04/10/2015
Help Buddhism Survive and Thrive: Tsona Rinpoche
The following statement by H.E. the 13th Tsona Gontse Rinpoche was posted on iSikkim.com on June 22, 2011. As the title states, Rinpoche spoke eloquently on the urgent need to preserve Buddhism in the Himalayan regions and thereby help Buddhism endure in the world. The need to preserve genuine Buddhist in the Himalayan regions is of even more importance today. We urge all people to do their part to help fulfill Rinpoche’s vision for Buddhism in the Himalayan region – The “Remembering the 13th Tsona Gonste Rinpoche” Facebook team.
“Whenever I go to Japan, Sri Lanka, Taiwan, Hong Kong, Laos, Cambodia, Vietnam and even in the western countries, people greet with love, affection and respect saying I come from India, the land which gave birth to Buddha and Buddhism.”
These were the defining words of Honourable Tsona Gontse Rinpoche in a meeting held at the Hauz Khas, (the) New Delhi-based camp of the Sherab Sangpo Society. On Monday, the respected Rinpoche met Prime Minister Manmohan Singh to drive through his point that Buddhism and Buddhists need to be supported today more than ever. Rinpoche is also the Chairman of the Department of Karmik and Adhyatmik (Chos-Rig) Affairs, Govt. of Arunachal Pradesh.
In the meeting with the PM the Rinpoche raised three major issues:
1. The number of Buddhists is on a continuous decline in the Himalayan belt. He underlined that Buddhists have maintained peace and harmony in the great mountains for thousands of years. Today, there are Buddhists in small pockets in Leh and Ladakh, Himachal (Pradesh), Nepal, Sikkim, Bhutan and Arunachal Pradesh. These Buddhists have always stood for India and her glorious tradition. Today they are facing threats from a host of factors.
2. Rinpoche said that the culture and language of Buddhists in the Himalayan Region is under threat due to the invasion of various national and global forces. He requested the government to help promote Buddhist (institutions) in this belt and establish an institute of Buddhist learning. He said that such an institute (would) benefit Buddhists from Nepal, Bhutan, Tibet and Arunachal.
3. The Bhoti (Tibetan) Language is the language of (Himalayan) Buddhists. It’s from Bhot that Bhutias have got their ethnic name. Putting Bhoti language in the 8th schedule will save this language from being wiped out.
Rinpoche also urged the government to celebrate 2600 years of Buddha’s enlightenment as a national festival. He said that this will earn India the goodwill of not only Himalayan Buddhists but also the Buddhists spread across the world, many of them being in countries where India has very high stakes.
Apart from Rinpoche five others were also present during the meeting with the PM. They are Thopchen Rinpoche, Lama Chhospel Zodpa, Varun Tamang (Religious Secretary, Dilli Tamang Buddhist Ghedunla) and Lobsang Lama (Cultural Secretary, Dilli Tamang Buddhist Ghedunla).
The delegation submitted a memorandum to the PM and the PM assured them of action on all issues.
Earlier on Saturday, during the meeting at the Delhi camp, Rinpche expressed concern about the decline of Buddhism in India. He said that millions of people have become Buddhists in the western countries, but India continues to be a typical case. There have been cases of people coming into the Buddhist fold but that has happened mainly to avoid caste system. There is a need to revive the great tradition of love and harmony and give Buddhists a greater sense of bonding, the Rinpoche said.
