Lodi Gyari Rinpoche is no more. He passed away yesterday morn inward a San Francisco hospital, where he was beingness treated for liver cancer. Rinpoche was 69. His household unit of measurement members were reported to live amongst him.
Gyari Rinpoche was born inward 1949 inward Nyarong inward eastern Tibet, where he received a traditional monastic pedagogy every bit the tulku of Khenchen Jampal Dewe Nyima from Lumorap Monastery.
In 1959, he fled amongst his household unit of measurement to India.
In 1970, Rinpoche had been i of the founding members of the Tibetan Youth Congress.
In 1982 together with 1984, he was a junior fellow member of the delegation which went to Cathay to 'negotiate'.
From 2002 to 2009, he conducted the talks amongst Cathay every bit the Dalai Lama's Special Enjoy.
I am posting today a twelve-year old interview amongst Lodi Gyari Rinpoche.
It appeared on Apr 20, 2006 inward Rediff.com nether the championship Why Cathay volition change: The Tibet factor
A few days before his divergence for Beijing for the 5th circular of talks amongst the People's Republic of China, the Dalai Lama's primary negotiator together with Special Envoy inward Washington, DC Lodi Gyari Rinpoche spoke to Claude Arpi.
Examining the dynamics of the 'dialogue process' amongst China, he shared his frustrations together with hopes for the future. He also explained how hard it has been for the Dalai Lama to abandon his claim for independence together with to select that Tibet becomes a 'genuinely autonomous' purpose of the People's Republic.
He also examined an interesting ingredient which may play a role inward finding a solution to the Tibetan tangle: The revival of Buddhism inward China.
What tin yous tell us nearly the negotiations that yous are conducting amongst China?
The Tibetan displace is a really unique movement. This tin live seen from the means nosotros are conducting the negotiations amongst the People's Republic of China. We are doing it inward a dissimilar way. If i day, His Holiness the Dalai Lama's' efforts succeed, it volition non only remove hold an acquit on on the 6 meg Tibetans, but it volition also live a breakthrough for humanity, because of the nature of our negotiations.
Even for someone similar me, engaged inward the negotiations, I come across it to a greater extent than every bit a spiritual practise than an exercise inward diplomacy. Let me explicate this. I cry back really vividly that inward 1987, when His Holiness get-go presented the 'Middle Way approach' inward a formal document, he consulted a few people exterior of the Tibetan leadership.
One of them was quondam (US) President (Jimmy) Carter. His Holiness has a lot of honor for President Carter, non because he had been the USA president, but because His Holiness believes he is really wise together with religious minded (in fact he became closer to us after he left the White House). So I flew straight from New Delhi to New York to Minneapolis, where President Carter was staying at that time, to present him an 8-page document, which after became the 'Strasbourg Proposal'.
He actually took fourth dimension to read it through (he is famous for that) together with took nearly i lx minutes to study it really carefully. Then he turned to me together with asked: "What is His Holiness' bottom line?" I told him: "This is the bottom line." He was surprised: "If this is the bottom line, yous remove hold to start from somewhere else."
I responded to President Carter maxim this number was raised, but His Holiness' seat is that he is non a pol together with that he was a uncomplicated monk who wants to live actually sincere together with transparent together with house on the tabular array what he actually wants.
It is because of such a nature of our negotiations seat that I experience our success, when it happens, volition live a major breakthrough inward the fine art of negotiation.
Was it hard for the Dalai Lama?
It has been extremely hard for His Holiness. When he chose 'the Middle Way' path, at that topographic point were tremendous protests from his ain people. This rigid opposition came from people who were cook to give their lives for the cause. And every bit someone who served His Holiness really closely together with has been intimately involved inward the process, I tin tell you, it was really painful. It was for sure a hard thing for those of us who had the accolade to live associated amongst him. But it was fifty-fifty to a greater extent than hard for His Holiness to select such a decision.
He showed that he was a existent leader, because a existent leader has sometimes to select unpopular decisions. He showed that he had the courage to select hard decisions. I e'er portion this amongst my Chinese colleagues to give them an thought of the extent His Holiness has gone to move for a mutually satisfactory solution.
I would similar to cry a personal experience. My woman parent was i of the get-go women to select on the create create against the Chinese. She was quite good known. Though she was a really gentle woman, she never hesitated to create create the Chinese.
When I accompanied His Holiness to Strasbourg to introduce the Proposal, she was deeply upset amongst me. Until His Holiness' presentation of his proposal to the European Parliament, I would maintain this document nether my pillow because it was extremely confidential.
When I returned from Strasbourg, the get-go thing my woman parent told me: "If I had known that the documents that yous were so preciously guarding were this Proposal, I would remove hold ripped it apart."
This is simply to give yous an thought nearly the mindset of the Tibetan people when they get-go heard of the Proposal. This shows how hard the procedure has been.
Tell us to a greater extent than nearly your involvement inward this dialogue.
My get-go trip to Cathay was inward 1982, when I was chairman of the Tibetan parliament. I was purpose of the high flat exploratory delegation sent yesteryear His Holiness the Dalai Lama. When nosotros get-go landed inward China, the Chinese officials came frontwards to greet us. For a moment, I did non know what to do: if I milk shiver mitt amongst them, it would a betrayal of the thousands Tibetans every bit good every bit my household unit of measurement members.
At that moment, I had a flashback of my grandmother together with my brothers who died nether indescribable circumstances. I thought that if I milk shiver hands, I would betray all those Tibetan who died. Many Tibetans had a similar experience.
Despite all this, nosotros are today engaging the Chinese because nosotros believe that it is the best solution. From this angle also yous tin come across how of import the dialogue procedure is. This is for sure non simply diplomacy. It is the background of our dialogue amongst China.
How would yous depict the negotiations?
Usually around sort of glamour is associated amongst negotiations of this nature, but inward our case, it is non similar this. There is a existent human approach. That is why I believe that the acquit on of this type of dialogue goes far beyond the Tibetan people together with the Tibetan plateau.
Further, if these efforts of His Holiness acquit around fruits, it tin convey nearly around primal shift inward China. You may intend it is likewise ambitious, but if it sincerely done, it is possible though it is difficult. From this betoken of see also it is really of import that our procedure succeed.
Does anybody else inward the basis present involvement inward the Sino-Tibetan dialogue?
Lately, at that topographic point is a renewed concern nearly China, especially inward Washington, DC. There was a fourth dimension when at that topographic point was so much enthusiasm nearly China: it was considered every bit the most of import solid reason to live courted. It was the biggest marketplace that ever existed. Cathay could larn away amongst everything. But things remove hold changed.
If the Middle East developments had non happened, it would remove hold come upwards fifty-fifty earlier, but at that topographic point is today a keen concern nearly China; around people fifty-fifty come across Cathay every bit a threat.
I tell my American friends: "Well your concern is real, but You tin non solve anything through confrontation or yesteryear using force. You should brand Cathay to a greater extent than friendly together with less isolated."
That is why I intend that amongst the positive mental attitude of His Holiness, the Tibetan number tin live a tremendously positive ingredient for the futurity of China. I create non state this inward an idealist way, but am beingness really practical.
Can yous give us around examples?
Zhao Ziyang, the quondam Chinese premier, died lately after spending many years nether occupation solid arrest. When he was critically ill, nosotros received a message from i of his sons: 'My manful individual parent is really ill, tin yous enquire His Holiness to pray for him?' We assumed that this asking came because the boy was interested inward Buddhism. I passed the asking to His Holiness who prayed for him. Then after the expiry of Zhao Ziyang came a communication from all his children thanking His Holiness for praying for their father.
But what surprised me most is when nosotros were informed that virtually the final give-and-take of Zhao Ziyang was the cry of His Holiness. We are talking nearly a individual who reached the highest flat of the Chinese hierarchy (general secretarial assistant of the Communist political party together with premier).
This illustrates the extent of reverence for His Holiness fifty-fifty inward Cathay today. There are many other instances.
I create non believe that it is likewise far-fetched to intend that the Tibetan number tin remove hold a profound acquit on on tomorrow's China. This see is shared yesteryear many Chinese. I come across this through my contacts non only amongst the Chinese government, but amongst Chinese of all shades.
I am surprised together with encouraged to come upwards across Chinese inward the government, inward the Communist party, but also this novel flat of rich Chinese entrepreneurs who believe that what Cathay actually needs is the presence of His Holiness.
Are yous trying to negotiate the futurity of the Tibetan people?
If yous hold off at the Tibetan plateau, yous come across that Tibet is the giver of life: all the major (Asian) rivers remove hold their sources inward Tibet. Perhaps inward a few years time, definitely inward 50 years time, people volition live fighting wars over water.
Recently, I dined amongst around senior Indian officials. I was telling them that it was really smart of them to invite the Saudi Rex every bit primary invitee for the Indian Republic Day. They said their prime number government minister made a special exception together with went to have the Rex at the airport. I said: "Yes, after all, he is the custodian of the most holy shrine for the Muslims." They said: "Yes, he is also the custodian of oil."
Unfortunately, the fourth dimension volition come upwards when at that topographic point volition live a scarcity of what nosotros today select for granted, especially resources similar water. You create non demand to live a prophet to know that at that topographic point volition live shortage of H2O inward 50 years time. Just amongst that consideration alone, imagine how of import the plateau of Tibet is.
You know that quondam Chinese premier Zhu Rongji took the wise determination to halt the deforestation inward Tibet. He took the determination non because he cared for the environment, for sure non for the sake of the Tibetans, but he realized that the floods inward Cathay were due to the deforestation inward Tibet, which was non natural ones, but man-made.
For many decades, the Chinese authorities had non cared for the Tibetan plateau, thinking that whatever they tin select from Tibet volition only create goodness them. But at the cease the people of Cathay began to endure much to a greater extent than than the Tibetans.
So yous tin come across that the whole number of Tibet is larger than the involvement of Tibet together with the Tibetan people, together with has wider ramifications.
What nearly India?
In price of geopolitics, it is really encouraging that at that topographic point is today much to a greater extent than merchandise relations betwixt Bharat together with China. It is non the Hindi-Chini Bhai Bhai relation, which was really unfortunate, but a much to a greater extent than rational relation. But then, it would live an illusion if anyone inward South Block (the Delhi surface area where India's ministry building of external affairs is located) feels that at that topographic point could live a existent progress inward the relations amongst Cathay without solving the work of Tibet. It would live really naïve.
For centuries, Tibet acted every bit a buffer betwixt these 2 keen Asian civilisations. Now nosotros tin move a bridge. Influenza A virus subtype H5N1 buffer was of import during the 19th together with the 20th century to convey a sure amount of stability: It was similar a wall separating empires during what is known every bit 'the Great Game.'
Today nosotros create non demand a buffer, but a bridge. Tibet could play that unique role, to live the bridge. This could assist uncovering a lasting together with genuine solution. Influenza A virus subtype H5N1 solution inward which the Tibetan number would non live considered would non live lasting.
A genuine together with lasting solution volition live inward the interests of these 2 keen Asian nations. No i else than Tibet tin assist to brace the difference betwixt Bharat together with China. Though nosotros are really much purpose of the Indian civilization, many people experience the Tibetan linguistic communication must live similar to Chinese language, simply because of the fact that Tibet is nether China. Similarly, they believe that the Tibetan civilization or civilisation is similar to the Chinese.
I remove hold to explicate that our link is much deeper amongst the Indian civilisation. His Holiness describes the link betwixt the Tibetan together with Indian civilisations every bit a filial link. Many aspects of the Indian civilisation remove hold been kept intact inward Tibet.
His Holiness jokes together with says that the Indian civilisation has been position inward a deep freezer on the Tibetan plateau. One of the proficient things out of our misfortune is that many texts, the ancient wisdom of India, has been preserved inward Tibet.
Today scholars inward Sarnath are retranslating these texts into Sanskrit or Pali. But yesteryear circumstances, nosotros are politically together with otherwise really much purpose of the Chinese political orbit. This fact is also a positive factor.
What is the condition of your negotiations today?
The get-go circular of negotiations dates from 1982, when the get-go Tibetan high flat exploratory delegates went to China. More recently, I went thrice to Cathay after 2002 together with nosotros had a 4th circular of talks inward Geneva inward Jan 2005. Soon, I volition move dorsum to Cathay to behavior the 5th circular of talks.
It is a really wearisome process; it is going to select a long time, before nosotros tin brand substantial progress. I e'er tell my Tibetan friends: "Don't live inward a hurry together with don't enquire me to hurry." We should non permit ourselves to live forced into an understanding likewise quickly. After all, nosotros remove hold already waited really long.
His Holiness is inward proficient health; nosotros remove hold time. We are committed together with optimistic together with nosotros volition proceed really slowly.
Are yous optimistic nearly the outcome of the talks?
Yes, I am hopeful, because if I had lost hope, I would remove hold no concern to behavior these talks. If I did non believe inward this process, it would live immoral for me to proceed to Pb this team. I create it every bit my spiritual practice.
His Holiness is non only my political leader, but also my guru. If I had whatever doubtfulness inward my heart, my chore would live to move to His Holiness together with tell him: "Your Holiness, delight select me out of this concern because I create non believe inward it."
Buat lebih berguna, kongsi:
