Читать книгу The Dalai Lama’s Little Book of Inner Peace - Далай-лама XIV, Литагент HarperCollins USD, Дуглас Абрамс Арава - Страница 16

I cannot remember any particular difficulties in childhood, but certainly the hardest thing was to take on full responsibility for my role. In 1950, I was 15 years old. Chinese communists had in some ways already encroached on Tibetan territory before that, but it was in 1950 that they actually invaded. The responsibility of government filled me with anxiety. I had not completed my religious education, I knew nothing about the world, and had no experience of politics.

At that time, the world was focusing on Korea, where an international army was trying to quell the conflict. Similar events in far-off Tibet passed by unnoticed. On 7 November 1950, I sent an Appeal to the UN on behalf of the Tibetan National Assembly. It was never answered.

The situation continued to worsen, so the question arose about my coming of age. Opinions differed, so the authorities decided to consult the oracle. Tension was at its height when the Nechung oracle moved to where I was sitting and placed a kata (a white silk scarf, traditionally given as a greeting) on my knees. The kata was inscribed with the words, “His time has come.” I was only 16, and found myself leading a nation of six million Tibetans faced with imminent war. It was an impossible situation, but I had to do everything in my power to avert disaster.

I decided, with the agreement of the religious authorities and of the Kashag, to send delegations abroad, visiting the United States, Great Britain, Nepal, but also China. Their aim was to negotiate a Chinese withdrawal. The only delegation that actually arrived was the one sent to China. All the others were refused an audience. This was a cruel disappointment. Had the Americans changed their minds about our status? I remember my sadness when I realized what this meant: Tibet would have to face the power of communist China all alone.