Hoola hooping monk! - Thank You Tibet Photo

Hoola hooping monk! - Thank You Tibet Photo
I like this shot - don't you?

A Prayer for Peace

Hi Everyone,

Please join us and participate in this Prayer. A nonsectarian project to accumulate one billion Vajrasattva mantra recitations dedicated to world peace and the purification of negative karmic forces.

Prayers Answered in Turtuk

Please enjoy this video:

View this movie at cultureunplugged.com

Hidden Gobi Desert Relics Found

from the August 1 BBC News:

Rare Buddhist treasures, not seen for more than 70 years, have been unearthed in the Gobi Desert.

The historic artifacts were buried in the 1930s during Mongolia's Communist purge, when hundreds of monasteries were looted and destroyed.

The relics include statues, art work, manuscripts and personal belongings of a famous 19th Century Buddhist master.

The leader of the search team, Michael Eisenriegler, described it as an "adventure of a lifetime".

A total of 64 crates of treasures were buried in the desert by a monk named Tudev, in an attempt to save them from the ransacking of the Mongolian and Soviet armies.

They belonged to Buddhist master Danzan Ravjaa and only Tudev knew where they were hidden. He passed on the secret to his grandson who dug up some of the boxes in the 1990s and opened a museum.

The current Austrian-Mongolian treasure hunt team found two more boxes. Mr Eisenriegler told the BBC World Service they were filled with "the most amazing Buddhist art objects".

"It is of tremendous value for Mongolian culture because Buddhism was almost extinct in the Communist times, especially in the 1930s.

"I'm totally exhausted right now but I'm also totally impressed with what I've seen."

The latest finds will be put on show at the Danzan Ravjaa Museum in Sainshand, 400km (450 miles) south of the Mongolian capital, Ulan Bator.

About 20 boxes remain hidden in the desert.

Buddha's Enlightenment Day

On June 7th your mantras and prayers are multiplied 10 million times. An auspicious day to generate blessings for your loved ones. Celebrate and pray!

On Earth Day What the Dalai Lama Might Say

"Every human should have the idea of taking care of the
environment, of nature, of water. So using too much or wasting
water should have some kind of feeling or sense of concern.
Some sort of responsibility and with that, a sense of discipline."

- The 14th Dalai Lama Tenzin Gyatso

Or here is another quote by His Holiness:

"Interdependence is a fundamental law
of nature. Many of the smallest insects are
social beings who, without any religion,
law or education, survive by mutual cooperation
based on an innate recognition of
their interconnectedness."

Here is my challenge to you. Lets see how many
Dalai Lama quotes we can accumulate as of Earth Day.
Simply add any related quote you find in the
comments. Thanks for participating!

This post is entered in the Earth Day Contest for a chance to win some great organic products.

A New Reincarnation Enthroned

Tulku Tsenyi Kentrul Tenzin Tseten Rinpoche who
is only nine years old was enthroned in Dharamsala
on April 6, 2009. He is believed to be a reincarnation
of Geshe Lobsang Gyatso who founder the Institute of
Buddhist Dialectics. Lobsang Gyatso, was murdered
in February 1997. He was a close confidant of the Dalai Lama.

Tenzin Tseten was born May 14, 2001 and was recognized
as a reincarnation by HH the Dalai Lama in 2006. The
new Tulku comes from Leh in Jammu and Kashmir.

What joyful occassion to be celebrated.

If anyone has a picture taken of Tenzin Tseten, please
post it here for all of us to see! Thanks

Cool Vermont Action!

Give diplomatic recognition to Tibet: US senate 7 Apr 2009

WASHINGTON : An American state Senate has adopted a resolution asking the Obama Administration and the US Congress to give "diplomatic recognition" to Tibet and take "forceful" action to end "repression" of human rights by China in the Himalayan region. Passed by the Vermont state Senate, the resolution called on the US Congress and the international community to treat the plight of the Tibetan people as an "urgent matter of highest priority." The resolution adopted last week sought recognition of the Tibetan political autonomy and also urged the US Congress and the Obama Administration to ask China to sincerely negotiate with the representatives of the Dalai Lama to solve the Tibet Problem. Condemning the continuing "repression" of the Tibetan people, the Vermont state Senate expressed its solidarity with the individuals who participated in the anti-China protests that occurred around the world on March 10. The resolution emphasised that the people of Tibet "lived in peace and harmony for centuries" and that the "army of the People's Republic of China illegally invaded" the peaceful Himalayan region. Alleging the Tibetans have been deprived of any right to self-determination, the resolution said "it is now nearly impossible" for the people of Tibet to continue their "distinctive cultural practices and religious observances." The resolution also highlighted those Tibetans who were killed, and those who remained missing or were in prison in the aftermath of China's crackdown on Tibetans in March 2008.

Penor Rinpoche Has Passed Away

The Supreme Head of the Nyingma Lineage and the 11th throne holder of the Palyul Tradition, His Holiness Drubwang Pema Norbu Rinpoche [Penor Rinpoche, head of the Nyingma school] was admitted into the Columbia Asia Hospital in Yeshwantpur, Bangalore on 24th March 2009 following a chronic illness.

On 27th March, 2009, many high lamas of the Nyingma Lineage as well as various other dignitaries were allowed to receive blessings from him at the intensive care unit of the hospital. As his condition deteriorated, he was carried back to the monastery at 3.30 pm the same day in an ambulance with VIP treatment, and arrived at the monastery at 6.40pm. The khenpos, tulkus and faculty members went to see him and prayed before him. After the prayer, without any sign of pain, he smiled and at 8.20pm, he passed away into parinirvana for the benefit of beings. Presently, he is in thugdam meditation state, and the parinirvana prayers are being performed by his followers worldwide.

Lopon Karma Dhondup
General Secretary
Namdroling Monastery Office

Year of the Earth Ox Tibetan Pocket Calendars

The 2009 – 2010 Year of the Earth Ox Tibetan Pocket Calendars have arrived! They are available for $14.50 in our webstore or you can receive one as a complimentary gift by becoming an Ordinary, Sustaining or Meritorious Member of the Shang Shung Institute.

You can order with us by emailing shop-us@shangshung.org and providing your shipping address and credit card information. Please remember that to purchase any “unrestricted” items from our store you must have at least a current preliminary membership with the Shang Shung Institute and to buy any “restricted” items you must be a current member of the Dzogchen Community.

Would You Like to Contribute an Article for This Blog

Hi I'm inviting all you little Buddha's to create an article and submit it to me via email at rdtibet@yahoo.com for consideration for publication here on Wisdom Loving Mother. REMEMBER TOPICS INCLUDE BUDDHISM, FENG SHUI, AND NATURAL HEALING ONLY. I'm thinking that there may be people out there who do not want to create and maintain their own blog - too much work, but would like to write an article or two maybe not even on a regular basis only when you are moved to write. Of course, I would allow backlinks to your website if you have one.

I got this idea from a new concept called blog our blog where people share one blog rather then each person being responsible for creating new material frequently. I like this idea because I now work full time and also commute 10-15 hours a week especially if the weather is bad. Of course, I also need time to meditate. But I also want to maintain control of the content which I choose to publish here in order to keep it sacred and show integrity.

So please contact me and lets collaborate! Post your comments or ideas or just email me. Thanks for your input in advance.

Rinchen Chodron

Obama Had The Dalai Lama's Scarf In His Pocket During His Swearing In

Friday January 23, 2009

According to Beliefnet Lama Surya Das passed on this fascinating bit. Richard Blum, who is the husband of California Senator Diane Feinstein, also happens to be a major supporter of Buddhism. He was up on the platform during the swearing in.

Beforehand, he told Barack Obama that he had with him a white khata -- a
silk Tibetan scarf -- given him by His Holiness the Dalai Lama. Blum
described what happened next in a letter to an associate of the Dalai Lama:

"I offered it to President Obama before the ceremony. I said that I
could get it delivered to him later. He said, no, that he was going to take
it and have it with him; in fact, it was in his pocket when he was
sworn-in."

Dalai Lama Renaissance Documentary

Follow the link above to learn more about this wonderful documentary film which won many awards and is narrated by Harrison Ford. I saw it in Denver and it is EXCELLENT - well worth owning.

Have you seen this movie? Please leave your comments.

Major Shift in the British Position on Tibet

The New York Times has revealed that Great Britain has abandoned the Tibetans in China and sided with China now due to economic stresses. Hopefully other European countries will not follow suite.

Leading Tibetan representatives in exile this weekend called on His Holiness the Dalai Lama, to stop sending envoys to Beijing This has brought the faltering talks between China and the exiles to a standstill.

To learn more go to see the article titled Did Britains Just Sell Tibet? By Robert Barnett at:

http://www.nytimes.com/2008/11/25/opinion/25barnett.html?_r=1&ref=todayspaper&pag&oref=slogin

Dalai Lama is Discouraged with China Situation

Beijing has not and will not move one inch on Tibet. Many recent events may have led to His Holiness becoming disillusioned. One of these events was his brother’s recent death in the United States. His older brother never believed that the Chinese would allow autonomy for Tibet. Also the events that took place in China during the summer months surrounding the Olympic Games were discouraging.

As a result he has decided to leave the decisions about Tibet to the people of Tibet and to the Tibetan refugees to decide how to proceed. His Holiness has set up a meeting in Dharamshala for this purpose coming up from November. 17-to-22, 2008. His wish is that this be decided democratically. He has removed himself from the equation.

The Dalai Lama has conceded that the Chinese Communist Party has never been sincere about negotiations with Tibetans. In an editorial in the Taipai Times they state: “For all the differences between Taiwan, a sovereign country, and Tibet, which has been controlled by the People’s Republic of China since 1951, the Taiwanese public can no doubt sympathize with the Dalai Lama’s distress.”

The good news is that His Holiness has been released from the hospital in India subsequent to gall bladder surgery and is recovering.

HHDL Undergoes Gall Stone Surgery

The surgery was successful. Doctors have removed gallstones from the Dalai Lama during an operation carried out at Delhi's Sri Ganga Ram hospital in October. The operation was "a simple routine procedure. He will rest a few days in New Delhi before returning to Dharamsala". His schedules, including travel programmes, remain unchanged.

Pray for the long life of His Holiness.

You are invited to a Candle4Tibet Peace Vigil in Denver

Time the event began at: 7:00 p.m.
Date: Thursday, August 7th
This is the night before the Olympic Games began.

Your hostess for this event was Marsha Camblin who offered a Tibetan Bowls meditation. People also brought poetry or songs about Tibet for sharing during the event. And of course, they brought a candle to light in protest.

If you want some history on the situation visit http://www.geocities.com/rdtibet

Whether or not you live in Denver - you can also join this movement on-line internationally at:

Candle for Tibet main web site

Dalai Lama Offers His Blessing to 'Candle for Tibet'

Candle for Tibet, the biggest single action in the world for a free Tibet,
--Scheduled to begin on eve of Olympics opening ceremony--
Is now officially supported by His Holiness the Dalai Lama

(Tel Aviv, July 29, 2008) - His Holiness the Dalai Lama acknowledged today the importance of the Candle for Tibet (CFT) campaign for Freedom in Tibet and for all mankind.

"We hope your Candle for Tibet campaign will inspire the Chinese authorities to appreciate the value of freedom of all mankind and the importance of the Tibetan Buddhist culture that is benefiting millions of people and has the potential to serve humanity as a whole, including the Chinese people," said Tsering Tashi representative of HH the Dalai Lama.

The CFT action, called "The Greatest Light Protest on Earth," will start on Thursday, August 7th, 2008 at 9:00 p.m., when at least 100 million people all over the world are expected to light a candle in public, with friends, or at their homes.

The event will then continue with world-wide light shows performed by light artists.

CFT organizers also encourage all freedom lovers in the world to drive their cars with headlights on during the entire day of Friday, August 8th, 2008-the day of the Beijing Olympics opening ceremony-in appreciation of their own freedom.

CFT is additionally calling on all people attending the opening ceremony in Beijing to light candles, lighters, flashlights and cell phones at the moment the Chinese delegation enters the Olympic stadium.

Synchronized with the beginning of the opening ceremony, teams from "Sad Smoky Mountains" will flare the skies with red smoke from skyscrapers, monuments and major buildings in major cities internationally, and from the summits of more than 100 mountains on three continents. (For more information on Sad Smoky Mountains, visit www.sadsmokymountains.net/.)

"Like you, His Holiness the Dalai Lama and the Tibetan Government in Exile is not against the coming Olympics to be held in Beijing," added Tsering Tashi. "We are also not against the Chinese people, who also do not enjoy genuine human rights and freedoms that the people in the free world take for granted."

"We are elated to have the blessing of His Holiness," said David Califa, who created the Campaign for Tibet four months ago. "It strengthens the values on which our non-violent action is based."

Please join us at Candle4Tibet

View my page on Candle4Tibet

Tummo in the News - Medical Applications

World Tibet Network News - June 17, 2008.

************************************************************************************

By Ali Nassor

Special to The St. Petersburg Times ( Russia )

June 17, 2008



Rinad Minvaleyev (r) practising Tum-Mo yoga in the Himalayan

Mountains during a recent expedition to discover its secrets.



A group of St. Petersburg scientists have returned from the Himalayan

Mountains after learning the secrets of an almost-extinct form of

Tibetan yoga that they hope can be used to cure diseases in the West.



The scientists have recently completed a two-month mission to find

traces of Tum-Mo, a form of Tibetan Buddhist yoga that preserves body

temperatures through excessive production of internal heat despite

the body's exposure to extremely cold mountain climates.



The technique could be applied in areas with extreme cold climates,

such as Russia , to prevent and treat heart disease, cancer,

tuberculosis, pneumonia and influenza if developed, Rinad Minvaleyev,

a physiologist, mathematician and the team's senior researcher, said.



"In fact, Tum-Mo is about the human being's adaptation to low

temperatures where thermo-dynamic functioning of a human liver is

activated to further regulate the heating process," said Minvaleyev,

referring to a mathematical formula he co-established last year.



Irina Arkhipova, a yoga specialist, who was head of the mission and

architect of St. Petersburg 's Search for Lost Knowledge Program,

which holds annual mountaineering events aimed at promoting medical

science, said that although "there were considerable breakthroughs in

our mission, it would be immature to reveal the exact outcomes with

accuracy, pending the ongoing laboratory examinations."



Arkhipova, who is also a director of St. Petersburg 's Pharaoh

Historical Movie Studio, led a team of 45 experts including 14

medical doctors, physicists and yoga enthusiasts to the snow-capped,

4,000-meter high Indian Himalayan province of Himachal Pradesh .



The team paid visits to Tibetan Buddhist monasteries in search of

Tum-Mo's medical secrets, currently on the verge of being lost to

posterity because "the last lama who practiced Tum-Mo in that part of

the Himalayan Mountains died last year," leaving scant oral traces of

the ancient tradition, Arkhipova said.



However, after visits to about 40 monasteries, monks showed

Arkhipova's team a route across the Kully Gorge, reputed for its

unpredictably harsh weather, to the top of the Rotang ridge, one of

the rare spots where until recently Tum-Mo was practiced.



However the team did not reach the Rotang because of snow in the

middle of the Kully Gorge, blocking the way.



"We resorted to practicing yoga on the ice surfaces beneath the

waterfalls in the Rotang Valley , and everything was fantastic even

for those who were on such a mission for the first time," she said



Determined to reach the home of Tum-Mo on the top of Rotang, the

adventurers have vowed to return next year.



The team said it had gathered enough material on the technique during

the recent trip to warrant continued research.



In 2002 research into the medical benefits of Tum-Mo was carried out

by Herbert Benson, associate professor of medicine at the Harvard

Medical School and president of the Benson-Henry Institute for Mind

Body Medicine at Massachusetts General Hospital in Boston , U.S. ,

reported the Harvard Gazette.



Benson was quoted as saying that studying advanced forms of

meditation such as Tum-mo "can uncover capacities that will help us

to better treat stress-related illnesses" but that more research into

the technique was required.



Benson has been researching Tum-Mo since 1979 when the Dalai Lama

gave his blessing on a trip to Harvard University , reported the

Harvard Gazette.

Lawyers Have Trouble Renewing Licenses

Chinese lawyers who have defended the rights of Tibetans in the past are now unable to renew their licenses. The China Human Rights Lawyer's Concern Group chairman Ho states that three lawyers have already been rejected and others were in jeopardy. The three lawyers who Ho said agreed to be identified were Teng Biao and Li Heping from Beijing and Zhang Jiankang from the city of Xian. The US Human Rights Watch (HRW) named another lawyer, Jiang Tianyong.

It said Teng and Jiang had both offered to represent Tibetans and had "distinguished records of defending civil and human rights cases". Ho said originally a larger group of more than 500 lawyers from 10 law firms in different parts of China could not get their licenses renewed, albeit a "substantial" number of them - but not all - were able to do so after the lawyers issued a letter on the Internet drawing attention to the issue. He said the affected firms were mostly "activist" ones known for defending rights. Some represented Tibetans detained in the Chinese crackdown on riots in Tibet in March, he said.

Show Compassion for China the Gandhigiri Way!

Many of you would have heard about the project to Stand Up For Tibet. (See our Help Stand Up For Tibet in Facebook groups)Stand Up For Tibet which was launched after His Holiness the Dalai Lama and Lama Zopa Rinpoche requested people to help raise the Tibetan issue in a strictly non-violent way. As part of this project we like to support the Gandhian ethics of non-violence, compassion and a peaceful approach to change.Stand Up For Tibet has been inspired to start a new campaign that is based on “Gandhigiri” (non-violence/truth) philosophy.

The year before last year, Bollywood released a movie on Gandhigiri ethics called “LAGO RAHO MUNNABHAI” (Carry on Munnabhai) which was a huge hit. Since the release of the film, there have been a number of Gandhigiri-style protests. A few months later after the movie released, (this is a true story) there was this unpopular Indian government official who had come up with an unpopular law, and the public/media decided to go the Gandhian way and flooded his office with flowers appealing him to reconsider and wishing him well, rather than petition outside shouting rude slogans!

In the United States during July 2007, hundreds of flower bouquets were sent to the United States Citizenship and Immigration Services office by individuals who were legally in the U.S. but caught in a green card backlog, an act attributed by some to Lage Raho Munna Bhai. In response, the USCIS shipped the flowers to the Walter Reed Army Medical Center and Bethesda Naval hospitals.With the recent terrible Earthquake that occurred in China, resulting in many thousands of people losing their lives, homes and livelihood, we have added a new campaign to the Stand Up For Tibet project.

We would like to encourage as many people as possible to take on the Gandhian ethics and leave a bouquet of flowers outside the Chinese Embassy’s in your home city with a warm and sincere sympathetic and compassionate note for their people, from your Tibetan Buddhist centre or on behalf of the Tibetan community (in your country) if you are not Buddhist but a Tibet supporter.

On May 20, 2008 a woman named Tara just sent a wreath to His Excellency, PRC (here in Singapore) with this attached message:

“Your Excellency, the People’s Republic of China and the citizens of PRC.

On behalf of the Tibetan Buddhist community in Singapore, we would like to express our deep sympathy and heartfelt condolence to the victims and all those who lost their loved ones in the Chengdu earthquake tragedy.We offer prayers to all those affected by the earthquake, for peace and harmony to reign in China and for genuine autonomy in Tibet.”

We would love to hear from all those that did this so that we can rejoice! Send us an email (info@standupfortibet.org) and please pass on this message on to other Tibet supporters that you might know.

Thank you

In peace, Tara

Whatever you do will be insignificant, but it is very important that you do it. ~ Mahatma Gandhi.

Your comments and input are welcome, so please interact!

Scholar Jamyang Kyi Disappears

Jamyang Kyi, who was a Visiting Scholar here at CU from March-April 2006,
has been detained in Xining, either because of something in her blog about
women's issues or for people she met here at Columbia. Amnesty (see attachment), Pen and other NGOs have issued appeals about her disappearance.

If you have any suggestions as to how we can try to help her, and to lessen
the risk of her being tortured, it would be really helpful. Perhaps you have
connections with women's publications or groups that might print articles about her case, or that might write to Beijing on her behalf?

Thanks for thinking about this.

Very best wishes,
Robbie Barnett

For further details go to
http://www.cbs.columbia.edu/Jamyang.pdf

Please circulate this to other lists and groups

Karmapa has Arrived in America May 15 to June 2, 2008

The Karmapa is here. His Holiness landed in New York City early yesterday morning. The energy and buzz in the city surrounding the Karmapa's first visit to America is incredible.

The New York Times and
TIME magazine both published major articles on the Karmapa within the past 24 hours.

Elle Magazine named the meditative master one of its “25 people to watch.”

Who is attending his teachings? I will be there in Boulder. Please comment!

Myanmar Relief - Prayers and Action to Help - Do Your Part

Myanmar Relief Organizations

In response to the cyclone here are several trustworthy organizations where you can donate:

World Vision Inernational

Unicef

eBay Missionfish Myanmar Disaster Relief

Chinese Stand Up For Tibet

Twelve Suggestions for Dealing with the Tibetan Situation, by Some Chinese Intellectuals

The New York Review of Books May 15, 2008

1. At present the one-sided propaganda of the official Chinese media is having the effect of stirring up inter-ethnic animosity and aggravating an already tense situation. This is extremely detrimental to the long-term goal of safeguarding national unity. We call for such propaganda to be stopped.

2. We support the Dalai Lama's appeal for peace, and hope that the ethnic conflict can be dealt with according to the principles of goodwill, peace, and nonviolence. We condemn any violent act against innocent people, strongly urge the Chinese government to stop the violent suppression, and appeal to the Tibetan people likewise not to engage in violent activities.

3. The Chinese government claims that "there is sufficient evidence to prove this incident was organized, premeditated, and meticulously orchestrated by the Dalai clique." We hope that the government will show proof of this. In order to change the international community's negative view and distrustful attitude, we also suggest that the government invite the United Nations' Commission on Human Rights to carry out an independent investigation of the evidence, the course of the incident, the number of casualties, etc.

4. In our opinion, such Cultural Revolution–like language as "the Dalai Lama is a jackal in Buddhist monk's robes and an evil spirit with a human face and the heart of a beast" used by the Chinese Communist Party leadership in the Tibet Autonomous Region is of no help in easing the situation, nor is it beneficial to the Chinese government's image. As the Chinese government is committed to integrating into the international community, we maintain that it should display a style of governing that conforms to the standards of modern civilization.

5. We take note of the fact that on the very day when violence first broke out in Lhasa (March 14), the government authorities in Tibet were already announcing that "we possess ample evidence that the violence has been organized, plotted in advance, and meticulously orchestrated by the Dalai clique." If so, then government authorities knew in advance that rioting was going to occur and yet did nothing to prevent it or to stop it from spreading. There should be a rigorous inquiry into the possibility of official involvement and malfeasance.

6. If, in the end, it cannot be shown that the events were organized, plotted in advance, and meticulously orchestrated [by the Dalai Lama] but emerges instead that they were a government-instigated "popular revolt," then the officials who were responsible for instigating this "revolt" and for sending false and deceptive reports about it to the central government and to the citizens of the country should be held to account. There should be conscientious reflection, and the learning of lessons, so that such things never happen again.

7. We strongly demand that the authorities not subject every Tibetan to political investigation or revenge. The trials of those who have been arrested must be carried out according to judicial procedures that are open, just, and transparent so as to ensure that all parties are satisfied.

8. We urge the Chinese government to allow credible national and international media to go into Tibetan areas to conduct independent interviews and news reports. In our view, the current news blockade cannot gain credit with the Chinese people or the international community, and is harmful to the credibility of the Chinese government. If the government sticks to true accounts of the events, it need not fear challenges. Only by adopting an open attitude can we turn around the international community's distrust of our government.

9. We appeal to the Chinese people and overseas Chinese to be calm and tolerant, and to reflect deeply on what is happening. Adopting a posture of aggressive nationalism will only invite antipathy from the international community and harm China's international image.

10. The disturbances in Tibet in the 1980s were limited to Lhasa, whereas this time they have spread to many Tibetan areas. This deterioration indicates that there are serious mistakes in the work that has been done with regard to Tibet. The relevant government departments must conscientiously reflect upon this matter, examine their failures, and fundamentally change the failed nationality policies.

11. In order to prevent similar incidents from happening in future, the government must abide by the freedom of religious belief and the freedom of speech explicitly enshrined in the Chinese Constitution, thereby allowing the Tibetan people fully to express their grievances and hopes, and permitting citizens of all nationalities freely to criticize and make suggestions regarding the government's nationality policies.

12. We hold that we must eliminate animosity and bring about national reconciliation, not continue to increase divisions between nationalities. A country that wishes to avoid the partition of its territory must first avoid divisions among its nationalities. Therefore, we appeal to the leaders of our country to hold direct dialogue with the Dalai Lama. We hope that the Chinese and Tibetan people will do away with the misunderstandings between them, develop their interactions with each other, and achieve unity. Government departments as much as popular organizations and religious figures should make great efforts toward this goal.

Wang Lixiong (Beijing, writer) Liu Xiaobo (Beijing, freelance writer) Zhang Zuhua (Beijing, scholar of constitutionalism) Sha Yexin (Shanghai, writer, Chinese Muslim) Yu Haocheng (Beijing, jurist) Ding Zilin (Beijing, professor) Jiang Peikun (Beijing, professor) Yu Jie (Beijing, writer) Sun Wenguang (Shangdong, professor) Ran Yunfei (Sichuan, editor, Tujia nationality) Pu Zhiqiang (Beijing, lawyer) Teng Biao (Beijing, lawyer and scholar) Liao Yiwu (Sichuan, writer) Wang Qisheng (Beijing, scholar) Zhang Xianling (Beijing, engineer) Xu Jue (Beijing, research fellow) Li Jun (Gansu, photographer) Gao Yu (Beijing, journalist) Wang Debang (Beijing, freelance writer) Zhao Dagong (Shenzhen, freelance writer) Jiang Danwen (Shanghai. writer) Liu Yi (Gansu, painter) Xu Hui (Beijing, writer) Wang Tiancheng (Beijing, scholar) Wen Kejian (Hangzhou, writer) Li Hai (Beijing, freelance writer) Tian Yongde (Inner Mongolia, rights activist) Zan Aizong (Hangzhou, journalist) Liu Yiming (Hubei, freelance writer) Liu Di (Beijing)
and 338 others

The rules of signing one's name are as follows:

1. No anonymous or pseudonymous signatures should be used.
2. Only one's own name or commonly used pen name may be used.
3. One needs to include one's name, the province of one's current residence, and one's occupation.
4. Signatures can be sent to one of the following e-mail addresses: xizang wenti@gmail.com; xiamixiami@hotmail .com; degewa@gmail.com.

Staged Violence Proven

Canada Free Press [Friday, March 21, 2008 10:20]

Brit spies confirm Dalai Lama's report of staged violence
By Gordon Thomas

London, March 20 - Britain's GCHQ, the government communications agency that electronically monitors half the world from space, has confirmed the claim by the Dalai Lama that agents of the Chinese People's Liberation Army, the PLA, posing as monks, triggered the riots that have left hundreds of Tibetans dead or injured.
GCHQ analysts believe the decision was deliberately calculated by the Beijing leadership to provide an excuse to stamp out the simmering unrest in the region, which is already attracting unwelcome world attention in the run-up to the Olympic Games this summer.

For weeks there has been growing resentment in Lhasa, Tibet's capital, against minor actions taken by the Chinese authorities.

Increasingly, monks have led acts of civil disobedience, demanding the right to perform traditional incense burning rituals. With their demands go cries for the return of the Dalai Lama, the 14th to hold the high spiritual office.

Committed to teaching the tenets of his moral authority---peace and compassion---the Dalai Lama was 14 when the PLA invaded Tibet in 1950 and he was forced to flee to India from where he has run a relentless campaign against the harshness of Chinese rule.

But critics have objected to his attraction to film stars. Newspaper magnate Rupert Murdoch has called him: "A very political monk in Gucci shoes."

Discovering that his supporters inside Tibet and China would become even more active in the months approaching the Olympic Games this summer, British intelligence officers in Beijing learned the ruling regime would seek an excuse to move and crush the present unrest.

That fear was publicly expressed by the Dalai Lama. GCHQ's satellites, geo-positioned in space, were tasked to closely monitor the situation.

The doughnut-shaped complex, near Cheltenham racecourse, is set in the pleasant Cotswolds in the west of England. Seven thousand employees include the best electronic experts and analysts in the world. Between them they speak more than 150 languages. At their disposal are 10,000 computers, many of which have been specially built for their work.

The images they downloaded from the satellites provided confirmation the Chinese used agent provocateurs to start riots, which gave the PLA the excuse to move on Lhasa to kill and wound over the past week.

What the Beijing regime had not expected was how the riots would spread, not only across Tibet, but also to Sichuan, Quighai and Gansu provinces, turning a large area of western China into a battle zone.

See photograph.

Help those less fortunate.

The power of YOUR energy can help those less fortunate.

"If you are neutral in situations of injustice,
you have chosen the side of the oppressor." – Desmond Tutu.


Leaders in the free world have called for China’s government to open talks with the Dalai Lama to achieve an end to the violence and bloodshed in Tibet. But first, China must realize that peace and reconciliation is a great accomplishment, one that does not incur any loss of face.

The Dalai Lama has asked each of us to do whatever we can to make sure the world knows that Tibet needs our support – to help get information out and also to pray for ALL those involved, for the Chinese as well as for the Tibetan people.

There are many Tibetans who are suffering and need our help. But what can you do?

1. THE power of your thoughts and prayers IS VITAL.
This power must not be underestimated, and you can amplify your power by asking your family and your circle of friends to also help.

2. PRAY and mobilize a prayer group.
Martin Luther King knew our strength comes not from force but from compassion and he had a deep belief about doing a good and just thing. We need millions of prayers to break down this Wall of Terror.

3. Wear a maroon ribbon, the colors of the monks and nuns robes,
as a symbol of your prayers for a creative and peaceful outcome as well as to show your support for Tibetan Solidarity. Too many people are not aware of the situation in Tibet – ask your friends to wear ribbons – we need ribbons EVERYWHERE.

4. Contact media, write letters, call elected officials.
The Chinese insist this is an internal matter – they have censored emails, internet and do not allow reporters free access. They are hiding what they do not want the world to see. Truthful reporting is desperately needed – the current secretive black-out of news only exacerbates the fears of abuse of basic human rights. Does anyone have a way to contact Oprah Winfrey or Anderson Cooper? Charlie Rose has been bringing in excellent groups but we need more education about what is happening.

5. Send everyone you know to http://www.wisdomlovingmother.blogspot.com

In the words of the Tibetan nuns jailed for singing songs of their home land:
"Keep the spirit alive, know the world is watching,
and don't be disheartened."

Appeal to the Chinese People

*An Appeal to the Chinese People*
*from His Holiness the 14^th Dalai Lama*

Today, I extend heartfelt greetings to my Chinese brothers and sisters
round the world, particularly to those in the People's Republic of
China. In the light of the recent developments in Tibet, I would like to
share with you my thoughts concerning relations between the Tibetan and
Chinese peoples, and to make a personal appeal to you all.

I am deeply saddened by the loss of life in the recent tragic events in
Tibet. I am aware that some Chinese have also died. I feel for the
victims and their families and pray for them. The recent unrest has
clearly demonstrated the gravity of the situation in Tibet and the
urgent need to seek a peaceful and mutually beneficial solution through
dialogue. Even at this juncture I have expressed my willingness to the
Chinese authorities to work together to bring about peace and stability.

Chinese brothers and sisters, I assure you I have no desire to seek
Tibet's separation. Nor do I have any wish to drive a wedge between the
Tibetan and Chinese peoples. On the contrary my commitment has always
been to find a genuine solution to the problem of Tibet that ensures the
long-term interests of both Chinese and Tibetans. My primary concern, as
I have repeated time and again, is to ensure the survival of the Tibetan
people's distinctive culture, language and identity. As a simple monk
who strives to live his daily life according to Buddhist precepts, I
assure you of the sincerity of my motivation.

I have appealed to the leadership of the PRC to clearly understand my
position and work to resolve these problems by "seeking truth from
facts." I urge the Chinese leadership to exercise wisdom and to initiate
a meaningful dialogue with the Tibetan people. I also appeal to them to
make sincere efforts to contribute to the stability and harmony of the
PRC and avoid creating rifts between the nationalities. The state
media's portrayal of the recent events in Tibet, using deceit and
distorted images, could sow the seeds of racial tension with
unpredictable long-­term consequences. This is of grave concern to me.
Similarly, despite my repeated support for the Beijing Olympics, the
Chinese authorities, with the intention of creating rift between the
Chinese people and myself, assert that I am trying to sabotage the
games. I am encouraged, however, that several Chinese intellectuals and
scholars have also expressed their strong concern about the Chinese
leadership's actions and the potential for adverse long-term
consequences, particularly on relations among different nationalities.

Since ancient times, Tibetan and Chinese peoples have lived as
neighbors. In the two thousand year-old recorded history of our peoples,
we have at times developed friendly relations, even entering into
matrimonial alliances, while at other times we fought each other.
However, since Buddhism flourished in China first before it arrived in
Tibet from India, we Tibetans have historically accorded the Chinese
people the respect and affection due to elder Dharma brothers and
sisters. This is something well known to members of the Chinese
community living outside China, some of whom have attended my Buddhist
lectures, as well as pilgrims from mainland China, whom I have had the
privilege to meet. I take heart from these meetings and feel they may
contribute to a better understanding between our two peoples.

The twentieth century witnessed enormous changes in many parts of the
world and Tibet, too, was caught up in this turbulence. Soon after the
founding of the People's Republic of China in 1949, the People's
Liberation Army entered Tibet finally resulting in the 17-Point
Agreement concluded between China and Tibet in May 1951. When I was in
Beijing in 1954-55, attending the National People's Congress, I had the
opportunity to meet and develop a personal friendship with many senior
leaders, including Chairman Mao himself. In fact, Chairman Mao gave me
advice on numerous issues, as well as personal assurances with regard to
the future of Tibet. Encouraged by these assurances, and inspired by the
dedication of many of China's revolutionary leaders of the time, I
returned to Tibet full of confidence and optimism. Some Tibetan members
of the Communist Party also had such a hope. After my return to Lhasa, I
made every possible effort to seek genuine autonomy for Tibet within the
family of the People's Republic of China (PRC). I believed that this
would best serve the long-term interests of both the Tibetan and Chinese
peoples.

Unfortunately, tensions, which began to escalate in Tibet from around
1956, eventually led to the peaceful uprising of March 10, 1959, in
Lhasa and my eventual escape into exile. Although many positive
developments have taken place in Tibet under the PRC's rule, these
developments, as the previous Panchen Lama pointed out in January 1989,
were overshadowed by immense suffering and extensive destruction.
Tibetans were compelled to live in a state of constant fear, while the
Chinese government remained suspicious of them. However, instead of
cultivating enmity towards the Chinese leaders responsible for the
ruthless suppression of the Tibetan people, I prayed for them to become
friends, which I expressed in the following lines in a prayer I composed
in 1960, a year after I arrived in India: "May they attain the wisdom
eye discerning right and wrong, And may they abide in the glory of
friendship and love." Many Tibetans, school children among them, recite
these lines in their daily prayers.

In 1974, following serious discussions with my Kashag (cabinet), as well
as the Speaker and the Deputy Speaker of the then Assembly of the
Tibetan People's Deputies, we decided to find a Middle Way that would
seek not to separate Tibet from China, but would facilitate the peaceful
development of Tibet. Although we had no contact at the time with the
PRC - which was in the midst of the Cultural Revolution - we had already
recognized that sooner or later, we would have to resolve the question
of Tibet through negotiations. We also acknowledged that, at least with
regard to modernization and economic development, it would greatly
benefit Tibet if it remained within the PRC. Although Tibet has a rich
and ancient cultural heritage, it is materially undeveloped.

Situated on the roof of the world, Tibet is the source of many of Asia's
major rivers, therefore, protection of the environment on the Tibetan
plateau is of supreme importance. Since our utmost concern is to
safeguard Tibetan Buddhist culture - rooted as it is in the values of
universal compassion - as well as the Tibetan language and the unique
Tibetan identity, we have worked whole-heartedly towards achieving
meaningful self-rule for all Tibetans. The PRC's constitution provides
the right for nationalities such as the Tibetans to do this.

In 1979, the then Chinese paramount leader, Deng Xiaoping assured my
personal emissary that "except for the independence of Tibet, all other
questions can be negotiated." Since we had already formulated our
approach to seeking a solution to the Tibetan issue within the
constitution of the PRC, we found ourselves well placed to respond to
this new opportunity. My representatives met many times with officials
of the PRC. Since renewing our contacts in 2002, we have had six rounds
of talks. However, on the fundamental issue, there has been no concrete
result at all. Nevertheless, as I have declared many times, I remain
firmly committed to the Middle Way approach and reiterate here my
willingness to continue to pursue the process of dialogue.

This year the Chinese people are proudly and eagerly awaiting the
opening of the Olympic Games. I have, from the start, supported
Beijing's being awarded the opportunity to host the Games. My position
remains unchanged. China has the world's largest population, a long
history and an extremely rich civilization. Today, due to her impressive
economic progress, she is emerging as a great power. This is certainly
to be welcomed. But China also needs to earn the respect and esteem of
the global community through the establishment of an open and harmonious
society based on the principles of transparency, freedom, and the rule
of law. For example, to this day victims of the Tiananmen Square tragedy
that adversely affected the lives of so many Chinese citizens have
received neither just redress nor any official response. Similarly, when
thousands of ordinary Chinese in rural areas suffer injustice at the
hands of exploitative and corrupt local officials, their legitimate
complaints are either ignored or met with aggression. I express these
concerns both as a fellow human being and as someone who is prepared to
consider himself a member of the large family that is the People's
Republic of China. In this respect, I appreciate and support President
Hu Jintao's policy of creating a "harmonious society", but this can only
arise on the basis of mutual trust and an atmosphere of freedom,
including freedom of speech and the rule of law. I strongly believe that
if these values are embraced, many important problems relating to
minority nationalities can be resolved, such as the issue of Tibet, as
well as Eastern Turkistan, and Inner Mongolia, where the native people
now constitute only 20% of a total population of 24 million.

I had hoped President Hu Jintao's recent statement that the stability
and safety of Tibet concerns the stability and safety of the country
might herald the dawning of a new era for the resolution of the problem
of Tibet. It is unfortunate that despite my sincere efforts not to
separate Tibet from China, the leaders of the PRC continue to accuse me
of being a "separatist". Similarly, when Tibetans in Lhasa and many
other areas spontaneously protested to express their deep-rooted
resentment, the Chinese authorities immediately accused me of having
orchestrated their demonstrations. I have called for a thorough
investigation by a respected body to look into this allegation.

Chinese brothers and sisters - wherever you may be - with deep concern I
appeal to you to help dispel the misunderstandings between our two
communities. Moreover, I appeal to you to help us find a peaceful,
lasting solution to the problem of Tibet through dialogue in the spirit
of understanding and accommodation.

With my prayers,



Dalai Lama

March 28, 2008

Olympic Controversy

Please click above on the Title and you will be taken
to a site which is updated frequently to see what is
the latest on the Tibetan protests.


Flags

Urgent Press Release from the Dalai Lama - March 18th, 2008

The Office of His Holiness the Dalai Lama

Tue Mar 18, 2008 9:59 pm (PDT) PRESS RELEASE

I would like to take this opportunity to express my deep gratitude to world leaders and the international community for their concern over the recent sad turn of events in Tibet and for their attempts to persuade the Chinese authorities to exercise restraint in dealing with the demonstrations.

Since the Chinese Government has accused me of orchestrating these protests in Tibet, I call for a thorough investigation by a respected body, which should include Chinese representatives, to look into these allegations. Such a body would need to visit Tibet, the traditional Tibetan areas outside the Tibet Autonomous Region, and also the Central Tibetan Administration here in India.

In order for the international community, and especially the more than one billion Chinese people who do not have access to uncensored information, to find out what is really going on in Tibet, it would be tremendously helpful if representatives of the international media also undertook such investigations. Whether it was intended or not, I believe that a form of cultural genocide has taken place in Tibet, where the Tibetan identity has been under constant attack. Tibetans have been reduced to an insignificant minority in their own land as a result of the huge transfer of non-Tibetans into Tibet.

The distinctive Tibetan cultural heritage with its characteristic language, customs and traditions is fading away. Instead of working to unify its nationalities, the Chinese government discriminates against these minority nationalities, the Tibetans among them. It is common knowledge that Tibetan monasteries, which constitute our principal seats of learning, besides being the repository of Tibetan Buddhist culture, have been severely reduced in both in number and population.

In those monasteries that do still exist, serious study of Tibetan Buddhism is no longer allowed; in fact, even admission to these centres of learning is being strictly regulated. In reality, there is no religious freedom in Tibet. Even to call for a little more freedom is to risk being labeled a separatist. Nor is there any real autonomy in Tibet, even though these basic freedoms are guaranteed by the Chinese constitution.

I believe the demonstrations and protests taking place in Tibet are a spontaneous outburst of public resentment built up by years of repression in defiance of authorities that are oblivious to the sentiments of the local populace. They mistakenly believe that further repressive measures are the way to achieve their declared aim of long-term unity and stability. On our part, we remain committed to taking the Middle Way approach and pursuing a process of dialogue in order to find a mutually beneficial solution to the Tibetan issue.

With these points in mind, I also seek the international community's support for our efforts to resolve Tibet's problems through dialogue, and I urge them to call upon the Chinese leadership to exercise the utmost restraint in dealing with the current disturbed situation and to treat those who are being arrested properly and fairly.

Dalai Lama Dharamsala March 18, 2008