First of all let me thank the organizer Rangzen Alliance, Students for a Free Tibet, US Tibet Committee and Tibet House for organizing the seminar, which was open for public participation on 10th Feb.
The day’s strong and unusual blizzard couldn’t deter people; Tibetans as well as non-Tibetans to throng the Tibet House auditorium. Three well known speakers Prof. Robert F. Thurman, director of Tibet House, Elliot Sperling, Professor of Tibetan Studies in the Department of Central Eurasian Studies at Indiana University and Jamyang Norbu, award winning writer speaks their views on the topic as well as His Holiness the Dalai Lama’s recent Japan talk where he had mentioned about the possibility of the fifteenth Dalai Lama even in his life time. During the seminar, the North American edition of Jamyang Norbu’s SHADOW TIBET: Selected Writings 1989 to 2004 is also released.
Let me begin from Prof. Robert F. Thurman’s views. Mr.Thurman feels that the recent statement of the Chinese Govt. about their authorization on Tibetan Tulkus is nothing as the atheist holds no credibility and command on religious affair especially in the eye of international communities. And hence there is nothing much to be worried about. He further complimented a Sanfrancisco based Tibetan gentleman who regularly visits the Chinese consulate to seek authorization for his claim as a Tibetan lama. This is indeed a good stunt to redicule their recent declaration about Tibetan Tulkus and their reincarnations.
However, Prof. Sperling who is rather oblivious of His Holiness’s role in Tibetan politics feels that the Dalai Lama is nothing but a normal human being that is also capable of committing spectacular mistakes. He further critiqued that the Dalai Lama lacks true assessment of the situation and that his popular theory of middle path is an unfounded and far from ground reality. Needless to say his stand and comment on His Holiness invites resentment among few Tibetan audiences. His bottom line is that the Tibetans shouldn’t give priority to the Dalai Lama who is also a normal human being when it comes to governance and politics.
Then comes Jamyang Norbu’s turn who declares at the very beginning, “I’m not an overly religious person, but I understand the value of religion in men’s life.”
Norbu feels that the Dalai Lama institution in Tibetan history is something unparallel and a dramatic sequences bearing great influence in the political and religious affair of the Tibetan people for centuries.
And under such circumstances the Dalai Lama has a great role to play in near future too. Jamyang wished that the future position of the Dalai Lama should be something like the king of Thailand who is respected much by the mass where the actual governance of the people is undertaken by the layman’s representative.
He further cautioned that the underlying principle in the proposed scenario should be democratic and for that matter every responsible Tibetan should come forward and initiate debate on this topic in their respective areas.
Under the moderation of Wangchuk Shakabpa, the gathering indeed is an eye opening as well as an in depth discussion about the post Dalai Lama era although I missed the later part due to an urgent appointment. One thing is for sure, a seed has been sown for Tibetans all over the world to encourage debate about the post Dalai Lama. Who’ll be the next Dalai Lama? And how are we going to choose him? What role China will play in the coming years? Bodgyallo!
Tashi Wangchuk
Independent Filmmaker
New York City, USA
