[Buddha-l] Buddhism & War

[curt]

On the other hand, HHDL could have refused to recognize China's "claim" 
to Tibet and led a resistance movement from exile a la De Gaul. In fact, 
the Dalai Lama's older brother, Thubten Jigme Norbu Rinpoche (who was 
the Abbot of Tibet's largest monastery prior to '59), continues to call 
for full Tibetan independence, as opposed to "autonomy" within the PRC. 
Here is a link to an essay on the issue of Tibetan "independence" vs 
"autonomy": http://www.rangzen.org/history/views.htm.

It's far from clear that a resistance movement to force the Chinese out 
of Tibet would be futile. Ancient Tibetan Buddhist saying: "the bigger 
they are, the harder they fall." Tibetans are historically a tough 
nomadic people with a strong warrior tradition. At one time they 
conquered about half of present day China. In fact, Amdo province, where 
the Dalai Lama is from, is part of "greater Tibet" that lies well 
outside the official "autonomous zone" of the PRC.

- Curt

Dan Lusthaus wrote:
>> I thought the office of the Dalai Lama came about as part of a
>> non-violent resolution of a crisis of Mongol invasion.  I think HHDL is
>> the very embodiment of non-violent activity, even against the well-known
>> brutal Bhutanese.
>> Wayne
>>     
>
> Tibet had a standing army when the PRC invaded, and it engaged the Chinese
> army in combat. It was in recognition of the futility of their resistance
> that the Dalai Lama (and a disputed number of other Tibetans) fled the
> country into exile. Had the Tibetan army been sufficiently prepared to throw
> back the Chinese, the Dalai Lama would still be in Lhasa.
>
> Dan
>
>
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