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[NEWS] China Says Buddhas Must Obtain Permission for Reincarnation

Discussion in 'BBS Hangout: Debate & Discussion' started by Jeff, Aug 6, 2007.

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  1. Jeff

    Jeff Clutch Crew

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    http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/world/article2194682.ece

    China tells living Buddhas to obtain permission before they reincarnate

    Tibet’s living Buddhas have been banned from reincarnation without permission from China’s atheist leaders. The ban is included in new rules intended to assert Beijing’s authority over Tibet’s restive and deeply Buddhist people.

    “The so-called reincarnated living Buddha without government approval is illegal and invalid,” according to the order, which comes into effect on September 1.

    The 14-part regulation issued by the State Administration for Religious Affairs is aimed at limiting the influence of Tibet’s exiled god-king, the Dalai Lama, and at preventing the re-incarnation of the 72-year-old monk without approval from Beijing.

    It is the latest in a series of measures by the Communist authorities to tighten their grip over Tibet. Reincarnate lamas, known as tulkus, often lead religious communities and oversee the training of monks, giving them enormous influence over religious life in the Himalayan region. Anyone outside China is banned from taking part in the process of seeking and recognising a living Buddha, effectively excluding the Dalai Lama, who traditionally can play an important role in giving recognition to candidate reincarnates.

    For the first time China has given the Government the power to ensure that no new living Buddha can be identified, sounding a possible death knell to a mystical system that dates back at least as far as the 12th century.

    China already insists that only the Government can approve the appointments of Tibet’s two most important monks, the Dalai Lama and the Panchen Lama. The Dalai Lama’s announcement in May 1995 that a search inside Tibet — and with the co- operation of a prominent abbot — had identified the 11th reincarnation of the Panchen Lama, who died in 1989, enraged Beijing. That prompted the Communist authorities to restart the search and to send a senior Politburo member to Lhasa to oversee the final choice. This resulted in top Communist officials presiding over a ceremony at the main Jokhang temple in Lhasa in which names of three boys inscribed on ivory sticks were placed inside a golden urn and a lot was then drawn to find the true reincarnation.

    The boy chosen by the Dalai Lama has disappeared. The abbot who worked with the Dalai Lama was jailed and has since vanished. Several sets of rules on seeking out “soul boys” were promulgated in 1995, but were effectively in abeyance and hundreds of living Buddhas are now believed to live inside and outside China.

    All Tibetans believe in reincarnation, but only the holiest or most outstanding individuals are believed to be recognisable — a tulku, or apparent body. One Tibetan monk told The Times: “In the past there was no such regulation. The management of living Buddhas is becoming more strict.”

    The search for a reincarnation is a mystical process involving clues left by the deceased and visions among leading monks on where to look. The current Dalai Lama, the fourteenth of the line, was identified in 1937 when monks came to his village.

    China has long insisted that it must have the final say over the appointment of the most senior lamas. Tibet experts said that the new regulations may also be aimed at limiting the influence of new lamas.

    Good luck enforcing that one. :)
     
    #1 Jeff, Aug 6, 2007
  2. MadMax

    MadMax Member

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    Also, if you're gonna be resurrected, you need a new social security number.
     
    #2 MadMax, Aug 6, 2007
  3. DaDakota

    DaDakota Balance wins
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    LOL - government enforcing religious beliefs about reincarnation...yeah this is going to work......
     
    #3 DaDakota, Aug 6, 2007
  4. tigermission1

    tigermission1 Member

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    China is a totalitarian state, so it goes with the territory...
     
    #4 tigermission1, Aug 6, 2007
  5. Dr of Dunk

    Dr of Dunk Clutch Crew

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    China sometimes worries me ... they're about to become the #1 economy in the world within the next 15-30 years, are already a superpower, a huge exporter of the world's goods, and then I read stuff like this. I want to laugh, but I can't because they're serious. :confused:
     
    #5 Dr of Dunk, Aug 6, 2007
  6. StupidMoniker

    StupidMoniker I lost a bet

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    I thought this was from the Onion when I read the thread title. So sad. :eek:
     
    #6 StupidMoniker, Aug 6, 2007
  7. rocketsjudoka

    rocketsjudoka Member

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    Off to the D & D in 1,2,3...
     
    #7 rocketsjudoka, Aug 6, 2007
  8. meh

    meh Member

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    Maybe someone knowledgable in Tibetan culture can enlighten me on this. But how do the Tibetans determine who is a reincarnation of someone else?

    It seems to me this is just the government trying to exert further influence on Tibet, by making sure that Tibetan leaders are "loyal" to the communist government. Now, I'm doubtful of just how they can carry out the order... but that would involve knowing how these leaders are selected in the first place.

    Seriously though... how is this NOT an Onion piece?
     
    #8 meh, Aug 6, 2007
  9. dntrwl

    dntrwl Member

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    maybe they wait until the kids are like 14, then see which one is ascetic
     
    #9 dntrwl, Aug 6, 2007
  10. Invisible Fan

    Invisible Fan Member

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    It sounds odd for me to say this, but their people and values do concern me a bit. After 50+ years of destroying religious and cultural traditions, the CCP has tried to assume its role as the country's identity. As the CCP slowly loses its power to an increasing middle class, there will be an identity crisis. It's kind of why they're slowly relaxing religious restrictions as long as it has their stamp of approval.

    But without an identity, their people could stick to nationalistic tendencies in the form of manifest destiny or whatnot. Just a passing thought, because more would probably tip this into D&D.
     
    #10 Invisible Fan, Aug 7, 2007
  11. arno_ed

    arno_ed Member

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    They follow signs, and when they find e certain child they think might be the reincarnation they basically do a couple of tests with the child, for example recognizing objects that used to be of their former selve. and other tests

    It is sad that China does smething like this, i agree they cannot enforce people from getting reincarnated, however if China really wants to enforce this they will ban the search for the reincarnation. And that way they will probably try to avoid a delegation finding the new Dalai Lama(when the current Dalai Lama dies).

    This is really funny if it wasn't so sad :( :rolleyes:
     
    #11 arno_ed, Aug 7, 2007
  12. Mr. Brightside

    Mr. Brightside Member

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    Next, China will begin harassing and torturing peaceful, meditation loving people. Oh wait....

    I sound like a broken record..
     
    #12 Mr. Brightside, Aug 7, 2007
  13. aussiejack

    aussiejack Member

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    i dont think the chinese government actually think the guys can reincarnate but rather use this absurd law to mock them...the chinese are cunning ;)
     
    #13 aussiejack, Aug 7, 2007
  14. meh

    meh Member

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    Thank you for the explanation. Anyway, I don't want to make this into a D&D discussion, so I won't further comment on it.
     
    #14 meh, Aug 7, 2007
  15. Invisible Fan

    Invisible Fan Member

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    The Chinese gov is smart enough not to make it an outright ban. Instead it'd be Lama they'd approve and forced upon the people.

    I think the current Lama is the best chance for both parties to work a decent, if uneasy compromise. He commands respect and dignity among his people, and he doesn't call for outright independence.
     
    #15 Invisible Fan, Aug 7, 2007
  16. arno_ed

    arno_ed Member

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    I agree, the problem is that he is old, and when he dies the next Lama will be a kid. And i fear the chance of a compromise will be difficult in that situation.
     
    #16 arno_ed, Aug 7, 2007
  17. Carl Herrera

    Carl Herrera Member

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    Don't hate... you guys need to understand the reality here... unregulated buddhas running wild in the countrysides confusing simple countryfolks as to which the real ones are is a huge problem among the people.

    Tell me you wouldn't want Bush to do something if there are a dozen Jesuses running around. ;)
     
    #17 Carl Herrera, Aug 7, 2007
  18. kgw

    kgw Member

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    Others have posted more amusing replies, but I suspect the real reason they are doing this is that people were claiming their children to be reincarnated Buddhas in order to avoid the government's restriction on the number of children. The government is simply refusing to make an exception.
     
    #18 kgw, Aug 7, 2007
  19. KaiSeR SoZe

    KaiSeR SoZe Member

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    FREE TIBET!!
     
    #19 KaiSeR SoZe, Aug 7, 2007
  20. SwoLy-D

    SwoLy-D Member

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    She should just retire from anything close to the wrestling and stop complaining about Buddhism. :rolleyes:
     
    #20 SwoLy-D, Aug 7, 2007
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