Friday, April 5, 2013

sleeping.

His face radiates with smile and he walks gently with a air of confidence and calmness. Khenpo Sordhagal appeared at the George Washington University to give a talk on the topic "The Tibetan code of Happiness".

 Khenpo is  one of the closest disciples of Khenchen Jigme Phuntsok, a renowned
Tibetan Buddhist master, who has founded a massive Buddhist learning centres, known as Lhanrang Gam, a great learning Centre. After Kenchen Jigme passed away, his students continued to lead the institute. The reputation and good works of two disciples, including the one appeared was astounding.

Out of curiosity and also out of interest to learn more, I went to the talk. Tibetan and Chinese audience have filled in the hall. 

Khenpo spoke in Tibetan, and another American woman who speaks fluent Tibetan was his translator.

Khenpo's talk focused on the topic of happiness and even when one of the audience asked a question that hinges on political issue in Tibet, he prefers not to dwell on those issue.

His assertion  that Tibetans in many parts of the Tibet were happy and content, despite of their limited resources and development. It was contended by an audience that comparing to Tibet's physical development today , is far better than in several decades back, but yet comparatively the Tibetan are unhappy, and what is the reason for that.
Khenpo sensed that he has ruffled the feather of the Tibetan sentiment, and it was a little awkward and uneasy moment, where he suggested that the audience are not only Tibetans there are Chinese as well, which the translator has cleverly by passed. It is totally understandable, that the Khenpo can not jeopardize his career and the works he does back home, by  transgressing the purposed Chinese cautiou or warnings.
I wanted to ask him one questions, but didnt get the chance.
My questions goes like this.  Since Khenpo talked on the importance of avoiding attachment toward others as a way of obtaining happiness. I wonder if it is also way of abandoning attachement toward oneself, when people put themselves on fire, and by that way, is it right to say is a way of attaining happiness?

Khenpo has done a lots works in translating classic Tibetan scripture into Chinese, and he appears to have travelled and taught in several well known  universities in China.

Later on, i learned from a colleague, that several Tibetans have private audience with the Khenpo later in the evening at his residence. I am not sure what has transpired at the time, the most important is that the Tibetans in the U.S is so keen to interact with Khenpo.




 

Wednesday, April 3, 2013

Demolish



A Tibetan woman self-immolated in protest against Chinese government’s confiscation of some Tibetan people’s houses in Kham Sheshul, Jekundo. And another Tibetan warn to self -immolate for the Chinese eviction.
The Chinese government have started the so called yushul reconstruction in July 2012, resulting the eviction of Tibetan residents living in Rishonggon and Tibetan residents living behind the Yushul teachering training Centre. The Chinese solider have bulldozed the Tibetan residential houses and temporary tent  and beaten arrested those who resisted to give way for the demolish works.
Those Tibetan residential house built now in the site of  in Jykundo Rishonggon and behind Yushul teaching training institute were initially a empty lot  and belong to people as their farm land before the earth quake struck Yushul.  After math of the  earthquake, the Chinese government have marked the place, and informed that those lot will be used by government for growing grass and no construction of houses are allowed on those lot. But owing to the earth, many Tibetan residents were left with no place to live, so they have set up tents for temporary shelter and also built houses on those lots by selling off their own houses.  But now despite of those lots are used for people’s housing, the Chinese investigated the official permission of the building houses, and have evicted people from their houses consequently.
As a result of the evictions from their houses and confiscation of the people’s farmland , a Tibetan woman self-immolated in protest around a week ago. The woman is the daughter in law of Mr Ngodup from Drongden Seden unit.  But at the time the fire on her body was quickly put off, therefore her physical condition is not life threatening.
A father of 10 children, and his name Gonggey has warned the authorities that he would self-immolate in protest against the forceful confiscation of his land. And the man has also arranged prayers in the local monasteries as witnessed by other after his self-immolation.
After 4 years the earthquake in Jykundo, the Chinese government’s reconstruction has began in fullswing. But there was a stark contrast between the rebuilding for Chinese local official and residential housing for the local ordinary Tibetan. The Chinese official rebuilt residential houses are more spacious and with superior construction quality and more stable. While the local residential houses require renovation within one and half years of their built.  

To a different sources.
Prior to the Jykundo earth quake, many Tibetan bought land and build their houses in the Yushul town.  But after the earthquake, despite of the demolish of their houses as a result , the Chinese refused  to rebuild those  houses for them.  But many Tibetan individuals rebuilt their own houses on their own land through their own spending. But now the Chinese have forced to demolish those houses saying that these Tibetans do not have their household registration in Jykundo township and hence the Chinese government do not accept that those estate belongs to these Tibetans. And this government takeover of the land started on April 2. 2013.