Did China really try and smuggle in the Panchen Lama into the country, smuggle in meaning minus visa and other immigration formalities?
This commentary draws from an article by veteran Nepali journalist Anil Giri, in The Kathmandu Post, where he writes about China trying to bring the Panchen Lama into the country.
In the Tibetan Buddhist tradition, the Panchen Lama is second only to the Dalai Lama in terms of his spiritual authority, and along with the council of high lamas, is responsible for seeking out the next Dalai Lama.
The trouble is the Panchen Lama China may have tried to illegally bring into Nepal is Beijing’s appointee and therefore lacks credibility.
The Panchen Lama chosen by the Dalai Lama is recognised as legitimate but was taken away by Beijing 29 years ago as a six-year-old boy. His whereabouts remain unknown to this day.
China’s appointment of its own Panchen Lama was done with the intention of interfering in the choice of successor to the current Dalai Lama, who has been living in exile in India since fleeing Tibet in 1959.
Important to note that China is an officially atheist country and at various times has attacked adherents of every faith, ranging from Buddhist and Taoists to Christians and Muslims.
Clearly, the manner in which China has gone about touting its “good faith”, reeks of hypocrisy but that has not stopped Beijing from trying to project itself as the centre of world Buddhism, and seeking to shape its theology.
The Nepali government may have got an inkling of China’s plans to bring in the Panchen Lama and ensured it did not happen. In fact, a flight from Chengdu in China to Lumbini in Nepal was mysteriously cancelled on the day Beijing’s Panchen Lama was to land.
Tune in to the commentary for more on the flight that never was.
