All of these monks and lamas have either been accused of or admitted to sexual impropriety, or taking advantage of their positions to have inappropriate relationships with their students and women. All of these lamas have not been sanctioned by the Tibetan leadership and, in many cases, have enjoyed the continued endorsement of the Tibetan leadership in spite of the allegations. All of these lamas also do not practice Dorje Shugden and hence whatever they do is excusable, as long as they remain financially lucrative for the Tibetan leadership. (Top row L-R: Sogyal Rinpoche, Sakyong Mipham, Gangten Tulku. Bottom row L-R: Lama Norlha, Lama Choedak Rinpoche, Tenzin Dhonden)

The opinion piece below was sent to dorjeshugden.com for publication. We accept submissions from the public, please send in your articles to ds@dorjeshugden.com.

By: Solaray Kusco

Under the Central Tibetan Administration (CTA; Tibetan leadership based in Dharamsala), one might be forgiven for assuming that tales of financial mismanagement, embezzlement, murder and sex scandals have only recently become commonplace.

That could not be further from the truth; it would be a lie to say that before 1959 and the subsequent diaspora of Tibetans around the world, such events never occurred. The truth is that Tibetan society has always been plagued by intrigue, conflict, fighting, exploitation and abuse, with the murder of Tulku Drakpa Gyeltsen being just one of a myriad of examples. However, after 1959 and with Tibetan society becoming more accessible to the world, the perpetrators increasingly found themselves in communities where these abuses would not be tolerated, covered up, dismissed or justified as ‘crazy wisdom’.

The Tibetan diaspora brought its people in contact with Western nations where people are educated and where there is a growing awareness against the abuse and exploitation of women, for example the #MeToo movement. It also brought the lamas into an environment where people can easily access information to compare teachers, and judge for themselves if their methods are appropriate or not. This would not have been possible in feudalistic pre-1959 Tibet. When the abuses happened then, there was no infrastructure to spread the word as quickly, and there was a greater likelihood that disenfranchised Tibetan students would be hushed up by the all-powerful ruling lamas.

Sogyal Rinpoche was often pictured with beautiful women. In spite of decades of allegations of sexual abuse, he was able to continue unchecked because he knew he would not face any repercussions from anyone; it was the Tibetan leadership’s endorsement of him which allowed him to act with impunity. While the CTA and their supporters harass Dorje Shugden practitioners for peacefully upholding their religious freedom, they say nothing about lamas who are consistently and constantly accused of abusing their students.

Some sympathizers might attempt to excuse these lamas’ behaviors as a clash of cultures; that is, raised in the male-dominated environment of a monastery, these Tibetan lamas did not know any better and misinterpreted their Western students’ behavior as consent. But ignorantia juris non excusat or, in other words, ignorance of law excuses no one and it is not an adequate nor valid defense for the acts they have committed. Many of these lamas have already been in the West for decades, and some were educated or even born there. If none of this applies to them, then at the very least they have been surrounded by Western advisors and disciples for years. The point is that they have been exposed to Western culture for a long, long time and there is no justification for their behavior.

Therefore the following questions remain:

(1) How come the Tibetan leadership has, by and large, stayed silent?

While they are quick to condemn others who do not fall in line with their diktats, such as Dorje Shugden practitioners who refuse to abide by the ban, the Dalai Lama and the CTA are sluggish when it comes to condemning perpetrators of sexual abuse. One has to wonder why the Dalai Lama and the CTA does not when sexual abuse is universally reviled; it should not be an issue for the Dalai Lama and the CTA to condemn these behaviors. No one would fault them for doing so and in fact, they would be applauded.

The fact they are sluggish to do so suggests that either they approve of these behaviors or they are afraid to condemn the perpetrators, lest they lose their financial patronage and support. After all, many of these individuals are the heads of extremely wealthy organizations, with donors and sponsors at their beck and call.

(2) Why is the Tibetan leadership not doing their job?

Where is the condemnation of these acts from the Department of Religion, who is supposed to govern the religious activities of their lamas? If they do not speak up when disciples are being exploited and abused, when DO they speak up? What precisely is their function if not to protect the lineages from being exploited by people like this?

The Dalai Lama and the CTA receives US$17mil in annual funding from the American government, paid for by the American taxpayer. This money is supposed to go towards the operations of the Tibetan leadership but if the Department of Religion is not doing its job, then where is all of this money going to? And while the Dalai Lama and the CTA are happy to budget US$500,000 in generating online propaganda against Dorje Shugden, no such budget has been allocated to, for example, educating Tibetans on what constitutes sexual abuse and the meaning of consent. No such budget has been allocated to counseling and therapy for the victims of these teachers.

(3) Why is Hollywood staying silent?

Some of these perpetrators have chosen to settle out of court, surely an admission of guilt. After all, why pay to hush someone up if there is no evidence that can be construed, or indeed misconstrued by the justice system? Most of them have been abusing their students for decades and yet, in spite of their admissions of guilt, they continue to enjoy the endorsement of His Holiness the Dalai Lama and even Hollywood stars. These are the same Hollywood stars who speak out against abuses by those from their industry such as Harvey Weinstein, but remain silent when news about lamas exploiting young female students is exposed. In their silence, and with no similar condemnations forthcoming, these stars are saying they believe the lamas’ behavior is acceptable.

(4) How come the criticism is not equal? How come sexual abuse is OK but Dorje Shugden is not?

While supporters of the Dalai Lama will harangue him to speak up against Dorje Shugden, they do not make requests with equal fury when it comes to these despicable acts against women. Where are the online groups calling for the Dalai Lama and the CTA to enforce consequences against anyone found to be sexually abusing their students? Where are the comments about how these lamas are ‘false’ or ‘liars’ or ‘agents of Chinese harm’ because they take advantage of their disciples? The truth is that as long as you are perceived to have a close relationship with His Holiness the Dalai Lama, everything you do, no matter how vile or abusive, is excusable and the Dalai Lama, the CTA and their supporters will turn a blind eye. But if you practice Dorje Shugden, you are a justifiable and open target for vulgarities and threats.

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Under the CTA, what is good becomes bad and what is bad becomes good, as long as it is financially lucrative in their favor. It is not the truth that the CTA are interested in, but the fastest way they can make a buck and for 60 years, that has meant selling the dream of Shangri-la to Western governments and private groups who have been approaching them with open wallets.

But as more and more victims are emboldened and empowered to come forward with their stories, wallets are snapping shut as people realize that the Shangri-la they were sold was no more than a mirage. This realization has been accompanied with an evaluation of their budgets, and a demonstrable reluctance by public and private institutions to continue funding and sponsoring this kind of behavior.

The people’s patience is running out and along with it, the CTA’s time to recuperate their reputational losses. In times of crisis, only the powerful have the luxury of remaining silent, and this is a luxury that the CTA clearly no longer enjoys.

Media Coverage

The various incidents of sex abuse have caught the attention of Western media who have written extensively about it. This has been going on as far back as 1989, when a teacher associated with one of the largest Tibetan Buddhist organizations in the world was caught intentionally transmitting AIDS to his partners. Since that time, the Tibetan leadership has remained silent whenever they have been faced with a sex scandal.

Yet, when someone refuses to give up Dorje Shugden practice, the CTA will tell all and sundry about the lama’s supposed ‘crime’ of refusing to abide by the Dorje Shugden ban. Their refusal to give up the practice is framed as an anti-Dalai Lama act of disloyalty, and therefore criminal. But what actual law does practicing Dorje Shugden break that makes it a crime? And how come the CTA is so vehement about condemning Shugden practitioners, but will say nothing when people abuse women and break actual laws?

The New York Times

Cropped for brevity. Click to enlarge and read the whole article. Source: https://www.nytimes.com/1989/02/21/us/buddhists-in-us-agonize-on-aids-issue.html

The Independent

Cropped for brevity. Click to enlarge and read the whole article. Source: https://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/this-britain/abuse-alleged-at-monastery-for-tibet-exiles-698788.html

The Guardian

Cropped for brevity. Click to enlarge and read the whole article. Source: https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/belief/2012/oct/08/tibetan-lamas-buddhism

The Guardian

Cropped for brevity. Click to enlarge and read the whole article. Source: https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/belief/2011/jul/01/lama-sex-abuse-sogyal-rinpoche-buddhist

Sogyal Rinpoche

His Holiness the Dalai Lama has referred to Sogyal Rinpoche as “a good friend”.

These are perhaps the most well-known incidents of sexual abuse to hit the headlines and rock the Tibetan Buddhist community in recent times. Sogyal Rinpoche was the subject of a documentary in 2011 detailing his alleged crimes, and also the subject of a lawsuit that was settled out of court for an undisclosed amount. Despite all of this, the Dalai Lama and the Tibetan leadership continued to associate with him and make public appearances with him, thereby endorsing his activities and behavior.

In more recent times, the exposé against Sogyal Rinpoche by his own senior students has been so thorough and public, that he was forced to resign. A few months later, he announced that he was diagnosed with cancer. He has not been seen publicly since. While his victims continue to suffer the trauma of his abuse, and while he remains in hiding, the CTA has not issued any statements against his behaviour or disassociated themselves from him. How come they are silent over these atrocities, but are so vocal against Dorje Shugden which is not illegal anywhere in the world? How come they force people to disassociate from Shugden practitioners, and enforce segregatory policies against them, but have not disassociated themselves from someone who has been accused of abusing women for decades?

Lion’s Roar

Cropped for brevity. Click to enlarge and read the whole article. Source: https://www.lionsroar.com/letter-to-sogyal-rinpoche-from-current-and-ex-rigpa-members-details-abuse-allegations/

The Telegraph

Cropped for brevity. Click to enlarge and read the whole article. Source: https://www.telegraph.co.uk/men/thinking-man/sexual-assaults-violent-rages-inside-dark-world-buddhist-teacher/

Medium (Part 1)

Cropped for brevity. Click to enlarge and read the whole article. Source: https://medium.com/@tahlianewland/harvey-weinstein-and-sogyal-rinpoche-a-study-of-responses-part-1-management-f7413d904c0b

Cropped for brevity. Click to enlarge and read the whole article. Source: https://medium.com/@tahlianewland/harvey-weinstein-sogyal-rinpoche-a-comparison-part-2-culture-1fcc5bfc7599

Sakyong Mipham Rinpoche

His Holiness the Dalai Lama with Sakyong Mipham Rinpoche

Yet another leader of another large Tibetan Buddhist organization has been forced to step down after being accused of inappropriate sexual behavior with his students. In his statement, Sakyong Mipham Rinpoche took responsibility for everything, basically all but admitting to the actual acts. Still, Sakyong Mipham Rinpoche has enjoyed the Dalai Lama’s and the Tibetan leadership’s endorsement for many years, again despite the fact that rumors about his impropriety have existed for years. The Tibetan leadership will endorse anything, no matter how illegal it may be, if it has the potential to be financially lucrative. But as long as someone practices Dorje Shugden, they are bad and evil, no matter how much benefit they bring to others, just because they refuse to abide by the Tibetan leadership’s ban on the practice.

Tricycle

Cropped for brevity. Click to enlarge and read the whole article. Source: https://tricycle.org/trikedaily/sakyong-mipham-rinpoche-sexual-abuse/

Think Progress

Cropped for brevity. Click to enlarge and read the whole article. Source: https://thinkprogress.org/buddhist-leader-sexually-assaulted-students-report-finds-0d08e17cedd9/

Lion’s Roar

Cropped for brevity. Click to enlarge and read the whole article. Source: https://www.lionsroar.com/report-alleges-sexual-misconduct-by-leader-of-shambhala-community/

Tricycle

Cropped for brevity. Click to enlarge and read the whole article. Source: https://tricycle.org/trikedaily/shambhala-leaders-resign/

The New York Times

Cropped for brevity. Click to enlarge and read the whole article. Source: https://www.nytimes.com/2018/07/11/nyregion/shambhala-sexual-misconduct.html

CBC.ca

Cropped for brevity. Click to enlarge and read the whole article. Source: https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/nova-scotia/new-allegations-surface-against-shambhala-leader-1.4743325

Tricycle

Cropped for brevity. Click to enlarge and read the whole article. Source: https://tricycle.org/trikedaily/sakyong-mipham-rinpoche-sexual-assault/

Gangten Tulku

Hollywood actor Richard Gere with not one, but two lamas accused of sexual misconduct (Gangten Tulku and Sogyal Rinpoche).

As the head of 22 monasteries in Bhutan, Gangten Tulku is in a position of influence. He was even pictured with Hollywood actor Richard Gere, together with another sex offender, Sogyal Rinpoche. And while Gangten Tulku’s inappropriate activities are not as public as Sogyal Rinpoche’s, nevertheless within certain circles, his affairs have become very well-known. These are most notably recorded by Christine Chandler on her website extibetanbuddhist.com and in her book Enthralled: The Guru Cult of Tibetan Buddhism. Ms. Chandler is a trained social worker and psychologist, who specializes in the areas of sexual abuse and dysfunctional systems.

In an email to one of our sources, Ms. Chandler writes:

All of the residents who were Tibetan Buddhists, studied with all the lamas in Crestone. So I did about four or five 10 day retreats with Gangten. I was never close to him, but we all practiced and studied with all the Lamas there. During one of his drupdens, a really long mantra chanting experience, — he was very good at creating altered states of mind through mantra- a Bhutanese dance troupe that had been performing, was complaining about him groping the young Bhutanese women.

This information is mirrored in her book, in which she writes:

I also attended several retreats with a tulku from Bhutan, a master at creating altered states of mind through mantra chanting in his retreats. This high Bhutanese lama was the same married tulku, who was later called out by Tsultrim Allione for groping female Bhutanese dancers.

Source: Chandler, C. (2017). “Crestone, Colorado”, Chapter 22 of ‘Enthralled: The Guru Cult of Tibetan Buddhism’.

This paragraph in the book references some Bhutanese dancers being groped by a married tulku and although the married tulku’s name is not given, based on Ms. Chandler’s emailed reply, it can be safely concluded that the married tulku is Gangten Rinpoche. More importantly, this time the paragraph directly credits Lama Tsultrim Allione as the source of these claims about Gangten Rinpoche. Ms. Chandler writes that:

Allione had been raising women’s issues in the Tibetan sanghas quietly, before. But when she started complaining, openly, about a certain visiting tulku from Bhutan and his sexual gropings of young, Bhutanese women in a travelling dance group, after they came to her objecting, this Bhutanese high lama let her know that she had gone too far and she had better shape up, or be literally banished from the Tibetan Lamaist scene. She would no longer have the Tibetan lama ‘seal of approval,’ as a respected female Tibetan Buddhist teacher; helping the lamas spread Tantra in the West if she kept on complaining about their sexual abuses. This would destroy her niche in the Tibetan “Dzogchen” teacher circuit.

Source: Chandler, C. (2017). “The Dakinis and Their “Spiritualized Feminism”.”, Chapter 18 of ‘Enthralled: The Guru Cult of Tibetan Buddhism’.

Again, this references the groping of female Bhutanese dancers and again, it draws a connection to Lama Allione. Ms. Chandler says that Lama Allione was eventually browbeaten and threatened into silence. Given what we know about how the Tibetan leadership condones the abuse through their silence, and refuses to give their support to the victims, this conclusion is no surprise. It is merely another instance of power play at work, whereby the abuses surrounding Gangten Tulku are hushed up and brushed under the rug, while Lama Allione is silenced and forced to stop speaking up. An email from a close student of Lama Allione confirms this conclusion, saying:

Yes, unfortunately Gangten Tulku is one of the worst offenders. He has a history of abuse of female students, and I recently discovered that it’s a bit of an open secret that he’s also abused young monks in his monasteries. He’s been largely ousted from American dharma circles due to his impropriety, but still has a presence in Europe and Bhutan.

It would be logical that a close student of Lama Allione would be privy to the allegations about Gangten Tulku’s improper behavior, given their proximity to her. Once again, the Tibetan leadership shows that any behavior exhibited by a non-Shugden lama is acceptable, and they will not do anything to protect the victims (or even those trying to expose the abuses) as long as the lama does not practice Dorje Shugden. However, once a lama does practice Dorje Shugden, they become justified and open targets for vulgarities and abuse, simply because of their religious choices.

ExTibetanBuddhist.com

Cropped for brevity. Click to enlarge and read the whole article. Source: https://extibetanbuddhist.com/this-sexual-abuser-hollywood-doesnt-want-you-to-see/

ErikJampa.com

Cropped for brevity. Click to enlarge and read the whole article. Source: https://www.erikjampa.com/single-post/2017/11/11/Calling-Out-the-Guru-from-Afar-On-Dzongsar-Khyentses-Sex-Contract-and-Subsequent-Backlash-from-the-Buddhist-Community

Lama Norlha

Lama Norlha with the CTA-endorsed 17th Karmapa Ogyen Trinley Dorje

Here are even more allegations concerning yet another lama, regarding sexual impropriety and inappropriate relationships with students. Where is the Tibetan leadership’s voice in all of this? How come they are not funding and publishing statements, brochures, booklets and pamphlets that counsel and caution against this, but they will pay for videos, books, websites, etc. against Dorje Shugden?

If the CTA only speaks up against Dorje Shugden because they do not condone the practice, does it therefore mean that through their silence over these sexual allegations, the CTA condones this improper behavior?

Lion’s Roar

Cropped for brevity. Click to enlarge and read the whole article. Source: https://www.lionsroar.com/kagyu-thubten-choling-addresses-sangha-about-lama-norhla-rinpoches-sexual-misconduct-with-students/

Tricycle

Cropped for brevity. Click to enlarge and read the whole article. Source: https://tricycle.org/trikedaily/kagyu-thubten-choling-monastery-working-sex-impropriety/

Lama Yeshe Nyingpo

In the comments section of this post, people are cautioned against attending this teacher’s events, saying that he has been expelled from his monastery and has been banned from teaching under the Karma Kagyu banner. How come the Tibetan leadership do not speak up against this?

Little Bangkok Sangha

Cropped for brevity. Click to enlarge and read the whole article. Source: http://www.littlebang.org/lama-yeshe-nyingpo/

Lama Choedak Rinpoche

Lama Choedak Rinpoche with the Dalai Lama

A married teacher admits to several affairs, then leaves for retreat instead of facing the consequences. A teacher is supposed to unite families, and not be the factor that breaks relationships and drives loved ones apart.

While the Tibetan leadership has no comments about the importance of remaining faithful to one’s spouse (i.e. a private choice), they have plenty to say about people who opt to retain their Dorje Shugden practice and refuse to give it up in accordance with the ban (i.e. another private choice). How come the CTA feels qualified to comment on and police one private choice, but do not apply the same level of interference when it comes to other choices which are actually harmful? The hypocrisy is staggering.

BuddhistChannel.tv

Cropped for brevity. Click to enlarge and read the whole article. Source: http://www.buddhistchannel.tv/index.php?id=49,10104,0,0,1,0#.W2Zc-i2B19I

Tenzin Dhonden

Tenzin Dhonden (left) was the Dalai Lama’s personal emissary to the United States

This monk, the Dalai Lama’s former emissary to the United States, was found to be selling access to the Dalai Lama. In this way, he ended up associating the Dalai Lama with a cult organization, NXIVM. For a US$1 million “donation”, he orchestrated the Dalai Lama’s appearance at a NXIVM event, where the Dalai Lama gave a talk attended by the group’s leader Keith Raniere who has recently been arrested and indicted on several charges including sex trafficking, sex trafficking conspiracy, and conspiracy to commit forced labor.

Tenzin Dhonden himself has also been accused of improper relationships and contact with women through his connection with NXIVM, although he is supposed to be a monk.

Someone who represents the Dalai Lama can sell access to His Holiness and have relations with women although he is a monk, and the Tibetan leadership will never say anything because it brings them money. But when a person protects their religious freedom and refuses to abide by the ban on Dorje Shugden, and refuses to give up the practice, the Tibetan leadership turns them into pariahs and paints them as deserving targets of violence and vulgarities.

FrankReport

Cropped for brevity. Click to enlarge and read the whole article. Source: https://frankreport.com/2016/02/13/should-lama-tenzin-be-defrocked-is-dalai-lama-to-blamed-for-endorsing-keith-while-tenzin-was-sleeping-with-sara-bronfman/

The Guardian

Cropped for brevity. Click to enlarge and read the whole article. Source: https://www.theguardian.com/world/2017/oct/27/dalai-lama-tenzin-dhonden-tibet-monk-corruption-accusations

The Guardian

Cropped for brevity. Click to enlarge and read the whole article. Source: https://www.theguardian.com/world/2017/nov/29/tenzin-dhonden-dalai-lama-corruption-celebrity-investigation

Others

There are many other allegations of improper and inappropriate sexual relationships by teachers exploiting their students. But as long as the relationship between the Tibetan leadership and the teacher is financially lucrative, the CTA will never speak up. That is not to say the CTA is incapable of speaking up.

In an example below concerning Geshe Michael Roach, the Office of the Dalai Lama wrote to him directly to speak out against his behavior and to reject a US$2000 offering. On the surface, their behavior appears to be driven by ethics but do not forget, US$2000 is pocket change compared to what they received through Tenzin Dhonden’s association with NXIVM and Keith Raniere. Being that they felt justified in refusing Michael Roach’s offering, does this mean they will now similarly reject and return the donation from Raniere’s group? Of course not.

One can only imagine that Michael Roach received this treatment from them not because the CTA wished to protect the Dalai Lama, or because they actually believe in preserving women’s rights, or because they actually disagreed with his actions but because he had outlived his utility to them. This is an easy conclusion to reach given that for all of the examples above, the CTA have not uttered a single similar word or issued a single statement in protest of or in condemnation of those acts.

The Michael Roach Files

Cropped for brevity. Click to enlarge and read the whole article. Source: https://michaelroachfiles.wordpress.com/2006/05/24/letters-from-the-office-of-his-holiness-the-dalai-lama/

OnFaith

Cropped for brevity. Click to enlarge and read the whole article. Source: https://www.onfaith.co/onfaith/2013/06/28/bhtuans-buddhist-monks-accused-of-sexually-molesting-boys/22207

What are some human tendencies in responding to conflict?

While walking this morning along the streets of Oxford (to a conference I am presenting at the weekend), I saw a group of people gathering and asked what was happening. They said the Dalai Lama was coming. So, like any tourist, I wanted to see him and get a picture if possible. I came back in an hour when there was a much larger crowd and heard people shouting something in a chant.

I will soon post here some pictures from the event. I didn’t end up getting a picture of the Dalai Lama, but I did get a lot of conversations that were perhaps even more valuable.

I assumed the shouting was either from Tibetans protesting China or Chinese protesting the Dalai Lama. Then I looked over the crowd and started to realize it was separated into three parts. Only a part of the crowd was holding Tibetan flags on one side, there was a small gathering around a Chinese flag in the center, and then a large group on the other side – many of which were dressed in long Buddhist robes – holding signs that said the Dalai Lama was lying. This is where the shouting was coming from. Buddhists protesting the Dalai Lama?

So I went back and forth between the different groups in the crowd in order to get a better understanding of what was happening. I have captured the conversations that came from it, and I think you will find it interesting how people reason and make sense of the situation.

The situation itself is interesting, but the conversations around the protest is what I am more interested in discussing and hearing your thoughts about. They surprised me in some ways, and helped me understand a little more about how people deal with conflict: always questioning the motivations of others (especially repelled by any sign of hypocrisy), making quick judgments based upon assuming negative motivations, asking so few questions (and usually only the kinds of questions which help them justify their previous opinions), and then giving labels for the people they feel are opposed to them.

CONVERSATION #1 (To a person with a Tibetan flag)

Who are the protesters, and what is their concern?

“They are all just a bunch of communists.”

CONVERSATION #2 (Walking over to a protester who hands me a pamphlet)

What are you protesting? What do you think the Dalai Lama is lying about?
“He is lying because he is hypocritical – saying he supports human rights, but he suppresses them amongst his own people. He has outlawed people from being able to practice something called Dorje Shugden (a prayer to a certain Buddhist deity) – said there was an evil spirit in it – and if people do practice it then they have had their houses burned down, and some people have even been killed.”

Why do you think he outlawed the practice?
“For political reasons. He wants to unite Buddhists, and while politically that might make sense, spiritually it is very destructive.”

Oh, someone told me that you were communist protesters.
“Yeah – they don’t really know what they are talking about.”

CONVERSATION #3 (Walking back to someone with a Tibetan flag draped around them)

What do you think they are protesting about?
“Oh, they are angry that about the practice of a certain kind of prayer that the Dalai Lama has spoken against. It is a complicated split in Tibetan Buddhism. But they don’t even know what they are talking about. Go over there and ask them, and most of them are just westerners and don’t even know why they are protesting. They don’t even know what they are talking about. You don’t see any Tibetans over there, do you?

The Dalai Lama just said that he wasn’t going to practice the Dorje Shugden anymore, but he does allow religious freedom to people, but just asked if they follow him not to practice the Dorje Shugden as well. He doesn’t say that they cannot practice it, just that he finds an evil spirit about it.

You don’t see any Tibetans over there, or hardly any. They don’t even have any intelligent chants. I wouldn’t be surprised if they were paid to come together. You know that happens. Paid mob.”

[And she handed me a statement from the Tibetan government describing their view on what had happened.]

CONVERSATION #4 (Walking again over to a different protester)

What do you think the Dalai Lama is lying about?
“He has suppressed the practice of Dorje Shugden – even though his spiritual leaders practiced it. In Buddhism, you are supposed to follow your spiritual leaders. Now, people in the Tibetan communities of India (where they are living in exile) are forced to carry cards that indicate that they do not practice the Dorje Shugden. If they do not have the card, they get persecuted – and even their lives are in danger. There are even stores that say above the entrance that if you believe in Dorje Shugden then you can not shop there.”

Why did he think the Dorje Shugden was an evil practice?
“Oh, it was just some dream he says he had. Stupid. Really he is both a spiritual and political leader, and so he  makes certain decisions for political reasons that are devastating spiritually. Westerners understand that you cannot do this, that it is unhealthy and wrong, and so we are speaking up to try and get his attention. We do not hate him, we love him, we have peace in us, and we cheer at the end of each chant to show it is a peaceful rally. But we just want him to listen and he is not even open to dialogue. It is not democratic at all, but more like medieval ages in the west when the rulers made spiritual decisions for political reasons and then forced them on people. That is the problem when someone is both the spiritual and political leader.

In the west we know that is wrong, but that is where they are stuck. It is not a democracy at all, he won’t even discuss it with people. Western media is just so nice to the Dalai Lama, not recognizing the hypocrisy – but we are trying to change that with demonstrations like this.”

Why do you think there are not more Buddhists protesting?
“There is a couple, but they are putting their life at risk by being here. The Dalai Lama has a group that will find him out and punish him if they can. All the ones over there feel they need to be submissive to him no matter what, they think that he can’t be wrong because he is their spiritual leader, and the Buddha. [He did a mock bowing motion]. Crazy. In the west we know that is not right.”

CONVERSATION #5 (To the Tibetan on the protester side)

Why are you protesting?
“I went into the monastery when I was 12. I was there for 40 years, but because I did not want to agree, I was cleared out. After 40 years! That was my home. If I had a family in India, and they did not have the passes, then the children would be cleared out of their schools, they would be cleared out of their community.”

Why do you think that the Dalai Lama felt this Dorje Shugden was evil?
“There are four branches of Buddhism in Tibet, and he is only the spiritual leader for only one of them. He wants to weaken the strongest branch, if he can, so that he can be a stronger leader by making all the branches more equal. The main thing is that in the west is freedom of speech – and he does not allow that.”

Why do you think more Tibetans don’t stand up to this?
“They just don’t understand.”

CONVERSATION #6 (Then talking to a couple of Chinese representatives who gave me a pamphlet about how beautiful Tibet is)

Why are you here?

“We just want China to be one – to be united.”

Why do you think Tibet want to be free from China?

“I really don’t know.”

What percent of people in Tibet want to be free of China?
“I don’t think there are many left in Tibet that want to be free anymore. It is just a small percent. But they are doing violent things, surrounding the Olympics, and that is not good.”

What do you think the Dalai Lama wants?
“I think they were just in power before China took over, and so they just want the power again.”

They say that you might be getting paid to be here. Is that true?
“No! We are just here. That is not the reason we are here! Just look at the flag – we don’t even have enough money to buy a good flag.”

What do you think about the recent talks between Chinese government and the Dalai Lama?
“We support them. It is a good thing, and we hope it continues. The Dalai Lama just keeps speaking the same things – and there is no progress. We want to see things improve.”

CONVERSATION #7 (Walking once again to the Tibetan side and talking to a Caucasian woman holding a Tibetan flag)

Why do you think the people over there are protesting?
“I can’t imagine!”

Why do they say that the Dalai Lama is lying?
“They’re just horrible people! They are shouting horrible things! I’m Roman Catholic, but I know the Dalai Lama stands for peace! I don’t know why they would do such a horrible thing!”

Why does Tibet want to be free from China?
“I would want to be free from them! They’re barbarians – they murder their own students. They are just horrible barbarians.”

CONVERSATION #8 (To a Tibetan man holding a Tibetan flag)

Why does Tibet want to be free from China?
“The Chinese do not allow any religious freedom. They make it so that we cannot pray and practice as we would like to.”

Why do you think the people are protesting?
“They are upset about some direction that the Dalai Lama gave on changing something. But it was even his own practice, and he recognized that he needed to change too.”

And then I had to get back to the conference…

I’m sure there are a lot of nuances in the actual conflict which I am not aware of. But I don’t want to discuss the conflict itself – I am more interested in discussing the approach to the conflict that was taken by people on different sides of the argument.

First let me say that I am aware that people frequently can have less-than-the-best of intentions – and so it makes sense that as humans we are always questioning the motives of others.

My questions for you:

• At the same time, doesn’t this tendency to quickly label the intent and intelligence of others frequently lead to unnecessary labels/judgments and miscommunication?
• Do you agree/disagree – or see anything else in these conversations?
• Any suggestions for how to get around skepticism, quick labeling, and the resulting miscommunication?

(Source : http://www.clintrogersonline.com/blog/2008/05/30/is-the-dalai-lama-lying-conflict-hypocrisy-and-miscommunication-%E2%80%93-the-dorje-shugden/)