Sat, Mar 31, 2001 page8

• Editorial: Raising the spiritual standard

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  The goddess Matsu (媽祖), a Taoist deity traditionally worshipped by many people in Taiwan, is presently on her annual pilgrimage across central Taiwan. The tour is Taiwan's largest religious event. Coincidentally, another major religious event is also set to take place, with the Dalai Lama scheduled to arrive here today on an 11-day visit reminiscent of his first whirlwind tour back in 1997.

  The exiled religious and political leader of Tibet, the Nobel Peace Prize winner has not been able to return to his homeland and see his people since being forced to flee in 1959. But he has transcended both regional and religious boundaries and won international respect for his advocacy of pacifism, freedom and democracy. Through him, the world has seen the warm, down-to-earth face of Tibet's mystic "reincarnated lama" tradition -- and an epitome of wisdom and humanitarianism.

  He has also become a symbol of hope for the Tibetan people, as they resist communist Chinese occupation and Beijing's brutal schemes to obliterate Tibetan culture and Sinicize its population. For this status, he has also earned Beijing's ire and suffered tremendous pressure. South Korean President Kim Dae-jung, who won the Nobel Peace Prize last year, stopped the Dalai Lama -- his senior in the Nobel pantheon -- from visiting the country in October last year for fear of ruffling Beijing's feathers. Since President Chen Shui-bian (陳水扁) took office last year, the Dalai Lama has had to cancel or postpone his visit to Taiwan three times because of pressure from Beijing. China continued with its chest-beating yesterday, describing his visit as a collaboration between Taiwanese and Tibetan independence advocates.

  Actually, the Dalai Lama has long renounced his quest for Tibetan independence. Instead, he now only asks for a high level of autonomy that will allow for the survival of Tibet's unique form of Buddhism and culture. In fact, the Dalai Lama would be only too happy to embrace the "one country, two systems" offer that Taiwan finds utterly unacceptable.

  Taiwanese Buddhists have invited the Dalai Lama to Taiwan for religious, not political, reasons. The resonance that he generates in Taiwan through his humanitarian and peaceful wisdom is not something Beijing's atheist communists can understand. This is beyond the experience of Chinese Communist Party members who grew up in an environment of class struggle and believe that power grows out of the barrel of the gun. Beijing's hollering only highlights the ignorance and savagery of its authoritarian regime and such behavior can only push Taiwan and Tibet farther away from China.

  Tibetan Buddhism has a large number of adherents in Taiwan, who have been waiting for an opportunity to hear the Dalai Lama with their own ears. Taiwan also has a large number of Chinese Sutrayana Buddhists who would love the chance for religious exchange.

  On his previous visit, the Dalai Lama expressed interest in Taiwan's Bhiksuni (full-fledged nun) lineage -- a tradition that Tibet no longer has. He is now studying the possibility of introducing it to Tibet. Also, with some Taiwanese Buddhists demanding gender equality in the Buddhist congregation, the Dalai Lama will get a glimpse of Taiwan's robust spirit of democracy that has imbued its religious circles. He is also set to meet with Master Cheng Yen (證嚴法師), Taiwan's Mother Teresa, whom he did not have a chance to meet on his previous visit.

  We hope the Dalai Lama's visit will result in a resonance between the Buddhist and democratic spirits, and raise Taiwan society's spiritual understanding to a new level.
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