Word: lama
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Dates: during 1950-1959
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Being myself a Buddhist, I read with great interest the note on Buddhism which accompanied your article concerning the Dalai Lama. You correctly quoted the principle of Buddha's philosophy of life as self-conquest. This is refreshing to see, since an alarming number of Westerners seem to be under the impression that Buddhism is a lot of heathen mumbo jumbo designed to please a golden idol so that he would send the worshiper to heaven...
Nehru suggested that Red China send its own puppet ruler of Tibet, the Panchen Lama, plus any interested Red Chinese emissaries, to visit the Dalai Lama and see for themselves that he was not being held "under duress" as the Red radio proclaimed. Nehru hoped that conditions would "some day" relax so that the God-King might go home to Tibet. His own contribution, whether intentionally or not, was to deaden the world's outrage, while the Red Chinese put down the rebellion...
After a four-hour conference with the Dalai Lama, Nehru emerged from Birla House and, faced by a battery of cameras and microphones, gave reporters a two-minute interview. It had been, said Nehru, "a very full talk, I hope a helpful talk." Then he offered an unintentional assist to the Red propagandists by conceding that, while in Lhasa, the Dalai Lama had indeed written "friendly" letters to the Red commandant because he 1) was passing through difficult and troubled times, and 2) was trying to avoid open conflict with Peking...
Having made it clear to all-and especially to Red China-that the Dalai Lama would get political asylum in India but no help in regaining his homeland, Nehru remounted his white horse and traveled-avoiding risk, hardship and adventure-off into the evening...
Docile, and splendid in a silken robe, the captive Panchen Lama, 22, was trotted out to make the right noises for his Communist masters. "Tibet," he declared, "is always China's Tibet...