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Final Message of Jamphel Yeshi Before Self-Immolation!! :(

DaltheJigsawDaltheJigsaw Mountain View Veteran
Jamphel Yeshi, who immolated himself on Monday in New Delhi and died on Wednesday, left a letter which seems to be an attempt to explain his actions. The hand-written letter, dated March 16, 2012, was found in the room where Mr. Yeshi stayed in India’s capital, and was translated by Bhuchung D. Sonam.


Long Live His Holiness the Dalai Lama, who is the shining example of world peace. We must strive to ensure return of His Holiness to Tibet. I pray and believe that the Tibetan people in and outside Tibet will be united and sing the Tibetan national anthem in front of the Potala Palace.

My fellow Tibetans, when we think about our future happiness and path, we need loyalty. It is the life-soul of a people. It is the spirit to find truth. It is the guide leading to happiness. My fellow Tibetans, if you want equality and happiness as the rest of the world, you must hold onto this word ‘LOYALTY’ towards your country. Loyalty is the wisdom to know truth from falsehood. You must work hard in all your endeavors, big or small.

Freedom is the basis of happiness for all living beings. Without freedom, six million Tibetans are like a butter lamp in the wind, without direction. My fellow Tibetans from Three Provinces, it is clear to us all that if we unitedly put our strength together, there will be result. So, don’t be disheartened.

What I want to convey here is the concern of the six million Tibetans. At a time when we are making our final move toward our goal – if you have money, it is the time to spend it; if you are educated it is the time to produce results; if you have control over your life, I think the day has come to sacrifice your life. The fact that Tibetan people are setting themselves on fire in this 21st century is to let the world know about their suffering, and to tell the world about the denial of basic human rights. If you have any empathy, stand up for the Tibetan people.

We demand freedom to practice our religion and culture. We demand freedom to use our language. We demand the same right as other people living elsewhere in the world. People of the world, stand up for Tibet. Tibet belongs to Tibetans. Victory to Tibet!


https://sites.google.com/site/tibetanpoliticalreview/articles/finalmessageofjamphelyeshibeforeself-immolation

image
TheEccentric

Comments

  • :screwy:

    I will waste my body, my mind and hope the world will be improved?

    This guy is hardly a Buddhist. Shameful waste.

    I condemn his behaviour as deplorable self indulgent, wasteful and counter productive. Did he have no sensible sangha support?

    May he remind us of the Middle way, not the way of the muggles and muddled. :)
    Invincible_summer
  • vinlynvinlyn Colorado...for now Veteran
    I tend to agree Lobster, because I think both you and I know that this action will not result in the Chinese changing their policies.
    DaltheJigsaw
  • Yes, dont think the Buddha would have approved one bit...

    Human life is toooo precious.
    DaltheJigsaw
  • cazcaz Veteran United Kingdom Veteran
    Another wasted life, I really wish these people would stop setting their selves on fire its not going to change anything, One less nationalistic Tibetan would be a good thing for China.
  • Tibet belongs to Tibetans, Palestine belongs to Palestinians, Falklands belongs to the British, Constantinople belongs to the Holy Roman Empire or is it the Ottoman? Wait a minute, the Holy Roman and Ottoman empires are no more!

    Cats are cats; not Tibetan, Palestinian, Israeli cats although some people might disagree with this also.

    However the universal human rights belong to all humans.
  • ZenBadgerZenBadger Derbyshire, UK Veteran
    LeonBasin said:

    My fellow Tibetans, if you want equality and happiness as the rest of the world, you must hold onto this word ‘LOYALTY’ towards your country. Loyalty is the wisdom to know truth from falsehood. You must work hard in all your endeavors, big or small.image

    Hmmm, surely loyalty should be towards your fellow sentient beings, not some arbitrary human construction such as nationality. Equality and happiness are as absent in the rest of the world as they are in Tibet, admirable as they are as concepts they seem to be impossible to implement through politics. Farewell Jamphel Yeshi, personally I think you could have achieved much more by living and teaching than you will by dying but it was your choice in the end, not mine.

    cazInvincible_summer
  • I really wish this would stop happening. It doesn't solve anything.

    It's kinda surreal and shocking how something so drastic is so impotent, but that's what it is.

    I can't help but see a valuable life wasted.
  • Wait a minute. The article doesn't say he's a monk. Was he? Or was he a civilian protester?
  • @cinorjer does it make a difference?
  • Both are tragic. Only as a monk, he would have been under vows to obey his superiors and the HHDL really should publically declare self-immolation is not an acceptable act. Instead, the official line seems to be, this is the Chinese's fault and only the Chinese can stop it by withdrawing from Tibet. But a civilian could still be said to take his example from the monks. It's precisely this sort of thing that makes self-immolation not acceptable.

    What a mess. This is what happens when you mix religion and political power.

    RebeccaScaz
  • karastikarasti Breathing Minnesota Moderator
    I agree that its shameful this happens that that the Chinese will not change because of it, but I wanted to add that the people who do it, I think, are not doing it to get China to listen to them. They are attempting to bring attention to their plight to the rest of the world that could possibly make a difference. However, we have no dog in the fight with Tibet, put plenty with China, so we'll just not get involved to protect our own interests. Not that I think the US can, or should, get involved in every conflict. Just bothers me that since we do involve ourselves in other countries conflicts, we do it solely to protect our own interests/greed, and I find that sad.
  • SileSile Veteran
    edited November 2012
    Cinorjer said:

    This is what happens when you mix religion and political power.

    Depends on the religion. If you are going to hold religion accountable, then at least be grateful it's suicide rather than homicide.

    It makes little sense to condemn these people given that elsewhere in the world, oppressed people who resort to violence have generally directed it at others. I sometimes think in fact that Tibetans would get less condemnation from the world if they did kill others instead of themselves.
  • vinlynvinlyn Colorado...for now Veteran
    @Sile, I don't think criticizing a behavior is the same as condemning someone.
  • vinlyn said:

    @Sile, I don't think criticizing a behavior is the same as condemning someone.

    It really depends on which news source one is reading, I think. I have seen what strikes me as very clear condemnation both from news authors, and commenters, but of course it's true that some of those are themselves on a political payroll, so it's hard to know how genuine some of the strongest condemnation is.

    Sadly I think something in many humans (I don't mean people here, just in general) appreciates defending oneself by hurting others, more so than trying to make a statement via suicide.

  • vinlynvinlyn Colorado...for now Veteran
    Oh, I thought you were talking about the posts here.
  • BeejBeej Human Being Veteran
    and this is why Nationalism is an infatile disease
    Bunks
  • I agree with Karasti. I see it as a cry for attention, not for the individual, but for a cause.

    The problem, aside from the obvious, is that it doesn't work. At one time it did. Thich Quang Ducs self-immolation shocked the Western world and had a big impact on attitudes and politics at that time. But that was when it was new and outrageous, the world was a bigger place. The reaction now, with all the religious atrocities across the world, rightly or wrongly, is more to the tune of 'Oh look, another religious nutcase - how original'

    Self-immolation still draws attention, but it probably does more harm than good in the grand scheme of things... Often resulting in people seeing Tibetans as nuts, more than anything else.

    Not meaning to offend, that's just the perception I have living in Europe and seeing peoples response to news like this. It's not productive.
  • cazcaz Veteran United Kingdom Veteran

    and this is why Nationalism is an infatile disease

    Nationalism is only good if it is used to Inspire community cohesion.

  • The cause in this case is the survival of a people, and the survival of family units. Their children are currently taken away, in many regions, and forcibly sent to Chinese indoctrination schools, from which they return having severed the connection to their families in every possible way.

    In cases where the Chinese school is local, there are separate lunch lines for Chinese and Tibetan students. Reminds me very much of the "whites only" drinking fountains. Many people just don't realize the stark realities which make up the system of cultural genocide and apartheid in Tibet, especially following the excesses (even Chinese citizens fully aknowledge them as ecxesses now) of the Strike Hard campaigns.
    lobster
  • Sile I am sure what you say is true. Children are dying for lack world wide. We can dedicate our efforts to improving the situation . . . or just cry . . . :bawl:

    Pouring petrol on ourselves, setting ourselves aflame and running down the street is not skilful use of a life . . . it is as tragic as if we had done it to someone else . . . :screwy:

    The reality of suffering requires genuine, fruitful solutions . . . is this one? :)
    RebeccaSJeffrey
  • vinlynvinlyn Colorado...for now Veteran
    lobster said:

    Sile I am sure what you say is true. Children are dying for lack world wide. We can dedicate our efforts to improving the situation . . . or just cry . . . :bawl:

    Pouring petrol on ourselves, setting ourselves aflame and running down the street is not skilful use of a life . . . it is as tragic as if we had done it to someone else . . . :screwy:

    The reality of suffering requires genuine, fruitful solutions . . . is this one? :)

    I like the way you phrased your response, @Lobster.

  • SileSile Veteran
    edited December 2012
    Sometimes there's just nothing else to do. When it has gotten to that point. We can always imagine a more fruitful act, but when the situation is so desperate, there may not actually be one. At some point, all that is left to do is express one's anguish, and hope against hope that it will force the world to give a fraction of a second of pause to think that maybe something really must be done to help these families. I think all suicide, in the end, is a human expression of anguish.

    In the sense that these people still have hope that their expression of anguish might do even the smallest bit of good for someone else, they are still one last notch away from the ultimate desperation of their grandparents and great-grandparents who committed suicide, understandably, out of sheer physical misery and overall hopelessness.
  • BeejBeej Human Being Veteran
    caz said:

    and this is why Nationalism is an infatile disease

    Nationalism is only good if it is used to Inspire community cohesion.

    but in creating community cohesion, you are then excluding some group that is outside of your "imaginary" political boundary- inclusiveness also relies on exclusion in order to create the community cohesion. Nationalism creates wars and xenophobia, whilst it also creates "community". what if there were no nations?
  • vinlynvinlyn Colorado...for now Veteran
    I know what you're saying, TheBeejAbides, but there are nations and there always will be. It's the way mankind operates.

    And on a much smaller scale, each of us does, as well.
  • Stop posting these things, because of outlets on the internet like these forums, people keep on trying to commit these actions to get their political points across!
  • Metallica said:

    Stop posting these things, because of outlets on the internet like these forums, people keep on trying to commit these actions to get their political points across!

    It's always best to have open discussion about an issue, rather than ignore it.

    vinlyn
  • Sile said:

    Metallica said:

    Stop posting these things, because of outlets on the internet like these forums, people keep on trying to commit these actions to get their political points across!

    It's always best to have open discussion about an issue, rather than ignore it.

    Thats not going to happen now is it? If you take a realistic look at how people operate in the world in the world you will realise that "open discussions" are just going to be two sides forcing each other's views on another.

    Of course many people will cover up the sides they are taking by taking out the "Dharma" to accuse the other side of not being open minded or sympathetic, but it's actually ego habits of modern social norms speaking.

    Frankly the fact people post this stuff on here will be viewed as approval regardless what your original intentions are.

    The whole "Protest for Tibet" camp does not help the situation inside actual Tibet, it just alienate Chinese people and the protest group further.

    caz
  • vinlynvinlyn Colorado...for now Veteran
    Metallica said:

    Sile said:

    Metallica said:

    Stop posting these things, because of outlets on the internet like these forums, people keep on trying to commit these actions to get their political points across!

    It's always best to have open discussion about an issue, rather than ignore it.

    Thats not going to happen now is it? If you take a realistic look at how people operate in the world in the world you will realise that "open discussions" are just going to be two sides forcing each other's views on another.

    Of course many people will cover up the sides they are taking by taking out the "Dharma" to accuse the other side of not being open minded or sympathetic, but it's actually ego habits of modern social norms speaking.

    Frankly the fact people post this stuff on here will be viewed as approval regardless what your original intentions are.

    The whole "Protest for Tibet" camp does not help the situation inside actual Tibet, it just alienate Chinese people and the protest group further.

    PCTKB

  • I really don't understand self-immolation. It's painful and pointless in my eyes.
    vinlyn
  • federicafederica Seeker of the clear blue sky... Its better to remain silent and be thought a fool, than to speak out and remove all doubt Moderator
    edited December 2012
    Metallica said:

    Stop posting these things, because of outlets on the internet like these forums, people keep on trying to commit these actions to get their political points across!

    @Metallica:
    If Moderation is required, we'll deal with it, thanks, it's not your call.
    As I have already advised you, just flag any comment you find pushes your buttons.

    Thanks.
  • cazcaz Veteran United Kingdom Veteran

    caz said:

    and this is why Nationalism is an infatile disease

    Nationalism is only good if it is used to Inspire community cohesion.

    but in creating community cohesion, you are then excluding some group that is outside of your "imaginary" political boundary- inclusiveness also relies on exclusion in order to create the community cohesion. Nationalism creates wars and xenophobia, whilst it also creates "community". what if there were no nations?


    This is the way of Samsara. In order for any society to function appropriately in Samsara it requires wise operation its a pipe dream to imagine everyone can live together in harmony without first doing something to change the mind, So until everyone decides on mind training as the best option inspiring compassion and feelings of unity with your close community first without inspiring the derision others is a good way to try and start it off.
  • It's a complicated situation, but I think it is a mistake to make absolute statements like 'Nationalism is an infantile disease'. It can be, yes, but it can also be a force for good. As ever, it is all about cases. In this case I admire the sacrifice made, and wonder why we are so bothered about someone giving their life in order to help save Tibetan cultural and religious life before it's too late. But everyone will have their opinion. Perhaps he spoke to his charioteer and was given approval.
    cazvinlyn
  • BeejBeej Human Being Veteran
    edited December 2012
    okay, i guess in absolution, that could be a mistake to make that declaration, but wouldnt anything be a mistake if you declare it in absolution? the point that i was attempting to make was that our differences do not outweigh our commonality. we draw lines in the sand but often times this lines serve to create an atmosphere not conducive to cooperation or spiritual growth. we talk of where the world is headed, or where we want humanity to go, but we cant seem to do it. why? because of the lines we draw in the sand? @vinlyn- making statements like "this is the nature of man" negates that you, and everybody else, has a CHOICE. any change that occurs wont be some ammalgamation of happenstance occurances, but through the consequence of choices we make. if you are having trouble seeing a different future it might be because you are clinging to some model of society that you perceive as necessary or "correct". you can draw a line in the sand if you want, but i can also ignore it if i want. its all choice.
  • vinlynvinlyn Colorado...for now Veteran
    @TheBeejAbides, living in a fantasy world -- for example, a world where one thinks "nationhood" will dissolve -- is just as much clinging.

    There is no time in history when there hasn't been some form of nation. There's no real difference between tribes and nations. A tribe is a "sociopolitical organization".

    Yes, individual people make choices. But the world operates based on the concept of nations.
  • Globalization is slowly changing the concept of nation. It is only a matter of time before these and other limiting concepts vanish into one global economy. Not saying it will be a conscious choice made by people, but economic conditions will bring that about anyway.
  • I'll start my own country before I give in to a global economy :lol:
  • BeejBeej Human Being Veteran
    you've ready given in to a global economy, everytime you eat a banana. those dont grow jn canada.
  • We don't eat bananas :lol:

    Point taken, but I don't think trade really counts. I think the topic was more like, one currency, that kind of lark.
  • BeejBeej Human Being Veteran
    edited December 2012
    @vinlyn- for now the world may act that way, for now. but if you refuse to think of it any other way, then maybe you are just one of the ones standing in the way of a better world? compliance is a nasty veil.
  • BeejBeej Human Being Veteran
    edited December 2012
    no the topic was self immolation. the man did this act in support of his nation, and thats why i brought up nationalism, which isnt exactly the same thing as "nationhood". i am not condeming nationhood, but nationalism.
  • I meant the turn in the conversation, then. :rolleyes:
  • vinlynvinlyn Colorado...for now Veteran
    I live in the world that is present during my lifetime.

    And to imagine that just because one believes in nationhood, that one can't make the world a better place is insulting.
  • BeejBeej Human Being Veteran
    nationalism, not nationhood. and dont get insulted over A suggestion. thas another undue line drawn in the sand. tides have a way of erasig those lines anyway, so all in due time, i suppose.
  • I'm just starting (what I hope will be) an interesting book on the concept of "borders" throughout human history:

    http://www.amazon.com/dp/0199731500
  • TheEccentricTheEccentric Hampshire, UK Veteran
    :( !
  • An horrific way to die.

    I can sort of understand why people react this way to occupation by a foreign force, but on the other hand I find it difficult to understand why Buddhists, especially the monks, don't use their understanding of "clinging", of wanting what they can't have, to help them adapt to their current situation - even if at the same time they choose to oppose the occupation through political means.

    Obviously I'm not in their situation, and perhaps it's arrogant to hold the views that I do , but I thought having a deep knowledge of the dharma would have made these monks better equipped than perhaps most other peoples on Earth to cope, not resort to suicide.
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