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Buddhist Monk Leads Donation Drive to Promote Religious Harmony in Southern Thailand

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Phra Thepsilwisudh, abbot of Prachum Cholthara Temple in southern Thailand’s Narathiwat Province, is renowned for his work to improve Buddhist-Muslim relations in the troubled region. From bangkokpost.com

By  Shyamal Sinha

Thai Buddhists visit the temple they will normally make an offering. This act is known as wai phra; wai being the traditional greeting with palms pressed together and raised towards the face and phra being the word for a Buddha image, monk or priest.

The usual offering made consists of a candle, some flowers (often a lotus), a small square of gold leaf and three incense sticks. The three incense sticks represent the Buddha, his teachings and the monastic order.

Amid recent news reports that the authorities in Thailand have detained an outspoken Buddhist monk for posting videos online that harshly denounce Islam and call for mosques in Thailand to be burned down,* another Buddhist monk, Phra Thepsilwisudh, is providing a more positive and constructive example of Buddhist compassion as an advocate for interfaith harmony in Thailand’s troubled southern provinces.

On 5 November, Phra Thepsilwisudh, the abbot of Prachum Cholthara Temple and the chief monk of Thailand’s Narathiwat Province, led local residents in a fundraising event to create a charitable endowment (known under Islamic law as a waqf) at Nurul Islam Mosque. The initiative is aimed at fostering religious harmony among the different communities living in the area.

Phra Thepsilwisudh, abbot of Prachum Cholthara Temple in southern Thailand’s Narathiwat Province, is renowned for his work to improve Buddhist-Muslim relations in the troubled region. From bangkokpost.com

The fundraiser was attended by Buddhist monks and local Islamic leaders, as well as lay Buddhists and Muslims. Phra Thepsilwisudh said he hoped the event would help promote harmony in Narathiwat’s multi-cultural society. Although the total proceeds from the event have yet to be announced, officials noted that part of the funds raised would be used to complete the construction of some unfinished mosques in the province.

According to the Bangkok Post newspaper, Phra Thepsilwisudh is well known for his efforts to serve as an intermediary between the two religious communities in the region, where he has been actively promoting Buddhist-Muslim relations and settling disputes between the authorities and residents of different faiths. In January this year, Phra Thepsilwisudh celebrated his birthday at Nurul Islam Mosque in an effort to improve Buddhist-Muslim sentiment.

Local residents hope that events such as the fundraiser will help to bridge community divisions in southern Thailand, where acts of extremism by Buddhists and Muslims have become a pervasive issue fueling years of interreligious violence that has killed some 6,500 people since 2004.

Ekkarin Tuansiri, a political scientist at Prince of Songkhla University in neighboring Pattani Province, has been researching the rise of Islamophobia in Thailand. He observed that social media has played a significant role in fanning the flames of unrest, by helping to spread the perception that Islam promotes violence and is a threat to the peaceful co-existence of Muslims and Buddhists in Thailand.

Thai Buddhist scholar Surapot Taweesak, agrees that Islamophobia is on the rise, but is wary of the increase in extremism he sees in both Buddhist and Muslim communities. “[This growing Islamophobia] is not a good sign,” said Supaot. “When it comes to hatred, it could be exacerbated.” (Khaosod English)

Thailand is predominantly a Buddhist country, with 93.2 per cent of the population of 69 million identifying as Theravada Buddhists, according to data for 2010 from the Washington, DC-based Pew Research Center. The country’s three southernmost provinces, however, are predominantly Muslim and have been the stage for an ongoing conflict between Buddhists and Muslims that has its origins in a separatist insurgency that began in 1948. Since 2001, the conflict has become increasingly violent and complex.

Trump praises ‘productive’ China talks, but tough action seen ahead

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China's President Xi Jinping hosts a state dinner for US President Donald Trump at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, China on 9 November 2017.
Reuters/Jonathan Ernst
China’s President Xi Jinping hosts a state dinner for US President Donald Trump at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, China on 9 November 2017.

Reuters/Jonathan Ernst

By Shyamal Sinha

After the Communist Party Congress in October — when Xi consolidated his power base — the Chinese president has been projecting himself as a steady, stable leader with a set vision for the nation. Trump will be negotiating with China’s most powerful leader in decades..
US President Donald Trump lauded his Beijing meetings on trade and North Korea as “very productive”, ending a visit which Chinese media declared set a “new blueprint” for handling ties, even as the White House looks set for tougher action on China.

Trump pressed China to do more to rein in North Korea’s nuclear ambitions and said bilateral trade had been unfair to the United States, but also praised Xi’s pledge that China would be more open to foreign firms.

Hours after Trump left Beijing on Friday, China said it would drop foreign ownership limits on local banks and asset management companies while loosening stake restrictions in securities firms and insurers – moves that have been long awaited by foreign financial firms.

Beijing faces intensifying pressure from Western governments and business lobbies to remove investment barriers and other rules that hobble overseas firms from operating in the country, as well as intellectual property theft.

Washington has refrained from pushing harder on trade because it needs China’s cooperation on North Korea, although Xi, at least in public, went no further than reiterating China’s determination to achieve denuclearization through talks.

Trump and Xi, who call themselves friends, also oversaw the signing of about $250 billion in commercial deals, a show that some in the US business community and others say detracts from addressing structural impediments that puts them at a disadvantage to Chinese rivals.

China may be mistaken in thinking it had done enough to address US concerns, and Trump could find people disappointed at home he didn’t make more progress on items like market access and North Korea, Paul Haenle, Director of the Carnegie–Tsinghua Center for Global Policy in Beijing, said.

“My concern is you may see a shift towards a much harder line coming from the US administration. That will be a huge surprise to China and President Xi, especially given that Xi likely feels he has done a lot for Trump on this visit.”

Trump reiterated in a tweet just before leaving Beijing for the APEC summit of Asia Pacific leaders in Vietnam that he didn’t blame China for the trade gap between the two countries, adding that he had “very productive” meetings on trade and North Korea with Xi.

“I don’t blame China, I blame the incompetence of past Admins for allowing China to take advantage of the US on trade leading up to a point where the US is losing $100’s of billions. How can you blame China for taking advantage of people that had no clue? I would’ve done same!”

A US industry source said the implication of Trump blaming his predecessors for the trade deficit is that Trump won’t make the same mistake – a warning to Xi, not a capitulation.

The Trump administration did not bring hard trade policy items to the discussion with Xi because US officials don’t want to “argue over crumbs”, the source added.

“Barring some dramatic action on North Korea by Xi, there is going to be a hard turn in US trade policy,” the source said.

A second source, who is close to the business delegation that traveled to Beijing this week, added that the Trump administration appeared poised to take a much harder line in the weeks ahead.

There were no obvious gaffes during the two-night stopover, and Trump and Xi seemed to enjoy being in each other’s company.

At a banquet on Thursday night in the Great Hall of the People, Trump and Xi dined on coconut chicken soup, spicy chicken, stewed beef with tomatoes and grouper fillets.

Chinese state media said the tone and outcome of Trump’s visit had been largely positive, saying Trump and Xi were setting a new blueprint for handling relations and managing their differences.

“China has tried its utmost, even at the sacrifice of Sino-North Korean relations,” influential tabloid the Global Times wrote in its editorial.

“Trump has gradually learned that Beijing is indeed making selfless contributions to promoting the denuclearization of the peninsula. He can’t demand more.”

The Chinese will see that it’s in their interest to open up different industry sectors to foreign investment and to U.S. products that will actually help the Chinese people.”

Dalai Lama to make 50 day visit to Bodhgaya from December

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His Holiness the Dalai Lama at the beginning of the 1st day of the actual Kalachakra initiation in Bodh Gaya, Bihar last year. Phayul Photo- Kusang Gashon.

By Tenzin Dharpo

His Holiness the Dalai Lama at the beginning of the 1st day of the actual Kalachakra initiation in Bodh Gaya, Bihar last year. Phayul Photo- Kusang Gashon.

DHARAMSHALA, Nov. 10: With winter fast approaching the hills of Dharamshala, Tibetan leader His Holiness the Dalai Lama will embark on a 50 day visit to Bodhgaya giving teachings, attending social commitments as well as taking rest, beginning December 26, sources said.

Local media in Gaya reported that Dalai Lama’s aides approached the Gaya district magistrate (DM) Kumar Ravi requesting authority for necessary arrangements of security at venue, cleanliness, power, water and health services. The DM assured support during the Tibetan leader’s stay there, which is expected to draw some 40,000 devotees.

During his stay there, the Dalai Lama is scheduled to visit Sarnath on December 29 and Pune on January 9 and will leave on February 12 back to Dharamshala.

The 82 year old will also give two teachings while in Gaya. Beginning Jan. 5, he will give a three-day teaching on Dharmachakra Parivaretan Sutra on ‘The Four Noble Truths’ (chokyi khorlo korwe do) & ‘Sutra on Dependent Origination’ (tendrel chi do).

His Holiness will also give a three-day teaching on Nagarjuna’s Commentary on Bodhicitta (jangchup semdrel) & Gyalsey Thokme Sangpos’s Thirty-Seven Practices of a Bodhisattva (laklen sodunma) as well as a long life offering ceremony (tenshug) to His Holiness at the request Lamyn Gegeen Tenzin Jamphel Choijisheinen Tulku from Jan. 14-16.

Prior to his visit to Bihar, the Tibetan leader is scheduled to visit Mundgod and Bylakuppe Tibetan settlements where he will inaugurate new structures and give teachings there.

Bhutan Proposes a Buddhist Approach to Business at 7th International Conference on Gross National Happiness

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Bhutanese prime minister Dasho Tshering Tobgay proposes a Buddhism-inspired model for sustainable corporate development. Photo by Craig Lewis

By  Shyamal Sinha

Bhutanese prime minister Dasho Tshering Tobgay proposes a Buddhism-inspired model for sustainable corporate development. Photo by Craig Lewis

Tshering Tobgay born 19 September 1965 is a Bhutanese politician, environmentalist, and cultural advocate .

Tobgay focused on improving Bhutan with small promises. Instead of following in his predecessor’s footsteps and promoting the Gross National Happiness, Tobgay pledged to give each village a power tiller, utility vehicles for each district and two national ambulance helicopters.

Aiming to draw up a new, sustainable paradigm for business and entrepreneurship founded on Buddhist values and principles and driven by compassion, the Kingdom of Bhutan this week launched the 7th International Conference on Gross National happiness in the capital Thimphu, under the theme “GNH of Business.” More than 400 guests and dignitaries assembled for the forum, including almost 200 academics, entrepreneurs, and experts from 29 countries, to share ideas, approaches, and experiences of social and environmental responsibility in the corporate context from across the globe.

As the world faces the growing impact of manmade climate change, environmental degradation, pollution, and the human impact on the ecosystem and animal populations—all in the name of unchecked material consumption—the seminar acknowledged that traditional approaches to corporate social responsibility are inadequate to offset the negative impacts of commercial activity, and pointed to an urgent need for a radical transformation of attitudes, perspectives, and practices at the corporate level.

Guests, speakers, and dignitaries from Bhutan and around the world gather to share their research, experiences, and proposals. Photo by Craig Lewis

While Bhutan, a small Vajrayana Buddhist nation nestled in the foothills of the Himalayas between India and China, has a population of just 780,000 people, the country has significant experience in maintaining the delicate balance of managing economic growth in a sustainable manner, famously encapsulated in its conservative “Gross National Happiness” (GNH) approach to national development. While challenges remain, Bhutan has already recorded numerous successes on this front, notably by becoming the world’s first and only carbon-negative country.*

The three-day forum, launched by Bhutanese prime minister Dasho Tshering Tobgay, aimed to build on this success, by translating economic principles to the business world. Tobgay emphasized that corporations need to understand that prioritizing profitability at the expense of society and the environment is an fundamentally unsustainable model: “Their inclination towards inefficient use of human and ecological capital may give rise to social conflict and turmoil as vital stakeholders are shut out from sharing the fruits of growth.”

“Integrating GNH will essentially require businesses to value society and well-being over profit, and orient [their operations] toward responsible behaviour. This would, in a sense, represent the core values of GNH,” he explained. “From a GNH standpoint, business is a vital pillar of our society; one that must make an equal contribution, if not more, to improve its happiness. For this to happen, businesses will have to integrate GNH values—not only to operate responsibly [with regard] to social and environmental concerns, but also to make themselves sustainable and profitable.”

Former World Bank vice-president Mieko Nishimizu (Japan), left, and author, doctor, and teacher Asa Hershoff (United States), right. Photos by Craig Lewis

The remote Himalayan nation has achieved international renown for its Gross National Happiness (GNH) philosophy, which was first introduced in the late 1970s by Bhutan’s fourth king, Jigme Singye Wangchuk, drawing inspiration from the kingdom’s traditional Buddhist culture. While not opposed to material development or economic progress, GNH rejects the pursuit of economic growth as the ultimate good, instead seeking to cultivate a holistic approach to balanced development and societal well-being, emphasizing sustainability, conservation, and translating cultural and social priorities into developmental goals to create a happier, more equitable society.

“I need not [explain] the inadequacies and problems of the present business model—one that is based upon the principal of privatizing profit and socializing loss,” Tobgay continued. “Sixty-nine of the top 100 economies of the world listed in the Fortune Global 500 are multinational corporations. In the top 10 is Walmart, a multinational retail chain that beats the economies of even some developed countries, like Australia and South Korea. This is the power of the corporate world.”

Traditional cultural performances entertain conference delegates. Photo by Craig Lewis

One of the principal objectives of the conference is to pave the way for a system of accreditation and certification through which GNH for businesses can be quantified and companies rated on their contribution to society beyond adherence to financial objectives. Its success in Bhutan could serve as a model to redefine commercial activity for the region and the world.

“As we know, throughout the corporate world the overarching business is to make profit for shareholders. But should this be the only responsibility? Should businesses work only for profit, or should they also bear social and ethical responsibilities?” said the Bhutanese premier. “We observe that the economic benefits of this model are often concentrated on a limited section of society, causing high inequalities. Income inequality levels have remained at historically high levels: according to Nobel Laureate Joseph Stiglitz, the top 1 per cent of the population owns 40 per cent of the wealth in the US. It is sad to note that businesses remain insufficiently aware of the real issues surrounding their operations; in most cases, their impacts are often unaccounted since assessment is based solely on financial considerations.”

Interntional academics, entrepreneurs, and teachers offered a broad range of presentations demonstrating scientific research into the efficacy of compassion-based models of corporate activity, and highlighting projects, initiatives, and organizations founded on similar values to the GNH model that are already flourishing and bringing positive, sustainable transformation to communities around the world—from rural Japan, Korea, Thailand, and Malaysia to India and Bangladesh; from the Netherlands and the Czech Republic, to the United States, Argentina, and even Machu Picchu in Peru.

Margaret Chan Kit Yok of the Universiti Teknologi MARA (Malaysia), left, and Tung Lin Kok Yuen chief executive and visiting associate professor at the University of Hong Kong Ernest Ng (Hong Kong) with Dungsam Cement Corp. deputy managing director Karma Gayleg (Bhutan), right. Photos by Craig Lewis

Almost 75 per cent of Bhutan’s population identify as Buddhists, according to data for 2010 from the Washington, DC-based Pew Research Center, with Hinduism accounting for the majority of the remainder. Most of Bhutan’s Buddhists follow either the Drukpa Kagyu or the Nyingma school of Vajrayana Buddhism.

The Dalai Lama Urges Greater Role for Women and Youth as Peace-builders

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His Holiness the Dalai Lama speaking at the two-day meeting with youth leaders of the United States Institute of Peace at the Meeting hall, His Holiness’ residence on 6 November 2017. Photo/Tashi Dhondup

By – Shyamal Sinha

His Holiness the Dalai Lama speaking at the two-day meeting with youth leaders of the United States Institute of Peace at the Meeting hall, His Holiness’ residence on 6 November 2017. Photo/Tashi Dhondup

The United States Institute of Peace works to prevent, mitigate, and resolve violent conflict around the world. USIP does this by engaging directly in conflict zones and by providing analysis, education, and resources to those working for peace. Created by Congress in 1984 as an independent, nonpartisan, federally funded organization,

His Holiness the Dalai Lama has called on youth and women leaders to further strengthen their leadership in promoting peace in their communities.

Speaking at a two-day meeting with youth leaders of the United States Institute of Peace (USIP) at his residential hall, His Holiness Dalai Lama expressed hope that we can herald a more peaceful world with synergised efforts.

He added that while men and women were all equal human beings, the latter have more potential to contribute to world peace through compassionate leadership.

“It is a such a sad situation in the world today; so much killing, violence and suffering. But if we remain demoralised, that’s not human way. It is common sense that the problems created by humans can be resolved with human effort and vision.”

His Holiness the Dalai Lama speaking at the two-day meeting with youth leaders of the United States Institute of Peace at the Meeting hall, His Holiness’ residence on 6 November 2017. Photo/Tashi Dhondup

Action-oriented initiatives and optimism are the only way to solve human-created problems, and to pave the path for a peaceful, compassionate century, he argued.

Stressing that inner peace is key to promoting peace at any extent, His Holiness said, “Trouble is not caused by weapons, it comes from one’s anger and destructive emotions…real disarmament can happen only when there is disarmament in mind and emotions.”

His message of compassion, humanity, forgiveness, tolerance and peace was delivered amid beaming smiles of 26 young representatives from conflict-torn countries from around the world. The participants discussed their peace initiatives and challenges, particularly threats to youth leaders posed by extremist religious groups

His Holiness expressed that his admiration for the young peace ambassadors and their determination to promote peace in their communities that are torn by everyday conflicts

The Tibetan leader said there is hope for humanity as compassion, not violence, is in the basic nature of human beings and encouraged youth to take charge and offer leadership in their communities to bring about positive change.

His Holiness the Dalai Lama with youth leaders of United States Institute of Peace (USIP) at meeting hall, His Holiness’ residence on 6 November 2017. Photo/OHHDL

Indian Politician Mayawati Threatens PM Modi with Conversion to Buddhism

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Mayawati Prabhu Das. From newsdogshare.com

By  Shyamal Sinha

Mayawati Prabhu Das. From newsdogshare.com

Mayawati president of the Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP), stated on 1 November that she would be forced to convert to Buddhism if the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) would not change its mindset towards minority social groups.

BSP, which focuses on a platform of social change to improve the lives of the weakest strata of Indian society — the Bahujans or Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes, Other Backward Classes, and religious minorities.

She accused the BJP of promoting a “casteist” agenda and tried to link its policies to controversial events such as the Gujarat’s Una incident on 11 July last year, where several Dalits were assaulted amid accusations of skinning cow carcasses.

“I throw an open challenge to the BJP to change its casteist and communal mindset towards Dalits, Adivasis, Backwards, and also those who have changed their religion or else I will also have to take a decision towards changing my religion to Buddhism,” said Mayawati at a party rally. (The Economic Times)

The BSP is a populist party, founded in 1984, claiming to represent the marginalized caste communities of the “Bahujans,” or the “people in majority,” who broadly fit into the officially designated social groups that are considered to be historically disadvantaged: Scheduled Castes, Scheduled Tribes, and Other Backward Castes (OBC). It also counts a share of Dalit Buddhists among its voting constituencies. At the rally, Mayawati claimed that she was waiting for Hindu leaders and people associated with the BJP to change their attitudes towards discrimination in the caste system, or else she would be forced to convert to Buddhism as a symbolic move reflecting one of the BSP’s political heroes, Dalit constitutionalist and Buddhist national father Dr. B. R. Ambedkar.

Indian PM Narendra Modi. From indianexpress.com

Mayawati’s threat may well prove to be fruitless. Notably, mass conversions to Buddhism by Dalits (which began under Ambedkar in 1956 as a public statement of “opting out” of the shashtras and their authority) have been statistically declining. Between 2001 and 2011, the number of people converting to Buddhism dropped by about 26 percent in Uttar Pradesh, the state where Maywati has been elected three times. There are also significant social and economic repercussions for being listed as a Buddhist neo-convert by the government. (The Quint)

Yet Hindu nationalists have cause for concern should Buddhist converts play a role counterproductive to their political goals. “The BJP, RSS (Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh) and Bajrang Dal are always seeking support based on the Hindu identity. When people reject Hinduism by embracing Buddhism, they also refuse to be part of their socio-political ambitions,” said political activist Nawab Satpal Tanwar.” (IndiaSpend)

The symbolism of Mayawati’s anger towards the BJP is also adding to the crumbling Buddhist diplomacy of BJP leader and Indian PM Narendra Modi, who in recent years courted both domestic and international Buddhist organizations assiduously as part of his broader political platform. Individuals like the Dalai Lama, as well as powerful forces like the International Buddhist Confederation and the Ministry of Culture, have all played direct or indirect roles in Modi’s plans. His largely forgotten Buddhist battle buses, campain busses decked with Buddhist slogans that crossed Uttar Pradesh (also claiming the political mantle of Ambedkar) canvassing for votes for the BJP in 2016, were met with widespread skepticism, along with persistent controversies swirling around the “Dhamma Chakra Yatra” leaders.

While caste discrimination is illegal under the Indian Constitution, the culture of caste permeates Indian society and politics, with religion inevitably drawn into the fray given that castes are often affiliated with different spiritual traditions.

Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi to visit India in December

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Wang Yi will attend an annual meeting of foreign ministers in New Delhi in December. Photo: AP

By – Shyamal Sinha

Meeting on sidelines of annual forum could be an opportunity to improve bilateral ties after protracted border dispute

Wang Yi will attend an annual meeting of foreign ministers in New Delhi in December. Photo: AP

He will meet his Indian counterpart Sushma Swaraj and top leaders on the sidelines of the annual meeting of foreign ministers from Russia, India and China (RIC), Indian media reported on Monday, in what will be the first high-level talks between Beijing and New Delhi since the start of President Xi Jinping’s second term.Xi Jinping may have opened China’s Communist Party Congress as “first among equals,” but he walks away as much more than that. He’s now likely the most powerful leader this country’s known since Mao Zedong.
By far, he is first among 1.4 billion.

No dates have been given for Wang’s visit, but it could provide an opportunity to improve bilateral ties between the two countries after a protracted border dispute at the remote Doklam plateau – claimed by both China and Bhutan, an ally of India – that ended with a mutual “disengagement” in late August.As per Chinese claims, Doklam is located in the Xigaze area of Tibet, bordering the state of Sikkim. However Bhutan was not a party to the Convention.In 1949, Bhutan signed a treaty with India giving allowance to India to guide its diplomatic and defense affairs.

Shortly after the 73-day stand-off, Xi and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi met on the sidelines of the BRICS summit in the Chinese port city of Xiamen and agreed to move forward.

In letter to Tibetan herders, Xi sends message on China’s border row with India

Wang was supposed to attend a RIC meeting of foreign ministers in April but the trip was cancelled due to scheduling problems. Beijing had earlier that month lodged a diplomatic protest with India over the Dalai Lama’s visit to Arunachal Pradesh. But the Chinese foreign ministry later dismissed the suggestion that the two events were related.

Regional experts said that in the aftermath of the Doklam crisis, the two sides could engage in a more focused discussion in December.

“The meeting could see an exchange of views on bilateral relations – both progress and problems – and perhaps they will explore new ideas and take a fresh look at some of the pressing issues and irritants,” according to Rajeev Chaturvedy, a research associate with the Institute of South Asian Studies at the National University of Singapore.

The Chinese foreign ministry did not immediately respond to inquiries about the trip.

US to help India balance China’s power under Donald Trump’s new Asia strategy, ex-CIA official reveals

Rohan Mukherjee, an Asian affairs expert at the Yale-NUS College in Singapore, echoed that view.

“By and large, the emphasis of both sides is likely to be on moving forward on a cooperative footing and adhering to peaceful methods of resolving future incidents along the border,” Mukherjee said.

“But unfortunately, structural factors such as India’s and China’s growing power and interests will make cooperation architecture difficult to create and maintain.”

Before the military stand-off, a US$50 billion Chinese investment in the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor – part of Beijing’s belt and road trade plan – had also troubled India, since it runs through contested territory in Kashmir that India claims as its own.

The troops may have stepped back, but the China-India dispute in the Himalayas is far from over

Long Xingchun, a South Asian affairs expert at China West Normal University, said New Delhi was wary of Beijing’s ambitious trade and infrastructure initiative, but China needed India’s support.

“China doesn’t want to have any conflict with India, since it doesn’t pose any major threat to Chinese national and regime security. And given that India is increasingly moving closer to the United States, China’s main geopolitical rival, it’s a country that Beijing wants to win over,” Long said.

US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson told a Washington think tank this month that the US wanted to work with India over the next century to promote a “free and open” Asia-Pacific region led by prosperous democracies.

His Holiness the Dalai Lama to Give Teachings in Bodh Gaya in January 2018

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Tibetan spiritual leader His Holiness the Dalai Lama. Photo/OHHDL

Published By Tenzin Saldon

Tibetan spiritual leader His Holiness the Dalai Lama. Photo/OHHDL

Dharamshala: Tibetan spiritual leader, His Holiness the Dalai Lama will give teachings on The Four Noble Truths, Sutra on Dependent Origination, Nagarjuna’s Commentary on Bodhicitta and Gyalsey Thokme Sangpos’s Thirty-Seven Practices of a Bodhisattva in Bodh Gaya, Bihar in January 2018.

Teaching on Four Noble Truths & Sutra on Dependent Origination

From 5 – 7 January, His Holiness will give a three-day teaching on Dharmachakra Parivaretan Sutra on The Four Noble Truths (chokyi khorlo korwe do) & Sutra on Dependent Origination (tendrel chi do). The teaching has been requested by Indian Buddhists of Nalanda Shiksha.

Teaching on Nagarjuna’s Commentary on Bodhicitta & Gyalsey Thokme Sangpos’s Thirty-Seven Practices of a Bodhisattva

From 14 – 16 January, His Holiness will give another three-day teaching on Nagarjuna’s Commentary on Bodhicitta (jangchup semdrel)& Gyalsey Thokme Sangpos’s Thirty-Seven Practices of a Bodhisattva (laklen sodunma) in the mornings.

Thailand Royal Funeral to Honor the Late King Bhumibol Adulyadej

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People gather outside the royal crematorium in Bangkok’s Sanam Luang. From abcnews.go.com

By  Shyamal Sinha

People gather outside the royal crematorium in Bangkok’s Sanam Luang. From abcnews.go.com

नैनं छिन्दन्ति शस्त्राणि नैनं दहति पावकः । न चैनं क्लेदयन्त्यापो न शोषयति मारुतः ॥
The soul can never be cut into pieces by any weapon, nor can he be burned by fire, nor moistened by water, nor withered by the wind.

Marking the end of a year of national grief, hundreds of thousands of black-clad mourners, many openly weeping, lined the streets of Bangkok’s historical quarter to pay their final respects to Thailand’s late king, Bhumibol Adulyadej (1946–2016), who was cremated late on Thursday night in an elaborate Buddhist ceremony. The late monarch’s son and Thailand’s new ruler, King Maha Vajiralongkorn, presided over the proceedings, which are estimated to have drawn more than 250,000 people from across the country.

King Bhumibol Adulyadej (r. 1946–2016) passed away at Bangkok’s Sririraj Hospital on 13 October last year at the age of 88, following many years of ill health. The late king, also known as Rama IX as the ninth monarch of the Chakri dynasty, was the world’s longest-serving head of state and the longest-reigning monarch in Thai history, having sat on the throne for more than 70 years. Widely loved and respected in Thailand, he was popularly seen as a unifying figure of stability in the country that has struggled through decades of political instability punctuated by numerous military coups. His only living son, Maha Vajiralongkorn, has since assumed the throne, although he does not enjoy the same level of public approval as his late father.

Thailand’s new king, Maha Vajiralongkorn, during a ceremony for the royal cremation. From reuters.com

 

Ceremonial drummers accompany the royal cremation procession. From reuters.com

A series of complex Buddhist ceremonies and Brahmin rituals, which began on Wednesday, is being held over five days for the late monarch who had lain in state in the Dusit Maha Prasat Throne Hall within Bangkok’s Grand Palace. Preparations for the state funeral have taken nearly a year at a cost of some 3 billion baht (US$90 million), including an elaborate royal crematorium, built for the occasion and standing more than 50 meters tall, according to officials involved in its design, which is based on Buddhist cosmology.

The crematorium’s main structure is crowned with a seven-tiered roof and spire, and surrounded by eight pavilions representing the mountains surrounding Mount Meru. The pavilions are decorated with sculptures of mythical creatures, such as naga, kinnara, and garuda, from the Himavanta (Thai: Himmaphan), a forest believed to surround the base of Mount Meru. For those unable to attend the funeral in person, 85 miniature replicas of the royal cremation site were set up throughout the country.

The royal urn is transported in a solemn procession through
Bangkok’s historic quarter. From nationmultimedia.com

 

Garlands decorate the Great Victory Chariot carrying the royal urn. From reuters.com

The cremation formalities began on Thursday morning, when King Maha Vajiralongkorn arrived at the Dusit Maha Prasat Throne Hall to pay his respects to his father and ask permission to transfer the royal urn to the crematorium. The urn was then transported on an ornate palanquin borne by 60 officials, joining the first royal procession of the day. For the second procession, the urn was moved to the Royal Chariot of Great Victory, accompanied by more than 2,000 soldiers. A third procession saw the urn borne by the Royal Gun Carriage before being conveyed to the royal Crematorium in the nearby Sanam Luang public area, in the historic center of Bangkok.

The Royal Chariot of Great Victory carrying the urn. From reuters.com

 

Royal guards march with the cremation procession. From reuters.com

More than 95 per cent of Thailand’s population was born during the late king’s reign, and most Thais view him as a stabilizing figure in a period characterized by economic transformation and political upheaval. Many of those lining the streets of the Thai capital had spent the night on the pavements near the iconic Grand Palace for the opportunity to say farewell to the only monarch they had ever known.

“He was the lifeblood of the nation,” said 60-year-old Sorana Theppanao, who said he had been sleeping outside for three days to get a spot near the procession. (Reuters)

“I love the late King so much. I am overwhelmed; I don’t know how to put it into words,” said 53-year-old Piyarporn Supaporn, a housewife from the eastern province of Rayong. “Our hearts and our minds are directed towards our beloved father.” (Bangkok Post)

“This is the last goodbye,” said 42-year-old Pimsupak Suthin, 42, in tears, who had traveled from Thailand’s northern Nan Province for the occasion. “I really love and miss him. It is very difficult to describe.” (Reuters)

Mourners weep as the the royal urn in borne through the streets. From reuters.com

 

Weeping for the late king, mourners prostrate before the royal funeral procession. From reuters.com

The royal cremation proper, started at 10pm local time on Thursday in the presence of the royal family. A column of smoke rising from the crematorium at 11.30pm marked the late king’s final departure for those gathered to say goodbye to the “father” of Thailand. Officials in charge of the ceremony said about 110,000 people had gathered in a cordoned zone near the cremation area, with another 200,000 nearby.

Along with members of the Thai royal family, senior monks, and government officials, foreign dignitaries from more than 40 countries were also present to pay their respects to the late monarch, among them the king and queen of Bhutan, who have maintained close ties with Thailand’s ruling family, and royals from Britain, Japan, the Netherlands, Norway, Spain, and Sweden.

The royal urn is seen inside the ornate crematorium near the Grand Palace. From reuters.com

On Friday morning, the Buddhist rituals and rites continued. The late king’s cremated remains were blessed by Supreme Patriarch Somdet Phra Maha Muniwong, head of Thailand’s monastic sangha, and King Maha Vajiralongkorn, whose coronation can only take place after his father’s funeral, returned to the crematorium to lead a ceremony to transfer the ashes back to the Grand Palace, where the funeral will continue until Sunday.

Thailand is predominantly a Theravada Buddhist country, with 93.2 per cent of the kingdom’s population of 69 million identify as Buddhists, according to 2010 data from the Washington, DC-based Pew Research Center.

Buddhism has always been a missionary religion and Theravada Buddhism was able to spread due to the work and travel of missionaries. The Mon people are an ethnic group from Burma(Myanmar) that contributed to the success of Theravada Buddhism within Indochina. Buddhism was likely introduced to the Mon people during the rule of Ashoka Maurya, the leader of the Mauryan Dynasty (268-232 BCE) in India. Ashoka ruled his kingdom in accordance with Buddhist law and throughout his reign he dispatched court ambassadors and missionaries to bring the teachings of the Buddha to the east and Macedonia, as well to parts of Southeast Asia. India had trading routes that ran through Cambodia, allowing for the spread of these ideologies to easily occur. The Mons are one of the earliest ethnic groups from Southeast Asia and as the region shifted and grew, new inhabitants to Burma adopted the Mon people’s culture, script, and religion.

Smoke rising from the royal crematorium at 11.30pm on Thursday. From bangokpost.com

CTA President Inaugurates Annual Workshop on Tibetan Medicare System

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President Dr Lobsang Sangay addressing the inaugural ceremony of the three-day workshop on Tibetan Medicare System at Tibetan Reception Centre, 25 October 2017. Photo/Tenzin Phende/DIIR

By – Shyamal Sinha

President Dr Lobsang Sangay addressing the inaugural ceremony of the three-day workshop on Tibetan Medicare System at Tibetan Reception Centre, 25 October 2017. Photo/Tenzin Phende/DIIR

President Dr Lobsang Sangay, Central Tibetan Administration inaugurated a 3-day workshop on the Tibetan Medicare System (TMS), a social health insurance programme of the Department of Health, seeking to improve public health and well-being of the Tibetan community in-exile through access to quality secondary and tertiary healthcare.

At least 48 Tibetan medical officers, doctors, health workers from 33 different settlements are participating in the 3-day meeting cum workshop, being held at the Tibetan Reception Centre.

President Dr Lobsang Sangay presenting the High Enrollment in TMS 2017 – 18 awards to medical officers of Ladakh, Miao and Mundgod Tibetan settlement. Photo/Tenzin Phende/DIIR

In his inaugural remarks, President Dr Lobsang Sangay welcomed the growing trust and participation of public in the Medicare System over the last six years.

Recalling the momentous awarding of Certificate of Appreciation upon the TMS team of Health department, by the USAID, President Dr Sangay congratulated the medical officers and health staff of the various Tibetan settlements, who have been incremental to the success of TMS.

“Department of Health is the first ever CTA body to receive such a letter of appreciation from a foreign government organisation in the 14th as well as 15th Kashag. This Certificate is a recognition of hard work and commitment of the staff of the Central Tibetan Administration particularly the health department, towards community and health service,” he said.

Dr Sangay encouraged the heath staff, particularly those directly dealing with the Medicare Programme, to provide quality and compassionate guidance to members/claimants of TMS, and to ensure that they receive an excellent experience of care from the TMS.”

Kalon Choekyong Wangchuk, Department of Health delivering the introductory remarks at the inauguration of the 3-day workshop on Tibetan Medicare System. Photo/Tenzin Phende/DIIR

Kalon Choekyong Wangchuk of the Heath department described TMS as a completely non-profit and charitable programme with welfare of the Tibetan public as its sole objective. He announced that the TMS has gained 100 more members over the year and prided the improved public awareness and support for the programme.

President Dr Sangay presented awards to medical officers of Ladakh, Miao and Mundgod Tibetan settlement for achieving highest enrollment in the Tibetan Medicare System 2017 – 18.

The three-day meeting will review the overall performance of the programme and discuss the progress of TMS over the year. The meeting will also discuss the challenges faced with regard to the implementation of the programme, and the causes for low performances in certain settlements as well as other procedures such as reimbursments, bill claiming system etc.

Tibetan medical officers, health staff and TMS officers with CTA President Dr Lobsang Sangay. Photo/Tenzin Phende/DIIR