I was introduced to the practice of Dorje Shugden more than fifteen years ago and I have kept up with the practice until today. I thank my kind and compassionate lama for this wonderful practice without which I would not have progressed as quickly in the study and practice of Buddhism.

Back when my lama gave me the practice, he said that I should call upon Dorje Shugden and rely on him when faced with difficulties in life. And I did. After all, Dorje Shugden is The Uncommon Dharma Protector, the Enlightened One who manifested to protect the Dharma during difficult times like now when distractions are plenty.

For instance, a few years ago I was hospitalized with a viral infection, a common yet potentially life threatening disease without a known cure. All the doctors could do was to hook me up to IVs and prescribe plenty of rest so that my body could regain its strength and for my immune system to kick in.

I prayed hard, rested well and listened to the doctors and nurses’ advice. Within three days, my blood palette count practically returned to normal. I was discharged on the fourth day with a clean bill of health. The doctors and nurses were amazed with my swift recovery. Of course, they attributed the success to their advanced medical attention and to my cooperation. But I knew Dorje Shugden played a big part in it.

There were also many instances when I was in deep financial trouble and I prayed fervently to Dorje Shugden, requesting Him to help me ride through the difficult times by removing some of my obstacles. Sure, I had to put in a lot of effort too but there were some insurmountable odds that were stacked heavily against me. There was no way that I could have physically and humanly pulled through without divine intervention and assistance from Dorje Shugden.

Yes, I should not depend on Dorje Shugden for mundane affairs. But just like everyone else, when I was faced with life threatening situations, I prayed and asked Him for help; when I was faced with financial problems, again I prayed and asked Him for help. For I firmly believe that Dorje Shugden helps and assists Dharma practitioners like me, relieving me of sufferings albeit temporarily, so that I can continue on the Dharma path.

Now my business is stable, my relationship with my family is good, my health is good. I have the right conditions to continue with my Dharma learning and practices. I say these are opportune conditions provided through the compassionate love, care and protection from my beloved lama and my enlightened Dharma protector, Dorje Shugden.

In the past, I would never hesitate to explain Dorje Shugden’s practice to those who wish to know more. But with the ban enforced by the Dalai Lama and blindly carried out by his more than eager followers in the Central Tibetan Administration and beyond, it makes sharing of this wonderful Dharma Protector’s practice very difficult.

Not only has the ban made the practice of Dorje Shugden very dangerous for the Tibetan people, it has also greatly affected non-Tibetans around the world. I was refused entry to a Dharma teaching by a visiting Geshe in the country where I live. I was told the reason is because I was a Dorje Shugden follower. How absurd is that? A dog has a better chance to receive Dharma from such Dharma centers.

Buddhism is a religion that is supposed to teach loving kindness, tolerance, generosity, etc. but the Dalai Lama is now turning it into a cult. How can the world just sit by and allow the Dalai Lama to enforce a ban on one of the most established Vajrayana Buddhist practices and instead declare it to be demon worship? Moreover there are people who with blind faith follow and enforce what the Dalai Lama says. If these undemocratic actions are not considered to be inhumane acts that infringe on religious freedom, what is?

It is getting more difficult to share Vajrayana Buddhism with my friends and the people I meet. This is just one of the many obstacles that this ridiculous ban has created for the propagation of Dharma. Therefore it is imperative that the ban be lifted so many more will receive the benefits that I have through practice and reliance on Dorje Shugden.

The world must know of the unfair and unjust religious ban imposed by the Dalai Lama. A ban that infringes on religious freedom; a ban that has brought untold sufferings to people who have been practicing for decades; a ban that leaves most Tibetans between a rock and a hard place.

Some are voicing their right to religious freedom through peaceful demonstrations, others have started websites to provide more information about the truth. For those who are not able to do these things, you may talk to your friends and co workers about how the practice of and reliance on Dorje Shugden has benefited you.

And for those who are not Buddhist, please look at how innocent people are being deprived of their religious freedom. All because of what the Dalai Lama has done i.e. creating a ban on a religious practice which is enforced by the Central Tibetan Administration in such a manner that has negatively affected the lives of Tibetans and non-Tibetans alike.

All I am asking is that I, and millions of people worldwide, be left in peace without fear of bodily harm to continue with our practice of Dorje Shugden.

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.

Dear Jamyang la,

I read your article “The Dialectics Of Being Sheep” with a smile on my face. And yes, I do subscribe to Eli Wallach’s parting advice in The Good, The Bad And The Ugly: “When you have to shoot…Shoot. Don’t talk“.

So here I am guns ablazing. You called the Tibetans sheep!

It was you Jamyang la who (also) wrote in a 2005 article for the New Humanist, the following:

Recalling an outbreak of rabies in 1983 Dharamsala, (you) advocated that a Tibetan woman get a rabies shot instead of seeing a shaman but you were shunned in the community as a “nonbeliever.

You then went on to say:

We are frankly, a people still in thrall to ignorance and superstition, which far from declining with the years seems to be gaining new life and impetus with foreign sponsorship and encouragement.

I do however like your conclusion and may I quote you:

…it is time for all Tibetans living in the free world to start grow tusks – or something else. In the last couple of years nearly everyone I know in the exile community (including inji supporters) seem to have crawled into their personal funk holes, nervous of being accused of “hurting the feelings of the Dalai Lama”, or “causing him to live only to the age of 108 and not 113 as he had intended” (Penpa Tsering), or of being a secret Shugden propitiator.

Jamyang la, if Tibetans are sheep, ignorant and superstitious, how can you in the same breath criticise the International Shugden Community’s (ISC) protests against the Dalai Lama? Isn’t the ISC helping the Tibetans help themselves?

In the classic book “Animal Farm”, Boxer the horse represents the working class or even serfs, who unquestioningly accept their downtrodden position in society. Never doubting that the farm’s leaders are right and have his best interests in mind, Boxer labors tirelessly in the belief that if he works hard enough, he will eventually get ahead.

Boxer is also a truly good soul as demonstrated by his remorse when he stuns the stable-boy with his hooves during the “Battle of Cowshed”. Boxer has empathy for others and a great respect for life. But Boxer is not terribly intelligent and neither is he a deep thinker. He is the type of character who does what he is told, submits to authority and repeats party slogans without question.

Tell me Jamyang la, if Tibetans by and large are like “Boxer”, who is going to be their spokesperson(s) if not for people like the ISC? In my honest opinion, the ISC is doing Tibetans a service by speaking up for them. They are standing up for the sheep and Boxer. What is wrong with that?

In fact, if more Tibetans were unlike Boxer and had the strength and wisdom to stand up for the rest of their countrymen, then Tibet would have fewer sheep and more shepherds. And if there are such budding shepherds in Tibet who think that the ISC is going about their business in the wrong manner, and yet are able to see the necessity of making a stand against certain policies of the Tibetan administration, why haven’t they stepped forward yet?

Unless, of course, Tibetans secretly enjoy being sheep and prefer to go about their affairs under a veil of blissful ignorance, ignoring all that is collapsing around their ears.

You quoted “the inimitable Lu Xun” and I fully agree:

If there are still men who really want to live in this world, they should dare to speak out, to laugh, to cry, to be angry, to accuse, to fight – that they may at least cleanse this accursed place of its accursed atmosphere!

Tibetans, please help yourselves before it is too late.

N. Ackermann

Disclaimer: This article was submitted by a third party author and does not necessarily reflect the official opinion of DorjeShugden.com. We accept submissions from the public, please send in your articles to ds@dorjeshugden.com.