The opinion piece below was sent to dorjeshugden.com for publication. We accept submissions from the public, please send in your articles to ds@dorjeshugden.com.

Dear Jamyang la,

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

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

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

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

You then went on to say:

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Tibetans, please help yourselves before it is too late.

N. Ackermann

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

I hope you are in good health. I am writing to bring your attention to an important issue within the Tibetan Buddhist community today and hope you will join us to make a change for real religious freedom.

While Buddhism is a very open religion which encourages tolerance and harmony between all people, there is now a big division within the Tibetan Buddhist community. This is because of an instruction that the Dalai Lama issued to stop the practice of the Protector Deity Dorje Shuden. People are now not permitted to practice this Protector or associate with anyone who does. If they do, they are expelled from monasteries, excluded from all Tibetan communities, refused access to welfare and suffer verbal and physical attacks.

The Central Tibetan Administration (CTA), the governing body of the Tibetan exile community living mainly in India, have been very aggressive in maintaining this ban. They exert a tremendous amount of pressure on Dorje Shugden devotees, accusing them of being traitors to the Tibetan cause and being Chinese spies.

This is contradictory to the practices of Buddhism as a whole. Buddhists are encouraged to be kind to all beings, including animals and even spirits! Anyone of any religion and culture is permitted to attend Dharma teachings and the Dalai Lama’s talks – except for Shugden practitioners. For anyone to associate with Shugden practitioners is considered a very bad traitorous act and they risk being completely excluded from their community. Should this be the behavior of a culture and people who are most famous the world over for their spirituality?

It seems to us that it is because the CTA failed to obtain independence and freedom for Tibet that they have turned their attention to Dorje Shugden instead. Because of their failed policies and their inability to get their country back, they have lost much respect in the eyes of their own people. So they have placed the “blame” onto Shugden instead, declaring that this practice threatens the Tibetan independence cause. Naturally, while everyone got caught up in the “excitement” of the Shugden ban, everyone forgot about the Tibetan freedom cause for a while and the attention moved away from the CTA to Shugden. Was this just a convenient action for the CTA, to distract the public’s attention and blame away from them?

Meanwhile, in the rest of the world, there are many groups engaged in practices that are questionable or which appear to move away from the established lineages and practices. An example currently being discussed online is an organisation in Australia called Chinese Han Tantrayana Buddhism – Holy Tantra Jin-Gang-Dhyana Buddhism: www.jingangdhyanaincnet.org (Photos and extracts of the discussion are attached below). We are not in a position to judge all religious groups but this clearly does not seem to be in accordance with traditional Vajrayana practices. Even the shape of their hats have never been seen or recognised in any established Vajrayana or Tantric schools.

Our question is this: Why don’t the CTA examine groups like this further? They are using the sacred name of Tibetan tantra but not following the established practices – shouldn’t this be under investigation? The CTA speak openly and issue public statements about the need to preserve the purity of Buddhism; this is their reason for stopping Dorje Shugden’s practice because they claim it is not a pure practice. If this was really the case, then why do the CTA put so much effort, time and money into stopping the practice of Dorje Shugden, but allow all these other strange practices and groups to continue everywhere else? If they want to protect the purity of the Buddhadharma, then they should monitor all such strange groups that use the name of tantra so casually.

The CTA cannot claim to be a secular government but issue orders and instructions only for selected religious issues. On the other hand, IF they are going to start commenting on religion and establishing themselves as a religious authority or monitor, then they should also do this fully and investigate all questionable tantric groups. To focus only on Shugden practitioners is very selective and makes the CTA seem very biased against a minority group. Is this a fair way for a democratic government in the modern world to treat their own people?

We do not mean disrespect towards anyone, but we call for fairness and equality. If Shugden practitioners are being constantly questioned and examined, then other unconventional groups also should be. To act in any other way reflects on the CTA badly and shows them to be biased, undemocratic, intolerant and not progressive. We hope you will heed our advice and create a better religious future for all Buddhists.

Best wishes,
dorjeshugden.com
dorjeshugden.net
xiongdeng.com

Topic: Maybe CTA should look into this Chinese Tantra Buddhism Organisation?

Discussions on the dorjeshugden.com forum:
www.dorjeshugden.com/forum/index.php?topic=1734
Topic started by “namdrol”

I don’t know how to begin, but I just found this in some Chinese forum, it is an organization in Australia called Chinese Han Tantrayana Buddhism – Holy Tantra Jin-Gang-Dhyana Buddhism…something like, even the name is confusing, but looks like it has something to do with Vajrayana/Tibetan Buddhism.

I am not in a position to judge another guru/organization so I will not comment on their authenticity, but from the physical outlook, it is quite unorthodox if it is a Vajrayana group.

Since it could be Vajrayana, then perhaps the CTA should look into it? Didn’t CTA persecute Geshe Michael Roach for his long hair and other stuff a few years ago? And I think this Chinese Tantra Organization surpasses Geshe Michael Roach’s “weird look” by miles?

And what about the Tsongkhapa-hat-look-alike thingy? Can CTA please kindly write to them and ask them not use a hat similar to Gelugpa’s yellow hat because it may create confusion to the public? Please help us to protect the purity of Gelugpa’s image will you CTA since you are the Vajrayana’s highest authority.

Since CTA is so engrossed to be a religious police in Vajrayana, can CTA pls go check this organization out? Give the Shugden monks a break will you? At least Shugden monks still wear proper monks’ robes, hold their vows, do their pujas, serve their gurus…

I will keep looking out for organizations like this for CTA to keep them busy, so that they can leave Shugden monks alone for a while…

Other comments and responses:

“samayakeeper”

Why is the CTA so selective and target only the Dorje Shugden practitioners? Why the selective witch hunts targeted at only Dorje Shugden practitioners? Well, the CTA may say they have the right only over Tibetans who are Dorje Shugden practitioners, so should not CTA also ban Tibetans who are practitioners of Bon or other religions and deprive them of their basic human rights?

It is time already for CTA to focus and help Tibetans in their daily needs and lives and STOP playing being the highest governing spiritual body for Tibetan people!

“Dorjedakini”

in response to samayakeeper

It is what they should do and focus on since day one. They just hide behind Shugden issue and did not do their best to improve the living quality of their citizen, worse is that they create disharmony and doubt between their people.

“Triesa”

I am hopeful Dr Lobsang Sangay, the present Kolan Tripa of CTA, will slowly relax the pressure for DS practitioners, after all this is the 21st century, how he runs CTA is being watched and observed by heads of other countries. And the language spoken in the 21st century is freedom of religion, freedom of human rights. Why prosecute your own people because of a difference in belief in one dharma protector and accept all the other religions with even more differences in the whole context of the spiritual practices?

“dsiluvu”

I remember when I was holidaying in Singapore one time, there was this YELLOW BOOK that were placed in several strategic center around Singapore… they even got it translated in to Chinese! Well this is the kind of ways that the CTA poke their noses and centres that like to rub shoulder with His Holiness to get fame and sponsorships do, could do to make other people’s life difficult even though it is not in their jurisdiction to do so. Many accounts of such negative experiences, really you cannot even practice Dorje Shugden freely even though you are outside of Dharamsala. There are many centers who will judge, ban and condemned you, sometimes even smear your name to others saying you worship a “demon” hence you cannot even enter their center or events! Down right religious discrimination!

Basically a statement was put out in every forms of Amitabha Buddhist Center, Singapore (http://www.fpmtabc.org/), whether it is a trip to attend Dalai Lama’s teaching in South East Asia, Kalachakra, or a trip to Dharamsala. On top of name, passpost number, addresses etc. personal details, you need to declare that you do not practice Dorje Shugden first.

So yeah, not only our dear sanghas in Dharamsala are going through injustice, we outside of India and Nepal are also going through such ridiculousness which why it is high time we put a stop to such injustice. And we shall do so by working harder to educated anyone who crosses our path on Dorje Shugden.

Thank you Namdrol for saying it! CTA why don’t you look at those who are more weird then the Shugden practitioners?

“Aurore”

CTA may not have the authority over others outside of Tibetan community of India, however they have done a lot to destroy reputations of certain lamas which creates a rippling effect to other mindless Vajrayana/Buddhist councils around the world.

There are politics involved everywhere and not only within the Indian community. CTA … please focus on organizations that looks weird rather than lamas which are proven authentic already. If this will get them off their case, then I support Namdrol to continue scouting.

Chinese Han Tantrayana Buddhism group

Chinese Han Tantrayana Buddhism group

Chinese Han Tantrayana Buddhism group

We have been recently alerted of some very good news and we are writing to congratulate you for this big step in the way of progress for your administration and people.

We noticed your very honest and humble apology on the website antishugden.com withdrawing your previous negative claims and smear campaign against the Protector Dorje Shugden. We applaud your decision to take down all the negative material and to put up this encouraging notice in its place. It shows that you are progressive in your way of thinking and not afraid to admit your mistakes or to speak the truth. These are the ingredients for any government or leadership to gain respect and support.

We are very happy, most of all, that you are now actively encouraging people to embrace this practice instead of suppressing it. This will give so much hope to thousands everywhere as well as to your own Tibetan people.

However, we wish to also call your attention to the CTA’s official website (Tibet.net) where you still have very long and negative statements against Dorje Shugden (calling him Dholgyal). This is very contradictory to what you have posted up on the antishugden.com website!

It reflects very badly on your administration and people to have this kind of religious content on your official website. If you look at the most successful democratic countries around the world, none of them would ever publish writings on their websites about what religious practices their citizens are allowed to practice or not. They respect every individual’s freedom of religion and freedom of choice. This is what makes them progressive and developed.

Publishing religious matters like this on your official government website makes you look very backwards and petty. It makes you look like you restrict your own citizens and you are not equal or fair to your people. It reflects badly on your leader, the Kalon Tripa, because it shows that he is an intolerant leader who focuses so much energy on religious matters, instead of improving the welfare of his people.

More importantly, it reflects very badly upon His Holiness the Dalai Lama, who represents the Tibetan people globally. By publishing material like this, you lower down his status and make it seem that he is imposing religious dictates on a secular government. We all know how compassionate and giving the Dalai Lama really is, but when you put up material like this on your websites, it is very bad public relations for yourself and for the Dalai Lama. You make him look negative, intolerant, forceful and unkind towards his own people. You make the Dalai Lama look like he is not supporting human rights and contradicting his own teachings of compassion!

Actually, in recent times, the Dalai Lama has withdrawn from dealing in secular matters, leaving it all to the Kalon Tripa and your administration to handle. So now, there is really no reason for your secular administration to be discussing or publishing religious matters on your official websites and literature. Continuing to do so only makes the Dalai Lama look more and more intolerant and dictatorial. People will start to question why a Nobel Peace Laureate is promoting such restrictions on religious freedom, on his own Tibetans and fellow Buddhists.

In fact, as the secular government, you should be helping and reaching out to all your citizens, the Tibetan people. You should be interacting with them equally, whatever their religious beliefs. Wouldn’t this be most fair and democratic? Surely every citizen deserves equal rights and opportunities for welfare, education, job placement, medical facilities, participation in state affairs, travel and voting etc.? If you make it difficult for them to receive any of these things, then you are not being a democratic nor fair leader to them. If you are using their religious beliefs again them – like you have publicized on your websites – then your government is still not progressive. It is still engaging in methods that are very outdated and used only hundreds of years ago.

The rest of the world will look at your website and what the CTA are saying there about religious affairs and Dorje Shugden. They will see how backwards and undemocratic you are and it will not help you to gain any global support or respect.

We write to you not out of malice or with any intent to hurt you. We write with much concern for the betterment of your people and government. We write with care for the tens of thousands of Shugden practitioners that are facing discrimination just for their religion. We write for equality, democracy and the basic human freedom to choose and follow our religious beliefs.

We hope you will sincerely take heed of what we have to say and take action to remove such material about Dorje Shugden from all your public websites and literature. It will make a huge difference for thousands of people and most importantly, for yourselves as the leader of Tibetans everywhere.

With hope and concern,
DorjeShugden.com
DorjeShugden.net
XiongDeng.com

We are most happy to share with you a most interesting story about two great beings: Lama Zopa Rinpoche and the female oracle, known respectfully as Khadro-la.

Oracles are special people who are trained to take trance of higher beings or enlightened Dharma Protectors. They hold an especially esteemed role within the Tibetan Buddhist lineage, providing a direct, physical link between us and these attained beings. Many of the highest Lamas, including the Dalai Lama, enjoy very close relationships with these oracles and often consult these attained beings through them.

The greatly respected Lama Zopa Rinpoche is particularly close to Khadro-la, the female oracle of the worldly Goddess Tenma and is often seen performing rituals and in Dharma activity together. (see the links below for further information about Lama Zopa and Khadro-la).

During Lama Zopa’s illness, it was known that this oracle Khadro-la was helping Lama Zopa to heal. There are mentions about her help and Lama Zopa’s health on FMPT’s official website, written by Lama Zopa’s main attendant, Ven. Roger:

Click on image to enlarge

Source: http://www.fpmt.org/teachers/zopa/rinpoches-health-updates-and-practices.html

There are also videos of Khadro-la helping Lama Zopa in his recovery:
[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)

While this is wonderful and of course very kind of Khadro-la, this raised several questions within the Buddhist community, which have been discussed on online forums. This is why:

It was well known that Lama Zopa, and his Guru Lama Yeshe (the founder of FPMT) were greatly devoted to the enlightened Dharma Protector Dorje Shugden and propitiated his practice strongly among their students. Then, in the late 1990s, H.H. the 14th Dalai Lama declared that no one should practice this Protector Dorje Shugden any longer, suddenly claiming that he was a spirit (although he has been clearly recognized as an enlightened protector for hundreds of years). This sacred 350-year-old practice followed by thousands of the holiest lamas and practitioners was suddenly banned.

FPMT were one of the organizations who, under Lama Zopa’s guidance, followed the ban and gave up the practice. A highly attained incarnated Lama like Zopa Rinpoche will have his many good reasons for this but he has always remained respectful towards this issue and not created further problems for people who chose to continue the practice of Dorje Shugden. However, it has become known that students of his organization, FPMT, have acted in quite unkindly ways towards other Dorje Shugden devotees – ostracizing them, talking badly about them or the practice, spreading rumors to undermine these practitioners’ support and sponsorship.

We believe that whatever reasons Lama Zopa may have for not continuing the practice of Shugden, he would not advise his students to act in such schismatic and unkind ways. By acting like this, his students break samaya (spiritual bond and loyalty) not only to their teacher Lama Zopa, but also to Lama Yeshe, the lineage Gurus and the Protector Dorje Shugden himself.

Now, during Lama Zopa’s illness, we hear that it is an oracle of an unenlightened goddess who is being called to help him heal. Surely, an enlightened being like Lama Zopa does not need an unenlightened being to do healing for him? That is saying that unenlightened beings are more powerful than attained ones, which is not logical. Lama Zopa is a recognised Tulku (reincarnated high Lama), with full control of his deaths and rebirths. If he is able to control this, why would he not be able to control his own illness and healing? Why would he need such an oracle to help him heal?

By requesting dakini oracles to heal Lama Zopa, his students and organization FPMT are directly putting down Lama Zopa and his enlightened attainments. Why would such an accomplished Lama ask a worldly deity to heal him or seek advice from a worldly deity? Why would he entertain and spend so much time with this worldly deity’s female oracle? Why is Lama Zopa doing this when their organization used to rely on such a powerful enlightened protector before? Why not just rely on an enlightened Buddha, such as Shakyamuni or Tsongkhapa whose attainments are without question?

It seems that by entertaining this worldly deity oracle, Lama Zopa is sending a message that times have become so degenerate among his organization and students, that he now has to “rely” on a worldly being to cure him. Because of broken samaya among the students and in the FPMT organization, Lama Zopa is not able to manifest his full abilities and powers. He has had to “lower” himself to a level that seems fallible and unable to heal himself. He is being healed now, not even by an enlightened Protector, but by a worldly, unenlightened being.

Attached is an extract from the forum of DorjeShugden.com, where many Buddhists practitioners debate various subjects related to Dharma and especially to this Dharma Protector Dorje Shugden. These particular posts here relate to this topic of Lama Zopa’s illness and his reliance on Khadro-la. Please read the comments and what fellow Buddhists around the world have to say about this – it provides a very interesting perspective to the situation, to Lama Zopa’s health condition and to this delicate aspect of samaya from his students.

We urge you all to think about the serious implications that this has and what large questions it raises about the importance of keeping pure samaya with our teachers, their instructions to us and the lineage practices. Lama Zopa is no ordinary being. The manifestation of his illness and this subsequent move to rely on an unenlightened deity is evidence that something is very wrong among his students. It is very important they repair their samaya quickly – that would be the best balm to cure their beloved teacher.

With great concern,
DorjeShugden.com | DorjeShugden.net | XiongDeng.com

Some Selected Posts on the Forum Topic “Dakini Healing Lama Zopa”

This topic was started by “thaimonk” (http://www.dorjeshugden.com/forum/index.php?topic=1164.0)

FPMT has contacted this Tibetan woman and oracle to help Lama Zopa heal. Suddenly FPMT have such tremendous faith in her. FPMT says that she is not taking trance of a dakini but SHE IS A LIVING DAKINI.

She originally came from Tibet and during a public teaching with Dalai Lama in Dharamsala starting to take trance. Dalai Lama accepted she takes trance of a Goddess (Tema).

Years ago, Lama Yeshe and Lama Zopa relied fully on Shugden and Shugden oracle to help them. Lama Yeshe relied on the Shugden oracle till the end of his days. Does it seem inappropriate they are relying on a Dakini now instead of Shugden? Either way, FPMT is really on a oracle. Shouldn’t Lama Zopa being a high lama be more ‘powerful’ than the dakini from Dharamsala?

I am not sure of this. I don’t have any negative thoughts or such. I was just wondering. What do you all think?

Responses and further comments

Posted by: “DharmaDefender”

I think Lama Zopa’s students would do well to remember their own guru’s teachings on how to extend the life of their lama. Like what dsiluvu said, how comes they can ask a spirit for help but cannot rely on Dorje Shugden? How can they entrust their lama’s long life to a spirit, but apparently practicing Dorje Shugden will shorten his life?

No offence and I’m sure they all mean well (and I sincerely mean that), but relying on an unenlightened being, after breaking their protector practice, kind of smacks of desperation and hypocrisy.

Posted by: “thor”

I think FPMT would be better off directing their efforts towards requesting Lama Zopa to extend his life and heal himself. Long life prayers, rituals and individual transformation and purification of wrong actions would be more effective than medical treatment or mystical help from the oracle.

If the lama can manifest sickness, then of course the lama will be able to make the sickness heal. And there is no reason for the lama to become ill, or to shorten his life, unless it is a method towards something much greater.

My own lama has often told me that no matter how many prayers the students do, how many requests they make, how much medicine and treatment they offer to their lama, none of that will have effect if the lama does not wish to heal. So FPMT should direct their attention towards analysing what it is they should do to please the mind of their lama that he will extend his life.

Posted by: “honeydakini”

I don’t think there is any harm in consulting enlightened beings, oracles, dharma protectors for help or advice, though we should really only consult them if they’re enlightened. I don’t really understand the point in consulting someone who is unenlightened since you open the doors for so many other potentially harmful beings to come in and disturb you.

As to this case of Lama Zopa’s illness, i don’t think anything would work better than for the students to check in on themselves – what commitments they have broken, or what actions they have done that would be against what their teachers have advised or taught them. Perhaps it is not something that they have directly disobeyed, it could even be something that isn’t as obvious like creating schism among Dharma practitioners, or creating doubt in other people’s minds about their practices and their teachers.

I personally think it’s quite silly to consult a dakini when your own enlightened teacher is right there. If you consult a dakini (whether she’s enlightened or not), that is to say that your teacher doesn’t have any control over his own body! I’m sure an enlightened teacher like Lama Zopa would have full control over his health and illnesses. (he has full control over his rebirths, as a tulku, but no control over illness? it doesn’t make sense).

So If our lama has control, that means that he has already taught us the means to heal him – which i’m sure would be, like all teachers advise us, to follow his instructions to us and practice and improve our minds. That would be so much more powerful than a dakini’s advice – because whatever the dakini could “prescribe” , I’m sure it isn’t something that Lama Zopa is beyond doing for himself.

Posted by: “Big Uncle”

Well, the very fact that FPMT is relying on a Dakini to heal their Lama shows that they are insecure about their samaya and the pujas that they can do to heal their own Lama. How much can this Dakini (enlightened or not) heal the Lama when the elders of the organisation know it is through clean samaya and sincere propitiation is the only way to purify lots of negative karma and move Lama Zopa to remain.

On top of that, they seemed to imply that the oracle lady is an enlightened dakini when she is not. Last time I checked, the goddess Tenma is a powerful but unenlightened mountain goddess of Tibet. Why rely on an unenlightened deity like Tenma? This all seemed very strange to me. I don’t think the politically correct elders would dare propitiated Dorje Shugden but in actuality, he is the only one who can help save the situation now. It is so sad.

Posted by: “Benny”

Yes, I could not agree more with Big Uncle, FPMT please mend your broken Samaya! As the saying goes “barking up the wrong tree !” Lama Zopa has full control over whether he stays or leave, there is nothing that the “mountain goddess” can do to move the lama to stay as he is here solely for the students.

What a sad sight to see such an attained Lama playing along with his students. In such crucial times, shouldn’t one propitiate to ones protector rather than a ” living dakini ” who channels an unenlightened deity (confusing ) ? They the FPMT are risking loosing their guru for the sake of looking good in the eyes of the Dalai Lama!

Further information about Lama Zopa and Khadro-la, the female oracle of Tenma.

There is a long-standing relationship between Lama Zopa and this female oracle, Khadro-la. Their closeness has even been documented in some of the most popular Buddhist magazines and resources.

Venerable Roger did an interview with Khadro-la in 2009, for Mandala Magazine (FPMT’s official magazine):

Click on image to enlarge

Source: http://www.mandalamagazine.org/archives/mandala-issues-for-2009/january/interview-with-a-dakini/

There are several videos of Lama Zopa and Khadro-la, engaged in pujas together:

Lama Zopa, Phari Rinpoche and Khadro-la doing puja at Trijang Rinpoche’s stupa:
[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)

Lama Zopa and Kharo-la doing puja, May 2010:
[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)

Lama Zopa, Khadro-la, Phari Rinpoche at the Maratika Caves, June 2010
[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)

Official news on the FPMT websites often feature Lama Zopa together with Khadro-la:

Click on image to enlarge

Source: http://mandala.fpmt.org/2013/lama-zopa-rinpoche-and-khadro-la/

Click on image to enlarge

Source: http://www.mandalamagazine.org/2012/lama-zopa-rinpoche-and-khadro-la-offer-public-teachings-at-maitripa-college/

Click on image to enlarge

Source: www.mandalamagazine.org/2012/lama-zopa-rinpoche-and-khadro-la-visit-western-united-states/

Some photos of Lama Zopa and Khadro-la, who travel and attend religious ceremonies together very often.

For further reading:

Where is Lama Yeshe? (http://www.dorjeshugden.com/all-articles/features/where-is-lama-yeshe/)

FPMT Lineage Masters are Dorje Shugden Believers (http://www.dorjeshugden.com/all-articles/features/fpmt-lineage-masters-are-believers-of-dorje-shugden/)

FPMT, Dalai Lama and Dorje Shugden (http://www.dorjeshugden.com/all-articles/features/fpmt-dalai-lama-and-dorje-shugden/)

A True Inspiration: Claudio Cipullo (http://www.dorjeshugden.com/all-articles/news/a-true-inspiration-claudio-cipullo/)

Fabrizio Pallotti (http://www.dorjeshugden.com/all-articles/news/fabrizio-pallotti/)

Politically Correct at the Expense of the Lineage (http://www.dorjeshugden.com/all-articles/the-controversy/politically-correct-at-the-expense-of-the-lineage/)

Lama Yeshe and Geshe Rabten (http://www.dorjeshugden.com/mail-out/lama-yeshe-and-geshe-rabten/)

The Broken Samayas of FPMT (http://www.dorjeshugden.com/all-articles/the-controversy/the-broken-samayas-of-fpmt/)

The Questionable Policies of the FPMT (http://www.dorjeshugden.com/all-articles/the-controversy/the-questionable-policies-of-the-fpmt/)

Lama Zopa admitted to being recognized by Dorje Shugden (http://www.dorjeshugden.com/others-old/lama-zopa-admitted-to-being-recognized-by-dorje-shugden/)

Recognized by Dorje Shugden, but Speaks against Dorje Shugden (http://www.dorjeshugden.com/all-articles/the-controversy/recognized-by-dorje-shugden-but-speaks-against-dorje-shugden/)

Kopan Monks Asking for Dorje Shugden Puja for Lama Zopa (http://www.dorjeshugden.com/all-articles/the-controversy/kopan-monks-asking-for-dorje-shugden-puja-for-lama-zopa/)

Who made Lama Zopa a Rinpoche? (http://www.dorjeshugden.com/all-articles/features/who-made-lama-zopa-a-rinpoche/)

A Tribute to Ven. Lama Yeshe Rinpoche (http://www.dorjeshugden.com/great-masters/a-tribute-to-ven-lama-yeshe-rinpoche/)

To our friends of the Tibetan communities around the world,

We are writing to you today with a great wish for the continued success and growth of the Central Tibetan Administration and communities around the world. As you step into a new age, we understand the many challenges that you have struggled with in the last five decades as you reestablish your communities and leadership in places around the world. Your efforts are to be applauded.

However, we also believe that for a nation and its people to become truly progressive and compete on a global level, one needs to have a strong awareness of world history and issues, as well as a respect for the needs and freedoms of individuals.

We have recently come across some very powerful videos about some of the most unforgettable events in world history and current affairs. We would like to share them with you here, as an exchange of knowledge. We hope that this will help you in the development of your own policy and decision-making for the Tibetan people. It is important that we learn from the past, so we do not to make the same mistakes again in the future.

Below are six videos we have chosen specially for your viewing. We have also included here links to transcripts of each video for your easy reference. Below this are brief summaries of the videos with a few remarkable points of interest for you to consider and contemplate.

1. The Most Evil Men in History: Torquemada (of the Spanish inquisition)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g7oIcvq62Qs
Download transcript here

2. The Most Evil Women in History: Bloody Queen Mary of Scotland

Part 1 Part 2 Part 3
Download transcript here

3. The Last Days: a documentary by Steven Spielberg

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9UlBo3GFgWY
Download transcript here

4. Christian Persecution in Iran

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0gLYOogKJe8
Download transcript here

5. Christian Persecution in Egypt

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SQ2KC9RCTGY
Download transcript here

6. North Korea has the deadliest level of Christian persecution in the world

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s_trSJf7Zec
Download transcript here

As you will see from the first three videos, first-world developed nations – the UK, Spain, Germany and other major countries in Europe – had horrific histories and suffered many traumatic ordeals, pain and even thousands of cruel deaths. All this was done in the name of religion – to protect religion or to defend what they called religious purity.

The strength of these nations now lies in the fact that they have gone through horrific pasts and realized that such violent, unjust ways of suppression and conversion do not work and do not serve the people and country. These videos point to the evolutionary growth within these countries and the process that has led to them giving their citizens more freedom and personal power.

From the tragic events they suffered, these leading countries in the world now strongly promote and uphold personal freedoms – for example, the freedom of religion, speech and movement. When citizens of a free and truly democratic country have more freedoms, they are enabled, empowered and encouraged to do more for their country. They have the freedoms to learn and continuously explore new horizons. This is why these countries now produce such progressive and world-famous leaders, artists, scientists, entrepreneurs, innovators etc. Imagine how different things would be if they had not gone through such histories – what dark ages they would still be in and what limitations their people would still suffer.

In contrast, consider the last three videos on the list above, which documents the strong, violent religious persecution that is still happening in countries today around the world. Iran, Egypt and North Korean have been featured in news reports globally for their terrible abuse of human rights and for their obvious oppression, discrimination and violence towards religious minorities in their country.

Then, consider the state of those nations – they are not progressive, nor are they counted among the most successful countries in the world today. They are still in much need of progress, are far behind on development and suffer continuously from internal conflicts. Comparatively, these nations are not wealthy and there are very few opportunities in life for their citizens. In the case of Egypt, the leaders oppressed their people so much that they eventually all stood up and revolted against the leader Mubarak to force him out of power.

So which situation will it be for the Tibetans? The success enjoyed by the progressive, democratic First World countries? Or the oppressed and limited state of these other more backward, undemocratic countries? Unfortunately, we know that the modern freedoms of the First World are not observed nor enjoyed within the Tibetan communities around the world. The restrictions placed on people who practice the Protector Deity Dorje Shugden reflects the same kind of religious persecution found in these videos. They may not be as violent, but they come from the same basis: Shugden practitioners are not allowed to have freedom of religion and they are denied equal rights and liberties that are enjoyed by all other citizens.

The people supporting the ban of Dorje Shugden say that they are doing so to protect the Buddhadharma and preserve the purity of Buddhist practice. This sounds just like what Torquemada said during the Spanish Inquisition against the Jews, and what Queen Mary Tudor said to defend Catholicism as she killed hundreds of Protestant Christians. It is also what some Muslims are saying today as they destroy Christians in their countries.

People who do not give up the practice of Shugden are not given the basic freedoms and rights of all citizens – education, jobs in the CTA, medical aid and general welfare. They are not allowed to openly communicate or befriend non-Shugden practitioners. Many are even physical attacked or exiled out of the community. Isn’t this very similar to what the Jews and Protestants went through in the past? Isn’t it the same as what is happening now to Christians in places like Iran and Egypt? Just see the videos to see what discrimination they suffered or are still suffering. There are many similarities to what is happening right now with Shugden practitioners.

As you watch the videos, consider for a moment what it means to establish policies and carry out actions against your fellow people in the name of religion. Is this what religion teaches us to do? It is illogical to say we want to preserve religious purity, but we are engaging in acts that are opposite to what our religions teach. There is no religion in the world that encourages us to harm another person in any way.

We are not sending these videos and letters to you as a criticism or to insult you. We are sending this out of a concern and with care to help your administration to be more progressive, to care better for your Tibetan people. It is to help you to evolve faster, the same way that all these powerful countries have developed throughout history. It is to help you to become a very powerful people and nation, with powerful individuals who can contribute actively and freely to the world.

We have only good hopes for your administration leadership and wish you the best for your future as a leading nature in the world. Please do take the time to watch these videos and take heed of our sincere request to you to open your views to these histories of world religion. May these videos and this letter contribute to the further growth, openness and freedoms of your government and community.

Our best wishes,
dorjeshugden.com
dorjeshugden.net
xiongdeng.com

Brief Summaries of the 6 Videos

The Most Evil Men In History: Torquemada

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MEErOUmX3JE

Torquemada was a Spanish Catholic monk who lived during the 15th century and became known for the “religious purity” he tried to create in Spain, by persecuting and expelling tens of thousands of Jews and Muslims. They were persecuted and suppressed only because of their religion. This is very similar to what is happening with the Dorje Shugden practitioners who are excluded from their community only because of they hold different religious views.

As Torquemada was very close with the King and Queen of the time, he even managed to convince them and the Pope – the Supreme head of the Catholics – to give him full power to do as he pleased, in the name of religion.

For years, Torquemada oversaw and instructed the cruel interrogation, torture and deaths of Jews and Muslims in Spain, just because they were of a different religion. Ironically, Torquemada himself came from a Jewish lineage.

Neighbors and families turned against each other, entire communities were humiliated and later forced to convert or be exiled. Anyone who showed any resistance would be mercilessly tortured and burnt alive.

(0.55mins)
“In the name of his religion, Torquemada forced almost every Jew out of Spain, destroying their lives forever.”

(18.38mins)
“Bolstered by Torquemada in March of that year, Ferdinand and Isabella issued and edict of expulsion that gave Spanish Jews until July to accept Baptism or leave the country. Its terrible words read: “We command all Jews and Jewesses of whatever age to depart from our said kingdoms and dominions with their sons, daughters, manservants and Jewish manservants, or they shall incur the penalty of death without further trial, declaration or sentence.”

(19.30mins)
“After we had been exiled from Spain, our ancestors have vowed never to go back to Spain because of the sufferings we suffered and for no reason either, just simply because you are a Jew.”

(22.10mins)
“Torquemada’s relentless pursuit of the conversos and the Jews would continue for another 6 years, as the Inquisitor General tortured, burned and expelled his way to a “pure” Christian Spain.”

The Most Evil Women in History: Bloody Queen Mary

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2mvchc1Jemk

Queen Mary lived at a time when the religious scene of England was changing dramatically. By her father’s decree, a new school of Christianity was emerging – Protestantism.

Queen Mary, a devout and devoted Catholic, developed an intense hatred for the Protestants, feeling that they were deviants of the real church. For most of her life, she and her mother, Queen Catherine of Aragon were grossly mistreated by her father, King Henry the 8th. It was this king who created this new Protestant Church which would allow him to divorce and remarry another 5 times. Queen Mary saw this as the highest kind of betrayal and would use the rest of her life planning revenge upon all Protestants.

When she finally rose to power as the ruling Queen, Bloody Mary did everything she could to restore the religious “purity” of Catholicism in England. Protestants everywhere were rounded up and burnt. In her 3 ½ year reign, she sent 300 people to be burned in the name of her religious fanaticism, believing that doing this was a way of preserving religious purity. In the name of religious purity, she had hundreds of people killed just because their religious views were different. This is just like what the Shugden people are suffering now when they are segregated and ostracized from their community because of their religious beliefs.

(12.22mins)
“Now she was queen, Mary would return her country to the Catholic fold by all means necessary. Protestant England was about to experience the revenge of Mary Tudor. After years of confusion, paranoia and turmoil, the Catholic Queen Mary Tudor was in the position to avenge her Protestant tormentors. In her eyes, the crimes against her have been committed in the name of the Church of England. She would purge the nation of its satanic presence.”

(13.44mins)
“The horrific ritual of burning at the stake prove a useful tool for Mary and her government. ‘They want other people to watch and think heresy is an illness within the body politic and it needs to be purged, it needs to be burnt out and destroyed.’”

(14.22mins)
“Mary’s plan to cleanse England of the Protestant curse, turned into a frenzy of killing. Hundreds were burnt to death. First the bishops, then Protestant preachers and even their families. Burnings took place in town squares all over the country. Those classed as heretics were killed without mercy.”

The Last Days: A Documentary by Steven Spielberg

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9UlBo3GFgWY

This very moving documentary traces the journey of a five Hungarians who lived through the Holocaust of World War Two and survived the horrors of the Nazi concentration camps. This was a time when the Nazis of Germany – under the leadership of Hitler – were gathering all Jews and racial minorities, and trying to exterminate them completely. (The Nazis were a very extreme, fascist political party that had come to power just before World War Two).

Hitler and his political party were obsessed with preserving the purity of the Aryan race, which he saw as superior. Therefore, this meant that he had to get rid of all other races that were regarded as “inferior”.

Millions of Jews and other minorities were rounded up and placed into large camps around Germany where they lived in poor, terrible conditions, made to work like slaves and mercilessly killed. It is estimated that 6 million Jews alone were killed during this time. Millions of other minorities – including disabled people and political opponents were also killed.

The Jews suffered all this torture, starvation and death all because of their religion. Doesn’t this sound like what is happening within the Tibetan Buddhist community, where Shugden practitioners are excluded, not given freedoms and even physically attacked because of their religion?

This documentary interviews 5 Jews from Hungary about their experiences during the time of the Nazis. It reveals the terrible ordeals they had to go through in the camps, seeing their families and friends being tortured and killed, and the traumas that have followed them for the rest of their lives. What kind of “purity” can we hope to achieve by doing so many terrible, impure acts to our fellow human beings?

(0.49mins)
“It was important to the [the Nazis] to kill the Jews than even winning the war.”

(Irene Zisblatt, 9.50mins)
“Most of them were people that we thought were our friends all these years, but they turned overnight on us, and went with the other side…”

(Irene Zisblatt, 13.34mins)
“Our friends, so-called, and neighbours, they were standing, lined up against the side of the road and they were yelling, ‘It’s about time. You go on out of here. We don’t need any Jews in our town. We need to get rid of all you Jews.’ I stood and I could not believe my eyes. The people I went to school with… their children. I went to school with their children, we were friends, we were sharing things together… Why are they so hostile? Why do they hate us all of a sudden?”

(Renee Firesome, 25.21mins)
“My mother was selected at the railroad station; gone to the left, while my sister and I went to the right. My mother was taken straight from the railroad station to the gas chambers. By the time my sister and I were processed into the camp, my mother as no longer alive.”

(Tom Lantos, 35.10mins)
“The sadism, the cruelty, the irrationality of the German and Hungarian Nazis of killing the remaining Jewish population when the war was all over, when they could have gained “brownie points” by being more civilized vis-à-vis these people, really was not present because their hatred was so blind.”

(Irene Zisblatt, 40:10mins)
“They took away my parents, they took my identity, they took away my siblings, they took away my possessions. There is something that they want from me. And then I thought of my soul and I said, “They’re not going to take my soul” and I decided right then and there, “I’m going to get up from this mud and I’m going to fight because I’m not going to become ashes.”

(Renee Firestone, 1:18:03mins)
“I don’t think that God created the Holocaust. I think that God gave us a mind, and a heart and free will, and it is up to man what he’s going to do with his life. And I blame man, not God.”

(Tom Lantos, 1:18:25mins)
“I cannot rationally explain, emotionally explain, intellectually explain the Holocaust. I cannot find a place for a higher authority in this nightmare.”

(Alice Lok Cahana, 1:18.44mins)
“What kind of people are we? What are the books teaching us? What is the difference between me and another child? What is the Bible teaching me? What is this about?”

(1:20:16mins)
“The Holocaust has to be taught as a chapter in the long history of man’s inhumanity to man. One cannot ignore the discrimination inflicted on many people because of race, colour or creed. One cannot ignore slavery. One cannot ignore the burning of witches. One cannot ignore the killing of Christians in the Roman period. The Holocaust is perhaps the culmination of the kind of horror that can occur when Man loses his integrity, his belief and the sanctity of human life.”

Christian Persecution in Iran

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0gLYOogKJe8

Today, the Islamic Republic of Iran is home to 75 million people, with 98% of the population adhering to Islam. At least 450,000 followers of Christ live in Iran but they are constantly harassed, attacked and suppressed for their religion.

Christianity is an officially recognised religion in Iran but in reality, many Christians face oppression from their neighbours. In Iran, converting from Islam to Christianity is an offence which can be punishable by death.

This is very similar to incidents within the Tibetan communities, where Dorje Shugden practitioners are harassed and mistreated by their fellow Tibetans. Just like Christians in Iran, Shugden practitioners live in fear that they will be attacked or kicked out of their communities just because of their religious beliefs.

(1.50 mins)
“Many people in the West are surprised to hear that in much of the Middle East, the majority of pressure against Christians comes from members of their own families. “The night that our family discovered that I’m a Christian and my wife is a Christian, they kicked us out of their house. For some time, we didn’t have any place and we were sleeping on the streets.”

(2.29 mins)
“Government and religion are the same in Iran so when you change religion, in one way you’re saying, ‘I’m rejecting your leadership in my life.’” The Iranian government won’t tolerate any form of opposition, or any form of grouping which is considered a threat to the Islamic Republic.”

(3.30 mins)
“The Iranian government imposes harsh punishments for anyone discovered to be a Christian, using violent tactics to pressure them to convert to Islam.”

Christian Persecution in Egypt

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SQ2KC9RCTGY

The Christian population of Egypt makes up 12.8% of the country’s population. Most of the Christians are known as Coptic people. This is a significant percentage but Christians remain a minority in a society that is very strongly Muslim.

The last 10 years have seen high levels of violence and terrible discrimination against what are called the Coptic Christians. It is not uncommon for girls to be raped, for Christian celebrations to be attacked by drive-by shootings and for Christians to be indiscriminately killed just because of their religion.

Harassment, discrimination and financial incentives for Christians to adopt Islam are also used to break the strength of the Christians. Although the country’s constitution allows freedom of conversion, Muslims converting to Christianity are not able to change their religion or their name on their identification cards. Without this change, Christian women remain designated as Muslims and are unable to marry Christian men.

This discrimination is very similar to what the Dorje Shugden practitioners experience. Shugden practitioners cannot marry or be friends with non-Shugden people. The Egyptian government claims that there is freedom of conversion but this is not true, as you see in the video. Similarly, the CTA claim that the Tibetans have freedom to choose whether they practice Shugden or not, but in reality, this is not the case: people who choose Shugden are not permitted any of the usual rights and freedoms of other citizens. What kind of “choice” is this?

(1.00 min)
“Although Christians and Muslims have lived in relative peace in Egypt, in recent decades, religiously-motivated violence against the Christian minority has been escalating.”

(5.29 mins)
“So if I was a Coptic wanting to become a Muslim, they’re free to do that. But to go the other way, you can’t do that. You can’t leave Islam, and join the Coptic Church or the Baptist Church, or an Evangelical Church or Presbyterian Church. It’s not permitted in their society.”

(6.22 mins)
“Mohammed Hijazi’s case, it caused quite a stir in the media, where you had Islamic leaders coming out and saying this man must be insane, and his own father said he would kill him.”

(8.19 mins)
“We don’t have anything to defend ourselves except through prayer, fasting and good will. And that’s it.”

North Korea has the deadliest level of Christian persecution in the world

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s_trSJf7Zec

North Korean today continues to be run as a total dictatorship under the rule of Kim Jong-Il and his father Kim Il-Sung. Christian groups around the world consider this country the worst place in the world for Christians to live with the worst and most deadly kind of persecution.

Because the North Koreans are encouraged to “worship” nobody except their country’s leaders, any religious belief or worship of any one else could mean someone is killed – not just the individual but three generations of his family will be killed. The North Koreans are taught to view their leader like a God, and that everything he says must be followed or they will suffer grave and terrible consequences. Even speaking about their religion or being caught with any religious items on them can mean an immediate death without trial.

All this is happening right now as we speak in North Korea.

Isn’t this very similar to what is happening with Dorje Shugden practitioners? They suffer just like the Koreans: if a man practices Shugden, his whole family is excluded from society and denied any rights. Everyone is forced to accept what the Dalai Lama has stated even if he is not their Guru. This is like the North Koreans forcing everyone to “worship” their dictator leader Kim Jong-Il and persecuting people who choose to follow a different belief.

(3.19 mins)
“Today, an estimated 40,000 Christians are being held in North Korean prison camps. One out of every 10 Christians in this country is suffering cruel imprisonment.”

(3.38 mins)
“There were two of us who escaped. We were looking for a way to provide food for our family. The vast majority of people are extremely hungry. But Christians are the last to receive any allowance for foods. Everyone uses the black market to survive. My younger brother was taken by immigration authorities. Since then, no one has heard about where they took him or even if he is still alive.”

(5.54 mins)
“In North Korea, Christians constantly fear being discovered. There is severe punishment if they are found guilty. That’s huge because it means death! The North Korean government can’t stand Christians worshipping God since they force people to worship Kim Il-Sung and Kim Jong-Il as their gods.”

(10.49 mins)
“Many in the West are not aware of the suffering endured by North Korean brothers and sisters. In North Korea, if people believe in God and are caught by the Kim Jong-Il government, they are killed along with three generations of their family.”

To our dear friends,

It is becoming rarer and rarer today for us to come across stories of highly accomplished Dharma masters like those of the historical Buddhist legends.

However, highly attained practitioners are still very much in our midst. Attached for your reading pleasure, contemplation and interest is an article of a particularly special Dharma practitioner and the fascinating story of how he had tried to save another deeply respected and well-loved figure of the Buddhist world.

We hope this story will be of much inspiration to you, your Dharma community and the growth of Dharma in the 10 directions.
With many prayers for continued success and happiness in all your endeavours,

Sincerely,
dorjeshugden.com
dorjeshugden.net

How Gen Nyima tried to save His Holiness the 98th Gaden Tripa

This is the story of two great lamas, one with the highest recognition in the land and one without any ranks, titles or positions. It is also a story about Guru devotion, humility, bodhicitta, and the power of our Dharma Protector Dorje Shugden, combined with the very samsaric elements of selfishness and betrayal. It is a story known only to very few people and has never been made public before.

In the late 1980s, His Holiness the 98th Ganden Tripa Jampel Shenpen Rinpoche of Gaden Jangtse Monastery was very ill. High lamas and senior geshes were constantly doing pujas for him, praying for his swift recovery and good health, but to no avail. No rituals, medicines or treatment seemed to have any effect. His Holiness continued to be in pain and suffer respiratory problems.

Before he was incapacitated by his illness, His Holiness was often seen circumambulating the whole monastery. Even in his old age, he would make the nearly-daily effort to complete the 45-minute lingkor path that circled both Ganden Jangtse and Shartse – accompanied by two attendants, one of whom was carrying a chair, His Holiness would take a few steps and then sit to catch his breath. In this way and many others, His Holiness inspired countless Sangha and laypeople to continue with their practices, no matter the obstacles.

A soft-spoken man who was noted for his dedication to the Dharma, His Holiness’s illness worried the entire monastic community. This episode took place before the ban on Dorje Shugden so there were no distinctions between practitioners of any sort – the whole of Ganden, as well as Drepung and Sera, were united in their worry for His Holiness’ declining health.

This is the first part of our story. The second part takes places in nearby Bhutan, a Buddhist country of the Drukpa Kagyu lineage (There’s nothing wrong with the Drukpa Kagyu School of Buddhism or Bhutan, but there are some people who claim to be Buddhists but in fact delve in negative practices from their uncontrolled jealousy). It concerns the actions of one seemingly unremarkable monk called Gen Nyima. “Gen” is Tibetan for teacher, and it is a term of respect accorded to monks who are without rank or title.

Gen Nyima was studying in Ganden Shartse Monastery when he ran away just before his Geshe examinations. When asked why he left the monastery, Gen Nyima replied saying he was not interested in titles, recognition or degrees. He had joined the monastery to study and learn the Dharma, and now all he wanted to do was practice. Once he learned up he retreated to the mountains to practice.

After leaving the monastery, Gen Nyima made his way to the capital city of Bhutan where he began his meditative practices. Soon, word spread that a lama with incredible powers was in town, and he could give blessings and heal people.

As increasing numbers of people came to visit Gen Nyima, he began to feel he had lost the solitude and quiet he wanted for his practices. Thus disinterested in fame, Gen Nyima decided to leave and seek a more remote location to concentrate on his practice. He packed up his very few belongings and set out for the Bhutanese countryside, a pristine landscape of forest rendered uninhabitable by wild animals and the sheer density of the trees. When Gen Nyima could go no further, he stopped and set up camp by a river.

Gen Nyima proceeded to build himself a house. Measuring little more than 6ft by 3ft, the house was furnished by one bed, a small table, a large butterlamp, a small thangka of Tsongkhapa and a picture of His Holiness the Dalai Lama. As for the rest of his possessions, Gen-la kept them in a plastic bag, tied up and hooked onto a nail hammered in the wall.

In this simple setting, Gen Nyima would rise at 3am to recite Ganden Lhagyama and Migtsema, and then begin his meditation on Yamanataka until sunrise. He would break to have his breakfast, then resume his meditation until noon when he would break for lunch. After lunch, Gen Nyima would meditate on Yamantaka until sunset, when he had his dinner and after dinner, he would meditate on Yamantaka again until bedtime. Gen Nyima spent 15 years like this in his little house, meditating on just one yidam.

Slowly but surely, news of a holy monk living in the forest filtered out and eventually, Gen Nyima found his peace and quiet disturbed once again. Stories about Gen-la performing miraculous healings and giving extremely accurate divinations began to spread. There were also stories about Gen Nyima demonstrating his attainments to spread the Dharma.

Once there were some hunters in the forest looking for deer. They came across a large, nearly-white deer and gave chase. After chasing for some time, they saw the deer run into Gen Nyima’s small house. They ran up to the house and inside, they found Gen Nyima sitting on his bed, panting heavily and sweating. Realizing what they had just witnessed, they immediately prostrated. Gen Nyima then proceeded to teach them about the virtues of not killing.

Stories like these that led droves of people to visit Gen Nyima. It was around this time that the Queen Mother of Bhutan was ill and needed medical assistance. Hearing about a holy monk in the forest who might be able to help, she sought him out. Through the enlightened power of Yamantaka, Gen-la healed her and she was so enthralled by his abilities, that her family built roads leading right up to his house! Gen Nyima didn’t want the roads, but the Queen Mother built it so many more may access Gen Nyima easily!

Gen Nyima remained in Bhutan for a few more years until Ganden Jangtse Monastery and His Holiness the Dalai Lama sent word requesting for his return to India so that he might inspire others through his Dharmic example.

Thus Gen Nyima returned to Ganden. Back in India, Gen-la continued to heal people and provide them with accurate divination results. When asked how he did it, Gen Nyima only had one answer – when the monks asked Gen-la how he healed people, he replied, “Yamantaka.” When they asked him who he propitiated for divinations, he replied, “Hlamo.” Then the monks understood that Gen Nyima had attained Yamantaka.

In fact, sometimes Gen Nyima was asked why he didn’t go for any of the pujas that the monastery conducted daily, which was compulsory to everyone. Gen-la said he didn’t know how to do the pujas as he never took the time to learn. Of course some were incredulous – how on earth could this old monk NOT know how to do the pujas, which were some of the easiest on the monastic curriculum? Gen Nyima told them he didn’t need anyone else; he only needed Yamantaka and would proceed to give them an explanation of Yamantaka’s accoutrements to show how Yamantaka fulfilled different purposes equivalent to different pujas.

In this way, Gen Nyima lived in Ganden until a few years later, when His Holiness the 98th Ganden Tripa Jampel Shenpen became sick. Hundreds of monks, lay people and local Indian people would come to Gen Nyima for healing and obtain great results. Villagers whose livelihood depended on crops would be at the mercy of the weather. If too much rain crops would die and if no rain, the crops would dry up. Such was their lot. As a result many of the villagers at times would request Gen Nyima to stop the rain or cause rain to fall.

Gen Nyima would blow Yamantaka’s mantra into the sky from his small veranda in Gaden and in front of many witnesses cause rainfall or stop it within minutes of blowing. This spectacle was spoken about by many who knew Gen Nyima already gained very high attainments. Many young tulku candidates were brought to Gen Nyima and he would successfully find the unmistaken incarnation of many lamas of Gaden, Sera and Drepung. Gen Nyima himself did not practice Dorje Shugden. He said he didn’t need to, but he clearly said, Dorje Shugden is a Buddha and there is no two ways about it. No debates. Those who practice Shugden are fine.

At this point, our two stories merge. After many pujas and treatments for His Holiness, he was not getting any better. Worried for his well-being and not knowing what else to do, some monks approached Gen Nyima for a divination. They wanted to know what was going on and why His Holiness was manifesting a sickness that could not heal.

Without hesitation, Gen Nyima did a divination. He told them that because they were unsettled by the popularity of the Tibetan Gelugpa monks, some Bhutanese lamas had performed a powerful ritual using His Holiness the 98th Ganden Tripa’s image. Gen Nyima said that the image was placed in the centre, surrounded by four phurbas (ritual daggers) pointing away into the four cardinal directions. The image of Gaden Tripa was buried under the ground ritually.

Gen Nyima said this was why His Holiness was so ill, and why he could not be healed using conventional medicines. There were only two ways to heal him: (1) to find the image, dig it up and have it ritually destroyed or (2) to perform a Dorje Shugden massive three day torgya puja.

So now we come to the part where you all wonder why the monastery had not yet performed the fire puja for His Holiness, and this is where betrayal is introduced into the story.

The divination had been requested by His Holiness’ main attendant who is now in US, a monk we will only identify as Tashi. Aside from our source who found out by chance, Tashi had not told anyone else of the divination results. And because it is not the general Tibetan custom to enquire into other people’s affairs, no one had thought twice to question Tashi about what else he was doing for the sake of His Holiness the Ganden Tripa’s health.

Thus the subject of the divination and its results was never brought up. Tashi chose to look politically correct instead of saving his lama Gaden Tripa. Gen Nyima clearly said he told Tashi that a Shugden 3-day Torgya must be done. Very urgent. If not done, no other pujas can help His Holiness Gaden Tripa to recover and he will not recover. Gen Nyima related this story himself. Tashi had many other pujas done, but Gaden Tripa passed away within a few months.

Therefore Tashi knew how to save the Ganden Tripa but decided against following the divination results because some years ago, during the start of the ban, Tashi had decided he wanted to be on the ‘correct’ side. He advised people to dispose of all their Dorje Shugden images and repeatedly told people to follow His Holiness the Dalai Lama’s instructions not to worship the Protector. His motivation was not devotion towards the Dalai Lama, but to look politically correct.

Therefore to follow Gen Nyima’s divination was a matter of embarrassment for Tashi, because people would have asked why he kept telling everyone not to practice Dorje Shugden but then suddenly arranged for a Dorje Shugden fire puja to save his lama. Tashi was not willing to risk this embarrassment, and felt it was more important to remain ‘clean’ in the eyes of the Tibetan government and save himself. Tashi himself did not like Shugden even before the ban and would often criticize hundreds of monks in Gaden who worshipped Dorje Shugden. Tashi would criticize Dorje Shugden and created much hard feelings with his divisive speech among the sangha adding to his lack of popularity. In general many did not like Tashi and also wondered why H.H. Gaden Tripa would keep him as an attendant. But would not dare question Gaden Tripa as per Tibetan etiquette.

And when His Holiness the Ganden Tripa finally passed away after his protracted illness, Tashi was in America. It wasn’t until two to three weeks later, and after much effort to communicate with him, did Tashi reluctantly return to Ganden to oversee His Holiness’ funeral rites by the Monastery. The Ganden Tripa’s funeral was a big deal too. As the former head of the Gelugpa lineage, His Holiness’ funeral would see the highest lamas of the Tibetan Buddhist schools attending his funeral ceremony. In fact, the Dalai Lama was going to send envoys to represent him at the funeral, such was the Ganden Tripa’s high standing in the monastic community. Such a grand (and therefore complex) occasion would require a lot of planning and hard work. It would require Tashi to be present every step of the way to ensure his Lama received the proper funerary customs that he deserved. This was something Tashi was apparently reluctant to oversee. In fact, immediately after His Holiness’ funeral, Tashi returned back to the United States and has not been heard from since.

This incident happened in the late 1980s, when the Dorje Shugden ban was coming into place. On reading this story, we wish to make a few points clear:

1. Gen Nyima’s example shows that humility is the basis of all attainments, and not rank or title
2. There are good attendants and bad attendants, just like there are good lay practitioners and bad ones. What matters in the face of our lama’s well-being and the growth of his work, is the devotion that students pay to him, no matter the obstacles
3. Despite the power of the ritual performed against His Holiness the Ganden Tripa, in Gen Nyima’s divination, the only deity who could save the Ganden Tripa was Dorje Shugden.
4. Since the start of the ban, the Tibetan government has been creating schism within the Sangha, and indirectly and directly harming their lives

In raising awareness of this incident, may any merits thus amassed be dedicated to the lifting of the ban on Dorje Shugden. May all lamas live long, with students and attendants who prolong their life and truly assist in the propitiation of Lama Tsongkhapa’s holy tradition. And may all Dorje Shugden practitioners live long, develop bodhicitta and pure faith in the Dharma so that they may gain attainments, and free themselves and all sentient beings from samsara.

~ by dorjeshugden.com ~

While Tibet fights the ongoing noble cause for independence, it looks like the Chinese have other plans.

Below is an article written by one of China’s leading newspapers about the Dorje Shugden issue, namely the ban instituted by the Dalai Lama against this Protector deity.

Although the article was written in the earlier days, before the height of the ban, it shows clearly that China has been closely watching the activity of the Tibetans, the Dalai Lama and his exiled government (now the CTA). They know very well what is happening within the exiled Tibetan communities.

Also, note that the article is written with a tone which does not agree with the undemocratic and unjust methods used against Dorje Shugden practitioners; it is clear that the Chinese do not agree with the Dalai Lama’s policies on this and are on the side of the Shugden activists and practitioners.

Note what they write in the article: “China is in fact gaining greater international prestige, and Tibetans are leading a better life… people have lost confidence in the call for “Tibetan independence””.

You might think that Tibetan independence is a different issue from the Dorje Shugden issue. In fact, the two issues are very connected. From the point of view of the Chinese, they may use internal troubles within the Tibetan communities as “proof” that the Dalai Lama is disharmonious. They will use this information against the Tibetans and the Dalai Lama, saying that they are doing more harm than good for their people – so therefore, why should China give them independence?

Issues of disharmony like the Dorje Shugden ban creates more fuel for China to use against the exiled Tibetan people.
This might also potentially jeopardise the exiled Tibetans’ relations with their host country India. When India hears of these internal disharmonious issues in their own country, it can signal instability within India, which of course the government will not like.

It is important to note that although the ban against Shugden is continuing within Tibetan communities, the practice of Shugden is growing in China. The government gives a lot of support to the Buddhist monasteries in the Tibetan areas and especially to Dorje Shugden temples.

Please read this article. There are definitely many more articles like this circulating throughout China and which will spread to the world. Consider the long-term effects of the Shugden ban and how it affects the Tibetans’ internal and international relations. Is this the kind of future that the exiled Tibetans want?

Beijing Supports The Shugden Activists

http://www.friendsoftibet.org/databank/chinageneral/chinag6.html

China’s Tibet

January 1996

Just like his predecessors, the 14th Dalai Lama, who now lives in exile in India, once worshiped Gyaiqen Xudian (Gyalchen Shugden). In fact, a thangka painting of the Buddhist guardian once hung prominently on a wall in the residence of the Dalai Lama.

In 1978, however, the Dalai Lama ordered that the thangka painting of the Buddhist guardian be removed. Thereafter, he vowed that he would no longer worship the Buddhist guardian, and that “no Tibetan was allowed to do so,” the Dalai Lama ordered. “Anyone who dares to worship Gyaiqen Xudian will no longer be considered my disciple.”

Retribution

In recent years, the Dalai Lama, a self-styled believer in religious freedom, who allegedly stands in firm opposition to any suppression of religion, sought retribution against the innocent guardian of the Tibetan Buddhist doctrine. His staunch disavowal has, in fact, recently gained momentum.

Following years of silence, the Dalai Lama declared a virtual war against a holy spirit of the Gelug Sect in 1994. The Dalai Lama and his followers have repeatedly declared that Gyaiqen Xudian is a ‘Han Ghost’ who lacks favor with Nequn (Nechung), who is often seen as the main guardian of Buddhist doctrine.

In March 1996, the Dalai Lama forcefully disallowed the practice of the Dharma Protector Gyaiqen Xudian during lectures. The Dalai Lama issued a ridiculous accusation that this guardian of Tibetan Buddhism was in some way adversely affecting his government in exile.

Proceeding on the basis of the accusation, he instructed all monasteries and all Living Buddhas of Tibetan Buddhism to cease worship of Gyaiqen Xudian. The Dalai Lama stressed that anyone worshipping the guardian would be acting against the ‘common cause of Tibet’, and would quite simply be yearning for the Dalai Lama’s own early demise.

The audience attending his lecture on Buddhism was astonished at the remarks. The hysterical Dalai Lama yelled that anyone unwilling to obey his instructions should leave. Members of the Dalai Lama’s government in exile, a group at the beck and call of the Dalai Lama, are forcibly prohibited from worshipping Gyaiqen Xudian, the guardian of the Gelug Sect Buddhist doctrine.

Various related Tibetan departments adopted resolutions and issued statements banning the worship of Gyaiqen. The resolutions and statements, as well as the speeches of the Dalai Lama, were compiled into books and audio-video products for widespread circulation. This Dharma Protector has since been the target of attacks from the Dalai Lama and his followers.

The Dalai Lama’s cronies rushed to areas in India and Nepal inhabited by Tibetans. They forced Tibetans to obey the Dalai Lama’s order to abandon the worship of Gyaiqen Xudain, a figure worshipped by generations. The Dalai Lama’s men proceeded to visit monasteries and private houses, destroying statues of the guardian of the Buddhist doctrine.
Tibetans held differing views on the ban on the generations-old worship of this Dharma Protector. Mounting opposition invited suppression from the Dalai Lama and his men who proceeded to cancel support for students who opposed the Dalai Lama, and went so far as to dismiss government officials who refused to obey.
Faced with rising discontentment amongst Tibetans, the government in exile recently issued a statement to the effect that only “Government departments” were prohibited from worshipping this Dharma Protector, and that individuals were free to make their own decision.

The government in exile dared not admit the fact that various students who refused to obey had been ordered to leave monastic schools. The indisputable fact is that over a dozen Tibetan lamas were driven from Tibetan Buddhist monasteries in southern India.

Opposition

The Dalai Lama’s move has sparked widespread boycott and opposition in Tibetan-inhabited areas both in and outside Tibet. Many highly respected Living Buddhas, and indeed common people, have refused to affix their signature to documents the Dalai Lama and his men have drafted; documents which demand that they abandon worship of this Dharma Protector. They produced various posters and audio products for distribution in areas where there are Tibetans, describing the suffering the Dalai Lama and his men have inflicted on people continuing to worship the guardian of the Buddhist doctrine.

Tibetans living in various areas have been forced to hide their statues of the Dharma Protector.

Tibetan compatriots living in India and Nepal joined in a collective protest opposing the Dalai Lama’s decision and banded together to protect monasteries, lamas and nuns from continual hounding by the Dalai and his men. The protestors also issued statements pointing out the Dalai Lama’s move to violate human rights.

Background

The Dalai Lama has been leading a life in exile for the past 37 years. He has yearned for the day when the Communist Party of China would step down, and has worked hard to turn the tide in China. He predicted that 1990 would be a period ripe for Tibet to “win independence” and that the “Chinese Communist regime” would be toppled between 1995 and 1996. He travelled far and wide seeking support for the independence of Tibet, with his effort was supported by funds raised from Tibetans residing overseas. The group providing his funds, however, is becoming increasingly disappointed to see that the Dalai Lama has been reduced to a mouthpiece of international anti-China forces, and that his predictions are sheer nonsense.

China is in fact gaining greater international prestige, and Tibetans are leading a better life. Tibetan compatriots residing abroad express amazement at the freedom of religious belief enjoyed by their counterparts. Discontent for the Dalai Lama continues to grow, and people have lost confidence in the call for “Tibetan independence”.

Given the situation of spreading discontentment amongst Tibetans residing abroad, the Dalai Lama resorted to what is referred to as “killing a chicken as a warning to monkeys”. This is precisely the reason he flies into a rage when dealing with the guardian of the Buddhist doctrine.

The Dalai Lama, who turned 60 in 1995, predicted: “According to all signs I have gathered from dreams and elsewhere, I will live to an age between 100 to 120 years.” The Dalai Lama instigated a war against the spiritual image in the minds of Tibetans out of the fear that Gyaiqen Xudian, the guardian of the Buddhist doctrine, would somehow disrupt his yearning for longevity.

Dear friends of Wisdom Buddha Dorje Shugden,

This character below, ‘Tenzin Gyatso’, is apparently a student studying at the Tibetan Library in Dharamsala, the headquarters of Dalai Lama. He is obviously a supporter of the Dalai Lama.

Below is a post that he has recently written on the forum of DorjeShugden.com which we would like to share with you. The original post and subsequent replies can be read at: http://www.dorjeshugden.com/forum/index.php?topic=1998.0

Do you agree with his statements? What are your views? Has the Dorje Shugden practice become less prevalent and dying? Is no one working for our cause any longer?

Click on link, share your opinion and read the thoughts of others. If you are devoted to the Wisdom Buddha Dorje Shugden given to you by your teacher, then have your say and perhaps do something to keep the practice alive and growing in the world.

Admin
DorjeShugden.com

This was posted on: http://www.dorjeshugden.com/forum/index.php?topic=1998.0

FACE IT: Shugden’s practice is dying already

The point is HHDL has his oppositions and not all his policies will please all the people all the time. But his policy on Dorje Shugden is to safeguard the purity of Buddhism. This faces opposition, but the opposition is quieted down and will accept HHDL’s position sooner or later. You don’t see anymore protests orchestrated by Geshe Kelsang. In fact Geshe Kelsang has given up his lawsuits, protests and talks against HHDL. He recognizes it is futile.

Following Geshe Kelsang example many Lamas has renounced Shugden and followed the advice of HHDL. Geshe Kelsang and the Shugden lamas have not the power, following, evidence, stamina, resources to fight any further. Shugden people have gone back into their comfortable lives and do their prayers quietly to a god Shugden who is not powerful and definitely a spirit that cannot oppose the truth represented by HHDL’s courage and stance. The few oppositions left are pockets here and there. No Shugden organization or group is able to oppose HHDL. All of them are powerless and silent. Simply because truth is not on their side and they cannot gain support.

Your only platform to speak is here & you’re disharmonious

Debating here on the only Shugden friendly forum in the world will not free the Shugden spirit or bring him mainstream. Even all you Shugden followers do not unite or get along. I’ve read the old posts. I was suprised how much you all argue just about Shugden and the bigger picture incessantly without end. For this reason you all broke up. Some stayed on this forum, some left because of obscure silly arguments. I found that so hilarious. You don’t even have unity because you argue over obscure unsupported theories.

Whether there is a bigger picture or not, who cares. You all worship the one god Shugden spirit and you don’t get blessed by him to play nice and get along?? Definitely this is the ‘blessings’ of the Shugden spirit where everything looks hunky dory at first and then it just goes down. None of you get along here even when it comes to Shugden! One side against HHDL full stop/criticize non-stop shouting there is no big picture and the other side purports a bigger picture at same time respectful to the Dalai Lama. Your arguments with eachother on this on past threads was really entertaining to say the least. It is proof Shugden creates disharmony. Can’t you all see. You all don’t even get along and ‘tear’ at each other.

People power, effort, hard work, consistent effort will free Shugden and get him into mainstream acceptance. But hold on a minute, don’t get excited, that would only work if Shugden’s practice was genuine and not a spirt practice. Since it is a spirit practice, hard work and effort will get the Shugden movement nowhere. See the evidence. Do you see Shugden growing? A few monasteries (Shar Ganden & Serphom) splintering off does not exactly spell growth or mainstream acceptance. Shugden movement is dying a slow death.

Resources and stamina ending

Shugden movement is dying. No more protests, law suits whatsoever. All Shugden lamas hide, remain quiet or just have no power/resources to do anything further. The students are just making money, making families, buying houses and eating nice food. Not one single student/group of any well known Shugden lama are standing up or doing anything because nothing can be done. A spirit is a spirit. If Shugden is so powerful why does he let this be? Obviously Shugden does not have the power to ‘fight’ or ‘challenge’ one single man-His Holiness the Dalai Lama.

Media doesn’t consider this important

Even popular media does not take the Shugden issue seriously. Shugden’s ’cause’ is losing and becoming more quiet. Sorry. But it is for the better.

Ask yourself, as a follower of Shugden what are you doing everyday for the so called ban (not a ban) to be removed? From the comforts of your homes, what are you doing besides typing on this forum that will make huge waves? Nothing much right? How come? My theory is because Shugden is a spirit and he has some minimal power but not enough to combat the pure motivation and stance of the many lamas who have given up Shugden and went back to Kalarupa, pure Buddhism and the logical wishes of His Holiness the Dalai Lama.

Gotta get on the page already man. It’s not too late.

Central Tibetan Administration not concerned

I’ve introduced some of my friends here in Dharamsala who work in Tibetan CTA offices. They said, this website and it’s writings does not worry them at all. Shugden people are a small minority and getting smaller. They occasionally visit this website, but they find it sad that all of you will not practice pure Buddhism. They said we should be patient towards the Shugden people, it’s just a matter of time they disappear completely. My friends said Shugden people do not have the strength, stamina, resources to fight anymore. The biggest part of this dying ‘movement’ is truth is not on your side.

Silenced

Geshe Kelsang, Gonar Rinpoche, Trijang Rinpoche, Pabonka Rinpoche, Zemey Rinpoche, Yogyal Rinpoche, Droma Geshe, Ganchen Rinpoche, Gyurme Kensure, Gaden Thrisur in France, Geshe Jampa, Kundeling Rinpoche, Thapo Rinpoche, Zasepp Rinpoche, Gellek Rinpoche, etc etc etc have no more abilities or stamina to pursue this senseless argument Shugden is enlightened. All these lamas and their students have become more and more silent. Everyone has retreated into their centres and hope Shugden the spirit will come to the rescue. I doubt it. Shugden can never oppose the HH Dalai Lama. Truth is on His Holiness the Dalai Lama’s side.

Regret and purify. His Holiness will accept. He is very compassionate. It’s not too late. We can become one big happy family again. Harmonious and united.

Gyudmed Monastery (Lower Tantric College) Kensur Sonam Gyaltsen’s Letter to Tibetan Buddhists and Tibetan Government-in-exile

Dear all Gurus and monks,

Regarding the letter sent December 30, 2010, and received on January 13, 2011. The content of this letter asked me to give up the protector practice, let me explain:

In 1996 I was the Khenpo (abbot) of Gyudmed Monastery, at that time, from the Khenpo to the new monks at the end of the seats, everybody was to submit a statement to stop propitiating protector. Besides this, the letter also mentioned that we must make sure to cut off all Dharmic and worldly connections with people who pray to Gyalchen (Dorje Shugden) Protector. Such an order is impossible to carry out, please allow me to state my reasons:

Jangtse Dratsang (Gaden Monastery North College) is not a newly built monastery in India, there have been many Gurus, Rinpoches, and Geshes who propitiated Gyalchen Shugden: the attained Gurus that spread the Dharma nectar to learning monks in the Dratsang – Serkong Dorje Chang, his incarnation the 2nd Serkong Dorje Chang, Kenchen Tendakwa Rinpoche, Phara Rinpoche Lobsang Yeshe Sonam Chokyi Wangchuk, (Hardong) Geshe Rinpoche Kenrab Samten, (Gowo) Kensur Yeshe Gawa, (Tsawa) Drokmi Jampa Lodro Rinpoche, (Gowo) Geshe Nyima Gyaltsen, (Gowo) Ken Rinpoche Sonam Kunga.

These great Lamas are great masters who taught Sutra and Tantra teachings in Jangtse Monastery, if we swear to cut off all Dharmic and worldly material relationship with them, it is totally unacceptable. Forcing ourselves to cut off all Dharmic and worldly material relationship with our Gurus is something impossible to do even for non-Buddhists, let alone Buddhists like ourselves. Where did you get your Sutra and Tantra lineage from? Maybe you dug it out from the ground. Ken Rinpoche Sonam Kunga tirelessly taught us a lot of great scriptures, he received the teachings from his Gurus and Geshes. From Serkong Dorje Chang to Ken Rinpoche Sonam Kunga, and all the Dratsang great masters in between, it is widely known that they practiced protector Gyalchen Dorje Shugden.

You forced us monks to cut off all Dharmic and worldly material relationship with them, I cannot do it, because I am a monk, according to Tibetan traditional vinaya code a monk is not allowed to swear. This code is also in Shakyamuni’s Vinaya scripture towards the end, page 392, you can go and check for yourselves. You should request Samdhong Rinpoche, “Please be compassionate, don’t let the monks swear, because monks are not allowed to swear.” But you didn’t request, and you followed Samdhong Rinpoche’s order and you swore, and caused the great Gaden Monastery to fall apart into different factions. I did not swear because I did not want to create schism among Sangha. Some people abuse the vinaya power in their hands, this is widely known, it is like our Tibetan proverbs “The person in charge of the water flour mill is not the main person-in-charge, the head of the farm village is not the government officials.”

I have already quoted the scriptures for you in my letter above, and have shown to you with valid and solid proofs that Gyalchen Dorje Shugden is a saint, is a protector, is a Gelug protector. I am not trying to show off my knowledge in my letter, I wrote it because I had no choice.

It seemed like our government-in-exile had nothing better to do, they spent so many years to create chaos, excommunicate many monks, divided a fine dratsang into two factions, I wrote this letter because I had enough, it is too much.

Regarding Dorje Shugden, we just have to check the historical materials and we will understand the original facts. I wish the unnecessary chaos created in these 40 years can be pacified very soon.

This letter is sent to the religious department, Samdhong Rinpoche and various dratsangs, please read it openly in front of all sangha.

Gyudmed Monastery Kensur Sonam Gyaltsen
January 13, 2011
written in West Europe

Gyudmed Kensur Sonam Gyaltsen Rinpoche

Gyudmed Kensur Sonam Gyaltsen Rinpoche, or known as Geshe Sonam or Gen Tati, was born in the Year of the Tiger fire, the 13th day of the first Tibetan month (March 13, 1926), in a large family of nomadic herders in Atsa Region, between Kongpo and Kham in central Tibet. Rinpoche entered religious life at the age of 5.

On March 23, 1959, like thousands of his countrymen, Rinpoche fled Tibet for exile in India. In 1971, Rinpoche passed the exams of “Geshe Lharampa” (Doctor in Buddhist philosophy) where he obtained the first rank.

While at Gaden Jangtse, Rinpoche studied under teachers like Phara Rinpoche, Geshe Samten Kenrab, Geshe Nyima Gyaltsen, Kyabje Trijang Dorjechang and Kyabje Zong Rinpoche.

In 1974, Rinpoche completed a 600-pages doctoral thesis which the theme focuses on “mental images” at the University of Varanasi, India. Rinpoche arrived in France in 1980, where Rinpoche lived until 1990. That year, Rinpoche was appointed as the Vice-Abbot, then three years later, the Abbot of Gyudmed Dratsang until 1996. After that, Rinpoche returned to and lived in France.

From 2002 to 2006, Rinpoche went into a solitary retreat. Since 2004, Rinpoche devotes his time to writing. Rinpoche completed a treaty on the Vinaya, specifically the ordination of Bhikshuni. It traces the history of the introduction of the Vinaya in Tibet and chronicles the debates, the decisions taken by great masters, and supporting references.

For more information on Gyumed Khensur Rinpoche: http://anecdotesbouddhistes.blogspot.com/2008/01/gen-tati-gyudmed-khensur-rinpoche-sonam.html

on The Conpendium of Vinaya by Khensur Rinpoche: http://www.choeurdutibet.chezalice.fr/documents/CompendiumOfVinayaTexts.pdf
(Editor’s Note: This link appears to have been removed from the mentioned website)

It was predicted by the Buddha that Buddhism will be destroyed not by external forces but from within, by Buddhists themselves. Since the Dalai Lama announced the ban of the Dharma Protector Dorje Shugden, Buddhists the world over have found themselves facing an unusual dilemma – to continue a practice given to them by their teachers, which they have followed their whole lives or to give it up, just to please the Dalai Lama?

The greatest irony is that until this controversy arose, many of the most highly recognised masters in the Tibetan Buddhist world engaged in this Dharma Protector practice for most of their lives. Imagine a lifetime of devotion to your spiritual practice, only to be faced with a question you never thought you would have to consider – whether to continue propitiating Dorje Shugden… or not. For those who no longer do the practice, the question still hangs over their head, forever reminding them of the choice they made; for those who choose to continue, they are persecuted, ostracized and face physical threats to their lives.

The article attached shares valuable insights into this current dilemma faced in the Tibetan Buddhist world and what it really means to have religious freedom. In particular, it reveals the actions of one of the world’s most famous Buddhist masters – Lama Zopa – and the special relationship he maintains with one of the world’s most famous Dorje Shugden practitioners, Trijang Rinpoche.

We hope that by sharing this information, we can bring greater awareness of the issue to the world, help people understand the situation and thereby create more religious freedom, harmony and peace between all Buddhists.

Our best wishes,
[YOUR NAME]

FIRST, PLEASE SEE THIS VERY IMPORTANT VIDEO:

Lama Zopa worships at Trijang Rinpoche’s stupa dorjeshugden.com/?p=11310

His Holiness Kyabje Trijang Rinpoche is the irrefutable guru of the majority of great Gelug Contemporary masters. Many of the teachings His Holiness the Dalai Lama passes on now is from Kyabje Trijang Rinpoche. The Dalai Lama studied under Trijang Rinpoche for 30 years. Trijang gave teachings in Gaden, Sera and Drepung. All the attained and great masters around the world are his students.

In Vajrayana Buddhism we are taught to visualize our teachers as one with our meditational deity (yidam) or simply as a living Buddha. This way the blessings are greater when we do our practice. Whatever the teacher gives us we should follow diligently and never disparage the teachings and teacher, to do so would break all of our words and commitments related to tantra and attainments. We would never gain realizations or attainments if we dare disparage our tantric guru. Vajradhara, Guru Rinpoche, Tsongkapa, Panchen Sonam Drakpa, Tilopa, Shantideva, Naropa, Milarepa, Atisha, Kyabje Pabongka, Dilgo Kyentse Rinpoche, Sakya Kunga Nyingpo, Drigung Gyabgon Rinpoche, Gaden Tripa, Jamyang Konchok Shepa, Trichen Ngawang Chokden, Panchen Lama have all stated this clearly.

Such erudite masters and scholars such as Kyabje Trijang Rinpoche spent his whole life until 81 disseminating the Buddha Dharma tirelessly holding the pure morality of a monk. All the teachings Trijang Rinpoche has generously given have lineage, source and athenticity without a doubt. Besides being highly attained, Kyabje Trijang Rinpoche was a scholar of the highest caliber therefore chosen to be the Junior Tutor (Yongzin) to His Holiness the 14th Dalai Lama. Why choose a Dorje Shugden practitioner to be the tutor of the 14th Dalai Lama and then disparage him for it? Trijang Rinpoche did not ask for the position. With so many masters and scholars, Kyabje Trijang Rinpoche was chosen from among thousands during that time. This is clear what it says about his qualities. Kyabje Trijang Rinpoche for many incarnations has practiced the Heruka, Vajra Yogini and Dorje Shugden diligently as his heart practice. Incarnation after incarnation he would engage in the same practices never taking a rebirth without control. If his practice of Shugden was wrong, then he would not be able to take rebirth life after life benefitting others.

After the death of His Holiness Kyabje Trijang Dorje Chang, His Holiness the 14th Dalai Lama started to ban and criticize Dorje Shugden the root protector of his root teacher. How can such a great master be blind to not knowing if Dorje Shugden was something not positive. How can only the Dalai Lama see what is right or wrong and not his teacher. If the Dalai Lama can criticize his teacher and say Trijang Rinpoche is wrong, then students of the Dalai Lama can say Dalai Lama is wrong. Once the doors open, it opens both ways and for everyone. If the Dalai Lama starts the unheard tradition that his teachers can be wrong, then Dalai Lama can be wrong also. The very foundation of Vajrayana Buddhism is destabilized if we go that route. Everything becomes uncertain. In fact His Holiness the Dalai Lama says those who practice Dorje Shugden we should not associate with them on both a secular level or a spiritual level. If that is the case, then we cannot associate with our teachers such as Kyabje Trijang Rinpoche as his practice was ‘wrong’. We must never practice anything Trijang Rinpoche taught us and abandon him as our teacher. We must abandon any of our teachers that practice Dorje Shugden? Doesn’t make sense. So all the practices, yidams, commentaries we received from our teacher should be abandoned and immediately stopped?

Dalai Lama says we have the freedom to practice or not practice Dorje Shugden. But if you do practice Dorje Shugden you will be banned from his teachings, ex-communicated from the Monasteries, you cannot enter into any Tibetan institutions, hospitals, markets or meetings. Tibetans that do not practice Dorje Shugden may not associate with those who do even if you are family. As strange as it sounds, that is what the Dalai Lama has said clearly and openly within the Tibetan communities repeatedly.

His speech outside of India in Europe and America are much more toned down of course. You can find his speeches for Tibetans all over Youtube. Every other citizen of this planet no matter their religious orientation may associate with the Dalai Lama except Dorje Shugden practitioners. It’s not Dorje Shugden practitioners need to associate with Dalai Lama, but why is the such segregation from a spiritual leader? That does not sound like the words that should come from the mouth of a Nobel Laureate of Peace. You are effectively not part of Tibetan society anymore if you practice Dorje Shugden.

That is not freedom of religion but blackmail of sorts. This is what His Holiness that Dalai Lama says now. If that is the case all teachings, sadhanas, practices and lineages by Trijang Rinpoche and Dorje Shugden master practitioners for the last 350 years are wrong? That does not make sense. Trijang Rinpoche was a lineage holder within the Gelug School and many important lineages come through him. If we were to have negative view or abandon Kyabje Trijang Rinpoche we cannot gain any tantric attainments from our practice.

The Gelug school as we know it becomes nullified of blessings and authenticity. Impossible. How can we meditate our Guru who is one with our Yidam to be wrong? Dorje Shugden practitioners should not be prejudiced against in anyway. They should be able to enjoy the rights, dignity and privileges like every other Tibetan. The Dalai Lama should accept, love and be close to all Tibetans regardless of their personal religious beliefs. This is religious freedom. Religion should never be factor for effective governments and leaders in today’s day and age. Can the president of any country ostracize citizens in their own country or disallow their equal rights based on religious beliefs? Of course not. But this is happening now within the Tibetan communities of India and Nepal. Do your research please.

These days professing you have faith in Kyabje Trijang Rinpoche or associating with his young incarnation in the USA is tantamount to saying you believe in Dorje Shugden or you are against Dalai Lama. What I find interesting if this is the case, in this recent video, Lama Zopa Rinpoche is doing puja, prayers and worship in front of the most famous Dorje Shugden practitioner, His Holiness Kyabje Trijang Rinpoche’s stupa. This stupa contains the remains and relics of the late great Tutor of His Holiness the Dalai Lama or Yongzin Kyabje Trijang Dorje Chang. So since Lama Zopa is worshipping in front of the stupa, is it right to assume that he finds Trijang Rinpoche faultless and his practice of Dorje Shugden correct after all? Or Trijang Rinpoche is faultless except for Dorje Shugden? So Trijang Rinpoche is with fault. It becomes confusing.

Remember Lama Yeshe and Lama Zopa both received the Dorje Shugden life entrustment empowerment (sogtae) from Kyabje Trijang Rinpoche. This is a promise to practice Dorje Shugden for all of this life until you achieve Bodhicitta. In Tibet at Domo Geshe Rinpoche’s personal Dungkar Monastary, Dorje Shugden took trance of the then oracle and pronounced Lama Zopa to be a genuine Tulku and he should be taken care of. Lama Zopa’s Tulku or reincarnation status was accepted by the sangha because Dorje Shugden had recognized him officially back in the 1950′s. This one is written clearly in Lama Zopa’s biography “The Lawudo Lama” by Jamyang Wangmo published by Wisdom Publications, page 172-173. (see full story here “Who Made Lama Zopa a Rinpoche?”: /?p=20 )

Now we see Lama Zopa worshipping in front of Trijang Rinpoche’s stupa. Depending on what side of the fence you are forced to choose, it can be good or bad. This is not to attack the Dalai Lama or Lama Zopa. But this is to express the difficult situation that occurs when religious freedom is curtailed. Whatever you do is observed and subject to criticism. Worshipping at the stupa of your guru is considered a negative action now if your holy master was a Dorje Shugden practitioner. This does not make sense to anyone who understands the Dharma, especially tantra.