The Tibetan Leadership Is Losing Everything




The Dalai Lama is running out of options and allies

By: J. Aulden

The Dalai Lama’s long held strategy of being the prickly porcupine that stands between the two elephants of India and China is clearly backfiring.

His recent visit to the contested region of Arunachal Pradesh resulted in an opportunistic swipe at China by the Indian state’s Chief Minister who said that “his state” borders Tibet and not China. The Chinese elephant promised repercussions. India has kept a low profile ever since.

When the Tibetan leader visited Mongolia earlier this year with the blessing of the Mongolian government who were foolishly trying to assert its independence from China’s sphere of influence, India failed to come to Mongolia’s rescue and Mongolia had to subsequently humble itself to China for a financial bailout, plus commit that it would not host the Dalai Lama ever again.

Tibetans in exile, who have been led by the Dalai Lama since 1959, are seeing all this and taking notes. They note especially the multiplying influence of China globally and how other countries are slowly but surely bowing to it, particularly countries whose anaemic economies are in need of blood transfusion from Chinese investments. All these are happening at the expense of the Tibetan leadership.

The Tibetan leadership is also losing appeal to the Tibetans who seem to have given up on the Tibetan exile leadership. In the past, scores of Tibetans would escape Chinese rule to join their beloved Dalai Lama in exile. The opposite is happening these days as thousands leave the exile settlements in India yearly, opting to return to Tibet and become Chinese citizens instead, spurred on no doubt by the myriad problems they face moving ahead in their lives as refugees and securing some semblance of a future.

Today, with the US under President Donald Trump having a very practical and business-like view of the world, and who surprised some by recently sending a delegation to the “Belt and Road Forum” hosted by China, it is also hard to see its ally India finding any strength to bolster its support for the Dalai Lama.

The Tibetan leadership lost their country half a century ago and now they are in the process of losing control of the religion of Tibetan Buddhism in large part due to their heavy handedness in dealing the Tibetan people that often divides the community. But by far the biggest prickly divide lies in the Dalai Lama’s excommunicating his own lineage’s Dorje Shugden, a highly controversial move whose fractiousness has reached a global scale. Many accuse China today of using the religious practice of Dorje Shugden to undermine the Dalai Lama’s hold on his people but in fact it is the Tibetan leadership who provided China with this golden opportunity to capitalize on a schism that is the Tibetan leadership’s own creation.

The Shugden debacle exposes the Dalai Lama as being dictatorial in his rule which disallows the most basic of rights such as freedom of faith. The support that the Tibetan leadership lost, China has picked up as it positions itself as a progressive global leader that is moving towards reform and freedom. And this is on top of having installed a pro-China Panchen Lama (a Lama of equal rank historically and spiritually to the Dalai Lama) in Lhasa whom China is promoting as an alternative to the Dalai Lama.

The 11th Panchen Lama whom China recognises is promoted as a spiritual equivalent to the Dalai Lama

China has also funded many Tibetan monks from the East Tibetan region, where the Dalai Lama does not have much sway, and have transplanted them to the area around capital Lhasa.

It is crystal clear that the Dalai Lama has hence set his own trap a long time ago by miscalculating his moves and creating one thorny issue after another. Today, his detractors even claim that he is not keen on announcing his successor because he wants to end his own incarnation lineage. It would be almost impossible for him to move his chess pieces now without facing checkmate.

This article from Hardnews really sums up everything very well. The article is really unbiased and fair reporting but it still does not bode well for the Tibetan leadership’s immediate and distant future. It is a must read as it summarizes perfectly well the situation of the Tibetan leadership and Tibetans in exile.

Click to read the full report. Source:

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  1. I agree with the observation of J. Aulden that Dalai Lama had handed a golden opportunity to China to position herself as the party who values, treasures and will invest to enshrine Tibetan Buddhism, that is deeply embedded in Tibetans’ pride in their culture and tradition. Hence, invalidating the single most potent reason that Dalai lama used to continuously wage “war” against the Chinese all these while.

    By creating the Dorje Shugden schism, Dalai Lama effectively dethroning himself and telling the world he is mere mortal, has likes & dislikes, and has succumbed to politics; meaning he is willing to use unethical means to get what he wants. Therefore, it is precarious for Dharamsala or CTA to continue abuse and fight against the Dorje Shugden people. It is better for Dalai Lama to embrace true reigious freedom and remove any trace of ban against Dorje Shugden practice. In this way, Tibetans can be united.

  2. Further to Camilia’s comment, I am amazed that the Dalai Lama who is the same mindstream as Avalokiteshvara could make such “bad” moves with regards to China and Dorje Shugden. In his attainments His Holiness would have the ability to foresee the results of his actions and yet why did he make the choice to antagonise China and create the divide between his own people into pro-Shugden & anti-Shugden? It seems that whatever ‘side’ that the Dalai Lama had chosen, the contrary happens. He chose to partner with the West for sponsorships and China now prosper to be the powerful country in the world with many seeking her favour and partnership. The Dalai Lama chose to put down the 400 year old practice of enlightened protector Dorje Shugden with CTA placing a ban and inciting hatred & abuses against the practitioners if they disobeyed. Instead this beneficial practice spread worldwide with 4 million practitioners and gained the full support of China under freedom of religion & preservation of cultural act. Of course, the Shugden practitioners did not go out to woo China but since it is seen as though the practitioners are against the Dalai Lama, China is happy to benefit from this hostility.

    Certainly I don’t see any country capable of standing up to China now that the American President has turned the nation’s attention inward to rebuild the great nation and being from a business background, had preferred commercial/trade agreements in friendship rather then hostile disagreements as before. I would see a decline in need for the Dalai Lama or CTA as pawn to antagonise China in the near future. Sad really, how the great acceptance of the Dalai Lama had fallen to courteous dismissal when CTA could had made connection with China for the Tibetan exiles to return home years ago if they had taken the Dalai Lama’s advise of pursuing autonomy rule. I guess CTA thought they know better in aggressively continuing their propaganda against China. I wonder if CTA realises that they no longer have the support that the movement garnered in its early years. And their illogical ban on Dorje Shugden emphasize the failures of their feudalistic method of governance and showed the whole world their injustice in protecting the rights of their own people. So YES, the Tibetan Leadership is losing everything!

  3. sadly is see only the destruction of Dharma and tradition , we may oppose the Dalai Lamas decisions but one must be blind not to see how all the tradition is going down .
    all this are no good signs

  4. “A WOLF IN SHEEP CLOTHING” is what China has always described the Dalai Lama. From what is happening and the actions of the Dalai Lama, China may be correct in that description.

    As a Buddhist who is taught to believe that the Dalai Lama is emanation of Avalokitshvara, it is rather disappointing to note that He has been creating so much disharmony among various sectors of the universe.

    Most of all, His display of dislike to Dorje Shugden Lamas and devotees. Is there really a bigger picture.

    As far as I can see there is none. Correct me, if the Dalai Lama and CTA is being construction for Buddhism.

  5. China seems to be learning from history and their mistakes. They have realised that people need a spiritual anchor. Thus, China has made progress by slowly allowing her people the right to religious activities. From the days of the cultural revolution to now, China has made great strides whereas Tibetans in exile, namely the CTA has regressed by repressing certain worships and creating division to weaken her people in exile.

    CTA wants to call China repressive and inhumane, but look at their own actions. Are they any better than the China they so despise, even if that China is around? To be honest, China may be no angel but compared to CTA, they look like saints.

    So, to have to look at the Tibetans in India when the tap runs dry.

  6. After so many years, finally Tibetans realized that the Tibetan leadership is not bringing them anywhere with their motive, CTA are not capable to take care of their country, their citizen, they only do everything for themselves, hence, it is definitely the right move to go back to Tibet and become the Chinese citizen. More and more people going back, this also means CTA’s time is up. It is sad to see that Tibetans are putting so much hope to CTA for leading them and at the end, they end up with disappointment.

    Lobsang Sangye recently mentioned that Dalai Lama will announce his successor very soon, but now Dalai Lama claim that he is not keen in announcing his successor which I heard this some time back that he want to end his incarnation lineage this life(with no disrespect to Dalai Lama), so does is mean that Lobsang Sangye is telling lie?

    I doubt that for Dalai Lama who is the emanation of Avalokitesvhara will make any wrong move, because Buddha can see all the past, present and future, that is not possible for him to make such mistake over and over again, this also clearly shows that Dalai Lama is planning something that we do not know.

    For this, it has clearly shown that all the previous claim about Dorje Shugden as a spirit is not true, it is so obvious now that for the ‘truth’ that CTA trying to show all these years is actually the biggest lie. Really glad to see CTA is going down, so they could not harm their own people anymore.

  7. Maybe is time for CTA to going down? US not support CTA anymore, what else can CTA do?

    At my point of view : I always Wish for HHDL leave the ban of Dorje Shugden.


  8. There should be freedom of religion, practice, speech, etc no matter what country one is in.
    In the case of Dorje Shugden’s discrimination, it is very bad as there is no religious freedom at all, just because the Dalai Lama said so. Whether or not, China is promoting Dorje Shugden to spite Dalai Lama and His followers, it doesn’t matter. There should be religious harmony. The point is, China is promoting Tibetan Buddhism. And shouldn’t we, as Buddhists, be proud that they are doing that? The freedom to practice.

    With what CTA is doing, look at what is happening. Tibetans are leaving India by the thousands and although some may want to return but wouldn’t those people be going back to square one? If after all those years spent in India and governed by the CTA bring not much benefits, then why stay on? China is growing huge and bringing so much to their own country, why not stick around and see how one can benefit? If it was me, I would definitely not go back to CTA nor India.

  9. One of the wisest moves China is making is the support of religious freedom for the Tibetans living in China. The present Tibetan leaderships are trying their best what their predecessors had done, that is to further annihilate the lineage of Dorje Shugden. But their efforts have instead increased more awareness and popularity for Dorje Shugden’s practice, as clearly seen by the peaceful protests all over the world where the Dalai Lama visited, and world leaders are distancing themselves from the Dalai Lama. Government leaders do not want to be part of another government who are not treating their people fairly especially the right to religious freedom and human rights. Add to that, the warning given by China not to host the Dalai Lama for any visit, including spiritual ones. Hence the smart gambit by China to woo Tibetans and to weaken the support for the Dalai Lama is working.

  10. After close to 60 years CTA has not bring Tibetans to anywhere. We know so much fund they have received but unfortunately we still cannot see how CTA make Tibetans self-sustain in India. What make the situation more worst is that instead of uniting their people they discriminate their own people with violent for those that have different preference in their religious belief in this case Dorje Shugden practice or political.

    I have read how China is rebuilding monastery, encouraging Buddhism practice and many Tibetans in India going back to Tibet. It has been a long 60 years and the situation between CTA and China is not going anywhere and it has gotten from bad to worst. Indeed CTA is loosing everything from funding to their own people. This is not because their people are traitor but it’s because the disappointment from the leaders that never take care of their people and never put their people interest as priority.

    The longer the Tibetan leadership didn’t realise this the worst it will become.

  11. The CTA is on a losing side. The Tibetans in exile are returning to Tibet. China on the other hand is stopping their help to the countries where Dalai Lama goes to give talks or teachings. The younger generations of the TIbetan in exile are beginning to know more bad things about CTA through the power of social media. Even US is pulling out their help to India which very soon India will also hit with trouble and difficulties. I really don’t understand how long CTA wants to stand firm with their thinking and their rules. Times have change. People have change. So it’s better for them to take action now rather than later when everything turns so bad for them that is hard for them to rise up again.

  12. In my point of view, if CTA have allowed freedom choice practice to their people, no such thing as religion discrimination, Tibetan in exile will occur. What CTA should do? Who should be blame? China again?

    Moreover, China funded many resource to Tibet economically gain more trust, hope and confident to the Tibetan people in India return to their homeland. Other than that, China fully supported religious freedom practices such as Dorje Shugden which the CTA go against it. Right now, China is Tibetan people breadwinner and CTA is far away from it. It is sad but true.

  13. Tibetan leadership with his exile government has fail to gain tibetan trust for the pass 60 year to fright for Tibet independent. Since China has grow global, many countries does not want become China enermy and stop funding to support CTA recently. All the while CTA has misuse the funding has raise to help tibetan in exile provide best living condition . Instate of using this fund . Compair with China has founded more money to rebuild tibet, help building monastries, improve tibetan living condition. Most of the young generation has choose to go back stay at tibet.

  14. Tibetan Leadership has not progress much for the last 60 years and during this 60 period China has taken steps to develop Tibet and slowly win the hearts and the minds of Tibetan.

    One of the most impact things that show China control of Tibetan Buddhism is selected another boy as 11th Pachen Lama while the boy selected by the HH Dalai Lama has since disappeared. Panchen Lama ranks after the Dalai Lama as the second-highest figure in Tibetan Buddhism and bears part of the responsibility for finding the next incarnation of the Dalai Lama (and vice versa) . The Kalachakra ceremony conducted by Pachen Lama was strongly supported by China is a showcase as a demonstration to the outside world that Tibetans are allowed to practice their religion.

    CTA has depending on HH Dalai Lama to play an important role in the world to gain the financial aid and sponsorships. And now countries that do business with China have learnt to their discomfort how badly it reacts to any nation extending hospitality to the Dalai Lama. Nexg is how CTA is going to survive?
    In the last 30 years, China government has improved the Tibetans income compare with CTA still fully reliant on aid and sponsorships.

    In short, CTA has done nothing to improve the life of Tibetan in exile. Therefore it is not surprise that Tibetan leadership is losing everything.

  15. With the technology in current days, people now can get information with just a finger snap. People are not stupid anymore. How long more can CTA cover with their lies? The Tibetan in exile begin to loose faith in their leadership. Those promises had made are still remain empty. Those unfinished business are still remain unfinished. Even the world has loose faith in the Tibetan leadership. One of the giant countries non other than USA, has already planned not to fund CTA anymore. Tibetan in exile, especially the younger generation, not believe CTA dream talk anymore, begin to go back to China.

    From what we see, from the politic side it looks like Tibetan leadership is loosing. But, what about spiritual side? Dorje Shugden begin to spread in China, even in the world. People around the world joining the demonstration to plea to lift the ban. Dalai Lama is a high Lama, maybe he already know this will happen one day? Out of compassion, he doesn’t mind sacrifice his Dalai Lama title, he doesn’t mind dismissing his CTA, but on the other hand, Dorje Shugden practice started to spread world widely. Tibetan leadership seems to loose everything, in Dharamsala. But Tibetan Buddhism seems to have a bright start since China is allocating huge amount of money to help Tibet growth. From what I see, there’s good and bad. China really did a good move.

  16. Very soon CTA will collapse and become history. No one government is going to be successful if they do not have the support of their very own people.

  17. It is indeed a dificult situation for HH Dalai Lama. On top he is not welcomed anymore as people see the ban and how many Tibetans are treated.

    The CTA has so many things that are bad against Dorje Shugden and many high lamas for example. What will be their future with such heavy negative karma?

    It is time to end the Dorje Shugden ban and bring a better future to all Tibetans!

  18. I think this runs in every Tibetan in exile, i wouldn’t want to be living under the umbrella of Tibetan Exile Government anymore. What have i gotten from this administration in exile which made all sorts of promises but nothing materialised. It has been a 60 years of outcry and certainly won’t go down well with all Tibetans who fled Tibet 60 years ago. All in their mind would probably wanting to go back to China Tibet because of all the issues that happened for the longest time. One of it will be lack of freedom of speech and another would be freedom of religion, which clearly lacking. If you are going against what CTA as they are known nowadays, you will be subjected to abuse and using fear on your people doesn’t work. Especially when you are not even a legitimate government which operates on another country’s land. More questions will be asked on the leadership Lobsang Sangay whether are they actually edging any closer in protecting the interests of Tibetans and will they ever reclaim control of Tibet. Very very unlikely from what i see from here.

  19. Sad to read about the news. HHDL has been recognised as an animation of Guanyin, but made such a big mistake to his country, his people and his nation. He is also responsible to all Buddhists because he as the highest calible among Buddhist’s teacher set a very bad example to the world. He’s strategises and his moves totally against and contrary as who he is. There’s no harmony among Tibetans due to the controversy of the Dorje Shugden ban, bad management politically and economically by CTA, creating troubles, sufferings and disharmony to their neighbouring countries politically and spiritually.

    I sincerely hope this will end very soon for the sake of what Buddha has taught 2500 years ago. May the dharma continue to grow among people. May world peace achieve by mind transformation for the people who’s ruling and influencing the world. May there’s no suffering nor war in this world but people alway think of benefiting each other.

  20. The Chinese Gambit has worked perfectly, even the Russians another global power kind of are working well with the Chinese.

    4-5k tibetans leaving back to China, thats really clever of them. Soon Dharamsala will be emptied out of Tibetans who will choose to head back to China.

    I wonder Chinese would make one more overture to lure all the spiritual heads and tradition back to China? It will enrich Tibet’s main offering the world, its spiritual traditions… Time is not on CTA’s side.

  21. It is ironic that Tibetan leader who is supposedly a democratic government and run based on Buddhist value are restricting religious freedom of their people. Why is it so? Whether or not China is supporting Dorje Shugden as against CTA is secondary, it shows that China is a government that support freedom of choice and promoting peace and harmony for the people.

    It is illogical that Dorje Shugden that have been practised for 400 years by many highly attained lamas was suddenly ban. Practitioners were discriminated and segregated due to their choice of belief. The CTA created so much hatred on Dorje Shugden practitioners. If Dalai Lama who is believed to be Chenrizig, then why would he allow disharmony among the people. Why let people continue to suffer? Will people still support CTA with their negative actions against their people, I don’t think so. And yes, I agree that Tibetan leadership is losing.






    These practices show how Tibetan government is run.






  25. Yes, the Tibetan Leadership has no more cards to play, seeing that India cannot help the Tibetans in exile now. Forces are working against this. The winds of change have blown against them. China now is the world’s key-player; every other country is bowing to it and seeking its friendship.India has no ally to help her with her “balance of power” game with China.It couldn’t even help Mongolia in fending off China in its efforts not to bow to it in the face of its threat over allowing Dalai Lama to enter Mongolia. In the end, Mongolia had to bow to China and tell Dalai Lama he cannot visit Mongolia any more.
    Hence, CTA , why are you still dragging your feet over the future of Tibtan refugees? Why aren’t you negotiating with China for those who wish to return and helping those who wish to stay in India , get their Indian Passport or citizenship?


  27. China knows how to treat important guest

    The CTA does not know anything and that is why they are losing everything



    Tibetans ready to be part of China: Dalai Lama
    Indo-Asian News Service


  29. Dear Dalai Lama,















    Trump and Allies Seek End to Refugee Status for Millions of Palestinians


    JUSTICE MARKANDEY KATJU (RETD) | 12 August, 2018
    The more important question is whether Chinese rule has benefited Tibet.
    The writer is a former judge of the Supreme Court of India


    30 Chinese NGOs all set to work in Nepal
    Kathmandu, July 30

    Tibetan disunity not in India’s interest
    John S. Shilshi
    Updated: August 7, 2018, 11:00 AM




  35. The CTA is not capable and does not have the intention to give the Tibetans a better future, many Tibetans now see it that’s why they are leaving India. In the past, the Tibetans try to cross the border to come to Nepal. Now many Tibetans are crossing the border trying to go back to Tibet. This shows that life in Tibet is so much better than in India.

    The Chinese government treats the citizens equally. Everyone is given the same opportunity whether in education or in the job market. Special training and programs are launched to help people to acquire more skills and be more competitive. Many Tibetans in Tibet are living out of poverty now as a result of the effort put in by the Chinese government.

    The CTA has not really done much to improve the lives of the Tibetans in exile. After 60 years they are still refugees and Lobsang Sangay expects them to remain as refugees for another 50 years. A cause that takes 110 years to be successful is actually a failure. At the end of the day, the CTA really does not want to free Tibet and give the Tibetans a better future. They just want to make use of the refugee status of the Tibetans to beg for free money and make their wallet fatter. The CTA is no different from the old Tibetan government in Tibet.

  36. The CTA cannot lie anymore, they are just ineffective. After 60 years, the blind can also see the CTA is not capable and they always make empty promises. The CTA doesn’t want to take the responsibility that is why they always ask Nechung for advice. After asking for advice, they just sit there and not doing anything.

    The CTA is not going to succeed because Nechung always gives the wrong prophecy and the CTA is too busy begging for free money. Well, the main reason the CTA is not working hard for the Tibet cause is that they want to continue to get free money from the west using the cause. Life has been too easy for the CTA, they will not want to change anything.

    More Tibetans have realised how deceiving and hypocritical the CTA is, some of them speak up, some of them choose to leave the Tibetan community. The number of Tibetans in India has reduced a lot, a statistic that the CTA is very reluctant to release. Tibetans arriving in India from Tibet is close to zero by now. This is a very clear indication the CTA is losing support from its own people. It is probably time for the CTA to say goodbye!

  37. The Chinese government doesn’t believe in divide and conquer strategy. They understand unity and harmony is extremely important in order for the country to progress. Therefore, the Chinese government will never create disharmony or conflicts among its people.

    The Chinese government sometimes gives financial help to the poor or the needy regardless of their background. Their main purpose is to make sure everyone in the country is working towards the same goal and no one is left out. They have successfully brought down the poverty rate in Tibet from 35.2% to 7.9%. So, did the CTA do much for the Tibetan in excel?

    Comparing the 2 leaderships there is no doubt the Chinese government has produced more result than the CTA. The Chinese government has improved the living standard of the Tibetans and given the Tibetans more opportunities. The CTA, on the other hand, is still struggling to free Tibet and fails to give the Tibetans a better future.

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