Wroclaw, Poland — Explaining Tibetan language is the best medium for accurately explaining Buddhist teachings, the spiritual leader of Tibet, His Holiness the Dalai Lama said Tibet is known as the Roof of the World, but also as the Land of Avalokiteshvara.
In Wroclaw, European Capital of Culture 2016, the Tibetan spiritual leader, spoke to Tibetans and Mongolians living or studying in Poland, on September 20, 2016.
His Holiness the Dalai Lama spoke to them briefly, saying, "Tibet is known as the Roof of the World, but also as the Land of Avalokiteshvara. We Tibetans have our own language, with its own writing, which is the best medium for accurately explaining Buddhist teachings," .
"In the past some Tibetans were shy of saying they were from Tibet—not any more. We have every reason to be confident," he saod, adding: "We have the seed of compassion and we need to strengthen it through reason and training."
"Our Kangyur and Tengyur collections contain a wealth of knowledge about Buddhist science, philosophy and religion. We have published a Compendium of Science in a two volume set and one abridged volume," he said.
"These books are being translated into other languages like English, Chinese and German. When you have time, try to read them and discuss among yourselves what you learn," The Nobel Peace Prize laureate further added.
Turning to the Mongolians he recalled how Buddhism had first come to Mongolia on the Silk Road. Later, in a second phase of transmission, Drogön Chögyal Phagpa brought Buddhism from Tibet. This was consolidated when the Third Dalai Lama, Sonam Gyatso, went to Mongolia.
His Holiness said that he first visited Mongolia in 1979. And on that occasion the monks at Ganden Thekchenling offered him a Long-Life Prayer so fervently it brought tears to the eyes of all concerned. He observed that the 13th Dalai Lama not only spent time in Mongolia, but was also able to speak Mongolian.
Relations between Tibet and Mongolia have a history of being close. His Holiness mentioned that his interest in emptiness, which he has reflected on seriously for the last 60 years, owed not a little to his Mongolian debating assistant, Ngodup Choknyi.
Driving about an hour and a half out of Wroclaw through rich farmland brought His Holiness and his party to the town of Swidnica and the historic Church of Peace, named after the Peace of Westphalia of 1648.
Since His Holiness the Dalai Lama fled, more than 120,000 Tibetans have followed him into exile in India. Thousands more live in Europe and North America.
In Tibet today, Tibetans are being arbitrarily arrested, imprisoned and tortured for merely expressing their suffering under Chinese rule. However, authorities in Beijing still claim that "China 'peacefully liberated' Tibet, and that the Tibetans are living in a "Maoist socialist paradise."
Tibet was invaded by Communist China, starting in 1949, Beijing calls a "peaceful liberation". Since that time, over 1.2 million out of 6 Tibetans have been killed, over 6000 monasteries have been destroyed— the acts of murder, rape and arbitrary imprisonment, torture and cruel, inhuman and degrading treatment were inflicted on the Tibetans inside Tibet.
