Finding Tibet – The Panchen Lama
The trip to Shigatse was the highlight of this trip, if not the highlight of my life. Shigatse’s status in Tibet is next to Lhasa. Our experience in Shigatse was second to none though, because we saw him.
The Panchen Lama!
What I thought to be an ordinary tour of the monastery, turned out to be an unplanned pilgrimage.
The Tashi Lhunpo Monastery is the palace for the Panchen Lama, the second spiritual leader of Tibet.
The Dalai’s are the political leaders of Tibet, number one in line. The Panchen’s are the scholars of Tibetan Buddhism. They belong to the “yellow” branch of the religion and are number two in line. The Dalai’s and the Panchen’s often learn from each other and support the administration of the Tibetan institutions (political and religious) together. Now that the 14th Dalai is in exile, the Panchen is in effect the leader of Tibet.
There is an established way to choose the Dalai’s and the Panchen’s. In my last entry I rambled on about “being the chosen one” and questioned such practice, but the Dalai’s and the Panchen’s are recognized by series of tests and questioning of very young children that wouldn’t have known the identities of the testers, who are the living lamas and leaders in Tibet. Furthermore, the search of the reincarnation begins with a vision at the holy lakes in Tibet, a practice since time immemorial. Either way, once recognized, both the Dalai and the Panchen have to go through high levels of education, the best that Tibet offers, and they have an education system equivalent to that of the PhD’s in the west.
Panchen, meaning “the great scholar.”
The current Panchen Lama, the 11th reincarnation, is in fact not a choosing by the Tibetan people. The Chinese government chose him, and the “real” one turned a political prisoner as soon as the Chinese government intervened. According to the Wikipedia, the whereabouts of the previously chosen 11th Panchen is still unknown today. He has not been seen since 1990, at the time he was only about 2 years old.
Despite the politics of all this, it was settled that Qoigyijabu (his Buddhist name in Tibetan) would be chosen, by the drawing of a golden urn. It was the Tenth Panchen Lama’s wish that his reincarnation be recognized by a drawing with a golden urn. Qoigyijabu was enthroned in 1995 at the Tashi Lhunpo Monastery.
We finished with the tour of the monastery within an hour and a half. As we enjoyed walking around the palace, we saw architecture and burial altars that were noticeably different from the ones in Potala. We also noticed that there were some activities by the monks on that day. I did not pay much attention, although there was a whole group of them rushing to one place or other bustling around. I heard from one of the young monks that the Panchen Lama would be making his third round of the Palace that day. The Panchen Lama is receiving a Chinese education at the Yonghe Palace in Beijing and he was back in Tibet for a ritual, to walk around his palace three times. We met him at his last round.
The tour guide told us it was impossible to see the Panchen Lama, “it is a rumor, he has already made his last round.” As we started back to our bus, we heard a commotion, “he’s coming, he’s coming!” We rushed back up the hill to see his Holiness.
I cannot quite describe that moment of a rushed intense feeling, of excitement, of curiosity, of intrigue. He came with two lamas on his sides encircling his arms. People started bowing, and I was speechless but to wow wow wow wow all the way until he was to disappear completely from my view. I might have jumped up and down trying to get that last view of him, walking so gracefully and confidently, the Leader of Tibet. A beautiful youth trapped in a complicated web of theocracy, religion and politics at home plus that which within the long arm of Beijing.
I was disappointed that I only got a view of him, and that no pictures were allowed. We finally started back to our bus, but when we reached the ground, we heard another commotion, “he’s down here now!”
Soon enough a crowd gathered, all kneeled down in a queue to receive his blessing. One by one people bowed in respect, wishing for his holy touch. Exhibiting a characteristic composure, he granted each of their wishes, touching their heads gently. The faithful people there, most of them of Han descent, receiving his holiness. It was a once-in-a-lifetime encounter with the living Buddha.
I wanted to be blessed by his holiness too, but I know my father on earth and my father in heaven would not be pleased. I stood as a Christian and watched.
He has blessed the crowd soon. When he was leaving, I seized the opportunity and yelled, “zai jian” (goodbye). He has already passed me but he noticed me. He gestured a goodbye at me with his right hand down on his waist, still walking so gracefully. The lama next to him turned around and smiled at me. My heart warmed.
To end, let me quote the Wikipedia’s entry on the Panchen Lama,
As of 2006, according to the Associated Press, Qoigyijabu “is believed to live in Beijing amid intense secrecy and is almost never seen in public.” See the current Wikipedia entry on the Panchen Lama here.
