Two people per family mandated to attend fake
Panchen’s teaching
19 July
2016 Kalsang Sherab,
Tibet Post International
Dharamshala — As reported recently by Chinese state media, the
Chinese-assigned Panchen Gyaltsen Norbu is going to give a
three-day Kalachakra initiation in Tashi Lhunpo monastery,
Shigatse, Tibet. The monastery and the Buddhist Association in
Shigatse announced the Kalachakra initiation would last from July
21-24.
According to a
source in Tibet, in order to have enough participants for the
teaching, the Chinese government made a decree stating that, every
Tibetan family in Shigatse city must provide at least two
participants for the Chinese Panchen's Kalachakra
initiation.
Sonam, a
diasporic Tibetan living in Switzerland, told TPI that, "according
to a source from Shigatse, Gyaltsen Norbu, the reincarnation of the
10th Panchen Lama assigned by the Chinese authorities, is going to
host the Kalachakra initiation at a new palace. In order to feign
the impression that this 'fake Panchen' for Tibetans was indeed
popular, the Chinese government has already required that at least
two people from each local family to come to the event. Special
buses will be provided for Tibetans who go to the
event."
At
the same time, the state media brazenly emphasized the magnitude
and rarity for the Chinese Panchen to host the Kalachakra
initiation. According to the state media, for the preparation of
this event, the Chinese authorities just built a new altar spanning
200 square meters, covered in yellow silk cloth and embroidered
with auspicious Tibetan designs. On each side of the platform, a
large LED screen has been erected.
Kalachakra, in
Tibetan: Due-Khor-Wang-Chen, meaning 'Wheels of Time', is a very
complex teaching and practice in Tibetan Buddhism usually given to
large public assemblages. The last Kalachakra initiation given in
Tibet was by His Holiness the 14th Dalai Lama back in
1956.
Since 1970,
His Holiness the Dalai Lama hosted the Kalachakra initiation 31
more times in India, USA, Australia, and many other countries all
across the world. Tibetans inside and outside of Tibet come to join
these special events despite possible political persecution, should
they choose to go back to Tibet. The Dalai Lama is considered to be
the most prominent Kalachakra lineage holder alive
today.
After the 10th
Panchen Lama passed away in 1989, the 14th Dalai Lama officially
verified the six-year-old Gendun Choekyi Nyima as the reincarnation
of the 10th Panchen Lama in 1995. However, after three days
following his verification, the Chinese Communist Party took the
six-year-old real reincarnation of the Panchen Lama and his family
away covertly. Gendun Choekyi Nyima's whereabouts are still
unknown, and he is recognized as the world's youngest political
prisoner by the international community.
The Chinese
government then assigned Gyaltsen Norbu as the 11th Panchen Lama,
as well as appointing him as the deputy chief of the China Buddhism
Association, member of the Standing Committee of the Political
Bureau since 2010. The Central Tibetan Administration in Dharamsala
believes that Gyaltsen Norbu is only a political puppy being used
by the Chinese government to control Tibetans. Tibetans have never
accepted Gyaltsen Norbu as the Panchen Lama, and commonly address
him as the 'fake Panchen' or 'Chinese Panchen'.