Tibetan Buddhism's third most important spiritual leader questioned by police over money found in a monastery
Thousands of devotees and monks demonstrated today across India to show their support for Tibetan Buddhism's third most important spiritual leader, who has been repeatedly questioned by Indian police about cash worth around £500,000 found in the Buddhist monastery in northern India where he lives.
Lines of Tibetan exiles carried candles and pictures of the Karmapa, whose full name is Ogyen Trinley Dorje, in a series of vigils. The Karmapa, seen as a possible successor to the Dalai Lama, has denied allegations of wrongdoing. An aide has been arrested.
This weekend large sums of Indian and foreign currency were recovered from the monastery near the Himalayan foothill town of Dharamsala where the lama lives. The cash included large amounts of Chinese yuan, sparking accusations, vociferously denied, that the 25-year-old lama [spiritual leader] is a Chinese spy.
The office of the Karmapa, who fled from Tibet to India 11 years ago, said in a statement: "Everyone who knows the history of our lineage, our struggle and his holiness's life is very surprised by the allegations. We categorically deny having any link whatsoever with any arm of the Chinese government."
Supporters were swift to defend the young monk. "The way the Karmapa has conducted himself in exile has been quite exemplary," said Youdon Aukatsang, a Tibetan living in Delhi. "For the police to jump to the conclusion that he is a Chinese spy because of the money found at the monastery is ridiculous."
One UK-based campaigner said: "The Karmapa has always been under protection and accompanied everywhere, even up and downstairs from his private quarters to the temple, by Indian security."
The position of the Tibetan community in India, estimated to be 200,000-strong, is a delicate one as tensions between India and China rise. The Karmapa himself is a controversial figure, with some within Tibetan Buddhism denying his claim to be the reincarnation of the 16th Karmapa.
Ever since his sudden arrival in India as a teenager in January 2000, Delhi has been suspicious. A former official maintained that this was because intelligence services doubted he could have left Tibet without the knowledge of Chinese authorities.
In remarks quoted in Indian media, a Chinese Communist party official told reporters: "The speculation by India's media regarding the matter of the Karmapa as a Chinese agent or spy shows that India is keeping its mistrustful attitude toward China."
The Dalai Lama, the spiritual head of Tibetan Buddhism said: "The Karmapa has many devotees, including from China," he told reporters in Bangalore. "Some money would have naturally been received by him [from devotees] There has been some negligence [on the part of monastery officials]. It is better now to have a thorough investigation."
Experts say the Karmapa is being groomed as a possible replacement for the Dalai Lama, who has publicly suggested that he might retire from political life within six months.
The Gyuto monastery was raided after police stumbled upon around £14,000 in a car in which two Indians were travelling. The car's occupants claimed they had received the cash from the monastery as part-payment for the purchase of land, for the construction of a monastery.
The Karmapa's legal counsel, Naresh Mathur, told journalists that the money found in the monastery was composed of donations from devotees who came from all over the world, including Tibet.
Karmapa devotees demonstrate across India | World news | The Guardian
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Thousands of devotees and monks demonstrated today across India to show their support for Tibetan Buddhism's third most important spiritual leader, who has been repeatedly questioned by Indian police about cash worth around £500,000 found in the Buddhist monastery in northern India where he lives.
Lines of Tibetan exiles carried candles and pictures of the Karmapa, whose full name is Ogyen Trinley Dorje, in a series of vigils. The Karmapa, seen as a possible successor to the Dalai Lama, has denied allegations of wrongdoing. An aide has been arrested.
This weekend large sums of Indian and foreign currency were recovered from the monastery near the Himalayan foothill town of Dharamsala where the lama lives. The cash included large amounts of Chinese yuan, sparking accusations, vociferously denied, that the 25-year-old lama [spiritual leader] is a Chinese spy.
The office of the Karmapa, who fled from Tibet to India 11 years ago, said in a statement: "Everyone who knows the history of our lineage, our struggle and his holiness's life is very surprised by the allegations. We categorically deny having any link whatsoever with any arm of the Chinese government."
Supporters were swift to defend the young monk. "The way the Karmapa has conducted himself in exile has been quite exemplary," said Youdon Aukatsang, a Tibetan living in Delhi. "For the police to jump to the conclusion that he is a Chinese spy because of the money found at the monastery is ridiculous."
One UK-based campaigner said: "The Karmapa has always been under protection and accompanied everywhere, even up and downstairs from his private quarters to the temple, by Indian security."
The position of the Tibetan community in India, estimated to be 200,000-strong, is a delicate one as tensions between India and China rise. The Karmapa himself is a controversial figure, with some within Tibetan Buddhism denying his claim to be the reincarnation of the 16th Karmapa.
Ever since his sudden arrival in India as a teenager in January 2000, Delhi has been suspicious. A former official maintained that this was because intelligence services doubted he could have left Tibet without the knowledge of Chinese authorities.
In remarks quoted in Indian media, a Chinese Communist party official told reporters: "The speculation by India's media regarding the matter of the Karmapa as a Chinese agent or spy shows that India is keeping its mistrustful attitude toward China."
The Dalai Lama, the spiritual head of Tibetan Buddhism said: "The Karmapa has many devotees, including from China," he told reporters in Bangalore. "Some money would have naturally been received by him [from devotees] There has been some negligence [on the part of monastery officials]. It is better now to have a thorough investigation."
Experts say the Karmapa is being groomed as a possible replacement for the Dalai Lama, who has publicly suggested that he might retire from political life within six months.
The Gyuto monastery was raided after police stumbled upon around £14,000 in a car in which two Indians were travelling. The car's occupants claimed they had received the cash from the monastery as part-payment for the purchase of land, for the construction of a monastery.
The Karmapa's legal counsel, Naresh Mathur, told journalists that the money found in the monastery was composed of donations from devotees who came from all over the world, including Tibet.
Karmapa devotees demonstrate across India | World news | The Guardian
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