By Jeshong Sangay Gyatso
Jamyang Norbu la, I have been reading your articles since long time. And in my opinion most of your articles are like a 57mm RCL (World War II U.S. anti tank weapon which can be fired from shoulder) “POINTING IN THE WRONG DIRECTION”
When that weapon is fired it causes a spectacular back-blast of fire and off course most of the force go behind the HEAT (high explosive anti tank) ammunition. The point is most of the time, while the spectacular back-blast (harmless unless very close) is faced towards PRC and the main HEAT projectile is aimed directly at CTA or His Holiness in a subtle way.
Also your articles looks like a horn of a bull growing the wrong way. Towards your own eye which looks pathetic instead of fearsome or majestic. (some other writers too.)
Jamyang Norbu’s Articles
Whereas writers like Tsering Woeser’s articles are like:-
Tsering Woeser’s Articles are always directed against PRC who is denying us Rangtsen in reality and not towards His Holiness or CTA.
Regarding CTA, like observing a body, you have to look at the whole thing, but if you choose to concentrate only on the asshole, then nothing good ever is going to come out, even from the asshole of the most beautiful women in the world.
And don’t forget Umey Lam was chosen again after referendum (two times) so to say it is not the wish of Tibetan people is like people who want to keep on doing divination (Moh) until they get the result they want to hear.
I have no problem with fellow Tibetans (specially TYC) aspiring/advocating for Rangtsen as it is one’s own right as well as the inner most desire of every Tibetan. In fact I admire our TYC and SFT youths carrying out protests of every type sacrificing their time by doing something for our country. At the same time I feel little bit uncomfortable. But why???
After thinking about it carefully for a long time, I came to realize my main problem is, under their umbrella are very few people like Jamyang Norbu and Lukar Jam who acts as if they are the icon of Rangtsen, who in the name of Rangtsen are trying to drive a wedge among Tibetans and specially now they have no reservation about criticizing even His Holiness like saying His Holiness sold Tibet, Old monk should resign and should stop interfering now etc. But it is His Holiness who symbolizes Tibetan struggle worldwide and 99% of Tibetans in or outside Tibet put their faith in him whether you like it or not, so I don’t think anybody let alone one without any responsibility like Jamyang Norbu has the right to tell/warn His Holiness in any way. That is my biggest problem and that is why I am compelled to write even with my limited English.
I trust His Holiness judgments/wisdom thousand times more than my parents or myself for that matter. I am speaking for myself but I bet 99% of Tibetans feel that way too. He is like our father spiritually as well as in real life. Who has given us everything and he is free of self-interest and ego.
I would like to share a story friend of mine once told me with my fellow exile Tibetans.
“Once a man has a dog and a cat and he use to take very good care of them for many years, So then one day the dog said to him,
Master you fed me well and take very good care of me for all these years, So YOU MUST BE THE GOD!.
The cat said to him, Master you fed me well and took very good care of me for all these years, So I MUST BE THE GOD!”
Also what JN has written about the dire situation in Tibet is absolutely very true. Heart wrenching as it is, but the real catch is “How do we go about solving the problem?????” any real workable plan beside criticizing CTA and His Holiness citing PRC’s brutal actions???
Everybody knows Umey Lam is not working right now, let alone Rangtsen Lam, but it at least has major support internationally as well as among many Chinese (who are aware of it) and has more potential to ease our brothers and sisters inside Tibet’s dire problem then Rangtsen stand however morally right it maybe! The bottom line is:
If you have force to back it up then in the short term, You can force your version like PRC did on us, citing some ancient Yuan Dynasty (Mongol) rule and claim Tibet belongs to them which in reality is like France claiming Spain belongs to them citing they were under the same Roman Governor or something like that during the time of Roman Empire.
And these days China is disregarding the international norm of 200 nautical miles limit of sea ownership of a respective country from its shore, beyond which is regarded as international waters.
PRC has laid claims infringing deep into waters and islands of Vietnam, Philippines, Malaysia, Taiwan, Brunei, Japan and International sea route in South and East China seas. You can see the map below by BBC world news.
So if you don’t have the force to back it up, even these sovereign economically well-off countries with reasonably strong military are also struggling how to face China’s naked bully and threat. It is U.S. 7th Fleet that is saving them from PRC’s ultimate aim. Right now, I mean at present moment for us to demand Rangtsen would not be very practical (by that I mean to get actual Rangtsen and ease the suffering of our brothers and sisters inside Tibet, Not an emotional exercise) That I feel is the reality of the world we are living in right now.
It is very easy to say Rangtsen, but the million dollar question is how do we go about achieving it without force to back it up. How do we equate this 6 men against 1,300 ratio? (6 million Tibetans against 1.3 billion Chinese) moreover right now PLA is about 2 million strong and they have no other job except to repress Tibetans and Uighurs. I personally feel they are hoping we would do something stupid so that they can really get the excuse to start wiping us out real time seriously.
You can say we should just stick to our aim of independence with no compromise at all, live our as well as our children’s life as a proud Tibetan, (Just for feel good sake, some even claim they are ashamed to be a Tibetan for giving-up everything, But what have we got to give? Everything is already been taken. So His Holiness is working hard to gain back at least something through MWA) but we who are in free country specially in the west who enjoy all the rights have all the time. It even seems so “PATRIOTIC” to say such things as there is no real danger to your life. But result-wise it has almost no chance. If you have a workable plan please do explain. Upto now it is always in riddles.“ Just delve in your heart and you will be able to find the answer!” etc.
Just recently His Holiness explained in detail how he and Kashag of that time after exploring all the limited possible options came to opt Middle-way approach as the only workable solution according to our present situation and problems. But judging from JN’s writings he still seem to project/think His Holiness and CTA leadership as vain old green-brained uneducated people who can very easily be duped by other people.
But in reality, the sad irony is while the writers of other country like USA for instance works to projects even their wild-west robbers into hero like image. Here is an Tibetan trying hard to discredit a Tibetan who is awarded all the known world famous Awards and honors running well into 250’s and listed among 25 most famous people in world history, 100 most influential people of world list by TIME magazine etc and millions of people who respects him and attend his (always filled to capacity) public talks/teaching transcends all religion, race and color. Who command free world leader and people’s respect without wealth, power even a country, but by sheer moral authority, so maybe it is safe to say, that JN is reincarnation of Gelong Lekpai Karma during Buddha’s time. (Who believed that except for the extra bump on Buddha’s head there is not much difference between them in education, knowledge and wisdom etc)
Then by the way here is an interesting photo.
It may be just a regular photo taken off-handedly at Camp Haley Chushigangduk sangsol (so I was told,) with nothing much significance. but then according to Jamyang Norbu’s own method of analytical deduction. Two guys (JN and Dechen Trulku, member of NY Doegyal Group) whose time is always devoted to slander the same target i.e. CTA and His Holiness teaming up? JN and Doegyal group pooling resources? Working on a new strategy to slander CTA and His Holiness? Who knows??? . As comments on phayul from some of your supporters reeks with Doegal stench.
Also, It is the same method/tactic, Doegyal group also use the same show of (shen-khok) patriotism/integrity towards Gelug teaching and condemn others outright thereby create a big dissension among our different Tibetan Buddhist schools and Tibetan society at large, and now their patron is PRC.
Same with JN and other Rangtsen writings. With show of patriotism (Gyalshen) and Rangtsen he/they try to project majority of Tibetan people as naïve, misled spineless fools, People like him without having to assume any responsibility or work out a solution to the problem think they are on a moral high-ground. Thereby some people fall for that patriotism as every Tibetan wish for Rangtsen. I don’t think there is not even a single Tibetan who doesn’t wish for Rangtsen. But unlike what you project most Tibetans are smart/practical people who doesn’t like to go shopping without money in their pocket.
Here is what Gungthang Rinpoche says in Water and Wood Sutra (Chu-Shing Tenchoe) In the wood sutra he writes.
“Even though axe is the enemy of wood
Its handle is always done by wood
Cause of destructive plan by enemy
Often is initiated by your own kin.”
So, Jamyang Norbu La and our other Tibetan writers, right now I still believe your motivations are sincere but carried away by strong emotion. But, if you choose to, you guys still have the great potential to earn every Tibetan’s respect by directing your wonderful investigative writings targeted towards our real enemy China who deny us Rangtsen and disprove their brazen lies with your skillful writings instead of targeting your own people who are working hard to achieve aim from a different angle. By that, I don’t mean to say no criticism at all. There should be healthy criticism as and when needed with suggestions for solutions as well if possible. These are my own personal views. As I have my right to differ same as you guys do and write quite often.
Jeshong Sangay Gyatso, a monk (monk name Tenzin Yarphel) resides at Thekchen Choeling, Dharamsala.
[OPINION-DISCLAIMER]
