Tathagata

The government of China has released a documentary through its CCTV global media outlet that claims His Holiness the Dalai Lama is behind the wave of self-immolations in China. About 34 ethnic Tibetans, most of them Buddhist monks and nuns, have set fire to themselves over the past few months to protest Chinese oppression of Tibetan Buddhism.

The documentary was released globally, according to the Associatd Press.  This is significant, IMO, because it shows us that Beijing is serious about influencing world opinion of the Dalai Lama and Tibetan Buddhism.

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Should the Dalai Lama Say More About Tibetan Suicides? originally appeared on About.com Buddhism on Thursday, May 17th, 2012 at 12:18:28.

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When Koreans face a dead-end situation, they use the term "ipan sapan," which can be roughly translated as "do or die." The term`s origins are in Buddhism.

The number of Tibetans burning themselves to death in protests against Chinese policy has grown very fast recently : the first self-immolation was in 2009, but 22 of the 30 incidents happened in the past year.

Today the United Nations commemorates Vesak in accordance with the General Assembly Resolution 54/115. Vesak is a special day for Buddhists around the world.

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A secret video of Buddhist monks drinking, smoking and playing high-stakes poker circulated the Internet and Korean television networks, stirring controversy in where gambling is illegal and prompting six leaders from the Jogye Order to quit.