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The Suffering of Yushu

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For some remarkable pictures of the earthquake damage in Yushu and recovery efforts, go to http://www.boston.com/bigpicture/2010/04/yushu_earthquake_12_days_later.html.
Caution: some very graphic content. Also, be sure to read the comments.

To get some idea of the situation in Yushu County, Tibetans make up 97.25% of the population while Han Chinese only 2.56%. Other nationalities only make up less than 1%. This does not include some 50-60,000 nomads who do not live permanently in Yushu.

From Collective Responsibility:

As news of the Yushu earthquake disappears from the world’s front pages, survivors’ needs increase. Those in Yushu still lack blankets and tents. Temperatures are dropping and there is insufficient fuel for cooking and heating. Yushu has no electricity and is still in darkness. People have only meager food supplies and are drinking water from unsafe sources.

* A jacket costs 2 USD.
* A blanket costs 2.40 USD.
* A toothbrush costs 0.15 USD.
* One ton of coal costs 51 USD.
* 20 * 500ml bottled water 2.20 USD.
* Flashlight: 2.90 USD.

If you can make even a small donation, please visit: www.yushuearthquakeresponse.org

Apart from the needs of those in Yushu, patients and their families in Xining are also suffering.

Below are the number of patients in Qinghai hospitals:

* Qinghai Province People’s Hospital: 186 patients
* Armed Police Number Four Hospital: 83 patients
* Qinghai Province Red Cross Hospital: 69 patients
* Qinghai University Hospital: 172 patients
* Qinghai Province People’s Second Hospital: 127 patients
* Hainan Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture Hospital: 18 patients

This total of 655 people does not include accompanying family members.

Below are accounts written by Xining students describing the situation here and in Yushu.

Tashi:
I received information about the earthquake from my brother who is a teacher in Yushu. At about 5:00 a.m on the fourteenth of April a low magnitude quake woke people up, but many people then went back to sleep. Later that morning the big earthquake came. At that time many students were reciting lessons outside, by the walls of the school buildings. They were crushed when the walls fell on them. Some female students were going to the cafeteria to collect boiling water to make instant noodles, and the cafeteria collapsed and killed them. Despite all these terrible things, many people survived. They did not have any food for three days. After three days, instant noodles arrived and the people, almost starving, happily ate them. Now people are cold; they don’t have enough clothes, or blankets, or anywhere to stay.

Rinchen
I went to the hospital to help earthquake victims. Although I am Tibetan I couldn’t communicate very well with the patients because we speak different dialects. Nonetheless we could understand each other. People are just bringing them bread to eat and water to drink. They need some good food. The clerks at the hospital told me that many people are volunteering, but they still need qualified, professional, helpers.

Drolma
I went to the hospital to volunteer with my classmates – we spent one night there. There were many patients in the hospital. Some of the patients could not move, eat, drink, or go to the toilet by themselves. When people were awake they were nervous and when they were asleep they had nightmares. One man I helped had bruises all over his face and he couldn’t move his legs. The patients in the hospital still don’t have any clean clothes and what they are wearing has already become dirty and caked with blood.
Tsomo
Three of my female classmates are from Yushu. After the terrible earthquake they lost many relatives and friends, not to mention property. Luckily their parents are still alive. Now those three women are working busily in the hospital, day and night. They have been staying up all night to help the patients from their hometown and cannot attend classes as usual. When they come back to school from the hospital they just fall on the bed and sleep. Patients in the hospital have nothing now. I hope many warm-hearted people will stretch out their hands to help them.

Lumo
There is a girl from Yushu in the dorm room next to mine. She lost her mother in the earthquake. Since then she often calls out her mother’s name and cries. Sometimes she stays silent for a long time. We don’t know how to comfort her. Sometimes we want to talk about it with her, but maybe that will only make it worse. That girl is still going to classes, but she just sits there and we don’t know if she really knows what is going on her around her.

Tsering and Tsemdo
We talked to one earthquake survivor who helped us to distribute supplies we took to Yushu from Xining. He told us, “I woke up when the earthquake occurred at around 5 a.m. I knew that an earthquake was occurring and wanted to get up but I felt very sleepy and stayed in bed. My wife also felt very sleepy and stayed in bed. We were never so sleepy in our whole life – it was very strange. When an earthquake occurred again at 7:49 a.m., our house shook and I woke up. The house continued to shake and I grabbed hold of my grandson and wife, jumped up from bed, and ran outside. Our house collapsed just as I stepped out of the door. Something heavy hit my head and I passed out. When I woke up I could barely see because my vision was blurry. As my sight came back I could only see dust. I heard the sound of houses collapsing. After the earthquake, my daughter and son-in-law were trapped in the rubble and died but the rest of the family was OK. Many other people have died.”

How You Can Help Earthquake Victims in Tibet

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The Khenpo brothers, Khenpo Palden Sherab Rinpoche and Khenpo Tsewang Dongyal Rinpoche, old friends of KPC, have organized a relief fund to aid victims of the earthquake in Qinghai Province.

Donation page is at http://www.padmasambhava.org/misc/kyegu.html or mail donations directly to:

Padma Samye Ling
ATTN: Kyegu Earthquake Relief Fund
618 Buddha Highway
Sidney Center, NY 13839

from the LA Times, April 26, 2010

A Tibetan writer who had signed an open letter critical of the Chinese government’s quake relief efforts in western Qinghai province has been detained by police, according to a family friend.

The writer, who publishes under the name Zhogs Dung but whose real name is Tagyal, was among eight authors and intellectuals who signed a letter dated April 17 that expressed sorrow for the disaster that left more than 2,000 people dead — most of them Tibetan — but also urged wariness of Chinese government relief efforts.

Last Friday, a half dozen police officers showed up at the Qinghai Nationalities Publishing House in the regional capital of Xining, where he worked, and escorted him away, according to a blog post written by a friend. They searched his home and library, confiscating his computers.

Afterward, they showed his arrest warrant to his wife, and asked her to bring bedding for him. When his two daughters went to the police station they were not allowed to meet with him, the posting said.

There was no way to independently confirm the account. On Monday, the Xining Police Department refused to answer questions regarding his whereabouts, saying it had no comment. The police referred questions to the Ministry of Public Security.

The letter urged people to help victims by offering food, clothes and medicine but warned them not to donate funds to relief organizations, warning of possible corruption.

“Better to send (money) to the disaster zone with people you trust, because nobody can say there is no corruption,” said the letter, which was posted on several websites, including the overseas Boxun.com, which is critical of the Chinese government.

“Just as the news from the mouthpiece for the (communist) party organizations cannot be believed, we dare not believe in the party organization, which issued the order stopping people from going to the disaster zone for political reasons,” it said.

It’s unclear whether the open letter was directly connected to his detention. The Chinese government has been at pains to quash any criticism of its relief efforts in the Tibetan region, where a total of 2,220 people were killed, according to the latest government figures.

Beijing has sought to take credit for much of the rescue work, portraying relief efforts as a government undertaking in this remote Tibetan region where residents have frequently chafed under Chinese rule. Tibetan resentment over political and religious restrictions and economic exploitation by majority Han Chinese have sometimes erupted in violence.

State media largely played down the role of thousands of Tibetan Buddhist monks who worked alongside soldiers to rescue survivors and dig out the dead.

On April 19, the Qinghai provincial government had issued a ban against pornography and what it called “illegal publications.” According to state media, Zhang Chengwei, head of the anti-pornography and illegal publications office, said that pressure must be used to “prevent unlawful elements from using illegal publications to disturb social stability and to disturb and sabotage disaster relief.”

Zhogs Dung, 45, is considered a leading intellectual and thinker who in the past has written books that largely aligned with the Chinese government’s views on modernization, religion and culture in Tibet. However, he published a book this year that was far more critical of the government in the wake of anti-government riots in Tibet in 2008.

Robbie Barnett, director of the modern Tibetan studies program at Columbia University, said the book may have been another reason for the government to target him.

Zhogs Dung was seen by fellow Tibetans as an “official intellectual” who took the Communist Party’s view, for which he was widely criticized. But a few months ago, he quietly published a book called “Distinguishing Sky from Earth,” in which he said the March 2008 riots, the largest anti-government protests in Tibet in decades, were a turning point for Tibetans and their national spirit.

In the book, he advocated “non-violent resistance” to obtain greater rights for Tibetans, Barnett said. He seemed to sense he was crossing a dangerous line, saying he expected to be arrested for his views.

“Here was someone who had supported the government. Now he himself is being detained by the state. This will be understood as China losing even those it could have allied with,” Barnett said.

China is hugely sensitive to issues regarding ethnic rights. A Mongolian rights activist who had been invited to speak before the United Nations in New York was arrested on April 18 at the Beijing airport, according to a U.S.-based rights group.

AID BEGINS TO ARRIVE IN DISASTER AREA

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Information compiled by Thubten Palzang:

WHILE OLD TENSIONS SURFACE

 

Some relief supplies have begun to arrive in the earthquake-stricken areas of Yushu County, Qinhai Province, China (Tibet).  The first truck along with a group of volunteers from the Tibetan Village Project (TVP) arrived in Yushu on April 17.  The TVP has set up a website for those wishing to donate to relief efforts, http://www.yushuearthquakeresponse.org/.  The TVP is an NGO (non-governmental organization) working to promote sustainable development in Tibet while preserving their cultural heritage.

The home monastery of Thrangu Rinpoche in Tibet was devastated by the earthquake.  The learning center collapsed, killing as many as 30 monks and students.  Donations to assist the monastery rebuild can be made at the Himalayan Children’s Fund http://www.rinpoche.com/hcfindex.htm.

One side effect of the earthquake has been to further polarize the national identities of those affected.  The Chinese are reporting 1,400 dead while Tibetan sources claim the total is closer to 10,000, and the Chinese are taking credit for the relief efforts while in fact much of the rescue work was done by Tibetan monks until the Chinese arrived several days later.  Meanwhile the Dalai Lama has requested permission to visit the area.  Tibetan inhabitants of the area, who far outnumber Han Chinese, have also request permission for him to visit.  The Chinese government, however, is unlikely to grant such a request.  The area around Kyegundo has been an epicenter for anti-Chinese activism since the Chinese army invaded Tibet in 1959.  For further background on this volatile situation, go here.

Earthquake Update-How To Help

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Before and After Image of Jyekundo City

Article compiled by Thubten Palzang:

The severe earthquake that struck Yushu County in Northeast Kham (now China) on April 14, 2010, destroyed or severely damaged towns and monasteries in the area. Jyekundo Dondrubling Monastery, located in Jyekundo City near the epicenter, was severely damaged. At the time of the earthquake, 44 monks at the monastery who were in the midst of sojong (ordained confession practice) inside the monastery were killed. Monks at nearby Chekyeku Monastery, which is larger than Jyekundo, were also in the midst of sojong when the earthquake hit, but they were practicing on the veranda and were able to escape injury except for two young monks, not old enough to take full vows, who were inside the temple and were killed. In the city of Jyekundo itself, which has about 80,000 inhabitants, as of April 17 there were 1,484 reported dead, 417 missing, 1,394 severely injured, another 12,088 injured, and 80% of the residents are homeless. A school there collapsed during the earthquake killing all 115 students and teachers inside. The county hospital in Jyekundo was also destroyed.

The birthplace and monastery of Ayang Rinpoche, of the Amitabha Foundation and a good friend of His Holiness Penor Rinpoche (His Holiness performed the Kalachakra in Rochester for the Amitabha Foundation in 1970) is also located in Rima, the actual epicenter of the quake. A new clinic and boarding school sponsored by the Amitabha Foundation are also located in Rima. There are no reports yet on damage and casualties in Rima.

Yushu is located in the Northwest corner of Sichuan Province, several hundred miles northeast of the main Palyul monastery. The nearest Palyul branch monastery is Tarthang Monastery, home to Tarthang Tulku, about 211 miles to the west of Jyekundo. No reports of damage or injuries have been heard from there as yet.

The remoteness of the affected area has impeded aid reaching the victims. The airport as Jyekundo has reopened, allowing aid to be flown in. Much of what aid is available is coming from monastery stores in the area, particularly food and medical assistance.

As of today (April 21), the number of known dead is approaching 2,000. The International Campaign for Tibet is supporting earthquake relief efforts. Contributions can be made at https://salsa.wiredforchange.com/o/6063/shop/custom.jsp?donate_page_KEY=3457

News and Links: Earthquake in Tibet Updates

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From the Palyul.org website:

“His Holiness Karma Kuchen Rinpoche and all Palyul tulkus, khenpos, lamas, nuns, and students offer their strong heart-felt prayers for the victims of the recent earthquake.

This quake occurred in North Eastern Kham in an area historically called Gapa (once known as the Nangchen Kingdom). The Chinese name for the area is the Yushu Tibetan Autonomous region of Qinghai Province. This is very close to Amdo; Tharthang Monastery (also called Palyul Monastery) is close to the epicenter. The worst hit areas are Kye-ku-do of Qinghai and Dza Chu Kha of Sichuan Province. His Holiness Penor Rinpoche’s close friend, His Eminence Choeje Ayang Rinpoche, is from the area. His Eminence’s South Indian monastery is in the same area as Namdroling.

There was no damage at all in Palyul Monastery although the quake was felt there. We will update this page if and when we learn more.” from http://www.palyul.org

Resources for more information:

News on Phalyul.com A Personal Account of Yushu Earthquake

News on Campaign for Tibet Website Quake Sees Tibetan Buddhist Monks Assert Roles

News on Free Tibet Website Latest News from Free Tibet: A collection of stories

The Power of Lineage

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His Holiness Penor Rinpoche
His Holiness Penor Rinpoche bestows Long Life Empowerment on Jetsunma Ahkon Lhamo

Precious Guru,

During this time of celebrating the anniversary of His Holiness Penor Rinpoche I thought you might appreciate this image. It is a photo from 2006 when His Holiness visited KPC, and he is offering you empowerment with the Long Life Arrow.

Came across it while looking for photos for TBA and was so moved by it I decided to send it along.

This Great Master, Throneholder of this ancient Lineage, who offered so many immeasurable blessings to the world, offered the most precious and inconceivable blessing for your students when he recognized you and enthroned you to teach.

For the benefit of countless beings, may your life be long, health strong and may all your aspirations be swiftly fulfilled!

May this Great Master, who held this stainless Lineage together during these degenerating times, be swiftly reborn!

The Power of Choice

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Ani Kunzang with Rosie from Taras Babies Animal Rescue

From a series of tweets by @ahkonlhamo:

I am now a #Vegan, but how can I rejoice when animals are still slaughtered and tortured for their flesh and skin every day?

I #rescue animals, but how can I be happy when dogs, puppies, cats and others are killed every day because they are inconvenient?

I wonder if we can ever overcome the hatred, callousness, lack of empathy, bigotry that have become so common, and invisible?

We treat the poor, those that disagree with us, animals, different ethnicity, or religion with no respect or dignity. And ACT pious.

If we are so callous, unloving, mean-spirited and cruel- what god do we serve besides the god of ego and habitual tendency? We are blind!

One should never preach without compassion for all. Or pontificate from ego or hate. It does no good and is a disservice to the world.

It’s not for me to tell people how to eat or how to live. But it IS for me to beg that all beings be loved and cherished, given dignity.

We can commit to adding love, joy, compassion and healing to the world every day. That’s a good day. A bad day is when we hurt thru hate.

We have the extraordinary capacity for choice, mindfulness, and LOVE. To use them is mastery of life! To ignore is to wallow in ignorance.

Please, for the sake of all sentient beings, choose well! #stopthehate #bringthelove #feedthepoor

Follow ahkonlhamo on Twitter

Tough Love

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Singdolma

An excerpt from a teaching by Jetsunma Ahkon Lhamo from the Vow of Love series

Now, when we talk about practical compassion, it actually occurs on two levels. There’s a universal level, in the sense you care so much for all sentient beings that your goal is to do whatever is necessary to eliminate suffering for them all. But does that mean that if you see a hungry child you shouldn’t feed him? Or does that mean you shouldn’t be kind in an ordinary, human way? Ordinary compassion, ordinary human kindness is very important. But in understanding the Buddha’s teaching, it shouldn’t be the only thing you do. You have to live an ordinary, virtuous life, but you have to live an extraordinary life as well. The activity of kindness and compassion should have both a universal and an ordinary level.

On the other hand, I don’t believe in ‘idiot compassion.’  Have you ever heard of idiot compassion?  It is when you look at people who are needy and you see them going through their stuff, and you try to be so kind to them and give them what they need, or what they say they need. You actually don’t help them because you increase their dependency. You increase their willingness to tell you how much they need. You’re just helping them along; you’re playing with them. So I don’t believe in idiot compassion because it doesn’t help them. I believe that sometimes, real compassion has to be harsh.

In Buddhism, you see as many wrathful deities as you do peaceful deities. Why is that? Is it because the Buddha is half mean and half nice? I don’t think so. It’s because sometimes compassionate activity has to be a little wrathful. Sometimes it has to be a little aggressive. It depends. If you really are pure and your determination is to really be of benefit, and not just to be a nice guy, after training yourself in this way, you’ll know what to do. You won’t get hooked on idiot compassion. Everybody likes ‘feel-good’ stuff, but that doesn’t always help. You should, however, be a human being of virtue. You should be kind. You should be honest.

© Jetsunma Ahkön Lhamo

With Every Breath

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Ven. Gyaltrul Rinpoche

An excerpt from a teaching by Jetsunma Ahkon Lhamo from the Vow of Love series

Everything that you do should have meaning. It’s important that your life be understood as a vehicle for practice. It’s the only thing that is meaningful: to make this life, which is so rich in opportunity, a vehicle by which you can come to benefit beings. This is the development of aspirational Bodhicitta. Every time you do something good, use that opportunity to dedicate it to the liberation of all beings. If you pat a little child on the head and it makes them smile, that’s a good thing. So you must think, “I dedicate the virtue of this action to the liberation and salvation of all sentient beings.” If you give money to somebody, pray, “I dedicate the virtue of this act to the liberation and salvation of all sentient beings.” You should continue like that in everything that you do. Make up your own prayer. You don’t have to use mine. Dedicate everything that you do so that it might go on, and grow, and be of use to benefit beings. Wean yourself from empty activity, activity that is useless and meaningless. Wean yourself from the need for ‘feel-good’ junk. Learn how to live a life in which your only concern is to liberate beings from the causes of suffering, because doing this is the only thing you can really feel good about. You aspire constantly through these prayers. You really train yourself to do this, and it should never stop.

After you are stable on the path of aspirational compassion, you have to think about concrete or practical compassion. You don’t forget aspirational compassion, saying, “Oh, I did that for a little while when I was a younger practitioner.” You should never stop. Never. I will never stop, and you should never stop. That’s not baby stuff. That’s the real stuff. Then you expand this to include practical compassion.

First you have to decide that the Buddha was right. You look at the Buddha’s teachings and you say, “If he’s right, then I have to think of some practical way to eliminate hatred, greed and ignorance from the world and from the mindstreams of myself and all sentient beings.”

Based on that you begin, and your practice should be deep and true. If you choose to be a Buddhist, the path is laid out, and the path is secure. It goes all the way to supreme realization. If you choose not to be a Buddhist, you still have to find a way to live a life of practical compassion, based on the goal of rooting hatred, greed and ignorance out of the mindstreams of yourself and all sentient beings. You should think that reciting many prayers on a regular basis for others could be of use. You should think activities that cause you to realize the emptiness of self-nature and therefore eliminate desire from your own mindstream would be of benefit. And that, finally, free of desire, when you are truly awake, as the Buddha said, you can go on to benefit others. You should be determined to liberate your own mind, and you should pray every day that you will return in whatever form necessary in order to liberate the minds of all sentient beings.

© Jetsunma Ahkön Lhamo

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