The Meaning of Life in Dharamsala

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After the successful crackdown of a Tibetan uprising in 1959, China’s premier Mao Zedong was proudly briefing Russia’s Nikita Khrushchev about his success in containing the region.
“And what happened to the Dalai Lama?” asked Khrushchev.
“He escaped,” replied Mao.
“Then you have lost the war,” said Khrushchev.
And so it has come to pass. Since his escape into exile in 1959, the Dalai Lama has become one of the world’s most respected spiritual and political leaders. His inherent wisdom, compassion and devotion to non-violent protest have raised Tibet’s campaign for liberation into a worldwide phenomenon. Western media is highly in favour of what the Chinese call the “Dalai Clique”, rock stars like the Beastie Boys, REM and Radiohead throw benefit concerts, movie stars make frequent journeys to Dharamsala. Brad Pitt was awful in “Seven years in Tibet”, but don’t blame His Holiness. The Dalai Lama’s “Middle Way” solution, comprising non-violent protest and constant travel to raise awareness caught the Chinese off guard. Tibet has become a crack in their porcelain as they increasingly court the West as a business and economic superpower. Despite instituting their own propaganda campaign in 1993, the issue of a liberated Tibet remains one of the West’s most prominent international social causes. Meanwhile, the Chinese fear that a handover of Tibet could lead to the “Square Effect”, as in Tiananmen Square. Showing weakness to “internal protest” could spell the end of the central government, and history shows that nobody in power will give it up without a fight. After decades of pumping billions of dollars into a Tibetan infrastructure, the Chinese have admitted their failure to win the hearts and minds of the Tibetan people itself, primarily because they have continued to attack the office of the Dalai Lama.

“The Dalai Lama and Tibetan Buddhism cannot be separated. The campaign cannot be restricted to him personally or to politics alone. Inevitably, it extends to the entire Tibetan religion,” writes Wang Lixiong, a Chinese Tibetan researcher. Politically the Chinese could annex Tibet and be done with it. Tibet, however, is ruled by a “God-King”, a commonly used yet misleading term that illustrates the Dalai’s Lama’s reverence amongst his people. Millions around the world are practitioners of Tibetan Buddhism, including many in China. Tibet’s legacy was ensured by politics and religion culminating in one man, a leader who is also the 14th successive reincarnation of the bodhisattva, the human manifestation of compassion and mercy. He is worshipped and respected around the world, and this is why I felt especially privileged to be the only foreigner allowed to bring my camera at a ceremony inside the temple this week. Security was intense. Everyone who entered the temple on early Wednesday morning was thoroughly searched by a highly trained Tibetan guard.

Indian soldiers slouched with machine guns around the inner sanctuary. The dutiful elaborately prostrated themselves amidst the chants and mantras of the monks, with the deep Tibetan horn sounding like a call to arms from the bowels of the earth itself. I had mere seconds to see, point and shoot. The Dalai Lama, constantly smiling, was rushed back to his residence, and the crowd quickly disbanded.

Many believe that entire issue will come to a head over the 2008 Olympics in Beijing. In effect it could be China’s coming out party to the world - the birth of a new era and potential superpower. In a culture where saving face means more than anything, the prospect of thousands of Tibetan protestors and a newly energized barrage of Western criticism could seriously rain on their parade. The Tibetan camp is gearing up to use this to their advantage, and there are encouraging indications that China is starting to loosen up. There have been four meetings between Tibetan and Chinese authorities in recent years, with the Tibetans urging protestors to back off in order to give the Chinese some space. Here in Dharamsala, there is optimism, but it’s still a game of cat mouse. After the Panchen Lama was kidnapped and China appointed their own puppet Panchen Lama (residing in Beijing and not recognized by the Dalai Lama), they believed they could simply wait for the Dalai Lama to die and do the same. In response, the Dalai Lama has repeatedly stated that so long as he is in exile, so his successor will be born in exile too. Winner of the 1989 Nobel Peace Prize, buddies with Bishop Tutu, tirelessly compassionate, there appears to be a lot resting on the shoulders of this inspiring 70-year-old man. In fact, one could say an entire nation, religion and culture.

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