March. Perhaps
China should've been paying more attention to the
arrival in Washington of the 17th Karmapa, Tibetan
Buddhism's third-highest lama in exile, who was
given a travel permit at the last minute by New
Delhi.
In a significant policy shift, the
Indian government permitted the young monk to
travel from home in India's Dharamsala to the US.
The 26-year-old monk has been embroiled in a
heated succession debate and controversy ever
since he was smuggled out of China in 2000.
Held from July 6-16 in Washington, the
Kalachakra for World Peace 2011 was a large
Buddhist festival marking the Kalachakra ritual
open to the public. The religious event was
officiated by the Dalai Lama and coincidentally
began on the day he turned 76.
His
birthday was celebrated by the thousands of
attendees - Tibetans, Buddhist followers as well
as American supporters. The ancient ritual of the
Kalachakra was first given by Shakyamuni Buddha,
the historical Buddha, in ancient India and now
the Dalai lineage is carrying forward those sacred
teachings.
New Delhi's lifting of the
Karmapa's travel restrictions and his presence at
the Kalachakra has been welcomed by the religious
exile community and the Karmapa's followers in the
West. His lineage is the oldest in Tibetan
Buddhism at over 900 years and he is the
third-most important "Living Buddha" after the
Dalai Lama and the Panchen Lama. Buddhist devotees
see the young monk as the future face of Buddhism
after the Dalai Lama.
However, since his
arrival in India the Karmapa has been surrounded
by speculation that has aroused the Indian
government's suspicion over him. His status as the
genuine 17th Karmapa is questioned as there is
another claimant for the same title - Trinley
Thaye Dorje. However, Ogyen Trinley Dorjee has the
backing of the Dalai Lama and most Buddhists, and
even China accepts him as the 17th Karmapa.
Earlier this year he was caught in the
media spotlight in India over the discovery of $1
million in cash, some in Chinese yuan, at his
Gyuto Tantric monastery in Dharamsala, which is
home to the Tibetan community in exile.
Investigations by Indian authorities eventually
found that the money, which Indian police had
claimed was payment for "spying" from China, was
actually legitimate donations.
In the week
before the Kalachakra event began, the 17th
Karmapa and many followers had travelled to New
Delhi to lobby in the corridors of power for him
to receive the travel permit. On July 5, the
Karmapa's administration received clearance from
the Home Ministry.
This is the first time
the 17th Karmapa has attended the Kalachakra event
and he was given an enthusiastic welcome by
followers. His Kagyu lineage has an extensive
network of Dharma centers across the North America
that have thousands of students, making his
support enormous. Western Buddhist followers have
called the Indian government's travel restrictions
on the Karmapa a violation of human rights.
The Kalachakra gathering was also the
first time that both the Tibetan spiritual leaders
living in exile in India were seen together in the
United States, making it a historic moment for the
Tibetan exiles. Not only the religious leaders but
also influential Tibetans such as Lobsang Sangay,
the newly-elect Tibetan prime minister in exile,
Dalai Lama's special envoy Lodi Gyari, the speaker
of exiled Tibetan parliament and many other
profiled exiled Tibetans all attended the
Kalachakra event making it a Tibetan battalion in
the United States capital.
Besides meeting
Obama in the last day of his Washington visit, the
Dalai Lama also met other top US officials and
lawmakers, introducing US contacts to his new
political followers for support and future
cooperation of Tibetans in exiles and Americans.
The Karmapa had a very different schedule,
attending Kalachakra teachings each day and
enjoying private sightseeing outings to prominent
Washington monuments and museums. This visit was
much more low-key than his first trip to the US in
2008, which drew more media attention.
"I
think its great the Karmapa was allowed to visit
the US as any other non-US citizen," said Judy
Worth Friedsam, an American Buddhist. "As a living
Buddha, he's fulfilling one of his duties by
giving teachings to thousands of his followers in
the US."
In Dharamsala, Indian Tibetans
also expressed happiness that the monk they see as
the spiritual successor to the Dalai Lama was
allowed to give teachings abroad.
"His
Holiness the Karmapa being granted this trip by
the Indian government has come as a blessing for
many who have appealed for his freedom, especially
his participation in the Kalachakra makes it more
special. It is positive that the young spiritual
leader can meet US officials along with the young
political leadership," said Karma Dhonden, an
elderly exiled Tibetan.
However, Tibetan
government in exile spokesman Samphel Thupten told
Asia Times Online in a phone interview that it was
a coincidence that Tibet's religious and political
leadership was in Washington at the same time.
While the Dalai Lama and Tibetan political
leadership met with US officials, the Karmapa did
not.
Tibet experts see the Karmapa's
opening up to the world as a necessity.
Robert Thurman, the American Buddhist
writer and academic, told Britain's Daily
Telegraph, "He will be a great voice for the
Buddha Dharma in the future, actually he already
is, but not in any sort of missionary way, in the
way of joining the worldwide network of spiritual
leaders turning spirituality toward peace and not
letting religion serve as a source of division
within humanity in this time of the world crisis,
environmental, economic, political."
Interestingly, as the young monk steadily
builds his international profile, the Dalai Lama
is trying as much to shape him under his wing,
introducing him to all major contacts in the
United States, considering him perfect to fill his
shoes as the influential monk will be the
figurehead of Tibetan Buddhism soon.
Saransh Sehgal is a contributor
based in Dharamsala, India, who can be reached
at info@mcllo.com.
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