Nun’s last note celebrates Dalai Lama’s return

A Tibetan nun who died of protest self-immolation on 25 November had left a note, carefully put in an envelope, along with a photograph on which was scribbled this line: “For the benefit of the people of the land of snow, beloved sons and daughters of the land of snow, do not forget you are brave Tibetans of the land of snow.”

Sangay Dolma was a nun from Gonshul Nunnery in Bharkor Village in Dokarmo Township. She died after setting herself on fire in Tsekhog County, the seat of the County government office near Rebkong (Ch: Tongren) in Malho (Ch: Huangnan) Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture, Qinghai Province.

Below is the translated note of Sangay Dolma:

“He has returned.”
Look up, fellow Tibetans,
look at the blue twilight above,
Like a heavenly tent of white mountain,
My lama has returned.

Look up, fellow Tibetans,
look at the summit of the snow mountains,
The white snow lion has returned,
My snow lion has returned.

Look up, fellow Tibetans,
look at the lush dense forest also.
At the beauty of turquoise grassland.
My tiger has returned.

Look up, Tibetans,
look at the snow mountains.
The snowland’s era has begun.
And Tibet is free and independent.

His Holiness the Dalai Lama,
when he lived far away,
he travelled around the world,
praying for the end of suffering of the red faced* Tibetans,
and released us from darkness,

At a time when Panchen Lama
is in prison,
He looks out from his prison cell,
prays for “the dawn of peace and happiness
in my land of snow.”

*Red faced – used by Tibetans in Tibet to distinguish themselves from Chinese settlers.