DALAI LAMA BEGINS TAIWAN VISIT

EXILED SPIRITUAL LEADER DALAI LAMA MOLLIFIES CHINA
OVER 'PURELY HUMANITARIAN' TAIWAN TRIP

Pekín, Taipei (ANSA, AFP) The Dalai Lama has arrived in Taiwan on a visit that has been denounced by China as being likely to destabalise improving ties with Taipei. The Dalai Lama began the first full day of his controversial trip to Taiwan with words to mollify China, saying his mission to comfort victims of one of the deadliest storms to hit the island was entirely humanitarian. The Tibetan Buddhist leader landed at Taoyuan International Airport on Monday for what he called a "purely humanitarian" trip aimed at comforting victims of Typhoon Morakot. This Taiwan's worst storm, struck the island in early August killing about 670 people, many from Buddhist communities.

Over the past 12 years, the Dalai Lama has made three visits to the island which is home to a large exiled Tibetan community and millions of Buddhists. He has been exiled from Tibet for more than half a century following China's invasion of the then-state and labelled a separatist by Beijing, for promoting initially independence and now autonomy for the region. However, he said that there was no political impetus behind the five-day visit to self-governing Taiwan, which China claims is part of its territory. The Dalai Lama himself is clearly keen to avoid stirring China’s anger. He said at the airport: "I'm a monk. I was asked to say prayers for peace. There is no politics. This is humanitarian in nature." His main mission today was to lead prayers at the site of a giant mudslide that buried the remote mountain village of Hsiaolin after Typhoon Morakot slammed into the island this month. Many of the 670 dead were residents of Hsiaolin. The 1988 Nobel Peace Prize winner said: “We are not seeking separation for Taiwan, but the fate of Taiwan depends on the more than 20 million people. You are enjoying democracy and that you must preserve. I myself am totally dedicated to the promotion of democracy."

WHAT DO THE VEDIC TEACHINGS TELL US?

It is clear therefore that a person who is not well versed in the Vedic injunctions (veda-śāstra-vit) should not run for election as president, governor, etc. Formerly kings were rājarsis, which meant that although they were serving as kings, they were as good as saintly persons because they would not transgress any of the injunctions of the Vedic scriptures and would rule under the direction of great saintly persons and brāhmaṇas. According to this arrangement, modern presidents, governors and chief executive officers are all unworthy of their posts because they are not conversant with Vedic administrative knowledge and they do not take direction from great saintly persons and brāhmanas.

Srila A.C. BV Swami Prabhupada:
"The Srimad Bhagavatam - Purport in Canto 4 - Chapter 22 - Verse 45"