Opinion: Thus, we can speak of His Holiness the Dalai Lama

By Kyisar Ludup

His Holiness the Dalai Lama is the embodiment of the existential spirit of the Tibetan people. Going against your own people’s existential spirit is ultimately going against yourself. Commenting on perspectives from legal, ethical, cultural, and the Tibetan Struggle for Sovereignty

Prologue

His Holiness the Dalai Lama has served as the temporal head and spiritual leader of the Tibetan people throughout the contemporary history of our nation. His Holiness approaches the epithet of “Leader” with profound seriousness of purpose. He assumed this role at the age of 16, inheriting a nation with a governance system in disarray, devoid of leaders capable of meeting its requirements. It is crucial for all Tibetans to comprehend this reality.

Such was the gravity of the tragedy under which His Holiness the 14th Dalai Lama assumed leadership of the Tibetan nation. He has remained unwavering in his commitment to safeguarding the Tibetan people over the years, without faltering. The history of his endeavors in pursuit of this commitment is evident to us all, as we have borne witness to it. This is not merely a recounting of events from distant years; rather, it is a stark reality we all recognize.

However, there exist individuals today, under various circumstances, who seek to sow discord within our community. Some lack the decency to accord even a semblance of respect to His Holiness the Dalai Lama, resorting instead to exaggerated criticisms. It is imperative that there be a timely and fitting response to such individuals. While it is important to respect their freedom of speech, it is equally vital to refute their criticisms and strive for a state of coexistence, wherein both the Chinese and Tibetan peoples find happiness within their respective lands.

The reality is that simply conducting a long-life prayer ceremony lasting just a few hours will not suffice for His Holiness the Dalai Lama to live a long life. Instead, we should offer him the long-life offering of unwavering faithfulness, adherence to his wishes, and sincere commitment, persisting until the day our remains turn to dust and scatter on the ground. The connection between His Holiness the Dalai Lama and the Tibetan people transcends mere religious or political affiliations; he stands as a symbol of Tibetan ethnic identity, particularly in contemporary times. Our bond encompasses realms of religion, politics, and culture, with the Tibetan people dedicating their entire devotion and affection to him. This level of unwavering devotion and affection, manifested in the solidarity between the Tibetan people and His Holiness the Dalai Lama, is unparalleled in Tibetan history. In return, His Holiness has taken to heart the hopes and faith placed in him by the Tibetan people, tirelessly traveling the world for nearly 70 years to fulfill them. Throughout this time, he has played a crucial role in preserving the Tibetan identity and ensuring its survival.

That is why the Charter of Tibetans in Exile has elevated His Holiness the Dalai Lama to a position akin to an ornate crown, enshrining him as the emblematic symbol of the Tibetan people’s aspirations, affection, unity, and resolve. He is a revered treasure that embodies the essence of the Tibetan identity. Therefore, it is only natural for us, both collectively and individually, to revere, respect, and protect him. He is not someone about whom we should make extraneous remarks.

However, given the reality that there are individuals today who, under the guise of modernity, democracy, and freedom of expression, engage in various theatrics, I have felt compelled to make certain unavoidable remarks directed towards them.

The common folk rage against the eminent,

Seeking flaws in those with generous hearts, not in the humble.

People search for imperfections in precious gems,

But who searches for them in firewood?

བདག་ཉིད་ཆེ་ལ་དམན་པ་རྣམས།།

སྐྱོན་འཚོལ་འགྱུར་གྱི་དམན་ལ་མིན།།

འཕན་ཟེལ་རིན་ཆེན་ལ་ལྟ་ཡི།།

མགལ་དུམ་ལ་ནི་སུ་ཞིག་སྤྱོད།།

Commenting from a legal prespective:

Regarding the question of whether or not it is permissible to criticize His Holiness the Dalai Lama, many individuals view this as a litmus test for assessing the freedom of speech. They contend that objecting to criticisms of His Holiness automatically implies a deprivation of their freedom of speech. However, this perspective misunderstands the reality and raises questions about the comprehension of these individuals regarding the concept of freedom of speech. Freedom of speech is elucidated in Article 19 of the United Nations Universal Declaration of Human Rights, which stipulates:

“Article 19: Everyone has the right to freedom of opinion and expression; this right includes freedom to hold opinions without interference and to seek, receive, and impart information and ideas through any media and regardless of frontiers.”

This declaration serves as a fundamental explanation of the essence of freedom of speech. Moreover, various countries have enshrined guarantees of freedom of speech in their national constitutions. For instance, the First Amendment to the Constitution of the United States of America states:

“Amendment I: Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press, or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances.”

Nevertheless, this right is subject to exceptions, and there is no absolute guarantee for certain activities under the laws of the United States, including 1. obscenity, 2. lies, 3. violence, 4. students’ speech, 5. offending others, 6. and expressing political views.

Similarly, in any other country where the national constitution guarantees citizens’ freedom of speech, restrictions are imposed when individuals express views that contravene fundamental national interests. This, however, does not equate to depriving individuals of their freedom of speech. Rather, it is aimed at preserving public order and ensuring equality within the country. For instance, France upholds freedom of speech, yet its constitution includes provisions that impose limits on its exercise out of fundamental necessity. These limitations pertain to:

• Limits Concerning the Rights of Others
• Limits Concerning Public Order

Moreover, individuals in government service face additional restrictions on their freedom of speech. For instance, they are not entitled to display disrespect towards the national anthem and flag. In France, the overarching constitutional provisions pertaining to freedom of speech are enshrined in Articles 10 and 11 of the Declaration of the Rights of Man and of the Citizen of 1789.

Article 10:

No one should be worried about their opinions, even religious ones, provided that their manifestation does not disturb the public order established by law.

Article 11:

The free communication of thoughts and opinions is one of the most precious human rights: any citizen can therefore speak, write, print freely, except to answer for the abuse of this freedom in the cases determined by the law.

Likewise, Article 19 of the United Nations Universal Declaration of Human rights states thus:

Article 19:

Everyone has the right to freedom of opinion and expression; this right includes freedom to hold opinions without interference and to seek, receive and impart information and ideas through any media and regardless of frontiers.

While these are the primary provisions guaranteeing freedom of speech, they are subject to important provisos. For example, in the case of Article 10 of the Constitution of France, Article 10 of its Declaration of Human and Civil Rights of 1789 states thus:

Article 10:

… Provided that their manifestation does not disturb the public order established by law.

Also, Article 10 of its Declaration of Human and Civil Rights of 1789 states thus:

Article 11:

… except to answer for the abuse of this freedom in the cases determined by the law.

These significant exceptions clearly delineate the boundaries of freedom of speech. In fact, no constitution in the world asserts that freedom of speech is absolute or exempt from any exceptions. This is a crucial point to acknowledge. In 2015, following a terrorist attack on the satirical French magazine Charlie Hebdo, there was intense debate throughout the country regarding the extent to which the freedom of the press and freedom of speech could be stretched. Amidst the myriad discussions across governmental and non-governmental sectors, examples were cited to support various arguments, including:

1. Limiting freedom of expression: a matter of law?
2. Isn’t limiting freedom of expression the role of a rule of law in democracy?
3. What are the moral limits to freedom of expression?
4. Does freedom of thought imply the right to be able to express everything?
5. Doesn’t the law guarantee freedom of expression?
6. Can one be a free citizen without total freedom of expression?
7. Isn’t each individual capable of judging for himself?
8. Do not thought and creativity flourish in total freedom?

Such was the array of negations and postulations made on the issue of freedom of speech at that time. Regardless of the arguments presented, the stance of the Constitution of France on this matter is clear and has been articulated as follows:

French law considers free speech to be an essential component of a democratic society, it is not seen as absolute. French legislators, and French courts, seek to balance freedom of speech with other imperatives, such as other freedoms and rights, and public order. Thus, freedom of expression may be limited for the sake of protecting privacy, protecting the presumption of innocence, and preventing defamation and insults. Freedom of expression may also be limited for the sake of protecting public order. It is therefore illegal to incite others to commit a crime, even when no crime ends up being actually committed. French law also prohibits hate speech, and speech denying or justifying the Holocaust and other crimes against humanity. Additionally, French law prohibits defamation against government institutions and office-holders, as well as disrespecting the national anthem and flag in the context of public events organized or regulated by public authorities.

In India, the legal position is similar. In 2012, a tragic rape incident occurred in the southern part of New Delhi, prompting BBC News to produce a documentary on the event. However, the Indian government prohibited its release in the country. Instances of banning movies, speeches, and books due to their potential to disrupt peace and order in society are too numerous to mention.

When considering the restrictions or bans imposed in all countries, the fundamental question arises: should only individual desires be respected, or should a choice be made between the general interests of society and the acknowledgment that exercising one’s freedom of choice could have adverse consequences on the rights and freedoms of others? In our Tibetan community today, there are individuals who insist on expressing themselves freely without discrimination. From this perspective, it appears as if there is no constitution binding everyone, nor any effective governmental enforcement or regulation within a defined territory or population. Consequently, some individuals engage in reckless behavior under the guise of freedom of speech. However, assuming they are open to correction, it is worth reminding them to consider the collective welfare of the Tibetan people. Despite living in exile, our community has a Charter that outlines the following provisions:

Directive Principles

“Article 1: Protector and symbol of Tibet and Tibetan people

“His Holiness the 14th Dalai Lama, the manifestation of Avalokiteshvara in human form, the designated deity of Tibet, is the divine lord of the Three Realms, a champion of world peace, the master of all Buddhist teachings, the protector of all Tibetans, and their supreme leader and guide. He is the objective embodiment of the Tibetan people, the symbol of their unity, and a free spokesperson for all Tibetans. He attained this status on the basis of the ardent desire of the Tibetan people with their centuries-old historical development, culture and sovereignty. Accordingly, the following responsibilities and authorities are inherent in His Holiness.

1. To work for the progress of the Tibetan people’s wellbeing and their ethics; to protect and promote religion, culture, and learning, and to provide guidance, advice and encouragement to the Tibetan people and the Central Tibetan Administration in all areas, including in efforts towards Tibet cause.

• As and when He sees it necessary, or whenever appealed to by the leadership, His Holiness the Dalai Lama is to provide suggestions on opinions of the Kashag or the Tibetan Parliament-in-Exile on important matters concerned with the Tibetan people, society, religion, and politics.

• To meet and hold discussions with important international leaders and personalities on behalf of the Tibetan people and those appointed by the Kashag as envoys or special envoys shall be given designations as representatives of His Holiness the Dalai Lama.”

Article 2: Jurisdiction of this Charter

This charter extends to all Tibetans who are subject to the authority of the Central Tibetan Administration.

As thus provided above, His Holiness the Dalai Lama is:

“… the protector of all Tibetans, and their supreme leader and guide. He is the objective embodiment of the Tibetan people, the symbol of their unity, and a free spokesperson for all Tibetans.”

Likewise, Under Article 2 of the Charter, which deals with its jurisdiction, it is provided:

“Article 2: Jurisdiction of this Charter

This charter extends to all Tibetans who are subject to the authority of the Central Tibetan Administration.”Top of Form

These are undeniable facts outlined in the provisions of the Charter of Tibetans in Exile. They demonstrate that individuals who have forsaken basic decency by disrespecting His Holiness the Dalai Lama in their speech have no grounds to criticize us. Furthermore, those who show blatant disregard for the rights of others have no authority to disrupt the fraternal harmony of our society through their egotistical actions. Consequently, any Tibetan individual who baselessly tarnishes the reputation of His Holiness the Dalai Lama would not only violate the provisions of the Charter of Tibetans in Exile but also the constitutional laws of their host countries.

For instance, there was a Tibetan man who labeled His Holiness the Dalai Lama a “traitor,” and another who accused him of being a destroyer of religion. Since these statements are entirely false, even in the United States—known for its broad freedom of speech—the courts would not consider them protected speech. Therefore, individuals who defame others under the guise of freedom of speech may find themselves facing legal consequences. They should be aware that they will not be legally protected if this occurs. They may need to confront this possibility sooner rather than later. Recently, Lochen Rinpoche appealed to the government of the Indian state of Himachal Pradesh to investigate the criminal actions of those who vilified His Holiness the Dalai Lama and attempted to disrupt societal harmony. This is just one recent example.

In the concluding paragraph of his appeal, Lochen Rinpoche wrote:

“Therefore, I on behalf of above NGO request to Chief Minister Himachal Pradesh to investigate in deeper level about Mr. Urgain Topgyal based at Bir Tibetan Settlement, District Mandi, H.P. so that in future anti-social elements can be controlled in Himachal Pradesh and India as well.

“Yontan Society for Common Spiti Welfare. Patron: H.H.T.K. Lochen Tulku Rinpochhey. Date 29.05.20”

Even if they lose their lives,

how could good people abandon their noble character?

Though gold be burnt and cut,

Its color is not destroyed.

དམ་པ་སྲོག་ལ་བབ་ན་ཡང་།།

རང་བཞིན་བཟང་པོ་ག་ལ་དོར།།

ས་ལེ་སྦྲམ་ནི་བསྲེགས་བཅད་ཀྱང་།།

དེ་ཡི་ཁ་དོག་ཉམས་མི་འགྱུར།།

Commenting from an ethical standpoint:

We should express gratitude towards those to whom we owe significant debts of gratitude. If, from a broader perspective, we find ourselves unable to fully repay these debts, we should at the very least refrain from repaying gratitude with ingratitude. This is the ethical approach. Those who harbor intentions to disparage His Holiness the Dalai Lama, and who take pride in such audacity, either lack the capacity for self-reflection or simply lack the intelligence to comprehend their own actions. There could be various reasons for this behavior.

One primary reason for their lack of discernment may be rooted in the recent history of Tibet, particularly in the history of the Tibetan people, which is intertwined with the life of His Holiness the Dalai Lama. Unless driven by malevolent intentions, it is difficult for anyone to remain unaffected by His Holiness’s life story, provided they have taken the time to understand it. It would then be improbable for such individuals to make disparaging remarks aimed at demeaning or showing disrespect towards him.

While it is not expected for all Tibetan people to be religiously devout or Buddhist, it is crucial to emphasize that all Tibetan people have a fundamental moral duty to show reverence towards His Holiness the Dalai Lama. This is a vital principle that every Tibetan should uphold.

At the tender age of two, His Holiness the Dalai Lama was taken from his birthplace and carried all the way to Lhasa. Even at the age of 16, he was implored to assume the immense responsibility of leading Tibet, both religiously and temporally. He did not demand any rights or powers nor did he argue for privileges. Throughout our recent history, His Holiness has tirelessly worked to introduce reforms aimed at bettering Tibetan society. Thanks to his efforts, we now have a democratic system of government in exile. This monumental achievement is solely attributable to His Holiness’s unwavering dedication. Who else could have achieved such historical progress?

His Holiness the Dalai Lama is indeed a Buddhist religious figure, and it is undeniable that his commitment in this life includes holding the wellbeing of all sentient beings at the core of his heart. However, the common perception among us is that he is a person of Tibetan ethnicity, someone we proudly regard as our leader of irreplaceable stature. Given this reality, to disparage him by labeling him a traitor, a destroyer of religion, and the like is to shirk one’s responsibility to history and to speak without a sense of accountability for one’s words. Furthermore, if individuals persist in engaging in such despicable behavior, it may be due to a perception that there are no repercussions for their actions, taking advantage of the perceived lack of accountability. This lack of fear emboldens them to continue making derogatory remarks against His Holiness the Dalai Lama without any restraint. Moreover, they lack any legitimate religious refutation or imperative, nor do they possess a definite understanding of politics or other relevant matters to justify their actions. Instead, their behavior stems from a desire for self-promotion, resorting to creating chaos simply for the sake of attention. Throughout his life, His Holiness the Dalai Lama has directed his efforts towards instilling in Tibetans a sense of moral discernment, guiding them to distinguish between right and wrong, and to make valuable contributions to the world. His contributions to the Tibetan people far exceed any expectations, and any shortcomings lie solely in our failure to adequately support him. Even at the age of eighty-five, His Holiness continues to hold the concerns of the Tibetan people close to his heart. Regarding this, he has expressed the following sentiments:

“I am a Tibetan. The general masses of the Tibetan people look up to me to fulfil their hopes. They have been continuous in reposing their trust in me. Given this fact, there is a mutual bond of karma and prayers between us. But even apart from that, the reality remains that the Tibetan people are unwavering in looking up to me to deliver on their hopes. It was some years ago that I was on an aeroplane ride from south India. It was a small aeroplane and it shook a great deal. And it made me feel a fair measure of fear. I wondered what was going on at that time and how it might end. In a corner of my mind I felt that it was not a big deal if I were to die, as I was nothing more than just an individual. However, in the knowledge that the general masses of the Tibetan people continued to look to me with hopes, I felt greatly worried about what might become of them. Well, that is what the situation is. When the general masses of the Tibetan people look to me with such a great amount of hope, it was natural from my side to feel concerned for their wellbeing. And I felt duty-bound to make efforts to the best of my capability to fulfil their hopes.”

This is a sentiment His Holiness the Dalai Lama has reiterated on numerous occasions. Just recently, during the conferment of the Avalokiteshvara Empowerment, he reiterated that as long as someone is Tibetan, he will never forget them until the day his remains crumble and scatter on the ground. When we carefully reflect on the situation of the Tibetan people across different time periods, it becomes evident how much gratitude we owe to him for every deed he has undertaken for our benefit.

However, there are individuals who conveniently forget their debts of gratitude once they find comfort in settling down after moving from country to country. This behavior is a clear indication of their ethical depravity. It’s important to understand that such behavior does not signify any enhancement in their knowledge or understanding. If they are unaware of this, I urge them to reflect on their past experiences over the years, months, and days. If they acknowledge their Tibetan identity, they cannot escape the obligation to feel gratitude towards His Holiness the Dalai Lama.

His Holiness is not merely a village temple’s head lama; he embodies the essence of wisdom deserving universal reverence. In my opinion, any Tibetan who criticizes His Holiness the Dalai Lama only reveals their ethical shortcomings. There is no valid reason to believe that their actions are based on substantive grounds.

Though wicked people may achieve prosperity,

Their conduct becomes more vicious.

No matter how a waterfall is obstructed,

Its inherent nature remains to cascade downward.

སྐྱེ་བོ་ངན་པ་འབྱོར་ཐོབ་ཀྱང་།།

ལྷག་པར་སྤྱོད་པ་ངན་པར་འགྱུར།།

འབབ་ཆུ་ཇི་ལྟར་བཟློག་གྱུར་ཀྱང་།།

ཐུར་དུ་འབབ་པ་ཁོ་ནར་འདོད།།

Commenting from a cultural point of view:

In the realms of various contemporary endeavors such as: 1) The promotion of fundamental human values, 2) The fostering of inter-religious harmony, 3) The enhancement of the well-being of the Tibetan people, and 4) The revival of ancient Indian knowledge, His Holiness the Dalai Lama has spearheaded ground-breaking advancements in history. When we scrutinize each chapter of these endeavors, the inevitable conclusion is that the acclaim His Holiness has garnered from them is nothing short of a source of pride for the Tibetan people.

It is indeed challenging to view matters solely through the lens of one’s religious faith. Charles Darwin, a globally renowned historical figure, pioneered the theory of biological evolution to trace the origins of the human species. His Holiness the Dalai Lama has transcended this perspective by advocating the novel idea that the intrinsic nature of humanity is to extend kindness and assistance to others. This has sparked a paradigm shift in the theoretical framework of modern science, an ongoing evolution. This serves as just one example. The crux of the matter is that the vast array of noble deeds undertaken by His Holiness the Dalai Lama for the betterment of humanity warrants nothing short of profound admiration.

In initiatives that no other religious leader has dared to embark upon, His Holiness the Dalai Lama has made pioneering contributions across various scientific disciplines, paving the way for innovative research and complementary theoretical advancements. Through such endeavors, His Holiness continues to take strides in his unwavering commitment to elevate global happiness and well-being to ever greater heights. If one observes how year after year His Holiness the Dalai Lama is celebrated and revered in numerous countries around the world, it becomes apparent that these efforts have garnered international respect for the spiritual heritage of the Tibetan people.

Recently, Watkins Magazine of the United Kingdom included His Holiness the Dalai Lama in the Watkins’ Spiritual List for 2021: The 100 Most Spiritually Influential Living People. He was ranked as the 2nd most spiritually influential individual for the year. Additionally, in the Centenary Year Publication of the French periodical Le Monde des Religions, His Holiness the Dalai Lama was recognized as one of the notable personalities it had encountered. Moreover, in Psychologies, a French publication specializing in psychology, His Holiness the Dalai Lama was featured in the biographies of 20 Masters of Life. These are merely a few examples, as it would be impossible to enumerate all such accolades. However, the essence of the matter is that His Holiness the Dalai Lama has elevated the reputation of the Tibetan people on the global stage to a level surpassing that of an independent nation.

If one comprehends this, they would realize that the vows and aspirations of His Holiness the Dalai Lama are also the vows and aspirations of the Tibetan people. They embody the compassionate and interdependent philosophical views originating from Tibetan culture.

Over the past 85 years of His life, His Holiness the Dalai Lama has dedicated himself to the welfare of others. He has been a guiding light, seeking to awaken the world and steer humanity towards a society imbued with peace and harmony. Additionally, the recent documentary film titled “The Dalai Lama: Scientist” stands as an unprecedented tribute to him, akin to offerings such as parasols, standards, and victory banners in Tibetan culture. It portrays the achievement of a Tibetan Buddhist monk who has delved deeply into the study and practice of Tibetan Buddhist traditions. The level of recognition and appreciation accorded to His Holiness the Dalai Lama by foreign experts is comparable to that bestowed upon historic figures such as Aristotle, Confucius, Gandhi, and Socrates. He is rightfully counted among these revered masters of the past. Furthermore, it is noteworthy that among the 20 Masters of Life featured in the biographies listed by the French magazine Psychologies, His Holiness the Dalai Lama is the sole living individual.

Nonetheless, within our Tibetan community, there are individuals who advocate for absolute freedom without any sense of responsibility. They use this as justification to hurl insults at His Holiness the Dalai Lama, labeling him as a traitor, a destroyer of religion, and similar accusations. This behavior is not only deeply shameful for those who utter these blasphemous falsehoods but also a significant disgrace to the Tibetan people, particularly to the broader masses of the Tibetan public in this generation. Conversely, the closer one feels to His Holiness through acts of reverence, the deeper their affection for him will be, leading to a genuine sense of fondness and respect. It becomes evident that he is not someone whom you can criticize or protest against.

As wise people comprehend the wisdom of wise sayings,

But fools do not.

When the sun’s rays shine,

The owls of night are blinded.

ལེགས་བཤད་མཁས་པའི་བློ་གྲོས་ཀྱིས།།

གོ་ཡི་བླུན་པོས་དེ་ལྟ་མིན།།

ཉི་མའི་འོད་ཟེར་ཤར་བ་ན།།                                                                                                              

འབྱུང་བོའི་བྱ་རྣམས་ལོང་པར་འགྱུར།།

Commenting from a perspective of the struggle for the fundamental cause of Tibet:

As a Tibetan individual hailing from the Snowland of Tibet and harboring a deep sense of patriotism towards my fellow Tibetans, I cannot help but feel profound anguish over the political tragedy that has befallen our country today. From a standpoint of pessimism, it is undeniable that Tibetans as a people find themselves in a deeply distressing state of fragmentation and debilitation, evoking unbearable feelings of misery within each one of us. There are moments when the enormity of our anguish leaves us feeling utterly distraught or helpless.

Consequently, we sometimes witness Tibetans pointing fingers at those in positions of leadership, whether individuals or, on occasion, even His Holiness the Dalai Lama, blaming them for the myriad problems and the tragic circumstances we face. Generally speaking, there are young Tibetans who hold their own ideas and opinions, some of whom may lack a comprehensive understanding or appreciation of the broader context. Additionally, there are those who, driven by personal motives, attempt to shape public opinion to serve their own agendas.

To all individuals of such inclinations, as well as others who engage in shaping public opinion under various circumstances, I wish to emphasize certain points and urge them to keep these considerations in mind.

1. His Holiness the Dalai Lama is the very vitality of the Tibetan struggle.

On the 10th of March 1959, Tibet faced an unprecedented calamity with the brutal armed invasion that led to its occupation by China. However, amidst the despair, a beacon of hope emerged on the 17th of March. His Holiness, driven by a profound connection to Tibet, shed his monk’s robes, donned the attire of a Tibetan soldier, and embarked on a journey to determine the fate of his people. His courageous decision infused the Tibetan populace with renewed hope and vigor, inspiring them to persevere in their struggle.

The hardships endured by both Tibetans in exile and those remaining in Tibet during those tumultuous years were immense. Yet, they found solace and hope in His Holiness the Dalai Lama, who served as their unwavering source of inspiration. His Holiness embodies the aspirations and identity of the Tibetan people, commanding unparalleled loyalty and respect.

The flame of the just cause of Tibet has burned brightly alongside His Holiness, never faltering. The continued vibrancy of the Tibetan struggle is a testament to the profound gratitude owed to His Holiness. Despite China’s persistent efforts to undermine his influence, His Holiness’s words hold an undeniable power, persistently thwarting their endeavors. It is only a matter of time before the Tibetan people achieve what is akin to their Buddhahood, guided by the unwavering spirit of His Holiness the Dalai Lama.

2. His Holiness the Dalai Lama is a sash that tightly binds the Tibetan people into a closely-knit bond of fraternal unity.

Unlike any other lama and tulku of Tibet, His Holiness the Dalai Lama is a leader who embodies the extraordinary trio of qualities: being learned, disciplined, and noble. This is why his governance over the Tibetan people has been founded on the principle of equality for all. His approach aims to eradicate knowledge deficits among the Tibetan people, thus leading to a complete transformation from their previously backward way of thinking to becoming knowledgeable individuals. Consequently, Tibetans have been persuaded to abandon their formerly parochial and partisan mindset, recognizing its lack of substance and meaning. Indeed, it has been a constant prayer recited by His Holiness the Dalai Lama that:

Through previous perseverance,

Having attained stability, enthusiasm, and freedom from laziness,

And possessing a strong body and mind,

May I perfect the paramita of perseverance.Top of Form

Thus, His Holiness the Dalai Lama has never wearied, not even for a moment, in his devotion to advancing the well-being of the Tibetan people. He confronted all instances of provincial, regional, religious, and other forms of parochial attitudes in our society with great thoroughness, dismantling the very foundation upon which such irrelevant assertions as “your mouth, my ear” were based. Who indeed can rival His Holiness the Dalai Lama in displaying such an armor of resolute determination? If you are someone dedicated to the harmony and unity of the world, particularly within communities, associations, and among individuals, you may wholeheartedly dedicate yourself to His Holiness the Dalai Lama as part of your positive contributions. However, if you follow a path antithetical to such noble efforts, you will dare not even present yourself before His Holiness the Dalai Lama. From a religious standpoint, there is no doubt that His Holiness is not only a Bodhisattva who has come to this world to work for the benefit of all sentient beings but also, it is commonly perceived in our world that he views everyone without exception as his kith and kin, as well as friends, and therefore devotes all his efforts exclusively to the benefit of sentient beings. This is why there is no question that His Holiness represents a sash that tightly binds the world, especially the Tibetan people, into a closely-knit bond of fraternal unity.

3. His Holiness the Dalai Lama is the living spokesperson of the Tibetan people both in Tibet and in exile.

Since the division of the Tibetan people into those residing in Tibet and those in exile, His Holiness the Dalai Lama has served as the foremost advocate for the well-being of the Tibetan people on the global stage. He possesses an acute understanding of the suffering that grips every Tibetan individual at the core of their being. He is uniquely positioned to discern how, from which platform, and to whom this suffering should be conveyed. In religious terms, His Holiness is regarded as the supreme Bodhisattva of compassion, having mastered the psyche of the Tibetan people over countless lifetimes. It is on this basis that he represents the Tibetan people in their entirety—body, speech, and mind—to convey the cultural and spiritual riches of Tibetan civilization to the world. Moreover, in response to the current needs of his people, His Holiness has provided assistance as required, adapting to their evolving circumstances. In his role as their spokesperson, His Holiness has not approached others as a mere supplicant seeking alms. Rather, his mission has been to engage in a reciprocal exchange: while seeking what is necessary for his people, he also offers what others require. Such is the exceptional nature of His Holiness the Dalai Lama’s representation of the Tibetan people. Who else can lay claim to such a noble legacy of accomplishment?

4. His Holiness the Dalai Lama is the crucial figure for unlocking the door to peaceful Sino-Tibetan negotiations.

His Holiness the Dalai Lama is a person of noble integrity, for whom telling a lie is inconceivable. Furthermore, historical events cannot be altered, regardless of present circumstances. Hence, there seems to be no need to justify the assertion that “historically, Tibet was never a part of, or under China’s sovereignty,” irrespective of the time or place. Any denial of this assertion would be unacceptable to the Tibetan people. Talks between Tibet and China have taken place intermittently since around 1977, resulting in various outcomes, including facilitating travel and reunions between Tibetans in Tibet and those in exile. However, the daunting challenge of reaching a comprehensive solution to the complex Sino-Tibetan political issues remains unresolved. It is noteworthy that there are disagreements within the Tibetan community, with some attributing the impasse to the alleged ineptitude of His Holiness the Dalai Lama or the adoption of the middle way approach by the Central Tibetan Administration. However, a close examination reveals that Tibet’s fall to Chinese invasion cannot be attributed to the actions of any single individual, but rather to a myriad of long- and short-term events and circumstances. While there were immediate situational causes, today’s prospects for Sino-Tibetan talks are contingent upon a multitude of underlying factors, both long-term and short-term. Furthermore, the Chinese government has stipulated two conditions for initiating Sino-Tibetan talks:

One, accept that Tibet was historically an inalienable part of China.

Two, there is no question of the three traditional provinces of Tibet being reunited.Top of Form

Anyone with the capacity for reflection can readily discern that these conditions have been presented not with the expectation of being deemed acceptable. Furthermore, even if these conditions were to be acquiesced to, there is no guarantee that talks would ensue tomorrow or in the foreseeable future. It is evident that these conditions have been posited merely as a pretext to forestall any initiation of the Sino-Tibetan dialogue process. In essence, they signify China’s reluctance to engage in talks and serve as a mechanism to prevent such discussions from occurring in the immediate future. However, regardless of the circumstances, it remains undeniable that what China desires least is to encounter problems, a sentiment shared by the Tibetan side.

In such a scenario, there exists only one individual capable of resolving these issues, and that person is none other than His Holiness the Dalai Lama. His impeccable sincerity, wisdom, personal integrity, and the authority vested in him by his religious standing have the potential to unify the spirit of the Tibetan people. It is beyond doubt that the Tibetan people would readily follow whatever guidance he provides. This fact is well understood by the Chinese government, which acknowledges that His Holiness is someone they can engage with whenever they wish. Moreover, he is not an individual with whom communication is impossible, nor is his political ideology so divergent as to preclude dialogue. Rather, he embodies a profoundly inclusive attitude focused solely on the mutual interests and benefits of both sides. This is a quality that has become indispensable even for the Communist Chinese government.

Hence, it is only a matter of time before the government of China inevitably takes steps to address this issue. If it genuinely desires to resolve the Tibet problem, it will have no choice but to turn to His Holiness the Dalai Lama, as there is no other individual with whom it can engage on this matter. Moreover, His Holiness is not only dedicated to protecting the interests of the six million Tibetans but also commands the respect and devotion of approximately 400 million ethnic Chinese. Therefore, inviting such a revered leader to Tibet and China is not only a necessity for the Chinese people and the nation but also holds great importance.

It can be reiterated that the key to unlocking the door for Sino-Tibetan talks lies solely with His Holiness the Dalai Lama. One of the significant challenges facing China today is the decline in moral values within its society. If China wishes to reverse this trend, there is no individual better suited to effect positive change than His Holiness the Dalai Lama, a fact well understood by the Chinese government. However, the failure to resolve the Sino-Tibetan problem thus far cannot be attributed to the incompetence or inaction of His Holiness the Dalai Lama. Rather, it is primarily due to the formidable strength and opposition force against the Tibetan cause, compounded by global trends and developmental events. The Communist Party of China also faces numerous constraints that impede progress on this issue.

Given this reality, it is imperative for the Tibetan people to remain steadfast in their commitment to safeguarding their cause as their top priority. If they persist in their struggle until the very end, there will surely come a day when their long-standing and heartfelt wish will be fulfilled—a prospect beyond the reach of any intellect in the 21st century to predict.

If we examine our situation from this perspective, His Holiness the Dalai Lama emerges as the beacon illuminating both the external territorial boundaries and the intrinsic wealth of human and natural resources within Tibet to the wider world. He stands as the guardian of the endangered Tibetan people and their culture, which holds a value comparable to that of the entire world. Despite the political, economic, and military might of the Communist government of China, it has not been able to eradicate the Tibetan people easily. The radiance of this resilience is rooted in a complex web of interconnected causes and conditions, with His Holiness the Dalai Lama occupying a central role within it.

Recognizing the myriad aspects outlined above, it becomes evident that there is a fundamental duty incumbent upon us—to respect and honor His Holiness the Dalai Lama, rather than subjecting him to objections and condemnations. Taking the time to understand these complexities leads to the realization of this minimal obligation.Top of Form

People who erroneously pursue learning

Disdain those who do so correctly.

On certain small islands, individuals lacking goiters

Are viewed as physically flawed.

ཡོན་ཏན་ལོག་པར་སྦྱངས་པ་འགའ།།

ལེགས་པར་སྦྱངས་པ་ཁྱད་དུ་གསོད།།

ལྦ་བ་མེད་ན་གླིང་ཕྲན་འགའ།།

ཡན་ལག་ཉམས་པའི་སྐྱོན་དུ་བྱེད།།

————————————————————————————————————-

Appendices:

ONE

The first ten amendments including the Bill of Rights. The first amendment protects

religious freedom by prohibiting the establishment of an official or exclusive church or sect.

Free speech and free press are protected, although they can be limited for reasons of defamation, obscenity, and certain forms of state censorship, especially during wartime. The freedom of assembly and petition also covers marching, picketing and pamphleteering.

(1)

1. Obscenity

Most of the legal cases that concern sex and free speech have involved publications (a form of speech as far as the courts are concerned). Obscenity is not protected by the Constitution, but it has been difficult to define what is obscene. In 1973, the Supreme Court, in Miller v. California, came up with a three-part definition of obscene material. A work is legally considered obscene if

* an average person, applying contemporary community standards, would find that the material appeals to prurient (appealing to sexual desire) interest.

* the work depicts or describes, in an offensive way, sexual conduct or excretory functions, specifically defined by applicable state law.

* taken as a whole, the material lacks serious literary, artistic, political, or scientific value.

This limit on obscene speech also applies to broadcasting. The FCC controls what is allowed on air, so you can’t broadcast sounds or images that could be offensive to your audience or use language inappropriate for children. However, the Supreme Court has, so far, kept the internet free of obscenity restrictions. You can make whatever statements you want on social media sites, but the owners of those sites have the freedom to censor or delete your content if they find it offensive.

2. Lies

Lying is covered by the First Amendment, except when it’s not. You can be prosecuted.

for lying under oath in court (it’s called perjury). You can also be charged with misleading authorized investigators. Remember Martha Stewart’s conviction in 2004? She went to prison for lying to investigators about her stock trading. It is also illegal to run dishonest advertisements. And if you deliberately tell lies about people, you can be hit with a lawsuit in civil court for either libel (if published) or slander (if spoken). Politicians, on the other hand, have broad protections against being prosecuted for lying, and citizens largely have free rein to criticize their governments, even if the comments are false. Luckily for late night talk show hosts, the First Amendment allows citizens to satirically mock a public figure.

3. Violence

You can’t make offensive remarks or personal insults that would immediately lead to a fight. You also can’t threaten violence to a specific person unless you’re making an obvious exaggeration (for instance, “I’m going to kill my opponent at the polls”). Finally, you can’t knowingly say things that cause severe emotional distress or incite others to immediate lawless action.”

In 1951, the Supreme Court concluded in Dennis v. United States that the First

Amendment doesn’t protect the speech of people plotting to overthrow the government.

4. Students’ Speech

Students have limited rights of free speech while in school. In 1986, Bethel School District v. Fraser upheld the right of a school to suspend a student for making an obscene speech. Hazelwood School District v. Kuhlmeier, 1988, supported a school’s right to censor student newspapers. However, many states are now passing laws to grant broader First Amendment protections to student speech.

 5. Offending Your Friends and Co-workers

You don’t have the right to say whatever you want in someone else’s home or other private setting. And, as an employee, believe it or not, you have no free-speech rights at your workplace. The Constitution’s right to free speech applies only when the government — not a private entity — is trying to restrict it. For example, an employer can legally fire an employee whose car bears a campaign bumper sticker he doesn’t like. It’s a different matter for government employees. In Elrod v. Burns, the Supreme Court ruled in 1976 that the Constitution prohibits government employers from dis[1]charging or demoting employees for supporting a particular political candidate. The law also prohibits speech that shows clear intent to discriminate or sexually harass. It also prevents employees in medical or financial fields from discussing confidential information outside of work.

6. Expressing Your Political Views

The law has never permitted Americans to protest in any way they wanted. While the government can’t control what you say, how you say it must be subject to what the courts consider an appropriate time, place, and manner. Legal authorities have a responsibility to protect the safety of attendees at political gatherings and to protect protestors themselves. If authorities think you pose a sufficient risk, you can be restricted to a Free Speech Zone. These have been used since the 1980s, principally to contain protestors at political conventions.

House Bill 347 authorized Secret Service agents to arrest anyone protesting in the president’s or vice president’s proximity. They also have this authority at National Special Security Events. These events have included state occasions, of course, but also basketball championships, the Academy Awards, Olympic events, and the Super Bowl. A conviction can result in up to 10 years in a federal prison (another place where your freedom of speech is limited). Featured image: Shutterstock.

TWO

1. ARISTOTE Inventeur de l’amitié.

2. HENRI BERGSON L’explorateur de la conscience

3. CONFUCIUS Le premier professeur.

4. LE DALAI LAMA Océan de sagesse.

5. MAÎTREDÔGEN Le refondateur du zen.

6. ÉPICTÈTE L’esclave philosophe

7. ÉPICURE L’hédoniste mesuré.

8. FREUD Le révélateur de l’inconscient.

9. GANDHI Le combattant de la non-violence

10. JÉSUS DE NAZARETH L’homme qui tutoyait Dieu

11. KRISHNAMURTI L’antigourou

12. MONTAIGNE La philosophie à la première personne

13. FRIEDRICH NIETZSCHE Le penseur sulfureux.

14. BLAISE PASCAL Le génie absolu

15. SVÂMI PRAJNÂNPAD La voix de l’ici et maintenant

16. FRANÇOIS RABELAIS L’humaniste gourmand.

17. JEAN JACQUES ROUSSEAU L’homme sensible.

19. ARTHURSCHOPENHAUER Le bouddhiste occidental

19. SOCRATE Le maitre des philosophes.

20. SIMONEWEIL La philosophe mystique.

References

Source from which French laws were cited and information concerned with the issues arising from the Charlies Hebdo incident were cited:

[1] https://rsf.org/fr/classement#

[2] http://www.defense.gouv.fr/sga/le-sga-en-action/droit-et-defense/secret-defense/secret-defense

[3] http://www.assemblee-nationale.fr/histoire/7eo.asp#P271_37301

[4] http://www.un.org/fr/universal-declaration-human-rights/index.html

[5] https://fr.wikisource.org/wiki/%C5%92uvres_de_Robespierre/Sur_la_lib[1]ert%C3%A9_de_la_presse [6] http://www.lemonde.fr/afrique/article/

2017/05/30/

au-kenya-les-journalistes-renoncent-a-ecrire-sur-certains-sujets-de-peur-d[1]etre-pris-pour-cible_5135804_3212.html

[7] http://www.monde-diplomatique.fr/cartes/ppa

[8] https://rsf.org/fr/france

[9] https://padlet.com/ntoufid/ytdfarmo1rj4

Cette page a été créée par des élèves du collège Iqbal Masih de Saint-Denis

dans le cadre d’une semaine interdisciplinaire.

Déclaration Universelle des Droits de l’Homme

LAW LIBRARY.Library Congress. June 2019

Source from which United States of America laws were cited:

The Constitution of the United States of America.

uscourts.gov

The charter of Tibetans in Exile

(Views expressed are his own)

The author Kyisar Ludup was born in Achog Township of Khyungchu Dzong in Ngawa region, Domey. He became a monk at the age of 7 and enrolled in Ngawa Kirti Monastery, where he completed his basic monastic education. In late 1994, he arrived in India to continue his education and enrolled in the Kirti Jepa Datsang Monastery Institute of Higher Tibetan Studies at McLeod Ganj, Dharamshala. There, he studied Buddhism and Tibetan culture, and over the years, he wrote a variety of compositions.

In 2005, he wrote a critique of the Tibetan system for recognizing the reincarnations of tulkus, which resulted in his expulsion from Kirti Jepa Monastery. Following this, he worked at the Library of Tibetan Works and Archives in Dharamshala for several years, serving as a writer in its Oral History section. During this period, he edited works on Fa Xian’s Travels to India, Xuanzang’s Travels to India, Travels of Chag Lotsawa, and traditional Tibetan handicrafts. He also authored a new work titled Research on Nalanda.

Subsequently, he wrote two books, Guide to Buddhist Pilgrimage Sites in India and Index and Guidebook on Bodh Gaya, which were published. Currently, he resides in France and continues his research in Tibetan grammar, ancient Indian Buddhist centers of learning, and related fields.