The Charlotte Vajradhara Center that I did field work at followed the New Kadampa tradition. As a strictly western institution, the New Kadampa tradition contrasts from other variations of western Buddhism. The most prominent distinction between the New Kadampa and other traditions emerging in the west is their stance on the Dalai Lama and the Free Tibet movement. As the Free Tibet movement and the Dalai Lama are arguably the most eminent and renowned features pertaining to Buddhist traditions in the minds of Westerners, the fact that the New Kadampa Tradition rejects these trending attentions, yet trumpets their tradition as the a modern, western Buddhism is truly unique and, by nature, controversial.
When the People’s Republic of China annexed Tibet in 1950, the way of Tibetan Buddhism was to be forever transformed. Soon after, during the 1959 Tibetan uprising, the Dalia Lama fled to India, where he established the nongovernmental Central Tibetan Administration. He has since traveled the world advocating for the freedom of Tibetans from …show more content…
As the Free Tibet movement began to propagate, much of the Tibetan Buddhism brought to America became focused on these political undertones. Although, as it’s popularity grew, the support for a free Tibet extended beyond religion. Celebrities like Richard Gere, Harrison Ford, and Jared Leto boosted the Free Tibet movement’s cause. It was also propelled by the music industry through events called Tibetan Freedom Concerts, and other fundraisers by musicians and bands like U2, Foot Fighters, and REM. Even in the movie industry, the Tibetan’s cause was forwarded through blockbusters like Kundun and Seven Years in Tibet. Outside of entertainment, human rights activists have been huge proponents of the Free Tibet movement due to the plethora of human rights abuses under China’s occupation of
When the People’s Republic of China annexed Tibet in 1950, the way of Tibetan Buddhism was to be forever transformed. Soon after, during the 1959 Tibetan uprising, the Dalia Lama fled to India, where he established the nongovernmental Central Tibetan Administration. He has since traveled the world advocating for the freedom of Tibetans from …show more content…
As the Free Tibet movement began to propagate, much of the Tibetan Buddhism brought to America became focused on these political undertones. Although, as it’s popularity grew, the support for a free Tibet extended beyond religion. Celebrities like Richard Gere, Harrison Ford, and Jared Leto boosted the Free Tibet movement’s cause. It was also propelled by the music industry through events called Tibetan Freedom Concerts, and other fundraisers by musicians and bands like U2, Foot Fighters, and REM. Even in the movie industry, the Tibetan’s cause was forwarded through blockbusters like Kundun and Seven Years in Tibet. Outside of entertainment, human rights activists have been huge proponents of the Free Tibet movement due to the plethora of human rights abuses under China’s occupation of