Religion in the Life and Landscape of Tibet

Farkas, R., & Farkas J. (2009). Religion in the life and landscape of Tibet. American Geographical Society's Focus on Geography, 52(2), 30-37.

•      Tibetan Buddhism, called Mahayana Buddhism, fosters the messianic resolve to liberate all beings by transforming the entire universe into a realm of peace, abundance, and happiness (p. 30).
•      They are all devoted to the Three Jewels of Buddhism – the Buddha, the Dharma (his teachings), and the Sangha (the community of practitioners) (p. 31).
•     … between 1956 and 1959, Tibet was split. Amdo, the northern part, was incorporated into the newly-created Qinghai Province, and large parts of Kham in eastern Tibet ware merged into the Chinese provinces of Sichuan and Yunnan. As such, the promises made to Tibet in the 17-Point Agreement were not applied to these areas since they had become part of China and distinct from Tibet (p. 36).
•      Monastic abbots who proved obdurate were sent to “reeducation camps” or jailed.
•      Because Buddhism, if left unchecked, would seriously undermine the establishment of socialism and Chinese control, China adopted a policy whose ultimate aim was to reduce or eliminate the influence of Buddhism among Tibetan people.
•      … all the monasteries that had participated were dismantled, the monks were sent to labor camps, and the monastic properties were taken over by the government. Many monks were denounced as “reactionaries” and executed. Others were asked to leave the monastery and sent back to their villages. Monastic estates were taken over by the state and put in charge of local Chinese cadres.