Religion and Politics in Tibet Essay -- Political

Tenzin Gyatso, the 14th Dalai Lama, is the spiritual and political leader of an ancient people without a country, and is the binding and driving force behind Tibetan nonviolent resistance and cultural rebuilding. He was born July 6, 1935, making him 69 years old. He has lived all but 15 of these 69 years in exile from his country, continually being a main reason for their survival. The Dalai Lama is now considering his successor, and plans to do so through democratic means instead of the traditional process of divination. He has also been guiding his country toward a westernized organization of government in recent years, more and more towards a greater separation of church and state. How will Tibet, a country defined by its religious fervor, survive in exile with a separation of religion and politics? The Dalai Lama and Tibet have stood together against one of the largest countries in the world for half a century. Even though Tibet has yet to regain its sovereignty, it has managed to survive and even thrive while in exile, and is slowly making small steps back toward once again ruling the Land of Snows. Tibet’s success so far is due to its unique blend of religion and politics. Their success is evident in the equality of their people, their peaceful nature, and the continued success of their resistance to China for the last 54 years. A Secular Dalai Lama The Dalai Lama is the living incarnation of the Bodhisattva of compassion, Avalokitesvara. The institution of the Dalai Lama was created by a Mongol chief, Altan Khan, in the year 1578. Altan Khan already ruled a great section of the Mongolian empire and parts of northern China when he first came in contact with Tibet. In this first meeting, Altan met t... ...lizes.† Peace Magazine. (Oct-Dec 2002): 6 Ram, Senthil. The Pragmatism in Tibetan Nonviolent Politics [online]. The Transnational Foundation for Peace and Future Research, June 2004 [cited 18 November 2004]. Available from the World Wide Web: (http://www.transnational.org /forum/Nonviolence/2004/Ram_pragmatismTibet.html) The Government of Tibet in Exile [online]. Available from the World Wide Web: (www.tibet.com) Thurman, Robert A. F, Kenneth Kraft. Inner Peace, World Peace: Tibet and the Monastic Army of Peace. Albany: State University of New York Press, 1992. US Department of State [online]. Available from the World Wide Web: (www.state.gov) Woodward, Kenneth L. â€Å"Dalai Lama: 'My Name, My Popularity' Useful in Promoting Human Values, Harmony Among Religions; 'Next Dalai Lama Could Be Indian or European ... Even A Woman'.† Newsweek. (August 9, 1999)