Written by Laurence Brahm - Published by South China Morning Post on 05/29/2007

During the spring Sagadawa festival in Tibet (celebrating Buddha’s birth, enlightenment and nirvana), people walk around the old holy section of Lhasa. Streets are lined with monks and nuns reading sutra and the poor begging for alms. At this time, giving money to the poor brings good karma. But officials warn against street beggars.

“In Buddhism we can accept begging, and giving alms to the poor, if those asking are in need,” said Nyma Tsering, the senior monk at Lhasa’s Jokhang Monastery. “But we cannot accept cheating. If someone is really in need, we can give alms. Among all beggars during this festival, some may be insincere. But most are really in need. So why do officials say we cannot give money and alms to the poor? Look at the officials … Every day, another case is revealed of a corrupt official cheating money from the people. And these officials are worried about us monks and charitable individuals giving money to people in need? What’s wrong with them? They talk about building a harmonious society. But this is not the way to go about it.”

Nyma Tsering adds: “While President Hu Jintao talks about a harmonious society, often, officials do not understand what he means. They make big signs and lots of propaganda. Their actions are inconsistent. If they followed what their propaganda says, then society would be harmonious pretty fast. If you do not lead with your own actions, then how can you create a harmonious society? The problem is that there is no compassion.”

To date, China’s model for assuring social stability has been based on high gross domestic product growth, assuring employment, and a distorted American dream where everyone can get rich quickly by working hard. The breakdown in law and order, disturbing values and increased social disorder are side effects that need to be addressed to assure the sustainability of the country’s future.

“If you want to talk about a harmonious society, then you must call for balance between spiritual and material values,” says Nyma Tsering. “Now, in China, materialism rules, so that is why we need to return to Buddhist philosophy and a ‘middle way’ approach to leading our lives. Look at what is happening today. The more laws the National People’s Congress adopts, the more crime rises. The more police on the street, the more theft, extortion and killing. The reason is that they are not approaching matters in the right way and not tackling the root causes. Every effect has a cause. One-minded infatuation with materialism is the cause of mainland society’s current situation. So, attempts to build a harmonious society without a new approach to spirituality will only amount to empty talk.”

In some respects, Mr Hu is reaching back into China’s past. Arguably the greatest high-water marks of Chinese civilisation and wealth were Buddhist epochs when society governed through selfethos. This seems to be the logic underlying his harmonious society campaign. But can he turn it into a national ideology?

“Today’s leaders should turn to China’s rich past for a few lessons …” said Nyma Tsering. “During the Tang dynasty, when Buddhism reached its highest epoch, people left their doors unlocked without fear. That was true harmonious society.”

Another great epoch occurred under Qing Emperor Qian Long’s reign. He was arguably the greatest emperor in China, who was Manchurian and a practitioner of Tibetan Buddhism. He invited both the Dalai and Panchen Lamas to Beijing and studied their teachings. He used spirituality to rule. These lessons must be clear to China’s current leadership.

So how did Mr Hu come up with his ideal? Was he influenced by his stay in Tibet when he served as party secretary?

“He stayed here for some years,” Nyma Tsering recalls. “How could he not be influenced by that experience? Look at how many people come to Lhasa and find their lives changed. The influence of spiritual power here is so great. I think it is impossible for him not to have been influenced one way or another.”

So, could we say that the inspiration for Mr Hu’s harmonious society concept came from Tibetan Buddhist philosophy? Nyma Tsering smiles, then almost as an afterthought, whispers: “Maybe.”

Laurence Brahm is a global activist, international mediator, political columnist and author. He is the leading advocate of a fresh development paradigm - The Himalayan Consensus - an innovative approach to development.

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