Statement by His Holiness the XIV Dalai Lama - Sackler Gallery

Submitted by the International Campaign for Tibet

First I would like to thank Dr Milo Beach and the Sackler and Freer Galleries for their interest in the Tibetan culture. He and Vidya Dehejia came all the way to Dharamsala and Delhi to talk with me about developing the collections and holding future exhibitions here in Washington and I appreciate their personal concern very much. The Sackler has recently acquired an important Bodhisattva image that has been specially placed on view today for this reception, and I hope other objects will come here for Americans and international visitors to see.

I am delighted at the future plans for exhibiting Tibetan objects at the Sackler Gallery. I would like to offer my support to this and I would be happy to lend one or two objects from my personal shrine at that time. I am hoping that any exhibition here will be done in such a way that the public will see that Tibet is a living civilization and not one that is lost inside Tibet, our culture is shown almost as a relic and even some our monasteries are presented as tourist spots. Therefore I urge the Sackler Gallery to show Tibetan culture as a living tradition rich in meaning and significance.

It is very important that America's National Asian Art museum should house significant work from Tibet and that the American people should see Tibet as part of the family of Asia. Our culture extends back in time for almost 2000 years and many of our thangkas and sculptures embody the highest expression of Buddhist thought and devotion, Now our culture is severely threatened, and I am hopeful that the more people know about Tibet, the more they will wish to help save it

Our artistic traditions have been a creative force in Asia and at various times have served as an influence standard and model for the art of many other countries. Through the exchange and appreciation of Tibet religious art, we developed common understandings and grew closer to other cultures and important ideas embodied in our religion spread and took root across Central Asia and beyond. For example, it is impossible to discuss fully Buddhist traditions in India, along the Central Asian Silk Route, or in China, Japan, Korea and areas of South East Asia without reference to rituals, ideas and artistic forms that evolved in Tibet. Equally, among the many extraordinary objects that have appeared on the international art market following the destruction of our monasteries are sculptures from India, ninth or tenth century textiles from the Persian world, T'ang Dynasty decorative art from China and precious objects given in homage from religious organizations and peoples throughout Asia

In recent years, the culture of Tibet has undergone immense destruction. Unlike the case of China proper, the destruction of Tibetan culture began well before the Cultural Revolution, but this period of madness dealt us a crushing blow. More than 6000 of our monasteries and temples were razed and practically all of the finest examples of our arts were destroyed. Priceless treasures were smashed. Gold was melted down. Illuminated manuscripts dating back centuries were burned. Our monasteries were monastic colleges with extensive libraries and because of our dry climate, hundreds of thousands of rare books were preserved in them. Most of these are now gone.

What appears on the international market now are the few remaining things. These objects are now taken from their ritual and religious contexts, and their inherent meaning and importance is changed. They have become objects to be bought and sold instead of objects of spiritual devotion, which is their purpose. This greatly diminishes the lives of the people of Tibet to whom they are so important and removes them from the their natural setting.

What is left in Tibet is more precious than ever. In many cases these objects were saved by people who gave up their lives to protect them by hiding them and by not divulging their whereabouts. Interrogations and searches went on for more than two decades, and so these objects have become living symbols of our fight to save Tibet, It is tragic that some of these are now sold out of greed and, that even some of our own people, driven by materialism, are robbing our own heritage.

It is essential that collections of Tibetan art in Europe. America, Asia and elsewhere be formed, because it is difficult to regulate or control the objects coming out of Tibet and so much has been dispersed and lost. The works are protected in this way and their value is recognised. it is a welcome development. When these collections are made available to scholars, students and the public for study so the understanding of our culture can deepen and spread.

The Tibetan people are moving to many countries in Asia as well as Europe and North America. And with interest in Tibetan Buddhism growing throughout the world, it must he recognized now more than ever that Tibetan Buddhism and the Tibetan people can play a truly international role in world cultures. I have always felt that the Buddhist culture can make positive contribution to the rest of the world, because of its principle stress on compassion, and especially in the Mahayana tradition, by its profession of non-violence in various human activities.

We also hope ways can be developed to gather and hold especially important objects in trust for the Tibetan people. This is crucial for maintaining our cultural identity, and it is my deepest hope that someday soon many of these objects will be returned to Tibet, where they can resume their rightful place in our cultural life. We have had some informal discussions with Dr. Beach on this subject, and I hope these discussions will lead to concrete efforts in this direction. Thank you all very much for your interest and your help.