Release of 11th Panchen Lama

• 16 May 2020

Why in News

Recently, the United States has urged China to release Tibetan Buddhism’s 11^th Panchen Lama, who was taken into captivity at the age of six by Chinese authorities.

Key Points

• In 1995, a young Tibetan boy Gedhun Choekyi Nyima was recognised as the 11^th Panchen Lama, the second highest spiritual authority in Tibetan Buddhism after the Dalai Lama.
• Days after his recognition Nyima was detained by Chinese authorities, and became the world’s youngest political prisoner.
• Thereafter, China appointed its own Panchen Lama, Gyaltsen Norbu, who has been described by exiles as a "stooge of the atheist Chinese Communist Party government".
  
  • The incident threatened the unique identity of Tibetan Buddhism and created religious freedom issues in Tibet.
• The Dalai Lama has in the past strongly criticised China for meddling in the system of reincarnation of the Dalai Lamas and Panchen Lamas.

Background

• Tibet is governed as an autonomous region of China. Beijing claims a centuries-old sovereignty over the region, but many Tibetans argue that Tibet was colonised.
• China sent in thousands of troops to enforce its claim on the region in 1950.
  
  • Some areas became the Tibetan Autonomous Region and others were incorporated into neighbouring Chinese provinces.
• In 1959, after a failed anti-Chinese uprising, the 14^th Dalai Lama fled Tibet and set up a government in exile in India.
• China views the Dalai Lama as a separatist threat, although he has repeatedly stated that his goal is for Tibetan autonomy rather than independence.

Tibetan Buddhism

• Origin:
  
  • Buddhism became a major religion of Tibet towards the end of the 8th century CE.
  • The Tibetan king, Trisong Detsen, who invited two Buddhist masters namely, Shantarakshita and Padmasambhava from India to Tibet. These two masters had helped to translate important Buddhist texts into Tibetan.
    
    • Shantarakshita was the abbot of Nalanda in India. He built the first monastery in Tibet.
    • Padmasambhava was a mahasiddha (master of miraculous powers).
• Geographical Reach:
  
  • Tibetan Buddhism is not only found in Tibet, but also across the Himalayan region from Ladakh to Sikkim, as well as parts of Nepal.
  • It is the state religion of the kingdom of Bhutan.
  • It also spread to Mongolia and parts of Russia (Kalmykia, Buryatia and Tuva).
  • Tara (Tibetan Sgrol-ma) is a Buddhist saviour-goddess, widely popular in Nepal, Tibet, and Mongolia.
• Special Features of Tibetan Buddhism:
  
  • Tibetan Buddhism combines the essential teachings of Mahayana Buddhism with Tantric and Shamanic, and material from an ancient Tibetan religion called Bon.
  • Relationship between life and death: A proper understanding of the subject of death and dying is held to be indispensable towards having a fuller, happier life.
  • Lama: Lama is a teacher.
  • Deities: These deities are not gods, but aspects of enlightened qualities eg; wisdom and compassion. The patron deity of Tibet is Avalokiteshvara, the Buddha of Compassion.
  • Rituals: Temple ceremonies are often noisy, with brass instruments, cymbals and gongs, and musical and impressive chanting by formally dressed monks.

Source: IE