DHARAMSHALA: The Kashag of the Central Tibetan Administration today issued a clarification regarding the postponement of Kalachakra at a press conference at DIIR’s Lhakpa Tsering memorial hall. Ven Karma Gelek Yuthok, Secretary of Kashag and, Mr Sonam Norbu Dagpo and Mr Tashi Phuntsok, Secretaries of Department of Information and International Relations (DIIR) were present at the press conference.
As directed by Kashag, Mr Tashi Phuntsok, Secretary of Department of Information and International Relations and Spokesperson of Central Tibetan Administration read the clarification.
Click here to read the clarification in Tibetan.
Kashag’s Clarification
In the lead up to the elections of Sikyong and the 16th Tibetan Parliament-in-Exile, debates, discussions and review of the Tibetan movement are intensive in the general Tibetan populace. In light of such events, it has emerged in social media and other mass communication channels that a Sikyong candidate has been making baseless allegations and criticism regarding the activities of the 14th Kashag. Therefore, the Kashag feels it necessary to clarify on the following two issues:
1: Postponement of 34th Kalachakra 2016
Regarding the postponement of the Kalachakra initiation, previously scheduled for January 2016 at Bodh Gaya, the Kashag of the Central Tibetan Administration has already announced the reasons on 31 August 2015. Moreover, His Holiness the Dalai Lama himself has also clearly explained the reasons for the same on two separate occasions. His Holiness the Dalai Lama made the first explanation a few months ago at Minnesota in the United States. His Holiness the Dalai Lama explained the reason again at Tashi Lunpo monastery in the Tibetan Settlement of Bylakuppe in South India.
In such a case, talking about a reason differing from the ones already stated by His Holiness the Dalai Lama and the Kashag is not only just fabrication, but also a dereliction of duty on the part of the individual towards the public and the administration.
The fact behind the issue is as such: On 29 August 2015, His Holiness the Dalai Lama directed two of his secretaries to meet with Sikyong for discussion and explanation on the issue of postponing the Kalachakra. Kalon for the Department of Religion and Culture, and Kalon for the Department of Security, the two heads of the Kalachakra Organising Committee were also in attendance at the meeting. During the discussion, the two secretaries of His Holiness the Dalai Lama explained about the medical check ups that His Holiness the Dalai Lama underwent at New Delhi in July 2015. They informed that during the medical check up, the doctors advised the need for prostrate treatment for His Holiness the Dalai Lama.
His Holiness the Dalai Lama took the matter into consideration and sought spiritual guidance on the issue through divination. Consequently, all seven divinations that His Holiness conducted revealed the advice of medical treatment and to postpone the Kalachakra initiation.
The Kalachakra is a unique and special initiation. Unlike other teachings, the Kalachakra cannot be stopped arbitrarily in between once it is started. Moreover, if the teachings were to be stopped out of compulsion in between, it would have caused severe inconveniences to the tens of thousands of devotees and public from around the world.
In fact, Sikyong shared during the meeting with the Secretaries of His Holiness the Dalai Lama that there is nothing more important than the health of His Holiness the Dalai Lama. More importantly, since the decision to postpone the Kalachakra was advised by the successive divinations conducted by His Holiness the Dalai Lama, the Kashag resolved to wholeheartedly support the decision made by His Holiness the Dalai Lama. Sikyong also recalled the inconveniences caused as a result of a sudden termination of the Kalachakra teachings, as was the case in 2002.
However, it was speculated that if the issue of His Holiness the Dalai Lama’s medical treatment were specified in the Kashag’s announcement to postpone the Kalachakra, it would alarm the public leading to panic and distress. Therefore, the Kashag have suggested explaining the postponement of the Kalachakra as an effort to make the hectic schedule of His Holiness the Dalai Lama less exhaustive. His Holiness the Dalai Lama promptly and eagerly affirmed the suggestion the next day. As a result, the Kashag publicly announced the postponement of the 34th Kalachakra initiation on 31 August.
The Kashag’s announcement clearly hinted the medical treatment by citing the reduction of the hectic schedule of His Holiness the Dalai Lama and need to rest. The official website of Gaden Phodrang also published the same reason in their announcement. Sikyong accordingly briefed his colleagues in the Kashag and the Speaker and Deputy Speaker of the Tibetan Parliament-in-Exile.
When His Holiness the Dalai Lama visited Mayo Clinic at Minnesota, US, in September 2015, the doctors there also advised rest and medical treatment. As a result, His Holiness the Dalai Lama’s entire engagements in the US in October 2015 were cancelled. His Holiness the Dalai Lama explained it again to the local Tibetan public in Minnesota that the Kalachakra initiation scheduled for Mongolia and Bodh Gaya were postponed for medical treatment.
Similarly, while expressing New Year greetings at Tashi Lhunpo monastery in Bylakuppe Tibetan Settlement, South India, His Holiness yet again gave medical treatment as the reasons for the postponement of the Kalachakra. His Holiness also promised that he would hold the next Kalachakra in January 2017. The fact that His Holiness the Dalai Lama’s medical treatment in the US fell exactly on the same date as the Kalachakra, as though it was planned, needs no further explanation and is clear to everybody.
In conclusion, we would like to reiterate that the Kalachakra was postponed solely at the advice of the doctors and as per the guidance provided by several divinations conducted by His Holiness the Dalai Lama. His Holiness the Dalai Lama has also clearly explained, in two separate occasions, the reasons for the postponement. Other than the reasons specified above, the Kashag don’t have any other explanations on the issue.
2: Usage of His Holiness the Dalai Lama’s title in Office of Tibet
His Holiness the Dalai Lama is referred to as ‘Tibet and the Tibetan People’s Protector and Symbol’ in Article 1, Chapter 1 of the Charter for Tibetan Exiles. Therefore, wantonly discussing such sacred provision related to His Holiness is not only unwarranted but also a matter of deep concern and sorrow.
In spite of being fully acquainted with the issue of using His Holiness the Dalai Lama’s title in the Offices of Tibet and the democratisation process of the Tibetan polity – beginning from the semi-retirement phase in 2001 and the complete devolution of political authority by His Holiness in 2011- the respected individual’s disinformation efforts and attempts to misinterpret such an important issue is a sign of not taking one’s responsibility appropriately.
Kashag
5 February 2016
Note: The main text of the clarification is a translation of the original in Tibetan. In case of discrepancies, treat the original in Tibetan as final and authoritative.
