Buddhism/Politics: The Panchen Lama, still missing after 10 years

Last updated on: February 21, 2006 at 5:11 am by Justin Whitaker

Buddhism/Politics: The Panchen Lama, still missing after 10 years 2006-02-21T05:11:00-07:00 Justin Whitaker

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Bless the life of the protector of the Snowy Land, Tenzin Gyatso,
To remain steadfast for hundreds of eons without destruction,
That his wishes be spontaneously achieved.

From the long-life prayer to the present Dalai Lama, born 1935.

This is His Holiness the 14th Dalai Lama of Tibet, Tenzin Gyatso. To Tibetans he is known as ‘Kundun’ (kun dun, the All-Purposeful One), ‘Yishin Norbu’ (yi shin nor bu, the Wish-fulfilling Gem), or ‘Gyalwa Rinpoche’ (gyal wa rin po che, the Precious Adept).

He is the one of the infinite possible manifestations of the bodhisattva of compassion, Avalokiteśvara.

And today, fortunately, he is a free man. Despite living in exile for nearly fifty years, powerless as the Chinese committed countless unspeakable atrocities in his country, he still calls for a non-violent solution, in fact to practice loving-kindness toward the Chinese. He is also a Nobel Peace Prize winner, continuing to work for worldwide justice and reconciliation and inspiring countless others to live a life of true peace.

What if the Chinese had been successful in their plot to kidnap and/or murder him?

May you remain firmly as the Sun of the teachings and beings Whose activity causes the mandala of hearing, contemplation and meditation to grow, Illuminating the light of supreme transcendent wisdom, Clearing darkness of ignorance of the three realms!

From the long-life prayer to the present Panchen Lama, born 1989.
This is His Holiness the 11th Panchen Lama, Gedun Choekyi Nyima. He is The Geluk School of Tibetan Buddhism's second-ranking spiritual leader and an emanation of the bodhisattva of wisdom, Manjuśri. His predecessor, the 10th Panchen Lama, died unexpectedly in 1989 in China-controlled Tibet after giving a stongly anti-Chinese speech at his monastery, Trashi Lhumpo. In 1995 the Dalai Lama recognized Gedun Choekyi Nyima as the authentic reincarnation of the prior Panchen Lama. Later that year the Chinese government, which officially denies the possibility of reincarnation, finds its own candidate for the reincarnation of the 10th Panchen Lama. At the same time, Gedun Choekyi Nyima disappeared and has not been seen since.

That was over ten years ago. The Chinese government claims to be holding him for his own protection.

Today I received an email from the International Tibet Support Group. It said:

2006 is Kofi Annan’s final year in office and a new postcard campaign on
behalf of H.H. the Panchen Lama is underway. The postcards are the
result of an International Youth Art competition — an image drawn by a
child for a child.

Please contact a Tibet Support Group in your area for postcards
(http://tibet.org/Resources/TSG) or contact ITSN ([email protected])
to obtain them directly. More information about this campaign can be
found at http://www.freepanchenlama.org.

Please encourage others to join. Anyone can join by emailing [email protected].

Please join. Think of this: the Panchen Lama may quite possibly be just as powerful a force for freedom and peace in the world as the current Dalai Lama has been. His freedom, like a small stone thrown into a quiet pond, could ripple outward indefinitely, bringing peace to the world for generations.

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