Dream and life of the 11th Panchen Lama

Source: Xinhua | 03-31-2009 15:08

by Xinhua writers Fu Shuangqi, Liu Chang and Shi Yonghong

WUXI, Jiangsu, March 31 (Xinhua) -- Most 19-year-old men dream of a pretty girlfriend, a happy life or a good job. He is different.

Born shouldering a sacred mission as one of the two most senior living Buddhas in Tibet, the 11th Panchen Lama has a big dream.

"My dream is, the world is peaceful, our motherland is stable, people live in harmony, Buddhism is prosperous," said the elegant young man, neatly clad in saffron monk robe and wearing a string of prayer beads at his left wrist.

"This is what I will pursue in my whole life. I will devote everything for it."

For this dream, he has to work really hard.

In a half-hour exclusive interview with Xinhua, the 11th Panchen Lama revealed his daily life.

"From 8:30 a.m. to 10 p.m., it is my school time every day, not including the time for meditation. A schedule like this has lasted more than ten years," he said.

About 80 percent of his school time goes to learning Buddhism sutras. Also, he has language classes in Tibetan, Mandarin and English, and studies poets, literatures, computers and Chinese calligraphy.