BBC: Dalai Lama questions wisdom of self-immolations (w/video - including first video from Tibet)

[ellisonz]

Exclusive to the BBC:
18 November 2011 Last updated at 16:21 ET

The Tibetan spiritual leader, the Dalai Lama, says he is very worried about the growing number of monks and nuns setting themselves on fire to protest against Chinese rule in Tibet.

He told the BBC he was not encouraging such actions - saying there was no doubt they required courage, but questioning how effective they were.

There have been 11 cases of self-immolation so far this year.

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China has condemned the self-immolation campaign as immoral and inhuman, saying it will never succeed.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-15799562

[ellisonz]

1. Morning Kick

OMMMMMMMMMM

:o

[ellisonz]

2. Notice he does not condemn their actions.

[FreeState]

3. Why would he?

Not sure that he's saying it's a good thing either (the view of traditional Tibetan Buddhism is very different than western thought in regards to death etc).

[ellisonz]

4. Well they are harming themselves...

and so as not to provoke the PRC further in its current repression. I'm very aware of Tibetan Buddhist beliefs about death and Buddhist thought on it general.

Geshey Lobsang, a monk at the monastery of the Dalai Lama in Dharamsala, the Tibetan spiritual leader’s home-in-exile in India, said when it comes to suicide the teachings of Buddhism are ambiguous.

“It is sin to destroy one’s body, but Buddhist philosophy also states that every action should be driven by good motivation and reason,” he said. “So, if the Tibetans self-immolated with a good motivation and to fulfill a higher cause, it cannot be counted as sin.”

http://www.taipeitimes.com/News/world/archives/2011/11/04/2003517453

It is an awful thing - but at this point it is seen as an act of desperation.