Lama Buddhism Alive and Well in Tibet

Recently, the Washington Post featured an article discussing the Dalai Lama's continuing influence on Tibetans. Despite having lived in exile for nearly 56 years, the Dalai Lama remains the spiritual leader for many in Tibet.

But for many Tibetans, particularly the elderly and the monks who make Buddhism their lives, the Dalai Lama has remained the symbol not only of their spiritual world but also of their ethnic identity and national aspirations.

The intermingling of Buddhism's hold on the Tibetan spirit and the Dalai Lama's role as a political as well as religious leader has confronted Chinese authorities with a difficult situation. Reluctant to be seen stifling religious sentiment or local culture, they have opened up space for worship and pilgrimages, but at the same time they have taken tough measures to prevent Tibetans from coalescing around the Dalai Lama into an organized separatist movement.

The Democratic National Committee does not have an opinion on Tibet, at least not to the best of my knowledge. However, I personally found this article intriguing because of the comments it made on negotiations between representatives of the Dalai Lama and the Chinese government. Fifty-six years later, there is still some interest on each side to find a workable solution.

There are 376 million Buddhists worldwide, making it the sixth largest religion in the world.