There is no need for temples, no need for complicated philosophies. My brain and my heart are my temples; my philosophy is kindness. ~ His Holiness the 14^th Dalai Lama

As the spiritual head of Tibetan Buddhism, the Dalai Lama is always seen meeting with other religious leaders and is often greeted with warm handshakes and embraces as a sign of respect. In his public teachings, the Dalai Lama always talks about love, peace and tolerance and how everyone should embrace these qualities in order to live harmoniously in this world. Clearly, the Dalai Lama has influence beyond the borders of the Tibetan Buddhist world.

The Nobel Peace Prize winner has defended Muslims from being called terrorists during a recent visit to the European Parliament. He has also been seen paying his respects to Jesus and adapting to other cultures and faiths, all out of great compassion and deep respect for others. In his own words, “genuine admiration and respect and appreciation for those traditions.” This spiritual leader is highly respected because he has worked so hard to spread his message of positivity, showing continuous love and respect to everyone.

Love and Compassion are the true religions to me. But to develop this, we do not need to believe in any religion. ~ H.H. the 14^th Dalai Lama

The Dalai Lama along with other religious leaders inaugurating the Interfaith Conclave on Peace and Religious Harmony in Guwahati.

The Dalai Lama with Laurence Freeman OSB, Director of the World Community for Christian Meditation, a Catholic priest and a Benedictine monk of Turvey Abbey in England.

The Dalai Lama at an interfaith conference “On World Religions: Diversity, Not Dissension” with Indian statesman and scholar Dr. Karan Singh (1st left), Islamic scholar and peace activist Maulana Wahiduddin Khan (2nd right) and Reverend Mpho A. Tutu (1st right), founder and executive director of the Tutu Institute for Prayer and Pilgrimage.

The Dalai Lama with Archbishop Desmond Tutu at the Upper Tibetan Children’s Village School in Dharamsala

The Dalai Lama praying in St. Stephen’s Cathedral in Vienna, Austria.

Whether one believes in a religion or not, and whether one believes in rebirth or not, there isn’t anyone who doesn’t appreciate kindness and compassion. ~ H.H. the 14^th Dalai Lama

The exiled Tibetan Buddhist leader travels widely, meeting with leaders of various religions around the world. He is regularly seen with the heads of the other schools of Tibetan Buddhism, namely the Nyingma, Kagyu and Sakya schools, as well as other Buddhist traditions such as Theravadan, Mahayana, Zen and so forth. The pictures speak a thousand words as to the mutual respect these spiritual personalities have for each other. His example behooves us to put his teachings on kindness and non-discrimination into practice.

The Dalai Lama joins local Muslims for evening mass at Jama Masjid Mosque in New Delhi

The Dalai Lama at the World Hindu Congress in New Delhi

The Dalai Lama at the Sikh Gudwara at Tso Pema, India

The Dalai Lama visits the Judah Hyam Synagogue in New Delhi.

The Dalai Lama sits down with muslim elders at the Nizamuddin Chilla shrine in New Delhi

The Dalai Lama meets Muni Tarun Sagar, representative of the Digambar sect of Jainism, during an interfaith meeting in New Delhi.

The Dalai Lama with Pope John Paul II

The Dalai Lama with the recently canonized Mother Teresa

There are many different sects and schools within the Buddhist religion but according to the Dalai Lama, “it is important to show respect to other religions”. The Dalai Lama even acknowledges the Bön religion, which was once segregated and discriminated against by other Buddhist practitioners who named the Bönpos “chipa” (outsiders). After the Dalai Lama met with their spiritual leader, he granted them equal rights and privileges as the other Tibetan Buddhist schools and urged other Buddhist practitioners to accept and respect them.

However, a schism in the Tibetan Buddhist community was created when the Tibetan leadership made a public statement that the practice of the Buddhist deity Dorje Shugden is malevolent and should be stopped. Those who practiced Dorje Shugden were not allowed to receive medical treatment in hospitals, disallowed entry into libraries and stores, expelled from monasteries and even forbidden to attend his public teachings. People were encouraged to separate from family members who practiced Dorje Shugden as well.

All major religious traditions carry the same message: a message of love, compassion, forgiveness, tolerance, contentment, self-discipline — all religious traditions. ~ H.H. the Dalai Lama in an interview with the European Parliament

The Dalai Lama with the head of the Nyingma school of Tibetan Buddhism, His Eminence Kyabje Taklung Tsetrul Rinpoche in Dharamsala.

The Dalai Lama with the 17th Karmapa Ogyen Trinley Dorje, head of the Karma Kagyu school of Tibetan Buddhism.

The Dalai Lama with the head of the Sakya school of Tibetan Buddhism, the Sakya Trizin (center) and the 17th Karmapa (left)

Trizin Rinpoche, head of the Bön tradition, presents tenshug (long life prayers) to the Dalai Lama at Menri-Ling Bönpo Monastery.

The Dalai Lama greets Theravadan monks at the Theravada Nalanda tradition dialogue on Vinaya in New Delhi, India

The Dalai Lama presents a gift to a Sri Lankan delegation of monks in New Delhi, India

Austria: The Dalai Lama thanks two Theravadan monks who recited the Heart Sutra in Pali.

The Dalai Lama with priests of the Soto Zen tradition during a visit to Japan

The Dalai Lama with Vietnamese Zen master Thich Nhat Hanh

The big question here is, why was the ban on Dorje Shugden imposed when the Dalai Lama himself has shown so many examples of how we should respect other cultures, religions and practices, even if we do not agree with their beliefs? People were left confused and in turmoil with the Dorje Shugden ban. On the one hand, the Dalai Lama gives teachings about tolerance, equality and religious freedom and yet on the other hand, the Tibetan administration has imposed a ban on Dorje Shugden practice.

Monks were forced to swear against practicing Dorje Shugden and those in the Tibetan community had to promise to stop propitiating Dorje Shugden in order to obtain travel documents or to be admitted into their monasteries. With the enforcement of the ban, many Dorje Shugden practitioners have been separated from their families and friends for many years. They are forced to choose between parents and friends or to break their samaya with their gurus. Shugden-practicing monks were expelled from their monasteries and in general, those associated with Dorje Shugden continue to be victims of verbal abuse, name-calling, death threats and physical violence. They suffer this every day just because they choose to continue practicing Dorje Shugden. All these actions shown by the Central Tibetan Administration (CTA) and the Tibetan people are the total opposite of the Dalai Lama’s teachings and example.

In actuality, Dorje Shugden devotees are simply Buddhist practitioners following the teachings passed down by their gurus. Is it right that just because they chose to continue with their faith, they should be treated badly? The Dalai Lama has stressed countless times that we should have no discrimination and hatred towards others but only love and respect. Everyone who takes the Dalai Lama as their spiritual guide should follow his teachings.

In 2015, the Dalai Lama attended an interfaith meeting in London alongside Christian, Muslim, Buddhist, Hindu and Sikh leaders. In his speech, the Dalai Lama repeated once again what he always says about love and compassion and that each religion is worthy of respect. He also used the analogy of food, saying that it would be foolish to insist “I like to eat this food, therefore you should eat it too!”

As students of the Dalai Lama, practitioners should represent their guru and the teachings well. However, the Dorje Shugden situation today is the exact opposite of the ideal situation described above. From physical attacks to cyber bullying to separation of family members, it is clear that the CTA’s actions including their recent anti-Dorje Shugden video is the anti-thesis of what the Dalai Lama promotes.

We can live without religion and meditation but we cannot survive without human affection. ~ H.H. the 14^th Dalai Lama

Various signs can be seen around the Tibetan refugee communities in India. These signs say that “Dorje Shugden practitioners are not allowed to enter”

Harmony among our different religious traditions is essential for world peace. Genuine harmony should be founded on mutual respect. And respect should be based on a recognition that all the world’s major religious traditions are similar in having the potential to help human beings live at peace with themselves, with each other and with the environment. ~ H.H. the 14^th Dalai Lama

We live in a world where every individual is entitled to religious freedom. The millions of Buddhist practitioners who flock to attend the Dalai Lama’s public teachings should practice what he preaches. No discrimination or double standards – Dorje Shugden practitioners have done nothing wrong to deserve this kind of treatment. They are humans just like everyone else. Segregation and attacks are what Dorje Shugden practitioners get in return. Would the Dalai Lama, a paragon of human rights, agree with this?

Gen Chonze, assistant to His Holiness Trijang Rinpoche, was attacked in Shar Gaden Monastery because he practices Dorje Shugden.

[There is a video that cannot be displayed in this feed. Visit the blog entry to see the video.]

Dorje Shugden practitioners were attacked by followers of the Dalai Lama outside a public teaching venue in America.

Everyone is free to choose whether they pay religion any regard, but to neglect compassion is a mistake because it is the source of our own well-being. ~ H.H. the 14^th Dalai Lama

We should always represent our gurus’ teachings, in both action and speech. All Tibetans should treat their fellow global citizens equally without any hatred or discrimination. Acceptance is the key to world peace and it is extremely important for all Tibetans to unite and not fight against each other. In particular, the Central Tibetan Administration should follow the Dalai Lama’s advice and repair the divide created by the Dorje Shugden controversy instead of encouraging and provoking discrimination and hatred.

Tashi Delek and we wish you a very good day. We are writing to share with you some of our thoughts, suggestions and good wishes in the Dharma. We know you are very busy and have a lot of work, but I hope you will take a little time to read our sharings.

As we all know, His Holiness the Dalai Lama is one of the most famous religious leaders in the world today. This is because of many years of hard work, commitment, dedication and non-stop effort in reaching out to others. So many people everywhere have such big respect for His Holiness. His Holiness is so kind that he will help people in so many different ways. For different people, he means different things. For some people, His Holiness is a Guru; for other people, he is an advisor, or a leader, or a friend; for many people, he is simply a good Buddhist monk who is very inspiring and promotes the message of peace.

The whole world knows that the Dalai Lama accepts people from all parts of the world. He always says he accepts other religions, like Hudaism, Hinduism, Jainism, Christianity, Islam, agnosticism, atheism and all Buddhist traditions. He accepts everyone and allows everyone to see him, have audience and attend his talks and Dharma activities. The Dalai Lama is extremely kind.

However, there is one thing that is very confusing for many people. Everyone in the world from every culture, nation, religion are invited to join His Holiness’ teachings and Dharma activities. BUT people who practice Dorje Shugden are not allowed to join or come near in any way. This is very confusing and unfair, for many reasons. Please allow us to share and explain:

1. As a world famous religious leader and spiritual head of millions of people, we feel strongly that His Holiness should be open enough to allow everyone to join his world and sharings. If practitioners of Shugden are following such a “wrong, negative” way and they are so “bad”, then as Buddhist people, we should have even more compassion for them than normal.

It would be more skillful to allow Shugden followers to come to the Dalai Lama’s talks and activities. The Dalai Lama has a lot of wisdom and wonderful teachings. If Shugden people can listen to these teachings, then they will “realize” and understand more why they are “wrong”.

As a compassionate leader and religious teacher, it makes more sense for the Dalai Lama to keep these “wrong” people very close and give them more knowledge and education. Then, over time, they will have more knowledge and can make the decision to change. When you keep these people far away and tell them they cannot join the teachings, they will never realize they are “wrong” and they will just keep doing what is “wrong”.

2. Since His Holiness is such a powerful, famous religious leader, it does not look good for him to say that the whole world can join his talks except this small group of Shugden devotees. It makes him look biased, not compassionate, very closed, intolerant and unaccepting. Actually, of course this not true. We all know how compassionate and loving His Holiness is. But when he acts like this and excludes people, these actions appear opposite to his compassionate, enlightened nature. These actions have created a lot of doubt, confusion and sadness in many, many people’s minds.

3. Sometimes the Dalai Lama says there is no ban and he didn’t implement any ban. This is illogical and untrue. There is very clear evidence that the Dalai Lama supports and encourages this ban. See this video:
www.youtube.com/watch?v=ehl-310pXrA

If the Dalai Lama is giving us advice, he could just give the advice one or two times but not talk about it over and over again. And the Tibetan government and lay people also do not need to keep talking about it and making such a big issue from it.

And those who do not follow the Dalai Lama’s advice about Shugden should NOT be excluded or pushed away. After all, can we say that everyone who goes to the Dalai Lama’s teachings and every single Dalai Lama student is following all his advice perfectly and exactly? If they are really following everything that the Dalai Lama teaches, then everyone should be enlightened already! Is everyone so good and clean? We don’t believe this is the case. So it is not logical that you exclude only one small group of people who don’t follow only one part of the Dalai Lama’s advice.

4. The Dalai Lama is the political and spiritual leader of all Tibetans, not just a leader of a specific sect like the Gelugs or Sakyas etc. Whoever is the leader of Tibetans should love all Tibetans, have concern for all of them, and give them fair opportunities no matter what they choose to pray to. It is very unfair that monks from monasteries like Serpom or Shar Gaden cannot join Dharma teachings or community celebrations for Losar, Tibetan New Year. It should not matter what they practice. At the end of the day, they are still Tibetans, they are from the same society and country as you, they are the same people as you.

What about Tibetans who are Christians, Muslims or who don’t believe in anything the Dalai Lama teaches? Does it mean they cannot join cultural activities, events and gatherings because they do not pray the same way as the Dalai Lama? As the king of the Tibetan people, the Dalai Lama should embrace all Tibetans for who they are because they are Tibetans and not because of religion.

5. On the Dalai Lama’s official website www.dalailama.com there is a special section dedicated to Dorje Shugden, telling people not to practice. This is very bad! Where else in the world is there any religious leader or spiritual teacher who would have a special section on their official website to put down other people’s gods, religion and practices? It makes the Dalai Lama and all his people look so bad, so small-minded and unaccepting of other people.

Please take this section down from the Dalai Lama’s website. Also, please see other websites of very respected and famous spiritual leaders. You will see they do not have any such thing on their websites to criticize and discourage any other religious practice. See these websites for examples:

• Mahatma Gandhi (www.mkgandhi.org)
• The Pope (www.vatican.va/holy_father/benedict_xvi/index.htm)
• Mother Teresa (www.motherteresa.org)
• Thich Nhat Hanh (www.plumvillage.org/thich-nhat-hanh.html)

and the many holy venerable monks of all Buddhist traditions. The Dalai Lama is the only one in the whole world who has this section on his official publicity materials.

6. In fact, there has been no spiritual leader of the past and present who stops people going to meet them, talk to them, or attend their teachings, just because they do a certain religious practice. Spiritual leaders of their level accept, love and embrace everyone even if they have different views, thoughts and opinions. The Dalai Lama is definitely of the same level of these grand religious masters and we sincerely suggest that he also embraces everyone out of his great compassion, including Shugden practitioners.

7. His Holiness has openly said that his Gurus like Trijang Rinpoche were wrong by doing and teaching Shugden practice. (See this interview video www.youtube.com/watch?v=eMaP94D7CmU). If the Dalai Lama says that his Guru is wrong, then we can also say that the Dalai Lama who is our Guru is also wrong! The Dalai Lama starts a new trend that we can turn back to say our Guru is wrong and we know better than our Guru. How can His Holiness be right but his Gurus who taught him everything be wrong? Then you are also saying all the kind Gurus everywhere can also be all wrong!

Maybe you think that the Dalai Lama is the highest Lama of Tibet, but there are many, many other very high Lamas who are the same level as the Dalai Lama. Even the Dalai Lama respects them and acknowledges them as very high Lamas. For example, the previous 10th Panchen Lama was very famous for practicing Dorje Shugden. Is he also “wrong”? Are all the high Lamas wrong for so many hundreds of years?

8. A few years ago, His Holiness gave a special exception for H.H. Trijang Chocktrul Rinpoche to practice Dorje Shugden (see this video www.youtube.com/watch?v=pWi1fJkTA9Q) But if Shugden is “wrong”, why would the Dalai Lama let the reincarnation of his own precious Guru practice something “so bad”? Maybe it is because the Dalai Lama said that Trijang Rinpoche has attainments and is at a high enough level to control such a negative spirit. This does not make sense. The Dalai Lama says Trijang Rinpoche has such great attainments but at the same time, he also says he is “wrong” for doing and spreading this practice.

Also, for many thousands of years in Tibet, Trijang Rinpoche was NOT the only high Lama who can control negative spirits. There are so many other grand masters who also have the attainments to control bad spirits E.g. All the Gaden Tripas, Zemey Rinpoche, Ling Rinpoche etc. Why don’t they have an exception to practice also? Why is Trijang Rinpoche the only one allowed to practice?

9. The Gaden Tripas are the representatives of Lama Tsongkhapa, selected in a democratic process and approved by the Dalai Lama. They are the complete leader of all Gelugpa teachings, practices and lineages, the head of all Gelugpas. You may claim that some Gaden Tripas did not follow Shugden practice but we can prove that there are also some Gaden Tripas who DO practice e.g. H.H. Gaden Trisur Jetsun Lungrik Namgyal of France who was the 101st Gaden Tripa.

Gaden Trisur is a great Lama, very respected, a very intelligent and wise scholar, very attained and a senior practitioner… and he also practices Dorje Shugden. How can someone so high and powerful, who represents Tsongkhapa, be wrong? Remember that this Gaden Tripa was also approved by the Dalai Lama! How can such a powerful, respected person like the Gaden Tripa make such a big mistake and pray to a demon? It does not make any sense.

10. Dorje Shugden practitioners who did not give up Shugden practice have made HUGE contributions in finances, effort, resources and skills to the monasteries, Tibetan society and Tibetan government. They have done this for many, many years, since Tibetans first came to India. If you are going to separate from all Shugden followers and don’t want anything to do with them, then don’t you think it would also be better and more “clean” for you to return every single item they have donated?

There are so many Rinpoches, Geshes and teachers who have given so much to the monasteries. They have raised funds, given money and help to build the monasteries and support Tibetan exile communities. However, because of the Shugden issue, these Lamas have been cut out from the monasteries, or they have joined Shar Gaden or Serpom. How can the Tibetan people throw out these Lamas and cut off contact, but keep all the things they gave? This means you are still using things and taking things from Shugden practitioners!

For example, Denma Locho Rinpoche offered almost all the funds that Drepung Loseling needed for their new temple. But everyone suspects that he has connection to Dorje Shugden people (Serkong Tritul Rinpoche) and have created so much trouble for him. Trijang Rinpoche offered so many statues and so much money to Gaden Shartse Monastery but everybody talks badly about him and don’t want to associate with him. But they keep all the money and statues! This is all a contradiction and you should return everything to these Lamas to be completely “clean”.

11. Everyone says that His Holiness the Dalai Lama is very powerful and is an emanation of Buddha Chenrezig. So how can a spirit such as Dorje Shugden harm a Buddha like Chenrezig or shorten his life? If you say that a spirit shortens the Dalai Lama’s life, you are putting down the Dalai Lama. You are saying that a spirit is more powerful than the Dalai Lama. This is illogical. It is not a good thought to promote or make people have the idea that a spirit can harm Chenrezig – this is totally opposite to Buddha’s teachings.

His Holiness the Dalai Lama is so powerful and has many very big attainments. So, why doesn’t he just do a jinsek (fire puja), torgya, binding ritual, control ritual or some puja to control and kill this bad “spirit” Shugden? Once the Dalai Lama controls this spirit, then nobody has to worry or talk about it anymore.

12. About 10 years ago, nine of the biggest Tibetan monasteries combined their energy together and at one time, did big fire pujas to completely kill and destroy Shugden. These monasteries included Namgyal Dratsang, Sera Je, Sera Mey, Drepung Loseling, and Gyume and Gyuto tantric monasteries. But after all these pujas were done by so many high Lamas to kill the “spirit”, Dorje Shugden is still alive. He is not destroyed.

In history, during the Great Fifth Dalai Lama’s time, the powerful Mindrolling Rinpoche was hired by the Dalai Lama to do big fire pujas to kill Dorje Shugden. Some people say they even smelled burning flesh which was proof that Dorje Shugden was killed. This does not make sense. If Shugden has been dead from that time, then why is the Tibetan government and all people still talking about him and still so scared of him?

What does all this mean? Is this “spirit” called Shugden more powerful than every single Dratsang, Geshe and Buddhist master in Tibetan society? Is this spirit more powerful than the Dalai Lama and all these Lamas? Actually, the only being who cannot be destroyed is a Buddha so this shows very clearly Dorje Shugden’s Buddha nature and enlightened mind.

13. Finally, since the Dalai Lama has spoken against Shugden practice, what benefits have the Tibetan society actually received from keeping this ban? Did you get independence or autonomy for Tibet? Did new powerful world leaders arise from Tibetan society? What benefit did you get?

There has been no benefit. Instead, families have been turned against each other. Friends are separated. Everyone is suspicious of everyone. Holy places like monasteries are divided. The Sangha is split. The Dalai Lama has to go to court. There is a bad international reputation for the Dalai Lama and his government. There is so much suspicion, doubt, hostility and anger within Tibetan Buddhism now.

Wasn’t it more peaceful, quiet, happy, communal and harmonious BEFORE the Dalai Lama put this ban on Shugden?

This letter is not meant to hurt anyone. We do not mean any offence or harm, but we wish to bring your attention to many issues which people are talking about and which are very confusing.

Actually, because of the ban, Dorje Shugden is becoming more and more well known throughout the world. The world’s media and so many Buddhists now know the name of Shugden and the practice is becoming bigger and stronger. Do not just consider the 24 Tibetan settlements and the few monasteries in India. These are very small, compared to how many people there are in the world who are NOT affected by the Dalai Lama’s ban and who are interested, educated and eager to learn more about Dorje Shugden.

We are very happy to send you this comic book to share with you the far-reaching and very beneficial results of Dorje Shugden’s blessings. Dorje Shugden will continue to grow. We will do everything we can to continue to fund activities and projects like this to bring awareness and education about his history, background and practice. We wish very much to make Shugden grow and become even more famous in the world.

Please accept that we do not mean any disrespect to His Holiness the Dalai Lama or any Tibetans or Buddhists. However, we believe strongly in the freedom of religion and acceptance by all religious leaders. We wish very much to make freedom and acceptance possible for people everywhere.

We all have different religions, views, backgrounds, thoughts and cultures, but despite our differences, we all still have to live in the world together. Because we have to live and work together in peace, we should not put down each others’ gods, practices and views. We should embrace each other because at the end of the day, we are all still human beings who just want love, respect, care and acceptance. Just because our religious views are different, it does not mean we cannot still be friends, have respect for each other and live happily in harmony together. This is the purpose of our letter.

With our prayers and best wishes,
dorjeshugden.com
dorjeshugden.net
xiongdeng.com

Copied to all members of the Central Tibetan Administration, Tibetan NGOs, celebrities, Buddhist scholars, etc.

This is an interesting video. His Holiness the Dalai Lama is given advice by a young girl who is considered an incarnation of a Hindu Goddess. See for yourself and formulate your own thoughts on the prediction.

Nechung takes trance according to a very zealous Geshe Dorje, that Dalai Lama will visit China, then everything will be ok. Geshe Dorje states when Dalai Lama visits China people will be so happy that they die.

Geshe Dorje perhaps due to language barriers or over-enthusiasm states emphatically people will die from happiness. The video overall is interesting. But you can see to understand for yourself what is the message.

Admin

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2012: The Tibetans’ fateful year

This documentary was created almost exactly three years ago. It is now 2012 and the Tibetan exiled community doesn’t look like it’s any closer to achieving autonomy. The struggle is still on; Tibetans are still crying for a Free Tibet; the cause for Tibet’s independence is still very much a hot topic within the Tibetan diaspora.

So where is this autonomy? And why aren’t the prophecies coming true? Were all those oracles wrong?

Let’s back-track slightly in this discussion about Free Tibet and oracles. Central to the cause for Tibet’s freedom has also been the ongoing ban of the Protector deity Dorje Shugden. In the mid 1990s, as the fight for freedom became more and more of a bleak possibility, it was declared that the practice of Dorje Shugden was harming the Tibetan cause. The Dalai Lama banned the practice stating publicly that if people continued the practice, they would create the cause for Tibetans never to get their independence and for the Dalai Lama’s own life to be shortened.

Nechung in trance through an oracle

It because a widespread view that Dorje Shugden had become a convenient scapegoat. The governing body of the exiled Tibetan community in Indian, known as the Central Tibetan Administrator (CTA) had long failed to gain independence back for their people. So as their failure became increasingly pronounced, they needed a quick diversion. Dorje Shugden was made to take the blame for the failing Tibetan situation.

The Dalai Lama, his supporters and the CTA cited their state protector, Nechung, in saying that Dorje Shugden was not enlightened and that we should not rely on him. Apparently, it was Nechung, while in trance through an oracle, that proclaimed it unsafe and not beneficial to propitiate the Dorje Shugden. The Dalai Lama appeared to listen to this advice; as did his government. The advice to renounce the practice was issued as a blanket ban – give up the practice or else…

The ban brought up huge debates among learned Buddhist practitioners, scholars and teachers. It did not make sense on any level that a Protector who has been long recognised as an enlightened being was suddenly being denounced as a harmful spirit. It made even less sense that the Dalai Lama – recognised as an emanation of the Buddha of Compassion, Chenrezig – could make such a drastic “mistake” in identifying the true nature of a Protector which he himself relied on for a significant part of his life.

Now, this news reportage adds another perspective into the mix. While the Dalai Lama rejects the counsel and practice of Dorje Shugden, he is now consulting oracles of other deities, who may not necessarily even be enlightened. The Sambhavi deity may be very highly respected and worshipped among Hindu devotees, but she is hardly known with the Tibetan Buddhist lineages – it begs the question why the Dalai Lama would reject an established Protector deity from within his own lineage, who was practiced by his own teachers and monasteries, but would consult a deity of an entirely different religion. We might also ask why the Dalai Lama, supposedly an enlightened being himself, would even need to rely on deity oracles for predictions and prophecies, no least from oracles whose level of attainments are far below his own.

The 6-year-old Hindu girl oracle, who takes trance of the Sambhavi deity.

The details of the Buddhist Protector consulted by the Dalai Lama are not even clear in this video. Even the terminology belies the unfortunate inexperience of the journalist who is not able to articulate specific details as to who this Protector is.

So we might assume this is Nechung, the most prominent state oracle often consulted by the Dalai Lama and his government. Even so, it is a commonly accepted that Nechung is not enlightened. He is known to have been a spirit who was tamed by Guru Rinpoche and bound to serve the Dharma. Because of his limited capacity as an unenlightened protector, it has also been well documented throughout history that many of the prophecies of Nechung were inaccurate. This caused many of the high lamas to be displeased with him.

A clear example of this was when Nechung wrongly advised the Dalai Lama to remain in Tibet during the early troubles of the Cultural Revolution. To be doubly sure, the Dalai Lama also consulted Dorje Shugden who actually advised him to leave immediately and provided him the exact routes to leave in safety. The very next day after his escape, the Chinese shelled the Potala Palace where the Dalai Lama had been staying at the time. Had the Dalai Lama listened only to Nechung and not consulted the Dorje Shugden oracle in time, he would have been killed in the Potala. In reality, therefore, because he has so often given such inaccurate advice, prophecies made by Nechung simply cannot be trusted. Anything he says about Tibetan independence should also be taken with a pinch of salt.

Nechung, also known as Pehar

So why have all Nechung’s sweeping statements about this supposed promise of freedom in 2012 been taken so much to heart? Why is it that a bound spirit is now advising the Dalai Lama about the nature of an enlightened protector, claiming that he is unenlightened and harmful? Should the Dalai Lama be listening to the unenlightened Protector, or one he had propitiated for more than half his life, but suddenly “given up”?

The Dalai Lama has followed the advice of Nechung thus far – but where has this gotten him and his people? Nechung’s advice in 1959 might have almost killed the Dalai Lama had he really remained in Tibet. Fast-forward 60 years to today: 2012 is drawing to a close and the Dalai Lama is still not making his way back to his homeland. Why not? Have the words of his own Protector failed him? And if so, why does he continue consulting him? Why indeed does he continue to promote and rely on a being who has so often proven himself unreliable and denounce a true enlightened Protector whose advice has never failed any one?

DorjeShugden.com

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For further reading on Nechung (also frequently known as Pehar):

Spirits in Dharamsala

(Extracted from: http://www.dorjeshugden.com/all-articles/features/spirits-in-dharamsala/)

Many eons ago, the dharma protector, Pehar, was a royal prince of the Ashuras called Damaraja. At the time of his birth, another boy was also born — to one of the king’s ministers. The two became fast friends and were ordained as monks together by the abbot called Dawe (moonlight.)

Damaraja’s religious name was Dawe Shinu and his friend’s was Tunten Nagpo.

Dawe Shinu became a scholar, who enjoyed teaching Dharma. His friend enjoyed meditating.

One day Dawe Shinu went to visit a Hindu Temple where he met a beautiful girl named Zitan Metog Ke. Overwhelmed by physical attraction, they fell into each other’s arms and ended up making love in the temple for 7 days and nights.

Dawe Shinu had broken his vows of celibacy.

His friend came and tried to stop them, but he could do nothing. Dawe Shinu got so angry at the intervention that he turned into a lion and threatened to kill his friend. If it had not been for Vajrapani, who protected Tunten Nagpo with his vajra, he would have done so.

Years late, when Dawe Shinu died, he was reborn in hell. There, he was known as Butcher’s Horse, and his life was full of suffering.

In his next existence, he was reborn as a human being who was very poor and homeless. One day, as he was wandering he ran into his former friend but they had no liking for each other.

Then Dawe Shinu was born to King Muche Tsampo and his wife, Queen Lhamo Tongon. that time, he was named Vajra Kuhe Samati. His former friend, Tunten Nagpo, was a hermit who meditated in cave and for some reason, Vajra Kuhe Samati was moved to turn himself into a rat just to try and disturb him. Once again Vajprapani intervened to protect Tunten Nagpo.

Mongolian depiction of Pehar

The fourth existence of Dawe Shinu was as the third son of Dudje Tsempo, king of the local demons. His name this time was Mudu Tankhar. (His father also had four other children.)

Pehar is a reincarnation of that demon, Mudu Tankhar. He is described as having three faces, six arms and riding a lion. He is known as a Tinley Gyalpo, or Action King.

When Padmasambhava and Tibetan ruler, Trison Deutsen, built Samye Monastery, Guru Rinpoche invited Pehar from his realm called Petahor to be the protector. He gave him a wife, Mentsun Karmo, as well as another consort. They were installed in the quarters called Peharchok that was established especially for them in the northern side of Samye. This Pehar temple is known as the Turquoise Palace.

Pehar, as a dharmapala, embodies the activities of the Five Buddhas. He also has five aspects: Body, Mind, Speech, Knowledge and Activity. The Mind aspect of King Pehar (Tuk ki Gyalpo) is brown with one face and two arms. His right hand holds a red spear, his left, a double-edged sword and a lasso. He wears a bear skin shawl and a black turban and is seated on an elephant amidst fire.

The Body aspect of Pehar (Kui Gyalpo) is dark blue, with one face and two arms. His right hand holds a vajra and his left, a single cymbal. He wears a round golden cymbal-shaped hat (tipshu) and rides a black bear.

The Knowledge aspect (Yonten kyi Gyalpo) is black, with one face and two arms. His right hand holds an axe, his left a demon’s lasso. He wears a tiger skin shawl and a black snakeskin and rides a dragon.

The Speech aspect (Sung gi Gyalpo) is dark brown, with one face and two arms. His right hand holds a staff, his left a sandalwood club. He wears a black robe and rides an iron wolf.

The Activity aspect (Thinley gyi Gyalpo) is navy blue with three faces and six arms. His first right hand holds a hook, the second an arrow, and the third, a sword. His first left hand holds a razor-sharp knife, the second a bow, the third a staff. He wears his tipshu, a white shawl and leopard-skin skirt, and rides a snow lion.

Edited from Lama Kunga Rinpoche’s teaching (02/1999) as recorded by Jeff Watt.

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Extracted from In Exile from the Land of Snows:

As a state institution, Nechung Monastery stood at the apex of a nationwide system comprised of thousands of mediums and their respective spirits. The network through which the human and spirit worlds were connected, was re-enfranchised annually, in the so-called Lhatrel or God Tax.

Once a year Tibet’s 120 district governors collected offerings from the mediums in their region on behalf of their spirits. Forwarded to Nechung Monastery, they were given, on the third day of the New Year, in a colossal tsog or offering ritual, to Pehar Gyalpo.

After the rite, Nechung’s monks moved to the center of Lhasa for the oracle’s appearance in Tibet’s most spectacular celebration, the three-week-long Monlam Chenmo or Great Prayer Festival. At this time, over 20,000 monks, joined by thousands of pilgrims from all across the country, crowded into the capital.

The Nechung medium was required to undergo trance on at least ten separate occasions. In the most dramatic event, following days of parades, athletic meetings and religious convocations, he marched in a regal procession south of the city to a field below the Potala, where, wielding his bow, sword and trident before a bonfire, he ritually dispersed the negative spirits of the old year.

The need to thoroughly test the authenticity of the Nechung kuden had, for centuries, been a critical concern of the Tibetan government. As the most delicate policies of state, both domestic and foreign, were involved with the oracle, the possibility of a leak, either from a malignant spirit taking possession (and subsequently relating information via another medium) or from the medium himself retaining some trace memory of the trance, was ever-present. So, too, was the danger of a garbled or mistaken transmission.

To protect against the latter, the level of the medium’s trance was closely observed, a complete possession, inducing unconsciousness, being the ideal state. Such possession could occur only if the 72,000 psychic channels upon which, according to tantric theory, consciousness is mounted in the human body were cleared of all obstructions.

In such a case trance would be undergone swiftly, continuing without fluctuations or other irregularities. Though Lobsang Jigme’s trances revealed him to be very pure “vessel,” the next task, that of checking whether or not if it was in fact Dorje Drakden who possessed him, required, following preliminary observations, three levels of tests.

Initially, four signs of Dorje Drakden’s immense power were sought: swelling of the medium’s body up to two inches, effortless support of the heavy costume, ringing of the golden bells on the helmet’s top and shuddering of the mirror on the chest from the increased heartbeat.

The character of the possessing spirit was then observed. Dorje Drakden’s cham was particular to him, as was the fact that his fierce, prideful attitude gave way to humility only if the Dalai Lama, his picture or an article of his clothing was present. Otherwise the spirit minister demanded complete subjugation from all those in attendance. With these factors present, three categories of tests, known as outer, inner and secret, were undertaken.

In the other test, the medium was presented during trance with sealed boxes and requested to name their contents. This exam was considered easy, as the majority of spirits were believed to possess a minor form of clairvoyance.

It was followed by the inner test, in which the possessing spirit was requested to quote verbatim prophecies given by the Protector on specific dates in the past. With hundreds of prophecies on file, all imparted in Dorje Drakden’s poetic, often cryptic style, this test was virtually impossible to pass if the Protector himself was not present.

The two tests comprising the secret category, however, were believed definitive. Prior to the trance the kuden’s breath was checked to make sure that it had no odour. During trance it was examined again. If Dorje Drakden was in possession, the breath would invariably have a strong scent, similar to that of alcohol but described as actually being that of nectar.

At the moment Padmasambhava had converted the Five Kings, in the form of the eight-year-old novice, to the Dharma, he had anointed the child’s tongue with a few drops of nectar. Its odour was maintained by the spirit as a sign that his vows were being upheld. While exacting allegiance, Padmasambhava had placed the blazing tip of his dorje on the head of the kneeling child.

As the trance ends and the thickly padded helmet is quickly removed before the kuden chokes, Dorje Drakden’s possession is revealed in the well-defined imprint of a dorje, clearly visible for a matter of minutes, on the crown of the medium’s head.

The position of Nechung Kuden, however, was neither easy nor even necessarily desirable. It held the potential of a high as well as an ignominious fate. Many kudens had suffered the latter; only a few had achieved the former.

The very first kuden, appointed at the monastery’s founding in the seventeenth century, had been executed when, through possession by a lesser spirits, secret government information had been revealed to the public. Though no such drastic measure had occurred since, two of the three kudens preceding Lobsang Jigme had been disgraced, fired from their posts, after their meditation practice had deteriorated to the point of interfering with the coherence of their trances.

Shakya Yarpel, though, the renowned kuden prior to them, had been so beloved by the Thirteenth Dalai Lama for the charity of his possessions that he had been accorded honours above even those granted the Prime Minister and Cabinet, actually being conveyed when he traveled in a pep jam, the gold palanquin normally reserved solely for the Dalai Lamas and Regents.

Aware of the difficulty of the post, Lobsang Jigme’s predecessor, had run away on being singled out during a trance of the Gadong Oracle as the new Nechung kuden. Nonetheless, unable to prevent his destiny, he had been possessed by Dorje Drakden and, until his death (attributed by some to the immense strain placed on his heart by possession), accepted the role.

Excerpt from
In Exile from the Land of Snows
By John F. Avedon

You might also be interested in this video:

Dalai Lama and Oracle

http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=eVAirRqgFgk