Author Topic: The Origins of the DS Controvery  (Read 8301 times)

WoselTenzin

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The Origins of the DS Controvery
« on: October 08, 2011, 08:25:59 AM »
15 years after the proclamation of the DS ban by Dalai Lama and the ex-TGIE (currently know as CTA) in 1996 and amidst the many developments and recent upheaval in the DS scene following the revelation of the supposedly pro-Dalai Lama Lamas to be in fact DS practitioners who had never given up their practice and them speaking up against the DS ban, such as the 101st Gaden Trisur Lungrik Namgyal Rinpoche, ex-Kalon Tripa Samdhong Rinpoche and Gyudmed Kensur Sonam Gyeltsen, many of us could have forgotten how the controversy arose in the first place or have a very vague idea of it now. 

I was reading an old post by a friend and I thought he gave a very good summary and overview of the origins of this controversy.  I have re-posted it below for people who are new in this scene or for those who have been around in the forum and would like to refresh their memory on this issue.

Article below was posted by a friend on March 3, 2008.
   
A SUMMARY OF THE POLITICAL MOTIVATIONS DISCERNIBLE IN THE DORJE SHUGDEN ISSUE
« on: May 03, 2008, 01:41:23 PM »
   
A SUMMARY
OF THE POLITICAL MOTIVATIONS DISCERNIBLE
BEHIND THE DORJE SHUGDEN ISSUE CREATED BY THE DALAI LAMA

1-   First period of exile -The Dalai Lama seeks to establish his rule over all Tibetans in exile. To obtain this, he tries to mix the teachings and practices of the four main lineages of Tibetan Buddhism in order to be not only the political leader but also the sole religious authority over all Tibetans –which he had never been before.
2-   The Gelugpa Lamas oppose this political project for religious reasons.
3-   Mid seventies -The Dalai Lama chooses to prevail over the Gelugpa Lamas by destroying the reputation of Dorje Shugden, the special Protector of their lineage. He tries without much success to discourage his worshipping among the Gelugpas.
4-   Eighties -The Dalai Lama becomes famous in Western countries. He talks about compassion and non-violence. The world perceives him as the Pope of Buddhism. He starts the campaign FREE TIBET and becomes the champion of Tibetan independence.
5-   Overlapping the FREE TIBET campaign he maintains talks with China, and in 1988 for the first time he tells the Chinese that Tibet does not need to be independent, autonomy should be enough. This is not consulted with Tibetans nor publicized among them.
6-   1989 -The Dalai Lama is awarded the Nobel Peace Prize. Tibetans hopes for independence grow exponentially.
7-   Mid nineties. The seeds of an opposition against the the Dalai Lama's choice of autonomy against independence had been sterilized by his renewed popularity due to the Nobel award.                                                                                               
When hopes for Tibet vanish with the passing years, the opposition to autonomy takes shape. In 1995 the Dalai Lama's brother starts his Independence Walks and co-founds the Tibet Independence Movement, an open defiance to the Dalai Lama's decision about autonomy.
8-   The Dalai Lama objectively needs to distract Tibetans, very emotional about their Motherland, from his unilateral decision to abandon independence.                                           
      March 1996 His government proclaims a BAN on the worshipping of Dorje Shugden. This old domestic matter with the Gelugpa Lamas is brought to the general Tibetan community more than 20 years later.
      Tibetans are made to believe that Dorje Shugden harms the cause of Tibet and the health of the Dalai Lama. They forget about independence or autonomy and impose themselves the ban, even with violence, through segregation and rejection of practitioners of Dorje Shugden.

9-   2008- Year of the Olympic Games in China.

The Dalai Lama chooses a special date –February 2008, barely one month before the Tibetan riots– to implement the final blow against the practice of Dorje Shugden and its practitioners, first in the great monasteries, later in the whole of the Tibetan community. All Tibetans have to take an oath that they are not worshipping Dorje Shugden and that they are not having any religious nor social contact whatsoever with practitioners. The taking of the oath is exported abroad.

When a letter campaign to defend the practitioners from segregation is taking shape the March 2008 riots in Tibet make any complaint against the Dalai Lama sound ridicule or offensive.                                                                                   

Many think that the Dalai Lama inspired the riots in Tibet.                                                               

After the riots the Dalai Lama proclaims several times that Tibet needs only autonomy, not independence from China. He does not fear opposition to this fait acompli.                                                                                                                                     

The Tibetans do not react any more to the loss of their country's hope for independence, they are busy implementing the segregation of the Dorje Shugden practitioners. Practicioners are treated as pariahs.                                                                                                               
Journalists ignore the violations of the human rights of Dorje Shugden practitioners and the extermination of the Gelugpa lineage. They are busy proclaiming that the Dalai Lama is the only hope for Tibetans.                                                                                                                                       

The Dalai Lama smiles and talks of religious tolerance in the world stage.                     

DharmaSpace

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Re: The Origins of the DS Controvery
« Reply #1 on: October 08, 2011, 09:04:09 AM »
I don't buy that the Dalai Lama was trying to unite the four sects one bit. 

If the Dalai Lama is unenlightened as what many people like to bash him for it, uniting the four sects under him well good that would do if he is unenlightened then we may not be coming as the next Dalai Lama.

If the Dalai Lama is enlightened all this politics is beyond him and such a realised being will not destroy various Buddhist traditions that appeal and work for a variety of beings. After uniting the Tibetan sects what next, combine Mahayana and Theravadan schools too? Seems a bit far fetched to me.


WoselTenzin

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Re: The Origins of the DS Controvery
« Reply #2 on: October 08, 2011, 03:07:33 PM »
I don't buy that the Dalai Lama was trying to unite the four sects one bit. 


The Dalai Lama's attempt to put the four traditions under his rule definitely looked like his attempt to consolidate his power and his hold over the four traditions of Tibetan Buddhism and is clearly political. 

Traditionally, although the Dalai Lama is recognised by the four traditions to be the political leader of Tibet, he was never the spiritual leader of any of the traditions.  Each tradition has it's own spiritual leader. The spiritual leader of Gelugpa tradition of which Dalai Lams is  from is Gaden Tripa, the Kagyu Tradition is the Karmapa, the Sakya Tradition is Sakya Trizin and the Nyingma Tradition also has their own spiritual leader,

Therefore, it would not be surprising that his attempt encountered resistant from the different traditions for religious reasons. Each tradition is valid and has their unique presentation of the path to enlightenment. Mixing tradition could cause obstacle to arise for practice. In this instance, the Gelugpa tradition was more vocal although I think the other three traditions would have felt the same way and this is a valid spiritual reason.







WoselTenzin

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Re: The Origins of the DS Controvery
« Reply #3 on: October 08, 2011, 03:08:31 PM »
I don't buy that the Dalai Lama was trying to unite the four sects one bit. 


The Dalai Lama's attempt to put the four traditions under his rule definitely looked like his attempt to consolidate his power and his hold over the four traditions of Tibetan Buddhism and is clearly political. 

Traditionally, although the Dalai Lama is recognised by the four traditions to be the political leader of Tibet, he was never the spiritual leader of any of the traditions.  Each tradition has it's own spiritual leader. The spiritual leader of Gelugpa tradition of which Dalai Lams is  from is Gaden Tripa, the Kagyu Tradition is the Karmapa, the Sakya Tradition is Sakya Trizin and the Nyingma Tradition also has their own spiritual leader,

Therefore, it would not be surprising that his attempt encountered resistant from the different traditions for religious reasons. Each tradition is valid and has their unique presentation of the path to enlightenment. Mixing tradition could cause obstacle to arise for practice. In this instance, the Gelugpa tradition was more vocal although I think the other three traditions would have felt the same way and this is a valid spiritual reason.







dsiluvu

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Re: The Origins of the DS Controvery
« Reply #4 on: October 09, 2011, 06:01:22 AM »
Thanks WT for the refresher on the summary of events of the controversy.

Sure is a lot of pressure being a Dalai Lama and having to bring order and strength to the Tibetans in exile, to balance scale of political and spiritual issues is definitely not an easy task!

Surely the Dalai Lama had His reasons in wishing to unite all 4 schools... undoubtedly it will be opposed by the spiritual leaders of these schools. Never the less I wonder if it was all a premeditated plan for a much bigger cause. On one side to subtly subdue the great depression of Tibetans who has lost their land on the other to push forth stronger ties between each schools and to prepare the way for Dorje Shugden.   

The point that "Journalists ignore the violations of the human rights of Dorje Shugden practitioners and the extermination of the Gelugpa lineage. They are busy proclaiming that the Dalai Lama is the only hope for Tibetans." is not quite correct, but actually quite the opposite. Even BBC & Al-Jazera aired the news of the ban which is one of the first few places I was exposed to the news.

Could it be that this diversion in focus by the Dalai Lama possibly be to prevent an even bigger violence among Tibetans under the PRC? What ever it may be, we know for sure because of the Ban DS and those practicing DS, we've become more courageous in educating the world about DS. Because of the Ban... Dorje Shugden has had a voice in the media all around the world, and that I find is one of the greatest strategy in creating awareness on DS.       

dsiluvu

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Re: The Origins of the DS Controvery
« Reply #5 on: October 09, 2011, 07:06:50 AM »
Here is one of the many news reports on the great Ban...

Al-Jazeera reports: The Dalai Lama - The Devil Within
http://dorjeshugden.com/wp/?p=7265

OR
Small | Large


Loads of videos can be found on video section of this site http://dorjeshugden.com/wp/?cat=8... the ppl behind this site has done a great job extracting and keeping them archived here for everyone's convenience... thanks to them we've got so many references to understand better this battle or rather preparation for Dorje Shugden to arise.

For whatever agenda it may be... I find the Dalai Lama has put himself on stage to be condemn right up to court on his actions for the ban... and I don't think He is a normal foolish being to not see these consequences before implemented the ban. Surely He has a bigger reason, otherwise why tarnish His reputation that He has worked so hard for along with the x TGIE? 

Now... HH started talking about his passing and his incarnation decisions... as we hear less and less about the ban and more and more great master's like Kensur Sonam Gyaltsen's open direct letter about practicing DS http://dorjeshugden.com/wp/?p=9775

Ensapa

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Re: The Origins of the DS Controvery
« Reply #6 on: March 20, 2012, 02:27:27 PM »
The Dalai Lama saying that the ban is to promote unity amongst all the traditions is somewhat true because it gives them a common enemy to focus on rather than each other. Although there is, in reality not much use for that because the other 3 traditions, Nyigma, Kagyu and Sakya were already united by Jamgon Kongtrul with the Rime movement. There was really no need to re-reunite them again.

So, it is either that the Dalai Lama is using this as a front to do something that all of us are unable to understand for now, or that he really did not pay attention to the current situation or the history of tibet and just decided to do what he pleases irregardless of the situation. In this case, I do not think that the Dalai Lama would have been educated about the history of Tibet and would not try to reinvent something that has already been invented.

The excuses that CTA and HHDL has used so far for the ban and why it should take place has been very weak so far. There was not much research done into them and nor was there any efforts to try and verify the information to see if they were accurate or if they even made sense in the first place. As a result what is being promoted is nothing much than blind faith amongst the followers of Tibetan Buddhism.

I like the way how they are unable to answer so many loopholes and questions regarding the ban and why is it actually valid. They are also unable to answer refutations regarding the ban and on why Dorje Shugden is evil and they just ignore those. It just goes to show that they did not make or implement the ban with proper basis but it is merely out of authoritarian power and nothing else.

But nevertheless, they are exercising their power of controlling people. They are more or less showing off to the world and to China (I think) that they can control the hearts and minds of the world and that everyone has to listen to them no matter what it is. Sadly again, this did not work in China so perhaps it is time to change?

Dondrup Shugden

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Re: The Origins of the DS Controvery
« Reply #7 on: June 18, 2015, 07:03:56 AM »
I have personally heard from a very good friend of mine, who resides in China and a very devoted student of the late Sharmapa (Kagyu sect) that the Dalai Lama is doing his best to be the head of all sects of Tibetan Buddhism.  Not very clear on how that might happen I asked my friend to explain and he justified his comment by saying that chaos had been created by having 2 panchen lamas, 2 karmapas and also some double reincarnations of high lamas by sanction by the Dalai Lama. Of course this answer does not justify the accusation against the Dalai Lama.

As though by prophecy he also mentioned that there may soon be 2 sharmapas.  Whether there is any truth in what is being rumoured, let us see what is next since the last sharmapa has passed into clear light just last year.

So is the DS ban a part of a great big plan for Varjayan tradition to expand exponentially?  Let us continue our practice of DS and sincerely pray for the ban to be lifted irrelevant of why and how it all began. 

prodorjeshugden

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Re: The Origins of the DS Controvery
« Reply #8 on: December 23, 2015, 02:06:04 PM »
It is really controversial that the Dalai Lama promotes world peace on one hand and discriminates other peoples practice on another hand.  The practice of Dorje Shugden has been practiced by thousands of high Lama's for centuries, so how could it possibly be harmful? If it was harmful, how come no one knew that? The High Lamas who practiced Dorje Shugden are known to have clairvoyance, so, surely they should have known that Dorje Shugden was an evil spirit.
If Dorje Shugden was really an evil spirit, it means that the whole of Buddhism is wrong, it means that what the monks have practiced and preached was wrong, it means that the Buddha is wrong.
 
So is Buddhism a false religion now? No it isn't, because the ban was cause by people with the wrong views and wrong intention.
Is the ban a platform for something bigger? We will never know till the ban is over. In the meantime we should all just keep praying that the ban will be lifted soon.

grandmapele

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Re: The Origins of the DS Controvery
« Reply #9 on: December 24, 2015, 02:42:17 PM »
http://shanghaiist.com/2015/12/23/dorje-shugden.php

It is one thing to accuse China of using Shugdenpas to divide the Tibetans but they have to look carefully who started the division. If China is really funding, they are just taking the opportunity to try to create further chaos for the Dalai Lama. He started the ban and now it is coming home to roost!!


http://www.tibetwebsite.com/chinese-government-response-the-dalai-lamas-religious-tyranny/

The ban is stated as it is by China. Nothing more nothing less. Anything else is extrapolation by interested parties.

Shugden Library

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Re: The Origins of the DS Controvery
« Reply #10 on: December 26, 2015, 01:37:05 PM »
The Dalai Lama is such a hypocrite. There is no evidence of Shugden practitioners in Tibet or the exile community receiving funds from the Chinese, only rumours and hearsay. There is however clear evidence of the Dalai Lama’s schools of Buddhism in Tibet receiving funding from the Chinese, as clearly illustrated in the article published in the online BBC Magazine, in January of this year - "China’s super rich Communist Buddhists." The article contains a film of the Dalai Lama meeting with Xiao Wunan, a former senior Communist Party official with links, through family, to the Chinese President. The meeting took place in India in 2012 but Xiao only released the film to the BBC in January 2015.

https://youtu.be/ZzXOZzN344Q

http://gildedcagearticles.com/shugdenscapegoat/ is a comprehensive read.



DharmaSpace

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Re: The Origins of the DS Controvery
« Reply #11 on: December 26, 2015, 02:28:06 PM »
This is interesting information?

Did the ex senior official of the Chinese Government official offer to bring the Dalai Lama back to China?

@Shugden Library where is the full video? What is the surprise that was sprung?

DharmaSpace

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Re: The Origins of the DS Controvery
« Reply #12 on: December 26, 2015, 02:29:31 PM »
There are no Dorje Shudgen people to stop the Dalai Lama going back to China at all.

No no no involvement from Dorje Shdgen to derail efforts on reconciliation of Dalai lama with the Chinese.

DharmaSpace

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Re: The Origins of the DS Controvery
« Reply #13 on: December 26, 2015, 02:33:43 PM »
Yeah I found the full video.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Dhs2rNsQ7HA

What BBC is very true, without balls of steel, not many people in China especially those who once belonged to the CCCP would openly show to western media they have a picture of the Dalai Lama in their homes. 

So the question is did China offer an olive branch to the Dalai Lama and the Dalai Lama chose to reject it?