Bodh Gaya, Bihar, India, 3 January 2012 (Tendar
Tsering, phayul.com) - Speaking exclusively to an audience of Tibetans,
Chinese, and people from the Himalayan region attending the Kalachakra,
Tibetan spiritual leader His Holiness the Dalai Lama noted that the
understanding of the Tibetan issue as well as sympathy towards Tibetans
among Chinese in mainland China is growing.
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Thousands of people from the
Himalayan regions listening to His Holiness the Dalai Lama during the
Kalachakra for World Peace in Bodh Gaya, India, on January 3, 2012.
Photo/Tenzin Choejor/OHHDL
|
“I have been meeting Chinese scholars, students,
and various representatives of organisations in the last many years and
there is a growing understanding of the Tibetan issue and a growing
interest in Tibetan Buddhism among the mainland Chinese,” the Dalai Lama
said earlier today in Bodh Gaya.
“I have heard that there are around three million
Buddhists in China and that the number is increasing,” the 76-year old
Tibetan leader who devolved all his political authority to the elected
Tibetan leadership last year said.
“There are some Chinese leaders, who, without
realising the importance of the Buddha Dharma and without proper
knowledge of the Tibetan history look down at the Tibetan issue.”
Purposely walking down from his seat to the side
where his Chinese disciples were seated, the Tibetan spiritual leader
noted that China, with its largest population in the world, would do a
great service to the entire humanity if they focused of nurturing love
and compassion by practicing the teachings of Lord Buddha.
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His Holiness the Dalai Lama
speaking to peoples from the Himalayan Regions during the Kalachakra for
World Peace in Bodh Gaya, India, on January 3, 2012.
Photo/Tenzin Choejor/OHHDL |
“The 1.3
billion Chinese people have every right to know the facts and with your
ancient tradition and wisdom, every Chinese has the capacity to analyse
what is wrong and what is right,” the Dalai Lama said.
Consoling the Tibetans from Tibet present in the audience, the
Tibetan leader encouraged them to be “happy” and to “espouse the Tibetan
spirit” in the face of Chinese brutality.
“The problem is big, it’s not a small one. But be happy and focus on
children’s education,” the Dalai Lama, who has been in exile since 1959
said.
“To achieve a greater goal, one has to be patient. It takes time.”
After the special audience, when asked how the Chinese view the
Dalai Lama’s Middle-way Approach for a negotiated settlement with the
Chinese government, Shan Shi Chu, a Chinese from mainland China admitted
to Phayul that she doesn’t know much about “politics”. However, the
Chinese pilgrim said she felt “great” to see the Dalai Lama in person.
Signaling that there are thousands of Chinese
longing to see the Dalai Lama, Chu reveled, ‘I was waiting for this
chance for a very, very long time”.
