Published by: World Tibet Network News, Wednesday, Mar 13, 1996

Source: Xinhua news agency, Beijing, in English 0856 gmt 7 Mar 96

Excerpts from report by Xinhua news agency

Beijing, 7th March: Every day, the six-old-year new 11th Panchen Lama works hard on the Tibetan language, arithmetic and Tibetan Buddhism scriptures, a senior Living Buddha from Tibet said here today [7th March]. "The 11th Bainqen [Panchen] Erdeni Qoigyijabu has started the life as a Living Buddha since he ascended the holy throne," said Senqin Losangjisam [traced as Sengqen Lozong Gyaincain], a Tibetan deputy to the National People's Congress (NPC) which is in annual session.

The young Panchen Lama was enthroned on 8th December last year in the Zhaxi Lhunbo [Tashi Lhunpo] Lamasery, the residence for successive Panchen Lamas in Tibet. Senqin Losangjisam himself is a senior Living Buddha in the lamasery. He used to serve as an assistant to the 10th Panchen Lama when the latter was hosting religious rites in the lamasery. Being a member of the team to search for the reincarnation of the deceased 10th Panchen Lama, Senqin Losangjisam participated in the searching process and later in the ceremonious lot-drawing and enthronement activities...

Senqin Losangjisam is honorary director of the Democratic Management Committee of the Zhaxi Lhunbo Lamasery, and takes charge of the daily life and study of the little Panchen Lama. According to Senqin, the Panchen Lama is early to rise and early to sleep. Early every morning, he attends scripture recitations held by senior monks in the lamasery. The Panchen Lama spends five to six hours a day studying Tibetan, arithmetic, and the basic scriptures of Tibetan Buddhism. One of his canon tutors is Bumi Qambalozhub with a honourable title of Lha-ram-pa Gexe [Geshey], the highest Buddhist rank in the research and study of Lamist scriptures.

Another canon tutor, Nyima Sida, is a great master of the science of logic in Hinduism. Many important works of the science have been lost track in India. Fortunately, some works in Tibetan language have carried forward the science to nowadays.

"The little Living Buddha is extraordinarily smart and cute, and he is doing well in his studies," Senqin said. "Nevertheless, he is still a child, who should not be let to overwork. He has to play games and needs some time for rest, and he often goes for a walk and is fond of toys." The Living Buddha does not live with his parents, but can see them often. He loves to have butter tea and zanba [tsampa] (which is made of roasted barley flour) for breakfast and eat rice with vegetable dishes for lunch and cakes of Tibetan flavour at supper. But he never tastes sea food, spring onion and garlic.

"The little Panchen Lama is living amid an atmosphere alive with Tibetan culture," Senqin said. "The 11th Panchen Lama will surely be a patriotic great Buddhist master who is devoted to the motherland and well-versed in Buddhism just like the previous Panchen Lama. He will live up to the expectation of the central government as well as to the monks and laymen in Tibet."