New photocopy rules introduced in Tibet

By Michael Bristow  BBC News, Beijing People in the Tibetan capital of Lhasa will have to register their names if they want to make photocopies. City shopkeepers say the authorities are particularly concerned about material printed in Tibetan. This appears to be an attempt to prevent ordinary people from printing political pamphlets and other documents. It suggests the security forces still have a tight grip on the city, two years after serious riots. Individuals wanting to photocopy documents will have to show their ID cards and have the information recorded. Companies will have to register their names and addresses, the number of copies they want and provide the name of the manager in charge of the work. The police say they will carry out checks and punish any shop that does not abide by the new regulation. 'Aimed at criminals' Photocopying outlets in Lhasa told the BBC that the rule is primarily aimed at the Tibetan language. One shopkeeper said she would not now make copies of documents in Tibetan without police approval first. Material printed in Chinese does not seem to be too much of a problem. The authorities say the change is aimed at stopping criminals carrying out illegal activities. But the suspicion is that it is directed at those who might want to print political pamphlets critical of the Chinese government. It suggests that more than two years after a major outbreak of unrest in Tibetan areas, security is still tight in Lhasa.

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China's Panchen Lama visits earthquake zone: state media

AFP) – 1 day ago

BEIJING — China's controversial choice as the second highest Tibetan Buddhist leader visited the country's earthquake zone Friday to hold prayer services for victims of the disaster, state media reported.

The visit by Gyaincain Norbu, chosen by Beijing as the Panchen Lama after it rejected a boy selected by the exiled Dalai Lama, comes after China snubbed a request by the Tibetan spiritual leader to be allowed into the quake area.

The 6.9-magnitude quake struck April 14, killing more than 2,000 people and flattening thousands of homes in the ethnically Tibetan region of Yushu in northwestern China.

The Dalai Lama had appealed to the government to allow him into China for the first time in 51 years to visit the quake zone in Qinghai province, where he was born. China did not publicly respond.

The region's ethnic Tibetan people revere the Dalai Lama as their spiritual guide despite Chinese attempts to demonise him as a separatist bent on fomenting unrest in his restive homeland.

The Dalai Lama denies such charges, saying he wants only a meaningful form of autonomy in Tibet, where he says China has waged a campaign to exterminate traditional Tibetan culture.

Gyaincain Norbu, 20, was named by China as the 11th Panchen Lama in a 1995 ceremony overseen by the Communist Party.

The Dalai Lama's choice for Panchen Lama, Gedhun Choekyi Nyima, quickly disappeared from public view and is believed to have been under a form of house arrest ever since.

In the Tibetan Buddhist hierarchy, the Panchen Lama is second only to the Dalai Lama.

China has been steadily raising the profile of its Panchen Lama choice as he has grown up. In recent appearances he has routinely praised the Communist Party leadership and China's rule of Tibet.

Tibetan exiles dismiss him as a puppet of Beijing.

Scientist inspired by Dalai Lama studies happiness

By RYAN J. FOLEY (AP) – 4 hours ago

MADISON, Wis. — After hearing about his cutting-edge research on the brain and emotions through mutual friends, the Dalai Lama invited Richard Davidson to his home in India in 1992 to pose a question.

Scientists often study depression, anxiety and fear, but why not devote your work to the causes of positive human qualities like happiness and compassion? the exiled Tibetan spiritual leader asked.

"I couldn't give him a good answer," recalled Davidson, a University of Wisconsin-Madison neuroscientist.

Since then, Davidson has become a partner in the Dalai Lama's attempts to build a connection between Buddhism and western science. This weekend, the Dalai Lama will mark the opening of the Center for Investigating Healthy Minds at the university's Waisman Center, where more than a dozen researchers will study the science behind positive qualities of mind. Davidson said the center will be the only one in the world with a meditation room next to a brain imaging laboratory.

Davidson's research has used brain imaging technology on Buddhist monks and other veteran practitioners of meditation to try to learn how their training affects mental health.

His team's findings suggest meditation and other "contemplative practices" can improve compassion, empathy, kindness and attention. They support the concept that even adult brains can change through experience and learning.

"He's made some interesting discoveries about meditation, and I think he is doing very good science," said John Wiley, who was university chancellor from 2001 to 2008 and is interim director of the Wisconsin Institutes for Discovery.

Initially, "a significant number of his colleagues around the world were suspicious and thought that it wasn't adequately grounded in hard science," Wiley said. "He's proved them wrong."

The appearance comes as the Dalai Lama has spent more time promoting research into traditional Buddhist meditative practices and urging scientists to help create a more ethical and peaceful world.

Davidson, named one of Time magazine's most 100 influential people in 2006, will appear with the Dalai Lama at scientific events five times this year.

"His relationship with the Dalai Lama lends a great deal of public influence to the hard science that he does," said David Addiss, a former Centers for Disease Control official who now works at the Fetzer Institute, a Michigan nonprofit that gave Davidson a $2.5 million grant.

Yet Davidson's relationship with the Dalai Lama remains controversial. When he invited the Dalai Lama to speak at a 2005 neuroscience conference, dozens of researchers signed a petition in protest.

Some of the criticism appeared motivated by Chinese researchers who disagree politically with the Dalai Lama's stance on Tibet. Others said it was an inappropriate mix of faith with science.

Davidson, who meditates every morning but does not consider himself a practicing Buddhist, has also been criticized for being too close to someone with an interest in the outcome of his research.

Davidson said the Dalai Lama's commitment to science is remarkable for a religious leader of his stature, and notes that the Dalai Lama has said he is prepared to give up any part of Buddhism that is contradicted by scientific fact.

"He also is the first one to point out the limitations of meditation and how it's not a cure all and be all for everything and has very limited effects on health," Davidson said.

Davidson is ready to test his research in real-world situations. The center plans to begin training local fifth-grade teachers next fall to cultivate skills like patience and relaxation among their students.

"We're really intrigued with his research that shows students can learn how to relax so they can focus more on learning," said Sue Abplanalp, assistant superintendent for elementary schools in the Madison public schools.

Copyright © 2010 The Associated Press. All rights reserved.

Russia ready to assist Tibet dialogue between Dalai Lama and China

PTI

Thursday, May 13, 2010 16:49 IST

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Moscow: In a major shift, Russia today said it is ready to assist in the dialogue between China and the Tibetan spiritual leader the Dalai Lama to resolve the vexed Tibet issue.

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He said occasional attempts to politicise the Dalai Lama's role as a spiritual leader do not bring any desired results, including the development of ties between the Dalai Lama and Buddhists in Russia.

"We are carefully following what is happening between the leadership of China and the Dalai Lama and we know that the Chinese leadership is deeply committed to the Dalai Lama dissociating himself from any kind of political activity and separatist tendencies," Lavrov said.

Representatives of the Dalai Lama and Chinese government have held a number of rounds of talks on the Tibet issue, but no progress has been made so far.

So far Moscow, which recognises Tibet as integral part of China, was looking at the dispute between the Dalai Lama and China as Beijing's "internal matter".

Russia had in 2004 reluctantly allowed the Dalai Lama into the country to meet his followers.

The Kremlin has been under pressure to allow the visits of the Dalai Lama to meet his followers as Buddhism is one of the officially recognised traditional religions of Russia along with Orthodox Christianity, Islam and Judaism.

There are some 700,000 followers of Buddhism in the Russian Federation, mostly in the eastern areas like Buryatia bordering on Mongolia and Republic of Kalmykia in South Russia.

Lavrov said Moscow supports the development of inter-religious and inter-faith ties, but is against aspects of religion that have been distorted into politics.

The state-run RIA Novosti in its comment noted that Dalai Lama, who fled Tibet in 1959, has repeatedly said he seeks autonomy for Tibet rather than independence from China.

"Millions of Russian Buddhists are looking forward to the Dalai Lama's visit and a decision should be made on this matter," Mikhail Kapura, who represents the Republic of Kalmykia in the Federation Council, told Interfax.

Dalai Lama talks of brother, religions

BLOOMINGTON, Ind. -- When his elder brother died here in 2008, the Dalai Lama didn't make it to the funeral. When you believe in reincarnation, and that this life is just a doorway to the next, there's no great importance to funerals, his followers explained.

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"A difficult question": After his news conference Thursday, the Dalai Lama told Kai Grise that with the changes in China, there might be progress for Tibetans during the boy's lifetime. - Jeremy Hogan / Associated Press

RELATED INFORMATION

Want to go

Tickets are available for the Dalai Lama's Indianapolis appearance.

» Public talk: "Facing Challenges with Compassion and Wisdom," 9:30 a.m. today, Conseco Fieldhouse.

» Cost: $25 general admission;students, $15.

» Info: (317) 917-2727; www.tmbcc.net; www.ticketmaster.com.

The general public is encouraged to arrive by 7:30 a.m. for security checks.

But after spending two days this week on the grounds of the cultural center his brother founded, the Dalai Lama seemed a bit misty-eyed for a moment when asked Thursday what it meant to be here after his brother's passing.

"Of course my elder brother is a very sincere person, a very dedicated person. We respect him," the Dalai Lama said. "However, when his death took, he (was) already very old. So that is the normal way to go."

The Dalai Lama, who will conclude his sixth Indiana visit this morning with a public talk in Indianapolis at Conseco Fieldhouse, had a news conference Thursday with members of the media from across the world. It was his first news conference in the state since he started coming to Indiana in 1987.

The 74-year-old spiritual leader of Tibetan Buddhism and political leader of the exiled government of Tibet kept a full schedule this week, with three sessions of religious teachings plus numerous private meetings with religious leaders and Tibetan refugees at the Tibetan Mongolian Buddhist Cultural Center.

By the time he took his seat Thursday -- in a plush chair in front of a wall of yak butter sculptures and an assortment of paintings of the Buddha -- he admitted to being "a little bit exhausted."

Soon, though, the Nobel Peace Prize laureate launched into a 10-minute oration on the importance of an unbiased press; the falsehood that wealth, fame and power can bring happiness; and his belief that, despite their differences, the major world religions have a lot in common. To help convey his message, he waved his arms, stabbed at the air with his finger and flashed his trademark smile. Speaking in English, only occasionally did he turn to his interpreter to help him understand a question.

The death of his brother, whom Buddhists know as Tagster Rinpoche and Hoosiers as the late Indiana University Professor Thubten J. Norbu, came with the knowledge that the cultural center Norbu founded continues its work.

"Spirituality is very much alive here. And that means my late brother's spirit very much still exists here," the Dalai Lama said. "So I am very happy."

Buddhists believe Norbu to have been the reincarnation of a high lama, or spiritual leader. The Dalai Lama said the search for Tagster Rinpoche's next reincarnation could begin in the next year or two.

Dalai Lama to return to Rochester for routine medical exam

By Matt Russell

The Post-Bulletin, Rochester MN

Dalai Lama in Rochester
2006: Spoke on the topic of "Compassion in the Face of Suffering" to around 360 Mayo Clinic staff members while at Mayo for a routine physical examination.
2008: Spoke at a private, day-long event titled "Investigating the Mind-Body Connection: The Science and Clinical Applications of Meditation" sponsored by Mayo and the Colorado-based Mind and Life Institute. Also received a checkup at Mayo.
2009: Spoke to hundreds of Tibetans at the Saint Marys Hospital chapel while in Rochester for a checkup at Mayo.
2010: Expected to receive a routine physical examination in Rochester, according to two leaders in the Twin Cities Tibetan community.
Just weeks after marking his 50th year in exile from Tibet, the Dalai Lama is expected to arrive soon in Rochester for a short, medical-related visit, according to two leaders in Minnesota's Tibetan community.
"I think this is a routine physical check that he does, nothing beyond that," said Tsewang Ngodup, president of the Tibetan American Foundation of Minnesota.
The Dalai Lama has received routine checkups at Mayo Clinic since at least 2006. A Mayo spokesman said he had no information to share on the Tibetan leader, but Tibetan American Foundation of Minnesota vice president Dawa K. Waleag said the Dalai Lama is expected to arrive in Rochester a day or two before his Sunday talk at the University of Wisconsin-Madison.



The Dalai Lama, 74, whose birth name is Tenzin Gyatso, is in Indiana until Friday as he starts a two-week U.S. visit. He has no events scheduled Saturday or Monday, according to his official website. On Tuesday he's scheduled to speak in Cedar Falls, Iowa, which is about 100 miles south of Rochester.
The Dalai Lama's visit to Rochester would be at least the fourth time he's come here since 2006. Three previous visits happened in April and included routine physical examinations.
The Buddhist leader spoke at private events attended primarily by Mayo Clinic employees in 2006 and in 2008, when Chinese protesters greeted him as tensions flared in Tibet. Last year he spoke for about 40 minutes to hundreds of Tibetans at the Saint Marys Hospital chapel.
The Nobel Peace Prize Laureate has no scheduled public appearances in Rochester. Neither Ngodup nor Waleag expect he will meet with large groups of Tibetans in Rochester. Hundreds of Tibetans plan to travel from Minnesota to Madison for the Dalai Lama's appearance there, however, Ngodup said.
A group of Cambodian Buddhist monks living in Rochester met briefly with the Dalai Lama during his 2008 visit, but no such meeting has been arranged for this visit to Rochester, said Tracy Sam, an active member of the local Cambodian Buddhist community.
Having the Dalai Lama in the area is a profound experience for Tibetans, Ngodup said.
"All the Tibetans consider him their leader, spiritual as well as temporal," he said. "That's at times hard to to describe."
The Dalai Lama is believed to be the reincarnation of the 13th Dalai Lama, Thubten Gyatso, who died in 1933. The Dalai Lamas are believed to be manifestations of the Bodhisattva of Compassion. Bodhisattvas are believed to be enlightened beings who have chosen to take rebirth in order to serve humanity.