Pictured above: Sikyong Dr Lobsang Sangay with His Holiness the Dalai Lama at the swearing-in ceremony, May 27, 2016
DHARAMSHALA: Dr Lobsang Sangay was sworn-in for a second term as Sikyong in front of His Holiness the Dalai Lama at the oath-taking ceremony today at Tsuglagkhang. The ceremony was attended by thousands of Tibetans and Tibet supporters including Shri R K Khrimey, MLA and Advisor to the chief minister of Arunachal Pradesh.
As the ceremony began, Sikyong Dr Lobsang Sangay prostrated before His Holiness the Dalai Lama and presented a ceremonial Tibetan scarf as a token of gratitude for His Holiness the Dalai Lama’s leadership and guidance over the last 50 years.
Several monks then recited a prayer of blessing to inaugurate the auspicious event, followed by serving of traditional Tibetan tea and sweetened rice to the gathering.
Mr Kargyu Dhondup, the Chief Justice Commissioner of the Tibetan Supreme Justice Commission, then rose up to administer the oath of office to the Sikyong elect.
As Sikyong Dr Lobsang Sangay took the oath of office, the public burst out in cheerful applauses, followed by congratulatory greetings by the two justice commissioners and the Speaker and Deputy Speaker of the Tibetan Parliament.
Sikyong then delivered his inaugural speech, pledging to continue the 15th Kashag’s tasks based on the 14th Kashag’s founding principles of unity, innovation and Self-reliance.
“Today, on this occasion of my swearing-in for the second term of Sikyong, we are all blessed with the presence of His Holiness the Dalai Lama gracing the ceremony as the Chief Guest. With many prostrations, I express my eternal gratitude to His Holiness the Dalai Lama for accepting our humble request. His Holiness has assured us of his long and healthy life. The Kashag pledges to strive fully in realizing the aspirations of the Tibetan people in his lifetime,” Sikyong began.
“Similarly, I would also like to thank all Tibetans in exile for giving me the opportunity to serve for a second term. I swear to serve to my fullest capacity with all sincerity. All Tibetans irrespective of provincial, regional or religious biases share the same aspiration. With this spirit of our oneness as brothers and sisters, I hope that Tibetans in and outside Tibet will continue to extend their support and solidarity in my effort,” Sikyong said.
Offering apologies to the moral shortcomings of the people witnessed during the election campaign, Sikyong said: “In the recent election of the Sikyong and Chithue, there have been a series of unfortunate events that went counter to the Tibetan tradition of humility and good conduct. This has greatly saddened and disappointed His Holiness the Dalai Lama. We ceaselessly beg His Holiness the Dalai Lama for his forgiveness. We all firmly pledge not to repeat these misconduct in future. Likewise, I strongly urge all Tibetans to avoid divisive affiliations and stand strong in unity and harmony.”
Sikyong condemned the Dolgyal followers for making baseless allegations against His Holiness the Dalai Lama in the name of religion and expressed the 15th Kashag’s commitment to confront these matters.
He also lauded the sacrifices of the self-immolaters and the Tibetans inside Tibet, expressing his solidarity and assuring the Central Tibetan Administration’s committed efforts to resolve the issue through the Middle Way Approach.
He further outlined a five-fifty strategy for success, explaining that Tibetans can achieve genuine autonomy in the next five years or China will gradually change for the better in the next fifty years.
Sikyong concluded his speech by expressing his gratitude to the state and central government of India for their continued support and His Holiness the Dalai Lama for his blessings and guidance.
His Holiness the Dalai Lama, in his keynote address, spoke about the rich cultural and religious traditions of Tibet and the need for a holistic education of Tibetan children.
“Tibet is called the roof of the world. Similarly, the rich Buddhist culture and tradition of Tibet is also one of the best traditions in the world,” His Holiness said, explaining that his statement is not borne out of loyalty but through reason.
“Over the years I have met numerous people, including scholars, scientists, politicians and spiritual leaders. In my interaction with these people, I have come to realise that the Tibetan Buddhist tradition, derived from the Nalanda tradition of India, is among the best, primarily because it is based in scientific analysis and logical study.”
“Many Buddhist traditions trace their root to Nalanda. However, Tibetan Buddhism seems the only one, which contains the purest essence of the tradition. It is truly a universal treasure, which the Tibetan people have preserved for centuries,” His Holiness said.
His Holiness also emphasised the importance of preserving Tibet’s script and linguistic traditions. “The Tibetan language is the only language wherein the pure essence of the Nalanda tradition is preserved. Therefore, it is extremely important to study and preserve it,” His Holiness said.
Speaking on the Tibetan struggle, His Holiness said that the most important aspect of the Tibetan movement should be to fulfill the aspirations of the majority Tibetans who continue to remain inside Tibet. And emphasised that the Tibetan movement should be based solely on the principle of non-violence.
“I have worked wholeheartedly for the Tibetan cause for over 57 years. However, I have devolved my political responsibility to an elected leadership since 2011 but I will continue to work for Tibet’s culture and religion,” His Holiness said.
His Holiness further noted that Tibetans have been relatively successful in exile.“As Sikyong rightly pointed out, with our hard work and the generous assistance of the Indian and other foreign governments and organisations, we Tibetans have reached a stage where we are unique among equals. But it doesn’t mean we can get complacent,” His Holiness said, calling for concerted effort to resolve the Tibet issue.
At the same time, His Holiness lamented the negative campaigns that took place in the lead up to the final Tibetan general elections. “I was pained to see the degradation of morality and the overtones of regional loyalty during the election campaign. It is very unfortunate,” His Holiness remarked.
“The unity of the three traditional provinces of Tibet is of primary importance. Despite the passage of time, we have preserved our traditions and culture based on this unity of the three provinces for thousands of years. Therefore, we should do away with this warped sense of loyalty to regions and move on as one,” His Holiness said.
“Moreover, we are all followers of the Buddha. We should be embarrassed of what we have done during the election campaign. I don’t blame the majority. However, there are some fringe elements within the community who take pleasure in dividing the society on regional lines,” His Holiness noted, urging the Tibetan leaders, staff, and public to keep unity of Tibetan people in mind.
His Holiness further called for a renewed emphasis on holistic education for Tibetan children. “There are over 1.5 lakh Tibetans in exile. We should not just be satisfied with a successful livelihood. We should focus on a holistic education of our children,” His Holiness said.
“Despite the great heights that modern education has reached, it is still inadequate when it comes to inner values. It is obvious when you see that most criminals and anti-social elements are quite advanced in modern education. Moreover, the prevalence of social ills like corruption, dishonesty are a result of the lack of moral principle in modern education,” His Holiness asserted.
His Holiness then extended his greetings and concluded his address by urging, “If you consider me your friend, please pay attention to what I have said.”
His Holiness the Dalai Lama’s address was followed by a photo opportunity for the media of Sikyong and His Holiness the Dalai Lama together.
The ceremony then concluded with a cultural performance by the Tibetan Institute of Performing Arts.
After lunch, members of the outgoing 14th Kashag, Secretaries and senior staff of the Central Tibetan Administration offered Tibetan scarves to Sikyong to congratulate him. Former Kalons, the official medium of Nechung oracle, the administrator of Delek Hospital, Director of Mentseekhang and representatives from tibetan monasteries and nunneries also attended the afternoon session to congratulate Sikyong.
