Comments on: Schisms, murder, and hungry ghosts in Shangri-La https://www.dorjeshugden.com/all-articles/the-controversy/schisms-murder-and-hungry-ghosts-in-shangri-la/ The Protector whose time has come Mon, 02 Mar 2026 18:35:36 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.4.1 By: Steve Rogers https://www.dorjeshugden.com/all-articles/the-controversy/schisms-murder-and-hungry-ghosts-in-shangri-la/comment-page-1/#comment-197634 Steve Rogers Sat, 18 Oct 2014 23:15:56 +0000 http://dorjeshugden.com/wp/?p=6076#comment-197634 The complication hides the very simple fact that it doesn't matter what people believe as long as they do no harm. Even the Dalai Lama doesn't mind what anyone else in the world believes except people who venerate Dorje Shugden. Surely this should ring alarm bells in any reasonable people's minds that the purpose of opposing one deity or spirit in all the world, and specifically one within his own culture, must be local and political. The complication hides the very simple fact that it doesn’t matter what people believe as long as they do no harm. Even the Dalai Lama doesn’t mind what anyone else in the world believes except people who venerate Dorje Shugden. Surely this should ring alarm bells in any reasonable people’s minds that the purpose of opposing one deity or spirit in all the world, and specifically one within his own culture, must be local and political.

]]> By: DSFriend https://www.dorjeshugden.com/all-articles/the-controversy/schisms-murder-and-hungry-ghosts-in-shangri-la/comment-page-1/#comment-16079 DSFriend Wed, 23 Feb 2011 07:44:56 +0000 http://dorjeshugden.com/wp/?p=6076#comment-16079 Interesting article. What comes to mind is the difficulty for the Buddha Dharma to take roots in a new land. In this case, it was from India to Tibet when Dharma faced with so much obstacles from Bon practitioners. Every calamity seems to be blamed on Tibetan Buddhism. How interesting and similar that during the passing of Tulku Drapga Gyeltsen and him manifesting as Dharmapala Dorje Shugden, there was an earthquake. It was pronounced by the 5th Dalai Lama that Dorje Shugden was an evil spirit, of which later he regretted and realised that Dorje Shugden is an enlightened being. Are ghosts then ghosts or gods? Are evil spirits then evil or enlightened beings? Trust in the lineage lamas like Trijang Rinpoche, Zong Rinpoche, Gangchen Rinpoche and many others as they cannot be wrong. We do not have the clairvoyance nor attainments therefore how can we tell what is what and who is who. Interesting article. What comes to mind is the difficulty for the Buddha Dharma to take roots in a new land. In this case, it was from India to Tibet when Dharma faced with so much obstacles from Bon practitioners. Every calamity seems to be blamed on Tibetan Buddhism.

How interesting and similar that during the passing of Tulku Drapga Gyeltsen and him manifesting as Dharmapala Dorje Shugden, there was an earthquake. It was pronounced by the 5th Dalai Lama that Dorje Shugden was an evil spirit, of which later he regretted and realised that Dorje Shugden is an enlightened being.

Are ghosts then ghosts or gods? Are evil spirits then evil or enlightened beings?

Trust in the lineage lamas like Trijang Rinpoche, Zong Rinpoche, Gangchen Rinpoche and many others as they cannot be wrong. We do not have the clairvoyance nor attainments therefore how can we tell what is what and who is who.

]]> By: Arisa https://www.dorjeshugden.com/all-articles/the-controversy/schisms-murder-and-hungry-ghosts-in-shangri-la/comment-page-1/#comment-16040 Arisa Wed, 16 Feb 2011 09:07:10 +0000 http://dorjeshugden.com/wp/?p=6076#comment-16040 It was alleged that the conflict between the 5th Dalai Lama and his rival Drakpa Gyaltsen has led to the murder of Drakpa Gyaltsen as he was one of the candidates to be selected as the Dalai Lama. But was killed and found dead with a scarf stuffed down his throat. It was said that the Spirit of Drakpa Gyaltsen then returned and caused havoc and calamities. Everything was done to excorcise the Spirit but was not successful. The Gelupa Leaders then asked the Spirit to become the Protector. The spirit agreed and he became Dorje Shugden which the Nyingmas and those who believed in the Spirit being the reincarnation of Drakpa Gyaltsen is Dorje Shugden. It was alleged that the conflict between the 5th Dalai Lama and his rival Drakpa Gyaltsen has led to the murder of Drakpa Gyaltsen as he was one of the candidates to be selected as the Dalai Lama. But was killed and found dead with a scarf stuffed down his throat. It was said that the Spirit of Drakpa Gyaltsen then returned and caused havoc and calamities. Everything was done to excorcise the Spirit but was not successful. The Gelupa Leaders then asked the Spirit to become the Protector. The spirit agreed and he became Dorje Shugden which the Nyingmas and those who believed in the Spirit being the reincarnation of Drakpa Gyaltsen is Dorje Shugden.

]]> By: vajrastorm https://www.dorjeshugden.com/all-articles/the-controversy/schisms-murder-and-hungry-ghosts-in-shangri-la/comment-page-1/#comment-15417 vajrastorm Thu, 21 Oct 2010 10:19:59 +0000 http://dorjeshugden.com/wp/?p=6076#comment-15417 There are two issues involved in this great conflict and deep schism. One is the perception that the pro Shugden camp believes strongly that Tibetan Buddhism be practiced in the pure unadulterated form resulting from Lama Tsongkhapa's reforms and with an emphasis on moral virtues as Tsongkhapa had insisted; and consequently,this camp is inflexible and does not entertain or tolerate the 'non-purist' practitioners who incorporate other traditional beliefs in practice. The second issue is the conflicting view of Shugden as a Boddhisattva and compassionate Dharma Protector or as a hungry ghost. With regard to the first issue, my view is that if Lama Tsongkhapa himself, as well as great 'purist' Gelugpa practitioners after him(also Shugden practitioners), have always shown great understanding and practiced compassion towards other 'non-purist' practitioners and other lineage practitioners, then I see there to be no issue at all.In fact, Tsongkhapa himself sought out and had gurus from the other lineages too. All Tibetan lineages have generally lived and performed their practices in peaceful coexistence all this while. In the case of Dorje Shugden(the second issue), those who view him as a Boddhisattva and enlightened Dharma protector, see him as fiercely and compassionately protecting the teachings of Lama Tsongkhapa and especially Nargajuna's Middle View on Emptiness.Those who strongly support him see his compassion in a big way,as a fierce guardian of precious teachings which can be easily lost in these degenerate times, to the detriment of all sentient beings.They also know his compassion as their personal guardian in living their daily lives the dharma way. Those, who perceive him as a hungry ghost, cite cases of his purportedly wreaking harm and destruction amongst those who do not believe in him. In the spirit of compassion which is the heart of Buddhism, such a serious conflict, with such tremendous disastrous consequences, should be resolved quickly by spiritual leaders. Yet one wonders whether such a conflict is the result of causes which had interdependently arisen previously. For there would not have been this experience/happening if there were no karma for it to happen. There are two issues involved in this great conflict and deep schism.
One is the perception that the pro Shugden camp believes strongly that Tibetan Buddhism be practiced in the pure unadulterated form resulting from Lama Tsongkhapa’s reforms and with an emphasis on moral virtues as Tsongkhapa had insisted; and consequently,this camp is inflexible and does not entertain or tolerate the ‘non-purist’ practitioners who incorporate other traditional beliefs in practice.
The second issue is the conflicting view of Shugden as a Boddhisattva and compassionate Dharma Protector or as a hungry ghost.
With regard to the first issue, my view is that if Lama Tsongkhapa himself, as well as great ‘purist’ Gelugpa practitioners after him(also Shugden practitioners), have always shown great understanding and practiced compassion towards other ‘non-purist’ practitioners and other lineage practitioners, then I see there to be no issue at all.In fact, Tsongkhapa himself sought out and had gurus from the other lineages too. All Tibetan lineages have generally lived and performed their practices in peaceful coexistence all this while.
In the case of Dorje Shugden(the second issue), those who view him as a Boddhisattva and enlightened Dharma protector, see him as fiercely and compassionately protecting the teachings of Lama Tsongkhapa and especially Nargajuna’s Middle View on Emptiness.Those who strongly support him see his compassion in a big way,as a fierce guardian of precious teachings which can be easily lost in these degenerate times, to the detriment of all sentient beings.They also know his compassion as their personal guardian in living their daily lives the dharma way.
Those, who perceive him as a hungry ghost, cite cases of his purportedly wreaking harm and destruction amongst those who do not believe in him.
In the spirit of compassion which is the heart of Buddhism, such a serious conflict, with such tremendous disastrous consequences, should be resolved quickly by spiritual leaders. Yet one wonders whether such a conflict is the result of causes which had interdependently arisen previously. For there would not have been this experience/happening if there were no karma for it to happen.

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