Only in the Tibetan leadership does the head of government pay obeisance to, and take advice from formless deities who cannot be held accountable for what they say. In this image, the Tibetan Prime Minister Lobsang Sangay bows to Nechung. Nowhere else in the world will any democratic leader or head of state rely so heavily on an unseen being or spirit. And it seems the Tibetan leadership knows this, as is reflected in their inconsistent relationship with spirit Nechung.

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.

By: Shashi Kei

As the old adage goes, it takes two hands to clap and therefore when examining the failures of the Central Tibetan Administration (CTA; based in Dharamsala, North India), it is merely due diligence to examine their closest advisors too and one of the Tibetan leadership’s closest advisors is the spirit Nechung. Nechung is the common name for the State Oracle of Tibet who takes trance of a deity Pehar and / or Pehar’s spirit-ministers.

In relying on Nechung, what we see is a totally unprecedented situation not witnessed anywhere else in the world. In this instance, a so-called democratically-elected leadership relies heavily on an undemocratically-appointed Oracle to advice, guide, shape and influence the entire community’s and government’s policies. Those with even a passing, Hollywood-induced familiarity of Tibet will be aware of their leadership’s reliance on oracles for spiritual matters like identifying candidates for the next Dalai Lama.

On the one hand, the CTA claims they are a democratic government. On the other hand, they have a designated State Oracle. No other modern democratic nation has an oracle on retainer whom they invoke as a matter of tradition, to “consult on important matters”. (Source: http://tibet.net/2017/06/kashag-invokes-state-oracle-nechung-to-offer-obeisance/)

What they will be less familiar with is the depth of reliance from the Tibetan leadership on all matters political. If people assume that the Tibetan leadership’s reliance on Nechung for political decisions is just a one-off, they could not be further from the truth. And yet, despite this immense reliance on the Nechung Oracle for both secular and spiritual advice, it has been proven time and again just what a dangerous folly it is to implement advice given by the Nechung Oracle.

The Unreliability of the Nechung Oracle

The Nechung Oracle is known for his long history of inaccurate proclamations, which include (but are not limited to):

• Prescribing the wrong medication to the 13th Dalai Lama, which hastened his passing. In his book Portrait of the Dalai Lama which documents the life of the 13th Dalai Lama, Sir Charles Bell wrote, “On this occasion, the Nechung oracle said that the Dalai Lama should take a medicine known as “the seventeen heroes for subduing colds” (chamjom pawo chupdun) and himself prepared the medicine in a cup with water. Most respondents report that the Dalai Lama refused the dose and that the state oracle literally had to pour it into his mouth. The Dalai Lama’s condition immediately deteriorated, and by noon he was unconscious. He never said another word.” Because his advice resulted in this catastrophe, the deity Nechung was flogged while taking trance in the Oracle.
• Giving disastrously wrong advice to the Tibetans during the 1904 British incursion into Tibet. When an Expeditionary Force led by Lt. Col. Sir Francis Younghusband began to advance on Central Tibet after failed negotiations, the Nechung Oracle duly proclaimed that the British Army would reach Central Tibet. He then predicted that the Tibetan army would be victorious. True to his prediction, the British did arrive in Lhasa but unlike in his prophecy, they easily defeated the poorly-equipped Tibetans. The result was the Dalai Lama fleeing Tibet’s capital city, Lhasa, along with the Nechung Oracle. Upon his return when the British had departed, the Nechung Oracle was summarily dismissed from his position as the State Oracle.
• Wrongly and dangerously advising His Holiness the 14th Dalai Lama to remain in Tibet during the political turmoil of 1959. It was later discovered that there had been a plot to arrest and harm the Dalai Lama and many other religious leaders. Had Nechung’s advice been followed, it is likely that the 14th Dalai Lama would have been harmed. Instead, the Dalai Lama followed Dorje Shugden’s insistent advice that the Dalai Lama leave Tibet immediately for India. Dorje Shugden also specified the exact time and day of departure, the escape route, and also gave further instructions on what to do to ensure a successful escape. This entire incident was well-documented by the very people who accompanied the Dalai Lama on his escape into exile (see video below).

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• Time and again, Nechung has wrongly proclaimed that exiled Tibetans will return to their homeland. He issued such proclamations in 1986, 1987, 1995, 1997 and 2012. The most recent incident involved an Indian girl, Sambhavi, who traveled to Dharamsala claiming to be an incarnation of a Hindu goddess. Her parents demanded a private audience with the Dalai Lama, claiming that the girl had a special message for him. In “trance”, she warned the Dalai Lama of health concerns and also gave an optimistic prediction that Tibetans would return to Tibet in 2012. The incident was covered by Al-Jazeera news network and French Channel 5. To verify the girl’s claims, the Nechung Oracle was invoked and the deity duly concurred with the girl’s predictions. One of the Oracle’s assistants was even filmed (see video below) saying that when the Dalai Lama returned to Tibet at the appointed time, people would be so overjoyed that they would die. Instead, 2012 came and went and nothing happened.

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• Last but not least, Nechung has wrongly advised the Dalai Lama and Tibetan government to ban Dorje Shugden’s practice, the single most divisive policy of the CTA due to the large percentage of people affected (seeing that the Gelugpa is the largest Tibetan Buddhist sect). It was in 1996 that the Dalai Lama announced the worship of Dorje Shugden was banned and that his oracle, Nechung, had adviced him that the deity was a threat to his personal safety and the future of Tibet.

Given these incidents, it is unsurprising that there is so much doubt surrounding Nechung’s trances. For example, the illogical basis of the Dorje Shugden ban – that Shugden practice will harm the Dalai Lama and the Tibetan cause – has made people question the Oracle’s motivation.

When Nechung first entered into exile, he became aware of the Dalai Lama’s growing affinity with Dorje Shugden. Thus in the 1990s, he entered trance and proclaimed that if the Dalai Lama were to receive sogtae (life entrustment) of Dorje Shugden, it would anger the Buddha Palden Lhamo and would be detrimental to the cause of Tibet – never mind the fact that Palden Lhamo is enlightened and cannot be angered by anything, let alone the practice of another enlightened being like Dorje Shugden.

The Tibetan leadership, already worried about Tibet and suitably panicked by this prophecy of doom, promptly issued a ban on the practice of Dorje Shugden. In casting doubt on Dorje Shugden’s practice, the Nechung Oracle had accomplished what he wanted. Without any ‘competing’ Oracles, the whole Tibetan leadership would have to rely on only him for prophecies and advice. The Nechung Oracle would henceforth be the only Oracle issuing instructions to the Tibetan leaders. This maneuver cemented his position and job and to this day, the Oracle is kept on somewhat of a retainer – as recently pointed out by the Tibetan Member of Parliament Tenpa Yarphel, it is a well-known fact that the Oracle’s salary and Nechung Monastery’s expenses are provided for by the CTA’s Department of Religion.

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Therefore, it is not a new thing for the Nechung Oracle’s motivation to be called into question and in fact, the trances have themselves been problematic for a long time. For decades prior to the fall of Tibet, there had been doubts about exactly what deity was entering the Nechung Oracle. It is said that it was not actually the spirit Nechung entering the Oracle but a malevolent being by the name of Nyatrul. Nyatrul was a monastic official who had been brutally murdered by the Tibetan leadership, and he took a vow of revenge as he died. Since then, Nyatrul has been entering the Nechung Oracle to give inaccurate prophecies and create suffering and problems for the institution who had him killed.

That it is Nyatrul (and not Nechung) entering the Oracle is so well known that back in pre-1959 Tibet, when people heard their government was invoking Nechung, they would avoid going to the trances. They knew that Nyatrul was going to inhabit the Oracle and give inaccurate, damaging prophecies. However, if Drepung Monastery was invoking the trance, then the people would go and seek blessings. Nyatrul would not enter the Oracle at that time because it was not Drepung Monastery he wanted to seek revenge against.

Hence on all levels, it is clear that Nechung – both the deity and the Oracle – is unreliable. The clearest sign of this is the fact that he has, for many decades, given incredibly inaccurate prophecies and advice which has adversely affected the entire Tibetan population. The fact that Nechung has been proven to be unreliable is reflected in the CTA’s inconsistent relationship with both deity and oracle.

The Unreliability of the Tibetan Leadership

Up till today, Nechung is still taking trance primarily for the Tibetan leadership and the Dalai Lama. Yet throughout history, the Nechung Oracle’s relationship with the Tibetan leadership has been an unsteady, tenuous one at best. Therefore, despite this track record and Nechung’s long history of inaccurate prophecies, the fact the Tibetan leadership continue to promote his position within the government is downright illogical. It is almost as though they are setting their people up to fail, and to remain in exile as refugees in the long-term.

The hypocrisy of the leadership is staggering. On the one hand, the Tibetan leadership claims to be a modern democracy. On the other hand, they are recognized all over the world to heavily rely on oracles and deities to guide and shape their government’s policies. Those unfamiliar with the Tibetan political situation may wonder what kind of advice the Tibetan leadership receives from Nechung. The troubling answer is “everything”. Since going into exile, the Tibetan leadership has relied on Nechung to advice them on everything from the political position of Tibet, to how to deal with China, to the direction they should take for the welfare of their people.

It is one thing to rely on Nechung for spiritual advice, but to subject all Tibetans to Nechung’s political advice or force them to rely on the Buddhist tradition of oracles (when not all Tibetans are Buddhist), is downright undemocratic, unfair and unconstitutional.

It is one thing to rely on oracles for spiritual advice, but for the entire Tibetan leadership to be given political direction by unseen beings has no place in a modern democratic society. Amongst the Tibetans, there are many non-Buddhists, for example Tibetan Christians, Tibetan Muslims and Tibetan Bonpos, and all of them may not necessarily appreciate being told what to do by an unenlightened spirit. Why, therefore, are the Tibetan leadership subjecting all of their people to the prophecies of these beings? How come Tibetan Christians, Muslims and Bonpos are having their lives and their futures dictated by spirits like Nechung?

No other government in the world relies on oracles for their decision-making. Not even neighboring Bhutan, who is also Buddhist, relies on oracles for political decisions of the state. Truth be told, it may be one of the reasons why Bhutan remains independent and continues to flourish to this day.

Motivated by Money?

All of this begs the question – if Nechung is so unreliable and if his advice has not improved the Tibetan situation, and if there is no benefit in relying on him, then why even bother? The answer lies in the way in which the Tibetan government promote and talk about Nechung.

For Western audiences who appreciate the concepts of democracy, equality and political transparency, the Tibetan leadership will downplay Nechung’s role in their decision-making process. This is in stark contrast to their treatment of Nechung in the early days of their time in exile. Back then, the CTA were keen to highlight the more esoteric processes of their governance. It somehow made them special, different, compared to other refugees and it was this unique aspect of Shangri-la that appealed to many of their early supporters. Over time, having realized how much the wider community disapproved of their reliance on oracles for state decisions, the Tibetan leadership have worked hard to draw attention away from this fact.

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In the past, the Tibetan leadership’s own website had articles that spoke glowingly of Nechung, even referring to him as the Dalai Lama’s minister or a member of the Dalai Lama’s cabinet. These days, if you try to access those articles, you are met with an error of “Page Not Found”.

This is what happens when you go to the CTA’s official website to read about what the Dalai Lama said regarding Nechung. Why go through all the trouble of removing the article so completely from the Internet, if not because they wish to hide what it says? (Source: http://tibet.net/buddhism/nechung_hh.html)

The Tibetan leadership took great pains to delete all traces of these articles, and invested quite a bit of effort to distance themselves from these proclamations. Luckily, hard copies of this evidence continues to exist. In the July-August 1992 issue of the Tibetan Bulletin, a feature spread on Nechung was published. In it, the Dalai Lama was quoted as referring to Nechung as his cabinet minister. The Tibetan Bulletin is the Tibetan leadership’s own publication, and in the article Nechung was painted as someone as crucial and indispensable to the Dalai Lama as his publicly elected officials. You can click here to download a copy of the publication.

It is precisely this kind of promotion of Nechung which Westerners, who provide the bulk of the Tibetan leadership’s funding, are wary of. But it is this kind of promotion of Nechung which leads Tibetan audiences to follow Nechung’s prophecies unquestioningly.

The Tibetan leadership’s reliance on its State Oracles is encouraged by the Dalai Lama, who is frequently seen with them, thus legitimizing their status.

To Tibetan audiences, the Tibetan leadership boosts Nechung’s role, hinting that it is somehow bad karma to go against his prophecies. The Tibetan leadership works hard to draw a picture of closeness between the deity and the Dalai Lama. It is hardly surprising therefore, that the Tibetan leadership have been known to use Nechung’s proclamations to pursue their personal interests. The manipulation of Nechung’s position in Tibetan society is designed so that the wider public will ignore the government’s transgressions, and allow the leadership to justify their self-serving behaviors, all of which are designed to increase their bank balances.

After all, how can the public comment on any of the government’s decisions, when those decisions are being made by a formless being whom no one can hold accountable? Even more so when the Dalai Lama refers to Nechung as a member of his Cabinet or his Minister. It leads the Tibetan public to immediately assume that going against Nechung’s prophecies or questioning them, is akin to going against the Dalai Lama and questioning him, since monk and oracle are very close. Within Tibetan society, to be viewed as anti-Dalai Lama immediately invites violent retribution and repercussions. Just look at what happened to the member of Parliament Tenpa Yarphel when he questioned Nechung in the Tibetan Parliament. Since then, he has been labelled anti-Dalai Lama and anti-Tibet, and called all manner of vulgar names and profanities.
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On reviewing the situation, it is obvious that the Tibetan leadership’s changing treatment of Nechung is motivated by only one thing – MONEY. By changing how they refer to Nechung, they can placate donors from different backgrounds and therefore upkeep the financial support from happy sponsors flowing into their coffers.

Conclusion

Hand in hand with this unreliable and inconsistent government is their dependence on a deity who has been proven time and again to be unreliable. In light of this situation, what chances do the Tibetan people have of fulfilling their political goals?

In the 60 years since the Tibetans went into exile, their position has not improved. Aside from the Dalai Lama, there are no famous Tibetans or world renowned Tibetans. Tibetans as a whole are no closer to achieving their political aims, and continue to languish in exile waiting and hoping for a breakthrough with China. Dialogue with China has in fact stagnated, with no signs of resuming any time soon and none of the Tibetan leaders have shown any signs of being capable of reinitiating this dialogue.

All this while, in a clear example of misplaced trust, the Tibetan people pin their hopes on an unseen deity whose political advice is interpreted and disseminated by a leadership who have been shown to be motivated by self-benefit. Indeed, to analyze the Tibetan situation is to analyze a sorry state of affairs, one that is underwritten by greedy ambition. If the Tibetans do not want to spend the next 60 years lamenting their situation, all signs point to an urgent need for a new way of decision-making and perhaps even a new wave of decision-makers. It is the only way they will ever be able to break away from the failures of their past.

The Tibetan leadership are known to heavily rely on the advice of the State Oracles for their political decision-making. Seen here is the Tibetan Prime Minister Lobsang Sangay waiting to receive guidance from Nechung.

The State Oracles and their trances often take precedence at official events and state affairs, in front of thousands of Tibetans who witness the Dalai Lama and the Tibetan government receiving the oracles’ advice over and over again.

The Dalai Lama has such a close relationship with the oracles, and relies so heavily on the deities that he has even been pictured inviting them into his private quarters to take trance.

For decades, Tibetans have witnessed the Dalai Lama and the Tibetan leadership form a very close relationship with the oracles, whom they rely heavily upon for all matters political.

The Tibetan Prime Minister Lobsang Sangay is seated in the background, patiently waiting for an audience with Nechung

This year’s visit was no different. Following a special invocation ceremony, the Gameng oracle took trance of Duldzin (the peaceful form of Dorje Shugden) who gave special blessings to both His Eminence Tenzin Rabten Rinpoche and His Eminence Gonsar Rinpoche.

Present during the trance were notable Geshes and monks, amongst them Geshe Thubten Rinpoche, a great scholar who taught in both Serpom and Shar Gaden monasteries, Geshe Kunga and Geshe Losang Tsepa from Sera Monastery, Geshe Kunga from Tibet, guests from Domo Geshe Rinpoche’s Dungkar Gompa in Darjeeling, and many others.

During the trance, Gonsar Rinpoche also requested Lord Duldzin for teachings and advice. Speaking through the Gameng oracle, Duldzin requested Gonsar Rinpoche to live long and continue the work he has been doing for the growth of the Gaden lineage and for the benefit of all sentient beings. In particular, during these current times when the situation is very difficult for our vajra brothers and sisters, Duldzin advised Gonsar Rinpoche to continue shouldering this sacred responsibility as he has been doing for so many years.

During these degenerate times when knowledgeable and experienced spiritual guides from a pure, untainted lineage are difficult to come by, senior lamas like Gonsar Rinpoche are truly precious, especially with the ban on Dorje Shugden’s practice still in place. Thus, in his great compassion and wisdom, Dorje Shugden has recognized the importance of the work H.E. Gonsar Rinpoche, H.E. Rabten Rinpoche and their students are engaged in for the furtherance of Lama Tsongkapa’s lineage.

We at DorjeShugden.com would like to extend our sincere gratitude and appreciation to H.E. Gonsar Rinpoche for his kindness and continuous effort to turn the wheel of Dharma for the benefit of all sentient beings. We pray that H.E. Gonsar Rinpoche will have a long and healthy life, and for the continued growth of his works.

Clothes of the oracle in Rabten Choeling

Dorje Shugden in Rabten Choeling

Shize (Vairocana Shugden) in Rabten Choeling

Gyenze (Ratna Shugden) in Rabten Choeling

Wangze (Pema Shugden) in Rabten Choeling

Trakze (Karma Shugden) in Rabten Choeling

By Mar Nee

For a summary of the points presented in this article, please see the video “Oracles: Enlightened or Not?“

Sera Monastery is regarded as one of the three great seats of learning in the Gelugpa tradition, which adheres strictly to the sacred principles established by the great sage Je Tsongkapa. It was founded by Jamchen Choeje Shakya Yeshi (1359-1435), a direct disciple of Lama Tsongkapa, who by his devotion to Tsongkapa vested much of his guru’s mission and purpose into the institution.

Sera Monastery, both the original in Tibet and the one re-established in Bylakuppe, India, boasts a rich tradition of monastic debates to establish the truth by way of vigorous examinations and logical challenges. Such training is intended to develop a mind sharpened by acute reasoning, capable of exceptional analytical ability. No doubt, the training at Sera yielded many great lamas over time, nineteen Ganden Tripas amongst them. The great Kyabje Pabongka Rinpoche himself hailed from Sera.

And yet, by the year 2007, the hallowed grounds of this great institution was host to one of the most heinous and illogical hate-speeches made against a significant portion of the Tibetan Buddhist sangha; the same speech also represented an unrestrained attack against the rights of Tibetans to practice their beliefs as free people.

Surprisingly, it was made by a peace Nobelist who was honored for his supposed fight for human rights and freedom, the Dalai Lama. But instead of a message of love and tolerance, the Dalai Lama accused worshippers of the Buddhist deity, Dorje Shugden, to be ‘murderers and beaters’. The message was received without challenge and accusations that Dorje Shugden, long propitiated in Sera Mey as an emanation of Buddha Manjushri, was nothing more than a common spirit and an evil one at that, was received wholesale and acted upon.

And with that, the once-great monastic university Sera Mey betrayed its core principle of upholding the truth, and began to expel its own monks whom it could not coerce into being disloyal to their gurus and Dharma protector. Whatever values its founder bestowed onto this great university was expensed that day to secure a convenient but immoral place on the politically correct side of the Dalai Lama.

However many pieces of silver Sera Mey was promised to join the obnoxious chorus to hunt down those who worshipped Dorje Shugden and force from them a confession and disavowal of their core religious beliefs, it instantly lost its integrity and credibility as an institution of higher learning that upholds and practices the truth. How can Sera Mey, a monastery that claimed prominence in producing great spiritual thinkers and that had worshipped Dorje Shugden as a fully enlightened Buddha, now proclaim the same deity to be a demon without any spiritual basis?

If there is any logic to Sera Mey’s new stance on Dorje Shugden, then the entire basis of the Buddha’s teachings about enlightenment being free of samsara is wrong. This is the predicament that Sera Mey and other once-great universities such as Ganden Shartse face in defending the ban on the Dorje Shugden practice.

By Sera Mey’s account today and those who oppose Dorje Shugden, the protector is merely:

• A minor worldly deity whose practice was not at all prevalent amongst the Gelugpas or indeed any other sect;
• [And at other times] a gyalpo spirit who is not enlightened and therefore should not be propitiated as a Buddha;
• An unenlightened spirit who opposes the Dharma.

And yet, as we shall see, Sera Mey’s history of Shugden worship irreconcilably places it at odds with its new attitude towards the deity. This is clearly witnessed in a 2002 video produced by Sera Mey’s Pomra Khamtsen, which once accounted for the majority of Sera Mey monks before the ban.

#1: Who’s in the Audience?

The video begins with scenes from the opening of Pomra Khamtsen in Sera Mey, showing the King Protector Dorje Shugden taking trance as the highlight of the event.

The clearly grand affair was attended by key Gelugpa lamas such as the highly learned Geshe Yeshe Wangchuk who possessed tremendous grasp and mastery over extremely difficult texts such as the Commentary On Valid Perception and Light On The Path by Gyalsab Je. Other high lamas include H.E. Gangchen Rinpoche, H.H. Pabongka Chocktrul Dorje Chang and many other names known in Tibetan Buddhist circles to be synonymous with sharp acumen, undisputable intelligence and vast reservoirs of scriptural knowledge.

This immediately challenges the lie that the Central Tibetan Administration (CTA) and all who oppose Dorje Shugden propagate – that the worship of this protector was never a mainstream practice. Dorje Shugden was in fact regarded as an extremely important deity in the Gelugpa lineage before he was politicized and demonized.

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#2: Seating is Everything

If Sera Mey today refers to Dorje Shugden as a minor and unenlightened spirit, then it has to explain why the monastery has a history of Dorje Shugden worship that is manifestly inconsistent with its new claim of the deity.

Sera Mey had always provided a throne for the protector, positioned prominently in front of the main altar where the images of the Buddhas are placed. That particular position indicates that the deity to whom the throne belongs is himself an enlightened being equal to the Buddhas on the altar behind the throne, and definitely not a worldly god let alone an evil spirit.

In no other instance in the monastic history of Tibetan Buddhism has an alleged minor evil spirit received such reverence from a prime monastery. It just does not add up.

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If indeed Dorje Shugden was as he is accused to be today, then Sera Mey should never have extended such veneration according to monastic protocols and kingly treatment befitting a Buddha towards him, which it did until it was forbidden to be associated with the protector.

#3: VIP Treatment

An even more interesting comparison is between the honorifics given to the Dorje Shugden oracle and the treatment customarily given to the state oracles of Tibet – the Nechung and Gadong oracles as well as an oracle much favored by the Dalai Lama, Tseringma. The Nechung Oracle, Gadong Oracle and Tseringma take trance of Pehar (and his minister, Dorje Drakden), Shinjachen and the Tenma Goddess respectively, who together are the triumvirate of earthly deities very close to the Dalai Lama and by virtue of that, regarded as superior in Tibetan Buddhism.

And yet as we will see in the following video of the three oracles taking trance before the Dalai Lama, not even the primary state oracle, Nechung, is given the same treatment as Dorje Shugden. The Nechung oracle is provided a chair (except in his own home, Nechung Monastery, where there is a throne) as is the Gadong Oracle and Tseringma. It is quite apparent that Dorje Shugden has always been treated a class apart even from the ‘highest’ unenlightened deities of Tibetan Buddhism.

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#4: Not A Coincidence

Prior to the unholy and illegal ban on his practice, Dorje Shugden was always regarded as an enlightened Dharma Protector and worshipped as an emanation of Manjushri, and therefore a Buddha in his own right. This was the case even in Ganden Monastery.

We see in the following picture the Choyang kuten (oracle) taking trance of Duldzin (Dorje Shugden in peaceful form), again seated on a throne, placed in front of the altar at the main prayer hall of Ganden Shartse.

The Choyang Kuten taking trance of Duldzin on his throne at Ganden Shartse

The same Ganden monastery that revered the protector as a Buddha now says he is a malevolent spirit. And yet it is this “spirit” who had the sagacity to find many high incarnations of enlightened beings, tulkus, and high lamas including the incarnation of the present Pabongka Rinpoche, Trijang Rinpoche and Zong Rinpoche, all of whom were confirmed as genuine incarnations of their predecessors by the Dalai Lama himself.

Yet another example of Dorje Shugden being accorded the status of an enlightened being and provided with a throne in front of the main altar is seen in various Mongolian monasteries as we witness in the following video of another Shugden oracle taking trance of Duldzin:

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#5: Rank and Respect

However there is more than just the presence and position of the throne of the Dorje Shugden oracle. It is the custom in Tibetan Buddhism that the rank or status of an oracle-lama is determined by the deity he takes trance of.

In the Sera Mey video, we see the Panglung kuten of Dorje Shugden being escorted into the prayer hall in time-honored tradition – with the accompaniment of incense and traditional musical instruments reserved for the highest lamas such as the Dalai Lama himself. A minor deity does not receive such a welcome.

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#6: Compassion and Wisdom

Another indication of Dorje Shugden’s enlightened status is the oracle, while in trance of Dorje Shugden, receiving the tsog offering with the bell and vajra – important symbols of compassion and wisdom. The vajra and bell held together mean that Dorje Shugden has attained the wisdom (bell) and method (vajra) of a fully enlightened Buddha.

The Nechung oracle on the other hand, cuts the tsog offering with his ceremonial sword as a means of acknowledging and receiving it.

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#7: We Come Bearing Gifts

But there are even more telltale signs to indicate that Sera Mey worshipped Dorje Shugden as a fully enlightened being and is now deceitfully masking that fact.

The first video (included again below) shows how the highest of lamas and dignitaries present, and even representatives of the Central Tibetan Administration, respectfully approach the throne of Dorje Shugden to make traditional offerings to him. If Dorje Shugden is truly a minor spirit as Sera Mey claims, he should have approached the lamas to make offerings to them instead.

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If the disparaging description of Dorje Shugden as a gyalpo has any basis, it would mean that no one in Sera Mey had any omniscience to see through a demon’s mimicry – not the enlightened minds of the tulkus the Dalai Lama himself confirmed, nor the Geshes, Abbots and in fact, not even the Dalai Lama. And instead, it would mean that all these great masters from the great Sera Mey monastery were, for decades, beguiled into worshipping a demon.

If indeed it were true that Dorje Shugden is such a malevolent force, then the fact that so many great masters, returning Bodhisattvas and Mahasiddhas were fooled would mean that the Dharma is powerless and all the attainments of these masters are imagined. But I doubt if Sera Mey or any other monastery or lama would concede this, as it is an even more serious charge than Dorje Shugden being a gyalpo.

#8: A Clean Vessel

Finally, we see the same Panglung kuten who previously took trance of Dorje Shugden now in trance of an undisputed enlightened protector, Dharmapala Setrab, long recognized as the Dharma protector of Ganden Shartse Monastery and also an emanation of Amitabha Buddha.

If it is true that Dorje Shugden is a lowly spirit, then how can the same oracular vessel who moments ago took trance of a malevolent spirit now take trance of a Buddha as we witness in the video? The only sound explanation is that both Dorje Shugden and Dharmapala Setrab belong to the same class of enlightened protectors and emanations of Buddhas.

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In less than 30 minutes of footage, the Sera Mey video calls into question the validity of claims made against Dorje Shugden. What is witnessed in the first 30 minutes of footage is completely inconsistent with present accusations of Dorje Shugden as a gyalpo or a lowly worldly god as he is accused interchangeably.

Comparisons with Other Oracles

But how does the treatment of Dorje Shugden compare with the other protectors of Tibetan Buddhism? Would a clearer picture of his status emerge, if examined from a perspective that broadens his treatment to encompass a wider view of Tibetan Buddhist cosmology?

The following video captures the protocol accorded to Gyalchen Karma Trinley, an unenlightened protector propitiated in the Nyingma lineage. From the very beginning, we see the oracle in trance of the unenlightened Gyalchen Karma Trinley prostrating to and then approaching Thegtse Rinpoche, an incarnate Lama from the Mindrolling lineage of the Nyingma tradition.

This is in stark contrast with the respect accorded to Dorje Shugden, clearly illustrating that while the unenlightened Gyalchen Karma Trinley pays homage to lamas, Dorje Shugden, however, is paid homage BY lamas.

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In the following video of Sera Jey monastery, Gyalchen Karma Trinley is again accorded only a simple chair outside the main hall for the oracle to take trance of the spirit, after which he is then permitted to enter the building.

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In another video of Gyalchen Karma Trinley, we see that the seat upon which the oracle sits – a couch with a simple cover – is outside the monastic building. This difference in treatment again leads us to believe that unenlightened protectors are not given the same accord as an enlightened protector in trance.

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The next video shows the previous Nechung oracle in full trance making his way into the temple on foot. This is vastly different to Dorje Shugden who sits on his throne inside the main temple and then takes trance.

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How does the interaction between a lama and protector in trance further prove that Dorje Shugden is enlightened? In the following video, Thegtse Rinpoche is given the seat of honor, and Gyalchen Karma Trinley repeatedly runs up to the lama to give advice or answer questions put forth by assistants.

Compare this with Dorje Shugden, who is seated on the central throne while lamas approach him for blessings and advice. Given the stark differences of protocol, it is strikingly clear that Dorje Shugden is a fully enlightened being.

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Proof that Dorje Shugden is Unfairly Singled Out?

Followers of the CTA and enforcers of the ban would undoubtedly brush all of the above aside in favor of their own agenda. So let’s turn to another blatantly obvious flaw in their logic. Claims are made that Dorje Shugden is a worldly protector or gyalpo and his practice should be stopped on that basis. But there is unsurmountable evidence that propitiation of worldly protectors continues to this day.

This video portrays a local medium taking trance of a visibly unenlightened being. In this case, the oracle isn’t even given a chair but kneels in front of a prayer table. The tradition of local oracles traces back many centuries within Tibetan culture and more often than not, oracles take trance of local protective deities or spirits for purposes of healing and oracular advice.

Known throughout Tibetan culture to be unenlightened, propitiation of these protectors remains intact, and the CTA and their enforcers are strangely silent on this issue.

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Next, we see what is most likely a local festival, in which two unenlightened beings take trance and join the festivities. Again, there is no throne or even a seat, just the mediums who are seen dancing and running around during the festival.

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Strange then that the CTA and its enforcers claim the ban on Dorje Shugden is due to his unenlightened nature, yet they say nothing in regards to the practice of other unenlightened protectors who are still welcome in Tibetan culture. Suffice to say, banning Dorje Shugden on the grounds of his supposed unenlightened mind has no basis, if a ban on ALL unenlightened beings is not implemented or enforced.

Conclusion

So, how is it that such great monastic universities as Sera Mey and Ganden Shartse can arrive at conclusions so vastly differently from the path they set out on, decades ago, with regard to the same deity? Consider the options below:

1. Dorje Shugden was an enlightened protector in 2002 when he was worshipped as such by Sera Mey monks, but “became” unenlightened by 2008 when the ban on his practice was instituted. This is an impossible postulation because if that were to be true, then it completely undermines what the Buddha himself taught about the state of enlightenment (Buddhahood) being an immutable and unassailable position, unlike samsara;
2. Dorje Shugden was a gyalpo all along but through his guile, tricked the entire Gelugpa sect, including all the high lamas and masters of Sera Mey into worshipping him as a Buddha, not sparing even Kyabje Pabongka Dorje Chang who is one with Heruka. And now, by the Dalai Lama’s sole omniscience, the demon has been caught out. Again, this is an improbable proposition because if it were true, then the entire sanctity of the Gelugpa lineage is flawed. How can a flawed lineage with gravely erroneous beliefs and training produce an omniscient and omnipotent Dalai Lama?
3. Dorje Shugden has always been an enlightened protector, a true emanation of Manjushri who arose to protect Je Tsongkapa’s precious teachings on the Madyamika as Kyabje Pabongka Rinpoche, Kyabje Trijang Rinpoche, and countless masters have attested to. But for reasons political in nature, the CTA with the support of the Dalai Lama’s office have imposed a ban on his practice and forced its will on the people and monasteries. In other words, claims made in support of the Dorje Shugden ban are but baseless lies that once-great monasteries like Sera Mey are forced to validate, which they did to their own detriment and in the process damaging the Buddhadharma that they took oath to preserve.

If thought about in clear and logical manner given the belief systems inherent within Tibetan Buddhist cosmology – that a fully enlightened being cannot regress back into an unenlightened state; that omniscience can and has been achieved by many great masters and not just the Dalai Lama; and that the training and belief systems are not erroneous; then the obvious conclusion for these contradictions is obviously the last of the three mentioned above.

Thus, there is only one possible truth, Dorje Shugden is indeed fully enlightened, and the so called ‘truths’ touted by the Central Tibetan Administration and the actions of Sera Mey itself are in fact nothing but lies.

For a summary of the points presented in this article, please see the video “Oracles: Enlightened or Not?“

The validity and nature of Dharma Protectors is a very relevant topic in recent times, particularly in the wake of the Dorje Shugden affair as instigated by the 14th Dalai Lama. Is it possible to differentiate between enlightened and unenlightened deities, and how does one do that?

This video highlights nuances in Tibetan Buddhist culture and ritual to make a distinction between worldly and awakened beings, through the tradition of oracles in Tibetan culture.

The 13th Dalai Lama, Ngawang Lobsang Thupten Gyatso Jigdral Chokley Namgyal

Until today, no one is willing to speak the truth about who is responsible of the death of the 13th Dalai Lama. It was an uncalled for incident which blindsided a nation, who was at that time fighting a war for independence and stability. Sir Charles Bell, in his book “Portrait of the Dalai Lama”, wrote explicitly about how the Nechung oracle intervened when the 13th Dalai Lama was afflicted with a very strange sickness.

Quoting from the book:
It appeared that the Precious Protector had gone to the Field on the last day of the tenth Tibetan month, corresponding with the middle of December. The day of the week was Sunday. According to Tibetan ideas, if a man dies on a Sunday or a Tuesday, it is an evil omen. People say, “He died on a stormy day”.

Bell relates certain stories which were circulating around Lhasa at that time, about the cause of the sudden sickness. Perhaps these stories were more than just rumors, as Bell recounts his visit to Tibet approximately seven months later.

Of note was Bell’s visit with the son of a steward, who was working in close proximity with the Dalai Lama during the last two years of his life. Bell writes a detailed account of the story, describing how the 13th Dalai Lama’s sickness began with a small cough on the first day, and yet by the second evening, the Dalai Lama had skipped his usual soup, which resulted in a summoning of the servants.

Bell continues:

“At about 11 p.m. the Precious Protector (the 13th Dalai Lama) ordered the medium of the Oracle of Nechung, whom Kunpel La had hastily summoned, to worship the goddess, name Palhajok, whose image is in the Temple in Lhasa. The medium had come at once in a great hurry; he had not even stopped to put on his robes before coming.

The same night, between 1 and 2 a.m., the medium gave the Precious Protector some medicine in the form of a powder. When the medium came out, Champa La, the Presence’s regular doctor, said to the medium,

You have made a mistake in the medicine (Men di norra nangzha).

So soon after this the medium gave the Presence another powder in accordance with what Champa La prescribed. During all this time the Presence uttered no word.

Then, on the next day in the evening, he passed away. In addition to Sir Charles Bell’s biography, Melvin Goldstein’s History of Modern Tibet, 1913-1951 also covers this matter, followed by a more detailed analysis of preceding and subsequent events (from page 141):

On this occasion, the Nechung oracle said that the Dalai Lama should take a medicine known as “the seventeen heroes for subduing colds” (chamjom pawo chupdun) and himself prepared the medicine in a cup with water. Most respondents report that the Dalai Lama refused the dose and that the state oracle had literally to pour it into his mouth. The Dalai Lama’s condition immediately deteriorated, and by noon he was unconscious. He never said another word.

We can see clearly how the wrong medicine was the cause of the Dalai Lama’s death, and it can be traced back to the Nechung oracle. There is written proof of this and until today the Central Tibetan Administration (the CTA, previouly the Tibetan Government in Exile) did nothing to shed light on this matter.

If the Dalai Lama claims that Dorje Shugden is a spirit capable of harming his life, what about Nechung who directly and blatantly took his previous incarnation’s life away by giving him the wrong medicine? And even if naysayers wish to debate on whether the medicine was correct or not, the fact is, people witnessed the cause of the Dalai Lama’s death, yet persecute another deity for a similar crime that he did not commit.

The disparity and unfairness of the Dorje Shugden ban is clear. The deity who brought real harm to the Dalai Lama (one could even go as far as to call him a murderer) continues to be allowed in the Dalai Lama’s presence in Dharamsala. And in contrast, the CTA denounce the practice of Dorje Shugden, saying that he is an evil spirit who brings the leader, the country and the Tibetan Buddhist religion down. What sort of logical mind would do that?

We’d like to point out the fact that the CTA have never thought things through in detail or with logic. Their incompetent way of ruling the Tibetan community in exile has resulted in their being reduced to just a small administrative office, incapable of doing anything on an international scale without riding on the Dalai Lama’s coattails, let alone take care of his welfare.

We see clearly how incapable the CTA are, whose eyes are so shrouded by ignorance and greed for power that they would even overlook the health and well-being of their leader. If nothing changes, the CTA’s track record will cause the death of their country, their leaders, and their hope for a Free Tibet, not because of Dorje Shugden or any other outer causes, but through their greed and ignorance.

The book, Portrait of the Dalai Lama by Charles Bell

Oracles and Demons of Ladakh
Directed by Rob McGann (Avenue E Production) – 2003, 71 min (English).
Trailer (4’20″)

Isolated in the Indian Himalayas, Ladakh is a western enclave of the Greater Tibetan Plateau untouched by Chinese occupation. Home to each of the four sects of Tibetan Buddhism, this vibrant land of high mountain passes is believed to have special people who are able to have direct discourse with spirits from the old lands of Tibet.

Human mediums for these spirits, or “Oracles” as Ladakhis call them, play an integral role in the culture of the area. They are called upon to divine the future, cure bodily diseases and ward off harmful entities that haunt the land from the mountains.

Shot onsite in Jammu and Kashmir, the chronicle follows the tales of several of these shamanic figures across the high-altitude deserts of Ladakh. Narrated by leading authorities on Tibet, the film considers how Oracle practices such as spirit possession, ritual healing, soothsaying and exorcism remain fundamental folk traditions in Tibetan societies to this day.

The film features interviews with an array of experts, including: Eric Margolis, Laurent Pordié, Geoffrey Samuel, Robert A.F. Thurman, an assortment of highly respected Rinpoches, as well as the Dalai Lama’s own Nechung Oracle.

The phenomenon of oracles has existed in all parts of the world before and even in the Western world. It is just that such practices and arts have been lost through the ages in certain parts of the world. It is encouraging to see the Western world is now once again interested to investigate further this ancient art of divination.

To read more about oracles click on the links below :

Validity of Oracles

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The Tradition of Oracles

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