NK
World, Kathmandu
[Nepal], Sept. 30 : Accusing the Chinese government of making
attempts to stake a claim on religious institutions linked to
Tibetan Buddhism and gradually penetrate into Nepal's Buddhist
groups in order to draw them to join China-propagated Buddhist
culture under the 'One Belt One Road' initiative by placing the
ashes of Chinese monk Benhuan inside the Boudhanath Stupa here in
May, Nepal's Buddha Dharma Citizen Forum and other agencies have
demanded an inquiry into the matter.
The forum,
along with other Nepalese agencies, earlier this month, submitted a
memorandum to Nepal's Minister for Culture, Tourism and Civil
Aviation Jeeban Bahadur Shahi, demanding an inquiry into a Chinese
media report that stated that Chinese Buddhist Association vice
president Yin Shun had placed the ashes of Benhuan inside the
Boudhanath Stupa, a UNESCO World Heritage site, which is located on
the ancient trade route to Tibet.
The memorandum accused the Shree Boudhanath Area Development
Committee and the Reconstruction Committee of placing the ashes of
the Chinese monk inside the stupa in lieu of a donation of 3.5
crore Nepalese rupee from the Chinese Buddhist Association, which
is controlled by the China's State Administration for Religious
Affairs.
The memorandum pointed out that as the Chinese Buddhist Association
is controlled by the China's State Administration for Religious
Affairs, the decision to install relics of Chinese monks would have
been approved by the Communist Party of China.
The complaint alleged that Chinese monks initially tried to have
the ashes placed at Lumbini, the birthplace of Lord Buddha, but
when they failed to do so, they lured the Shree Boudhanath Area
Development Committee via a donation amount for the renovation of
the stupa.
Tibetan merchants are known to have rested and offered prayers at
the stupa for many centuries; and even now, when Tibetan refugees
enter Nepal, most of them decide to live around Boudhanath.
Besides a detailed investigation into the matter, the memorandum
also demanded that the ashes be removed from the stupa immediately,
and action should be taken against the Boudha Area Development
Committee president.
The stupa was damaged in the April 2015 Nepal earthquake, and is
currently under renovation at an estimated cost of NR 184.5
million, of which reportedly nearly NR 142.2 million have been
collected from domestic and foreign donors, including the Chinese
Buddhist Association.
According to the Chinese news item, referred in the memorandum,
during the ceremony held to install the relics of the monk at the
stupa, apart from religious leaders from various monasteries in
China, Chinese Ambassador Wu Chuntai was also
present.