Then Lama visited Zabaykalye, returned to Riga, went to Moscow and left.
A.Breslavets
4. Thich Nhat Hanh, renown Vietnamese Zen master, poet, peace activist and author of many books on the practice of Buddhism will be in Moscow for five days in September 1992. On Friday evening at 7 PM, September 11, he will present a lecture to the general public at Srednetishensky pereulok 5/7 (near Belorusskaya Metro Station).
On Saturday, September 12 Thich Nhat Hanh will offer a Day of Mindfulness from 10 am to 5 PM at a Sport Hall near the center of Moscow. Limited dormitory accommodation or sleeping space at the Sport Hall will be available for out-of-Moscow attendants. Please call Moscow 474-46-29 or 287-50-97 for information and to register for the Day of Mindfulness.
IV. News from Communities.
1. St.Petersburg Buddhist Temple's community.
The Temple was built before the 1917 Revolution. Construction was initiated by H.H. Dalai Lama XIII Tibetan Gyatso and his preceptor and counsellor well-known Buryat Lama Agwan Lobsang Dorjieff. First Temple service was performed on 21 February 1913 and dedicated to celebration of 300 Anniversary of Romanov Royal House. The Temple was consecrated on August 1915. The Temple did function intermittently until 1937, when larger part of the Temple Staff was imprisoned. After this the Temple was occupied by different government organizations.
Only on 1989, because of start of democratization of political life in former USSR, it because possible to register Buddhist Society of Leningrad, and there was taken decision to return the Temple to Buddhist community. On June 1991 Lama Tenzin Khetsun was elected the Abbot of the Temple. Now in there are living and studying about 20 novices, who is taken first vows. There is Publishing Department in the Temple, which has reissued a manual of Tibetan medicine 'Gyu-zhi', calendars, tankas etc. There is planned to be republished translation by G.Chybikov of classical work of Tsonkhapa 'Lam Rim Cheng Po'. International Department is organizing contacts with centers of Buddhism abroad. In the Temple is functioning The Center of Buryat Culture. The Temple also has founded The University of Buddhist Culture. The studies will begin in October of this year in the building of 'Znanie' Society.
The repair and restoration of the Temple require of considerable financial means, so help would be welcome.
Address: St.Petersburg Buddhist Temple, Primorsky Av. 91, St.Petersburg 197228, Russia.
Report of Temple's Abbot.
2. Buddhists of St.Petersburg went to Germany.
On 9 August this year A.Pubants went to Germany for a month. He was invited by the Head of Hamburg Tibetan Center Geshe Nawang Thubten for learning and preparing for edition lectures of Geshe, which he have presented in May of this year.
At the same time the employees of St.Petersburg Buddhist Temple Z.Munkueva and E.Harkova also went there for studies on Vinaya.
3. On August 1992 Tibet Friends Society (TFS), non-commercial and cultural organization, was established by the religious union 'Buddhist House' in St.Petersburg. Its aim is spreading in Russia the authentic ideas of Tibetan culture and the life of Tibetan people. TFS prepares to uphold contacts with Cabinet of H.H. Dalai Lama, His representation and 'Tibetan Houses' in different countries, Tibetan agencies of mass information, to help all interested persons and organization with information on Tibet and contacts with Tibetans, to invite religious, public and creative groups to spread books, films about Tibet, articles of traditional Tibetan arts and craft etc.
All persons and organizations, which accept TFS' aims and take part in its work, can become TFS' Members.
Address: 193015, St.Petersburg, Tavricheskaya 95-82, tel. 274-44-39, Kozhevnikova M.
V. International Information
1. From 21 until 27 August of this year the Sixth International Tibetological Conference was being held in Fagernesse (Norway). We will report about it in next NB issue.
2. 'Unity in Variety. Buddhism in Europe'.
Under this title the European Buddhist Union will conduct the Congress from 24 until 27 September this year in Berlin. Its aim is to show general basis of different Buddhist tradition and that valuable humanitarian contribution, which was made by Teaching of Buddha to World Culture.
This Congress take place once a four years. It has support of Berlin's Senate.
3. Lithuanian Deputies From Parliamentary Group in Support of Tibet.
'We, the deputies of the Supreme Council of the Republic of Lithuania:
On the ground that the Lithuania nation, on March 11, 1990 re-established its independent state and experienced a difficult path in seeking international recognition, respects every nation's right and desire to be free;
In upholding and supporting Universal Declaration on Human Rights stating that all nations have the right to self-determination and the freedom to determine their own political status;
taking into consideration the fact, that in the year of 1912 Tibet separated from China and His Holiness the Dalai Lama declared the independence of Tibet, when however, in 1950 the Chinese army invaded and occupied Tibet; the 1959 insurrection was mercilessly suppressed by the Chinese communist regime; where during the period of 1987-1989 over 20 demonstrations against the occupiers took place.
acknowledging that the nation's present situation is difficult as various means to break Tibetan resistance are attempted. During the period of occupation, the nation of Tibet has lost one-fifth of its inhabitants, monasteries have been destroyed, national wealth taken by the enslavers, and a policy of denationalization has been enacted. Until the present thousands of political and religious prisoners are being held and tortured in prison;
considering the fact, that the United Nations Organization has more than once recognized that genocide is being committed against the Tibetan nation,
we state that:
based upon Regulation Paragraph 24 of the Supreme Council of the Republic of Lithuania we establish the Tibet support group;
we hold His Holiness the Dalai Lama and the exiled Tibetan Government as the true representative of the nation of Tibet;
we pledge to support the legitimate aspiring goals of the Tibetan nation in international organizations and forums.'
V. Literature (in Russian).
1. The Russian branch of 'Narthang Publications' distributes the book 'The Buddhism of Tibet' by H.H. the XIVth Dalai Lama (price 15 roubles + mail charges).
2. Commercial department of the publishing house distributes the book by A.Berzin 'The Tibetan Buddhism: History and Prospects'. (price 9 r. + m.c.).
3. In September the publishing house is to issue the autobiography of His Holiness 'Freedom in Exile' (approximate wholesale price 50 r. + m.c.).
