"Is the Dalai Lama really the religious leader of Tibet and the spokesman for Tibetan Buddhism?" queried accomplished lamas of major sects of Tibetan Buddhism.
Dangyai, 73, an eminent lama of the Gelupa sect of Tibetan Buddhism, told reporters that "we no longer enshrine the portrait of the Dalai at our dormitories and no longer chant sutras praying for his longevity."
This is because the Dalai Lama does not devote himself whole-heartedly to carrying forward Tibetan Buddhism, he said.
The 66-year-old 14th Dalai Lama is one of the major living Buddhas of the Gelupa sect. He fled to India in 1959 and established a government-in-exile.
At the Zhaxi Lhunbo Lamasery, one of the six major Gelupa temples, Gaqin Losangpuncog said, "The lamasery supported the peaceful liberation of Tibet 50 years ago. Betrayers of the motherland and the scum of the nation are not welcome at the temple and the Dalai Lama is one of them."
In the 1980s, Gaqin won the Lha Ram Pa Gexe, the highest degree in lamaism study.
He said, during the era of the Dalai Lama, it was terrific for a lama dormitory to have one jin (0.5 kilograms) of ghee. But now, it is not rare to have five to 10 kilograms. "Lamas love today's life," he added.
Tibetan Buddhism, with a history of more than 1,300 years, is divided into four sects: Nyingmapa, Sakyapa, Kagyupa and Gelupa. Each sect has its own idol.
Lozhub Gyacog, a chief lama at the Sagya Monastery of the Sakyapa sect, said that "the Dalai Lama was not the leader of our sect in the past and he cannot be the idol of our sect today."
He added, "At least, the lamas at the Sagya Monastery will not agree to the Dalai Lama's claim that he is the spokesman for Tibetan Buddhism."
Seven hundred years ago, the ancestors of the Sakyapa sect, who were regnant in Tibet at that time, signed an agreement with the central authorities of the Yuan Dynasty (1271-1368), which brought Tibet under the sovereignty of China.
Lozhub Gyacog said, "I am astonished at the Dalai Lama's claim that Tibet has never been a part of China."
Lamas of Sakyapa, Putoin and Gelupa sects live together in the Baiqoi Monastery in Gyangze County of Tibet. Before the peaceful liberation of Tibet in 1951, Lamas of the Gelupa sect initiated a ceremony during which sutras were chanted for the longevity of the Dalai Lama.
The ceremony, which used to be a necessary procedure in the temple's religious activities, has now been canceled.
Zunzhui, a lama of the Putoin sect at the temple, said that "currently, all religious sects in the monastery treat each other with mutual respect and fairness."
He recalled that 50 years ago, lamas of the Putoin sect had to pay exorbitant taxes and levies to the Gelupa sect of the Dalai Lama, and do hard labor.
The living standards of the temple's lamas have improved greatly today. The state has invested more than two million yuan (US$241,000) to repair the Baiqoi Monastery, and it has an annual income of more than 500,000 yuan.
The Curbo Monastery of the Gagyupa sect was the initiator of looking for the reincarnated soul boy of living Buddhas. Abbot Chilai Wangjiu said the Gagyupa lamas believe in their own living Buddha, but not the Dalai Lama.
Another eminent lama, Sangdaim Dunzhub, added, "I feel disgusted with the Dalai Lama for his involvement in politics in the name of religion."
Legshin Tuomoi, the abbot of the Samye Monastery, said that the Dalai Lama devotes much of his strength to matters beyond Tibetan Buddhism, "which goes against harmony and peace."
The Samye Monastery was the first temple in Tibet and the birthplace of the Nyingmapa sect of the Tibetan Buddhism.
Currently, Tibet has more than 1,700 monasteries and temples, with over 46,000 monks and nuns.
(Xinhua 05/15/2001)
