China Talking Tibet and Buddha Again

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The heads of the schools of Tibetan Buddhism and the Central Tibetan Administration's Department of Religion and Culture in Dharamsala rejected a regulation imposed by the Chinese Government that aimed at undermining Tibet's traditional Buddhist culture.

The State Administration for Religious Affairs (SARA) of the People's Republic of China, issued a circular called the 'Regulation on the administration of Tibetan Buddhist Monasteries or Order No 8', which would come into effect by November 1.

The order clearly states that any overseas individual or organisation, which means the Dalai Lama's set-up, must not control Tibetan Buddhist temple affairs.

Addressing a press conference on Wednesday here, Minister of the Department of Religion and Culture of the Tibetan government-in-exile, Tsering Phuntsok, said the new regulation is in total violation of the provisions of the Chinese Constitution, which guarantees freedom of religious belief for citizens of the People's Republic of China.

Phuntsok added that the new regulation has been designed to snap any possible links between Tibet-based monks and the Dalai Lama.

"Though China is a Communist country they have shown their political view on religious issues. They want to bring an end to the teaching sessions about our religion given by the Dalai Lama and top leaders of Tibetan communities," he added.

"They want the people and monks of all the monasteries and temples in China to be followers of Communism. So, we are protesting this regulation imposed by the Chinese government and have a press conference for it," he said

Phuntsok added that this regulation is also a means employed by the Chinese government to not only destroy the tradition and study of Tibetan Buddhism, but also uproot the monastic institutions and the transmission of Buddhist teachings in these centers of learning.

An estimated 80,000 Tibetans along with the Dalai Lama arrived in India in 1959 after an unsuccessful uprising against Chinese rule. By Akhilesh Bharati (ANI)