"I was truly saddened that some of my disciples from the Labrang Monastery took part in the destruction. Usually the public and other religions respect and honor the lamas. But after that, when people speak of lamas, they will associate the names with the bad deeds that a few committed," he said.

Many disciples in the temple are worried about the future of the lamasery, he said.

"Most of our disciples in the temple were angry at the reckless ruination of lives and properties, and we prayed to the Buddha that such destruction never happens again," he said.

Labrang will not expel any of the disciples who were engaged in the riots, he said.

"But a few lawbreakers will have to be dealt with. Like anyone else, they have to abide by the law," he said.

The Labrang monastery is one of the six most important lamaseries in the Yellow Sect of Tibetan Lamaism.

Meanwhile, in an effort to prevent future unrest, Garzang Chinlai, the most revered living Buddha at the Xiaxiu Monastery in Gannan's Maqu county, last week appealed for more education for young monks on history and religion, to stop them from being coerced into staging protests.