Address of His Holiness the Dalai Lama at the Swearing
in Ceremony of the Chairman and Vice-Chairman of the twelfth Assembly
of Tibetan People’s Deputies, Dharamshala, 1 June 1996
Today, to the rest of the members of the present Parliament and the
occasion of the swearing in of the Chairman and Vice-Chairman, I wish
“Tashi Delek” to all of you.
Basically, we are living as exiles but during the past over
thirty-seven years our achievements have definitely not been few. From
them the practical change to democracy is one of our biggest
achievements. It is not mere mouthing of words but our parliamentarians
who have been duly elected by the people, have actual power. Secondly,
of late, among the masses also, there has not only been a realisation
of their obligations towards the election of the Deputies, but
considering its importance, awareness and responsibility has increased
which I think is a good sign. The quality of our Parliament is also
improving from session to session. With experience, one becomes
familiar, and by that, the proceedings are also gaining in standard.
During the term of the previous Parliament, everyone worked hard.
Mainly Samdhong Rinpoche put utmost effort. Now, during this Parliament
also, quite a few of you have been re-elected and quite a number of new
ones have come. Specially, many women are there. I think, it is very
good. Certainly, it is worth being proud of. Secondly, many youngsters
have also come and this is also to be proud of. Our task is the
struggle for the cause of a race of people. Therefore, as the older
generation passes away, it is but natural that the younger generation
should continue to shoulder the responsibilities one after another. So,
the present correct line up and the systematic stage that is prevailing
is something we can be proud of. It is very good. Therefore, all of you
during this term have the right conditions to be more methodical and
achieve better results than before. You have the opportunity. So I wish
and pray for the best for all of you. At the same time, I urge you to
do your best.
We are political exiles. Therefore, on top of overcoming the problems
of being exiled and securing our rights, we have the duty to achieve
the highly important common cause of Tibet. Most of all, as the
Tibetans remaining in Tibet are looking towards us with hope, we are
bound by a great duty. To fulfil that duty it is a stupendous task
because our adversary in the struggle for Tibetan freedom is a very
powerful nation, a country in the world which is closely guarded, and
one has to be wary of it. Since we have to struggle with it, we are
doubtful of our ability, but our struggle is reasonable, and it is a
rightful one. We are trying to fulfil this duty not because we want to
win and defeat the other. Thus, if the task is rightful and reasonable,
it is not a question of who is more or less powerful. If it is
unreasonable and unjust, then it can be decided only through might
because there is no scope for reasoning and justification. But our
struggle here being reasonable and just, we are striving to achieve
well-being and happiness for the Tibetans as well as the Chinese not
because of a raw sense of greed wherein we want to be on the top and
dominate the other. So the claim that since we have truth on our side,
it must have some power is not just out of faith.
It is now past forty-five or forty-six years since the Chinese occupied
Tibet. It is about thirty-eight years since we became exiles. From our
side, the Tibetan issue is an issue which happened over forty years ago
and as nearly thirty-eight years have passed since the emergency of
1959, it has become quite old. As a number of new happenings occur in
the world, naturally, the old ones are forgotten. Secondly, in some
countries where oil is produced, it leaves no choice for the powerful
nations but to involve themselves due to the economic consideration. Or
where there is struggle for power, there it becomes convenient to be
involved in such a struggle. It becomes easy for those who want to
help. Although our case is not like that and despite many obstacles we
have faced, Tibet is receiving more and more attention every year. Not
only that, from the Chinese side also, although one may be a neutral
person, it is natural that he has the racial inclination and feeling
for his country. Even then, among the Chinese today, the number of
people paying attention to Tibet is increasing and they are supporting
the Tibetans. They believe that Tibetans are justified, that the
Chinese government’s policy on Tibet so far was full of mistakes, and
there are now a number of people who recognise that it has not been
perfect. There are sure signs that we have truth on our side and its
power is gradually becoming more apparent.
If we glance at the situation in Tibet, whether it is the Chinese
government policy, the simple fact is that nowadays they are very
repressive and hard. Similarly, outside, when we travel from one place
to another, the Chinese embassies try very hard to create obstacles.
Why are they doing that? Against the powerful Chinese government, when
we Tibetans are able to create a bit of unpleasantness, they exploit
every power to oppose us. Actually it does not make much of a
difference. The most important thing is that if the Tibetans in Tibet
remain faithful to the Chinese, there is no reason for the Chinese
government to be harsh on a few Tibetans outside. But inside Tibet,
there is so much repression and torture that the Chinese, for fear of
disgrace to the world, try always to hide the pitiable situation in
order to avoid the foul smell coming out. They are forced to do
something against their will because we are able to exert some
pressure. Therefore our rightful work has a definite influence and that
influence is becoming more and more clear. As it is in our proverb,
“when Buddha appeared, the devotee had become old”. There are very few
Tibetans and too many Chinese. Under such a situation, there is the
danger that before Tibet regains its rightful status, the great
“liberation” may come sooner. Otherwise we may rest assured and work
with hope and trust. Therefore, it is important that everyone must make
efforts as before, so that truth can be placed on the highest pedestal
it deserves. Here we are struggling for truth and reason and not
victory for self and defeat to the other. This should be our basic
ideology and character in our day to day work and when we are holding
discussions. We should uphold such an ideology and character.
It will be no good at all if such ideology and character are discarded.
As Tibetans, whether we have a responsibility or not, or whoever it may
be, we are striving for truth. Therefore, I take it to be very
important that each Tibetan must sincerely conform one’s lifestyle to
the principle that we are striving for. We are following the path of
non-violence. Our struggle is motivated by compassion. For future
Tibet, with a minimum of a comprehensive self-rule and from that,
gradually, in a good atmosphere free of suspicion, we are hoping to
make Tibet a zone of peace. Such is our aim.
Non-violence does not mean the mere renunciation of arms. It is not
enough that externally there are no weapons, but internally, within our
thoughts, there should be the feeling of compassion. If a person is
full of hatred, presumptuousness and with harmful intentions, without
external arms, he will use even a stone. Therefore the real meaning of
non-violence is that mentally there should be no violence within. Its
identity is the compassionate thought. So, all of us Tibetans, when we
are striving with conviction to achieve such a major aim, it is
important that in our day to day life there should be compassion in our
hearts and we should lead our life accordingly. If there is this
feeling of compassion, there will be respect for others. If there is
respect for others, we will obey the law of karma without jealousy,
automatically, we will be very honest. Therefore, in our daily lives,
all of us must act with the nobility of character and it is important
that this should be inbuilt in our behaviour as a way of life. If we
don’t pay attention to this, slowly, although there are good qualities
in it and if we can pick up the good points, but in today’s fast world,
people’s hearts may be attracted too much by it. In the past, due to
our isolation from the world, we certainly lagged behind in many
things. We have to make up for those deficiencies but at the same time,
we should not err from the beginning in our judgement while selecting
the positive points so that the base jealousies of the fast world can
be avoided. This I think is important.
Therefore, the members of our Parliament have been elected with a hope
because in the present Tibetan society, they know more, they have
influence, and their mental faculties are better. Since these are the
better ones among the exiled population like the cream in the milk, the
noble Tibetan characteristics that I emphasised on just now, should be
present in them the reason being that they have to be the model of
our society. For example, in my own case, when I talk of the need of
compassion for other people, I do not think that it is only for talking
to others and that I myself don’t need it. I get up around 3.30 in the
morning. From that time onwards, I consider compassion as my very life,
holding it dear and sacred, and trying to practice it. Similarly, in
your case also, in your daily lives, in order to become noble and
virtuous, you must try very hard. Our people have elected you by
putting their hope and reposing their faith in you. Such persons should
not only provide political leadership, but must invent an all pervasive
condition of both the modern and the traditional values so that our
real future aim whereby ‘the self is in a state of bliss and others
admire it’ can be achieved. Without the dual presence of the modern and
the traditional, there is no way that the state of bliss and admiration
for self and others respectively, can be attained. Therefore, when the
ocean of our society has been elected to provide such leadership,
verbal descriptions are not enough. But with the force of character of
one’s body, mind and speech, one should be able to instil it in the
people and themselves become models for them. When we talk of
attracting peoples’ minds, mere words will not be enough. Except for a
fool, a thinking person cannot be won over by mere words because he or
she will examine them. Anyone can use sweet words. Even the great
sinners of the nether world know such words. But in actual practice, if
the everyday character one’s body, mind and speech become inseparable
from nobility, and that too not just for one or two weeks, months and
years but till one’s last breath, then, as has been said that ‘fire is
known from smoke and stream from its sound’, such a person, though he
may not be fluent in speech, will be admired, respected and become a
model for others because that person is good and worthy of respect. If
that happens, we would achieve the aim of our freedom struggle. The
goal of our freedom struggle, as I said just now, is not only that we
may be reunited with our people left behind in our country. Our goal is
to achieve, through both modern and traditional means, a society rich
with people of virtuous nobility. That is our aim. That is what we hope
for.
What we are therefore saying is that under the Chinese, such a
condition cannot be achieved. It is not that we don’t like the Chinese.
By living under the Chinese, if it can enable us to achieve genuine
happiness and prosperity, there is no problem. But that is not
possible. For the Chinese to grant us such a wholesome condition, the
virtues must be first present in them. As is said in our scriptures,
‘the sweet smell of sandalwood, being first present in itself, it can
then spread that noble aroma to the others nearby’. The noble aroma has
to be present in the self first before it can be spread to the others
and if the Chinese do not have that capacity, it is not possible for
them to give it to us. Since the special noble character that we
possess cannot be given to us by the Chinese, we have valid reasons
when we say that we want self-rule. I am not talking only of Tibetan
history. History is history. The future is important. We have evolved
these conditions actually to benefit the Chinese also, and bring
happiness to the Tibetans, and not only that but to set a noble example
to the world. We have the capability. What we are demanding is an
opportunity to do these things. Therefore, in the case of others and
when I say others I do not mean anybody there is a class of people
who are satisfied merely with the victory of the self and defeat of the
other. We are not like that. As I mentioned just now, since we are
holding a responsibility to achieve nobility and remove the negativity
in the human society, it should be present in oneself before setting an
example to others. If it is not present in oneself, one cannot show the
example to others. So those of you who are in the Parliament should
also see to it that these qualities are present in you in the first
instance. The great Je Tsongkhapa Rinpoche in his ‘Stages of the Path’,
after preaching about the ways of following the teacher, says, ‘those
who want to have guru should know all these qualities and seek one who
has all of them present. Those who want to have a student, should also
see to it that one is in possession of these qualities.’ In the same
way, being elected with hope as giants among the pygmies in the
society, if one has the intention to instruct and lead, it is important
that the nobility of character should be present in oneself and then
only you can provide leadership. Otherwise, if the person elected by
the people with expectations disgraces himself/herself from the top by
indulging in petty jealousies, partiality and communalism, and deprives
the people of a model, this will be sad and shameful. Therefore, it is
important to keep this in the mind.
Inside Tibet, since the Chinese are in control, whether it is about
education or character, the responsibility is with them. Here in exile,
although we are only small in number, but regarding education or
instructions and practice in the varying religious institutions for the
sake of reviving Buddhism or among the office staff, many young people
are coming forward. Regarding these things, although the Chinese do not
mention directly, but in fact, seeing that they are lagging behind,
they say that they should compete with Dharamshala, that by competing
with Dharamshala, they should not lag behind. So, although exiled
Tibetans are only few in number in the world, but whether it is about
education of the children or the Buddhist religious instructions and
practice in the monasteries, these have become our foundation. In the
same way, if we compare our democratic system with the Tibet under
Chinese control, we have not lagged behind at all. We can be proud of
these things in the world. The present Chinese action is a policy of
desperation. It is very clear that this will not help in solving the
problems in future. May it be Taiwan or Hong Kong or Tibet, the present
Chinese policy is to suppress the people only temporarily and it is
intended to show to the world that China is a powerful nation which
does not intend to be wary of anybody. They themselves know that this
will neither solve nor help to solve the problems. Thus, as the present
situation will not only continue to prevail but there is the risk of it
becoming still worse. Sooner or later, gradually, the Chinese will also
come to think on pragmatic lines. At the international level too, calls
to this effect are being made internally to the Chinese. Therefore,
sooner or later, we will surely get the chance to talk. If that day
comes, then, we will be able to prove what is good and what is bad at
the world stage. If we can be really qualitative and do well, on that
day, we will be able to talk to them without being double faced. The
Chinese live under dubious tactics. Even with their arms, power and
influence they cannot assert themselves, and when we talk to them face
to face, our strength will definitely come out. So we should consider
this to be important because this is the power, this is the weapon by
which we can oppose the other side. One should not think that when we
talk about the nobility of character, it is merely a dogma. It is
something that the Dalai Lama talks about. It is an error if one thinks
that nobility is good but the need of the moment is to challenge the
Chinese. If our intention is to challenge the Chinese with swords and
guns, then what we are doing at present is not the right way. But if we
want to challenge them logical reasoning, then what I have talked about
just now, these should be present in ourselves. This is important.
While saying that I have not much to speak about, I have already talked
a lot. Now I shall speak no more. All of you, kindly keep in mind what
I have spoken so far and try to do your level best. Thank you. Tashi
Delek!
Note: His Holiness the Dalai Lama delivered
the above speech extempore in Tibetan. This English translation is not
issued by the Office of His Holiness the Dalai Lama, and any
comparison, therefore, should not be made with the one in Tibetan. This
is only for information of the visitors who can’t read Tibetan. In case
of doubts, consider the original speech in Tibetan.