Help revered Buddhist Abbot stay in Australia
Help revered Buddhist Abbot stay in Australia
Why this petition matters
Geshe Rapten has been Abbot at Thubten Shedrup Ling (TSL) monastery since 2015, fulfilling his duties there as a Tibetan Buddhist Abbot, as well as teaching at the adjacent Atisha Buddhist centre. Abbot Geshe Rapten is uniquely qualified to fulfil the duties of an Abbot of a Tibetan Buddhist monastery, as well as highly revered for his experience in providing teachings and advice. There is no Australian monk with the qualifications to replace him.
An application for a labour agreement that would allow him to stay has been rejected by the Department of Immigration on the controversial grounds that he does not work in a monastic and cloistered environment, as defined by the Department. If TSL monastery is not a monastic environment, then what is?
His students and the Buddhist community have described the potential loss of Abbot Geshe Rapten as being like the loss of a father figure who gives his all to those needing his religious advice and encouragement. Senior monks at the TSL monastery have described it as being like a "boat without a rudder".
This petition asks Acting Minister, Alan Tudge to reverse his Department’s decision, as only he is in the position to do so. See https://cdn.atishacentre.org.au/ABC_Report.mp4
Decision makers
- Alex HawkeMinister for Immigration, Citizenship, Migrant Services and Multicultural Affairs