Tibetans and Buddhists in Taiwan said yesterday they were happy to hear the news of the recent escape from Tibet of the 17th Karmapa, Tibetan government-in-exile representatives told the Taipei Times.
They also expressed their hopes that the Karmapa would visit Taiwan.
"We are very happy for him," said Kunga T., secretary-general of the Tibet Religious Foundation of his holiness the Dalai Lama (
Kunga said there had always been restrictions on Karmapa and his studies of Buddhism, imposed by China.
"He needed to have some free space for learning," Kunga said.
In Tibet, under the rule of the Chinese government, individuals have no religious freedom and Karmapa is no exception, he said. His education had been in patriotism to the state, Kunga said.
One of the reasons for Karmapa leaving China was to look for his sect disciple and Buddhist teacher, Tai Situpa Rinpoche. According to Kunga, Tai Situpa is Abbot of the Sherab Ling Monastery in India, which is 30 hours' drive to Dharamsala.
Tai Situpa had applied many times to the Chinese Government to meet Karmapa but had been rejected every time.
Tai Situpa made a visit to Taiwan last November to conduct a blessing ceremony for victims of the 921 earthquake, on the invitation of the Huayu Foundation (
The visit coincided with the visit of another Karmapa, the Bhutan-based Thinley Thaye Dorje, which aroused controversy in Taiwan.
The controversy of the two Karmapas started in 1991, when two disciples of the late Karmapa claimed to have found the reincarnation of their master, one in Tibet and the other in Bhutan.
Thinley Thaye Dorje, 17, the Bhutanese incarnation, was recognized by the Karmapa's chief disciple Sharmapa Rinpoche.
Urgyn Trinley Dorje, the Tibetan based Karmapa, who just made his escape five days ago, was recognized by Tai Situpa Rinpoche and the Dalai Lama. He was later "ratified" by the Chinese government.
Lineage and learning are the two main reasons for his departure, said Chen Li-an (3紡i|w), president of the Huayu foundation and former Control Yuan president.
Chen said the late 16th Karmapa, Rangjung Rigpe Dorje, had left the Black Crown, a lineage symbol of Karmapa, and other religious instruments to the Lonte Monastery in Sikkim. Those instruments need to be returned to him, so that he can be the real Karmapa, Chen explained.
Chen had met with Karmapa three months ago. He said Karmapa had always been eager to learn. Six years ago, he said, when Karmapa went to Beijing his wish was to go abroad and learn.
"Karmapa had often asked followers who visited him in Lhasa, `what did you learn outside?'" Chen said.
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