Reflections: The Dragon in Buddha’s Robes

DECCAN CHRONICLE
By Sunanda K. Datta-Ray

Buddha (Photo: AP)

CHINA---Buddhism is the new age Communism. It’s the ideology with which governments hope to win friends and influence people. For China, which is emerging as the strident protagonist of what can only be called a form of politicised Buddhism that is, more politics than religion the aim is twofold. Abroad, China wants to woo and win genuinely Buddhist hearts and minds in South-East, East and Central Asia. At home, it hopes to solve the problem of Tibet by saddling Tibetans and the world with an officially-approved successor to the present exiled Dalai Lama. China doesn’t deny that “Buddhism originated from India, and was introduced to China 2,000 years back”, but takes pride in having introduced the faith to Japan, South Korea and South-East Asia. [link]