DALAI LAMA: Encouraging a Compassionate World
LARRY KING: Many more. You’ve been in exile since 1959. Let… help me with something. Because time flies and we forget. What was the problem between China and Tibet? Why did China exile you?
THE DALAI LAMA: That’s long, a long history.
LARRY KING: Don’t go that long. Just give me simply.
THE DALAI LAMA: Oh, simple? The Chinese forces came to Tibet in the name of liberation.
LARRY KING: From what?
THE DALAI LAMA: Liberate from very dark: what’s the dark, backward, and feudal. In principle, that’s good. However, you see, once, you see, they had what is called entrenched all their sort of power, then, you see, they tried to control every Tibetan life, including our education, our spirituality. Then they also, you see, start reform. That, you see, the Tibetan feudal system, older feudal system. But more compassionate. Unlike China proper. So therefore the same pattern of reform start in Tibetan area. Then, you see, some problems started. So then, then they, instead of listening, or instead of sort of investigate on the spot, they simply, impose their belief and backed it by force. So then things became worse, and worse, and worse.
LARRY KING: Was that Mao?
THE DALAI LAMA: So 1954 autumn, I went to Peking. Then next about five months: five, six months, I remain. I stay in Peking. I have several time meeting with Chairman Mao Zedong. At that time, I really develop great hope and confidence we can work under the leadership of Chairman Mao Zedong and actually I may share one of sort of my view. As far as social economic is concerned, I am Marxist. Still I am Marxist.
LARRY KING: You are a Marxist?
THE DALAI LAMA: Such a dangerous person in a capitalist country. So, I really admire the concept of socialism. But then eventually 1957, ’58, in China proper, then things became very difficult. Totalitarians, suppression. And also in Tibet. Then around mid-56, then uprising, you see, happened. I had opportunity come to India. Then with Pandit Nehru. And Chinese Prime Minister also came. You see, at that time, there was some sort of hope. But then again, after I return at beginning of ’57, then things again, got worse and worse. LARRY KING: They exiled you in ’59, right?
