Self-immolation is not considered suicide in Buddhism, really. An ancient practice, "Abandoning the Body", its an opportunity to jump ahead in reincarnation, using meditation techniques. Zuowang 坐亡 "sitting death; passing away while sitting in meditation", is the ideal manner of death for eminent monks and nuns.They are attempting to reincarnate so they can do more good than they can in their current powerless state. Culturally, it is difficult to relate to. If you don't believe in reincarnation, then its viewed as a negative act, and a disaster.
Few people are probably successful in maintaining deep meditation while on fire (!), one has to guess...the younger monks burning themselves are acting out of emotional frustration. Obviously, the situation is pretty dire.
These self-immolations are a desperate act to try and get attention on the ongoing genocide we are witnessing in Tibet. China has just announced they are stepping up measures so that the Dalai Lamas image and voice will never be seen in Tibet.
"Let’s show the Tibetan people that the world hasn’t forgotten them. China is feeling the heat as 13 governments just called them out on human rights in Tibet. Sign to stand with Tibet, then share this with everyone. When one million have signed, it will be delivered to crucial UN delegations, and make it massive in the media:
https://secure.avaaz.org/en/stand_with_ ... ab&v=30816
Pressure on China is mounting. In an unprecedentedly strong show of support, Canada, Czech Republic, France, Germany, Japan, New Zealand, Poland, US, UK, Switzerland, Sweden, Iceland and Austria just called on China to protect freedom of assembly, religion and association in Tibet. This request arrives just days after a Spanish court indicted China's former President for genocide in Tibet!
The situation is really dire. More than 120 people have taken their own lives by setting themselves on fire to protest the suffocation of the Chinese occupation and hundreds of thousands of Tibetans have been wiped out. China's ongoing policies systematically suppress the Tibetan language, force people from their homes, and strictly control the Tibetans' movement and religion." - Avaaz