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By: Karma Rigzin

On 5^th November 1981, His Holiness the 16^th Gyalwa Karmapa passed away. No one could have anticipated the controversy that would ensue in the coming decades. The recognition of his reincarnation, the 17^th Karmapa, has since become one of the most controversial topics to rock the Tibetan community and thanks to the meddling of the Tibetan government, it remains an issue that drives a wedge between practitioners of the Karma Kagyu tradition.

At the heart of the controversy are the four Regents of the Karma Kagyu lineage – His Eminence Shamar Rinpoche, Tai Situ Rinpoche, Jamgon Kongtrul Rinpoche and Goshir Gyaltsab Rinpoche – as well as the three Karmapa candidates, each with their own claim to the throne. They are:

Karmapa Claimant #1: Dawa Sangpo Dorje

Dawa Sangpo Dorje

Dawa Sangpo Dorje was born on 30^th May 1977 in Mangan, North Sikkim, leading to his colloquial name ‘the Sikkimese Karmapa’. At 41 years old, he is the oldest claimant to the 17^th Karmapa’s throne and the first to be recognized.

Born into a very poor family, Dawa Sangpo Dorje had always felt out of place. As a child he would make proclamations of owning Rumtek Monastery, which is the Indian seat of the Karmapas.

Lachung Rinpoche first examined Dawa Sangpo Dorje at around five or six years old. He told Dawa Sangpo Dorje’s father to bring the child to Rumtek Monastery without telling him where they were going, in order to test the child. While at Rumtek, the child recognized the monastery despite his parents telling him that it was another monastery.

Around 1983, Dawa Sangpo Dorje was eventually brought before Jamgon Kongtrul Rinpoche, one of the four Regents of the Karma Kagyu tradition. The young boy was able to point out the 16^th Karmapa’s sleeping quarters without hesitation. Later, he was asked to select the personal belongings of the 16^th Karmapa. Shown six items, he was able to select four of them correctly. Jamgon Kongtrul Rinpoche then asked the parents to return in a few months as he was busy with pujas for the 16^th Karmapa, and he also had to confer with the other three Regents. He adviced that Dawa Sangpo Dorje would need to be enrolled into the traditional course of Buddhist studies, and that the boy should be brought to him at Rumtek later on. However, Dawa Sangpo Dorje’s parents failed to do so.

Around 1989, the child was taken by some elderly Tibetans to study at Sakya Monastery in Darjeeling. Dawa Sangpo Dorje recalls that he was at a monastery in Lumbini, Nepal in 1992 when he heard about the demise of Jamgon Kongtrul Rinpoche in a tragic car accident at Siliguri, Bengal in India. Since Kongtrul Rinpoche was the only one who knew about his recognition, the recognition process for Dawa Sangpo Dorje did not proceed thereafter. Till that year, he was the only claimant to the throne of the Karmapas.

Karmapa Claimant #2: Trinley Thaye Dorje

Trinley Thaye Dorje

The second claimant to the 17^th Karmapa’s throne, Trinley Thaye Dorje, was born on 6^th May 1983 in Lhasa, Tibet. He is the son of the 3^rd Mipham Rinpoche of Junyung Monastery, an important incarnate lama of the Nyingma school and his mother is Dechen Wangmo, the daughter of a noble family that descends from King Gesar of Ling. At one and a half years old, the boy is said to have started telling people that he was the Karmapa.

In 1988, His Eminence Shamar Rinpoche secretly travelled to Lhasa to investigate whether Thaye Dorje was the reincarnation of the Karmapa, due to a prophetic dream of the boy by Sakya Chogye Trichen Rinpoche. In March 1994, Thaye Dorje along with his family escaped from Tibet to India via Nepal. Later that same year, Shamar Rinpoche formally recognized and enthroned Thaye Dorje as the 17^th Gyalwa Karmapa at the Karmapa International Buddhist Institute in New Delhi, India amidst turmoil.

After his enthronement, Thaye Dorje embarked on his traditional monastic training, receiving teachings and transmissions in Buddhist philosophy and practice. His teachers included the 14^th Shamar Rinpoche, Professor Sempa Dorje and Khenpo Chödrak Tenphel. Consequently, in December 2003, Shamar Rinpoche enthroned Thaye Dorje as Vidhyadhara (Knowledge Holder) at the Karmapa International Buddhist Institute, thus formally establishing him as a lineage master.

Complementing his traditional Buddhist studies, Thaye Dorje also received a modern education from English and Australian tutors. From Professor Harrison Pemberton of Washington and Lee University (USA), he received an intensive introduction into Western philosophy. He currently resides in Kalimpong, India where he continues the traditional education required for a holder of the Karmapa title.

On 17^th May 2006, the Karmapa Charitable Trust officially appointed Thaye Dorje as the heir to the 16^th Karmapa’s estate. Since the Trust is the legal and administrative guardian of the estate, Thaye Dorje can legally reside in Rumtek Monastery in Sikkim. However, the resident monks currently in physical control of Rumtek Monastery oppose Thaye Dorje as they support the 3^rd Karmapa claimant, Ogyen Trinley. Since legal proceedings between supporters of the two claimants have not reached a final conclusion, Thaye Dorje’s residence remains in Kalimpong for the time being.

On 25^th March 2017, Thaye Dorje returned his monastic vows and married Sangyumla Rinchen Yangzom and, as of May 2018, the couple are expecting a child.

Karmapa Claimant #3: Ogyen Trinley Dorje

Ogyen Trinley Dorje

Ogyen Trinley Dorje, who is the 3^rd Karmapa claimant, was born on 26^th June 1985 to primarily nomadic parents in Lhatok Township, Chamdo County in the Tibet Autonomous Region of China. Given the birth name Apo Gaga, it is said that early on in his childhood, he announced to family members that he was the Karmapa.

When he was seven years old, he was identified and recognized as the 17^th Karmapa by a search party led by Tai Situ Rinpoche. Tai Situ Rinpoche claimed to be following instructions that supposedly had been left to him by the previous Karmapa, in a prophetic letter that had been hidden in a ghau amulet box.

Ogyen Trinley was formally enthroned at Tsurphu Monastery, the monastic seat of the Karmapas in Tibet. Recognition also came from His Holiness the 14^th Dalai Lama and the Chinese government, via an official sanction from the State Council of the People’s Republic of China which declared him to be “a living Buddha”.

This was the first time China’s Communist government officially confirmed a tulku. Just a year later, at the United Nations Human Rights Conference in Vienna, the Chinese government announced that they planned for Ogyen Trinley to undergo his monastic training in Tsurphu Monastery, to prepare him for his future role as the successor of the Dalai Lama.

However, at the age of 14, Ogyen Trinley escaped to India via Nepal and on 5^th January 2000, he finally arrived at the Tibetan exiled leadership’s headquarters in Dharamsala, North India. Ogyen Trinley said that he left China because he was unable to obtain the teachings he needed to complete his studies and to realize his full spiritual authority and potential. Today, he primarily resides at Gyuto Monastery in Sidhbari, near Dharamsala.

The Karmapa and His Regents

Left to right: Milarepa, Marpa and Gampopa

The Kagyu tradition, literally “Oral Lineage”, is regarded as one of the main schools of Tibetan Buddhism. Founded by Marpa, Milarepa and Gampopa, known as “Mar-Mi-Dag Sum“, the central teaching of the Kagyu tradition is the doctrine of Mahamudra or “the Great Seal”. Over the years however, due to the proliferation of the teachings down the line of a number of important teachers, the early Kagyu tradition eventually gave rise to a number of independent sub-sects.

The principal Kagyu lineages that exist today as organized schools are the Drikung Kagyu, Drukpa Kagyu and Karma Kagyu sub-sects, amongst others. Each school has its own head. In the case of the Karma Kagyus for example, their school was founded by one of Gampopa’s main disciples Dusum Khyenpa, the 1^st Karmapa Lama (1110–1193). Hence, the head of the Karma Kagyu school today is the Karmapa.

Within the Karma Kagyu tradition, the spiritual authority of the Karmapa is supported by the Four Karma Kagyu Regents. The first and senior-most regent is the Shamarpa, whose previous lives were responsible for the recognition and training of most of the Karmapa incarnations..Thus, the Shamarpa is traditionally charged with searching for and recognizing the Karmapa’s incarnations.

Next in rank is the Tai Situpa and while his incarnation line has been responsible for recognizing some previous incarnations of the Karmapa, especially when the Shamarpa was not available, he is not the main lama traditionally entrusted with this responsibility. Then, next in rank are Jamgon Kongtrul Rinpoche and Goshi Gyaltsab Rinpoche as the third and fourth regents respectively.

Recognizing the Karmapas

The Karmapa line of incarnations is unique in that the Karmapas are known to be self-identifying. Before a Karmapa passes away, he will compose prophetic letters that reveal the identity and location of his next incarnation, as well as the parents’ names. These letters are hidden and only revealed when the Karma Kagyu regents assemble a task force to search for the new incarnation. The letters are then opened in the presence of all four regents. Therefore, when Tai Situpa claimed that he was in possession of the 16^th Karmapa’s prophetic letter, it attracted the attention of the Shamarpa, who requested to examine the letter and have it tested to verify its authenticity.

However, Tai Situpa refused and the letter was never shown to the Shamarpa nor was it ever tested. And despite the fact he has never been singularly responsible for identifying the Karmapa’s incarnations, Tai Situpa nevertheless used this unauthenticated letter as the basis to recognize his own claimant, Ogyen Trinley Dorje, for the 17^th Karmapa’s throne.

Meanwhile, based on his own sources, the Shamarpa recognized his own claimant, Trinley Thaye Dorje, for the 17^th Karmapa’s throne.

This two-way situation has been further complicated by the existence of a third claimant, Dawa Sangpo Dorje, who was recognized by Jamgon Kongtrul Rinpoche. However, since Jamgon Kongtrul Rinpoche passed away before Dawa Sangpo Dorje could be formally recognized, he has not received much support for his claim to be the 17^th Karmapa.

The Meddling of the Tibetan Government in Exile

Jamgon Kongtrul Rinpoche

The existence of multiple Karmapa claimants was always going to cause divisions within the Karma Kagyu community, but things escalated after the involvement of His Holiness the 14^th Dalai Lama. Throughout history, the Dalai Lamas (who are Gelug) have never been involved in the recognition process of the Karmapas. It has always been a matter left to the Karma Kagyus, who identify and enthrone their own lineage head without input from or the participation of the Dalai Lama.

Once in exile, and with three claimants to the throne, things came to a head when the Dalai Lama gave his endorsement to one of the candidates. It was the politically-minded Tai Situpa who got the Dalai Lama to endorse his candidate, Ogyen Trinley Dorje, although theoretically the endorsement should not matter and traditionally, it never has. However, the endorsement swung popular opinion in the Tibetan exile community in favor of Ogyen Trinley Dorje.

After all, to most people unaware of the details of the Karmapa recognition process, whomever the Dalai Lama endorses must be the correct one, mustn’t it?

And so, the Dalai Lama’s endorsement became extremely problematic because it emboldened Tai Situpa’s supporters to become vocal in favor of their claimant, and violent against Shamar Rinpoche and his candidate Thaye Dorje. When Shamar Rinpoche approached the Dalai Lama to withdraw his endorsement, hoping that it would abate the violence stemming from Tai Situpa’s followers, the Dalai Lama claimed he could not retract his endorsement because it had already been given.

As a result, during Trinley Thaye Dorje’s enthronement, a group of monks stormed Rumtek Monastery. Throwing rocks and bricks, their aim was to disrupt the ceremony and oust monks who were supportive of the Shamarpa and Thaye Dorje.

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In the end, the police had to be called in to quell the violence. This violence took place despite the fact the legal guardians of the Karmapa’s trust had declared Thaye Dorje as their heir and he had every legal right to be on the premises.

In response to this incident, the Shamarpa alerted the Indian authorities to the fact Tai Situpa had organized a riot against Rumtek. With his strong ties to the Indian government, the Shamarpa managed to get Tai Situpa barred from entering India for five years.

Tai Situ Rinpoche

The only reason why Tai Situpa was able to instigate so much conflict is because he received the backing and endorsement of the Dalai Lama. In the Tibetan community, it is common knowledge that once a person receives the Dalai Lama’s support, everything they do is somehow approved. No matter how intolerable they become, or how divisive, violent or vulgar, because the Dalai Lama said they are okay, all of their actions become okay.

That is why Tai Situpa did not fear any repercussions for organizing the riot, because the Dalai Lama supports his candidate. That is why the anti-Dorje Shugden community do not fear any repercussions for the segregation, violence and vulgarities that they direct at Shugden practitioners, because the Dalai Lama encourages their anti-Shugden view. That is why Jonangpas have to go on hunger strike to win equal representation in the Tibetan parliament, because they have not won the Dalai Lama’s support and therefore have to fight in this manner.

Thus, in this way, the interference of the Tibetan leadership has led the Karma Kagyu world to become polarized between the two claimants to the Karmapa’s throne. Trapped in a tit-for-tat battle spanning decades, the Karma Kagyu school to this day is unable to resolve the opposing claims to the Karmapa’s throne. Tai Situpa exploited the Dalai Lama’s rank and popularity to lend credibility to his candidate, regardless of the fact the Dalai Lama is an outsider with no spiritual authority in Karma Kagyu matters.

There is no historical precedence of any Dalai Lama being involved in the recognition and enthronement of Karmapas, but this has not stopped the 14^th Dalai Lama’s involvement. So it has actually reinforced the division within the Karma Kagyu school. The Dalai Lama and the Tibetan leadership promotes and invites Ogyen Trinley, and appears in photos and at events with him, all the while ignoring the other two claimants. This behavior sends a clear message for everyone to see who the Dalai Lama approves of and who he does not, and therefore who they should support.

The Real Reason the CTA is Dividing the Karma Kagyus

Perhaps the in-fighting within the Karma Kagyu school is actually desirable for the Tibetan leadership as it creates a diversion from the real problems plaguing Tibetan society – because everyone is fighting over who the ‘right’ Karmapa is, they are too distracted to question the Tibetan leadership over their many scandals and their failure to progress in any of their political goals.

Or perhaps the in-fighting is designed to ensure that the Dalai Lama remains unchallenged in his position and popularity, and that no other spiritual leader has a fanbase that can rival that of the Dalai Lama’s. With three claimants to the throne, each vying to wrest control of the Karma Kagyu lineage, there will be no one single Karmapa who can harness the support of the millions of Karma Kagyu practitioners worldwide, a possibility that the Tibetan leadership might find threatening to the Dalai Lama’s status.

After all, this is a story in which the Dalai Lama’s name appears far more than it should. Why is one of Tibet’s highest authorities consistently interfering in the religious affairs of another sect?

Karma Kagyu refuge tree

But could anyone have predicted that one of Tibet’s greatest treasures, the Karma Kagyu lineage, would one day find itself at this impasse? It was the 5^th Karmapa Deshin Shegpa himself who saw this coming. Famous for a series of prophecies concerning his own future lives, the 5^th Karmapa wrote,

“In the successive line of Karmapas, during the latter part of the 16th Karmapa’s life, and at the beginning of the 17th, the emanation of one who has broken Vajrayana vows, a lama who has the name of “Natha” will appear at this seat of Karma Gon.

By the effect and power of that wrong wish, the Karma Kagyu Lineage/Doctrine (will be) nearly destroyed at that time.

At that time, someone who has made wishes in the past, an emanation of Guru Padmasambhava’s mind/heart will appear from the west.

He has a circular line of moles on his chest and a wrathful temperament.

From his mouth come wrathful words, or the mantra of the wrathful deities.

He has a dark complexion and two eyes bulging, or prominently shaped.

That one (he) will defeat the emanation of the one who has violated the Vajrayana vows.

Through that person, the region of Tibet will be protected for some time, during which there will be some happiness like having a glimpse of the sun.”

Source: The Karmapa Prophecies by Sylvia Wong

This is understood to mean that the Karmapa’s 17^th incarnation would have tremendous obstacles but this would eventually come to pass, and the incarnation would later emerge as the most powerful and beneficial Karmapa in spreading the Dharma far and wide. The 5^th Karmapa’s predictions, however, ended with the 17^th Karmapa, an indication that this current incarnation will be the last to bear the Karmapa name.

Predictions notwithstanding, was it really necessary for the Tibetan leadership to get involved and cause so much strife and division over the last two decades? Given the Dalai Lama’s recent comments about the Panchen Lama, it is possible that all three claimants may be genuine emanations of the Karmapa but the fact remains that it was never within the Tibetan leadership’s purview to interfere in the matter. And now that they have caused the damage, they continue to remain silent and do nothing to resolve it, choosing instead to add fuel to the fire and to watch the damaging results of their actions unfold.

It would be in the Tibetan leadership’s best interests to resolve the Karmapa situation, given that they can currently count the number of supporters they have on one hand. The Dalai Lama’s recent announcement regarding the Panchen Lama is one possible method; perhaps the Tibetan leadership might like to apply the same statement to the Karmapa claimants, and the Dalai Lama can start inviting them to his events and appearing in photos with them too. It is an idea that would certainly win whole swathes of Karma Kagyu practitioners back onto the Tibetan leadership’s side.

Regardless of whatever method the Tibetan leadership chooses, one thing is clear – at a time when vast changes are taking place in the world’s geopolitical landscape and the Tibetan leadership’s friends are in short supply, they are going to need all the supporters they can get.

Karmapa claimant seeks Ogyen Trinley tests

Click to enlarge (Source: https://www.thestatesman.com/cities/karmapa-claimant-seeks-ogyen-trinley-tests-1502619916.html)

Manjushri Buddhist Centre

From Más Allá de la Ciencia

Number 103/9/1997, by J.C. Deus
(Translated from Spanish; scroll down to see scans from the original Spanish magazine)

For the first time in history, the Dalai Lama is having to confront serious accusations made against him publicly for infringing the religious freedom and human rights of his own people. His attempt to eliminate a deity which he describes as ‘suspicious’ and ‘defiled’ is causing him, the highest Tibetan authority, endless problems. Even though the feared ‘demon’ is in fact harmless, the internal demons of Tibetan Buddhism seem to have woken up from their sleep.

Readers of MAS ALLA DE LA CIENCIA will remember that I have written two articles about the religious persecution which the Dalai Lama has implemented against one of the most revered of the countless number of deities within Tibetan Buddhism, a deity known as Dorje Shugden (see numbers 94 and 100). These articles were also recently published on the Internet. In these articles we can read about the ban of the worship of this deity, who has officially been declared as evil, about the persecution of his devotees, and public demonstrations by a number of dissidents who, for the first time in the history of the Tibetans in exile, accuse the Dalai Lama of being a dictator and an oppressor. Finally, there were three murders at the seat of the Tibetan government-in-exile, the court of Dharamsala, for which the dissidents were blamed. This was an obvious sign that ‘the blood had reached the river’ and that this quarrel, which at first just seemed like another of the countless quarrels that have characterised the history of this theocracy (which has not yet lasted a millennium), is becoming a story that has heavy consequences for the future of these people.

For this reason, it was not surprising that one day I received a message through the Internet from someone who complained about my bias in favour of the Dalai Lama, and who offered to tell me the other side of the story. This person was a Basque-born Buddhist nun called Kelsang Dewang, who has been studying with Geshe Kelsang Gyatso – known as Geshe-la by his followers. This Lama has been brave enough to contradict the orders of the Dalai Lama, to protest publicly against them, and to lead a movement of disobedience. The organisation that Geshe leads – the New Kadampa Tradition – not only regards the deity Dorje as a ‘divine emanation’ and one of their main spiritual practices, but is also an important group within Western Buddhism, since it is the one that is growing the most at present.

In this way, we started exchanging messages, with much discussion, not only about the decision of the Dalai Lama, but also about a little-known story of alleged abuse, persecution and despotism by the man who the media has enthroned as a symbol of tolerance and the embodiment of human rights. However, the new image presented by his critics is that of a man hungry for power, cruel to those who oppose him, and ruling the Tibetan government-in-exile with an iron hand while preaching compassion around the world.
 

The Demons of the Dalai Lama

But let’s do a bit of history. The Dalai Lama himself previously revered the deity Dorje Shugden, as had his tutors and teachers, until inexplicably in 1978 he changed his view and adopted a hostility [towards the deity]. Initially this hostility was expressed only within the complex labyrinth of his feudal court and in the puzzling organisation of the Tibetan religious apparatus in exile.

But in 1996 this repudiation of Dorje Shugden was made public and what until then had been only exhortations, often ignored, became prohibitions implemented with violent persecution of the followers of this [deity], now a so-called ‘demon’. The Dalai Lama presented his attack as a matter of life or death for the Tibetan cause. Dorje was portrayed as an evil being responsible for the failure to attain Tibetan independence and for many other problems. If he were not completely abolished forever, he would sink the Tibetan people into the greatest of catastrophes. He was even harmful to the life of the Dalai Lama, the highest leader in Tibetan Buddhism.

His assertions stunned the devotees of this deity, to the extent that the lama Geshe Kelsang Gyatso, director of the New Kadampa Tradition, ignored his orders, and his followers organised public demonstrations in England and Switzerland protesting against the Dalai Lama’s decision. Officials of Tibetan Offices, representing the Dalai Lama in the West, promptly relayed to the media accusations against the New Kadampa Tradition, describing it as a dangerous sect, worshippers of the devil, and people who had sold their soul to a Satanic cult in exchange for Mephistophelian favours of money and power. Dorje was portrayed as a demon, hungry for blood and responsible for a cult that brainwashed and financially exploited innocents who fell into its hands.

For this reason, doubts assailed me when Dewang, the Basque-born Tibetan Buddhist nun and member of the New Kadampa Tradition, invited me to see for myself that these accusations were completely false, to visit their main centre and interview their leader Geshe Kelsang Gyatso, and to know about Dorje Shugden directly. Thoughts such as ‘Am I going into the very mouth of the wolf by going to the headquarters of a fanatic group? What if the Dalai Lama was right and Dorje Shugden really bites?’ arose.
 

In the House of the ‘Demon’

The Manjushri Buddhist Centre is located in the north of England, five hours by train from London, next to a bay in the midst of idyllic green fields. It is a huge mansion, whose property includes a large wood, a beach and several secondary smaller buildings. It is certainly impressive, especially since the purchasing price twenty years ago was only £75,000, as Dewang hurried to tell me in order to counter rumours.

The problem of owning such a mansion, said Dewang, is not so much buying it but maintaining and repairing it. Religious communities are free from this problem as their members work diligently in exchange for room and accommodation, work being considered as ennobling. Dewang took me to see the new temple that was to be inaugurated in two weeks’ time, when more than 1600 followers of the New Kadampa Tradition from all around the world would be gathering for their annual festival. In stone, wood and glass, it is a magnificent place with capacity for about 700; a great work of art made exclusively by the members of the community. I saw impressive bronze statues ready to be placed in the shrine, monks sand-papering the wood and painting walls.

I was guided by Dewang around the whole property, going up and down a labyrinth of staircases, visiting large and beautifully-maintained meditation rooms, and listening to detailed explanations about the statues, mandalas, pictures and shrines of the vast pantheon of Tibetan Buddhism. I was introduced to some of the monks and nuns who had arrived from many of the 200 centres of the New Kadampa Tradition around the world. The fact that it was a mixed monastery, with [some people keeping] vows of chastity, gave the place a charming hippie touch. The nuns with their short hair had a good appearance; they looked at you smilingly, and you forgot that they were nuns. Their faces were beatific, and I couldn’t find anything that was weird or suspicious.

Finally I saw Dorje, as he appeared in Newsweek, holding a blazing sword and riding a wrathful white lion that steps over a human body. A Dorje of wrathful fangs and bulging eyes, including the third eye. Dewang explained that in Tibetan Buddhism there are thousands of beneficial deities with wrathful aspects, and that they only subdue evil and show their wrath against obstacles that prevent spiritual realisations.

I looked and looked at it, but I didn’t feel any fear. It reminded me of the silly things shown to children during the Valencian fallas [typical Spanish fiestas of Valencia]. It was placed in a huge glass cabinet surrounded by four other representations mounted on different animals. If the one mounted on a dragon was quite repulsive, the ones riding a horse and an elephant had kind faces. Perhaps to compensate for his wrathful representation, the most well-known, Dewang insisted on me looking at another of his manifestations, a handsome peaceful youth that seemed to have come out of a poster from the Chinese cultural revolution. Undoubtedly, I could see nothing that was strange, or which you would not see in any one of the hundreds of religious movements that presently exist around the world.
 

A New Portrait

Then the time came for me to meet with Geshe Kelsang Gyatso, the thin and enigmatic person who from his photos seems difficult to reach (see the interview that follows). With his English and mine, we struggled to understand each other. He would continually put his hand at his heart to express that his objectives were pure. He looked happy and very little affected by the controversy. When we finished the interview, he surprised me with a hug and gifts of a bottle of non-alcoholic wine and a pen.

Then I had supper with James Belither, the Secretary of the New Kadampa Tradition, who lives in one of the little houses that surround the main building, and where the Buddhist families live. He is not a monk but a lay person, a gentle English man. That day he was a little taciturn as he told me of the difficulty of knowing the exact number of people affiliated to the New Kadampa Tradition, estimating that there are between two and four thousand. He explained that he could not understand why the Dalai Lama had launched such an absurd witch hunt, and expressed his concern about the possible future harmful effects of ill-intentioned rumours spread by some people against them.

From what I gathered in my conversations with Geshe Kelsang Gyatso, the nun Dewang and James Belither, there emerged a surprising portrait of the Dalai Lama from which we can conclude that although he is considered a world hero, he is in reality a superstitious dictator who relies heavily on oracles and divinations. It also gave a dark description that tore through the idyllic veil of his propaganda; a scenario filled with intrigues more suited to a medieval court in which cruel feudal men fight to the death, while court favourites and sorcerers manipulate the sovereign. Demons and deities fighting to control people’s minds; spells and curses…

It was said, for example, that the new favourite medium or oracle of the Dalai Lama is a young girl who has recently arrived from Lhasa, expert in fanning the inquisitorial fire against the deity Dorje. Recently, in the middle of a public religious ceremony, this young girl, who invokes a favourite spirit of the Dalai Lama called Nechung, entered a trance and accused an old and respected lama of being a secret servant of the demonic deity [Dorje Shugden]. The old lama slapped her. Later, it was agreed to keep quiet about the incident.

An oracle of the protector Nechung

At midnight I switched off the light, mindful that my door had no lock. I slept very well and woke up early in the morning. I had a walk in the woods, went down to the beach, looked at the various buildings and took some pictures. I spoke with a young monk from Barcelona who insisted that the way Geshe Kelsang Gyatso presents Tibetan Buddhism is much more accessible to Westerners than the way shown by other lamas and traditions. Later on, Dewang showed me the local prehistoric stone circle, and we also had time to visit the New Kadampa Tradition’s office. There was nothing else to see, nothing else to discuss, my stay had come to an end.

On the train back to London, I reflected on the conflict. It is a repeat of one that occurred three and a half centuries ago between the then-Dalai Lama and Ngatrul Dragpa. That conflict finished with the Dalai’s assumption of military-political power, the assassination of Ngatrul by [suffocation with] a katag (the traditional white silk scarf), the blaming of problems on the vengeance of Dorje, and the Dalai’s repentance. Would the story repeat itself again?
 

Intrigues at the Palace

For many years, Geshe Kelsang Gyatso, guru of the New Kadampa Tradition, was not allowed to work independently until his followers threatened to expose publicly the dirty linen of a drug trafficking operation organised by certain organisations in order to finance Tibetan centres. The truth is that the growth of the New Kadampa Tradition in the West is causing fear to some, and is the envy of many. Its rapid development over the last six years provides Geshe Kelsang Gyatso with a growing leadership which is a threat to the Dalai Lama. Because of this, the followers of the Dalai Lama are trying to destroy Dorje Shugden, his protector and emblem. However, he has shown himself to be an independent figure and it will be difficult to silence him.

According to one of the personal translators of the Dalai Lama, there is a secret society, the self-styled Secret Organisation of External and Internal Enemy Eliminators [of Tibet] that has threatened to kill anybody who continues to practise Dorje Shugden. The translator, who has offered to prove and expand on his assertions, says that the accusations against the Dorje Shugden Society in Delhi of having planned the three recent assassinations at the court of the Dalai Lama are totally unfounded.

“The Lama who was killed in February 1997″, says the translator, “was known for his strong attacks on Dorje Shugden and those who worship him. It was said that he had returned from Taiwan just a few days before, carrying a lot of cash. Among the hypotheses that circulated at the palace-in-exile in Dharamsala about the motive of the crimes were: there was disagreement about the distribution of the money; Mr Gyalo, a brother of the Dalai Lama, was involved in the crimes, and that he was in contact with other secret organisations; the murders were committed by the Khampa guerrilla organisation that led the fight in 1959 and who are also in disagreement with the Dalai’s government; or by a desperate individual follower of Dorje Shugden; or by Chinese or Taiwanese secret agents; or even done purposely to incriminate the Dorje Shugden Society.”

The accusations that the Dalai Lama and his court are obsessed with eliminating internal dissents are also confirmed by this translator and Western monk: “While the Tibetan government-in-exile has shown itself powerless against the Chinese occupation, they have concentrated on repressing Tibetan opposition to the point of eliminating it, as is shown by the suspension in 1996 of the only independent newspaper in the Tibetan exile community, the recent amendment of the Tibetan Constitution so that a Supreme Judge cannot possibly be a devotee of Dorje Shugden, and by rejecting attempted mediation by abbots of the great monasteries.”

While the followers of the Dalai Lama say that the practitioners of Dorje Shugden are the Talibans of Tibetan Buddhism, they themselves did not show a very good example or good sense when, in July 1997, Lobsang Thubten, one of the leaders of the Dorje Shugden Society in New Delhi was furiously attacked by 200 followers of the Dalai Lama. On the other hand, the Shugdens deny allegations that they use their deity to obtain material and personal favours. They say that they rely on him only for help in their spiritual progress and in their praying for the happiness of all beings. The followers of the New Kadampa Tradition admit that pictures of Geshe Kelsang Gyatso, their spiritual director, take pre-eminent place in their meditation rooms and that they also have special prayers for his long life but as they explain, this is a common practice in Tibetan Buddhism, in which the figure of the guru, or spiritual guide, is crucial.

In summary, all this indicates that the Dalai Lama will not stop until he manages to stop Geshe Kelsang Gyatso. And if the latter has the powerful deity and protector Dorje Shugden on his side, the Dalai Lama tries to counteract this power with his own protector, the spirit Nechung. Lama against lama and deity against deity, it is possible that behind this bloody religious battle, which is not short of threats, intrigues and assassinations, there hides manipulation, which is not spiritual, by a feudal monarchipope trying to eliminate a dangerous rival. On his side he has world public opinion, headed by Hollywood. But in matters of gods and demons one never knows….
 

Deus writes here that Kyabje Ling Rinpoche practiced Dorje Shugden. Click to enlarge.

The Friends of the ‘Evil One’

Among famous Lamas who have already passed away, Ling Rinpoche and Trijang Rinpoche, the tutors of the Dalai Lama, were probably the most renowned figures who worshipped the controversial deity and protector Dorje Shugden. But there are also many famous living Lamas and teachers whose responsibility has been to keep this tradition alive. Despite their cautious silence, they have all become direct opponents of the official line promulgated by the Dalai Lama, and many continue their practice in secret due to fear of reprisals.
 

Geshe Kelsang Gyato: The Dalai Lama is Infringing Human Rights

Geshe Kelsang Gyatso

The difficult responsibility of leading the opposition to the Dalai Lama has fallen into the hands of the highest authority in the New Kadampa Tradition, the independent and intellectual lama Geshe Kelsang Gyatso. But his disagreement goes further than the question of the intrinsic virtue or otherwise of a figure within the Buddhist pantheon. Behind his words, well measured and respectful, throb doubts and accusations of greater depth.

His private residence is on the second floor of Manjushri Buddhist Centre, on top of the visitors’ rooms and next to a meditation room where there is a big statue of Vajrayogini, a female Buddha with naked, swollen breasts who does not seem to take such prominence in orthodox monasteries.

Geshe Kelsang Gyatso’s house is similar to an upper middle class apartment in any Western city. In the kitchen, next to a machine for making organic bread, I was served tea, and then in the sitting-room I finally met him, a gentle man of indefinite age – actually he is over sixty – who has published sixteen books over the last ten years, after completing a three-year retreat in which he alone knows what happened.
 

J.C. Deus: Is there a solution to the serious conflict that divides Tibetan Buddhism in relation to the ban on the practice of Dorje Shugden, the deity you regard as an emanation of the Buddha of Wisdom?
Geshe Kelsang Gyatso: If the Dalai Lama decided to give freedom and allow the practice of Dorje Shugden, the problem would finish automatically.
 

J.C. Deus: What steps should be taken to resolve the situation?
Geshe Kelsang Gyatso: The Dalai Lama has to understand that his ban and the methods his government-in-exile is using to implement it are illegal, cruel and inhumane. The Dalai Lama is infringing the human rights of many people.
 

J.C. Deus: Are there other important figures in Tibetan Buddhism who are disappointed with the Dalai Lama? If so, why don’t they make their criticism public?
Geshe Kelsang Gyatso: There are very many indeed who do not agree with him, but they cannot express their critical point of view for fear of reprisal. In Tibetan society, no one is allowed to express ideas that oppose those of the Dalai Lama. If you do, they will destroy you. They will discredit you to the point of making you a pariah, if they don’t resort to violence.
 

J.C. Deus: Is it possible that the Dalai Lama is just a moderniser of Tibetan Buddhism who is clashing with more traditional sectors? Or are you amongst those who think that he is hungry for power and wishes to monopolise all Tibetan religious and political power?
Geshe Kelsang Gyatso: The second description seems closer to reality.
 

J.C. Deus: What, in your opinion, is the real reason why on 14th July 1978 the Dalai Lama publicly went against the deity and protector Dorje Shugden?
Geshe Kelsang Gyatso: I think that there are many reasons. One of them was the influence of the spirit Nechung, the protector of the Dalai Lama. The oracle (medium) of Nechung with the consent of the Dalai Lama wants to have all the power. Many people think that jealousy was an important factor because the practice of Dorje Shugden was, and still is, very popular among many Lamas, including the tutors and root gurus of the Dalai Lama, as well as many scholars and thousands of other practitioners. But there is also a factor of ignorance and superstition, because the Dalai Lama based all his decisions to implement this ban on divinations, oracles and dreams. He himself says so in the discourse he gave in July 1978.
 

J.C. Deus: Do you think this is an attempt to stop the preponderance of the Gelug tradition in Tibetan Buddhism?
Geshe Kelsang Gyatso: Yes, this is clear.
 

J.C. Deus: Who is responsible for this problem, the Dalai Lama or the human oracle through whom the spirit Nechung manifests? Who is this oracle, how was he elected and whose interests does he represent?
Geshe Kelsang Gyatso: The Dalai Lama chooses everything. He also chose Nechung. I don’t know much about him but they themselves say he is a spirit.
 

J.C. Deus: It is said that the Dalai Lama has more oracles (mediums) than ministers, that he is surrounded by oracles and that he does not take a step without consulting them. What do you think about such reliance? Do you think that there is a hidden power at the palace in Dharamsala?
Geshe Kelsang Gyatso: This reliance is inappropriate. These methods of divination are often the source of many problems, conflicts and quarrels, and give rise to superstition. The person who gets into the habit of relying upon these methods ends up losing self-confidence, and there comes a time when he becomes incapable of taking a single decision by himself based on logical reasoning and using his own wisdom, or relying on the wisdom of other experts who could advise him. Buddha did not teach these methods; they are not Buddhist practices. About the second part of the question, whether or not there may be a hidden power in Dharamsala, all the power is in the hands of the Dalai Lama. If tomorrow he were to say that all Tibetans have to worship Dorje Shugden, they would put photos and images of this deity on their shrines. If the next day he said the opposite, they would remove all these images. This is his power.
 

J.C. Deus: Has the Tibetan government-in-exile failed? Do you think that the fight for independence should be abandoned and instead accept dependency on China?
Geshe Kelsang Gyatso: It is obvious that the Tibetan government-in-exile has failed in its principal task: to gain independence for Tibet. But I prefer not to comment about political matters, so I will abstain from replying to the second question.
 

J.C. Deus: How do you see the Dalai Lama’s role as a political Tibetan leader? Do you think that he may have become a puppet of the United States in its disputes with China?
Geshe Kelsang Gyatso: I think that it is a serious error to have a political leader who is at the same time a spiritual leader. Politics and religion are two different things, and to mix them gives rise to many political and religious problems. Often they use religious methods, such as devotion to the spiritual guide, to attain political objectives. It is very problematic. To me it is unacceptable that the government-in-exile forces all of us to take the Dalai Lama as our spiritual guide or guru. In Buddhism there is complete freedom; no one can force you to choose someone as your spiritual master, this is something that each of us has to choose with complete freedom.
 

J.C. Deus: Would you say that the Dalai Lama runs a dictatorship over the Tibetan exile community?
Geshe Kelsang Gyatso: Yes, in many aspects it is a dictatorship. There are no elections and an opposition is impossible in present Tibetan society, and these are two of the main characteristics of a dictatorship.
 

J.C. Deus: Finally, do you think that it was a serious mistake to have chosen the present Dalai Lama? Is it possible that he may not be the actual reincarnation of his predecessor?
Geshe Kelsang Gyatso: I think that political leaders should be elected democratically, and it is a mistake that the same person embodies and administers both the political and religious power of a country.
 

Interview with Kelsang Dewang, Buddhist Nun

The Dalai Lama makes decisions based on oracles, and dreams, and throwing little balls of dough into the air.

Despite her name, Kelsang Dewang is a Spanish nun who converted to Buddhism twenty years ago. She is the translator and personal assistant of the leader of the New Kadampa Tradition. As a practitioner of the deity Dorje Shugden, her voice has been listened to in this controversy, and presents a serious and critical point-of-view about the historical roots of Tibetan Buddhism and the present role of the Dalai Lama.
 

J.C. Deus: You are a practitioner of Dorje Shugden, a deity that is accused of being a demon and of taking the souls of those who worship him.
Kelsang Dewang: No, he is not a demon. He is a protector of Dharma and these protectors, by definition, are emanations of Buddhas or Bodhisattvas (realised and liberated beings), and the practitioner relies on them seeking help to attain spiritual realisations. Shugden is an emanation of the Buddha of Wisdom and one of the main protectors of the Gelugpa tradition.
 

J.C. Deus: Are we in fact facing a political conflict and a battle for power which is obscured by an apparent religious confrontation?
Kelsang Dewang: It could be, religion and politics are very much mixed in Tibetan society. The truth is that the Gelugpa Tradition is the most widespread and the most successful, and this always gives rise to jealousy and envy. It is a conflict that has its roots in the XVII century, but it is dreadful to bring these resentments into the present. It does not matter that some people think that Dorje Shugden is a spirit and others think that he is a Buddha. In democratic countries we have freedom, and we should also respect those who have different views to us. Besides this, they cannot prove that Dorje is an evil spirit. When they try to, they only tell superstitious stories. If someone has a bad dream, if someone gets sick, if the crops are not good, or if a Lama falls off a bicycle and dies, all these are blamed on Dorje Shugden. Just recently a young girl in Dharamsala was raped, and they immediately said that the perpetrator was a follower of Dorje Shugden. Tibetan culture is very superstitious, but this has nothing to do with Buddhism. Buddhism and Tibetan culture are two different things, and we have to learn carefully to unwrap the precious treasure of Dharma from the dirty wrappings in which we have received it.
 

J.C. Deus: It seems that the attack is not limited to Lama Geshe Kelsang Gyatso and to the New Kadampa Tradition, but that they are also trying to discredit the whole Gelugpa tradition by forbidding the essential practices of this tradition. News has been heard that some of the Lamas of this lineage have been discredited. Are there any details of this situation?
Kelsang Dewang: It has been said that they have started to suppress the practice of Lama Chöpa, and that the Dalai Lama has also publicly criticised the famous Jamyang Shaypa. But the principal objects of the attack are the lamas that have brought the Gelugpa tradition into the present day, Pabongkha Rinpoche and Trijang Rinpoche. This criticism implies that they were not realised beings, but were ordinary beings with delusions, so it would follow that their teachings lack blessings and are not valid. From this it would follow that the Gelugpa Tradition is a degenerate path. But the paradox is that the Dalai Lama himself was educated as a Gelugpa, and received all his instructions from Trijang Rinpoche, his root guru, whom he now criticises. In reality, in Tibetan society there has never been any democracy. In the VIIth century in Tibet they threw criminals over a cliff, and in the XXth century the way of punishing those who oppose the Government has not changed so much, even in exile.

Before the present Dalai Lama escaped to India, members of his government assassinated the great Gelugpa Lama Reting Rinpoche. He was poisoned in 1947, after it was decided that to throw him over a cliff was not an appropriate way to kill a lama of such rank. And this lama was killed just because he did not agree with the government’s activities. Because of these reprisals, Tibetans are forced to wear two masks: with one they smile to the Dalai Lama, and with the other they criticise him. All the power is held by the Private Office of the Dalai Lama and its orders have to be followed at all costs. No one has the opportunity to express a different view. This institution [the Private Office] is in charge of passing on information to the people. When it criticises someone for holding different views, and that person does not retract his views or keep silent, he will start receiving threats. Many people feel unhappy for other reasons also. For example, the Dalai Lama and his government have spent the last twenty six years fund-raising for the purpose of Tibetan independence, but now the Dalai Lama says that he is not interested in the independence of Tibet, so for this reason many people feel that they have been cheated.
 

J.C. Deus: What is the relationship between the Dalai Lama and other schools and traditions?
Kelsang Dewang: The Dalai Lama has a very bad relationship with the other main Tibetan Buddhist tradition, the Kagyupas. Recently they underwent a lot of suffering due to the interference of the Dalai Lama in the choice of the reincarnation of the new Karmapa, the head of the Kagyupas. The Dalai Lama forced the recognition of a boy that the Chinese authorities had recognised as the new Karmapa, but the Kagyupas had already found a boy they believed to be the true incarnation. Besides, the Dalai Lama has no power to recognise officially this reincarnation and in doing so, he has divided the Kagyupas into two main factions: those who follow the Dalai Lama and those who follow Shamar Rinpoche, the lama in charge of recognising the Karmapas. Consequently, the Tibetan Government has done everything possible to make this lama another pariah. In Gelugpa society, the problems created by the ban of the practice of Dorje Shugden has forced many lamas and monks, who cannot accept abandoning their religious practice, to escape to Nepal or Mongolia. Many monks demonstrated, and several of them were expelled from their monasteries.
 

J.C. Deus: Nechung is the spirit protector of the Dalai Lama. How does he manifest?
Kelsang Dewang: Nechung is a worldly spirit, they say so themselves. Tibetans like spirits and divinations very much. In the New Kadampa Tradition, we do not follow these methods because we do not consider them to be truly Buddhist. In my opinion, often the medium or oracle is just a good actor. When the spirit has entered the body of the oracle, people ask questions and he replies. I find this way of answering questions incorrect and open to criticism, because often a medium will reply according to his personal interests. Also, I cannot understand why the Dalai Lama, if he is an enlightened being as some say, needs to consult a worldly spirit. The Dalai Lama decided that he had to ban the worship of Dorje Shugden following the advice he received from the spirit Nechung transmitted via a medium. The writings of the Dalai Lama confirm that he makes his decisions based on divination through oracles, dream interpretation and throwing little balls of dough into the air. Considering that his internal and external political activities are based on these methods of discrimination, we should not be surprised that in all these years in exile he has [only] managed mainly to become one of the idols of Hollywood stars. Besides, the spirit Nechung is notorious for making many mistakes. The 13th Dalal Lama died because Nechung gave him poison by mistake.
 

J.C. Deus: Do you think that the Dalai Lama has degenerated?
Kelsang Dewang: A being of high realisations cannot degenerate. There is a point on the spiritual path when it is impossible to go backwards. It is not possible for the Dalai Lama to be a Buddha and then to degenerate; therefore, the only possibility is that he is an ordinary being and his actions are showing it. A real Buddhist does not need to be afraid of spirits, so why should he be?

J.C. Deus
 

Addendum

Spanish author José Catalán Deus is renowned for having worked with the likes of CNN, and other big name newspapers and magazines. He has even published book after book of historical reporting, giving factual accounts of events and issues. His article in a 1997 issue of the Mas Alla magazine is no different. Aiming to fulfil the magazine’s aim to report on events and matters regarding religion, spiritual affairs, and metaphysics, he has provided a balanced, unbiased overview of a somewhat tricky situation – the conflict surrounding the practice of Dorje Shugden, as orchestrated by the Central Tibetan Administration (CTA; Tibetan leadership in Dharamsala). Published well before the height of this coordinated ban, the article is free from the CTA’s machinations to hide the truth.

The CTA have long spewed the false claim that Kyabje Ling Rinpoche did not practice Dorje Shugden but as Deus reports, this is not even close to the truth of the matter. He clearly interviewed the right people and as an independent commentator, discovered that Kyabje Ling Rinpoche did in fact practice Dorje Shugden and has even composed prayers to the deity. In fact, it was not only Kyabje Ling Rinpoche, the senior tutor to His Holiness the Dalai Lama who practised the deity, but Kyabje Trijang Rinpoche, the junior tutor to the Dalai Lama as well. The CTA often claim that these two primary teachers of the Dalai Lama were not involved with the practice, but as Deus’s objective reporting clearly indicates, they both in fact did practice. And Deus has no recourse to lie or take sides on the matter, as such a blunder would have ruined his reporting career – neither he himself nor the magazine he was writing for were linked to Tibetan Buddhism in any way, and therefore have no reason to report either in support for or against the Dorje Shugden ban.

The very fact that an unbiased author, in a matter-of-fact reporting manner, reaffirmed the truth that both tutors of His Holiness the Dalai Lama practised Dorje Shugden, undermined the CTA and exposed them for what they are – liars. What they propagate is nothing near the truth, and here it has been exposed for all to see.

You can scroll down to page 33 of the magazine to see where José Catalán Deus specifically mentions that Kyabje Ling Rinpoche and Kyabje Trijang Rinpoche both practised Dorje Shugden.

The cover of the September 1997 issue of Mas Alla magazine in which the article by José Catalán Deus was published. Click to enlarge.

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José Catalán Deus highlights the fact that both Kyabje Ling Rinpoche and Kyabje Trijang Rinpoche were practitioners of Dorje Shugden here on page 33 of the magazine. The sentence in English reads “Among famous Lamas who have already passed away, Ling Rinpoche and Trijang Rinpoche, the tutors of the Dalai Lama, were probably the most renowned figures who worshipped the controversial deity and protector Dorje Shugden.” Click to enlarge.

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His Holiness the 17th Karmapa Trinley Thaye Dorje is accepted as the legitimate Karmapa by Buddhist practitioners throughout South East Asia.

By: Ashok Rao

Introduction

Over the course of recent years His Holiness the 17th Karmapa Trinley Thaye Dorje has traveled through South East Asia on extensive teaching tours, visiting Taiwan, Singapore, Malaysia and the Philippines on a number of occasions. Despite not having been recognized by His Holiness the 14th Dalai Lama nor the Central Tibetan Administration (CTA) as the legitimate reincarnation of the 16th Karmapa Rangjung Rigpe Dorje, his activities in this region clearly show that Buddhist practitioners accept him as the unmistaken and rightful heir to the position of Karmapa.

The Karmapa Controversy

Following the passing of the 16th Karmapa Rangjung Rigpe Dorje, a great master who told practitioners they would need to rely on Dorje Shugden in the future, the search for his reincarnation caused a split within the tradition due to the machinations of the CTA in an attempt to exert control over the Karma Kagyu lineage. Tai Situ Rinpoche, one of the Four Regents of the Karma Kagyu, approached the Dalai Lama and the CTA to endorse his candidate of Karmapa Urgyen Trinley Dorje. The CTA found this too good of an opportunity to let pass, and so promptly recognized and endorsed this candidate. In endorsing a candidate who would subsequently be beholden to them in thanks for his recognition, this was clearly an attempt on their part to gain control of the Karma Kagyu lineage, which has historically been at odds with the Tibetan leadership since the time of the Great 5th Dalai Lama. As a matter concerning the Karma Kagyu, rather than the Gelug lineage of which the CTA is largely composed of, both the Dalai Lama and the CTA had no spiritual authority to endorse such a recognition.

Traditionally, Tai Situ Rinpoche is not the primary Regent responsible for the recognition or enthronement of the Karmapas. Rather, the Regent with the authority to do so has been Kunzig Shamar Rinpoche, who in fact recognized and enthroned Trinley Thaye Dorje as the 17th Karmapa. When the issue of two Karmapas arose, instead of stepping in to mediate between both sides of the divide, the CTA clearly endorsed Karmapa Urgyen Trinley Dorje, thereby exacerbating the situation within the Karma Kagyu tradition. Despite being shunned by the CTA, Karmapa Trinley Thaye Dorje persevered in his studies and now teaches thousands all over the world, spreading the holy Karma Kagyu lineage. His wildly popular teaching tours across South East Asia are testament to the fact that Buddhist practitioners there are not fazed by the CTA’s decision to endorse the other Karmapa Urgyen Trinley Dorje.

The Philippines 2012

The Karmapa Trinley Thaye Dorje giving Dorje Sempa (Vajrasattva) empowerment in Manila.

The Karmapa Trinley Thaye Dorje giving a lecture at a packed-out auditorium at the De La Salle University in Manila.

Arriving to bestow the Menla (Medicine Buddha), Dorje Sempa (Vajrasattva) and Amitabha empowerments. Karmapa’s events in South East Asia have seen a steady increase in attendance, with more people following the Karma Kagyu tradition thanks to the Karmapa’s efforts in spreading the Dharma.

Singapore 2012

His Holiness Karmapa Trinley Thaye Dorje giving a talk entitled ‘Living a Meaningful Life in the Contemporary Age’ in Singapore.

The talk was held at the Buddha Tooth Relic Temple and Museum’s convention hall.

The talk was attended by hundreds of Tibetan Buddhist practitioners from all over South East Asia and the world.

The Karmapa arriving to perform a Smoke Offering Puja and an Amitabha Jangchog Puja, a service performed for the deceased. Not fazed by the CTA endorsing another Karmapa, South East Asians flock to the Karmapa’s activities.

The Karmapa making offerings to the Buddhas on behalf of the deceased and all sentient beings.

Taiwan 2014

His Holiness Karmapa Trinley Thaye Dorje presiding over a Kagyu Monlam in Taipei, Taiwan. Extensive offerings were made to the Karmapa for his long life during the ceremony. The Karmapa also bestowed a blessing to the 500-strong crowd.

During the teaching tour, the Karmapa bestowed Refuge, the Thousand-Armed Avalokiteshvara and Dharmapala Mahakala Bernakchen empowerments. He also performed a Red Chenrezig Puja. This form of Chenrezig is said to grant the accomplishments of peace, increase, subjugation and wrath.

Taiwan 2016

His Holiness Karmapa at the Karma Kagyu Monastery, dedicated to the preservation of the Karma Kagyu Dharma in Taiwan. Support for Karmapa Trinley Thaye Dorje is so strong, that such monasteries can be built and maintained despite not being endorsed by the CTA who themselves have no authority over the spiritual lives of others.

The Karmapa is not only accepted by those of the Karma Kagyu lineage but also by the Sangha of other traditions as well. Here we see him visiting a Mahayana temple in Taiwan.

It was during this visit to Taiwan in 2016 that the Dalai Lama and the CTA’s supporters tried to block Karmapa Trinley Thaye Dorje’s teaching schedule. This raised a number of questions in the minds of practitioners about why this was happening. Subsequently, Lodreu Rabsel Rinpoche, who served as the General Secretary to the Karmapa in the past, composed an open letter to the Dalai Lama and the CTA, addressing the various points of harassment, intimidation and discrimination faced by those who support the Dharma works of Karmapa Trinley Thaye Dorje.

Practitioners welcoming the Karmapa in earnest celebration to the Taipei Expo Park to lead prayers and give blessings.

The Karmapa bathing the Buddha, after which he led the King of Aspiration Prayers for the living and deceased following the recent natural disasters in Taiwan. Sangha from other Tibetan Buddhist lineages and even other traditions attended the event.

The Karmapa blessing one of the hundreds of Buddhist practitioners who came to receive his blessings as the head of the Karma Kagyu lineage. The event was streamed live over the internet with over 10,000 people watching from all over the world.

Malaysia 2016

The Karmapa arriving to the teaching venue in Malaysia. From the sheer number of attendees, who even spilled out of the teaching venue, it is clear that the Karmapa’s popularity amongst practitioners in South East Asia is growing, regardless of the CTA’s opinion of him.

Hundreds of practitioners gathered to receive the Dharma from the Karmapa.

Practitioners queued for hours to receive various empowerments and blessings from the Karmapa.

The holy Sangha participating in teachings and prayers.

The Karmapa taught and bestowed empowerments to huge crowds throughout his visit, highlighting his popularity in the region.

The Karmapa greeted by Venerable Datuk Kirinde Dhammaratana Nayaka Maha Thero, Chief Monk of Buddhist Maha Vihara in Kuala Lumpur.

The Karmapa together with the Chief Monk of Buddhist Maha Vihara (saffron robes), other members of the Sangha and Dato’ Sri Liow Tiong Lai (purple shirt), a prominent politician in Malaysia, gathered to celebrate Wesak Day.

The Karmapa leading the Wesak Day parade in the heart of Malaysia’s capital city.

Conclusion

Despite the Dalai Lama and the CTA’s continued support and endorsement of Karmapa Urgyen Trinley Dorje, it is quite clear that Karma Kagyu practitioners across the South East Asian region choose Karmapa Trinley Thaye Dorje as the legitimate Karmapa. Buddhist practitioners in South East Asia do not welcome the CTA’s interference in the matter of recognizing Karmapa Urgyen Trinley Dorje, evident by the support and reverence paid to Karmapa Trinley Thaye Dorje.

Neither does this interference have significant impact in South East Asia, where the Karmapa Thaye Dorje is wildly popular, and where the majority of countries have little or no ties at all with the CTA in Dharamsala. This puts the Karmapa’s popularity squarely out of the reach of the CTA; the South East Asia governments cannot be swayed or manipulated by the goodwill that the Dalai Lama has globally, which the Tibetan leadership often uses to guilt people into doing what they (the leadership) want. In fact, South East Asia has strong trading and economic links with China, a government which the CTA maligns. Even if such countries did have links with the CTA, they would not risk the ire of China, given its position of economic partner.

In South East Asia, practitioners focus on their religious journey rather than embroil themselves with Tibetan politics. Therefore the CTA’s machinations to control the Karma Kagyu tradition have been countered with a strong resistance against the political involvement in the religious lives of practitioners the world over, just as they have been countered by the continued and vocal adherence to the practice of Dorje Shugden by those within their own Gelug tradition.

Lodreu Rabsel Rinpoche

by Michaela Smith

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.

In an interesting turn of events, an explosive open letter to the Dalai Lama has recently come to light. Written by Lodreu Rabsel Rinpoche, who served as the General Secretary to H.H. the 17th Gyalwa Karmapa Trinley Thaye Dorje in 2011, the letter addresses various points of harassment, intimidation and discrimination attributed to supporters of H.H. the 14th Dalai Lama, which show remarkable similarities to the problems faced by Dorje Shugden practitioners today.

The letter describes the series of persecutions faced by Karmapa Trinley Thaye Dorje and his supporters, culminating in attempted sabotage of the visit of Karmapa Trinley Thaye Dorje to Taiwan and Ladakh by a group of people presenting themselves as supporters of the 17th Karmapa Ogyen Trinley Dorje and the Dalai Lama respectively. The letter also questions why no action has been taken on the part of the Dalai Lama to quash claims that they were acting on his instructions and to intervene in the persecution against supporters of Karmapa Trinley Thaye Dorje, and appeals to the Dalai Lama’s moral responsibility as the spiritual leader of the Tibetan people to intervene and control his followers.

Clearly, the suppression of religious freedom and human rights by the Dalai Lama and his followers is not only directed at Dorje Shugden practitioners, but has extended to other sects of Tibetan Buddhism, in this instance the Karma Kagyus. In fact, such aggression on the part of the Dalai Lama’s followers is squarely directed at anyone who is seen as opposing the advice, opinions and edicts of the Dalai Lama.

Dorje Shugden practitioners do not wish to intervene or take sides in the Karmapa’s controversy. However, we could not help but notice the similarities between what supporters of Karmapa Trinley Thaye Dorje and Dorje Shugden practitioners have to endure.

This article aims to highlight the on-going sufferings caused by the Dalai Lama’s decisions and proclamations and show conclusively how any opposition to the Dalai Lama’s decisions is met with scare-tactics, violence and persecution by the Dalai Lama’s followers in order to coerce others to submit and conform to the Dalai Lama’s wishes.

Highlights of the letter titled “Questions and a request to His Holiness the Dalai Lama”

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The nature and publication of the letter

Firstly, Lodreu Rinpoche wrote this letter titled, “Questions and a request to His Holiness the Dalai Lama” without a formal letterhead. This implies that he is writing this letter in his personal capacity and is taking full responsibility for the letter’s content.

Lodreu Rinpoche also published this letter on his personal Facebook page for public consumption, which indicates that he is not afraid of the repercussions that might follow from confronting the Dalai Lama openly.

Note: The fact that Lodreu Rinpoche supports Karmapa Trinley Thaye Dorje instead of the Dalai Lama’s choice of Karmapa, Ogyen Trinley Dorje, can be seen as defying the Dalai Lama.

The Dalai Lama has many die-hard followers who will not hesitate to employ violent means whenever they see the Dalai Lama’s instructions not being obeyed or the Dalai Lama being publicly confronted or humiliated. For this reason, Lodreu Rinpoche is very courageous for questioning and confronting the Dalai Lama openly.

Sabotaging events conducted by those who are seen as defying the Dalai Lama

On the occasion of the recent coming of the 17th Gyalwa Karmapa Trinley Thaye Dorje in Taiwan, at the invitation of the Taiwanese government Mongolian and Tibetan Cultural Centre, a number of persons presenting themselves as supporters of H.H. Ogyen Trinley used all available means to prevent this event from happening. Consequently, a substantial number of people started asking themselves questions, wondering why such actions were perpetrated.

The same situation had happened during the summer of 2015 in Ladakh, when the 17th Gyalwa Karmapa Trinley Thaye Dorje was invited by Chime Rinpoche to inaugurate the Karma Dupgyud Choeling Monastery. At the time, people presenting themselves as disciples of the Dalai Lama used every possible means to prevent the 17th Gyalwa Karmapa Trinley Thaye Dorje to come to Ladakh, saying they were acting according to the Dalai Lama’s instructions.

Note: This is not the first time that supporters of Karmapa Ogyen Trinley Dorje attempted to stop Karmapa Trinley Thaye Dorje from entering Taiwan. In 1999, they also tried various methods to stop Karmapa Trinley Thaye Dorje from getting a Taiwanese visa but were unsuccesful.

It is interesting to note the unethical methods employed to curb the growing influence of those seen to oppose the Dalai Lama. Gyalwa Karmapa Trinley Thaye Dorje is not the only Lama to have had his travel plans affected.

In a very similar situation, the Central Tibetan Administration (CTA) and the Dalai Lama’s followers sabotaged the scheduled visit of H.E. Kyabje Yongyal Rinpoche to India, where he was scheduled to give a series of teachings and initiations at Serpom Monastery in 2015. A powerful and influential Dorje Shugden lama, Yongyal Rinpoche was in possession of a valid Indian travel visa. Yet, when he arrived at Kempegowda International Airport in Bangalore, it was discovered that Yongyal Rinpoche’s 10-year visa to enter India was canceled without obvious reason. It is strongly believed that the CTA engineered the cancellation of Yongyal Rinpoche’s visa, and his subsequent detainment and deportation.

Similarly, when H.H. Kyabje Trijang Chocktrul Rinpoche was scheduled to travel to Mongolia in September 2014 to give a series of initiations including that of Dorje Shugden, the CTA attempted to intervene with the Mongolian authorities to prevent this event from happening. Fortunately, they were unsuccessful and Trijang Chocktrul Rinpoche went on to give the Dorje Shugden empowerment to an assembly of over 700.

Such attempts by the Dalai Lama’s followers to sabotage the events conducted by those seen as opposing the Dalai Lama are squarely aimed at curbing their influence. Other Dorje Shugden lamas’ travel plans have been affected due to the CTA’s refusal to issue the necessary travel papers or cancellation of their visas.

Dividing and conquering the Tibetan community

H.H. Ogyen Trinley alleged supporters argued that Trinley Thaye Dorje was not the real Karmapa, but that the only real Karmapa was Ogyen Trinley, who had been – according to them – “recognized” by the Dalai Lama, who expressed this in writing. But it is widely known that this pseudo-recognition of Orgyen Trinley was based on a false testament recognition letter, attributed to the 16th Karmapa by Djamgeun Tai Situ Rinpoche. The forgery was confirmed by the declarations of Tai Situ Rinpoche’s very close collaborator and supporter from the beginning of this affair: Ugyen Tobgay Rinpoche. His testimony was recorded and is available on youtube (“Ugyen Tobgay talk about Karmapa’s fake prediction letter by Situ Rinpoche”, translated into English by Dzongsar Khyentse Rinpoche).

Your Holiness, you know that the 17th Gyalwa Karmapa Trinley Thaye Dorje was officially recognized by Kunzig Shamar Rinpoche, in accordance with the century old Kagyu tradition. This was accepted by all the members of the Karmapa Charitable Trust – founded by the 16th Karmapa – and by the members of Karmapa’s administration and monastic community.

Watch the video of Ugyen Tobgay Rinpoche speaking about the Karmapa’s fake prediction letter by Situ Rinpoche:

[There is a video that cannot be displayed in this feed. Visit the blog entry to see the video.]

Or watch on server | download video (right click & save file)

or read the transcript here:
http://www.dorjeshugden.com/wp-content/uploads/letters/Ugyen-Tobgay-fake-karmapa-letter.pdf

Note: Traditionally, each Karmapa leaves indications of his next rebirth in the form of a letter, which is the basis of Tai Situ Rinpoche’s claim for his chosen Karmapa candidate, Ogyen Trinley Dorje. Tai Situ Rinpoche has denied all requests for the letter to be examined by independent experts on the basis that it would be a violation of a sacred object.

The responsibility of recognizing and enthroning the next Karmapa after the passing of the current Karmapa traditionally belongs to the Sharmapa, the second highest ranking lama in the Karma Kagyu tradition. The Dalai Lama, a monk of the Gelugpa tradition, should not interfere in the recognition of lamas from other lineages such as the Karma Kagyu, let alone be involved in the selection of its head.

The Dalai Lama’s break with tradition and his involvement in recognizing a different Karmapa from the one selected by the Sharmapa, Trinley Thaye Dorje, has instead caused a severe split amongst Karma Kagyu followers. Furthermore, according to Lodreu Rinpoche, the basis for Karmapa Ogyen Trinley Dorje’s alleged supporters arguing that he is the real Karmapa is BECAUSE he was “recognized” by the Dalai Lama. Clearly, the Dalai Lama is the source of the division in the Karma Kagyu lineage.

The Dalai Lama’s frequent appearance with his chosen Karmapa, Ogyen Trinley Dorje, is an indirect endorsement of his support. The Dalai Lama has also been recorded saying that lamas like H.H. Ling Chocktrul Rinpoche and H.H. Karmapa Ogyen Trinley Dorje will be the future of Tibetan Buddhism after his passing.

The Karmapa controversy is not the only example of the Dalai Lama intentionally creating opposing factions amongst Tibetan Buddhist groups through tulku recognition in order to lessen their influence and support, a fact unknown to many. The Dalai Lama has also caused deep divisions in the Gelugpa tradition as a result of his involvement in the recognition of the reincarnations of H.E. Domo Geshe Rinpoche and H.E. Kundeling Rinpoche, two renowned Dorje Shugden Lamas.

After the passing of H.E. Domo Geshe Rinpoche, his reincarnation was found and recognized by H.H. Trijang Chocktrul Rinpoche. This recognition was supported by all monasteries of Domo Geshe Rinpoche except for Tharpa Choeling Monastery. Instead, Tharpa Choeling Monastery insisted that they had found the true incarnation of Domo Geshe Rinpoche. To give credibility to their candidate, Tharpa Choeling approached the Dalai Lama and swore to give up the practice of Dorje Shugden. As a result, the Dalai Lama accepted and recognized Tharpa Choeling’s candidate, thus resulting in two Domo Geshe Rinpoches today, similar to what happened in the Karmapa controversy.

H.E. the 13th Kundeling Rinpoche, who was recognized by H.H. Ling Rinpoche, was stripped of his recognition by the Dalai Lama

Yet another similar situation occurred in the case of Kundeling Rinpoche. The existing incarnation of the 13^th Kundeling Rinpoche, born in 1959, was unofficially recognized by H.H. Kyabje Ling Rinpoche, the Dalai Lama’s senior tutor, H.H. Kyabje Zong Rinpoche and H.E. Gangchen Rinpoche. Suddenly in 1995, after 30 objection-less years, the Dalai Lama recognized a young boy, Tenzin Chokyi Gyaltsen as the 13^th Kundeling Rinpoche.

In all three instances above, the result was a division in the lamas’ wealth and resources, and a weakening of their support and influence. With not one or two but three examples of the Dalai Lama’s “divide and conquer” strategy through tulku recognition, should we sit idly by or speak out as Lodrue Rinpoche has done?

The Dalai Lama also created a huge split in the Gelupa tradition when he declared Dorje Shugden, an established enlightened Dharma Protector, to be a demon and implemented a ban against his practice. As a result of this ban, many Tibetans were forced to identify themselves as non-Dorje Shugden practitioners to avoid the discrimination, coercion and intimidation that was being forced upon Dorje Shugden practitioners who refused to give up their practice. Most recently in January 2016, the administrators of Sera Jey Monastery issued an identity badge to distinguish between monks who are not practicing Dorje Shugden from those who are.

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Tarring the names of the Dalai Lama’s perceived enemies

Specifically, [the Dalai Lama’s supporters] argued that people should not listen to the Karmapa, because he is worshipping the Dorje Shugden protector and that he would mislead them. At that point, the Ladakhi people really started to wonder what was going on.

It is interesting to note that the Dalai Lama’s followers have so far refrained from attacking or defaming Karmapa Trinley Thaye Dorje directly. If they did, the Dalai Lama would be seen as attacking another Tibetan Buddhist sect, the Kagyus, which could potentially backfire. Back in the 17^th century, the 5^th Dalai Lama had, with the backing of the Mongol army, forcibly converted monasteries of other lineages, especially Kagyu and Jonang, into Gelug monasteries. Such incidents are played down by the current Tibetan administration as the Dalai Lama requires the support of all Tibetan Buddhist traditions to secure his position as the spiritual head of Tibetan Buddhism.

Thus, the Dalai Lama’s followers resorted to blackening Karmapa Trinley Thaye Dorje’s name with accusations that would garner support from the majority of the Tibetan public. They accused him of practicing Dorje Shugden, which is also against the Dalai Lama’s instructions. This accusation is laughable and almost ridiculous because there is no evidence that Karmapa Trinley Thaye Dorje engages in the practice of Dorje Shugden.

Furthermore, the Dalai Lama’s supporters argued during their meeting with the International Shugden Community (ISC) on July 7^th 2015 that the reason the Dalai Lama issued statements against worshipping Dorje Shugden is because the practice is sectarian in nature.

“One of the principal reasons why His Holiness advises against this practice is because of the well-documented sectarianism associated with it.”

http://www.dalailama.com/messages/dolgyal-shugden/statements-announcements/clarification-12-07-2015

If Dorje Shugden’s practice is indeed sectarian as they claimed, then why accuse the head of another sect of practicing Dorje Shugden? Isn’t it the same as refuting their own claim that Dorje Shugden’s practice is sectarian? One can only conclude that the Dalai Lama’s supporters are just trying to find a way to attack Karmapa Trinley Thaye Dorje without appearing sectarian.

Karmapa Trinley Thaye Dorje’s only “mistake” is that he is not the Dalai Lama’s choice of Karmapa. By saying that he is practicing Dorje Shugden, the Dalai Lama’s followers are trying to blacken Karmapa Trinley Thaye Dorje’s name and associate him with the deity that they claim is a demon, thus reducing his support.

This is not the only time the Dalai Lama’s followers are making baseless accusations without proof. The CTA have also repeatedly accused Dorje Shugden Lamas and practitioners of being paid by the Chinese government. Tibetans are encouraged to call Dorje Shugden practitioners “Chinese dogs” and “Chinese spies”. Of course, by associating Dorje Shugden practitioners with Tibet’s hated enemy, China, the Tibetan leadership hopes to erode the support that Dorje Shugden practitioners are receiving.

And the Dalai Lama and CTA’s exploits are not limited to matters that are religious and monastic in nature but also politics. When the Tibetan people initially entered into exile in 1959, it was the common goal of all Tibetans including the Dalai Lama to strive for Tibetan Independence or Rangzen. To not support Rangzen was deemed unpatriotic.

But after the Dalai Lama unilaterally gave away the pursuit of Rangzen in Strasbourg in 1988, without consulting the Tibetan people, and chose instead a compromise he coined ‘the Middle Way’ or Umaylam, suddenly what was previously regarded as patriotic suddenly became a traitorous ambition, just because the Dalai Lama changed his mind and now wanted to coerce the entire Tibetan nation under his will. Those who continued to aspire for independence, not to defy the Dalai Lama but to insist on what they had been promised, were labeled Chinese spies and enemies of the people.

Acknowledgement of a ban on Dorje Shugden!

Dorje Shugden is strictly a Gelugpa internal issue, which originated in divisions between two monastic administrations. Initially, Dorje Shugden was an important lama in one of these administrations, but he was later eliminated. Then his spirit became a protector worshiped by numerous Gelugpa practitioners, including the Dalai Lama. But then the Dalai Lama changed his mind, considered him an enemy and banned him. Now, some Gelugpa consider him a protector worshipped as a god, and others an enemy and a devil. But we – the Nyingma and the Kagyus belonging to one of the four big or the eight small lineages – have not been involved, are not involved and will not be involved in this purely Gelugpa issue. We don’t have the smallest link to this situation. Be calm and go in peace.

H.E. Choje Todgen Rinpoche

Contrary to what the Dalai Lama and his administration are claiming, H.E. Choje Todgen Rinpoche, the highest Ladakhi Rinpoche, clearly confirms that there is indeed a ban on Dorje Shugden’s practice initiated by none other than the Dalai Lama himself. This therefore calls out the Dalai Lama on his lies and deception that he is only giving advice and “it is up to individuals to choose whether or not to follow his counsel.”

If a high lama of the Kagyu tradition can recognize that there is a ban on Dorje Shugden’s practice, it confirms what Dorje Shugden practitioners have been saying for years, that the Dalai Lama has banned Dorje Shugden’s practice and as a result, millions of Dorje Shugden practitioners worldwide are suffering the effects of discrimination, persecution and violence. It is one thing to claim that Dorje Shugden practitioners are lying about there being a ban on this protector practice; it is quite another to nullify what a high lama of the Kagyu tradition is saying!

Choje Todgen Rinpoche’s statement also negates another of the Tibetan leadership’s lies. For years now, the Dalai Lama and the CTA have claimed that Dorje Shugden is only a minor practice and downplayed historical references that Dorje Shugden is in fact an enlightened Dharma Protector. But a high Kagyu Lama who has no vested interest in the issue has now confirmed that Dorje Shugden was a major practice before the ban and worshipped by many Gelug practitioners including the Dalai Lama himself. Choje Todgen Rinpoche also recognizes that the Dalai Lama’s ban on Dorje Shugden’s practice has created a split among Gelugpa practitioners.

Intimidation and coercion

…during the whole trip [in Ladakh], those who said they were acting on behalf of the Dalai Lama used every possible direct and indirect means – including intimidation – to discourage the Ladakhi people from attending the teachings and to confuse them.

The letter also states that:

Ugyen Tobgay Rinpoche and Tai Situ Rinpoche were also the instigators of the stoning of KIBI monastery during the 17th Gyalwa Karmapa Trinley Thaye Dorje enthronization on March 17th, 1994 (footage on youtube).

These days, it is not uncommon to hear of the Dalai Lama’s followers utilizing violence and coercion in order to force others into conforming with the Dalai Lama’s dictates. Many Dorje Shugden practitioners would be familiar with the intimidation methods employed against followers of Karmapa Trinley Thaye Dorje. Such incidents transpire because the Dalai Lama does nothing to prevent his followers from engaging in systematic ostracism of anyone who acts against his wishes.

The following are just some examples of the discrimination and violence experienced by Dorje Shugden practitioners and others seen to be opposing the Dalai Lama. There are many others.

• On September 10^th 2000, a mob consisting of over 3000 monks, nuns and lay people from the surrounding monasteries and villages attacked Dokham Khangtsen of Ganden Shartse Monastery. While the monks inside the prayer hall engaged in a Dorje Shugden puja, the angry mob threw rocks and bricks at the monks and threatened to burn the prayer hall down. 3 cops and 30 Dorje Shugden practitioners were injured as a result of this violent riot, which was organized by the local representative of the Dalai Lama! Watch the horrific video below:

[There is a video that cannot be displayed in this feed. Visit the blog entry to see the video.]

• On May 18^th 2014, a group of the Dalai Lama’s supporters consisting of 40 monks and lay people attempted to forcibly occupy Gaden Choeling Monastery, a monastery that belongs H.E. Domo Geshe Rinpoche. This takeover attempt was repeated a second time within two months.
• Gen Chonzey, the old assistant of H.H. Kyabje Trijang Dorje Chang, was beaten by a group of men on December 27^th 2013. It is said that the incident happened due to H.H. Trijang Chocktrul Rinpoche’s refusal to attend the Dalai Lama’s Jangchup Lamrim teachings in Sera Monastery, as he would have to give up the practice of Dorje Shugden in order to do so.
• After H.H. Trijang Chocktrul Rinpoche visited Mongolia, where he gave Dorje Shugden sogtae (life entrustment initiation) to a crowd of over 700 people, the Dalai Lama and his followers began a smear campaign against him, accusing him of abusing his status as the reincarnation of the Dalai Lama’s junior tutor to gain influence. To make matters worse, the Tibetan Speaker of Parliament Penpa Tsering, unabashedly stated in one of his speeches to Tibetan students that the current Trijang Rinpoche is living in miserable conditions due to his Dorje Shugden practice. Penpa Tsering also ignorantly declared that receiving Dorje Shugden sogtae means giving one’s life to the spirit, and that one would not take a good rebirth but become a wandering spirit.
• In May 2014, the CTA published a hit list of Dorje Shugden practitioners complete with their names, pictures and addresses, publicly naming and shaming those who had engaged in peaceful demonstrations requesting the Dalai Lama to give religious freedom and to lift the ban on Dorje Shugden’s practice. It is almost a certainty that the publication of the hit list was to encourage the Dalai Lama’s followers to take action against these protesters.
• The Jonangpa sect’s request for their representatives to be included in the Tibetan-parliament-in-exile was rejected by the CTA. This event propelled nine Jonangpa practitioners to perform a hunger strike to protest this obvious discrimination.
• On September 10^th 2014, Gyalwang Drukpa published an open letter appealing for the stoppage of forced conversion of Drukpa Kagyu monasteries and holy sites to Karma Kagyu, which was done by those ostensibly in support of Karmapa Ogyen Trinley Dorje and the Dalai Lama. Watch the video below:

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Or watch on server | download video (right click & save file)

How should a real practitioner behave?

Today the 17th Gyalwa Karmapa Trinley Thaye Dorje has received all the transmissions of the teachings, not only from Kagyu lineage high masters but also from Sakya and Nyigma high masters. He has completed the different stages of hearing the dharma, reflecting on the dharma and actualizing the practice of the dharma. For the past twenty years, the 17th Gyalwa Karmapa Trinley Thaye Dorje has been giving initiations, transmissions and teachings in over a 100 monasteries of the Himalayan region (India, Nepal, Sikkhim, Bhutan, Ladakh) and in over 1’000 Buddhist centers worldwide. Tens of thousands of monks, nuns and lay people gather around him yearly for the Kagyu Meunlam in Bodhgaya. In over 20 years since I have known him, I have never heard the 17th Gyalwa Karmapa Trinley Thaye Dorje talk about anything else than love, compassion and bodhicitta. And he has never mentioned politics.

Compare Lodreu Rinpoche’s description of how a true teacher of the Dharma should behave with the actions of the Dalai Lama, who is heavily involved in politics and seemingly encourages and allows his followers to harass others and engage in violent behavior. For instance, Karmapa Thinley Thaye Dorje has displayed the qualities of a supreme leader and Dharma master by giving valuable advice in various difficult situations that have stirred emotions in the hearts of many Kagyupas.

Similarly, H.H. Trijang Chocktrul Rinpoche encouraged his followers to remain calm and take no action in the face of Penpa Tsering’s accusations and defamations against him and other Dorje Shugden lamas such as H.H. Kyabje Pabongka Rinpoche. Even Dorje Shugden himself, via the Gameng Oracle on the occasion of the inauguration of Shar Ganden Monastery, gave advice rooted in Dharma to the assembly of his practitioners.

Compare this with the Dalai Lama’s actions, for instance his speech in Drepung Loseling Monastery in 2008 where he exhorted the monastic administrators to expel Dorje Shugden monks from the monasteries without fear and praised those who had taken harsh action against Dorje Shugden practitioners. Watch the video below:

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An appeal for action

Therefore, I ask Your Holiness the Dalai Lama: if the recent problems in Taiwan and Ladakh are the consequence of your instructions, why would you deprive us, Karma Kagyus, of our religious freedom? If indeed it is your word, I humbly ask you to stop acting this way and to respect the religious freedom that is rightfully ours. Conversely, if people are unduly using your image and pretending they act on your orders, shouldn’t you intervene to stop these worthless and despicable activities that tarnish your reputation?

This letter is a minute overview of all that I have directly witnessed and which I can easily prove. I am not afraid of truth.

Any intelligent person would realize that the Dalai Lama holds tremendous influence among his followers. He has the ability to stop all discrimination and violence performed in his name, even heal the separation between opposing factions, with just a few words.

However, the Nobel Peace Prize-winning Dalai Lama who preaches tolerance, compassion and kindness has done nothing of the sort and the sufferings of those who do not comply with his wishes, be they Kagyupas who support Karmapa Trinley Thaye Dorje, Gelugpas who practice Dorje Shugden, or loyal Tibetans in support of the Free Tibet cause, continue unceasingly.

In conclusion

From Lodreu Rabsel Rinpoche’s letter and many other open letters to the Dalai Lama archived in various Karma Kagyu sites, we see that the harassment, discrimination and persecutions carried out by the Dalai Lama’s followers are not limited to Dorje Shugden practitioners alone. What is becoming increasingly clear is how the Dalai Lama’s ‘government’ has never hesitated to manipulate and abuse their powers to oppress and exploit the Tibetan people and organizations, while all the time pretending to be a liberal government that respects the people’s rights.

Proper governments use the Law to regulate the behavior of their respective societies towards a common benefit. Proper governments are subject to the very law they uphold. The Tibetan ‘government’ has its Constitution and Law only to beguile the world that it is pursuing a democratic society so as to garner support against its enemy, a Communist regime. In fact, the CTA operates under no laws whatsoever, and whatever tools it can leverage on and use in the name of the Dalai Lama becomes the ‘law’. In addition, the Dalai Lama’s words, instructions, and preference become law and this ‘law’ changes according to the Dalai Lama’s whims and fancies.

Accordingly, anything that does not meet the Dalai Lama’s preference is deemed outside the law. The Dalai Lama, although not authorized by the law or tradition to interfere in the recognition of the Karma Kagyu’s succession plan, did so and endorsed one candidate. And that automatically renders the other, in this case the Karmapa Trinley Thaye Dorje, a target for persecution. Similarly, the Dalai Lama unilaterally decided to abandon Tibetan independence (Rangzen) and that automatically rendered those wishing to return to their country as free people, traitors. The Dalai Lama imposed a religious ban on the Dorje Shugden practice that brazenly flouts the Tibetan Constitution but instead of calling the Dalai Lama to bear, Shugden practitioners are declared criminals by the CTA, a supposedly democratic government.

These are very disturbing facts that we need to bring to light and to inform the world public of. When more people in the international community become aware of the sufferings endured by those who choose to exercise their right to religious freedom despite what the Dalai Lama advices, it will perhaps finally put enough pressure on the Dalai Lama to intervene and instruct his followers to stop the violence.

We are grateful for individuals like Lodreu Rinpoche who are unafraid to speak up and fight for what they believe in, which in Lodreu Rinpoche’s case is the religious freedom to follow the guru of his choice, Karmapa Trinley Thaye Dorje. We are also grateful to the International Shugden Community who in the past organized peaceful demonstrations to request the Dalai Lama to give religious freedom to Dorje Shugden practitioners to worship their protector deity of choice. Lastly, we wish to extend our heartfelt appeal to the Dalai Lama to stop your followers from harassing those who disagree with your views and to have tolerance and compassion for all regardless of their religious beliefs.

Rumtek Monastery, the traditional seat of the Karmapa remains empty until today due to the Dalai Lama’s interference. When will the Dalai Lama and CTA stop meddling and mixing spirituality with politics?

Update: General reception of the letter

Since it was posted on Lodreu Rinpoche’s Facebook page, the letter has received much positive feedback (click here to read the comments). Many of Karmapa Trinley Thaye Dorje’s supporters and Lodreu Rinpoche’s followers thanked Lodreu Rinpoche for his courage to bring awareness to the harassment and faith-based discrimination suffered by Karmapa Trinley Thaye Dorje and his followers. For instance, Matt Dippl commented,

Thank you very much Rinpoche for your fearless effort to protect our precious lineage from outside interference. May our precious Karma Kamtsang lineage remain independent, practice oriented and forever free of outsiders politics for the benefit of all beings! Long life to Gyalwa Karmapa Thaye Dorje and all our great Rinpoche! Thank you very much.

Another follower actually hopes for the Dalai Lama to intervene and end the confusing situation,

I wish so much that HH [the] Dalai Lama was able to finish this confusion situation for the sake of all beings as a great Bodhisattva.

Such comments on Lodreu Rinpoche’s Facebook page clearly show that more and more Western Dharma practitioners are recognizing the negative effects of the Dalai Lama’s actions and proclamations, and are unafraid to speak out for change. It is no longer just Dorje Shugden practitioners but also individuals from other traditions who are respectfully appealing to the Dalai Lama to do something to stop the coercion, discrimination and intimidation that is being done in his name.

Appendices

Brief background of the two Karmapas

H.H. the 17th Gyalwa Karmapa Trinley Thaye Dorje was born in 1983 to Mipham Rinpoche, an important lama of the Nyingma School. He was enthroned as the Karmapa at the age of 11 in Karmapa International Buddhist Institute (“KIBI”) in New Delhi.

H.H. the 17th Gyalwa Karmapa Ogyen Trinley Dorje was born in 1985 to a nomadic family in Eastern Tibet. He was formally enthroned as the Karmapa at the age of 7 in Tsurphu Monastery, the Karmapa’s traditional seat in Tibet. His enthronement was approved and supported by the Chinese government. In late December 1999, he escaped China-occupied Tibet for India and joined the Dalai Lama in exile.

The 17th Karmapa Controversy

Karmapa Trinley Thaye Dorje (left) was recognized by the Sharmapa; Karmapa Ogyen Trinley Dorje (right) was recognized by Tai Situ Rinpoche and backed by the Dalai Lama

Several years after H.H. the 16^th Gyalwa Karmapa Rangjung Rigpe Dorje passed away in 1981, the Karma Kagyu’s senior leadership initiated the search for his reincarnation. The search led to two potential candidates: Trinley Thaye Dorje and Ogyen Trinley Dorje. Shamar Rinpoche recognized Trinley Thaye Dorje as the incarnation of the 16^th Karmapa while Tai Situ Rinpoche recognized Ogyen Trinley Dorje.

Traditionally, the Shamarpa or Shamar Rinpoche holds the primary responsibility of recognizing and enthroning the Karmapa. However, Tai Situ Rinpoche approached the Dalai Lama to confirm his choice of candidate, Ogyen Trinley Dorje, as the reincarnation of the 16^th Karmapa and the Dalai Lama granted this confirmation, while the Shamarpa held firm to his choice of candidate, Trinley Thaye Dorje.

As a result of the Dalai Lama’s intervention, the Karmapa controversy was born.

About Lodreu Rabsel Rinpoche

Lodreu Rabsel Rinpoche

Ven. Lodreu Rabsel Rinpoche (also known as Lodro Rinpoche) is a Lama of Karma Kagyu lineage and a follower of H.H. the 17th Gyalwa Karmapa Trinley Thaye Dorje. He was born in Gha county in Dhokham, Tibet. He became a monk at an early age. Currently, he is a teacher at Marpa Kagyu Dharma Society in Singapore.

Previously in May 2011, in his capacity as the General Secretary of H.H. the 17^th Gyalwa Karmapa Trinley Thaye Dorje, Lodreu Rabsel Rinpoche wrote to the Dalai Lama to inform him that supporters of Karmapa Trinley Thaye Dorje condemned the takeover of Rumtek Monastery by Tai Situ Rinpoche and their plans to re-acquire Rumtek Monastery by legal means and in accordance with the lineage’s tradition.
 

Various Lamas with Both Karmapa Candidates

Sakya lamas

Both Karmapa candidates with Sakya masters. Click on the image to enalrge.

LEFT: The Karmapa Thaye Dorje (third from left) with His Holiness the 41st Sakya Trizin (second from right). They sit with Sakya masters including Sakya Trizin’s sister Jetsunma, Luding Khen Rinpoche and Sakya Trizin’s son. Appearing in a photograph with Karmapa Thaye Dorje is Sakya Trizin and Luding Khen Rinpoche’s endorsement that Karmapa Thaye Dorje is the right candidate. They would never take a picture with him if they felt he was the wrong candidate. Why take a picture with a fraudulent candidate to confuse the Sakya public? And why risk condemnation from the Tibetan leadership for endorsing the candidate who is NOT recognised by His Holiness the Dalai Lama?

RIGHT: The Karmapa Ogyen Trinley with His Holiness the 41st Sakya Trizin and Luding Khen Rinpoche. Orgyen Trinley is the Karmapa candidate identified and confirmed by Tai Situ Rinpoche, and endorsed by the Dalai Lama. Sakya Trizin and Luding Khen Rinpoche have appeared in photos with both Karmapas, thus giving their endorsement to both candidates. Is this an attempt at political correctness? The Sakya Trizin is frequently pictured with Ogyen Trinley in Dharamsala; is he defying the Dalai Lama’s recognition of Ogyen Trinley, by appearing photos with Thaye Dorje? How does this impact the already divided Karma Kagyu community?
 

Both Jamgon Kongtrul Rinpoches

Both Karmapa candidates, with both Jamgon Kongtrul candidates. Click on the image to enlarge.

On the left is the Karmapa Thaye Dorje with Jamgon Kongtrul Migyur Drakpa Sengge Rinpoche (to the Karmapa’s right). On the right is the Karmapa Ogyen Trinley with Jamgon Kongtrul Lodrö Chökyi Nyima Rinpoche (to the Karmapa’s left).

The Karma Kagyu tradition is facing many more issues and much more disharmony than the Tibetan leadership would have you believe, with the divisions extending beyond the issue of the two Karmapas. The divisions have even affected the reincarnation lineage of the Jamgon Kongtruls. Since Jamgon Kongtrul is one of the Four Regents of the Karma Kagyu school of Tibetan Buddhism, it is the Karmapa who has the authority to recognise their incarnations.

What is interesting in the 4th Jamgon Kongtrul’s case is that both candidates have relationships with the Dalai Lama. While Ogyen Trinley’s candidate was recognised and confirmed by the Dalai Lama, the Dalai Lama also performed the hair-cutting ceremony for Thaye Dorje’s candidate. Why would the Dalai Lama recognise Thaye Dorje’s candidate in this manner? Before conducting the hair-cutting ceremony for Thaye Dorje’s candidate, the Dalai Lama would have been informed who the young boy was the reincarnation of. If the Dalai Lama did NOT agree with Thaye Dorje’s candidate, he would not have agreed to perform the hair-cutting ceremony for him. So the fact he did perform the ceremony, is tantamount to a recognition. This clashes with Ogyen Trinley’s recognition of a separate Jamgon Kongtrul incarnation.
 

Chogye Trichen Rinpoche

Both Karmapa candidates with Chogye Trichen Rinpoche. Click on the image to enlarge

LEFT: The Karmapa Thaye Dorje with Chogye Trichen Rinpoche (center) and the Sharmapa (right). Within the Sakya tradition, Chogye Trichen Rinpoche considered a master of masters and he commands great respect and faith amongst Sakya practitioners, even with the current Sakya Trizin whom he has given teachings to. Being seated with Thaye Dorje here in what looks to be a formal portrait or photograph indicates that he accepts this incarnation. Otherwise why appear in a formal portrait with him, when doing so risks the wrath of the Tibetan leadership since Thaye Dorje has not been endorsed by the Dalai Lama as the real Karmapa?

RIGHT: Chogye Trichen Rinpoche can be seen here with the Karmapa Ogyen Trinley. This is the Karmapa candidate recognised and approved by the Dalai Lama. One has to wonder why a lama of Chogye Trichen Rinpoche’s reputation and accomplishments has appeared in photos with both Karmapa candidates. Was he forced to sit with the Karmapa Ogyen Trinley, being that this photograph was taken in Dharamasala? Or does Chogye Trichen Rinpoche accept both candidates?
 

Dilgo Khyentse Yangsi Rinpoche

Both Karmapa candidates with Dilgo Khyentse’s reincarnation, Dilgo Khyentse Yangsi Rinpoche. Click on the image to enlarge

LEFT: The Karmapa Thaye Dorje seen here with the young incarnation of Dilgo Khyentse Rinpoche, known as Dilgo Khyentse Yangsi Rinpoche. Bear in mind again that Thaye Dorje’s recognition as the 17th Karmapa has not been endorsed by the Dalai Lama. Will appearing in a picture with Thaye Dorje result in comments and condemnation from the Tibetan leadership, because Dilgo Khyentse Yangsi Rinpoche is going against the Dalai Lama’s recognition of Ogyen Trinley as the real Karmapa?

RIGHT: The Karmapa Ogyen Trinley seen here with Dilgo Khyentse Yangsi Rinpoche. It remains to be seen why Dilgo Khyentse Yangsi Rinpoche would meet with both candidates when there is divisions in the Karma Kagyu school over the recognition of the Karmapa? In meeting with Ogyen Trinley, Dilgo Khyentse Yangsi Rinpoche upsets Karmapa Thaye Dorje’s supporters; in meeting with Thaye Dorje, he upsets Karmapa Ogyen Trinley’s supporters.
 

Chokyi Nyima Rinpoche

Both Karmapa candidates with Chokyi Nyima Rinpoche. Click on the image to enlarge.

Chokyi Nyima Rinpoche is a respected lama in the Karma Kagyu, Drikung Kagyu, and Nyingma traditions. As above, it can be seen that he has met and has some kind of relationship with both Karmapa candidates. Otherwise, if he did not agree with either candidate, why meet with them and allow a photograph to be taken? On the left, he shows great respect to the Karmapa Thaye Dorje and on the right, he appears with the Karmapa Ogyen Trinley. Both Karmapa candidates are not accepted by the entire school of Karma Kagyu practitioners, who have split down the middle in support of either candidate.
 

Drikung Kyabgon Chetsang Rinpoche

Both Karmapa candidates with Drikung Chetsang Rinpoche. Click on the image to enlarge.

On the left, the Karmapa Thaye Dorje appears with Drikung Kyabgon Chetsang Rinpoche, who is the 37th throne holder of the Drikung Kagyu Lineage. On the right, the Karmapa Ogyen Trinley sits with Drikung Kyabgon Chetsang Rinpoche. What message is Drikung Kyabgon Chetsang trying to send to the Karma Kagyu school, and to Tibetans everywhere? Does he endorse only one candidate, and is being forced to appear with the other? Or does he endorse both candidates? Worse still, is Drikung Kyabgon Chetsang, who is the throneholder of the Drikung Kagyu school (and therefore a lama of repute and rank), saying that the Dalai Lama is wrong for only endorsing one Karmapa candidate, while many other lamas appear to recognise and endorse both (as can be seen from the pictures above)?
 

Lama Ole Nydahl

Lama Ole Nydahl with the Karmapa Thaye Dorje. Click on the image to enlarge.

The Western teacher Lama Ole Nydahl was very devoted to the previous 16th Karmapa and at the instructions of his teacher, opened 659 centres all over the world to spread the Karma Kagyu lineage. To accomplish this, he spent four decades teaching Buddhism and connecting practitioners everywhere with the Karma Kagyu lineage. This prolific teacher who had a close relationship to the 16th Karmapa has endorsed the Karmapa Thaye Dorje as the genuine reincarnation of his precious teacher.

He has never appeared in a photograph with the Dalai Lama’s choice of Ogyen Trinley or spoken of any kind of endorsement for Ogyen Trinley. He also does not receive teachings from the Karmapa Ogyen Trinley or from His Holiness the Dalai Lama. Due to Lama Ole Nydhal’s influence, 659 Karma Kagyu centres worldwide are under the spiritual guidance and leadership of the Karmapa Thaye Dorje.

Sources

• http://www.dorjeshugden.com/all-articles/news/india-deports-kyabje-yongyal-rinpoche/
• http://www.dorjeshugden.com/all-articles/the-controversy/the-17th-karmapa-against-the-ban-of-dorje-shugden/
• http://www.dorjeshugden.com/all-articles/the-controversy/the-tibetan-inquisition/
• http://www.dorjeshugden.com/all-articles/the-controversy/the-karmapas-and-the-forbidden-buddha/
• http://www.dorjeshugden.com/all-articles/features/an-appeal-against-violence/
• http://www.dorjeshugden.com/all-articles/news/trijang-rinpoche-in-mongolia-2014/
• http://www.dorjeshugden.com/all-articles/the-controversy/cta-and-the-kagyus/
• http://www.dorjeshugden.com/all-articles/features/breaking-news-domo-geshe-rinpoches-monastery-in-phedong-attacked/
• http://www.dorjeshugden.com/all-articles/features/tibetan-leadership-organizes-violence/
• http://www.dorjeshugden.com/all-articles/the-controversy/cta-creates-violence-again/
• http://www.dorjeshugden.com/all-articles/news/letter-to-h-h-the-dalai-lama-from-the-followers-of-karmapa-thaye-dorje/
• http://www.dorjeshugden.com/all-articles/features/dalai-lamas-meddling-in-the-recognition-of-tulkus/
• http://www.dorjeshugden.com/all-articles/news/violence-again/
• http://www.dorjeshugden.com/all-articles/the-controversy/the-17th-karmapa-against-the-ban-of-dorje-shugden/
• http://www.dorjeshugden.com/all-articles/the-controversy/the-tibetan-inquisition/
• http://www.dorjeshugden.com/all-articles/the-controversy/what-is-wrong-with-tibetan-society/
• http://www.dorjeshugden.com/all-articles/the-controversy/penpa-tsering-defames-kyabje-pabongka-rinpoche/
• http://www.mtac.gov.tw/mtac_quarterly/quarterly_e/7/1419337348.pdf
• http://www.marpakagyu.com/Marpa%20Kagyud%20-%20Teachers.htm
• http://lodro-rinpoche.jimdo.com/about-rinpoche/
• http://tibet.net/2014/05/list-of-dolgyal-followers-who-protested-against-his-holiness-the-dalai-lama-in-us-and-europe-updated/
• http://www.karmapa.org/karmapa-to-inaugurate-16th-karmapas-monastery-in-ladakh/
• http://www.dalailama.com/messages/dolgyal-shugden/statements-announcements/clarification-12-07-2015
• https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Karmapa_controversy

Freedom for Tibetans is not likely if the Central Tibetan Administration (CTA) continues their double standard politics

By: Tenzin Tsondrue

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.

In a world driven by differing values, individual needs and often opposing organizational interests, conflicts and controversies are inevitable. Unfortunately this applies to all aspects of life including religion. In fact, religion is always a latent source of quarrels which, if unmanaged, can escalate into full blown hostilities. Therefore a leader and the government of a religious community must make special effort to be fair and be seen to be unbiased and equal in its handling of such conflicts. A defining mark of good government is fairness and the care the leadership takes to neither fall into partisanship by choosing a side to stand with, or to remain apathetic to the plight of another.

This is a concept that the Tibetan government-in-exile, now known as the Central Tibetan Administration (CTA), seems unable to grasp or have no respect for, acting instead as if it is still a feudal lordship rather than the liberal government it professes to be. The CTA’s official stance on key issues is found to differ depending on what situation suits its agenda better.

At first glance, it may just seem like the CTA is an inexperienced and incompetent government. But after decades of similar inconsistencies, it is clear that the CTA is not in fact a government of the people and for the people, but a conspiracy of a small elite, using the instrument of government to serve themselves. This would explain why they appear reluctant to apply good governance in situations where there is no personal benefit to them (other than the well being of the people) but are quick to intervene and act ultra vires when there are private objectives to fulfill.

For example, neither the Dalai Lama or the CTA acted swiftly to discourage the spate of over 100 self-immolations around 2010. Instead those incidents were treated as political opportunities for anti-Chinese propaganda and so the CTA refused to advise against them for the longest time, choosing political mileage over the lives of its people. That is not the only example and in fact a number of past events involving the Kagyu, Sakya and Gelug lineages will attest to the CTA’s secret agendas. These examples will expose the fact that what the CTA claims to be policies and guiding principles only apply in some cases and not in others, depending on what is more conducive to their hidden plans.

In its harsh decision to ban the practice of Dorje Shugden, the CTA cited the reasons being Dorje Shuden’s legacy of enmity towards the Dalai Lama line; the ‘sectarian’ nature of the practice that breeds disunity; the malicious intention of the leaders of the practice who are in fact Chinese agents; the ‘spiritual bond’ (samaya) between the Dalai Lama and all Tibetans which if breached would endanger the Dalai Lama’s life, and other similar false justifications. All these reasons seem to allude to the CTA taking steps to protect the overall well-being of the people but we will see that these reasons are hollow because when similar situations arise apart from Shugden, the CTA has acted differently. These contradictions have led to some of the greatest damage being inflicted on the credibility of the Tibetan nation and Tibetan Buddhism in modern history.

1. The Fifth Dalai Lama and the Kagyus

Highlights discrepancies in the way the CTA deals with the Gelugs and the Kagyus

The autobiography of the incomparable scholar Geshe Lhundub Sopa

Following the assassination of King Langdarma in 842 CE, which marked the end of the Tibetan Empire that had originally been established by Namri Songtsen, the region of Tibet fell into many years of civil war. The Fifth Dalai Lama, Ngawang Lobsang Gyatso (a short biography can be found here) instigated a series of military and social campaigns in an attempt to once again unify Tibet under a single leadership. It was during this period that the Fifth Dalai Lama enlisted the help of Gushi Khan, a powerful military leader of the Dzungar Mongols.

In Geshe Lhundub Sopa’s autobiography Like A Waking Dream, he writes that the Dzungar Mongols who supported the Fifth Dalai Lama defeated the army of the King of Tsang, who were patrons of the Karmapa. As a result, the defeated Karmapa (the spiritual head of the Karma Kagyu lineage) was sent to Tsurphu Monastery by the government of the Fifth Dalai Lama.

The Fifth Dalai Lama is widely known as the leader who unified Tibet and became both the religious and temporal leader of the region

The Gelugpa leadership felt that the surrounding landscape of the monastery – the mountains framing the black earth below and the sky above in a triangular fashion, to be highly inauspicious. This triangle resembles the black iron triangle used in Tibetan sorcery to entrap spirits and negative forces. Hence, it was thought that sending the Karmapa there was to condemn him to an unpropitious place.

The black iron triangle is known to be used in rituals that trap and bind negative spirits and energies.

In retaliation, the Kagyus are rumoured to have procured the Fifth Dalai Lama’s hair and placed it under the steps at the front entrance of Tsurphu Monastery. This was done deliberately so that all who entered the monastery would have to symbolically step over the Dalai Lama, which was considered a grave insult. This incident is one of many that tells of the historic enmity between the Karma Kagyus and the Fifth Dalai Lama and his government. It is rumoured that the Fifth Dalai Lama’s hair is still under the Tsurphu Monastery steps. Even Geshe Sopa had heard of it and he states in his book that he never set foot in that monastery because he was afraid that the rumour might turn out to be true.

At one time I wanted to go to Tsurphu, but somebody told me that I shouldn’t. The person said that in the time of the Fifth Dalai Lama, the Kagyupas had gotten some of his hair and put it under the front steps of the monastery. Walking on the steps would be like stepping on the Fifth Dalai Lama’s head. It was probably true. After the Fifth Dalai Lama’s rise to power there was strong animosity between the sects; the Kagyupas probably thought of him as their enemy. They could have gotten some of his hair and done this. Every time I went by that valley and saw the golden roof and the beautiful buildings, I wanted to go, but I never did. I was afraid that it might be true about the Fifth Dalai Lama’s hair under those steps.

- Geshé Lhundub Sopa with Paul Donnelly, Like a Waking Dream: The Autobiography of Geshé Lhundub Sopa, Wisdom Publications, Inc. 2012. P.30)

The steps leading to Tsurphu Monastery in Tolung Valley, Tibet. Established by the 1st Gyalwa Karmapa, Dusum Khyenpa, it has long been the traditional seat of the Karma Kagyu tradition

Geshe Sopa’s statement indicates that Gelug-Kagyu animosity may still be simmering beneath the surface. Certainly if the Fifth Dalai Lama’s hair remains where it was planted, it could be misrepresented as the continuing intention of the Kagyus to put down the lineage of the Dalai Lamas. It hints at an unspoken and subtle feud between the Kagyupas and the Gelug establishment. This is a potentially inflammatory situation and could be harmful to the unity of Tibetans, even though it may not be the intention of present day Kagyus.

Surprisingly the CTA has not done anything about this. The CTA has stated on more than a few occasions that even to oppose the historic Dalai Lamas is tantamount to opposing the present Dalai Lama. We see this clearly in the case where the present Dalai Lama and the CTA have taken it upon themselves to continue open hostilities against Shugden Buddhists today, as the result of an alleged feud between the 17th century Gelugpa sage, Tulku Drakpa Gyaltsen and his supposed rival, the Fifth Dalai Lama. Dorje Shugden is the Dharma Protector that is the reincarnation of Tulku Drakpa Gyaltsen.

The Dorje Shugden practice is banned today because the CTA claims that as a result of an alleged quarrel some 360 years ago, Shugden Buddhists are enemies of the present Dalai Lama. And seeing that the Dalai Lama is the embodiment of the Tibetan nation and its people, by extension Shugden Buddhists are enemies of the Tibetan people. This ‘fact’ therefore warrants their persecution. Of course this is an absurd proposition and yet the Dalai Lama has stated that he is obliged to continue the legacy of the Fifth Dalai Lama with regards to Shugden. The simple fact that the Fifth Dalai Lama’s hair remains under the steps of Tsurphu Monastery and yet the CTA treats this with casual indifference, speaks of their dis-ingenuity. Why act on an alleged centuries-old conflict between Tulku Drakpa Gyaltsen and the Dalai Lama’s predecessor and punish Shugden Buddhists today, and not apply the same treatment to the Kagyus? Why penalize one set of people and not the other for what appears to be similar ancient conflicts? And for that matter, why should a progressive government be concerned about old conflicts?

The CTA’s inconsistency in its treatment of Shugden Gelugpas and Karma Kagyus can only be explained by the fact that it is easier for a Gelugpa Dalai Lama and CTA to pick on their own people. On the other hand, they cannot get away with the same treatment with the Karma Kagyus who are not from the same tradition or school of thought. Therefore their actions and decisions are not based on what is right but what suits them and what they can get away with.

2. The CTA’s Silence on Forced Kagyu Conversion

The Gyalwang Drukpa, the spiritual head of the Drukpa Kagyu School

On September 10th 2014, the Gyalwang Drukpa, head of the Drukpa Kagyu lineage published an open letter calling upon Karma Kagyu leaders to end their forced conversion of Drukpa Monasteries and holy sites. These conversions were allegedly done following the instructions of the current 17th Karmapa, His Holiness Ogyen Trinley Dorje , a fact that perturbs the Gyalwang Drukpa given his deep respect for the Karmapa. Both lineages have shared a strong spiritual bond and are even known as Gyalwa Kar-Druk Yab-Sey or “Spiritual Father and Son” as the Gyalwang Drukpas and Gyalwa Karmapas have historically given guidance to whomever of the two was younger. Whilst both schools are closely interrelated, they have maintained their individual lineages, traditions, practices, hierarchies and administrations. However this harmony between the two lineages has been increasingly threatened by the Karma Kagyu’s forced conversions of the Drukpa Kagyus.

The Gyalwang Drukpa’s open letter regarding the forced conversions of Drukpa Monasteries and holy sites (Click to enlarge)

In the interview below, the Gyalwang Drukpa explained that these forced conversions have become increasingly common and not even holy sites like the sect’s Dri-ra Phung monastery, the equivalent of Mecca to the Muslims, have been spared. The Gyalwang Drukpa likened these forced conversions to “killing us [Drukpas]”. In other words it is a serious attempt to force the disintegration of the Drukpa lineage. The Gyalwang Drukpa expressed in the video that he has had to go public to create awareness of the Drukpa lineage’s plight which begs the question, where is the CTA in its duty to preserve unity? Preserving unity is also the CTA’s often quoted justification to wipe out Shugden Buddhists whom the CTA accuses as being ‘sectarian’ and therefore dangerous.

This is not a commentary on the relationship between the Drukpa Kagyu and the Karma Kagyu. This article does not serve to condone the behavior of those monks who have forced their way to overrun Drukpa monasteries, but neither does it seek to malign the Karma Kagyu lineage. Instead it is to highlight the hypocrisy of the CTA in targeting Shugden practitioners, as well as to highlight how the CTA has utterly and completely neglected their duty to create an environment where all lineages can thrive and not at the expense of any sect or tradition.

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The Gyalwang Drukpa explains about the forced conversions during a short interview. From the Drukpa Lineage’s YouTube channel.

The incredible thing to note is that this is not a recent phenomenon and has been taking place for over a decade. And yet neither the Dalai Lama or the CTA have stepped in to ensure that the Drukpa Kagyus are protected from such forced annexations. The Dalai Lama has time and time again presented himself as the spiritual head of Tibetan Buddhism who is responsible for the preservation of all Tibetan Buddhist lineages. The CTA was established to supposedly represent the welfare of all Tibetans as well as organizations. Yet both the Dalai Lama and CTA have behaved as if the Tibetan spiritual community is exempt from all laws.

The Gyalwang Drukpa expresses his worries over the issue in a dignified yet authoritative manner, promoting cooperation rather than fighting. He is quoted as saying, “Buddhism is not about conversion. It is about love, compassion, peace and understanding.” This role and statement promoting peace should have been said by the Dalai Lama and reiterated by the CTA. So why does the CTA and Dalai Lama continue to remain silent? Compared to the ban on Dorje Shugden which the CTA actively supports, the CTA’s silence towards these forced conversions betrays its double standards and its targeting of the Gelugpa lineage’s practice of the Wisdom Protector, Dorje Shugden.

It cannot be said that the CTA has a policy of non-intervention in spiritual matters. The CTA’s apathy and disturbing silence in the Drukpa-Karma Kagyu case is in stark contrast to their aggressive advocacy of forced conversions of Shugden Buddhists away from their practice, even to the point of legislating such criminality in parliament. Furthermore, if the CTA appears to be non-interventionist in its approach to the various Tibetan Buddhist schools, this illusion is dissipated when we realize that the CTA has previously actively interfered in Kagyu affairs.

3. A CTA proposal to restructure the Kagyu leadership

In another 2010 interview regarding Kagyu leadership, Gyalwang Drukpa openly dismissed a CTA proposal to restructure the Kagyu leadership and base the appointment of a single leader to all Kagyu sects on a rotational basis. Not only does this interfere with the various Kagyu sects’ self-determination based on centuries of tradition but as the Gyalwang Drukpa explained, this would destroy the harmony between the different Kagyu lineages.

Perhaps that was the intention of the CTA from the beginning. Just as the CTA divided the Gelug lineage by imposing a ban on a pervasive protector practice of the Gelugs, it created division within the Kagyus. By side-stepping proper protocol and acting beyond its authority, the CTA forcibly interfered with leadership issues in the Karma Kagyu lineage, with devastating effect as evidenced by the violence at Rumtek Monastery, the official seat of the Karmapas.

The Violent Rumtek Takeover

Rumtek Monastery lies 24 km from Gangtok, Sikkim (Northern India) and is regarded as the wealthiest of all Tibetan Buddhist monasteries. A few years after the 16th Karmapa passed into clear light in 1981, there were two claimants to the throne. One, Ogyen Trinley Dorje, was discovered by Tai Situ Rinpoche, who was one of the regents of the Karma Kagyu school; the other, Trinley Thaye Dorje, was discovered by the senior regent, Shamar Rinpoche. By tradition, it is the responsibility of Shamar Rinpoche to find and enthrone the next Karmapa but Tai Situ Rinpoche broke with tradition and protocol, and approached the Dalai Lama to endorse his candidate as the rightful Karmapa. It should be stated clearly that the Dalai Lama does not have any authority or influence in the appointment of the highest seat of the Karma Kagyus. Yet in this instance, the Dalai Lama sided with Tai Situ Rinpoche instead of mediating the conflict.

Today there are two 17th Karmapas – Tai Situ Rinpoche enthroned Ogyen Trinley Dorje with the support of the Dalai Lama, the CTA and, ironically, the Chinese government. Meanwhile, Shamar Rinpoche enthroned Trinley Thaye Dorje with the backing of a large percentage of the Karma Kagyus. By intervening in Karma Kagyu affairs then officiating his unwarranted intervention by drawing the CTA into fray, the Dalai Lama’s endorsement of a Karmapa candidate split the Karma Kagyu lineage. His decision sparked violent clashes over Rumtek Monastery, turning a holy site into a battlefield.

Disturbingly, as conflicts between the two parties escalated and continue to persist till this day, neither the Dalai Lama or the CTA have seen fit to step in once again, this time to arbitrate a quarrel which was not intractable until the Dalai Lama’s involvement. Despite the problems caused, the CTA remains recalcitrant. The Karmapa Charitable Trust (the legal and administrative body of Rumtek Monastery) officially declared Karmapa Trinley Thaye Dorje as the heir of the 16th Karmapa and this decision was upheld by the Indian court of law. Instead of respecting that, the Dalai Lama continues to regard Ogyen Trinley Dorje as the rightful Karmapa candidate, and endorses his status by constantly appearing in public and official events with him. The CTA’s refusal to act as a fair, impartial and democratic government is even more disturbing. A true spiritual leader who claims to represent all Tibetan Buddhist traditions should not take sides and act to the disadvantage of any particular lineage. A genuine government of the people would push for peaceful reconciliation. And yet none of these commonsense measures were or have been taken.

The Karmapa Controversy, just like the Dorje Shugden ban, is concrete proof that both the Dalai Lama and CTA do not operate on principles of peace and justice. In both cases, their actions led to results diametrically opposed to what they are supposed to uphold. Both the Dalai Lama and CTA are often heard preaching peace and unity. In fact, the CTA claims that banning the Shugden practice was necessary to safeguard unity amongst the Tibetan people. And yet the CTA’s ban of the Shugden practice and their endorsement of Tai Situ Rinpoche’s candidate split the largest (Gelug) and second largest (Kagyu) Buddhist schools, thereby tearing the entire Tibetan community apart.

4. Tai Situ Rinpoche’s Exile from India

An online transcript of Tai Situ Rinpoche’s speech upon arriving back in India. Click to enlarge. (Source: http://www.quietmountain.org/links/situ_rinpoche/situ_return.htm)

In 1994, Shri Narayan Singh filed a criminal complaint to the Chief Magistrate of Delhi alleging Tai Situ Rinpoche to be an agent of the Chinese along with Gyaltsab Rinpoche, and that they were part of a bigger Chinese conspiracy to bring about the disintegration of India.

The complaint alleged that the conspirators planned to do this by bringing about the amalgamation of the Tibetan Autonomous Region of China and the Indian state of Sikkim. Another similar report was allegedly filed by Sri Sridar Rao, an official of the government of Sikkim and was submitted to the Cabinet Secretary of India, T S R Subrahmanyam.

Ogyen Trinley Dorje (left) was found and recognized by Tai Situ Rinpoche (right) and is one of two claimants to the throne of the 17th Karmapa. This claimant, supported by the Chinese, is also supported by the Dalai Lama

Following a series of newspaper articles discussing this, the Indian government decided to ban Tai Situ Rinpoche in August 1994 from re-entering India on national security grounds. The ban was the culmination of a decade-long Indian intelligence investigation of Tai Situ Rinpoche’s activities in China. It seems that the recognition of a Chinese national as the Karmapa by Tai Situ Rinpoche, who was also backed by the Chinese, seemed to be at the heart of this controversy. A Chinese Karmapa would eventually wield tremendous power in Sikkim, where Rumtek (the seat of the Karmapa) lies.

And so, if it is true that the Dalai Lama and CTA were concerned about Chinese spies infiltrating their ranks and sabotaging the Tibetan independence movement, they would have been more reluctant to endorse a Chinese-sponsored Karmapa. Clearly however, Tai Situ Rinpoche and his protégé Ogyen Trinley Dorje’s close ties with China were of no concern to the Dalai Lama and CTA.

However, when it comes to individuals whom the CTA wishes to oppress and marginalize, the individual’s spiritual practice (which in fact precedes the Sino-Tibetan conflict) becomes reason enough for the CTA to label them ‘Chinese agents’. Even to be seen with any Chinese person is tantamount to treason. The CTA even went as far as publishing a hitlist of Shugden lamas and worshipers on their official website, denouncing them as criminals of society for protesting against the Dalai Lama.

Why is there such disparity between the way the CTA views Tai Situ Rinpoche and Ogyen Trinley Dorje, and the way they view all Shugden Buddhists? The only logical conclusion would be that in one situation, the CTA benefits from endorsing a Chinese-backed Karmapa whilst in the other, they do not benefit in any way. By endorsing a Karmapa candidate with confirmed ties to China and supporting Tai Situ Rinpoche whom Indian Intelligence suspects to be an agent of the Chinese government, the CTA proves its own malicious intentions. And this is not to mention the CTA’s complete disregard and respect for India’s security concerns.

5. The Sakyas and the Question of Samaya

The great Sakya Lama Chobgye Trichen Rinpoche (centre), together with the Karmapa Candidate Trinley Thaye Dorje (left) and the Sharmapa (right)

Another interesting point to note is the Dalai Lama’s view that all Tibetans have a spiritual bond with him, and this compels them to obey his every wish. Failure to do so harms the Dalai Lama’s life through the breaking of their samaya with him, or so they are told.

Yet the same policy does not apply to Sakya lamas and the Dalai Lama. The great Sakya Lama Chobgye Trichen Rinpoche, recognized by the 13th Dalai Lama as the 18th in the lineage of Chobgye Trichens, was instrumental in the Sharmapa’s recognition of Trinley Thaye Dorje as the rightful 17th Karmapa. During multiple dreams, Chobgye Trichen Rinpoche had visions of the late 16th Karmapa Rangjung Rigpe Dorje circumambulating stupas and even had a relative come to him with a photograph of a child who is supposed to be the reincarnation of the 16th Karmapa. Chobgye Trichen Rinpoche conveyed this to the Sharmapa in 1986, who then went on to recognize Trinley Thaye Dorje as the 17th Karmapa.

His Holiness the 14th Dalai Lama (left) receiving Sakya teachings and empowerments from Chobgye Trichen Rinpoche

His Holiness the 14th Dalai Lama is actually a student of Chobgye Trichen Rinpoche, having received Sakya teachings and empowerments from him. So the question arises: why did the Dalai Lama endorse Ogyen Trinley Dorje as the 17th Karmapa when his own Sakya teacher Chobgye Trinchen Rinpoche recognised Trinley Thaye Dorje instead?

Within Tibetan Buddhism, a student is supposed to follow the advice and actions of his/her teacher, so why didn’t the Dalai Lama abide by Chobgye Trichen Rinpoche’s recognition of Trinley Thaye Dorje as the correct reincarnation of the 16th Karmapa? This is not the first time that the Dalai Lama has gone against the advice or teachings of his teachers. The Dalai Lama also contradicted his main teachers, H.H. Ling Rinpoche and H.H. Trijang Rinpoche, when he abandoned the protector practice and imposed the ban on Dorje Shugden.

So how is it that Chobgye Trichen Rinpoche’s support for a rival Karmapa candidate, the Dalai Lama’s decision to support a candidate apart from the one Chobgye Trichen Rinpoche recognised, and the Dalai Lama’s turning against his own teachers’ practice all do not constitute breaking samaya? But Shugden worshipers’ refusal to obey the diktat of the Dalai Lama (with whom they might have no spiritual bond) is considered breaking samaya? Many Tibetan Buddhist practitioners have firmly-established samayas with their Shugden teachers and none with the Dalai Lama. Yet the CTA insists that ALL Tibetan Buddhists have to follow the Dalai Lama, or they will be accused of breaking samaya. This is completely absurd and shows that the Tibetan leadership are even prepared to distort long-established spiritual traditions to achieve their goals. It also shows the CTA to be nothing but the Dalai Lama’s enforcers, even enforcing something that is evidently wrong, just because the Dalai Lama said so.

Chobgye Trichen Rinpoche (left), the Karmapa candidate Ogyen Trinley Dorje, His Holiness Sakya Trizin (right) and His Holiness the 14th Dalai Lama (far right). Interestingly, Chobgye Trichen Rinpoche did NOT recognise Ogyen Trinley Dorje as the rightful Karmapa candidate, and instead recognised Trinley Thaye Dorje

Confounding the issue of samaya and the recognition of the Karmapa is the CTA’s involvement. Seen in the picture above is Chobgye Trichen Rinpoche, seated next to Ogyen Trinley Dorje, the opposing candidate for the throne of the Karmapa. Why would Chobgye Trichen Rinpoche sit next to or be seen with the Dalai Lama’s candidate which he himself did not select as the true Karmapa candidate? And when he himself clearly does not think Ogyen Trinley Dorje is the true Karmapa? Some could argue that perhaps Chobgye Trichen Rinpoche actually believes that both candidates are legitimate reincarnations of the Karmapa. This is highly unlikely however – if he did think this were the case, there is nothing to stop him from making a formal pronouncement of Ogyen Trinley Dorje as another legitimate reincarnation of the 16th Karmapa.

Note also that Ogyen Trinley Dorje is seated in between Chobgye Trichen Rinpoche and H.H. Sakya Trizin, the current head of the Sakya lineage, with the Dalai Lama on the far right. This picture highlights the political nature of the CTA and the Dalai Lama’s effort to portray religious harmony between the various Tibetan Buddhist lineages, but this show is obviously forced. Ogyen Trinley Dorje is placed between Sakya lamas, one of whom (Chobgye Trichen Rinpoche) we have already seen supports the opposing Karmapa candidate.

Left to right: Shangpa Kagyu Lama Trinlay Tulku Rinpoche, H.E. Sakya Jetsun Chimey Luding Rinpoche, H.E. Luding Khenchen Rinpoche, 17th Karmapa candidate Trinley Thaye Dorje, H.H. Sakya Trizin, H.E. Ratna Vajra Rinpoche, Dagmo Kusho Tashi Lhakyi (consort of H.H. Sakya Trizin) and Dagmo Kalden Dunkyi (consort of H.E. Ratna Vajra Rinpoche)

Adding to the Sakya involvement within the Karma Kagyu lineage is H.H. Sakya Trizin’s confusing association with both Karmapa candidates. Often seen together with Ogyen Trinley Dorje at the Dalai Lama’s events and teachings, Sakya Trizin has also been seen with the other candidate Trinley Thaye Dorje. In the photo above for example, Sakya Trizin is seated next to the Karmapa candidate not endorsed by the Dalai Lama. Rather than a political photograph, this is more of an intimate setting, with many lamas of both the Sakya and Kagyu lineages coming together. They include Luding Khenchen Rinpoche, head of the Ngor tradition within the Sakya lineage.

H.H. Sakya Trizin is also a student of Chobgye Trichen Rinpoche, who identified Trinley Thaye Dorje as the rightful Karmapa reincarnation. Therefore it is logical to assume he supports Trinley Thaye Dorje’s claim to the throne of the Karmapa rather than the Dalai Lama-endorsed Ogyen Trinley Dorje.

Why is it that H.H. Sakya Trizin can be seen with both Karmapa candidates without reprisal from the CTA or the Dalai Lama? Is the Sakya Trizin simply sitting on the fence, not wanting to embroil himself in another lineage’s affairs or is the CTA forcing him into the position of associating with the Dalai Lama’s choice of Ogyen Trinley Dorje over his own guru’s choice of Trinley Thaye Dorje as the correct Karmapa candidate?

H.H. Sakya Trizin recently bestowed a special empowerment to Ogyen Trinley Dorje, the Karmapa candidate recognised by Tai Situ Rinpoche and the Dalai Lama. This contradicts Sakya Trizin’s guru’s acknowledgement of Trinley Thaye Dorje as the Karmapa

In addition to this, Sakya Trizin was recently invited to give an empowerment to Ogyen Trinley Dorje, a candidate not recognized by his own teacher. Did Sakya Trizin really want to give the empowerment or was this due to pressure from the CTA to once again portray religious harmony? Sakya Trizin’s indecision regarding which Karmapa candidate to support can be bewildering to say the least, especially since he has never publicly stated which Karmapa candidate he supports.

It could be argued that H.H. Sakya Trizin is appearing with both Karmapa candidates to remain neutral, even though his own teacher was instrumental in the recognition of one candidate. However, Sakya Trizin has not extended this neutrality to all other sects of Tibetan Buddhism. For despite Sakya Trizin’s “neutrality” regarding the Karmapa candidates, he has clearly and publicly denounced Dorje Shugden practice. This in itself is a double standard – if his aim is to remain neutral in a Karma Kagyu issue because it does not concern the Sakyas, he should also remain neutral on the Dorje Shugden issue which does not concern the Sakyas. In adhering to the CTA’s attitude of non-involvement in the Karmapa dispute, yet publicly denouncing Dorje Shugden, Sakya Trizin allows himself to be influenced with the double standards of the CTA, a stance that is unbecoming of the spiritual head of the indomitable Sakya lineage.

The Nyingma Lama Dilgo Khyentse Yangsi Rinpoche (left) together with Karmapa candidate Trinley Thaye Dorje (right)

Despite the CTA’s strict insistence that all Tibetans loyal to the Dalai Lama are not to associate with anyone who opposes the Dalai Lama even symbolically, Sakya Trizin nevertheless met with the Karmapa candidate not endorsed by the Dalai Lama (Trinley Thaye Dorje) and escaped the CTA’s wrath. Sakya Trizin is not the only high lama who has openly flouted this non-association rule by the CTA.

The present reincarnation of the great Dilgo Khyentse Rinpoche also paid a visit to Trinley Thaye Dorje in 2010 and was not rebuked for it. Sakya Trizin and Dilgo Khyentse Yangsi Rinpoche’s disregard for the CTA and the Dalai Lama’s policies are not different from Shugden practitioners’ disregard of the Dalai Lama and CTA’s order to abandon the practice. The difference however, is that Dorje Shugden practitioners are persecuted for disobeying the CTA whereas many like Sakya Trizin and Dilgo Khyentse Yangsi Rinpoche remain untouched. This reflects not only the CTA’s lack of consistency when it comes to reprimanding those who disregard their policies, it also shows that many high lamas regard the Dalai Lama and CTA’s orders to be ridiculous and refuse to be bound by it.

Sogyal Rinpoche (left) leading His Holiness the Dalai Lama (right)

Controversy also exists within the Nyingma lineage specifically surrounding Sogyal Rinpoche who has been the focus of many inquiries. Sogyal Rinpoche has been the subject of numerous lawsuits brought over the years by students and others who have had some associations with Sogyal Rinpoche. Some of the accusations against Sogyal Rinpoche even call into question his authenticity as a high Tibetan lama. Despite the controversies and questions surrounding Sogyal Rinpoche, the Dalai Lama still associates with Sogyal Rinpoche and his religious activities, including the opening of Lerab Ling, a large temple in Montpelier, France in 2008.

Even though these matters have arisen consistently over the years, the Dalai Lama makes no move to disassociate with Sogyal Rinpoche or question his actions. In fact the Dalai Lama’s continuing association with Sogyal Rinpoche is seen by many as an endorsement of Sogyal Rinpoche’s character, and perhaps even a silent rebuttal of accusations against Sogyal Rinpoche. This may be the Dalai Lama’s attempt to once again portray religious tolerance, or it may be the Dalai Lama’s acknowledgement of Sogyal Rinpoche’s instrumentality to the Dalai Lama’s objectives. Whatever the Dalai Lama’s motivations may be, the Dalai Lama does nothing about Sogyal Rinpoche and the controversies surrounding him. This behaviour is markedly different compared to the Dalai Lama’s approach to the ban on Dorje Shugden, where the Dalai Lama emphatically enforces it and denounces lamas or practitioners alike if they continue in the practice of Dorje Shugden.
 
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Double Standards & Destabilisation

Rather than highlighting issues within the Kagyu, Nyingma and Sakya lineages, this article seeks to point out the selectivity of the CTA when dealing with Tibetan Buddhist issues, and how their bias and prejudice have the potential to destabilize Tibetan society. On the one hand, the CTA practices a non-involvement policy towards the Kagyupas; on the other hand, the CTA enforces a continued and vigorous campaign against Dorje Shugden. This prejudice appears to have filtered down to the heads of various lineages, and has the potential to create resentment between the different lineages. For example, Sakya Trizin speaks up against the Dorje Shugden practice, but remains indifferent when it comes to the troubles surrounding the Karmapa issue or forced conversion of the Drukpa Kagyus. Outwardly, it may appear that he holds a bias against the Gelugs, and a bias in favour of the Kagyus.

These incidents of indifferent non-involvement at times and aggressive partisanship at other times clearly demonstrate a lack of consistency which is indicative of good government. However, instead of making any effort to be fair and equitable in its management of state affairs, double standards and bias continue to dominate the CTA’s character. If an administration such as the CTA is seen to regularly fail in its duty to its people, how can it expect to receive support from progressive nation states in its campaign to regain control of its homeland? More importantly, how can the Tibetan people and religious leaders even trust the CTA and have enough confidence in them to secure freedom for them?

What is the Dalai Lama and CTA’s real purpose in persisting in such discriminating policies? Is the real intention of the Dalai Lama and CTA to unite their people and pursue a genuine fight for freedom, or is it to divide the Tibetan community for their own selfish agendas? Based on hard facts and analysis of past events, it would seem that the latter is more plausible. This sends an extremely negative image of the Tibetan people and Tibetan Buddhism to the world.

The Dorje Shugden ban; the interference in the Kagyu leadership; the refusal or failure to intercede when a religious sect preys on another, the loose and wrongful distortion of important spiritual traditions such as the upholding of the proper meaning and significance of samaya, and the dangerous self-serving application of laws and policies can only serve to destroy the reputation of the Tibetan people and along with it, their culture and religion. All of these issues should have been resolved quickly by the Dalai Lama and the CTA in a manner befitting an effective leadership based on sound political structure and governance. However, this has not been the case and their double standard politics exposes the real situation – a lack of sound political and religious leadership that has not only created multiple rifts with Tibetan Buddhist society, but their continued policies of non-involvement only further solidify these divisions. Clearly it is the Tibetan leadership that has been creating disharmony among the Tibetan people, hindering their efforts for self-autonomous rule of Tibet or complete freedom, while tarnishing the reputation of the great practice lineages of Tibetan Buddhism for adherents all over the world.

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

Special Announcement from DorjeShugden.com

DorjeShugden.com wishes the Gyalwang Drukpa well and prays that this issue of forced conversion by other lineages is peacefully and swiftly resolved so that the glorious Drukpa lineage is preserved and flourishes. We send our prayers and dedicate the merits from our practice for this to happen.

We also wish the Karma Kagyu lineage well. May the current issues regarding the Karmapa candidates be resolved and the Kagyu lineage become whole once again.

DorjeShugden.com Admin

Related links:

• Self-Immolations Have Failed The Tibetans (http://www.dorjeshugden.com/all-articles/features/self-immolations-have-failed-the-tibetans)
• Dalai Lama Recognizes Bon Faith (http://www.dorjeshugden.com/all-articles/features/dalai-lama-recognizes-the-bon)
• Tibetan Leadership Publishes Hit List (http://www.dorjeshugden.com/all-articles/features/tibetan-leadership-publishes-hit-list)
• Tibetan Leadership Organizes Violence (http://www.dorjeshugden.com/all-articles/features/tibetan-leadership-organizes-violence)
• Geshe Lhundub Sopa Speaks About Shugden (http://www.dorjeshugden.com/all-articles/features/geshe-lhundub-sopa-speaks-about-shugden)
• Will The Karmapa Save Dorje Shugden (http://www.dorjeshugden.com/all-articles/features/will-the-karmapa-save-dorje-shugden)
• Divine Friends The Karmapa and Trijang Rinpoche (http://www.dorjeshugden.com/all-articles/features/divine-friends-the-karmapa-and-trijang-rinpoche)
• What’s The Similarity Between Sharmapa and Shugden’s Dilemma (http://www.dorjeshugden.com/all-articles/the-controversy/whats-the-similarity-between-sharmapa-and-shugdens-dilemma)
• Karmapa Asked Anti-Shugden Statue to be Removed (http://www.dorjeshugden.com/all-articles/the-controversy/karmapa)
• True Spiritual Leadership: Karmapa Vs Dalai Lama (http://www.dorjeshugden.com/all-articles/features/true-spiritual-leadership-karmapa-vs-dalai-lama)
• Biography of the Fifth Dalai Lama (http://www.dorjeshugden.com/great-masters/enlightened-lamas-series/the-great-fifth-dalai-lama-ngawang-lobsang-gyatso-1617-1682)

There is an old saying, “All is fair in love and war”. Miguel de Cervantes made the comparison in the 1604 play Don Quixote when he wrote, “Love and war are all one. It is lawful to use sleights and stratagems to attain the wished end.” And apparently, the adage applies to Tibetan Buddhism as well.

Since the 17th Karmapa Ogyen Trinley Dorje emerged into the limelight after his dramatic escape from China in the year 2000, he is increasingly seen to be a protégé of the present and 14th Dalai Lama. The relationship of the elder statesman cum spiritual leader with the younger monk goes beyond cordial respect of a leader of one Tibetan Buddhist sect for the head of a rival sect. The two live very close by to one another in Dharamsala and often the younger Karmapa is included when the Dalai Lama grants audiences to delegations and journalists. At other times, the Dalai Lama is heard actively encouraging the media to seek audience with the Karmapa, promoting the latter in very positive and encouraging tones.

The 17th Karmapa, previously deemed an enemy of the Dalai Lama, is told of the Dalai Lama’s succession plans

It is not surprising that speculations are rife that the Karmapa Ogyen Trinley Dorje is a likely successor to the Dalai Lama. A 2012 video captures a conversation between the Dalai Lama and Ling Choktrul Rinpoche, the reincarnation of the Dalai Lama’s senior tutor, and the Karmapa Ogyen Trinley Dorje in which the Dalai Lama can be heard saying,

…and when I die, you will be the ones who will continue my work…

So it is clear how the Dalai Lama feels about the young Karmapa.

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As the Dalai Lama has shown deep respect and preference for the Karmapa, it would seem that such reverence is mutual. In 1961, the 16th and previous Karmapa whom Karmapa Ogyen Trinley Dorje is the present incarnation of, hailed the Dalai Lama as a pillar of the Dharma and in adulation, said,

You are the great wish-fulfilling jewel.
Pervading the world with myriad lights,
[May You be] permanent, stable, and unchanging as a diamond,
In the red palace of Lhasa on the golden throne held high by lions…

A few years before that, in 1954, during the momentous meeting between the Dalai Lama and Chairman Mao Zedong, the Dalai Lama was accompanied by a delegate of notable Tibetans whom the Dalai Lama trusted and regarded as important. The 16th Karmapa was amongst them. Indeed, the Dalai Lama regarded the Karmapa as a “close friend” and “a very good human being¹“.

From the book “The Dance of 17 Lives” page 236

From the book “The Dance of 17 Lives” page 237

Seeing that both the Dalai Lama and the Karmapa are emanations of Bodhisattvas, they are then the literal reincarnations of their previous holy lives. In other words, each of them would be the return of the same (singular) and enlightened mind stream and thus, are supposed to be completely omniscient, and should have retained perfect recollection of past knowledge and memories. Therefore, it is only natural to conclude that this affable, mutually respectful and trusting relationship that has been established over centuries and lifetimes is steadfast. But as we shall see, that is in fact not the case.

The 16th Karmapa, Rangjung Rigpe Dorje together with the 14th Dalai Lama

In an interview with the Dalai Lama in 2001 as narrated by Mick Brown in his book, The Dance of 17 Lives, the Dalai Lama inferred that the 16th Karmapa, whom he had on numerous occasions acclaimed as Buddha Akshobhya, was not at all learned and in fact had told lies about the Dalai Lama (ibid 238). In making this statement, the Dalai Lama was responding to rumors he had heard wherein the Karmapa was alleged to have said that the Dalai Lama was a politician and not a genuine lama.

So we see that in fact all is not well, at least for now, between these two great incarnations and emanations of Avalokiteshvara. The erstwhile warmhearted affection for one another seems to have chilled considerably. The question is, how can there be such a dramatic shift in the attitudes of two supposedly ecclesiastical figures towards one another? Both the Karmapa and the Dalai Lama are ‘tulkus’ meaning that they are the undeviating incarnations of the exact same mind-stream that honored and revered one another. How can the divine being that the Dalai Lama trusted be the same one he then accused of lying and the precise one that he now regards as trustworthy again and seems to be promoting as his successor?

In samsara, such drastic swings of opinion are understandable because samsaric beings are supposed to be helplessly subjected to conditions and perceptions; and opinions are driven by what suits the ego best at the time and what serves the hidden agenda most effectively; but surely these human foibles do not apply to enlightened beings that are supposed to have transcended samsara and such gross transpositions in human feelings and emotions. And yet we see that this is not an isolated case and we see that inconsistencies and instabilities in relationships are very much prominent features in Tibetan Buddhism, at least insofar as affairs regulated by the Dalai Lama line of incarnations.

The Dalai Lama as the Fifth almost decimated the Karma Kagyu lineage, forcibly converted monasteries belonging to the Karmapa and the Sharmapa to Gelug practices, and sent the Karmapa into hiding. But as the Fourteenth, he empowers and promotes the same mind-stream embodied in the Karmapa and readies him for even greater power.

The Fifth Dalai Lama rendered the Jonang sect extinct, annexed all their monasteries into the Gelug monasteries, and declared the Jonangs sectarian and its practitioners apostates of the true Dharma. The same mind stream manifesting as the Fourteenth Dalai Lama formally recognized the Jonang as the fifth Tibetan Buddhist sect and calls it a living Buddhist tradition – the complete opposite of what they were previously accused of and persecuted for. So what was heretical becomes a living tradition and custodian of the Buddha Dharma without having to change one iota of its lineage practice.

And nowhere is this contradiction and unpredictability more conspicuous than in the relationship between the Dalai Lama and the Wisdom Buddha, Dorje Shugden. The Dalai Lama’s line of incarnations and Dorje Shugden’s line of incarnations have intertwined since the time of Lama Tsongkapa, who was master to both incarnations of that period – Gendun Drub and Duldzin Drakpa Gyaltsen. In his manifestation as Sonam Gyatso, the 3rd Dalai Lama received teachings from his beloved Guru, Panchen Sonam Drakpa, who a past incarnation of Dorje Shugden.

As Lobsang Gyatso the Great Fifth, the Dalai Lama acknowledged Tulku Drakpa Gyaltsen (another past incarnation of Dorje Shugden) as an incarnation of Panchen Sonam Drakpa, an undisputed enlightened mind, and then in the same lifetime declared Dorje Shugden to be a perfidious spirit. Then, just as suddenly, a Praise was written to Dorje Shugden as an enlightened being.

A refrain of this Shakespearian comedy is now being played out, again with the Dalai Lama as the protagonist, this time as the Fourteenth. He too began as an ardent practitioner of Dorje Shugden, wrote a beautiful Praise to Dorje Shugden, commented positively on Tulku Drakpa Gyaltsen and then without warning declared the Dorje Shugden practice heretical and its followers sectarian. This sudden reversal of the divinity of Dorje Shugden would be alarming if not for the fact that such vagaries are characteristic and habitual of the Dalai Lama who is the embodiment of two totally contrarian roles, spirituality and politics.

It is not only the Dalai Lama who displays such paradox but many who are in his fold. And we see this clearly in the recent 12th Religious Conference of Four Major Schools of Tibetan Buddhism and Bon Tradition² during which the heads of the various Tibetan Buddhist schools condemned the practice of Dorje Shugden. Amongst them was the Sakya Trizin whose predecessors had regarded Dorje Shugden as being one in nature with Avalokiteshvara; the Karmapa whose previous incarnations have been both friends and enemies with the Dalai Lama, and who had defended Dorje Shugden in the past³ yet now joins in the condemnation; the Jonangs who were schismatic apostates according to the Dalai Lama but who now lend their role to this drama. All are manifesting forgetfulness and denial of their individual and collective espousals of peaceful ideals, and are brazenly pretending that no one would remember their previous attestations of Dorje Shugden, of the Dalai Lama, and of each other.

The 12th Religious Conference of Four Major Schools of Tibetan Buddhism and Bon Tradition in June 2015 where the practice of Dorje Shudgen was condemned

So what conclusions do we draw from such wild swings in the behavior, thoughts and opinions of supposedly enlightened beings? There can only be two. Either they are mere mortals acting under the convenient guise of Buddhas and Bodhisattvas, each with an agenda that is best served by being friends or foes at different times depending on what the situation calls form.

Or they are truly enlightened beings working towards an invisible objective and operating under a ‘Just War’ code which postulates that the End justifies the Means. The great Indian epic, the Mahabharata, offers such an example of a ‘just war’ where Lord Krishna the wise philosopher, the guide to the lost, the hero of the righteous, the teacher of justice, the friend of the benevolent and the protector of truth, who could have easily prevented a war between the Pandavas and the Kauravas, instead chose war.

Some Dalai Lama apologists have argued that the Dalai Lama’s aggression towards Dorje Shugden is a just war being fought for the betterment of the Buddha Dharma, and done with full consent of the deity Dorje Shugden. Others have said that the Dalai Lama is no more than a ruthless politician who has banned a religion that stands in his way of consolidating total power over the Tibetan people. They cite the Dalai Lama’s own words when he said during his interview with Glenn Mullin,

These monasteries (Jonang) were closed for political reasons, not religious ones, and their closing had nothing to do with sectarianism…⁴.

That is to say that the Dalai Lama (in his past and present incarnations) has no hesitation in destroying a religious order for reasons known only to him, and blame it on that order practicing apostasy and being sectarian. Replace the labels, resume the stratagem and maintain the ruse, and you have the Dorje Shugden Conflict today.

Notes:

1. p236, The Dance of 17 Lives, Mick Brown, Bloomsbury Publishing, 2004.
2. http://tibet.net/2015/06/12th-religious-conference-of-four-major-schools-of-tibetan-buddhism-and-bon-tradition-underway/
3. While the 16th Karmapa was on a pilgrimage in Nepal he stopped at Orgyen Rinpoche’s monastery. As the Karmapa entered the monastery he saw a statue of Guru Dragpo trampling Dorje Shugden. The Karmapa stood in the presence of the statue for a while, then pointed his finger at it and asked “who is the person that said to build this statue? This isn’t Nyingma nor Sakya, certainly not Gelug and not Kagyu either. I didn’t say to build it, this is not one of the deities you can’t rely on (meaning you can rely on Dorje Shugden). Although the time is a little early in the future you will definitely need to rely on this deity.” (Dorje Shugden) No one dared to respond and own responsibility. The Karmapa then said “remove this now.” Immediately a person with an axe and shovel came and removed the offensive statue. Many lamas present at that time definitely remember, a seventy five year old man from Chamdo called Samcho witnessed this event.
4. p 207, the Fourteen Dalai Lamas, Glenn Mullins, 2001

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.

As peaceful protests against the Dalai Lama over his ban on the worship of Shugden intensify, his propaganda machine ─ the Central Tibetan Administration (CTA) ─ have endeavored to portray Shugden devotees as a group of violence-prone extremists who collaborate with and are funded by Beijing. Discrediting those who refuse to bow down to the Dalai Lama’s authority within the Tibetan Diaspora is nothing new.

Behind Tenzin Gyatso’s veneer of enlightenment lies a secret dark history of repressions and human rights abuses, committed against the very people he is supposed to protect.

The Shugden community is aptly described as the latest victim of the Dalai Lama’s prolonged attempt to establish an absolute powerbase among the exiled Tibetans throughout the world. It is by no means the first to have been targeted by the Dalai Lama and the CTA.

H.H. Dudjom Rinpoche

In 1963, His Holiness Dudjom Rinpoche, acknowledged as head of the Nyingma school within Tibetan Buddhism, was arrested in Siliguri by the Indian authorities on charges of espionage for the Chinese. Although he was later released, it was whispered that his popularity with Tibetans was seen as a threat to the Dalai Lama.

Not only did Dudjom Rinpoche have many followers, he was also opposed to the idea that all Tibetan Buddhist schools should be amalgamated under the leadership of the Dalai Lama. On being asked what his opinion was on the issue of amalgamation, Dudjom Rinpoche said,

Part of our purpose is to preserve all lineages as methods for attaining enlightenment. We should sustain our own tradition while respecting and rejoicing in the virtue of other traditions.

From Dudjom Rinpoche’s statement, it was evident the Nyingmapas were ready to co-exist with the other traditions within Tibetan Buddhism. Yet, later on, the Dalai Lama would declare that the reason for their reluctance to work with the others was because they could not abide Shugden followers.

It wasn’t enough for the Dalai Lama that the head of the Nyingmapas had been accused of being a Chinese spy. His followers had to be set against the Shugdenpas as well. Obviously, the price of disobedience to the dictates of the Dalai Lama was very high indeed.

If anyone were to ask why the Indian authorities would act as the henchmen of the Dalai Lama by arresting Dudjom Rinpoche, a closer look at the shared history between the two is sufficient.

Geopolitically, India has a number of territorial disputes with China. By helping the Dalai Lama, the Indian government proved itself capable of being a thorn in China’s side. The collaboration between New Delhi and the Dalai Lama would deepen. The latter would even authorize the use of Tibet’s secret guerrilla army ─ funded by the CIA ─ in India’s wars against Pakistan.

Dudjom Rinpoche wasn’t alone in his opposition to the Dalai Lama’s imposition of absolute power. In a bid to unify all Tibetans in exile, the Dalai Lama, through his brother Gyalo Thondup, sponsored the formation of the United Party in 1964.

Although some of the United Party’s programs that promoted understanding and cultural unity found support among the Tibetans, it was when they tried to push for religious unity that many objected. There were at least 13 settlements within the Tibetan Diaspora that stood in the way, known as the Thirteen Group.

The Thirteen Group included the leaders of the Nyingma and Kagyu schools. More damaging for the Dalai Lama was that the groups secured the support of the 16th Karmapa, who agreed to be their spiritual leader.

Other lamas, including the famous Dilgo Khyentse Rinpoche, also joined the opposition. They also elected a layman, Gungthang Tsultrim, who acted as their political leader in their fight against the United Party’s bid for religious uniformity.

Unable to persuade them to conform, the CTA, then known as the Tibetan Government-in-Exile, decided to once again enlist the help of the Indian authorities. Bringing pressure to bear, New Delhi ordered relocation for 24 prominent members of the opposition. Two of those ordered to move challenged the orders in the Indian High Court and won.

Embittered by their legal defeat, Dharamsala decided to orchestrate the assassination of the political leader of the Thirteen Group, Gungthang Tsultrim, who was shot from close range on March 13, 1977. The assassin, by the name of Amdo Rekhang Tenzin, admitted to being paid 300,000 rupees by the Tibetan Government-in-Exile to commit the act.

H.H. the 16th Karmapa Rangjung Rigpe Dorje and H.H. the 14th Dalai Lama

By siding with the opposition groups, the 16th Karmapa Rangjung Rigpe Dorje was marked as an enemy by the Dalai Lama. When he died in 1981, a search for his reincarnated successor began. Two candidates emerged and the Dalai Lama exacted his revenge on the Karma Kagyus by supporting Ogyen Trinley Dorje instead of Trinley Thaye Dorje, the candidate backed by the enemy of Tibetan independence, the Chinese government in Beijing.

The role of the Dalai Lama in the selection of the 17th Karmapa was nothing short of extraordinary. As a lama of the Gelugpa school, he had no religious authority to confirm the reincarnation of a Kagyu lama, much less the Karmapa himself. What motivated him to do so remains shrouded in mystery but it was, all the same, an act of betrayal.

The secret history of the Dalai Lama is slowly emerging into light. It has remained secret because most people do not associate such acts of deceit and violence with the self-proclaimed “simple monk” that the mainstream media presents him to be. This history portrays Tenzin Gyatso as the politician who uses his monk’s robes as a façade. It is time we brought down that façade.

John N.

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.

The late Shamarpa with H.H. the 17th Karmapa Trinley Thaye Dorje

On 11 June 2014, the world lost a light when news of the passing of Kunzig Shamar Rinpoche Mepham Chokyi Lodro surfaced. Devotees from all around the world mourned and prepared for the final rites of H.H the 14th Shamarpa, which the late master himself had indicated should be performed in Nepal.

The proper legal procedures were observed and the appropriate permits obtained in preparation for the final journey of Shamar Rinpoche’s holy kudung (physical remains) from India to Nepal on July 13, 2014. An unforeseen complication arose however; the government of Nepal suddenly withdrew their approval for Shamar Rinpoche’s kudung to enter the country.

While high lamas and disciples from near and far gathered in Shar Minub monastery in Kathmandu in anticipation of the final rites, Shamar Rinpoche’s kudung remained enshrined in the Diwakar Vihara Buddhist Academy in Kalimpong, India and his administration worked around the clock to resolve the concerns of the Nepalese government.

As the end of July approached, permission was still not granted even with students and relatives petitioning the government and making heartfelt appeals to the Prime Minister of Nepal. One can only imagine the anger, frustration, disappointment and emotional outcry during the fight to bring Shamarpa’s holy kudung back to Nepal, the place with which his line of incarnations has a strong karmic bond and where he had been actively spreading the Dharma.

A report from the Shamarpa’s official website (click to enlarge)

With the situation deteriorating and tempers flaring, the spiritual leader of the Karma Kagyu sect, His Holiness the 17th Gyalwa Karmapa Trinley Thaye Dorje rose above all to guide his people, stating and advising them:

This is a time for wisdom and responsibility. We must guard ourselves from any thoughts, words and actions that could lead to harm or unnecessary karma. ~ H.H. the 17th Karmapa Trinley Thaye Dorje

This is a strong, apt and powerful statement from the Karmapa, befitting a true spiritual leader, to forewarn his disciples of the karma they can create for themselves should they be misguided by anger and frustration thus leading to violence or unfavorable actions.

Leaders should always look out for the welfare of those under their guidance, and this is even more necessary when it comes to spiritual leadership. It is clear that the Karmapa does as he preaches, that the welfare of all his disciples are in his consideration, and his statement alone as Spiritual Head of the Karma Kagyu lineage did much to prevent his followers and those of the Shamarpa from creating harm for others and themselves.

H.H. the 17th Karmapa Trinley Thaye Dorje

Unfortunately, the same cannot be said for His Holiness the 14th Dalai Lama, considered by many to be the leader of all Tibetan Buddhists. Knowing full well that hatred and discrimination is running rife amongst his followers and the Tibetan citizenry, the Dalai Lama does nothing to advise them against the violence shown towards Dorje Shugden practitioners.

As the temporal and spiritual leader of Tibet, there is no doubt that news of the attack on Gen Chonze of Trijang Ladrang, the ruthless occupation of Domo Geshe Rinpoche’s monastery not once but twice, and the aggression of Dalai Lama supporters towards peaceful demonstrators in Europe, amongst many other unjust events, would have reached the Dalai Lama’s ears.

One would expect nothing less of a spiritual leader (and a Nobel Peace Prize winner to boot) than to put a stop to such actions that accomplish nothing but to divide and separate the community further. Most bizarrely however, the Dalai Lama has done nothing of the sort – no reprimand or advice has crossed his lips, and the violence and discrimination against Dorje Shugden practitioners continues unabated.

Why has the Dalai Lama remained silent regarding the widespread and proven incidents of violence perpetrated by his supporters? One need only compare his actions to those of the Karmapa, who endeavors to protect his followers from performing any sort of harmful action, even before it has happened.

The Central Tibetan Adminstration (CTA) has even published a hit list of Dorje Shugden practitioners. Why has the Dalai Lama kept silent about the actions of his own administration, unless its publication was also approved by him?

H.H. the 14th Dalai Lama is famed for his advice on inter-religious tolerance and peace, except when it comes to Dorje Shugden practitioners

The tenets of Buddhism do not encourage the harming of others, let alone acts of violence. The Dalai Lama himself has quoted this in his recent plea to Sri Lankan monks to stop their acts of violence against minority Muslims, even asking them “to imagine an image of Buddha” before committing anti-Muslims crimes.

If the Dalai Lama can advise Sri Lankan Buddhists against harming those from different religious beliefs, why does he not give the same advice to his people who are squarely against Dorje Shugden worshippers, who also happen to be fellow Buddhists? Doesn’t his tolerance and consideration apply to Dorje Shugden practitioners too? In fact, the Dalai Lama’s silence is an indirect form of approval and encouragement of violent behavior towards Dorje Shugden practitioners.

The Dalai Lama has also spoken out against caste-based discrimination, but in effecting the ban on Dorje Shugden, he has in fact further segregated his own people. Shugden practitioners are not allowed in the three great monasteries of Ganden, Drepung or Sera unless they swear to give up his practice, they are not allowed to attend the Dalai Lama’s teachings, nor do they have equal opportunities and access to education and medical care. Surprisingly (or unsurprisingly), the Dalai Lama has also done nothing about these acts of discrimination within the Tibetan monastic community.

A spiritual leader’s role is to dispense advice and to teach by example. The 17th Karmapa Trinley Thaye Dorje is doing that very well. The Dalai Lama would do well to follow his lead rather than silently endorsing atrocities of human rights abuse.

NOTE: The Nepal government eventually relented their stance and allowed the Shamarpa’s kudung to enter Nepal. Kunzig Shamar Rinpoche’s kudung arrived at Shar Minub monastery on 29 July 2014, and the final cremation ceremony took place on 31 July 2014.

In a recent interview, the 14th Dalai Lama referred to the ongoing but recently escalated Gaza crisis as “unthinkable” on the basis that he did not expect “such violence from people who claim to hold religious principles”. Commenting on the failure of others to abide by their respective religious tenets, the Dalai Lama went on to say that:

All major religious traditions – Islam, Christianity, Hindu, of course, Jainism and Buddhism – all major religious traditions teach us the practice of compassion, love, forgiveness, tolerance. So then a person who believes in certain faith, why do you involve in such violence? It is really very, very sad.

The words of the Dalai Lama carry significant truth and indeed it is unfortunate when those who claim to practice a religion do not uphold the principles of their own religious teachings. No doubt such duplicity would lead onlookers to conclude that the religion in question is ineffective and its principles, hollow.

While the Dalai Lama’s lamentation cannot be disputed as a generic statement, it completely loses its value when it is said by the Dalai Lama, who himself has been proven to be culpable of the exact same accusations he levied at the warring parties in the Gaza catastrophe. Many of the Dalai Lama’s actions in the past and present disqualifies him from taking the moral high ground, none more so than his ban of Dorje Shugden, an ancient Tibetan Buddhist deity whose followers seem to have fallen out of favour with the Dalai Lama.

The Dalai Lama rightly or not, is seen as the ultimate Buddhist icon and all Buddhists practitioners pay special attention to a set of Buddhist principles known as the ‘Noble Eightfold Path’, which is the most basic of the Buddhist codes of practice. But does the Dalai Lama obey even the most basic of the Buddha’s teachings?

Amongst the eight principles is ‘Right Intention’ which includes a firm intention not to inflict harm unto others. But instead of upholding this, we see the Dalai Lama, often acting in concert with his government – the Central Tibetan Administration (CTA), inciting violence to be inflicted upon those who opposes his will. Upon examining the Dalai Lama’s religious ban and his government-sponsored activities taken to enforce the ban, the intentional harm to the religion and the people is easy to see.

Another of the Eightfold Path principles is ‘Right Speech’ which involves abstaining from lies, deceitful speech, slanderous and malicious speech, and harsh words that offend and hurt others. The Dalai Lama imposed the ban on Dorje Shugden in 1996 and in the 18 years since, he has been unable to produce any evidence to justify his breach of the Shugden people’s right to practice their religion. Instead of meaningful dialogue, the Dalai Lama embarked on a character assassination campaign, labeling Shugden worshippers as Chinese agents out to destroy the Tibetan cause, notwithstanding the fact that the practice began hundreds of years before China became the Tibetan people’s enemy.

Senior monks who practice Dorje Shugden were denounced and blamed for all sorts of crime including murder. Religious platforms such as teaching events were used by the Dalai Lama as opportunities to vilify Dorje Shugden. No one was spared, not even the Dalai Lama’s own Guru, which is unheard of, especially when we consider that the person the Dalai Lama defamed was the great and indisputable Buddhist saint, Kyabje Trijang Rinpoche himself. It is ironic that instead of being the sterling example of this principle of Right Speech, the Dalai Lama in recent years has been associated with protest slogans that demands for him to ‘Stop Lying’.

Tibetan monks and lay Buddhists were forced to protest the Dalai Lama’s illegal ban and harmful lies as a last resort to stop more damage from being done

And then, there’s the principle of “Right Action” that the Buddha taught, which forbids practitioners from harming sentient beings, especially the taking of a life including one’s own life and taking what is not given. Contrary to this principle, we see the Dalai Lama refusing to intervene and even subtly encouraging self-immolations by Tibetans which rose to over 120 in a few short years, martyring those who set themselves on fire. By his actions, the Dalai Lama clearly chose to gain political capital from those needless deaths instead of taking actions to preserve the lives of his own people.

The Dalai Lama refused to stop Tibetans from self-immolating until it was much too late

The Dalai Lama speaks of Compassion which lies at the heart of the Buddha’s teachings. Compassion in Buddhism is the readiness to take on pain if it means alleviating the suffering of others. It is not the creation of suffering for others as the ransom to fulfilling one’s own political agendas, which is really the only way to describe the Dalai Lama’s ban on Dorje Shugden. Where was the Dalai Lama’s compassion when he knowingly took actions that caused families to split, turned friends into foes and caused monks to be expelled from their only homes within the temple walls?

The Dalai Lama also mentions ‘tolerance’ in his comments but we see intolerance is his actions, evidenced by the way he condemns the Shugden practice and has even vowed to see to its destruction. Surely ‘tolerance’ would mean respecting the people’s right to their own religious practices even if the Dalai Lama personally does not subscribe to the sanctity of Dorje Shugden (which itself would be strange because the Dalai Lama himself wrote prayers that held Dorje Shugden in the highest praise). In public, the Dalai Lama has also callously referred to an ordained nun’s practice as “spirit worship”. Is it thinkable that the head of a religion would denounce a high deity worshipped by some as a god to be merely a spirit at times, and a demon at others? Is that tolerance of other’s religious practice?

Ironically the Gaza conflict that the Dalai Lama was commenting on began as a split within the same family. It was a man-made quarrel that arose out of schismatic minds, which metastasized into a full-scale and out-of-control war that has dominated the landscape of two religious groups that once shared the same faith. And that is why the Buddha warned against inciting schism.

All Buddhist traditions – Theravada, Mahayana and Vajrayana – are strict in their cognizance of the Five Heinous Crimes, and teach that they must be avoided at all costs. Of the five (patricide, matricide, killing an Arhat, wounding a Buddha, and creating a schism in the community of Buddhist monks and nuns), it is generally agreed that the most serious is the instigation of schism, no doubt because this is the one crime that directly challenges the monastic institution that the Buddha himself established to preserve the Dharma. And it is precisely this which the Dalai Lama has committed many times over, with devastating effects which continue to spread like cancer even today.

The Dalai Lama has split the second largest Tibetan Buddhist sect (the Karma Kagyu) when acting ultra vires, he interfered in the recognition and enthronement of the 17th Karmapa instead of being an arbiter for a peaceful resolution of the conflict that arose as the result of two rival candidates vying for the seat. The Dalai Lama’s actions augmented the rift irreparably and it is widely believed that the Dalai Lama acted in retribution to the 16th Karmapa’s resistance to the Dalai Lama’s plans to dissolve all four major Tibetan Buddhist schools into a single entity under the Dalai Lama’s sole control.

Then, by inflicting an illegal religious ban, the Dalai Lama split the Gelugpa Buddhist community and in the process destroyed the harmony of the monastic community founded by Je Tsongkapa. And because the Gelugpas made up the majority of the Tibetan population, the disunity caused by the ban permeated into all layers of Tibetan society and pervaded the Gelugpa spiritual community worldwide. It is chilling to consider that one individual has inflicted so much damage on the Tibetan and Buddhist communities spread all over the world and what is truly unthinkable is that the same individual has the temerity to criticize others for not being examples of their religious principles.

There is no justification for the Dalai Lama’s hypocrisy. News of the Dalai Lama’s breaches of human rights and the tales of his deceit are all over the Internet these days and are easily verifiable. Therefore, such hypocritical statements by the Dalai Lama can only discredit the reputation of Buddhism and also weaken the Tibetan cause. As the world public cottons on to the Dalai Lama’s faux-piety, many are beginning to question who the real Dalai Lama is. And if the Dalai Lama is the embodiment of the Tibetan people’s cause and the righteousness of their fight, then when this embodiment is found to be dishonest, isn’t the integrity of the Tibetan cause also called into question?

If there is one remotely useful thing that came out of the Dalai Lama’s comments on the Gaza conflict, then it must be to draw all Tibetan people’s attention to how a conflict based on religion can become entrenched in the culture and become intractable to such an extent that it dominates their lives for generations to come.

The Israeli-Palestinian conflict started as a quarrel between brothers, much like the Dorje Shugden ban that the Dalai Lama infected the Tibetan people with. The quarrel which has evolved into full scale and unadulterated hatred is between two factions, each rejecting the other’s concept of divinity and instead regarding the other’s god as the opposite of divinity. This is also the poison that the Dalai Lama spawned. No one has the right to force a god, any god, into or out of the lives of others. It is really as simple as that. To do that and then to condemn others for it is just shameless.

“Tulku” literally means “Emanation Body” in Tibetan and refers to a fully enlightened being that takes rebirth with the sole purpose of benefitting sentient beings. This took on special meaning as Buddhism reached maturity in Tibet with the development of generations of Tibetan monks, yogis, scholars and great masters. A whole institution to recognize the reincarnations of great masters, who displayed mastery of the teachings and of their death and rebirth, was even established.

As Buddhism seeped deeper into Tibetan culture, devotion for these Tulkus became ever more established in the Tibetan psyche. Hence the Tibetan leadership, in an effort to wield greater control over the masses, sought to regulate the recognition of Tulkus in order to achieve this aim. The government has even gone to extreme lengths of banning and sometimes concealing certain incarnations for political reasons.

Tulku Drakpa Gyeltsen: Unbearable Jealousy

Tulku Drakpa Gyeltsen was an eminent lama of the 17th century, equal in stature to and possibly more popular than the Great 5th Dalai Lama. The assistants of the 5th Dalai Lama were unhappy with Tulku Drakpa Gyeltsen’s popularity, and plotted to assassinate him.

After Tulku Drakpa Gyeltsen’s death, the Tibetan government erased from the annals of history the name of Tulku Drakpa Gyeltsen, the previous life of Dorje Shugden, and his incarnation was banned from being recognized. The ladrang of Tulku Drakpa Gyeltsen was even levelled to the ground and all of his properties seized.

Kyabje Pabongka Rinpoche: Political Convenience

Another casualty was none other than Kyabje Pabongka Rinpoche, who was denied his rightful recognition as the tulku of the Changkya line of incarnations. Changkya Rolpe Dorje, Kyabje Pabongka Rinpoche’s previous life from the 18th century, was closely associated with the Chinese Emperor Qianlong and the Qing dynasty. In fact, the Changkya name was a Chinese title bestowed by the emperor himself.

This association with China was most unwelcome and hence, the illustrious incarnation of Changkya Rolpe Dorje was instead recognized as a tulku of the obscure Pabongka monastery. Nevertheless due to his attainments and previous life imprints, Kyabje Pabongka Rinpoche achieved greatness just like his predecessor and had extremely influential disciples like Kyabje Reting Rinpoche, Kyabje Ling Rinpoche, Kyabje Trijang Rinpoche and so forth.

Kyabje Pabongka Rinpoche should have been recognized as the incarnation of Changkya Rolpe Dorje, but the Chinese affiliation with that name was unwelcome

The Karmapa Controversy: Divide and Conquer

More recent examples of the Tibetan administration’s meddling can be seen in the 1990s, involving the recognition of the 17th Karmapa. The Karmapa is the head of the Karma Kagyu School of Tibetan Buddhist and was one of the very first tulkus to establish a line of incarnations. The four great regents of the Karma Kagyu School are the Shamarpa, Tai Situpa, Jamgon Kongtrul and Gyaltsab Rinpoche, and all four were students of the 16th Karmapa Rangjung Rigpe Dorje.

The 16th Gyalwa Karmapa, Rangjung Rigpe Dorje

The Shamarpa is largely regarded as the second most important tulku in the Karma Kagyu tradition and is traditionally one of the main lamas to search for the Karmapa’s incarnation and enthrone him. However, after the parinirvana of the 16th Karmapa, Tai Situ Rinpoche overstepped his position and claimed to have discovered the 17th Karmapa in the form of Ogyen Trinley Dorje. Shamar Rinpoche was temporarily sidelined.

The 17th Karmapa Trinley Thaye Dorje recognized by the Shamarpa

Eventually, the Shamarpa conducted his own investigations and found Trinley Thaye Dorje, whom he enthroned as the 17th Karmapa in accordance with tradition. However, the politically astute Tai Situpa had garnered the support of the Dalai Lama for his recognition of Ogyen Trinley Dorje. The Dalai Lama was even said to have had a dream that confirmed the recognition of Ogyen Trinley Dorje.

Given that the Dalai Lama’s word is law, the Central Tibetan Administration (CTA) thereafter acknowledged only Ogyen Trinley Dorje as the 17th Karmapa, inviting him to official events and so forth while Trinley Thaye Dorje was sidelined and practically ignored. Henceforth, a rift appeared in the Karma Kagyu school and its lamas and followers were polarized between the two Karmapas, weakening the strength of the Karma Kagyu school at a time when they were not in favor with the Tibetan administration.

The 17th Karmapa Ogyen Trinley Dorje endorsed by the Dalai Lama

The Dalai Lama support and endorsement for one Karmapa candidate over another is unprecedented, against tradition, and drew heavy criticism from many Karma Kagyu followers, particularly from the Shamarpa who wrote an open letter to famous author and Dalai Lama supporter, Robert Thurman stating that:

No Shamarpa has had to ask for approval or provide proof to the Dalai Lamas or to the Tibetan government.

As a result, a feud broke out between the followers of the two regents, Shamarpa Rinpoche and Tai Situ Rinpoche, which has not yet been resolved to this day. Rumtek Monastery, the traditional seat of the Karmapas, became the center of the controversy, coming under siege by lay practitioners and even monks of both parties.

The feuding eventually culminated in the Indian authorities banning Tai Situpa in 1994 from entering India on counts of anti-India activities. It has been speculated that the Shamarpa was behind this, having close ties with the Indian police. Even when Tai Situ Rinpoche was allowed back into India a few years later, restrictions remained as to where he is allowed to travel within the country. Today, there continues to be two Karmapas, with two distinctly different groups of followers, and a hole torn in the heart of a weakened Karma Kagyu tradition.

Rumtek monastery is at the heart of the feud between the followers of the Sharmapa and Tai Situpa

The 3rd Domo Geshe Rinpoche: Reward for Obedience

The previous Domo Geshe Rinpoche Ngawang Gyalten Jigme Chökyi Wangchuk

Domo Geshe Rinpoche is a high lama of the Gelugpa school that propagated Dorje Shugden’s practice far and wide in his previous life. When the previous Domo Geshe Rinpoche passed away, his students had initially requested the Dalai Lama to compose a prayer for his swift return. However, the Dalai Lama refused on the grounds that he was still practicing Dorje Shugden when he entered clear light. Therefore, the students of this great lama turned to Kyabje Trijang Rinpoche and Kyabje Pabongka Rinpoche for their assistance.

Kyabje Trijang Rinpoche recounted that he had a dream on the day Domo Geshe Rinpoche passed away. Domo Geshe Rinpoche had appeared in his dreams and told him that their meeting in the future would depend on him. After Domo Geshe Rinpoche left, Trijang Rinpoche next dreamt of monks fighting and realized that he had to be the one to recognize the new incarnation of Domo Geshe Rinpoche. Trijang Rinpoche eventually found the unmistaken incarnation of Domo Geshe Rinpoche and the young tulku, Domo Chocktrul Rinpoche Losang Jigme Nyak-gi Wangchuk, was recognized and accepted by six out of the seven monasteries of the previous Domo Geshe Rinpoche.

The yangsi of Domo Geshe Rinpoche, who was recognized by Kyabje Trijang Rinpoche, Kyabje Pabongka Rinpoche and the Dorje Shugden oracle, was not accepted by one of Domo Geshe Rinpoche’s monasteries

The only monastery that would not recognize the young tulku was Tharpa Choling Monastery in Kalimpong, a monastery founded by the 1st Domo Geshe Rinpoche Ngawang Kalsang in 1912. Even though they had joined the other six monasteries in requesting for Trijang Rinpoche’s help, Tharpa Choling broke away, searched for their own candidate and brought him to the Dalai Lama to be recognized. To please the Dalai Lama, Tharpa Choling also swore to give up the practice of Dorje Shugden, one of the heart practices of the previous Domo Geshe Rinpoche.

The Dalai Lama accepted and recognized Tharpa Choling’s candidate, Tenzin Jigmey Lhundup, his involvement once again flying in the face of tradition as the search and recognition of tulkus is traditionally left to the lama’s ladrang. The Dalai Lama’s siding with Tharpa Choling has created yet another rift in Tibetan Buddhism, this time between the students of Domo Geshe Rinpoche in the Gelugpa school.

This Domo Rinpoche (left) was recognized by the Dalai Lama

The Dalai Lama’s support has also emboldened the renegade Tharpa Choling monks, as their recent forcible occupation of Gaden Choling Monastery shows. Till today, neither the Dalai Lama nor CTA have reprimanded the actions of Tharpa Choling thus indirectly condoning their violent actions.

The 13th Kundeling Rinpoche: Discrediting the Enemy

The line of Kundeling Rinpoches is traditionally one of the four regents of Tibet, chosen during the interim period when the Dalai Lama has passed into clear light or has not yet reached maturity. The 13th (current) incarnation of Kundeling Rinpoche is Lobsang Yeshi Jampal Gyatso, born in 1959 in Kolkata, India and unofficially recognized by Kyabje Ling Rinpoche, Kyabje Zong Rinpoche and the oracle of Dorje Shugden.

The 13th Kundeling Rinpoche

His recognition at that time did not prompt any opposition from the Dalai Lama or CTA. However, the 13th Kundeling Rinpoche later became a thorn in the side of the Dalai Lama and CTA after the implementation of the ban on Dorje Shugden’s practice, becoming an outspoken figure at the forefront of the opposition against the ban.

In 1995, approximately 30 objection-less years after the unofficial recognition of the 13th Kundeling Rinpoche Lobsang Yeshi Jampal Gyatso, a young boy Tenzin Chokyi Gyaltsen was officially recognized by the Dalai Lama as the 13th Kundeling Rinpoche. He is currently pursuing his monastic education at Drepung Gomang Monastery in Mundgod, India and occupies the traditional seat and holdings of the previous incarnation. Once again, the Dalai Lama’s and CTA’s meddling has resulted in the recognition of yet another an alternate tulku, Kundeling Rinpoche.

The other Kundeling Rinpoche, recognized by the Dalai Lama

A Ladrang’s Worst Nightmare?

Kyabje Zemey Rinpoche

Given the Dalai Lama’s inclination to meddle in affairs that do not concern him, and the historical precedence of multiple tulku recognitions and the strife that follows, many ladrangs and students searching for their Lama’s incarnations are often fearful of the Dalai Lama’s involvement. This is especially so if the high lama in question was an ardent practitioner of Dorje Shugden.

After the passing of Kyabje Zemey Rinpoche, Zemey Ladrang monks were fearful that the meddling of the Dalai Lama would result in two Zemey Rinpoches. Therefore, the main assistant of Zemey Rinpoche informed Geshe Thupten Jinpa, the personal translator of the Dalai Lama (and a member of Zemey Ladrang) not to get involved in the search for and recognition of Zemey Rinpoche’s incarnation, as the ladrang had already made prior arrangements to do so.

Thupten Jinpa, the personal translator of the Dalai Lama is also a student of Kyabje Zemey Rinpoche

The foresight of Zemey Rinpoche’s assistant could not have been more timely as shortly afterwards, the Dalai Lama indicated to Thupten Jinpa that he would like to assist in the recognition process but was told that the arrangements had already been made. Naturally, the monks of Zemey Ladrang kept all the auspicious and indicative signs confidential until the young tulku was found in China (Tibet) and enthroned there. In this way, Zemey Rinpoche’s students successfully avoided the problem of having two Zemey Rinpoches and any potential conflict that would have otherwise arisen.

The current incarnation of Zemey Rinpoche (left) with H.E. Yongyal Rinpoche

Following the example of Zemey Ladrang, the students of Denma Gongsa Rinpoche and Dagom Rinpoche also made special effort to avoid the Dalai Lama’s involvement in the search for the incarnation of their teacher. Denma Gongsa Rinpoche has since been enthroned and till this day, the location of Dagom Rinpoche’s incarnation is still kept under wraps. Sadly, it is none other than the Dalai Lama himself that the ladrangs feel they need protection from, and this sorry state will surely lead to the further decline of Tibetan Buddhism unless the Dalai Lama stops sowing the seeds of confusion and all political machinations, including the ban on Dorje Shugden, all of which breed discord instead of unity.