A laptop and butter tea are indispensable daily items to
15-year-old Gyaincain Norbu, the officially recognized 11th Panchen
Lama.
He is the highest-ranking figure of Tibetan Buddhism currently
in China, selected as the reincarnation of his predecessor by the
central government in 1995.
Receiving a Buddhist education in Beijing while learning computer
skills and English, the young leader has a typical Tibetan
lifestyle.
The traditional Tibetan drink and food of butter tea and
zanba, or roasted highland barley called qingke
by locals, are his favorite breakfast food.
"Every morning His Holiness has zanba and butter tea
for breakfast," said Lobsang Dainta, who has been the Panchen
Lama's personal attendant for more than six years.
For lunch and supper he also has traditional Tibetan food such
as beef dumplings, either steamed or boiled. "He never treats
himself to fish or seafood, but sometimes he has a tin of walnut
juice," said Lobsang.
With an innate talent for studying the Buddhist sutras, the
teenager also finds his laptop to be extremely useful.
The young lama spends most of his time between lunch and 4:00 PM
on his laptop and reading, and is finding English lesson
interesting. "He giggles when erring in pronunciation during his
lessons," said Lobsang.
His English tutor, Xu Lianbi, a veteran ethnic Han teacher in
his 60s, said he can communicate in simple English and understand
some short readings.
He has two 90-minute English classes each week and spends two
evenings studying English and Chinese. He practices also Tibetan
handwriting for an hour every evening.
Studying Buddhist sutras, however, is the main occupation of the
Panchen Lama's daily life, said his acolyte. "Only when he is
occupied by religious rituals can the study be canceled."
"His Holiness shows great wisdom in Buddhism study, and he is
very conscientious and diligent," said Salong Punlag, a managing
lama in Zhaxilhunbo Lamasery.
(Eastday.com December 2, 2004)
