A: No. It is the basic policy of the Chinese government to respect and protect
freedom of religious belief. According to China's Constitution and laws, all citizens
of the People's Republic of China have the freedom to believe or not believe in
religion. They enjoy the freedom to follow any religion they choose to believe
in, or to follow whatever sect within that religion. Those who had no religion
in the past now have the freedom to adopt one, and former believers also have
the freedom to renounce.
All religious organizations in Tibet enjoy the freedom
to conduct religious activities under the protection of China's Constitution and
laws.
Data indicates that the Tibetan Branch of the Buddhist Association of
China has established a Tibetan Buddhist Institute, and opened sutra-learning
classes in the monasteries of various sects. Every year, the Tibetan Branch recommends
a certain number of Living Buddha candidates and monks to the China Advanced Institute
of Tibetan Buddhism, for further training in Beijing.
In 1984, the government
of Tibet Autonomous Region donated the Lhasa edition of Tibetan Canonical Collection
of Buddhist Scriptures to the regional Buddhist Association, and set up its Indian
Script Publishing House in Lhasa. It supplies copies of the Tibetan Canonical
Collection of Buddhist Scriptures as needed by monasteries in the region and other
places throughout China.
In 1985, the Tibetan Branch of the Chinese Buddhist
Association initiated the Buddhist Journal in Tibet, published in the Tibetan
language. In 1990, the Tibetan Branch finished engraving the Lhasa edition of
the Tibetan Dangur Sutra that the 13th Dalai Lama intended to do, but failed.
During 1992, activities such as the search for and verification of the reincarnated
sol boy of the 10th Panchen Lama, the drawing of lots from the Golden Urn, and
the enthronement ceremony, fully reflected the central government's respect for
respect for religion in Tibet. These facts are known the world over.
Personages
from local religious circles and delegates from local Buddhist organizations have
traveled abroad for academic exchanges and study tours. Meanwhile, the region
has received delegations and individuals for visits or pilgrimage purposes from
several dozen foreign countries. |
