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The Guardian
5 days ago
- Politics
- The Guardian
What is Guan Yin Citta Dharma Door, the Buddhist group at the centre of an alleged spy case in Australia?
A controversial Buddhist organisation, at the centre of an alleged Chinese espionage case in Australia, has raised concerns about Beijing keeping tabs on Chinese diaspora overseas. Guan Yin Citta Dharma Door is an international Buddhist organisation with multiple chapters in Australia. This month, a Chinese-born woman was charged with reckless foreign interference, accused of spying on the group's Australian branches and its members on behalf of the Chinese Communist party's intelligence organs. Australian police have said the investigation is ongoing and more people could be charged. Guan Yin Citta practises Mahayana Buddhism, the most common type of Buddhism in China. But the organisation is controversial. News reports have detailed unusual and fringe beliefs the group promotes, and the history of its late founder, Master Jun Hong Lu, who died in 2021. It has been banned in China, and people warned to steer clear of it. The organisation claims to have 10 million members worldwide, with 5 million in China, but the Chinese government says it is just 50,000. State media has accused it of being a cult with 'evil theories', and officials have vowed to crack down on it with 'an iron fist'. In 2016, a Henan province follower was jailed for five years for printing 100,000 copies of an 'unauthorised' Guan Yin Citta journal. Before his death, Lu had been banned from entering China. It has been criticised by Buddhist groups in China, Hong Kong and Malaysia for allegedly distorting teachings, and Master Lu of abusing Buddhist scriptures and mantras and 'using the illusion of supernatural powers to mislead believers', according to a 2015 letter by 16 Malaysian Buddhist groups. Nevertheless, Guan Yin Citta is legal in Australia, and while the controversies around the organisation muddy the waters a little, allegations of surveillance support claims about the CCP's intolerance of religious groups outside its direct control. Sign up: AU Breaking News email John Fitzgerald, a historian of China, says that under the increasingly authoritarian rule of Xi Jinping, all things that could threaten the party in any way are seen as equivalent. 'There's almost no calibration any longer,' Fitzgerald told the Guardian. 'Anything that threatens the august and unrivalled authority of the party, no matter how trivial, is treated as a grave threat.' Fitzgerald says the CCP looks at religion as a cultural signifier of ethnicity, something that has to be managed inside both China and diaspora communities who could influence the domestic population. Under the strict political rule of the Communist party, China is officially an atheist state. The government officially recognises Buddhism, along with Catholicism, Islam, Protestantism and Taoism, but the practise of those religions is strictly policed. Buddhism, Taoism and some folk religions are generally treated less harshly than Islam and Christianity, analysts have noted, but believers across all religions have faced repression and persecution by the CCP – most notably the Muslim population in Xinjiang, and Tibetan Buddhists. 'The CCP leaders know that it is not easy to completely eradicate these religions out of China. (There are even CCP members who are secretly following these religions),' says Julie Yu-Wen Chen, a professor of Chinese Studies at the University of Helsinki. 'The best strategy is to sinicise them to make them suitable for the Chinese society and then to control and monitor the practices on the ground.' Sign up to Breaking News Australia Get the most important news as it breaks after newsletter promotion The CCP will often use suitably sinicised practises for its soft diplomacy. Much of it is driven by China's state administration for religious affairs, and the Buddhist Association of China, which seek to work with Buddhists globally in pursuit of the CCP's goals, often hosting international Buddhism conferences and making targeted foreign investments through Xi's flagship overseas investment regime, the belt and road initiative. 'They recognise religion as subversive,' Fitzgerald says. 'They're not going to allow that subversion to happen in China or anything like that. But they will take full advantage of it in any other community.' As China's security apparatus expands, reaching across the world with extraterritorial security laws, extensive espionage and infiltration networks, and rising rates of transnational repression, it has become an unavoidable national security issue for other countries like Australia. Religious groups and practitioners, dissidents, lawyers and journalists are among those frequently targeted. Foreign interference has affected bilateral relations. Last week Australia joined other nations in condemning China's persecution of exiled Hong Kong pro-democracy activists. Meanwhile, across the world, Uyghurs have been harassed, surveilled and deported en masse to Xinjiang, and nations reacted with alarm to revelations of a network of secret overseas Chinese police stations. 'There's far greater awareness now in Australia of the implications of this thing for national security,' Fitzgerald says. Additional research by Jason Tzu Kuan Lu
Perth Now
05-08-2025
- Politics
- Perth Now
What Buddhist cult has to do with Chinese spy
A mysterious Buddhist group with ties to a banned religious movement in China is at the centre of Australia's first foreign interference charge against a Chinese national, with top Australian politicians now walking a diplomatic tightrope. Foreign Minister Penny Wong on Tuesday refused to reveal whether she raised the case of a Chinese woman charged with foreign interference by the Australian Federal Police with Beijing officials. The AFP alleges the woman, who is also an Australian permanent resident, was tasked by China's Public Security Bureau to covertly gather information about the Canberra branch of Guan Yin Citta, a Buddhist association. Ms Wong repeatedly ruled out saying whether she or any government minister had raised the case with Beijing officials. 'I think we all are very clear eyed about China and its interests, we've made that clear,' she told the Today show. 'And I'd make this point, we've never said that dialogue eliminates differences. Clearly it doesn't.' Ms Wong also declined to make comments on the case and insisted Australia had 'strong frameworks around foreign interference'. She did not explicitly say whether she trusted China, instead saying 'dialogue and engagement' formed part of diplomatic management with the nation. 'I trust China to do what China thinks is in its interest, and I trust Australia to do what's in our interests,' Ms Wong said. 'I think we all are very clear eyed about China and its interests. We've made that clear. 'The question is, how do we manage that? And dialogue and engagement is part of it. It doesn't eliminate differences, but it does enable us to put our views.' Master Jun Hong Lu the founder and spiritual leader of Guan Yin Citta Dharma Door (Part of Mahayana Buddhism). Supplied Credit: Supplied Guan Yin Citta (full name Guan Yin Citta Dharma Door) is a Buddhism affiliated religion founded by Lu Junhong. Mr Junhong was born in China before moving to Australia at a young age and founding Guan Yin Citta. He died in 2021. Bitter Winter reported that Guan Yin Citta was successful in Australia and became a 'global phenomenon, with hundreds of thousands of followers'. Bitter Winter also reported that Mr Junhong was critical of the CCP, and the Chinese government declared his religion 'xie jiao' meaning an outlawed (generally new) religious movement. Bitter Winter is a daily magazine focusing on religious issues and human rights in China. Its parent company is CESNUR, an NPO based out of Italy that opposes the anti-cult movement. A DFAT information report on the People's Republic of China published in December 2024 said the translation of the term xie jiao was debated, 'with scholars pointing to its historic translation as 'heterodox religion''. 'However it has negative connotations when used by the Government of China (akin to 'evil cult') and is unlikely to be used by adherents of new religions themselves. Restrictions against xie Jiao date back to the Ming Dynasty (1368-1644 AD). 'The China Anti-xiejiao Association publishes an unofficial list of xie jiao, which includes 23 movements. 'There is an official list of xie jiao published by the government, which can change quickly, making it difficult to determine at any time whether a particular religious movement is banned.' Attempts by NewsWire to access the current official and unofficial lists of xie jiao to verify Guan Yin Citta's presence were unsuccessful. The Marcus Clarke building in Canberra, where the Australian Chinese Buddhist Research Centre Canberra Branch and the city's Guan Yin Citta branch are located. Supplied Credit: Supplied In Canberra on Saturday, multiple search warrants were executed by Strike Force Operation Autumn Shield after receiving information from ASIO. During the searches, items including electronic devices, were seized and police said they would undergo forensic examination. The women appeared in ACT Magistrates Court on Monday to face one count of reckless foreign interference, which carries a maximum penalty of 15 years' imprisonment. Assistant Commissioner Stephen Nutt, of the AFP Counter Terrorism and Special Investigations, addressed the media on Monday afternoon, saying Australia was not immune to foreign interference. 'This is the first time the AFP has charged a person with foreign interference that allegedly involves targeting members of the Australian community,' he said. 'We should not expect that this arrest will prevent further attempts to target our diaspora communities. 'However, it is important to note that one of the best defences for foreign interference is increased community awareness to the threat and the reporting of suspicious activity to the authorities.' ASIO director general Mike Burgess said he was proud of the significant contribution ASIO had made. 'Foreign interference of the kind alleged is an appalling assault on Australian values, freedoms and sovereignty,' he said. 'In this year's annual threat assessment, I called out these types of activities and put perpetrators on notice by stating, 'we are watching, and we have zero tolerance'. 'Anyone who thinks it is acceptable to monitor, intimidate and potentially repatriate members of our diaspora communities should never underestimate our capabilities and resolve.'
AllAfrica
05-08-2025
- Entertainment
- AllAfrica
Why Buddhism frowns on AI avatars of the dead
In a story in the Buddhist canon, a grief-stricken mother named Kisa Gautami loses her only child and carries the body around town, searching for some way to resurrect the child. When she encounters the Buddha, he asks her to collect several mustard seeds from a family that has never experienced death. Not surprisingly, Kisa Gautami is unable to find a single such family. She buries her child and decides to cultivate a spiritual life. I thought of Kisa Gautami's story when I first encountered the 2020 Korean documentary 'Meeting You,' in which virtual reality technology is used to reunite a grieving mother, Jang Ji-sung, with her deceased 7-year-old daughter, Nayeon. While the virtual reunion was moving to witness, I wondered whether it was truly helping the mother to heal, or whether it was deepening an avoidance of grief and of the truth. Since the documentary first aired, the business of digitally resurrecting the deceased has grown significantly. People are now using AI to create 'grief bots,' which are simulations of deceased loved ones that the living can converse with. There has even been a case where an AI-rendered video of a deceased victim has appeared to deliver a court statement asking for the maximum sentence for the person who took their life. A video created with artificial intelligence shows the face and voice of a young man who died at 22 while attending Exeter University in Britain. Photo: Hector Retamal /AFP via Getty Images / The Conversation As a Buddhist studies scholar who has experienced several bereavements this year, I have turned to Buddhist teachings to reflect on how creating a digital afterlife for loved ones may inadvertently enhance our suffering, and what alternative ways of grieving Buddhism might offer. According to Buddhist thought, the root of all suffering is clinging to illusions. This clinging creates karma that perpetuates negative cycles – for oneself and others – which endure lifetimes. In Mahayana Buddhism, the path to liberating oneself from this suffering begins by becoming a bodhisattva, someone who devotes their life to the liberation of self and others. Mahayana Buddhism, which introduced the idea of celestial bodhisattvas, is the most widely practiced form of Buddhism, particularly in East Asia and the Tibetan Himalayan regions. In the '37 Practices of All the Bodhisattvas,' the 14th-century author Gyelse Tokme Zangpo wrote: The practice of all the bodhisattvas is to let go of graspingWhen encountering things one finds pleasant or attractive,Consider them to be like rainbows in the summer skies – Beautiful in appearance, yet in truth, devoid of any substance.
Japan Today
03-08-2025
- General
- Japan Today
It is becoming easier to create AI avatars of the deceased − here is why Buddhism would caution against it
By Elaine Lai In a story in the Buddhist canon, a grief-stricken mother named Kisa Gautami loses her only child and carries the body around town, searching for some way to resurrect the child. When she encounters the Buddha, he asks her to collect several mustard seeds from a family that has never experienced death. Not surprisingly, Kisa Gautami is unable to find a single such family. She buries her child and decides to cultivate a spiritual life. I thought of Kisa Gautami's story when I first encountered the 2020 Korean documentary 'Meeting You,' in which virtual reality technology is used to reunite a grieving mother, Jang Ji-sung, with her deceased 7-year-old daughter, Nayeon. While the virtual reunion was moving to witness, I wondered whether it was truly helping the mother to heal, or whether it was deepening an avoidance of grief and of the truth. Since the documentary first aired, the business of digitally resurrecting the deceased has grown significantly. People are now using AI to create 'grief bots,' which are simulations of deceased loved ones that the living can converse with. There has even been a case where an AI-rendered video of a deceased victim has appeared to deliver a court statement asking for the maximum sentence for the person who took their life. As a Buddhist studies scholar who has experienced several bereavements this year, I have turned to Buddhist teachings to reflect on how creating a digital afterlife for loved ones may inadvertently enhance our suffering, and what alternative ways of grieving Buddhism might offer. Buddhism's view on suffering According to Buddhist thought, the root of all suffering is clinging to illusions. This clinging creates karma that perpetuates negative cycles – for oneself and others – which endure lifetimes. In Mahayana Buddhism, the path to liberate oneself from this suffering begins by becoming a bodhisattva, someone who devotes their life to the liberation of self and others. Mahayana Buddhism, which introduced the idea of celestial bodhisattvas, is the most widely practiced form of Buddhism, particularly in East Asia and the Tibetan Himalayan regions. In the '37 Practices of All the Bodhisattvas,' the 14th-century author Gyelse Tokme Zangpo wrote: "The practice of all the bodhisattvas is to let go of grasping When encountering things one finds pleasant or attractive, Consider them to be like rainbows in the summer skies – Beautiful in appearance, yet in truth, devoid of any substance." A digital avatar of the deceased may provide temporary comfort, but it may distort reality in an unhealthy way and intensify our attachment to an illusion. Interactions with a griefbot that responds to our every request may also diminish our memories of the deceased by creating an inauthentic version of who they were. Grief as a catalyst for compassion In the tradition of Buddhism that I specialize in, called the Great Perfection – a tradition of Vajrayana Buddhism, which is a branch of Mahayana – uncomfortable feelings such as grief are considered precious opportunities to cultivate spiritual insight. In a text called Self-liberating Meditation, a 19th century mendicant teacher of the Great Perfection known as Patrul Rinpoche wrote: 'No matter what kind of thoughts arise – be they good or bad, positive or negative, happy or sad – don't indulge them or reject them, but settle, without altering, in the very mind that thinks.' The Great Perfection contends that all of our emotions are like temporary clouds, and that our true nature is awareness, like the blue sky behind the clouds. Grief and other challenging emotions should not be altered or suppressed but allowed to transform in their own time. In a culture where we are taught that negative emotions should be eliminated or pushed aside, not pushing away grief becomes a practice of great kindness toward oneself. By cultivating this awareness of our emotions, grief becomes a catalyst for compassion toward others. In Buddhism, compassion is the seed of awakening to the truth of interdependence – the fact that none of us exist as discreet beings but are deeply interconnected with all other beings and life forms. Communal rituals Compassion manifests outwardly in community rituals that process grief, such as the 49-day Buddhist service, common to the Great Perfection and other Buddhist traditions. Many Buddhists believe that it takes 49 days for the consciousness of the deceased to transition into their next life. During this time, the family sets up a special altar and recites prayers for the deceased, often with the support of ordained monks and nuns. Practicing generosity toward others is also recommended to accumulate merit for the deceased. These communal rituals provide much-needed outlets, time and support for processing grief and having it witnessed by others. The time and attention given to the grief process sharply contrasts to the situation in the United States, where bereavement leave is often limited to three to five days. Deepening relationship with impermanence In opting for digital avatars, we may undermine what Buddhism would consider to be critical moments for genuine transformation and connection. When I think of the family and friends who have passed away this year, I empathize with the desire to hear their voices again, or to have conversations that provide closure where there was none. Rather than turning to a technological fix that promises a reunion with the deceased, I choose to deepen my relationship with impermanence and to savor the fleeting moments that I have with those I love now. As Kisa Gautami's story shows, the desire to bring back the dead is not new, but there is great benefit in allowing grief to run its course, including a felt sense of compassion for oneself and all others who have ever experienced similar forms of grief. Elaine Lai is Lecturer in Civic, Liberal, and Global Education, Stanford University. The Conversation is an independent and nonprofit source of news, analysis and commentary from academic experts. External Link © The Conversation
Indian Express
30-06-2025
- Politics
- Indian Express
Why the Dalai Lama's 90th birthday this week matters for Tibetans, and beyond
The 14th Dalai Lama, the spiritual leader of Tibetan Buddhism, said on Monday (June 30) that the continuation of the institution of the Dalai Lamas will happen under 'some kind of a framework'. The statement assumes significance because in 2011, the leader stated he would consult the Tibetan High Lamas and the Tibetan people to re-evaluate whether the institution should continue when he turns 90. His 90th birthday is on Sunday, July 6. From July 2 to July 4, a Buddhist religious conference will be held in McLeodganj, Dharamshala. There is also anticipation around a video statement from the Dalai Lama, which could mention the process for selecting the next reincarnation of the holy leader. The selection of the next Dalai Lama matters not just for Tibetan Buddhists but also for China, India, and the United States. Following an uprising against Chinese control of Tibet, the Dalai Lama fled to India in 1959 with 80,000 of his followers and established a government-in-exile. The Chinese government has since described him as a 'wolf in monk's clothes' and sought to extend its control over Tibetan Buddhism. Here is what to know. The current Dalai Lama, Tenzin Gyatso, was born in 1935 to a farming family in a small hamlet in Taktser, Amdo, in northeastern Tibet. He was recognised as the reincarnation of the 13th Dalai Lama when he was two years old. According to the website of the Central Tibetan Administration (CTA), established in India following the exodus from Tibet, the Dalai Lamas are believed to be manifestations of Avalokiteshvara or Chenrezig, 'the Bodhisattva of Compassion and patron saint of Tibet'. In Buddhism, Bodhisattvas are considered enlightened figures, even worshipped, but they are perceived differently by the various branches of the faith. For example, Mahayana Buddhism, which is considered a less orthodox branch, prioritises taking everyone along on the path to true knowledge and salvation. Bodhisattvas are to live among the people, and help them alleviate their suffering and ultimately achieve an enlightened state, even if they must delay their own enlightenment for it. Tibetan Buddhism also contains influences from Mahayana Buddhism. The First Dalai Lama (the title means 'Ocean of Wisdom'), Gedun Drupa, was born in 1391 in the Tsang region of central Tibet. The Second Dalai Lama, Gedun Gyatso, was born in 1475, and was recognised as a reincarnation of the first Dalai Lama at the age of 11. By the 17th century, the position was also bestowed with political powers. In the past, the reincarnation process has involved, among other things, the new leader identifying some of the old leader's belongings as proof of remembering his past life. The current Dalai Lama once said, 'reincarnation is a phenomenon which should take place either through the voluntary choice of the concerned person or at least on the strength of his or her karma, merit, and prayers'. In 2019, the present Dalai Lama told Time Magazine, 'On one occasion the Dalai Lama institution started. That means there must be one occasion when the institution is no longer relevant. Stop. No problem. This is not my concern. China's communists, I think, are showing more concern.' The suggestion of a possible abolishment had to do with concerns about China influencing the process, and choosing its own, pro-Beijing Dalai Lama. A similar story played out in the selection of the Panchen Lama, the senior-most spiritual leader in Tibetan Buddhism after the Dalai Lama. The Chinese government announced Gyaltsen Norbu as the Panchen Lama in 1995, after the Dalai Lama chose Gedhun Choekyi Nyima as the Panchen Lama. The then six-year-old boy soon went missing, and there were allegations that the Chinese government had played a role in his abduction. Chinese authorities have denied these allegations and occasionally provided sparse updates on Nyima. However, he has not been seen publicly in the past three decades. Chinese President Xi Jinping met Norbu, 35, in Beijing last month and spoke about him playing 'a greater role in forging a strong sense of community for the Chinese nation, systematically promoting the principle that religions in China must be Chinese in orientation'. Over the years, China has projected claims about the continuing historical unity of past Chinese kingdoms with Tibet, even as critics and Tibetan activists have challenged those arguments. Tibet matters to China for several reasons, including its strategic location and its rivers and natural resources. Human rights groups have said that millions of Han Chinese — the largest ethnic community in China — have been settled in Tibet, with a clampdown on indigenous Tibetan culture. This is among the several practices dubbed as 'Sinicisation', or the state's push to align minority groups and cultures within China with that of the majority. What could happen next? In 2011, the Dalai Lama had said that if the institution of the Dalai Lama were to continue, there would be 'an obvious risk of vested political interests misusing the reincarnation system to fulfill their own political agenda'. The same year, he renounced his political duties, tasking the CTA with them. He said that he would draw up clear guidelines to recognise the next Dalai Lama, 'so that there is no room for doubt or deception'. This is why the coming week holds significance. Since the late 1980s, the Dalai Lama's aims have shifted from independence for Tibet to greater autonomy for Tibet within China. In his book Voice for the Voiceless, published this year, he wrote, 'I, for one, do not believe it would be so difficult for the Chinese government to make the Tibetans feel welcome and happy within the family of the People's Republic of China. Like all people, Tibetans would like to be respected, have agency within their own home, and have the freedom to be who they are. The aspirations and the needs of the Tibetan people cannot be met simply through economic development.' He added that it was 'totally inappropriate for Chinese Communists, who explicitly reject religion, including the idea of past and future lives, to meddle in the system of reincarnation of lamas, let alone that of the Dalai Lama'. He added that the next Dalai Lama would be born in the 'free world', meaning outside Tibet. The leadership transition will also be important for India, the home of the Central Tibetan Administration, and the United States, which has positioned Tibet as a key issue in its relations with China. Last year, US lawmakers passed the Tibet Dispute Act, with then President Joe Biden stating, 'My Administration will continue to call on the People's Republic of China to resume direct dialogue, without preconditions, with the Dalai Lama, or his representatives, to seek a settlement that resolves differences and leads to a negotiated agreement on Tibet.' Rishika Singh is a Senior sub-editor at the Explained Desk of The Indian Express. She enjoys writing on issues related to international relations, and in particular, likes to follow analyses of news from China. Additionally, she writes on developments related to politics and culture in India. ... Read More
