Four Very Important Questions

Dear Sir / Madam,

I am writing to you to draw your attention to a most important issue within the Tibetan Buddhist community. This is not about any Free Tibet issues. This is something even more important about the freedom of people within the Tibetan community and among each other.

  1. It is well known that His Holiness the Dalai Lamas throughout their incarnations over the centuries have been both secular and spiritual heads of the Tibetans. This may have worked in the past, in a country that was isolated from the rest of the world. However, many countries throughout the modern world understand that the mixing of secular and religious affairs cannot work.

    This system has failed time and time again, throughout history, in all the largest nations in the world.But this is not so in the exiled Tibetan community living in India. His Holiness the Dalai Lama, up until very recently, held both secular and spiritual leadership of his people. Decisions and policies made for the country encompassed both secular and religious edicts at the same time. This has become very pronounced during the Dalai Lama’s ban on the religious worship of the Buddha Dorje Shugden.
  2. As a spiritual leader of his people, it may be the prerogative of the Dalai Lama to proclaim a ban on a particular religious practice. In fact, he has even banned all Dorje Shugden devotees from attending his sermons, rituals and special religious ceremonies. Within a spiritual sphere, perhaps this is still permissible, since he is their religious authority. Also, any Lama has the right to determine which students are permitted to attend their ceremonies.

    However, as the secular leader of his people, the Dalai Lama should maintain an unbiased concern for all citizens of the nation under him, no matter what their religious choices are.He should NOT exclude people from coming to see him as their political, secular leader during his non-religious activities, talks or appearances.

    Unfortunately however, this is what is happening: Dorje Shugden devotees are not permitted to have anything to do with the Dalai Lama or his people, solely because of his religious beliefs. At the same time, although this is a spiritual matter, the secular institution of the Central Tibetan Administration (formerly known as the Tibetan Government-in-Exile) has also become deeply involved.

    They actively search for Dorje Shugden people to create obvious segregation and undemocratic bias.When they find them, the CTA ostracizes, attacks and ridicules Dorje Shugden practitioners. They deny them any of the welfare, voting rights or privileges that all citizens of a country should be equally entitled to.Through the ban, Tibetans are forced to make an exclusive decision – choose to follow the Dalai Lama or Dorje Shugden. However, if they choose to continue with Dorje Shugden, they do not only lose connections to the Dalai Lama.

    They are also severed from all voting rights, education, social welfare, medical aid or even social interaction with their fellow Tibetan citizens. This is because the Dalai Lama has said clearly that Tibetans must completely sever all social, working and religious ties with Dorje Shugden practitioners.This is NOT RIGHT. The Dalai Lama may have supreme spiritual authority over his people, as their religious leader. However, as he is also their secular leader, he should still have equal care and concern for his people as citizens of his nation. This goes beyond one’s religious orientation, which is every individual’s freedom to choose.

    Even if someone is not allowed to associate with the Dalai Lama for religious reasons, they should still have the right to associate with their secular, political leader. After all, they are still citizens of the community – shouldn’t all citizens be granted equal liberties and civil rights, regardless of their religious choices? Shouldn’t every secular leader have equal concern for the people under his leadership and take care of their welfare irregardless of their religious beliefs and orientation?

    There are also Tibetans who are not Buddhists, but are Muslims, Bonpos and the likes. They are allowed to attend all the Dalai Lama’s religious ceremonies and secular gatherings. Basically, all citizens of Tibet are allowed to interact with the Dalai Lama, whether on a religious and/or secular level EXCEPT Dorje Shugden practitioners. How does the Tibetan leadership address this when every other democratic country in the 21st Century will not tolerate this kind of blatant discrimination.

  3.  Lastly, in more recent times, the Dalai Lama has retired as the secular head of the Tibetan exiled community. In 2011, the respected Dr. Lobsang Sangye has stepped into the position as the Tibetans’ new prime minister, overseeing all secular affairs of the state. However, Dorje Shugden devotees are still not permitted to associate with him, only because of their religious orientation. Why is this so?There is now a clear distinction between the spiritual leader (Dalai Lama) and the secular leader (Lobsang Sangye). But it seems that religious edicts have also overlapped onto the secular affairs of the Tibetan community. The spiritual dictates from the spiritual leader are also being upheld by the secular leaders of the community. Why is this so? Why have spiritual affairs become a part of the political affairs of a country; and vice versa?

 

So, we would like to post the following important questions, which need to be asked and addressed:

  • As a religious leader, His Holiness the Dalai Lama does not allow people to come to his talks. We respect and understand that. It is his prerogative as their spiritual leader. However, on a secular level, as the leader of all six million Tibetans, why does he not allow these same Tibetans to join in his secular activities, talks, rallies and events? If not, why not? After all, His Holiness is still their leader.
  • Now that His Holiness the Dalai Lama has passed his secular power to the first Prime minister of Tibetans, Dr. Lobsang Sangye, what do all the Tibetan Dorje Shugden practitioners do? Are they allowed to talk to and interact with their new secular leader? Or are they restricted from doing so purely because of their religious choices? What are they expected to do?
  • Dr. Lobsang Sangye (Prime Minister) is a secular leader, a layman who was newly and democratically elected who is not a Spiritual Guru or Dharma teacher; only strictly a worldly leader for the benefit of all Tibetan citizens. How do Tibetan Dorje Shugden practitioners relate to him? How should they relate to him? How should Dr. Lobsang Sangye, as their Prime Minister, relate to them? Can they even consider him their leader although they are Tibetans who still practice Dorje Shugden? They certainly do not have any spiritual bond (samaya) with him and their religious practices would not have any bearing on their relationship with him, as it might with the Dalai Lama.
  • In future, how do Dorje Shugden practitioners relate to the next prime minister after Dr. Lobsang Sangye? And the one after that? And after that? How should all these future prime ministers relate to the people?

We do not mean disrespect to His Holiness the Dalai Lama, or to Dr Lobsang Sangye, the CTA or any Tibetans. However, we need to ask these questions. They are logical and necessary at a time when the world does not operate solely by religious edicts. It is unfair, undemocratic and a travesty of human freedoms. We call for reconsideration of this ban and how it is being conducted and wish that all have the freedoms to make their own religious and worldly choices.

With respect,
Admin
www.dorjeshugden.com

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104 total comments on this postSubmit yours
  1. I was a victim of prejudice.
    It is sad, Tibetan people don’t deserve this.

  2. In this 21th century we should not have discrimination again what race and what religious because most people in this era are expose to information from all around the world and most people are educated, freedom of speech freedom of religious is where everyone of us want we do not like to be control by the authority, lifting the DS ban is a must because it will help to unite the Tibetan .

  3. Survival. Instincts. Being a “Tibetan” doesn’t imply being a “Saint”. Don’t you try to fool us. The Dalai has sworn to all the sentient beings to be a Buddhist Protector. Which means, amongst the all other things, to strive to protect people from being sacrificed (fed to) to some hellish entities that will protect the doers (worshipers) from being devoured in exchange (for some time, unless desperately hungry). And stop using the Kagyu School turmoil as your own leverage. You do not show any compassion, you are just are afraid of what comes at you after your death….

  4. Ever since,Samdhong Rinpoche made the shocking revelation about his having followed the instructions of his Guru Kyabje Trijang Rinpoche in meting out all the gross atrocities on Shugden practitioners, during his tenure as Kalon Tripa, I have been entertaining thoughts about all the ‘perverse’ instructions and actions of the Dalai Lama in thwarting the efforts of Shugdenpas in carrying out their practice of Shugden. The practiitoners of Shugden have hung on to their practice of Shugden, no matter what, all because of pure Guru Devotion, all because they were and are following the instructions of their Gurus.

    Then ,we have seen HH Dalai Lama banning the practice of Shugden, calling Dorje Shugden a Gyalpo and causing so much hardships and suffering to Shugden practitioners. We are thus inclined to think that the emanation of the Buddha of Compassion cannot be in his right senses to have caused so much pain and suffering Furthermore, he has defiantly said that his Gurus were wrong about the practice of Shugden.

    Howevr, after the previous Kalon Tripa’s revelation, I am made to wonder, DID THE DALAI LAMA RECEIVE INSTRUCTIONS FROM HIS TEACHER, KYABJE TRIJANG RINPOCHE, TO BAN THE SHUGDEN PRACTICE AND TO SPEAK ABOUT SHUGDEN AS A GYALPO? If that were the case, then, like Samdhong Rinpoche, the Dalai Lama was and is still merely following His guru’s instructions.

    Furthermore, Kyabje Trijang Rinpoche in ‘Music Delighting the Ocean of Protectors’ says: “(T)o the common view, it is difficult to fully understand the appearances of holy great Aryas and their inconceivable 3 secrets (body, speech and mind) at the DEFINITIVE LEVEL.Buddhas will even emanate as evil persons, if it serves to benefit trainees”

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Contemplate This

.…Instead of turning away people who practise Dorje Shugden, we should be kind to them. Give them logic and wisdom without fear, then in time they give up the ‘wrong’ practice. Actually Shugden practitioners are not doing anything wrong. But hypothetically, if they are, wouldn’t it be more Buddhistic to be accepting? So those who have views against Dorje Shugden should contemplate this. Those practicing Dorje Shugden should forbear with extreme patience, fortitude and keep your commitments. The time will come as predicted that Dorje Shugden’s practice and it’s terrific quick benefits will be embraced by the world and it will be a practice of many beings.

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