Ani Chowang, a Tibetan monk, comes to the city from a monastery in Wappingers Falls once a week to teach a Buddhism class in the Upper West Side. Recently, she noticed that just by wearing Buddhist robes, strangers often approach her saying “Free Tibet.”
“The robes are for religious identity not a political statement,” said Chowang, at Kagyu Dzamling Kunchab Tibetan Buddhist Center on 410 Columbus Avenue. “When the two intermingle there is always the possibility of sacrificing parts of each.”
Since March 10, the 49th anniversary of the 1959 Tibetan uprising, there have been brutal protests and riots, beginning with hundreds of monks demanding the release of detained monks and political prisoners. Soon, the violence was fueled by rumors of killings, beatings and detentions of monks by the Chinese government in Lhasa. More than 15 people died in the riots and crackdowns, according to BBC news reports. Since then, the protests throughout the world have continued leading to the boycott of the Beijing Olympics scheduled to begin next summer.
New York, where more than 3,000 Tibetan immigrants live, has also played host to protests. Tibetans monks from monasteries in New York and New Jersey gave speeches and led prayers during the city’s Free Tibet protests. But there were also other Tibetan monks who promoted their own religious convictions, calling for a peaceful resolution to the conflicts and easing the tension by encouraging followers to remain in monasteries, practicing chants and teaching, instead of joining protests in the streets.
“There are some basics in Tibetan Buddhism which are: to give up harmful acts, to practice virtue, and to cultivate wisdom and compassion,” said Chowang, as she sipped tea in her teaching room where pictures of Chenrezi, The Bodhisattva of Compassion, hung on the wall. “What I can do here is to spread the wisdom of Buddha; and that’s my way to give back to the people what I have.”
On Wednesdays at 6 p.m. people gather in the basement of the center, on the floor around Chowang for her Chenrezi Chanting Practice. Soon, the room, decorated with orange, yellow and red flags and images of the sacred Buddha, fills with low chanting as the students sit cross-legged, eyes closed.
The Kagyu Dzamling Kunchab Tibetan Buddhist Center, founded in 1978, has offered three-year retreats at the monastery in Wappingers Falls and a free traditional Dharma practice every Wednesday in New York City, as well as prayers and mentoring by request. Chowang, who was born in the United States to a Tibetan family, had an interest in meditation and has practiced Chenrezi regularly since she way 15 years old. She entered the retreat in 1999.
“When I completed my stay at the retreat, I didn’t wish to lead a regular worldly life, but mostly just wanted to continue in my study and practice, so it was the obvious choice for me to stay at the monastery,” said Chowang. ” Most importantly, I met a true teacher, someone who has in actuality fully realized the teachings. This type of lama is very special and rare to find.”
Her teacher, Lama Norlha Rinpoche, who was born in 1938, in the Nangchen District of Kham in eastern Tibet, came to New York in 1976, where he offered Buddhist philosophy and meditation practice to a wide range of students, as his way of preserving Tibetan Buddhism, at a time when monasteries and nunneries were suppressed by the Chinese government in Tibet. Since 1984, Lama Norlha has returned to Tibet several times in an effort to re-establish the teaching of Tibetan Buddhism and rebuild the monastery at Korche, including its two retreat facilities.
“In Tibetan Buddhism, there is lineage, or a direct connection, from teacher to disciple, all the way back to the Buddha,” said Chowang, who has been teaching since 2003. “I’ve learned his way of preserving Tibetan Buddhism and promoting it. That’s what I do now.”
Since Chowang can speak English and Tibetan fluently, she has been teaching classes in English so that non-Tibetans can also get the chance to learn Tibetan Buddhism.
Asked how the circumstances of New York City affect the practice of Tibetan Buddhism, which originally had developed in the isolated Himalayas, Chowang answered, “New Yorkers are very interested in the dharma [teaching]. However, they are very busy. Still, there are many different ways to practice. So for someone who lives in the city and wants to study Buddhism, the most important thing for them would be to have a stable commitment and not get distracted by doing a lot of unnecessary activity.”
Since the unrest in Tibet has continued, her students sometimes ask how to perceive the situations from a Buddhist perspective. Then, she explains to her students, “As for the role of Buddhism, people all over the world are Buddhists. So I think this is one of the reasons why there is so much sympathy and awareness of what is happening.”
But, she added:
” I don’t agree with any act of violence, whether from Tibetans or the Chinese government.”
Like Chwang, the Dalai Lama, the spiritual leader of Tibetans, has urged Tibetans to refrain from violence and boycotting the Beijing Olympics, denying the charge from the Chinese government that he has been leading the unrest in Tibet. But, some of the monks and protestors say that the Chinese government’s strict policies against Tibetan Buddhism have been too brutal to be resolved only with “peace.”
“The Chinese government has destroyed major monasteries and Buddhist manuscripts. And now they send officers to monasteries every month to watch us,” said Tenzin Dawa, who was exiled to India in 1960, following the Dalai Lama, and then came to New Jearsey in 1978. “The Dalai Lama said that we need more autonomy, not indepedence; but I’m not sure we are going to have true freedom. They would find ways to manipulate us somehow.”
Dawa said that he has joined almost every protest in New York since the rally on March 11th.
There are Tibetan people who have admired the Dalai Lama in the past, but hardly agree with him this time.
“Even though the situation has gotten a bit violent, I believe this is actually the only way to make people take notice and understand what’s going on there,” said Diki Wucab, 32, who carried a picture of The Dalai Lama in her wallet. “I’m sorry that he does not support this. At some point, sometimes, it has to happen.”
Still, there are Tibetan monks and followers who support a non-violent resolution with the Chinese government.
“Since the protest started, I see more people gather together at temples and pray for our country and people,” said Tsewang Phuntso, liaison officer at the Office of Tibet, adding that community meetings with monks have been held regularly since the protest on March 11th. “We just get together and pray. Tibetan Buddhism is more than just a religion. It’s closer with our national identity and it holds us more tightly together.”
After she finishes her teaching, Chwang, tightening her red robe, heads to Grand Central Terminal where she can catch the Metro North train to Wappingers Falls.
“Actually, I admire those young, active people who are very passionate about Tibet,” said Chowang, stepping into the subway. “But what I really hope is that people would have peaceful minds towards each other, whether they’re independent or not.”