In reply to three recent reports about Tibetan's self-immolations and following fervent praising in social media, His Eminence Tsem Tulku Rinpoche has issued a strong appeal requesting Tibetans to stop the acts of self-immolation to avoid being exploited for political interests.

Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia -- (ReleaseWire) -- 03/12/2018 -- Buddhism's spiritual and political leaders should focus on a message of peace and reconciliation rather than seeking to exploit violent self-immolation acts of protest for political gains, says His Eminence the 25th Tsem Tulku Rinpoche, a reincarnated high lama of the Gelug school of Tibetan Buddhism.

In response to two recent news reports of Tibetan monks threatening self-immolation and one of a Tibetan citizen who set himself ablaze, Tsem Rinpoche, the spiritual advisor of Kechara Buddhist Organisation, issued a powerful statement calling for Tibetans to end the act of sacrificing their lives in protest and to employ non-harmful, peaceful actions instead.

Recent news reports concerning the matter included: 'Monk Proposes Self Immolation Over Politics in Tibetan Exile' published on February 24 by the online portal Tibetan Journal; 'Utsang monk warrior warns president Sangay of self-immolation', which appeared on March 5 in The Tibet Star; and Tibetan Dies in Self-immolation in Sichuan's Ngaba County, which appeared on March 7 in Radio Free Asia.

The two monks, both Tibetan refugees, and most recently a Tibetan man living in his home country, are the latest to threaten or use this drastic measure. The first two were seeking to highlight abuses of political power within the Central Tibetan Administration (CTA) of exiled Tibetans in India, while the last was apparently protesting Chinese rule and policies in Tibet.

Since 2009, 152 Tibetans have set themselves on fire in protest, including 41 monks and eight nuns. They believed their actions would empower others and draw public support for their chosen cause, and many have since been lauded for their sacrifice and even celebrated as heroes, observed His Eminence the 25th Tsem Tulku Rinpoche.

"However, the act of setting oneself ablaze is not one that should be glorified, politicised or encouraged as a means to accomplishing personal or political agendas," he said.

He noted that despite the large number of Tibetans who had already chosen this dramatic method of dissent, these actions had provoked little change. "Has it become too commonplace or are Tibetan lives so insignificant that we choose to ignore them?" he asked. "Either way, self-immolation as an act of protest has clearly failed, and it is time for Tibetans to look for other ways to be seen and heard."

His comments, first released on March 8, shortly before the 59th anniversary of Tibetan upraise against China's, were widely attacked on social media in what appeared to be a co-ordinated wave of posts and tweets. The attacks are strangely from anonymous accounts that have worked incessantly to split the Tibetan community via a number of fronts including the Shugden conflict.

Very few of Tibet's spiritual leaders or human rights exponents from the west have firmly spoken out against the use of self-immolation as a propaganda tool.

Rejecting violence in all its forms, H.E. Tsem Tulku Rinpoche noted that there are many other options for creating peaceful protest movements that are democratic, empowering and dynamic. A truly Buddhist path will lift the human spirit beyond suffering, while the Buddha's teachings on the preciousness of human life should encourage people to use their limited time on earth to seek more positive ways to create the change they want, he said. Tibetans can employ the Buddha's teachings, through wisdom, compassion and expertise, to heal and unite the Tibetan people, thus creating the spiritual basis for social and economic progress, both personal and collective, he added.

H.E. Tsem Tulku Rinpoche called on the Central Tibetan Administration (CTA) and other heads of government to open their hearts to the Tibetan people's plight and to work towards finding peaceful and non-violent solutions that could bring mutual benefit for everyone.

He urged the Tibetan leadership to take measures to prevent self-immolations — both by communicating through the modern media and by sending representatives to Tibetan refugee camps throughout India, providing information to Tibet and speaking out clearly and firmly against the practice.

"I am a simple monk bound by vows of compassion and I cannot watch idly as precious lives come to a senseless end," H.E. Tsem Tulku Rinpoche said. "I am making this request out of genuine concern and I ask everyone who reads this not to colour it with political or other interpretations."

About Kechara
The Kechara Buddhist Organisation was founded by H.E. Tsem Tulku Rinpoche, who practices the ancient wisdom of Buddha's authentic teachings. His Eminence the 25th Tsem Tulku Rinpoche, the spiritual advisor of Kechara, is known for his community-driven work in Malaysia, India and Nepal. He draws inspiration from his difficult life experiences to conceptualise charitable projects that have, amongst other things, furnished schools and hospitals for the poor in India, helped disaster victims in Nepal and fed thousands of homeless people and the urban poor in Malaysia.

For more information, please visit: http://www.tsemrinpoche.com.

For more information on this press release visit: http://www.releasewire.com/press-releases/he-tsem-tulku-rinpoche-reaffirms-his-call-for-tibetans-to-desist-from-self-immolation-as-a-form-of-protest-946886.htm

Kechara has created a virtual Dharma center for individuals interested in learning more about Buddhism, using modern techniques to bring ancient wisdom into a new era.

Petaling Jaya, Selangor -- (ReleaseWire) -- 12/15/2017 -- With a strong online presence, Kechara House has succeeded in bringing Dharma teachings to those who have limited access to authentic Tibetan Buddhist teachers and Dharma resources close to where they live. Kechara House aspires to spread the work of His Eminence Tsem Tulku Rinpoche – the 25th reincarnation from an authentic and unbroken lineage that includes some of the greatest names and personages associated with the growth of Tibetan Buddhism over the centuries.

Tsem Tulku Rinpoche has created awareness of the Dharma using his unconventional method of presenting ancient Buddhist teachings in ways relevant to the 21st century's global village. What is impressive is the ability of this teacher to distill the profound essence of the Buddha's timeless wisdom to fit as solutions and healing for most-day problems.

Since the dawn of Social Media, people from different cultures and geographic locations have used the Internet to connect, communicate, share ideas, and enhance their daily lives. Connections developed in the cyber world can translate into keys that help individuals cope with their lives in the physical world. And so, with the proliferation of digital Dharma, religious online communities have flourished on the Internet in the last decade, particularly in Buddhism.

The goal of Tsem Tulku Rinpoche's Kechara is to forge a global community of conscious minds, able and willing to address the challenges that plague the world, based on the ancient wisdom of the Buddhist sages. And, to disseminate this new mindfulness globally using creative and contemporary methods to reach the spiritual seeker. H.E. Tsem Rinpoche is well known in the monasteries and in countries where he taught, to be the epitome of compassion, which forms the basis for much of his non-religious charitable work. In Kuala Lumpur, the capital of Malaysia, it is common to see groups of volunteers in red T-shirts emblazoned with the words 'Hunger Knows No Barriers' hitting the streets late at night carrying boxes of hot food, fresh water and fresh fruits. These are Kechara Soup Kitchen workers who deliver food to the homeless as a way to build a bond with them and then to render the necessary care when trust is built. This is just one manifestation of Tsem Tulku Rinpoche's conscious community that transcends religious lines.

Enhancing Dharma practices with a broad online teaching platform, and connecting practitioners via social media, H.E. Tsem Rinpoche expresses his vision of global tolerance with the rise of Cyber-Buddhism as a response to an increasingly needs of freedom of belief and expression, particularly among young practitioners, stimulated by a desire of spirituality and tolerance based on the teaching of ancient Dharma.

In a globalized world full of conflicts that affect also the Buddhist monastic community, H.E. Tsem Rinpoche is a lone conciliatory voice on highly charged and polarized issues that has plagued Tibetan Buddhism, such as the Shugden conflict which may have long become intractable but for the voice of this monk.

About Kechara
The Kechara Buddhist organisation was founded by H.E. Tsem Rinpoche, who makes the ancient wisdom of Buddha's authentic teachings, which are timeless and universally relevant, available to modern practitioners in Malaysia and the surrounding regions. Kechara has 13 different sub-organizations, from animal shelters and soup kitchens to a forest resort and film production company, all dedicated to peacefully promoting the tenets of Buddhism in new ways.

For more information on this press release visit: http://www.releasewire.com/press-releases/tsem-tulku-rinpoche-brings-ancient-dharma-to-cyber-age-904813.htm