The US, China, and Tibetan Buddhism

[Left Coast]

As part of the stimulus bill that was just passed in Congress and signed by Trump, the US has now taken an official position on how the next Dalai Lama will be chosen when the current one possess away. The Chinese government has evidently tried to assert that it may appoint the next DL, an obvious violation of Tibetan Buddhist religious freedom.

The legislation also states that China may have no other consulates in the US until the US is permitted to build one in Tibet.

Thoughts?

https://www.washingtonpost.com/reli...a94980-4abd-11eb-a9f4-0e668b9772ba_story.html

Text - H.R.4331 - 116th Congress (2019-2020): Tibetan Policy and Support Act of 2019

 

[Secret Chief]

It's good to know that the US government is an authority on the matter. Or, to put it another way - it's just bo****** isn't it.

 

[Secret Chief]

"the reincarnation of living Buddhas including the Dalai Lama must comply with Chinese law and regulations"



"a gross violation of internationally recognized human rights"
Like the US government ever gave a toss about those.



The US and China are made for each other!

 

[Vouthon]

This probably ranks as one of the few legislative initiatives of the Trump administration (ironically, passing into law through congressional approval, just as he's leaving office (good riddance!)) that I wholeheartedly applaud for its clearly articulated stance, which represents a welcome display of 'moral leadership' in response to the violation of a religious and ethnic minority's cultural integrity.

In particular, I commend the framers of the new Act for drafting a series of economic and visa sanctions on any Chinese officials who happen to interfere with the succession of the Dalai Lama and the stipulation that Beijing must allow the US to establish a consulate in Lhasa, before it can open any more consulates in the US.

My chief thought is that Tibet seems to be yet another frontier in the brewing 'Cold War 2.0' between the United States of America and the People's Republic of China. I mean, this new piece of legislation comes decades after the US effectively abandoned the cause of Tibetan resistance in its bid to befriend Beijing as a trade partner. That would seem to be a bygone era of productive bilateralism now, by the looks of the present geopolitical 'machinations'.

As an addendum, though, it is a "wee" bit amusing to me - objectively, in terms of sheer optics - to read about the doctrine of Vajrayana Buddhist reincarnation from the stimulus/relief bill of an officially secular state

 

[sun rise]

I keep hearing about all sorts of progressive legislation that was bundled with the big bill and this is one of them.

Like the US government ever gave a toss about those.

Of course we're not perfect - sometimes just the opposite to what we should be. The difference is that China revels in such acts as a matter of state policy and we are free to criticize and end them.

 

[stvdv]

As part of the stimulus bill that was just passed in Congress and signed by Trump, the US has now taken an official position on how the next Dalai Lama will be chosen when the current one possess away. The Chinese government has evidently tried to assert that it may appoint the next DL, an obvious violation of Tibetan Buddhist religious freedom.

The legislation also states that China may have no other consulates in the US until the US is permitted to build one in Tibet.

Thoughts?

I was happy to read this. The Chinese have no business whatsoever imposing on Tibet.

 

[Audie]

As part of the stimulus bill that was just passed in Congress and signed by Trump, the US has now taken an official position on how the next Dalai Lama will be chosen when the current one possess away. The Chinese government has evidently tried to assert that it may appoint the next DL, an obvious violation of Tibetan Buddhist religious freedom.

The legislation also states that China may have no other consulates in the US until the US is permitted to build one in Tibet.

Thoughts?

https://www.washingtonpost.com/reli...a94980-4abd-11eb-a9f4-0e668b9772ba_story.html

Text - H.R.4331 - 116th Congress (2019-2020): Tibetan Policy and Support Act of 2019

China should say the same, consulates in Hawaii, Guam, Puerto Rico and Aztlan is it?
The area seized from Mexico.

 

[Audie]

I was happy to read this. The Chinese have no business whatsoever imposing on Tibet.

Study the history of shifting empired before being so sure.

 

[stvdv]

China should say the same, consulates in Hawaii, Guam, Puerto Rico and Aztlan is it?
The area seized from Mexico.

I don't know much about Hawaii, Guam, Puerto Rico and Aztlan. But Google spits the following out about Tibet (see quote below). IF Americans did the same to Hawaii, Guam, Puerto Rico and Aztlan, then I could understand your point "consulates in those places", but I can not imagine Americans did those cruel things in these places. Are you sure Americans did this? Or don't you believe Chinese did this cruelty to Tibetans? Otherwise I don't understand your comparison.

1. The peaceful buddhist country of Tibet was invaded by Communists China in 1949. Since that time, over 1.2 million out of 6 Tibetans have been killed, over 6000 monastaries have been destroyed, and thousands of TIbetans have been imprisoned.

 

[stvdv]

Study the history of shifting empired before being so sure.

Are you saying that you agree with what the Chinese did to the Tibetan people? I do believe in karma, so somewhere, IF karma is a right concept, the Tibetans must have done something aweful, but I don't know about this.

1. The peaceful buddhist country of Tibet was invaded by Communists China in 1949. Since that time, over 1.2 million out of 6 Tibetans have been killed, over 6000 monastaries have been destroyed, and thousands of TIbetans have been imprisoned.

 

[Audie]

I don't know much about Hawaii, Guam, Puerto Rico and Aztlan. But Google spits the following out about Tibet (see quote below). IF Americans did the same to Hawaii, Guam, Puerto Rico and Aztlan, then I could understand your point "consulates in those places", but I can not imagine Americans did those cruel things in these places. Are you sure Americans did this? Or don't you believe Chinese did this cruelty to Tibetans? Otherwise I don't understand your comparison.

Each case is different, of course.

I guess if you know nothing about American
Imperialism then my point is lost.

 

[Audie]

Are you saying that you agree with what the Chinese did to the Tibetan people? I do believe in karma, so somewhere, IF karma is a right concept, the Tibetans must have done something aweful, but I don't know about this.

I think its a lot more complicated than the anti Chinese people like to make it.

Look at some maps of Europe from years past.
Constantly changing borders.

Agree or disagree with all the changes is a no starter.

 

[stvdv]

I think its a lot more complicated than the anti Chinese people like to make it.

Look at some maps of Europe from years past.
Constantly changing borders.

Agree or disagree with all the changes is a no starter.

Indeed map is showing lots of changes in Europe (and Russia)

And China has been expanding also quite a bit over the years

 

[Audie]

Indeed map is showing lots of changes in Europe (and Russia)

And China has been expanding also quite a bit over the years

Pretty hard to work out the right and wrong isnt it?

 

[stvdv]

Pretty hard to work out the right and wrong isnt it?

But when a person kills someone, he is considered wrong according to the Law, even if in the past he was wronged by the other
Does the same not apply to a country? When a father abuses a son, and the son becomes criminal, he goes to jail, not the father
So, even while in the past things happened to China, that does not give China the right to act cruel, don't you agree?

 

[Audie]

But when a person kills someone, he is considered wrong according to the Law, even if in the past he was wronged by the other
Does the same not apply to a country? When a father abuses a son, and the son becomes criminal, he goes to jail, not the father
So, even while in the past things happened to China, that does not give China the right to act cruel, don't you agree?

Nobody has a "right to be cruel" percse.

 

[Wu Wei]

Dalai Lama suggests ending Tibetan reincarnation system