Bill Text: IN SR0084 | 2013 | Regular Session | Introduced

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Bill Title: Honoring the life and accomplishments of Arjia Rinpoche.

Spectrum: Slight Partisan Bill (Republican 37-13)

Status: (Passed) 2013-04-22 - Senators Alting, Arnold, Banks, Becker, Boots, Bray, Breaux, Broden, Buck, Charbonneau, Crider, Delph, Eckerty, Glick, Grooms, Head, Hershman, Holdman, Hume, Kenley, Kruse, Lanane, Landske, Leising, Long, Merritt, Pat Miller, Pete Miller, Mishler, Mrvan, Nugent, Paul, Randolph, Rogers, Schneider, Skinner, Smith, Steele, Tallian, Taylor, Tomes, Walker, Waltz, Waterman, Wyss, Yoder, R. Young, M. Young and Zakas added as coauthors [SR0084 Detail]

Download: Indiana-2013-SR0084-Introduced.html

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Introduced Version

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SENATE RESOLUTION No. ___

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DIGEST OF INTRODUCED RESOLUTION

     A SENATE RESOLUTION to honor the life and accomplishments of Arjia Rinpoche.

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STOOPS

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     , read first time and referred to Committee on

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Introduced

First Regular Session 118th General Assembly (2013)

SENATE RESOLUTION

     MADAM PRESIDENT:

    I offer the following resolution and move its adoption:

    A SENATE RESOLUTION to honor the life and accomplishments of Arjia Rinpoche.
    

    Whereas, Arjia Rinpoche, the 8th Agya Hotogtu (Lobsang Tubten Jigme Gyatso), is one of the most prominent Buddhist teachers in the world, and is the only Tibetan high lama of Mongolian descent;

    Whereas, Arjia was recognized by the 10th Panchen Lama as the 20th Arijia Danpei Gyaltsen at the age of two, meaning he is the reincarnation of Lama Tsong Khapa's father, Lumbum Ghe, and the throne holder of the Kumbum Monastery in China;

    Whereas, Arjia has trained with many prominent Buddhist teachers, including the 14th Dalai Lama, the 10th Lanchen Lama, and Gyayak Rinpoche. He studied the subjects of Buddhist philosophy, sutra and tantra teachings, and Buddhist art, language, and architectural design;

    Whereas, After being forced to leave his monastery during the Cultural Revolution in Chinese controlled Tibet, Arjia showed his dedication by continuing to practice

Buddhism and study with his tutors in secret;

    Whereas, During the Cultural Revolution, Arjia's spirit was not broken, even when required to work in a forced Labor Camp for 16 years;

    Whereas, Following the end of the Cultural Revolution, returned to the Kumbum Monastery and reestablished monastic life and traditional studies. The monastery is one of the six largest monasteries of the Gelugpa school of Tibetan Buddhism, and was once home to 3,600 monks;

    Whereas, Arjia has launched several projects in Tibet, including the Red Cross Organization in Kumbum, the Disaster Relief Project for local villages, a clinic for villagers that is run by monks of the Tibetan Medical Institute, and a school for local village children;

    Whereas, Arjia left Tibet for the United States in 1998 due to the strained political climate in Tibet. He founded the Buddhist Center for Compassion and Wisdom in Mill Valley, California, and was appointed by the 14th Dalai Lama as the Director of the Tibetan Mongolian Buddhist Cultural Center (TMBCC) in Bloomington, Indiana;

    Whereas, The TMBCC is a 108 acre non-profit organization comprised of the Kumbum Chamtse Ling Monastery, a Cultural Building, 2 traditional Tibetan Stupas, 4 Retreat Cottages, a Teaching Pavillion, and 2 private residences. Their mission is to foster, preserve, and educate about Tibetan and Mongolian cultures in the United States, host cultural exchanges between Tibetans inside and outside of Eastern Tibet, follow the example of the renowned Kumbum Monastery in Tibet, and promote interfaith harmony;

    Whereas, Arjia built a three-dimensional Kalachakra Mandala, which was presented to the Dalai Lama, and was

later donated to the Smithsonian Institution in Washington D.C.; and

    Whereas, Arjia authored a novel about his memoirs entitled Surviving the Dragon : Therefore,

Be it resolved by the Senate of the

General Assembly of the State of Indiana:

    SECTION 1. The Indiana Senate honors the life and accomplishments of Arjia Rinpoche.
    SECTION 2. The Secretary of the Senate is hereby directed to transmit copies of this resolution to Arjia Rinpoche and the Tibetan Mongolian Buddhist Cultural Center in Bloomington, Indiana.