In Buddhism, suicide is prohibited. Even if suffering from a painful disease or an unsatisfactory life, their religion says that they should bear the suffering quietly and patiently while at the same time attempting to rid themselves of it. But, some Buddhist scriptures talk about the loophole of taking one’s own life for a noble cause, for example if that life saves another.
Twenty-seven Tibetan Buddhist monks, nuns, and young people have set themselves on fire to protest China’s occupation of Tibet, in the last twelve months. After positioning themselves in front of government buildings and polices stations they cover themselves in gasoline and self immolate by lighting themselves on fire. While on fire, they shout out demands for religious and cultural freedom by calling out for the return of their exiled leader, the Dalai Lama.
On Wednesday, a thirty-nine year old monk named Jamyang Palden set himself on fire in the Drolma Square in the town of Rongwo in the Chinese province of Qinghai. Within moments more than 500 monks and 700 students surrounded the area of the attempted suicide. They shouted out prayers, for Palden’s soul, political slogans, and waving exiled photographs.
On Friday, a twenty-year-old Tibetan monk named Lobsang Tsultrim self-immolated in Aba, a monastery town. He walked down Aba’s main road shouting out for the freedom and release of the control the Chinese government has. Armed police officers then chased him down and after putting out the flames put him in the back of a pickup vehicle. Along with himself, 1,000 Tibetans protested on Firday in the neighboring Qinghai province’s Tongde country to demand the release of more than fifty detained monks who were taken away during the Thursday crackdown on a monastery (according the Radio Free Asia report).
China has attempted to drastically censor the protests, and has filled Tibet and the surrounded area with troops and police. They have shut down Internet and phone communications, banned foreign news coverage, conducted door-to-door searches for activists, and ordered monks and nuns to undergo new “legal education” courses in their monasteries.
How surprising that the Chinese government would censor more things...... I think its really inspiring when people protest in countries where there's so much oppression. It's just sad that they can't really legally or safely protest.
ReplyDeleteI blogged about this! I'll make a real comment later. But for now...we're telepathic.
ReplyDeleteActually in Buddhism, there is a story in which the Buddha allows himself to be eaten by a tiger to save the tiger's cubs from being eaten. This was to symbolize that there are often times in which you can hurt yourself for a greater good. This is what these monks are practicing when they are hurting themselves or committing suicide. Unfortunately, I don't believe that they are accomplishing much other than making a spectacle. I completely support their cause, but the way they are asking for change is ineffective.
ReplyDeleteYeah, unfortunately it seems as if their sacrifice isn't doing much change because the government just tries to hide it all and pretend that nothing's happening. Which is a shame because if they actually listened to the monks and understood that they're killing themselves for a serious issue, maybe something would get fixed.
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ReplyDeleteWhat I think is most sad is the fact that Chinese don't respect Buddhists...do you know how hard it is to be a good Buddhist? To be a Buddha, you literally have to give up Buddhism. Buddhists have to overcome the idea of themselves even being a "self." It's pretty tricky and I know I would have a lot of admiration for any Buddhist, especially one to go to these lengths to prove a point.
However, I do agree with John. The monks are going to have to realize that the communist Chinese government doesn't care that there are monks protesting like this and they don't want anyone to know about it. They will receive no compassion or concessions from the Chinese government any time soon, which is a pretty sad thing.
This is just a sad thing to occur. People shouldn't have to do something like this to get their point across. But, it is definitely an effective form of protest.
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