International
oi-Prakash KL
People
who
do
not
possess
those
religious
values,
ought
not
to
intervene
in
such
matters,
Japanese
Buddhist
Conference.
Tokyo,
Jan
21:
The
Japanese
Buddhist
Conference
for
World
Federation
told
China
not
to
interfere
in
the
succession
process
of
the
next
Dalai
Lama
and
the
responsibility
of
deciding
his
successor
lies
with
the
people
of
Tibet
on
the
basis
of
Tibetan
culture
and
history.
“His
Holiness,
Dalai
Lama,
the
14th
turned
87
years
on
July
6,
2022.
The
issue
of
his
future
successor
is
gradually
gaining
attention
all
over
the
world.
We
the
monks
of
Japan
believe
that
Tibetan
people
must
decide
upon
the
next
successor
based
on
their
Tibetan
Buddhist
culture
and
history”,
ANI
quoted
reverend
Eihiro
Mizutani,
the
Secretary
General
of
Japan
Buddhist
Conference
for
World
Federation,
as
saying
in
a
letter
which
has
strongly
voiced
objections
over
China’s
constant
interference
in
Tibet’s
religious
and
spiritual
matters.
“The
PRC,
which
controls
Tibet
Autonomous
Region
(TAR)
is
working
out
the
policy
to
choose
the
Dalai
Lama’s
successor
under
the
Chinese
government’s
leadership,
based
on
the
‘Tibetan
Buddhism
Living
Buddha
Reincarnation
Management
Law’,
enacted
in
the
year
2007.
However,
the
People’s
Republic
of
China’s
national
policy
is
based
on
communism
and
is
considered
non-religious.
The
Japanese
Buddhist
Conference
said,
“Non-religious
people
deciding
the
religious
leader
is
contradictory
in
itself”.
It
further
stated,
“His
Holiness
Dalai
Lama
stated
that
‘forceful
intervention
in
the
approval
process
(of
next
Dalai
Lama)
by
people
executing
political
powers,
who
did
not
even
acknowledge
the
very
existence
of
previous
or
the
future
Dalai
Lamas,
is
inappropriate'”.
It
is
an
umbrella
organisation
that
brings
together
a
number
of
sects
of
Japanese
Buddhism,
with
millions
of
followers
in
Japan
and
other
countries.
The
statement
further
claimed
that
matters
related
to
religion
must
be
in
accordance
with
religious
values,
hence
people
who
do
not
possess
those
religious
values,
ought
not
to
intervene
in
such
matters.
It
is
valuing
the
freedom
of
religious
faith
(belief).
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The
relationship
between
Japan,
India
and
the
Tibetans
is
intertwined
with
Buddhism,
which
is
one
of
the
major
world
religions
in
Asia
with
a
rich
history.
Buddhism
originated
in
India
in
the
5th
century
BCE,
and
at
its
peak
was
one
of
the
major
religions
in
the
subcontinent.
However,
it
gradually
witnessed
a
decline
in
India,
and
today,
Buddhism
accounts
for
an
insignificant
percentage
of
the
population.
Despite
this,
Buddhism
remains
an
important
part
of
India’s
cultural
heritage
and
continues
to
influence
various
aspects
of
Indian
society,
the
news
agency
said.
Japan
Buddhist
Conference
for
World
Federation
in
a
letter
said,
“In
response
to
Indian
PM
Shri
Narendra
Modi’s
call
made
to
His
Holiness,
Dalai
Lama
to
convey
good
wishes
on
the
latter’s
birthday,
there
was
a
voice
of
opposition
by
the
Chinese
government
stating
‘this
is
intervention’.
However,
is
it
not
for
China
to
hold
back
its
intervention
in
matters
related
to
Tibetan
Buddhism?”,
believes
the
Japanese
leadership
It
is
said
that
“if
religious
oppression
in
Tibet
is
a
fact,
then
it
is
a
big
challenge
for
human
rights,
a
value
shared
by
most
of
the
countries
around
the
world.
His
Holiness,
Dalai
Lama,
is
a
recipient
of
the
Nobel
Peace
Prize
and
has
been
fighting
against
the
Chinese
government
in
a
peaceful
and
non-violent
manner.”
Two
weeks
ago,
the
Dalai
Lama
flagged
the
“growing
interest
in
Buddhism”
in
China
after
years
of
“suppression
and
oppression”
of
the
faith
and
its
followers.
His
Holiness
was
addressing
devotees
in
Bodh
Gaya,
the
site
where
the
Buddha
had
attained
Enlightenment
two
millennia
ago,
after
a
“long
life
offering”
ceremony,
a
traditional
prayer
made
for
the
longevity
of
the
87-year-
old
Buddhist
leader.
The
Nobel
Peace
Prize
winner
said,
“the
Buddhist
tradition
of
Tibet
has
gained
lots
of
attention
from
people
in
the
West.
In
the
past,
Buddhism
was
known
to
be
an
Asian
religion.
But
today
its
philosophy
and
concepts,
particularly
with
regard
to
psychology
have
spread
throughout
the
world.
Many
scientists
are
taking
interest
in
this
tradition”.
“So,
this
is
not
only
for
Tibet…..but
even
China.
It
has
a
direct
bearing
on
China
as
well
because
China
has
been
a
Buddhist
country
but
there
was
so
much
suppression
and
oppression
of
Buddhism
and
Buddhists
in
China”,
said
the
Tibetan
leader,
who
had
to
flee
his
homeland
in
1959,
a
decade
after
Mao
Zedong’s
communist
revolution.
“So,
there
could
be
much
change
happening
in
China
and
the
world.
I
have
always
remained
optimistic
about
the
possibility
of
a
better
world”,
he
added.
“Tibet,
which
is
also
called
the
land
of
snows,
has
undergone
many
tragedies.
But
it
has
come
as
a
blessing
in
disguise.
People
around
the
world
have
now
become
aware
of
the
Tibetan
Buddhist
tradition”,
said
the
Dalai
Lama.
The
Dalai
Lama,
who
has
since
sought
asylum
in
India
and
settled
at
Dharamshala
in
Himachal
Pradesh,
which
has
come
to
be
known
as
“mini
Tibet”
because
of
a
large
number
of
Tibetan
refugees
staying
there,
has
come
to
this
international
Buddhist
pilgrim
town
in
Bihar,
which
he
calls
the
‘Vajrasthan’
(the
pure
land)
after
a
gap
of
two
years.
With
inputs
from
ANI
and
PTI
