China destroying Buddhism, identity of Tibetans: Ling Rinpoche

Colombo [Sri Lanka], February 11 (ANI): Tibetan Buddhist, Ling Rinpoche, identified as the reincarnation of the teacher of Dalai Lama, at a press conference in Sri Lanka, criticized China for destroying Buddhism in order to destroy the identity of the Tibetans.
He said that China has been meting out "inhuman and bestial atrocities" on Tibetans for the last so many decades.
Furthermore, he rebuked China for "the destruction of their literature, Buddhist identity, including the destruction of the Dalai Lama's palace, a huge number of monasteries and Buddha statues of historical and religious value and the systematic reduction of the Tibetans to a state of destitution in their own country."
Rinpoche, during the press conference further, said, "out of five thousand monasteries only five are in existence, they too fake, and the rest having been destroyed by the Chinese army of invasion."
"Hundreds of thousands of Tibetan peasants, farmers and other civilians have not only been gunned down but also starved to death in prisons, concentration camps, workplaces and their own homes. Tibetan identity is Buddhism and their culture too is Buddhism and the Chinese are destroying Buddhism in order to destroy the identity of the Tibetans", he added.
Additionally, Mahanayake Thero at the press conference, said that Tibet was an independent country, the only country ruled by a Buddhist monk who was both a national leader and spiritual leader of the people of that country.
He appreciated India and pointed out that India gave asylum to the Dalai Lama and 80,000 of his followers, the monks.
Chiding China, he further said that the Chinese Communists deserve unreserved condemnation for destroying Buddhism and the Buddhist community.
The possibility and need for holding an International Buddhist Conference on Abhidhamma in Sri Lanka was also discussed.
Their higher-level discussions were focused on Vinaya and the dhamma. Notably, he was warmly welcomed to Sri Lanka's Colombo International Airport VIP Lounge by Sri Lankan delegation on January 26. (ANI)