Image: ndtv/info-graphic via @tibettruth

Today the Chinese Regime released an official list of state-approved Tibetan Buddhist Lamas. It did so under the guise of protecting people from what it claims as fake ‘Living Buddhas’ who we are asked to believe are cynically exploiting the innocent and gullible by passing themselves off as genuine reincarnations of revered Tibetan Buddhists.

Well sure the world has its share of phony mystics and ‘spiritual’ teachers but in this case we need to look beyond the propaganda to see the motives and objectives at work.

For years China’s authorities have targeted Tibetan Buddhism with a view to imposing complete control over Tibetans and Buddhist thinking which are considered with suspicion and fear. Such has been the imposition of regulations and penalties imposed upon Tibetan monasteries that these former centers of Buddhism and learning have effectively been transformed into detention centers, complete with para military check-points, protected with machine-guns and razor-wire!

Image: lhayak/info-graphic via @tibettruth

Meanwhile a ceaseless ideological war has been waged against Tibetan monks and nuns, a campaign of brain-washing (sorry that should read, according to official Chinese sources ‘re-education’) aimed at inducing patriotism towards the Motherland and encouraging loyalty to the Regime! Such is the extent of restriction and interference that even the tradition and rarefied process of identifying reincarnated Buddhist Lamas now requires administrative approval from the Chinese regime.

While Tibetan cultural identity and Buddhism faces this relentless assault the communist party of China has no difficulties in appointing a number of fake ‘living Buddhas’ to promote its disinformation on Tibet. Including most notoriously a bogus Panchen Lama (see photo above) there are many others, including below:

Image: xinhua/info-graphic via @tibettruth

Such is the context that needs to be considered when reading today’s report that the Chinese government has released a ‘verified living Buddha’ list. We should remind ourselves too that a six-year old Tibetan child, Gendun Choekyi Nyima, was on May 17, 1995, disappeared along with his family and caretakers, to become the youngest political prisoner in the world. He had been recognized that same year as the 11th Panchen Lama by His Holiness the Dalai Lama, an acknowledgement  which prompted China’s regime to arrest the boy, who has not been seen since, and appoint its own fake ‘living Buddha’!