A Tibetan monk is communicating with the world through his stunning Instagram feed
Wangchuk's Instagram documents both the religious and administrative responsibilities of a monk.
“Mankind shares and lives on planet Earth as one family with each continent having its own different nationalities, religions, faith, customs, unique culture and languages,” Wangchuk told the Instagram blog.
Instagram Embed:
http://instagram.com/p/y3nj5VH7oq/embed/
Width: 658px
"But aside from such differences, we all have the same common desire for happiness," he continued. “That’s why Instagram, as a window to this global family, is a joy."
The spiritual leader of Tibet is the Dalai Lama.
His Holiness the 14th Dalai Lama was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 1989.
Instagram Embed:
http://instagram.com/p/1BRE5gH7kN/embed/
Width: 658px
His Nobel Prize recognized his non-violent advocacy for Tibetan liberation, according to the biography on his website.
He has been exiled from Tibet since 1959.
Many of Tibet's monasteries were destroyed by the Chinese during the Cultural Revolution.
The temple ceremonies of Tibetan monks can often be noisy, with a myriad of instruments, voices, and bright colors blending together.
Tibetan Buddhism has a strong attachment to artwork and visual beauty.
In 2012, the world's happiest man was a Tibetan Monk named Matthieu Ricard.
Instagram Embed:
http://instagram.com/p/wLSgwjn7ox/embed/
Width: 658px
The 66-year old monk produced "gamma waves never before reported in neuroscience," according to the Smithsonian Magazine. Gamma waves are associated with consciousness, attention, learning, and memory, the magazine reports.
Many Buddhists believe in reincarnation.
Instagram Embed:
http://instagram.com/p/u7KNB6H7rf/embed/
Width: 658px
At the age of 2, His Holiness the 14th Dalai Lama was identified as the reincarnation of the previous Dalai Lama, according to the biography on his website.
Buddhism gained prominence in Tibet in the 8th century AD.
Within the beliefs and practices of Tibetan Buddhism, one can find relics of an ancient Tibetan religion called Bon.
At one time, it is believed that 1 in 6 Tibetan men lived as Buddhist monks.
Monks are mindful everything is impermanent, except spiritual matters.
Instagram Embed:
http://instagram.com/p/30SjZQH7vO/embed/
Width: 658px
This realization doesn't lead to "sadness or despair," but instead a heightened appreciation for life, according to BBC.
Tibetan monks generally have few material possessions.
http://instagram.com/p/2ObaLPn7sA/embed/
Width: 658px
Photographer Kaushal Parikh told NPR that the Tibetan monks he's observed "are content with what they have and they derive their happiness through prayer and serving others."
China has labeled its decade-long repression of Tibet a counter-terrorism campaign.
http://instagram.com/p/qb-ZlwH7nV/embed/
Width: 658px
Chinese government officials even consider the Dalai Lama to be a terrorist, according to Jay Michaelson of the Daily Beast.
China has systematically restricted immigration and domestic travel opportunities, according to the Human Rights Watch.
http://instagram.com/p/mHHd7fn7kY/embed/
Width: 658px
This prevents Tibetans from participating in religious pilgrimages to the Dalai Lama in India, the Daily Beast writes.
Chinese officials began tightening their control of Tibet in preparation for the 2008 Olympic games in Beijing.
http://instagram.com/p/p89CbbH7g0/embed/
Width: 658px
In 2008, Tibet saw violent confrontations between Chinese forces and Tibetan monks, reported the New York Times.
That heightened control has not relented.
http://instagram.com/p/tJum_SH7jg/embed/
Width: 658px
Chinese authorities are now training police inside of Tibetan monasteries, and the Dalai Lama's teachings are officials considered "incitements to hatred," according to the Daily Beast.
A Tibetan monk named Tenzin Delek Rinpoche died this week in Chinese prison.
http://instagram.com/p/splKmVH7gY/embed/
Width: 658px
The U.S. State Department has encouraged China to explain the circumstances surrounding his death, reports AP's Louise Watt.
In the last 4 years, 111 Tibetans have burned themselves to death in protest.
Tibetan Buddhism is distinct from other Buddhism in it's emphasis on the concept of death.
Wangchuk's Instagram is allows his followers to better understand and appreciate the life of a Tibetan monk.
Popular Right Now
Advertisement