Tricycle | Awake in the World

The Economist has published a lengthy report on the mass uprisings in Tibet earlier this year. The article is written from magazine's signature centrist point of view, and takes a relatively non-judgmental stance. The most interesting part is the author's musings on China's response to the riots in March. In a perplexing course of action, China did not react to the initial unrest with their usual level of brutal efficiency (several people were still killed). As a result, the chaos was allowed to spread far further than it may have otherwise. The article then goes on to offer cynical speculation on the motives of the Chinese government for their actions at the time(an excuse for the later wide-scale clampdown of the region, or caution leading up to the Olympics?), and then, the motives of all involved parties in general. More »

Tonight on PBS's Religion & Ethics NewsWeekly: an interview with the Seventeenth Karmapa. From the press release: In a conversation with correspondent Kim Lawton, the Karmapa Lama talks about his increasing public role and how he can help the modern world better understand the teachings and main purpose of Buddhism: "It does seem to be the case that I am receiving more and more recognition in the world. And my main aspiration is that I use this recognition for a beneficial purpose . . . The essential points of Buddhism are beyond culture and beyond traditions." The interview will be available online at http://www.pbs.org/wnet/religionandethics/index_flash.html after 8:30 pm today, or watch tonight at 5 pm EST (check your local listings). More »