Religious Freedom Today (1954-1960s )

In September 1954, the 14th Dalai Lama and the 10th Bainqen Erdeni attended the First Session of the First National People's Congress (NPC) in their capacity as NPC deputies. In his speech to the NPC session, the 14th Dalai Lama said: "Of all the dissension sown by our enemies, the most vicious rumor is that the Communist Pasty and the Central Government are destroying religion. The Tibetan people, who are devoutly faithful, are upset with the rumors. The rumor that the Communist Party and the Central Government are destroying religion is a fallacy, and the Tibetan people truly feel that they enjoy religious freedom." The 14th Dalai Lama presented several gifts to Chairman Mao Zedong, including the 1,000-Spoke Gold Prayer Wheel. The gifts are currently in the collection of the Cultural Palace for Nationalities in Beijing.

In 1959, those in Tibet's ruling upper-class, who opposed the Democratic Reform, staged an armed rebellion. They did so in a vain attempt to permanently retain savage and cruel serfdom and defend their established interests. The conspirators cast aside the 17-Article Agreement and, proceeding with the support of foreign forces, accelerated efforts to split the motherland. On the evening of March 17, Galoons soikang, Leushar, Zhazur and various other rebel leaders spirited the 14th Dalai Lama out of Lhasa, fleeing to India follwing suppression of the armed rebellion. Thereafter, the Dalai Lama, a leader besieged by foreign reactionary forces and Tibetan separatists, betrayed his avowed patriotic stand and himself stepped up efforts to split the motherland. Unlike the religious leader he professed to be, the Dalai became a political leader engaged in separatist activities. The Central Government has followed the following consistent policy with respect to the Dalai Lama: Tibet is an inseparable part of the Chinese territory, with absolutely no room for bargaining on the issue. The Central Government has repeatedly expressed its willingness to hold talks with the Dalai Lama if the latter refrains from engaging in activities geared to split the motherland and changes his stand on "Tibetan independence." All issues with the sole exception of "Tibetan independence," as issue that brooks no negotiation, are open to negotiations.

The Central Government continues to follow the policy fo respecting the religious beliefs, customs and habits of the Tibetan people, as well protecting lamaseries, cultural relics and historical sites. In 1960, the 10th Bainqen Erdeni introduced the following five methods for the reform of monasteries in Tibet: First, abandoning exploitation; second, engaging in democratic management; third, implementing the statutes of the Central Government and implementing the Chinese Constitution in monasteries; fourth, allowing lamas to engage in production; and finally, the government be responsibil for caring for the well-being of elderly lamas and lamas assigned with the sole resonsibility of reciting Buddhist sutras.

All methods were eventually put into effect. As a result of reform, all Tibetan people enjoy the freedom to become lamas and all lamas enjoy the freedom to resume a secular life; various sects of Tibtan Buddhism are treated equally without discrimination; and various monasteries have established Democratic Management Committees or Democratic Management Groups in democratic elections. The committees or groups are responsible for the management of religious affairs and Buddhist activities. All the aforementioned innovations point to the fact that the broad masses of lamas and lay people enjoy true religious freedom, and have established appropriate means for protecting the protecting the basic human rights of the broad masses of destitute lamas.

While moving to suppress the armed rebellion and conduct Democratic Reform in monasteries, the Central Government placed great efforts on properly protecting cultural relics, historic sites and monasteries. The State Council listed the Potala Palace, three major monasteries in Lhasa, and the Jokhang and the Tahilhungpo monasteries in Xigaze as cultural relic units subject to special state protection. In March 1961 alone, more than 110,000 cultural relics were catalogued and over a dozen historically significant sites were repaired. Beginning in 1962, the Central Government each year allocated substantial funding for repair of the Potala Palace. In additional, in November 1963, the Central Government allocated funding to refurbish the Gandain Monastery, the largest project of its kind in the history of the monastery.

1. Preface (Brief Introduction)
2. Formation of Tibetan Buddhism
3. Buddhist Sects and Characteristics
4. The Reincarnation of the Living Buddhas
5. Religious Freedom Today (1945-1953)
6. Religious Freedom Today (1954-1960s )
7. Religious Freedom Today ("cultural revolution" - 1980s )
8. Religious Freedom Today (after 1990s )