A Briton has
become the first Western Tibetan Buddhist monk to die by
self-immolation, dousing his head and clothes with petrol at a
monastery in southwestern France.
Paris,
France -- Tonden, 38, whose name at
birth was David Alain, had been training for the past five years in
the Nalanda monastery near the southwestern village of
Labastide-Saint-Georges. The secluded monastery's 25 monks,
including five Britons, are currently in retreat.
Horrified colleagues rushed into the garden
of the quiet monastery, which is surrounded by rolling farmland, at
4.50pm on Thursday afternoon, after spotting their orange-robed,
shaven-headed colleague burst into flames on the
lawn.
They were powerless to help and by the time
the emergency services arrived, Tonden had died.
Monks and local police said they were
unsure whether Tonden had been depressed and committed suicide or
that it was a political statement.
But given international events of the past
week, the timing of his demise could not have been more
significant.
Tonden died on the day that the Chinese
Communist Party enacted its once-in-a-decade leadership change,
with Xi Jinping taking over from Hu Jintao.
In the past week alone, at least nine
Tibetans were reported to have self-immolated in protest at what
they say is religious and cultural repression by the Chinese
authorities.
In all, 74 Tibetans have now set themselves
on fire since 2009 demanding freedom and the return of the Dalai
Lama, who has been in exile since 1959.
Tonden was keenly aware of the Dalai Lama's
plight, having met the spiritual leader last year when he visited
the monastery
He also met the Dalai Lama's sister in
September when she came to Nalanda and its nearby meditation
centre, Vajra Yogini, which receives lay people.
Despite the timing, the office of the
public prosecutor in Castres, said: "Nothing in the investigation
allows us to confirm that it is linked to the events in
Tibet."
Michel-Antoine Andreani, number two of the
Tarn gendarmerie said the idea a Tibet-linked protest was the
"first that sprung to my mind" when he was informed of the
self-immolation.
But he told The Daily Telegraph: "Given the
information we have gathered so far, the individual was
psychologically fragile and during his training was having
difficulty coming to terms with all the obligations and vows that
his position demands."
The five Buddhist precepts urge against
harming living beings, stealing, sexual misconduct, lying and
intoxication.
The monastery, an hour's drive northeast of
Toulouse, is described on its website as "a unique monastery for
Western monks in the Tibetan Geluk tradition".
The entrance to the beautiful location
warns visitors: "Retreat in progress. Nalanda monastery is
completely closed to all visitors except by
appointment."
A lone monk praying by a gold-topped stupa
– the structure used for meditation – smiled but declined to speak.
The monastery stands at the end of a long drive lined with pine
trees adorned with hanging crystals and Buddhist prayer flags of
blue, white, red, yellow and green that were last night swaying in
the evening breeze.
Standing outside waiting for the
undertaker, its director, the venerable Losang Tendar, said: "We
don't know at this stage whether he acted for personal or political
reasons and cannot comment due to an ongoing police
investigation."
"What I can say is he never once spoke
about such an act. He gave no warning and left no note. I also can
say that nobody was with him at the time." Beside him, Francois
Lecointre, a monastery spokesman, said: "We are like his Buddhist
family and it's a huge shock for the whole community that nobody
could have predicted," he said.
"We have of course followed the events in
Tibet, but until now it was simply inconceivable that it would
happen here in the West."
He was adamant that "Buddhism proscribes
all forms of violence including against oneself. That is very clear
in Buddhist teachings."
While police try and piece together the
motives, others warned that frustration against Chinese repression
of Tibetan Buddhists is threatening to spill over in the
West.
"I actually befriended someone on Facebook
recently who was threatening to self-immolate to draw international
attention to what is going on," said Kate Saunders at the
International Campaign for Tibet.
"As far as I know he did not go ahead with
it, but it was not the same person".
On Friday, the political leader of Tibetan
exiles called for international support for his people's struggle
against Chinese rule.
Speaking to support groups from 40
countries at a meeting in Dharmsala, the Dalai Lama's headquarters,
Prime Minister Lobsang Sangay said: "Tibet is a litmus test for
China and the world. By supporting Tibet, the international
community will clearly show what they stand for."
"By not supporting us in our non-violent
struggle, the world will send a wrong message to all oppressed
people of the world."
Beijing insists it has boosted living
standards in minority areas and treats minorities
fairly.