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No religious freedom in Tibet, says Dalai Lama

By Lobsang Wangyal | Tibet Sun

The Dalai Lama during a prayer session at the Mahabodhi Temple in Bodh Gaya, India, on 9 January 2010.Tibet Sun/Lobsang Wangyal/India

The Dalai Lama on the last day of the five-day teaching series in Bodh Gaya, met the foreigners who had come to listen to him.

About 1000 foreign devotees from over 70 countries have been attending his teachings since 5 January in the holiest pilgrimage site of Buddhists, in the impoverished state of Bihar in eastern India.

Hollywood star and long time pro-Tibet activist Richard Gere is among the attendees.

The Dalai Lama asked them to study the Buddhist philosophy, and examine and contemplate all that is read for deeper understanding of the Buddha dharma.

The Dalai Lama then asked the followers to go to Tibet to investigate what’s going on in Tibet.

“You should tell Chinese friends and your friends what you see there.”

He said that the Chinese government is propagating distorted information about Tibet, and added, “We should know the reality.”

“If Tibetans are happy in Tibet as Chinese propaganda says, then we have nothing to criticise.”

He said Tibetans in exile continuously get information saying things are bad in Tibet, and that Tibetans in Tibet are frustrated due to lack of religious freedom.

“Without freedom and in particularly in Tibetan case, without religious freedom, Tibetans are frustrated.”

Since 2008 the Chinese government has been blaming the exiles for the unrest in Tibet in spring of that year, and vilify the Dalai Lama as the instigator of the unrest. The unrest left more than 200 Tibetan dead due to the Chinese crackdown on the protesters.

“If things are bad, Chinese government should accept the reality and deal with the Tibetan problem realistically. Then a mutually agreeable solution could be found.”

The Dalai Lama said Tibetans are fighting for freedom and autonomy for Tibet.

During the meeting the Dalai Lama announced that he will visit Romania later this year. He said it will be his first visit to the country.

Copyright © 2010 Tibet Sun

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