By Tenzin Dharpo
DHARAMSHALA, MAY 25: Speaking as the Chief guest in the Indian capital at ‘Express Adda’, a series of informal interactions organized by The Indian Express Group,His Holiness the Dalai Lama expressed his optimism about the Tibetan issue in light of the changes taking place in China.
“Things are changing. Through Chairman Mao’s era, Deng Xiaoping era, Jiang Zemin era, Hu Jintao and now Xi Jinping, it is same party and same system but lot of change took place. Particularly during Deng’s era, they follow more market oriented economy. As a result, huge gap between rich and poor. Jiang Zemin’s three represents theory of not only working class people, but cultural and educated people. So therefore things are changing,” the Dalai Lama said to a question on the possible resolution of Tibet’s issue.
The 81-year-old spiritual leader, who saw changes in the Chinese communist leadership over the decades said that the stoic leadership in Beijing is subject to tweaks and changes in the realities of the time.
“Under leadership of Xi Jinping, I think economy and many things happened. One significant thing is he is courageously fighting corruption. So I think, same party, generally same ideology but in reality, according new circumstances, things are changing. I am always optimistic, things are changing. Over past sixty years, there have been much change and still changing,” the Nobel laureate said.
Speaking on the much debated issue of his reincarnation, the Dalai Lama said that China’s interest and assertion of authority in the matter stemmed out of political motivations and do not carry weight. The Dalai Lama jested that Communist leaders should find incarnations of prominent leaders such as Mao Zedong and Deng Xiaoping before they lay claim over the issue of his reincarnation.
The Tibetan spiritual leader also spoke extensively on other matters such as oneness of humanity and promotion of secular ethics which he said had to be incorporated into the modern education system.
He said, “In our education system we need to include lessons about warm-heartedness and how to find inner peace. But I’m convinced that today’s young people, the generation of the 21st century, can achieve a better more peaceful world if they cultivate that as a vision and begin to work towards it now.”
The Dalai Lama also launched a book titled Two Saints by economist and BJP leader Arun at the Indian International Center in New Delhi.
