This blog was begun not with the motive of being a peek into the whole baggage of actions and happenings that are summed up into a four lettered word called life.It was meant to be a place where I could stop at and contemplate,where "I" could for at least a few moments,drug the other guy who goes to classes,fights for grades and commits all the crimes necessary to punish myself with an unremarkable life,into a state of a thoughtless,dreamless sleep.Lastly,it was never meant to be a place where I would voice any opinion against the omnipresent injustice,oppression and violence which this world reeks of.Somethings which I have conditioned my heart to become insensitive to.For once,though,I have decided to come out of this self induced state of intoxication.And so ,without further ado,here it goes.
Tibet:here is a spontaneous string of snapshots which pop up in my mind when I hear this word-I can see endless stretches of barren snow dotted with yak-herds and tribe-camps.I can see Yeti drinking water at the Mansarovar Lake.I can see those monks walking outside some ancient monastery,draped in their red-coloured robes ,their faces brimming with a smile behind which lies vast spiritual knowledge.I can see Tibetan kids playing mirthfully at one of the village grounds.I can see the old lady selling Tibetan rugs at the Lhasa market.
I can also see the nightclubs and internet cafes that have come up in suburban Lhasa.I can see the Qinghai-Tibet railway crisscross the vast ,cold plateau ,snatching away its surreal ,almost divine emptiness which is symbolic of the unscathed simplicity of the Buddhist monk.I can see the discontent and gloom in the eyes of an elderly man sitting by the door of his little house on a Lhasa street.I can feel every brick of the Potala Palace waiting for its rightful resident-the Dalai Lama.
No,I haven't been to Tibet,nor am I some expert on Buddhist philosophy.I haven't chatted up with the Dalai Lama at Dharamshala ,nor I have enjoyed a long dinner-table conversation with some immigrant Tibetan teacher about his homeland and culture .Who am I ,then, to rant about the fate of the people who populate the Roof of the World.Well,lets just say ,that twenty years of life have made me inquisitive and open-minded enough to embark upon mental journeys trying to discover the truth about complex topics that don't bother my selfish everyday life directly.It was during one of these journeys that I was sensitized enough to write a post and share with my blog's limited readership ,my take on the Tibetan problem.
Around 50 years ago,China's People's Liberation Army "liberated" Tibet .They did this by marching into Tibetan heartland with a heavily armed force which outnumbered many times over a Tibetan "army" mostly made up of civilians who were forced to take up outdated weaponry out of desperation.Beijing celebrated its "victory" and proudly proclaimed to the world that it finally regained "control" over what was an "integral part" of its nationhood.Baseless,I know,but for a moment,let us make a compromise by stepping into the shoes of the patriotic Chinese statesman and the need for territorial expansion,given the fact of your extreme military dominance seems a foregone conclusion.Probe a little bit further though,and ask him what was wrong with the original Tibetan government,and in all probability,he would try his hand at sounding intellectual,hiding the real motive behind words like"the Tibetans are a bunch of uncivilized,ignorant,filthy and superstitious people whose attitude has badly stymied economic growth in the region."He certainly does not know what he is talking about.Even if he does,it appears a far too "weak" argument to stop him from loosing himself in the empty feeling of power that overtaking Tibet gives him and his establishment.I am truly bored to death you know by this "China story" that is doing the rounds in the media for quiet a few years.Hello,did you people forget this side of the China Story?
Most Han Chinese today consider Tibetan culture to be inferior,Tibetan people to be too simple.Not very long ago,I read stuff like China having the most number of computers,about its government going full steam with some English-education program in preparation for the Olympics.But when I come to know of such comments,these Chinese make on the Tibetans,I am compelled to see the wide gap between the rapid "development" of the society and the gradual decadence of individual morality.To call a culture inferior without giving a thought to the basic philosophical threads ,the cultural fabric is made up of,is gross injustice.Simplicity in the typical Tibetan indigenous life should not be interpreted as ignorance or illiteracy but as the sheer confidence the Tibetans place in their Buddhist principles.
Being a Tibetan Buddhist is not easy.Buddhism has still not degenerated itself to the definition of religion that most of the economically progressing world lives by.Being a Christian today might be as simple as going to the Church every Sunday morning and saying "For Christ's sake" or "Oh Jesus" every time you feel exasperated.Being a Hindu today,might mean chanting a few mantras everyday before an assortment of idols .Reading the namaz five times a day will make you a Muslim.But ,Buddhism, I repeat is not a "religion",it is a philosophy.A philosophy which denies the need for a supernatural entity called God.A philosophy which stresses on the need for enlightenment,on the importance of non violence.For them,its not as simple as quoting from the Bible because it serves well some righteous sounding oratory.For them,Buddha's guidelines are truly a way of life.
What is even worse is that I can't just stop myself from drawing parallels between the Holocaust and the Tibetan Problem.While the Chinese haven't reached the requisite level of insanity to commit mass murder but in many ways I feel they are committing graver crimes.The Jews in Europe were at least a powerful and wealthy class,but what about the Tibetans?Do they want to strip them of the simple,peaceful and content lives that they live.And for what? To bless Tibet with "economic development"?Tibetan lifestyle was never based on "economic development",One of the fundamental tenets of Buddhist philosophy is to "abandon the Ego".To the outside world which is blinded by dogmas based on empty consumerism and materialism,to a generation conned into thinking that cities flashing "Coca Cola " billboards is where all the action is,the easiest thing to do is to dismiss Buddhist philosophy as superstition-ridden anarchy.Not that Tibetans were suffering for not choosing the path of evolution that the rest of the world is taking.They were completely self sufficient ,peaceful and happy.Today,just like the Jews,the Tibetans are displaced from their homelands,scattered a cross the world,trying their best to support their people back home.
Tibet should be protected and preserved like a sanctuary lest we want a cultural species with a very special value system to become extinct.In a world dominated by catchwords like globalization and economic growth,Tibet is a beautiful island.Let us not sink this island in the sea of OUR progress.Right now,as I type away,night gives way to dawn and the sun rays light up my room,I can see the Buddhist monk waking up,meditating and coming outside his monastery.He turns the prayer-wheels and hopes for the best for his fellowmen.The prayer wheels don't make much of a noise but I can hear it,in fact,almost feel it.
Around 50 years ago,China's People's Liberation Army "liberated" Tibet .They did this by marching into Tibetan heartland with a heavily armed force which outnumbered many times over a Tibetan "army" mostly made up of civilians who were forced to take up outdated weaponry out of desperation.Beijing celebrated its "victory" and proudly proclaimed to the world that it finally regained "control" over what was an "integral part" of its nationhood.Baseless,I know,but for a moment,let us make a compromise by stepping into the shoes of the patriotic Chinese statesman and the need for territorial expansion,given the fact of your extreme military dominance seems a foregone conclusion.Probe a little bit further though,and ask him what was wrong with the original Tibetan government,and in all probability,he would try his hand at sounding intellectual,hiding the real motive behind words like"the Tibetans are a bunch of uncivilized,ignorant,filthy and superstitious people whose attitude has badly stymied economic growth in the region."He certainly does not know what he is talking about.Even if he does,it appears a far too "weak" argument to stop him from loosing himself in the empty feeling of power that overtaking Tibet gives him and his establishment.I am truly bored to death you know by this "China story" that is doing the rounds in the media for quiet a few years.Hello,did you people forget this side of the China Story?
Most Han Chinese today consider Tibetan culture to be inferior,Tibetan people to be too simple.Not very long ago,I read stuff like China having the most number of computers,about its government going full steam with some English-education program in preparation for the Olympics.But when I come to know of such comments,these Chinese make on the Tibetans,I am compelled to see the wide gap between the rapid "development" of the society and the gradual decadence of individual morality.To call a culture inferior without giving a thought to the basic philosophical threads ,the cultural fabric is made up of,is gross injustice.Simplicity in the typical Tibetan indigenous life should not be interpreted as ignorance or illiteracy but as the sheer confidence the Tibetans place in their Buddhist principles.
Being a Tibetan Buddhist is not easy.Buddhism has still not degenerated itself to the definition of religion that most of the economically progressing world lives by.Being a Christian today might be as simple as going to the Church every Sunday morning and saying "For Christ's sake" or "Oh Jesus" every time you feel exasperated.Being a Hindu today,might mean chanting a few mantras everyday before an assortment of idols .Reading the namaz five times a day will make you a Muslim.But ,Buddhism, I repeat is not a "religion",it is a philosophy.A philosophy which denies the need for a supernatural entity called God.A philosophy which stresses on the need for enlightenment,on the importance of non violence.For them,its not as simple as quoting from the Bible because it serves well some righteous sounding oratory.For them,Buddha's guidelines are truly a way of life.
What is even worse is that I can't just stop myself from drawing parallels between the Holocaust and the Tibetan Problem.While the Chinese haven't reached the requisite level of insanity to commit mass murder but in many ways I feel they are committing graver crimes.The Jews in Europe were at least a powerful and wealthy class,but what about the Tibetans?Do they want to strip them of the simple,peaceful and content lives that they live.And for what? To bless Tibet with "economic development"?Tibetan lifestyle was never based on "economic development",One of the fundamental tenets of Buddhist philosophy is to "abandon the Ego".To the outside world which is blinded by dogmas based on empty consumerism and materialism,to a generation conned into thinking that cities flashing "Coca Cola " billboards is where all the action is,the easiest thing to do is to dismiss Buddhist philosophy as superstition-ridden anarchy.Not that Tibetans were suffering for not choosing the path of evolution that the rest of the world is taking.They were completely self sufficient ,peaceful and happy.Today,just like the Jews,the Tibetans are displaced from their homelands,scattered a cross the world,trying their best to support their people back home.
Tibet should be protected and preserved like a sanctuary lest we want a cultural species with a very special value system to become extinct.In a world dominated by catchwords like globalization and economic growth,Tibet is a beautiful island.Let us not sink this island in the sea of OUR progress.Right now,as I type away,night gives way to dawn and the sun rays light up my room,I can see the Buddhist monk waking up,meditating and coming outside his monastery.He turns the prayer-wheels and hopes for the best for his fellowmen.The prayer wheels don't make much of a noise but I can hear it,in fact,almost feel it.
Are YOU with me?
Can YOU feel the prayer wheel turn?
