Nasty Little Man

Dog & panchen show in China

Well, the Chinese finally trotted out their choice for Panchen Lama, the second-highest position in Tibetan Buddhism. For background, 11 years ago the Dalai Lama named a six-year-old boy as the 11th incarnation of the Panchen Lama. That boy, his family, and the monks who helped to find him disappeared almost immediately. Today they are believed to be in custody, probably under house arrest. Tibetan groups generally presume that the boy was integrated into Chinese society.

The PRC, that authority on Tibetan Buddhism (well, at least, an authority on destroying Tibetan Buddhism) then chose another boy as the Panchen Lama.

The boy, Gyaltsen Norbu, is now 16 and spoke at the World Buddhist Forum in Hangzhou, China. Although he received applause during his speech, he was ignored by the other delegates at the forum, according to the AP.

For the PRC to pass itself as a protector of Tibetan Buddhism is like George W. Bush passing himself off as a protector of freedom and democracy.

posted by Kinder Gentler Little Man @ 2:03 PM