Dinner with Tibetologists from Tibet

I was lucky enough to go to a dinner with some Tibetan Tibetalogists so I figured I should post my experience here to share with you guys.

Sorry If this is unorganized but I’m just going write anything that I can remember from the dinner:

So I had dinner with the Tibetan Tibetologists and An Caidan (Profesor and Curator of China Tibetology website) with Secretary of State Jason Kenney and his Chief of staff Tenzin Dargyal Khangsar, who some of you might remember from the Tibetan University Student Conference.
So there was 3 Tibetan Tibetologists: a Professor for Religious studies and Social sciences Tsering Gyalpo, a scholar on Tibetan medicine, and then a Lama from Labrang Commemorate Monastery.

The only member of the Tibetologists who would talk about political issues was An Caidan. The other Tibetans were all really quiet during the dinner and at one point Tenzin asked them how they felt towards the Dalai Lama. There was a long moment of silence and all of the Tibetan Tibetologist looked really uncomfortable and some completely looked away. Eventually the only person who answered was An Caidan and he said something along the lines of the Dalai Lama is separatist, etc….

Also I should note that there was two Chinese Embassy officials at the dinner as well. Strangely one was actually a Tibetan from Tibet too, the other was a guy who was like number two or three in terms of power at the Chinese embassy. Also when the Tibetan embassy official was asked if he went to see the Dalai Lama he said no and then I believe he was asked if he wanted to or something like this, which made him uncomfortable like the others.

We actually thought that all the Tibetologist were Tibetan so we thought even An Caidan was Tibetan (He could also speak Tibetan), but we figured out later on he was Han Chinese.

I didn’t like An Caidan at all, he is basically what most Tibetans would stereotype Chinese government officials to be like: stubborn, uncompromising, tries to create the perception that Tibetans basically culturally/linguistically Chinese or some sort of offshoot of Chinese instead of just a unique different people.

Overall though I think it was a really valuable experience for me though, but somewhat disheartening because I hope the majority of Chinese officials are not like him.

Also during the dinner he had the audacity to try and suggest that the Chinese government sources are the truest forms of information you can use to inform yourself on the Tibet situation since he commented to Mr. Kenney that he should stop listening to the lies (from western sources) and find the real truth (from China), since he claimed that they know best about the situation. But Mr. Kenney replied to the lines of something like “Forgive me if I’m somewhat skeptical about information from a government who claims the events of 1989 to be only a minor disturbance”. Its too bad everyone thought he was Tibetan because I think everyone was a little more restrained because of that.

Mr. Caidan also tried to suggest that he knew what the real feelings of the Tibetans in Tibet were and basically he tried to group himself with them. Of course we thought he was Tibetan when he said this so nothing was said.

There was also some false historical things he said about the Tibet Chinese relations that he was saying but I didn’t want to interrupt in between the discussion with him and Tenzin Dargyal and Mr. Kenney. He said something about how there was a structure in Lhasa that had something written on it which showed praise towards the Chinese Emperor, thus showing Tibet’s status under China during those historical times. But I’ve heard that its actually in reference to the Tibetan King/Emperor Songsten Gampo and not the Chinese Emperor. The Chinese government only interprets it to mean the Chinese Emperor.

Also when Tenzin Khangsar tried numerous times to promote that Tibetans in exile and Tibetans in Tibet should work together to try and better themselves in areas where they both are facing similar problems like education, etc… An Caidan was completely opposed, he basically made up excuses for every situation as to why this should not happen and tried to differentiate Tibetans in Tibet and those in exile as completely different.

Statement of the Chinese Embassy in Canada

“On October 29, the Canadian Prime Minister and Governor-General met with the Dalai Lama respectively. This gravely violates the fundamental norms governing international relations and the position reiterated by the Canadian government on many occasions that it recognizes Tibet as an inseparable part of the Chinese territory. It is a blatant interference in China’s internal affairs and has severely hurt the feelings of the Chinese people and will gravely undermine the relationship between China and Canada. The Chinese Embassy hereby expresses its strong dissatisfaction and resolute opposition to this.

Tibet is an inalienable part of the Chinese territory. The Tibet issue is the internal affair of China. China is opposed to the interference of its domestic affairs by any country or any individual using the Dalai Lama issue. The words and deeds of the Dalai Lama for the past decades have made it all the more evident that he is a political exile who has long been engaged in activities aimed at splitting China under the camouflage of religion. The Chinese people have a solid resolve to safeguard national sovereignty and territorial integrity. Any attempt to interfere in China’s internal affairs by using the Dalai Lama issue is doomed to failure.

The Chinese side urges Canada to take immediate and effective measures to remove the serious impact of its erroneous act, stop supporting and conniving at the separatist activities of the Tibet independence forces, stop interfering with China’s internal affairs and take concrete steps to safeguard the China-Canada relationship.”

Source

Links/Similarities between Tibetan and Native American groups.

“From the Roof of the World to the Land of Enchantment: The Tibet-Pueblo Connection”

Excerpt by Antonio Lopez

“”In the incongruous atmosphere of the Wilshire Hotel in Los Angeles, an extraordinary encounter took place in 1979. During the Dalai Lama’s first visit to North America, he met with three Hopi elders. The spiritual leaders agreed to speak in only in their Native tongues. Through Hopi elder and interpreter Thomas Benyakya, delegation head Grandfather David’s first words to the Dalai Lama were: “Welcome home.”

The Dalai Lama laughed, noting the striking resemblance of the turquoise around Grandfather David’s neck to that of his homeland. He replied: “And where did you get your turquoise?”

Since that initial meeting, the Dalai Lama has visited Santa Fe to meet with Pueblo leaders, Tibetan Lamas have engaged in numerous dialogues with Hopis and other Southwestern Indians, and now, through a special resettlement program to bring Tibetan refugees to the United States, New Mexico has become a central home for relocated Tibetan families.

As exchanges become increasingly common between Native Americans and Tibetans, a sense of kinship and solidarity has developed between the cultures. While displacement and invasion have forced Tibetans to reach out to the global community in search of allies, the Hopi and other Southwestern Native Americans have sought an audience for their message of world peace and harmony with the earth. In the context of these encounters are the activities of writers and activists who are trying to bridge the two cultures. A flurry of books and articles have been published, arguing that Tibetans and Native Americans may share a common ancestry.

The perception of similarity between Native Americans of the Southwest and the Tibetans is undeniably striking. Beyond a common physicality and turquoise jewelry, parallels include the abundant use of silver and coral, the colors and patterns of textiles and long braided hair, sometimes decorated, worn by both men and women.

When William Pacheco, a Pueblo student, visited a Tibetan refugee camp in India, people often spoke Tibetan to him, assuming that he was one of them.

“Tibetans and Native American Pueblo people share a fondness for chile (though Tibetans claim pueblo chile is too mild!),” says Pacheco, “and a fondness for turquoise, used by both cultures as ways to ward off evil spirits. Also, the prophecy of Guru Rinpoche, when he said, ‘when Tibetans are scattered throughout the world, and horses run on iron wheels and when iron birds fly, the dharma will come to the land of the red man.’”...

See the continued article here:
www.lightwatcher.com/dharmaworks/tibet_pueblo.html


I’ve also heard of other native groups who see link themselves to Tibetans through prophecies. One group I remember reading about was a native group in Alaska who interpret their prophecies to mean that in the near future the Dalai Lama will shift the healing powers of the world from Tibet to Alaska because of all destruction the Chinese have inflicted to the monasteries and the other religious institutes there. They believe that when this shift occurs the world will begin to “heal itself”.

I also noticed that the Navajo Indians make sand paintings and then destroy it after it is completed just as Tibetans do. But in contrast they make them for healing purposes and then destroy them because they believe the paintings take in the illness of the person they are trying to heal and thus destroy the painting because it has become “toxic. Whereas in Tibetan “sand paintings” or Mandalas they are destroyed because it represents the Buddhist belief of impermanence.

The Hopi Indians also have a very interesting interpretation of their prophecy where they believe the Tibetans have a very close relation to them. I can’t remember the exact detailed explanation they had but I remember that it had to do with Tibet being situated on the exact opposite side of the world as them and also because of the very strange language links. In the Hopi language, the word for love sounds very similar to the Tibetan word for hate and the word for love in Tibetan sounds very similar to the Hopi word for hate. This is also the case with the words Sun and Moon in both languages and there were others words that I can’t remember as well.

Hopi prophecy also believes that the world is comprised of 4 different people represented by a color. The Native Americans are said to be of the red people and are a people deeply attached to nature. They also have sacred stone tablet which is kept with the Hopi tribe. Tibetans and East Asians are said to be the yellow people and they are deeply spiritual people, their sacred stone tablet is said to be kept by the Tibetan people. The other two peoples are the black people, who are the people of Africa who are said to keep their sacred stone tablets at Mt. Kiliminjaro by a certain African tribe there and the Europeans are the white people who are said to excel in crafting things and harnessing fire (ie: technology), they are said to keep their sacred stone tablet in Switzerland.

Edit: I’ve found a excerpt explaining the whole prophecy or belief.

“To the Indian people, the red people, he gave the Guardianship of the earth. We were to learn during this cycle of time the teachings of the earth, the plants that grow from the earth, the foods that you can eat, and the herbs that are healing so that when we came back together with the other brothers and sisters we could share this knowledge with them. Something good was to happen on the earth.

To the South, he gave the yellow race of people the Guardianship of the wind. They were to learn about the sky and breathing and how to take that within ourselves for spiritual advancement. They were to share that with is at this time.

To the West He gave the black race of people the Guardianship of the water. They were to learn the teachings of the water which is the chief of the elements, being the most humble and the most powerful.

To the North He gave the white race of people the Guardianship of the fire. If you look at the center of many of the things they do you will find the fire. They say a light bulb is the white man’s fire. If you look at the center of a car you will find a spark. If you look at the center of the airplane and the train you will find the fire. The fire consumes, and also moves. This is why it was the white brothers and sisters who began to move upon the face of the earth and reunite us as a human family.”

Here’s some info about the stone tablets and their wherabouts:

“And so a long time passed, and the Great Spirit gave each of the four races two stone tablets. Ours are kept at the Hopi Reservation in Arizona at Four Corners Area on 3rd Mesa.

I talked to people from the black race and their stone tablets are at the foot of Mount Kenya. They are kept by the Kukuyu Tribe…

The stone tablets of the yellow race of people are kept by the Tibetans, in Tibet. If you went straight through the Hopi Reservation to the other side of the world, you would come out in Tibet. The Tibetan word for “sun” is the Hopi word for “moon” and the Hopi word for “sun” is the Tibetan word for “moon”.

The guardians of the traditions of the people of Europe are the Swiss. In Switzerland, they still have a day when each family brings out its mask. They still know the colors of the families, they still know the symbols, some of them. I went to school with some people from Switzerland at the University of Washington and they shared this with me.

Each of these four peoples happen to be people that live in the mountains.“

(Read more about this here)

Other Related Information:

1. Connections Between Buddhism and Native American Practices

2. http://www.kagyu.org/ktd/densal/archives/hpi.php

The Tibetan Wheel of Life

Tibetan Wheel of Life/Becoming (Click to Enlarge)

-This mandala shows the Tibetan Buddhist perspective on life (samsara) through many Buddhist symbols, themes, and teachings
-Yama is depicted holding the wheel, he is a wrathful deity and the judge of the underworld. He is also considered a protector of Buddhism in Tibet.

The Twelve Interdependent Causes and their Effects
-The outer rim of the wheel is the depiction of the “Twelve Interdependent Causes and their Effects”

(Starting clockwise from top right)
1.The first depiction is of a blind old man with his stick unable to find his way. This
represents spiritual blindness and ignorance
2. This picture shows a potter whose pots symbolize his own deeds (thinking, speaking, and acting) with these he moulds his own karma (fate).
3. A monkey is shown in a tree springing from branch to branch which symbolizes the major consciousness which ignorant people spring uncontrolled from object to object.
4. A boat is show with two people which symbolizes name and form, spiritual and physical energy, inseparably floating on the stream of life.
5. A house with five windows and a door. The five windows symbolize the five senses and the door symbolizes the faculty of thought. These are the things by which the outer world is perceived.
6. A man and a woman embracing symbolizing the consequence of sensual perceptions.
7. This picture shows the emotions by which one is stuck like an arrow to the eye.
8. A woman offering a drink to man represents desire (falling in love), stimulation by perception and emotion which leads to a “thirst for life”.
9. A man is shown picking the fruits from a tree which represents “sensual entanglement” which is the longing to keep what is desired.
10. Procreation is depicted through the illustration of a man and wife sleeping together in a tent symbolizing becoming or existence.
11. The consequence of the previous picture is shown through the depiction of a woman giving birth to a child symbolizing birth.
12. The illustration of inevitable old age(decay) and death in earthly existences symbolized through the depiction of the Tibetan tradition of feeding a corpse to the vultures.

The Symbolic Six Worlds
-The areas between the six spokes represent the six forms of unenlightened existence.

(Starting clockwise from top)
1. Abode of the Gods: a temporary paradise achieved by the action of good deeds. Buddha is illustrated in the top right section with a dramnyen (lute) reminding the gods of their limited pleasures and guarding them against vanity and arrogance which deceives them into believing themselves to be everlasting. However these gods are not free from suffering, after thousands of human years, they are too are subject to old age and death. Thus their suffering is the illusion of eternity in their state of paradise. Their suffering lies in the eventual realization of this error.
2.The World of Men: driven by egoism and ignorance they suffer from the permanent repeated cycle of birth, sickness and death
3.The Realm of the Insatiable: Greedy ghosts suffer from hunger and thirst which they cannot appease or quench. They are depicted with tightened throats and bloated bellies. Buddha is also depicted with a jar of nectar for the hungry ghosts.
4. The World of Hells: There is a cold and hot hell. They are a place of torture for those who have committed evil deeds out of hatred and anger. This life is not eternal however, after being punished for their sins, rebirth into a better life is possible. Yama, the Lord of Death weighs the deeds of the deceased who enter into his kingdom, but he does not decide their fate since their fate has already been decided by themselves. The Buddha is depicted in the top left bringing light and hope to those even in the darkest region.
5. The World of Animals: They suffer from oppression by other beings and they devour each other and become “beasts of burden”
6. The World of the Titans: The titans are permanently warring against the gods and fighting for the fulfillment of their desires. They suffer due to the endless war and the result of envy and insatiable ambition.

The White Path
(Shown in the left of the ring surrounding the very center circle)
-This is the “Path of Bliss” which leads to better rebirths and towards a final liberation. Saints and sages are shown leading the virtuous along the path.

The Dark Path
(Shown in the right of the ring surrounding the very center circle)
-This is the path where the ignorant and sinners are dragged along by demons armed with nooses. This is the path for those who engage in ignorance, envy and hatred, and greed. This path leads to hells and bad rebirths.

The Roots of Evil
(Shown at the very center of the wheel)
-The force that drives the wheel from its hub. Depicted are 3 symbolic animals known as the “Three Unwholesome Roots” because from them grow all the evils of life, or as the “Three Poisons” because they corrupt from within. The cock represents greed, the snake hatred and the pig ignorance, and these are the three things that create all human bondage and misery.

Buddha
(Shown at the very top right of the illustration)
-Buddha is shown representing the potential nirvana possible for all living beings. Nirvana is also possible for all of the beings depicted in the wheel of life.

Bodhisattava
(Shown at the very top left of the illustration)
-The Bodhisattava of compassion looks down in compassion. He is saddened for those suffering in all the six realms. The Bodhisattava is the link between the mundane and the transcendental. He represents the drive within the ordinary to fulfill the transcendental. This link is depicted, if you look closely you can see a discrete line drawn from the top of the “White Path” leading to Buddha representing those beings attaining nirvana.