(East-West Question) Panchen Lama: Why do you say that the Sinicization of Tibetan Buddhism is the most fundamental condition for the promotion of Tibetan Buddhism?
China News Agency, Lhasa, June 18th, Question: Panchen Lama: Why is it said that the Sinicization of Tibetan Buddhism is the most fundamental condition for the promotion of Tibetan Buddhism?
China News Agency reporter Jiang Feibo
Editor's note:
Recently, Panchen Erdeni Chokyi Jeb, member of the Standing Committee of the National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference, vice president of the Buddhist Association of China, and president of the Tibetan branch of the Buddhist Association of China, met with eminent monks from various sects of Tibetan Buddhism, experts and scholars from Tibet University, and Tibetan Academy of Social Sciences in Lhasa, Tibet. Experts, scholars and scripture teachers of the Tibetan Buddhist Academy held discussions to study and promote the Sinicization of Tibetan Buddhism.
During the period, the Panchen Lama said that the Sinicization of Tibetan Buddhism is an inevitable condition for the continued inheritance and development of Tibetan Buddhism in the new era.
"I have a common understanding when discussing and communicating with the religious circles. The promotion of Buddhism and the sinicization of Tibetan Buddhism are different expressions of the same thing. It can also be understood that the sinicization of Tibetan Buddhism is the most fundamental condition for the promotion of Tibetan Buddhism. , is also the most essential explanation.”
On June 2, before the Panchen Lama held a symposium with the eminent monks of the Kagyu sect of Tibetan Buddhism, the eminent monks of the Kagyu sect offered Hada to the Panchen Lama (right).
Photo by Li Lin issued by China News Agency
The Panchen Lama's symposium speeches are now compiled and compiled for readers.
The Sinicization of Tibetan Buddhism is the Proposition of the Times in Tibetan Buddhism
The tenth Panchen Lama in my previous life mentioned a concept called the re-prosperity period of Tibetan Buddhism.
The pre-prosperity period of Tibetan Buddhism was the combination of Buddhism under the conditions of the Tubo regime and the social culture at that time, including political and economic development, so that Buddhism was spread and promoted, which is called the pre-prosperous period.
Since then, under the conditions of the integration of politics and religion in Tibet, Tibetan Buddhism has developed in line with the contemporary society. We call it the post-prosperous period.
As I understand it, the 10th Panchen Lama proposed the re-proliferation period of Tibetan Buddhism, that is, Tibetan Buddhism adapts to socialism with Chinese characteristics, so that it can be promoted and developed.
Maintaining national unity, national unity, and social stability is a criterion for measuring the Sinicization of contemporary Tibetan Buddhism, and it is also the only way to go.
There have been thousands of religions in the world and in history, but only a few exist today. The reason why other religions have disappeared and been eliminated is because they cannot match the society at that time, the needs of the people, and the progress of civilization. fit, adapt.
Tibetan Buddhism is no exception. If it is not well integrated with contemporary development, social needs, people's needs and national requirements, it will be ruthlessly eliminated by history.
Therefore, the Sinicization of Tibetan Buddhism is an era proposition that we, as people in the Tibetan Buddhist community, as a group that loves this religion, must complete.
On June 2, the Panchen Lama spoke at a forum with eminent monks of the Gelug School of Tibetan Buddhism.
Photo by Li Lin issued by China News Agency
The leadership of the Chinese Communist Party is in line with Buddhist values and worldviews
Buddhism is a religion that advocates the concept of compassion and universal salvation.
It arose in the polytheistic, multi-creator environment of ancient India.
Buddhism talks about the law of causality. Its basic principle and basic belief is the law of causality. If there is a cause, there will be an effect. If there is gathering, there will be dispersal.
Buddhism recognizes that fate is made by oneself and can be changed.
It is easy to think that the law of causality is a kind of fatalism. In fact, Buddhism does not recognize that a child is born and this life is completely doomed.
Destiny can be changed, controlled by oneself, and the future is created by oneself.
In the subsequent development of historical inheritance, especially under the serf system where politics and religion were integrated, the interpretation of this basic principle changed.
It asks the common people to accept the current bad luck, saying that this is the karma created in the previous life, don't resist, make good atonement, and strive for a good reincarnation in the next life.
This is a kind of alienation, and it is the serf owners who use religion as a tool of domination.
Buddhism is a religion that relies on dialectical logic to prove theories. It is a religion that rejects blind faith and encourages reason.
When I interact with believers, including when I preach the scriptures, I will tell them that after we worship Buddha, we will not become fearless, but more respectful.
In terms of being more in line with the original beliefs of the Buddha, we must act towards the Buddha and towards good deeds.
Truly being able to contribute to society, be altruistic to others, and benefit all beings, is the real practice.
If the practice only stops at reciting sutras and burning incense, eating fast food and worshiping Buddha, and turning sutras and mountains, without truly benefiting sentient beings, benefiting the society, and serving the people, there will never be any fruit of practice.
The leadership of the Communist Party of China is the choice of history and the choice of the people. From the perspective of Buddhism, it is also a causal manifestation of the Communist Party of China's long-term and wholehearted service to the people, which fully conforms to the Buddhist values and worldview.
On June 9, the Panchen Lama spoke in a discussion with experts and scholars from the Tibetan Academy of Social Sciences.
Photo by Li Lin issued by China News Agency
The true freedom of religious belief in Tibet can only be obtained by entering socialism
After Buddhism was introduced into the land of China, under the nourishment of the very inclusive Chinese culture, it took root, blossomed and fruited here, benefiting generations to come.
After entering modern society, Buddhism and other religions can coexist, and are equal and united.
This is difficult for other countries to do.
The real freedom of religious belief in Tibet was only obtained when we entered socialism. In the past, under the feudal serf system, there was no freedom of belief.
We need to let the believers and people realize what the normal development of Tibetan Buddhism should look like, and what kind of path should be taken by those who truly love Tibetan Buddhism and who truly love Tibet.
Tibetan Buddhists, monks and nuns are also members of society and citizens of our country.
You are a citizen first, and then you have other social identities.
We are now vigorously promoting the education of "national awareness, civic awareness, and awareness of the rule of law", so that contemporary Tibetan Buddhists, monks and nuns have the characteristics of contemporary citizens.
Only in this way can we integrate into contemporary society.
We cannot impose the strict rules and precepts that the religious community should abide by on the religious masses, but take the beliefs of the masses as an opportunity and platform for us to serve the society, the country, and the people.
The common people initially chose to believe in religion out of their desire and expectation for life.
There will be all kinds of ups and downs and all kinds of problems in life. They choose to believe in religion in order to live a happier life. This is their original wish.
Religion has to start from this perspective, do a good job and do a good job in service, so that the value of religion can continue to exist.
On June 10, the Panchen Lama spoke and communicated with the sutra teachers of the Tibetan Buddhist Academy.
Photo by Li Lin issued by China News Agency
A more macro and objective view of the historical orientation of the development of Tibetan Buddhism
The most important thing in the Sinicization of Tibetan Buddhism is the quality of monks.
When the Buddha first turned the wheel of Dharma and taught the Dharma, he had only five disciples, who were called five virtuous men.
But Buddhism has been passed down for 2,500 years, and now there are hundreds of millions of people in the world who believe in Buddhism.
This is what we Tibetan Buddhism should think about. This is because the Buddha complied with the laws of the country and the will of the people at that time.
From the perspective of Tibetan Buddhism, loving the country and religion is our original intention, and protecting the country and the people is our mission.
This is what the ancestors of Tibetan Buddhism in the past dynasties have done, and they have done it hard. Our contemporary and future Tibetan Buddhist circles must also work hard in this direction.
We need to look at the development of Tibetan Buddhism more macroscopically and objectively.
I also often say to my colleagues in the religious circles that we cannot be limited to our own scope, we must jump out of our own circles, use the historical dimension and the breadth of human civilization to look at the historical orientation of the development of Tibetan Buddhism and the world of Tibetan Buddhism. people's role in the era.
(Finish)