Author Topic: Sharing of an ordinary Dorje Shugden practitioner  (Read 8797 times)

WisdomBeing

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Sharing of an ordinary Dorje Shugden practitioner
« on: February 04, 2011, 07:22:12 PM »
A sharing from Andrew Donohoe Paisley (reproduced from his facebook posting with his permission).

Several years back i had lots of books written by the Dalai Lama.. i had a picture of him on my wall and like thousands of people all around the world i idolized him. It was he that inspired me to go find one teacher and one teacher only to study and practice Dharma.

In one of the many books of his i had, a Catholic woman asked him if he thought it was ok for her to go to one of his empowerments. He replied "yes everyone is welcome to my empowerments"..

This is not the case though because anyone who is a practitioner of Dorje Shugden is banned from them and his teachings.

i recently nearly packed everything in that i have that i have believed in for 10 years and buddhism has helped me enormously to overcome many, many problems... i certainly don't want to spend the rest of my life on a crusade against someone who i once admired and respected so dearly..but the injustices and hypocrisy of it all make it very difficult for practitioners and has nothing to do with Dharma...

I do not like being part of an organized religion..or ANY religion..but i believe deeply in my own personal Guru and will continue to struggle on with it all. if that's what it's like for me..a safe English person in a safe place..i dread to think what it's like for those Tibetans who refuse to give up their practice... they live in torment.

I have not put this up to upset anybody, i am not deeply involved and i am not skilled enough to say much about all this sort of thing. I want to focus on the Dharma that Je Tsongkhapa kindly made available to me and many others. Buddha gave 84,000 teachings.. Je Tsongkhapa gave us easy to understand Teachings.. mainly all contained in 21 teachings and meditations known as lamrim..also there are teachings known as Tantra.... Buddha Shakyamuni came from India,as it then was and dharma is for everyone not just people from India, Tibet, Poland, or New Kadampa Tradition or any tradition..

I practice Dorje Shugden, make offerings to him, pray to him and receive blessings and support from him. I am not against the Dalai Lama and i am not a Demon worshipper.. i am just a very ordinary person who wants to try and live a decent life and YES this stuff does bother me and YES it does make me want to pack it all in..but i won't. I'm lucky i live in a safe place..i have had very horrible abuse and emails telling me to give up my practice in the past. NEVER!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Kate Walker - a wannabe wisdom Being

Zach

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Re: Sharing of an ordinary Dorje Shugden practitioner
« Reply #1 on: February 04, 2011, 09:51:00 PM »
Very wonderful very inspiring !  :)

jessicajameson

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Re: Sharing of an ordinary Dorje Shugden practitioner
« Reply #2 on: February 05, 2011, 06:04:00 PM »
Wow, what a very raw and genuine expression of his thoughts and feelings.

What a great example of a true practitioner...his guru must be proud of him that he didn't swing to either extremes: take a strong anti-HHDL stance or give up a practice that he believes in.

Thank you for sharing this, WisdomBeing!

jessicajameson

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Re: Sharing of an ordinary Dorje Shugden practitioner
« Reply #3 on: February 05, 2011, 06:05:59 PM »
Is Andrew an active member of this forum?

WisdomBeing

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Re: Sharing of an ordinary Dorje Shugden practitioner
« Reply #4 on: February 05, 2011, 06:22:51 PM »
Andrew's a sweetheart. He's a friend of mine. He's a member on this forum but i don't think he posts much, though i've been inviting him to! :) He's also not spending much time on facebook these days cos of work commitments. I'll ask him to come and read your comments and zach's too so he can see that his contributions are appreciated.

Kate Walker - a wannabe wisdom Being

andrew paisley

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Re: Sharing of an ordinary Dorje Shugden practitioner
« Reply #5 on: February 06, 2011, 04:25:33 PM »
Thanks for the comments,i appreciate them. I am part of NKT and i struggle with this at times,but not the pure Dharma that we are given. I am very much a loner at heart in many ways and find the whole thing overwhelming and feel its very important to learn to say "no" to things as i feel people in ALL organized religions are given too much to doand expected to do more than is possible.
When i said i am not against D.L i meant it,but i am against what i believe to be his wrong doings and I believe he harms people with his words. To harm others is against what Buddha taught and so therefore regardless of whether people think there is some greater untold truth going on he shows me the example of causing harm,so therefore i believe he is corrupt and causes harm.
I want to use my life to practice Dharma,I AM against what i believe to be wrong doings of anyone including D.L. I will always express this,but i will not allow it to become a huge part of my life.
I have been to protests and we have the book "a great deception" in our shop here. If a lineage is destroyed we will lose pure Dharma and eventually everyone will be making up new religions and it will be based on self cherishing etc...
So i will try to protect my protector as he protects me ultimately,but for me the purpose of him is Wisdom and Compassion and i need to remember that to cause disharmony and persecution and segregation will bring enormous suffering and i do not wish that on him..but i believe he is doomed(D.L) and i am not happy about that.

andrew paisley

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Re: Sharing of an ordinary Dorje Shugden practitioner
« Reply #6 on: February 06, 2011, 04:35:56 PM »
sorry my last post was unclear at the end..i believe the purpose of Dorje Shugden is wisdom and Compassion which i am happy about and i believe D.L.is doomed,which im not happy about. An ordinary person like myself percieves ordinary things..so when i see someone causing harm.that is what ipercieve and that is what i believe.

Big Uncle

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Re: Sharing of an ordinary Dorje Shugden practitioner
« Reply #7 on: February 06, 2011, 05:55:00 PM »
Dear Andrew,
Thank you for your frank comments and it has been a struggle for numerous Dorje Shugden practitioners to reconcile the effects the ban have on the world and upon our faith. It has indeed been a difficult journey and I personally am glad that I came across this website's updates, views and interpretation as it was truly a lifesaver for my sanity and faith.

There are times, I find it hard to accept what the Dalai Lama has decreed and how the TGIE is ruthlessly enforcing it. I am glad I don't live under their ruling but I am really sad for those in the great monasteries that have to endure the ruling, segregation and separation. So much effort is put into this so I do pray that Dorje Shugden would rise triumphant one day from the ashes of this ban and be a shining symbol and giver of hope for millions who suffer the world over.

DSFriend

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Re: Sharing of an ordinary Dorje Shugden practitioner
« Reply #8 on: February 08, 2011, 08:42:10 AM »

i recently nearly packed everything in that i have that i have believed in for 10 years and buddhism has helped me enormously to overcome many, many problems... i certainly don't want to spend the rest of my life on a crusade against someone who i once admired and respected so dearly..but the injustices and hypocrisy of it all make it very difficult for practitioners and has nothing to do with Dharma...


Despite all the challenges, disappointments, hurts, inner and outer problems we face each day, to be able to state "buddhism has helped me enormously to overcome many, many problems" is a great blessing in itself! The fact that we did not throw in the towel but continue on the path must be from the blessings and protection of our lama and the protector.

Thanks Andrew for sharing your journey.

wishing you all the best

Dondrup Shugden

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Re: Sharing of an ordinary Dorje Shugden practitioner
« Reply #9 on: February 27, 2015, 04:41:59 PM »
Wonderful and sincere sharing by a Dorje Shugden practitioner.

I am sure all of us feel what he feels, but as practitioners of Je Tsongkapa's teachings, our Guru is the ultimate reverence to our spiritual life, so let us not forget and do what possible to lift the Ban.

grandmapele

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Re: Sharing of an ordinary Dorje Shugden practitioner
« Reply #10 on: February 28, 2015, 07:19:08 AM »
That is an honest and off the cuff sharing from Andrew. Personally, I find it hard to reconcile both sides of the saga and that tears me up. Why put people in torment in the name of religion? Isn't it taught in Buddhism that there is no right and no wrong? Nothing dual about the practice?

On a straightforward level, the controversy has put a lot practitioners off. But then again, it also has strengthen many practitioners resolve to follow their Root Guru. Are we then to say that those who forsake their Root Guru's instructions to follow the political or rather, ex-political head of state has reached the end of their merits? the end of their good karma to continue to keep clean samaya? Or, are we to say that there is duality in that worship this is good, worship that is bad? If there is dual nature, then there is no enlightenment as there is no enlightenment with duality. If I worship this I go to Heaven, I worship that I go to hell. Isn't that like destroying Buddhism at its root? Why go to Buddhism then as it proved itself to be not the absolute truth as taught by Buddha Shakyamuni.

If at this basic level, one can be confused, what more when it becomes more complicated and string faith is called for. Or, maybe this is a test your faith to see if you are ready for the next level. In this day and age, we are so short on time and cannot emulate the attained practitioners of old who had the time to do all the required preliminaries and tests to advance. Is this THE test to see whether there are real practitioners out there who are on the verge of a breakthrough to advance?

So, simple sharing like Andrew's remind us that Boddhicitta is important, he emphatised with the poor Tibetan Shugdenpas. He also reminded that we need to stay strong in our faith, not lose the dharma and become more self-cherishing. There is less and less grey area and more of definitive ones. We should really think about the real dharma.

Dondrup Shugden

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Re: Sharing of an ordinary Dorje Shugden practitioner
« Reply #11 on: February 28, 2015, 07:44:53 AM »
"That is an honest and off the cuff sharing from Andrew. Personally, I find it hard to reconcile both sides of the saga and that tears me up. Why put people in torment in the name of religion? Isn't it taught in Buddhism that there is no right and no wrong? Nothing dual about the practice?

On a straightforward level, the controversy has put a lot practitioners off. But then again, it also has strengthen many practitioners resolve to follow their Root Guru. Are we then to say that those who forsake their Root Guru's instructions to follow the political or rather, ex-political head of state has reached the end of their merits? the end of their good karma to continue to keep clean samaya? Or, are we to say that there is duality in that worship this is good, worship that is bad? If there is dual nature, then there is no enlightenment as there is no enlightenment with duality. If I worship this I go to Heaven, I worship that I go to hell. Isn't that like destroying Buddhism at its root? Why go to Buddhism then as it proved itself to be not the absolute truth as taught by Buddha Shakyamuni.

If at this basic level, one can be confused, what more when it becomes more complicated and string faith is called for. Or, maybe this is a test your faith to see if you are ready for the next level. In this day and age, we are so short on time and cannot emulate the attained practitioners of old who had the time to do all the required preliminaries and tests to advance. Is this THE test to see whether there are real practitioners out there who are on the verge of a breakthrough to advance?

So, simple sharing like Andrew's remind us that Boddhicitta is important, he emphatised with the poor Tibetan Shugdenpas. He also reminded that we need to stay strong in our faith, not lose the dharma and become more self-cherishing. There is less and less grey area and more of definitive ones. We should really think about the real dharma."

Grandmapele.

I like what you have deduced and clearly stated your point of view.

Totally agree with you that at our level, to simply practise the principles of Buddha's teachings and in the Tibetan doctrine of "Namo Guru Beh" just have faith and devotion to our Guru and trust that if He grants us the practice of Dorje Shugden, just do it with great appreciation and thanks. Our Guru will lead and guide us to eventual enlightenment which of course depends on how well we practise.

Thank you for your inspiring comment.

kris

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Re: Sharing of an ordinary Dorje Shugden practitioner
« Reply #12 on: February 28, 2015, 07:50:40 AM »
This sharing by Andrew Donohoe Paisley was in year 2011, about 4 years ago. The same stories like Andrew keep repeating itself over the years, and it is sad to say that the intensity of the hate towards the Dorje Shugde practitioners has only increased over the years.

Just go to the Facebook and look up some of the people who are Dorje Shugden practitioners. For many of them, you will find that many who claim to be HH Dalai Lama's students are hurling insults and swear vulgar words towards Dorje Shugden practitioners.

One thing I noticed is that many of these people use fake identity and they don't reveal anything about themselves, such as who is their Guru? which centre are they going to? There is no information at all, and all they keep repeating is Dorje Shugden is a ghost and without any logic debate. It is doing more damage to HH Dalai Lama to anyone else...

Dondrup Shugden

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Re: Sharing of an ordinary Dorje Shugden practitioner
« Reply #13 on: February 28, 2015, 08:07:00 AM »
Thanks for the update, kris.  Obviously the current hate is not only within the Tibetan community but world wide and international. That is the purpose of the Facebook hate campaign, right?

Must be costly to finance such a HATE campaign.  Possibly the CTA is behind it.

Tenzin Malgyur

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Re: Sharing of an ordinary Dorje Shugden practitioner
« Reply #14 on: March 01, 2015, 05:15:00 AM »
Andrew Paisley, thank you for your sincere comments on your practice of Dorje Shugden and your inspiring reminder of our goal for practicing. There is so much hatred in this world and I do not see the purpose of practicing a religion and hating the people who are not of the same faith with oneself.
Yes, I am a Shugden believer too, but I do not have any ill feelings and disrespect towards His Holiness the Dalai Lama. I pray the day would come when there is harmony among everyone irregardless of their religion. I feel that life on this earth is too short for us to want to cause harm to other beings.
One should really appreciate the fact that we are practicing spirituality to find some calm and peace to ourselves and also to others.