By The Editor
The Ramon Magsaysay Award often termed the “Nobel Prize of Asia” is an annual award established to perpetuate former Philippine President Ramon Magsaysay for his courageous service to the people with honesty and integrity. The 1959 Award was given to the Dalai Lama of Tibet the same year that the Tibetans revolted unsuccessfully against the Chinese Communist oppression and the Dalai Lama who was implicated in the revolt escaped to India with his followers where he lives since then. According to the Tibetan’s spiritual leader’s office, his elder brother Gyalo Thonden had received the Magsaysay Award on his behalf in August 1959 in Manila, the Philippines. After a lapse of 64 years the award was presented this year on April 26 to the Dalai Lama at his residence in India by members of the award foundation personally. It was the first international award given to “His Holiness for Community Leadership in recognition of his leadership of the Tibetan community’s gallant struggle in defense of the sacred religion that is the inspiration of the life and culture” by the Ramon Magsaysay Award Foundation in the Philippines in August 1959.
Dalai Lama is a name given to former ruler and chief monk of Tibet and the word “lama” means “priest” Lamaism is a sect of Buddhism which was established in 1640 and believes that the Dalai Lama is the reincarnation of a revered Buddhist deity whose spirit as soon as he dies passes into the body of a baby just born. The Tibetans enjoyed independence until October 1950 when China occupied Tibet and introduced rapid changes in social, political and religious life of the people. Before the advent of Communism under Chinese rule, one out of every Tibetans was a lama. Monasteries were seats of learning and religious instructions. Some monks who served in these monasteries also worked as high officials in the government and were quite very powerful landlords. Under Chinese Communist rule people were unhappy and restless finally rising in revolt against their new masters which was however ruthlessly crushed down.
Next in importance to Dalai Lama is the Panchen Lama and both of them are regarded as reincarnations (rebirths) of Buddhas. Buddhism from which Lamaism developed was first introduced into Tibet by missionaries from India between 7th and 9th centuries. Tibetan language resembles Chinese but its alphabets are based on Sanskrit an Indian language. Lhasa the largest city and capital of Tibet was traditional seat of Dalai Lama whereas second largest city Shigatse was that of Panchen Lama. After Communist China took over Tibet their eyes were on India its next door neighbour which culminated into Chinese aggression in 1962. Since then relations between China and India are fragile and uneasy.