Dharamshala, 28^th July: Beijing-appointed Buddhist leader have instructed Tibetan Buddhists to stay away from separatist tendencies and to adapt their faith to socialism and Chinese conditions, according to state-run media. Gyaincain Norbu, the Panchen Lama selected by Beijing, offered the remarks on a tour of Tibetan communities in Sichuan and Gansu provinces earlier this month, according to the official China News Service.

China’s President Xi Jinping visited Tibet on the occasion of the 70th anniversary of its “peaceful liberation” and urged Tibetans to adopt socialist principles. China has spent years trying to remove the Dalai Lama’s influence.

In Tibet’s spiritual hierarchy, Gyaincain Norbu, the official Panchen Lama of Beijing, is the second-highest figure. After visiting Chengdu’s Wenshu Monastery, he traveled to Ganzi and Aba in Sichuan province, according to the source. Also, he visited the Labrang Monastery in Gansu, China. Tibet Autonomous Region was not his destination.

In one address, he exhorted monks: “We must resolutely distance ourselves from all separatist forces, and resolutely prevent Tibetan Buddhism – including the temples, monks and nuns – from becoming a tool of Western anti-China forces to oppose the motherland and split the nation, and from becoming a victim of their political conspiracy.”

He also discussed Tibetan Buddhism’s Sinicisation, claiming that it needed to be absorbed into Chinese culture and adapted to a communist society. Gyaincain Norbu warned against “superstition,” saying that teachings should focus on becoming more “diligent, wise, kind, and active,” comparable to the Communist Party’s socialist values.

As part of his efforts to boost his profile and promote Xi’s goals, Gyaincain Norbu, who is based in Beijing, has visited Tibetan settlements for the second year in a row. Researchers at the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences said the 31-year-old needs to “conquer hearts and minds” by meeting Tibetan Buddhists. As a result, these excursions are crucial for transmitting the central government’s most recent religious policies. He did not want to be recognized since he is not permitted to communicate with the media.

In Hong Kong, Junfei Wu, deputy director of the Tianda Institute, agrees, saying the Panchen Lama “plays a very significant role” in maintaining Tibet’s peace and harmony. Six-year-old Gedhun Choekyi Nyima was designated as the reincarnation of the 10th Panchen Lama in 1995 by the Dalai Lama. “The living Buddha” was reincarnated in Beijing by Gyaincain Norbu. Unknown to the world after graduating from university, Gedhun Choekyi Nyima vanished.

Image Source: South China Morning Post

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