On the Buddhism Beat: Stepping Out

Leading the Buddhist news items this week were stories of world leaders “stepping out”: U.S. President Barack Obama came to call on China, His Holiness the Dalai Lama offered teachings at a disputed region of India and in Italy, and Burma’s General Than Shwe visited Sri Lanka. The Indian government has also announced that it will make travel a little easier for those looking to step out at Buddhist pilgrimage sites in Bihar by offering an air taxi service between locations.

In addition, the saga of the controversial bhikkshuni ordination in Perth continues to unfold, a Zen temple’s use of manga to draw in younger patrons pays dividends, socially engaged Buddhists gather in Thailand, a storefront in New York hosts a 24-hour “sit-a-thon,” and the University of California campuses are searching for Japanese-American students interned during WWII who are owed degrees. Check it out:

AUSTRALIA

Ajahn Brahmavamso, whose Bodhinyana Monastery in Perth was recently disavowed by Wat Pa Phong over the ordination of nuns in October, has spoken out publicly about the “excommunication.” You can watch video of his comments at the Buddhist Society of Western Australia’s YouTube channel.

Our sister site MahaSangha News also brings us the news that a statement articulating “five points” on the place of women within the Thai Forest Sangha has appeared on the website of the Forest Sangha.

A petition regarding the disavowal has also been circulating online, courtesy of new endeavor called Fourfold Sangha.

BURMA

The 192-nation United Nations General Assembly’s Third Committee, which focuses on human rights issues, passed a non-binding resolution condemning widespread abuses of human rights in Burma, with a vote of 92-26. (64 nations abstained from voting.)

The U.N.’s International Labor Organization also expressed “deep concern” about the fact that the junta has not abolished the practice of forced labor.

The ruling military junta’s General Than Shwe, Burma’s head of state, visited Sri Lanka in an effort to strengthen relations between the two countries. Predictably, his visit was met with protest, including from some Burmese monks living in exile in Sri Lanka.

Meanwhile, Daw Aung San Suu Kyi, Burma’s imprisoned Nobel Peace Prize-winning Prime Minister-elect, has appealed the recent extension of her house arrest to Burma’s highest court and has also requested a meeting with Than Shwe and other representatives of the junta.

Preceding Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation summit in Singapore, where he met with representatives of the junta, U.S. President Barack Obama said publicly, “We are now communicating directly with the leadership to make it clear that existing sanctions will remain until there are concrete steps toward democratic reform…We support a Burma that is unified, peaceful, prosperous and democratic. And as Burma moves in that direction, a better relationship with the United States is possible…[We also call for the release] of all political prisoners, including Aung San Suu Kyi, an end to conflicts with minority groups, and a genuine dialogue between the government, the democratic opposition and minority groups on a shared vision for the future…That is how a government in Burma will be able to respond to the needs of its people. That is the path that will bring Burma true security and prosperity.”

U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton also urged the junta to immediately release Suu Kyi. In addition, she said that India and China should play a greater role in pushing the country toward democracy, and urged the junta to begin the important work necessary to ensure fair and open elections in 2010.

National Public Radio reports that the “global civil society organization” Transparency International has named Burma the third most corrupt nation on Earth, behind only Somalia and Afghanistan.

CHINA

The New York Times reports that “the Web site of the famed Shaolin Temple was attacked this week by hackers looking to criticize the lifestyle of the temple’s abbot, Shi Yongxin, according to a report…in China Daily.”

INDIA

The government in Bihar state has announced that it is starting an air taxi service to “ferry tourists to different tourist sites scattered across the state.”

JAPAN

The Agence France-Presse reports that Ryohoji temple outside of Tokyo has “erected a colourful manga-inspired sign at its entrance in June and has since seen visitor numbers perk up — especially young men.”

SRI LANKA

Over at Barbara’s Buddhism Blog, author Barbara O’Brien writes about photos that surfaced last week and seem to show Sri Lankan Buddhist monks attacking a Christian church.

THAILAND

The Engaged Buddhist Festival of Peace and Transformation, an event organized by the International Network of Engaged Buddhists (INEB), was held in Chiang Mai last week. At her wonderful blog Wandering Dhamma, Arizona State University Ph.D. candidate Brooke Schedneck (who is currently doing dissertation research in Thailand) writes about the event.

“More than 200 Buddhist monks and nuns asked for alms donations in Chiang Mai…to send to Burmese refugees who live in camps along the Thailand-Burma border” in a project supported by the INEB, the Friends of Burma and “other civil society groups.”

TIBET

U.S. President Barack Obama ended his recent visit to Asia calling for talks between representatives of China and Tibet. Many outspoken dissidents in China expressed disappointment with Obama’s words and actions on human rights during the visit, however. (In addition, Human Rights Watch had urged the President to press hard on human rights during his trip.)

Though His Holiness shared concerns about the Tibetan cause recently, he also said in a new interview for Indian television that he feels Obama “is not soft on China; just has a different style.” He also supported the President’s call for the continuation of talks between Tibet and China.

Others in the Tibetan exile community aren’t so sure: as our web editor Rod Meade Sperry noted earlier in the week, the White House has called off the proposed meeting between President Obama and His Holiness that was supposed to happen following the Commander-in-Chief’s visit to Asia.

As Rod also blogged this past week, the Chinese government engaged in an ill-advised bit of race-baiting during the President’s visit by comparing His Holiness to a slave-master of the old American South.

In other news about His Holiness, the spiritual and political leader of the Tibetan people, ended his teachings in the Indian state of Arunachal Pradesh this past week. The visit created a great deal of controversy because of China’s claim on the region as its own. On his way out, he asked people to “preserve the environment and work for development of religion, health and education.”

His Holiness then flew to Rome to attend the 5th World Parliamentarian’s Convention on Tibet. The convention ended with a declaration and a plan of action for the next few years.

According to published reports, China apparently tried to persuade Dr. Mangosuthu Buthelezi, leader of South Africa’s Inkatha Freedom Party and a friend of His Holiness, from attending the convention.

While in Italy, His Holiness also appealed to China to “take action to stop Tibet’s glaciers melting.”

Back in India this week, His Holiness attended the last day of the “International Conference: Exploring Tibet’s History and Culture” at Delhi University. Typically droll and humble, he quipped that he is “a hopeless and lazy professor” and “not a healer.” He also praised the country in which he and many of his people have sought asylum, saying, “India is very important. Not just due to the size of population, but (is) also among the greatest of democracies.”

In other news, the Chinese government has sentenced Kunchok Tsephel, founder of the Tibetan website Chodme (“Butter-Lamp”), to 15 years in prison for allegedly “disclosing state secrets” by writing about last year’s anti-government protests in and around Lhasa.

Reuters reports that “Chinese soldiers from the southern boomtown of Guangzhou who are newly assigned to Tibet will get a ‘special allowance’ of up to 160,000 yuan ($23,440) for serving there.”

Tibetan exiles in India, Nepal and Bhutan will participate in a two-day conference on environment in India’s Haryana state this week.

Richard Gere and Lodi Gyari, His Holiness the Dalai Lama’s special envoy, will be the guest speakers at the annual American Himalayan Foundation benefit dinner on Dec. 8th at the Westin St. Francis in San Francisco.

THE UNITED STATES

Ethan Nichtern and the rest of the gang at the New York City-based activist organization The Interdependence Project recently completed their 24-hour “sit-a-thon” in a store-front in order to raise money for the building of a community center and the development of a radio show. In total, they raised $30,000 from the event, which was held from November 6th-7th.

“Arun” at Angry Asian Buddhist brings us the news that the campuses in the University of California system are searching for former Japanese-American students “who had their studies derailed by being interned during World War II. Ceremonies to award honorary degrees to the former students are set for December and spring 2001. The campuses want to honor as many people as possible and are still seeking potential recipients.” If you are one such person, find out who to contact here.