I am writing to you to bring your attention to a particular issue related to the Prime Minister of the Central Tibetan Administration (CTA) Dr. Lobsang Sangay, who is also an alumni and Fulbright Scholar of Harvard Law School (LL.M. ’96 S.J.D. ’04). The CTA is the governing body of the Tibetans currently living in exile in India.

Before His Holiness the 14th Dalai Lama relinquished his secular power to the CTA in 2011, he had imposed a ban on a Tibetan Buddhist deity called Dorje Shugden, who is worshipped by over 4 million Tibetans in both monastic and lay communities. (www.dalailama.com/messages/dolgyal-shugden/his-holiness-advice)

The ban on Dorje Shugden has resulted in deep cracks within the Tibetan lay and monastic communities. The damage has even extended to non-Tibetans all over the world who are followers of the Tibetan Buddhist religion and practices.

The ban on Dorje Shugden has created far-reaching damages: monasteries have been divided, monks have been separated from their community, ostracized and even violently beaten, highly-respected Buddhist teachers and abbots suffer their houses being stoned, monks and lay practitioners of Dorje Shugden are banned from visiting shops, hospitals, public gatherings, social festivals etc. Children are banned from attending Tibetan schools, families have been separated… to mention only a few of these heart-wrenching cases. In short, the Tibetan community are not allowed to associate with Dorje Shugden practitioners – monks or laypeople – in both spiritual and secular spheres. The situation is just like that of the Apartheid. (dorjeshugden.com/?p=285)

The frustrations caused by the ban have even pushed some practitioners, especially in the West, to go onto the streets to protest against this ban, imposed by the Dalai Lama and upheld by the CTA. (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WM7kY3mzKfk)

The Dalai Lama has since relinquished his political leadership in the CTA in March 2011, and been succeeded by Dr. Lobsang Sangay, the new Prime Minister. The Dalai Lama is now exclusively a religious figure, a spiritual teacher and an ordained monk; Dr. Lobsang Sangay remains a purely secular leader and a lay person.

Why the Dalai Lama banned the practice of Dorje Shugden is not an issue here. In this democratic, free world, anyone can believe in and practice any god or deity they wish. If a religious head wants to ban a particular practice, it is his prerogative to do so but it remains a purely religious issue. The reason the Dorje Shugden issue affected both religious and secular spheres of the Tibetan community is because the Dalai Lama used to hold both religious and secular power simultaneously. It is therefore understandable that the ban consequently impacted both the religious and secular activities and wellbeing of the people.

But things have changed now, monumentally.

This is a question we would like to now pose to Dr. Lobsang Sangay, the current Prime Minister of the Tibetan people: Under his leadership, where he is not a religious figure, a spiritual teacher or a monk, what is the CTA’s stand and policy regarding Dorje Shugden devotees in a secular context? As strange as it may sound, Dorje Shugden practitioners are currently still forbidden from attending any of the Dalai Lama’s talks or religious ceremonies. This is within the spiritual sphere of the Tibetan community. However, we want to know if Tibetans can now interact with and engage in discussion with their new secular leader, Dr. Lobsang Sangay, regardless of their religious beliefs?

When the power shifted from the Dalai Lama to Dr. Lobsang Sangay, this issue was not addressed clearly, so many people are still left in the lurch. Thousands of these practitioners are now asking: Is the ban lifted within the secular aspects of their daily life? Are Dorje Shugden practitioners allowed to visit shops, schools and hospitals etc. which are clearly a part of secular living but were previously out of bounds to them during the Dalai Lama’s rule? Are they allowed to associate with the general public now in secular activites, such as public meetings, gatherings, social events, festivals etc.? (dorjeshugden.com/?p=9694)

We would really like to hear from Dr. Lobsang Sangay clearly, without any ambiguity, about the CTA’s position in this issue, because the ban has long had a negative impact on thousands of people’s lives. They deserve to know from their own government, once and for all, if their plight can be alleviated.

Thank you,
Practitioners of Dorje Shugden

Recently, I visited your official CTA website and have noticed that you have removed many negative information, articles and videos regarding the Dharma Protector Gyalchen Dorje Shugden. This is a right step in a democratic direction.

As an avid follower of dorjeshugden.com, which speaks out for millions of Dorje Shugden practitioners around the world, I would like to join them to congratulate you, fold my hands in respect and say that you are going in the right direction. Please allow us to explain why, below.

Because you are a secular government, run by a secular leadership, the Prime Minister (Kalon Tripa) of Tibet, Dr. Lobsang Sangay, should relate and interact with ALL citizens of Tibet and of Tibetan descent, regardless of their religious orientation. To bar them, restrict them or segregate and create bias against them due to their religious beliefs is archaic, something from the Middle Ages and an outdated thing of the past.

For a secular government like you to have put bans on your website, in the past, against Shugden or any other religion is very bad public relations for yourself and your government. As such, your new stance to remove any negative references about Dorje Shugden and any spiritual practice is the right direction to take because the secular government (the state) and religion must be separated. You must rule, guide and lead all Tibetan citizens regardless of their background, religious choices and province.

In summary, all Dorje Shugden followers around the world, like myself, would like to congratulate you for moving towards building a truly democratic government and administration. In the future, all further negative references against Shugden and any religions should also be removed from His Holiness the Dalai Lama’s website (www.dalailama.com). It is a very bad image for the Dalai Lama.

With folded hands,
[YOUR NAME]

I am writing to you to draw your attention to a most important issue within the Tibetan Buddhist community. This is not about any Free Tibet issues. This is something even more important about the freedom of people within the Tibetan community and among each other.

1. It is well known that His Holiness the Dalai Lamas throughout their incarnations over the centuries have been both secular and spiritual heads of the Tibetans. This may have worked in the past, in a country that was isolated from the rest of the world. However, many countries throughout the modern world understand that the mixing of secular and religious affairs cannot work. This system has failed time and time again, throughout history, in all the largest nations in the world.

But this is not so in the exiled Tibetan community living in India. His Holiness the Dalai Lama, up until very recently, held both secular and spiritual leadership of his people. Decisions and policies made for the country encompassed both secular and religious edicts at the same time. This has become very pronounced during the Dalai Lama’s ban on the religious worship of the Buddha Dorje Shugden.

2. As a spiritual leader of his people, it may be the prerogative of the Dalai Lama to proclaim a ban on a particular religious practice. In fact, he has even banned all Dorje Shugden devotees from attending his sermons, rituals and special religious ceremonies. Within a spiritual sphere, perhaps this is still permissible, since he is their religious authority. Also, any Lama has the right to determine which students are permitted to attend their ceremonies.

However, as the secular leader of his people, the Dalai Lama should maintain an unbiased concern for all citizens of the nation under him, no matter what their religious choices are. He should NOT exclude people from coming to see him as their political, secular leader during his non-religious activities, talks or appearances. Unfortunately however, this is what is happening: Dorje Shugden devotees are not permitted to have anything to do with the Dalai Lama or his people, solely because of his religious beliefs.

At the same time, although this is a spiritual matter, the secular institution of the Central Tibetan Administration (formerly known as the Tibetan Government-in-Exile) has also become deeply involved. They actively search for Dorje Shugden people to create obvious segregation and undemocratic bias. When they find them, the CTA ostracizes, attacks and ridicules Dorje Shugden practitioners. They deny them any of the welfare, voting rights or privileges that all citizens of a country should be equally entitled to.

Through the ban, Tibetans are forced to make an exclusive decision – choose to follow the Dalai Lama or Dorje Shugden. However, if they choose to continue with Dorje Shugden, they do not only lose connections to the Dalai Lama. They are also severed from all voting rights, education, social welfare, medical aid or even social interaction with their fellow Tibetan citizens. This is because the Dalai Lama has said clearly that Tibetans must completely sever all social, working and religious ties with Dorje Shugden practitioners.

This is NOT RIGHT. The Dalai Lama may have supreme spiritual authority over his people, as their religious leader. However, as he is also their secular leader, he should still have equal care and concern for his people as citizens of his nation. This goes beyond one’s religious orientation, which is every individual’s freedom to choose. Even if someone is not allowed to associate with the Dalai Lama for religious reasons, they should still have the right to associate with their secular, political leader. After all, they are still citizens of the community – shouldn’t all citizens be granted equal liberties and civil rights, regardless of their religious choices? Shouldn’t every secular leader have equal concern for the people under his leadership and take care of their welfare irregardless of their religious beliefs and orientation?

There are also Tibetans who are not Buddhists, but are Muslims, Bonpos and the likes. They are allowed to attend all the Dalai Lama’s religious ceremonies and secular gatherings. Basically, all citizens of Tibet are allowed to interact with the Dalai Lama, whether on a religious and/or secular level EXCEPT Dorje Shugden practitioners. How does the Tibetan leadership address this when every other democratic country in the 21st Century will not tolerate this kind of blatant discrimination.

3. Lastly, in more recent times, the Dalai Lama has retired as the secular head of the Tibetan exiled community. In 2011, the respected Dr. Lobsang Sangay has stepped into the position as the Tibetans’ new prime minister, overseeing all secular affairs of the state.

However, Dorje Shugden devotees are still not permitted to associate with him, only because of their religious orientation. Why is this so? There is now a clear distinction between the spiritual leader (Dalai Lama) and the secular leader (Dr. Lobsang Sangay). But it seems that religious edicts have also overlapped onto the secular affairs of the Tibetan community. The spiritual dictates from the spiritual leader are also being upheld by the secular leaders of the community. Why is this so? Why have spiritual affairs become a part of the political affairs of a country; and vice versa?

SO, I WOULD LIKE TO POST THE FOLLOWING IMPORTANT QUESTIONS, WHICH NEED TO BE ASKED AND ADDRESSED:

- As a religious leader, His Holiness the Dalai Lama does not allow people to come to his talks. The world respect and understand that. It is his prerogative as their spiritual leader. However, on a secular level, as the leader of all six million Tibetans, why does he not allow these same Tibetans to join in his secular activities, talks, rallies and events? If not, why not? After all, His Holiness is still their leader.

- Now that His Holiness the Dalai Lama has passed his secular power to the first Prime minister of Tibetans, Dr. Lobsang Sangay, what do all the Tibetan Dorje Shugden practitioners do? Are they allowed to talk to and interact with their new secular leader? Or are they restricted from doing so purely because of their religious choices? What are they expected to do?

- Dr. Lobsang Sangay (Prime Minister) is a secular leader, a layman who was newly and democratically elected who is not a Spiritual Guru or Dharma teacher; only strictly a worldly leader for the benefit of all Tibetan citizens. How do Tibetan Dorje Shugden practitioners relate to him? How should they relate to him? How should Dr. Lobsang Sangay, as their Prime Minister, relate to them? Can they even consider him their leader although they are Tibetans who still practice Dorje Shugden? They certainly do not have any spiritual bond (samaya) with him and their religious practices would not have any bearing on their relationship with him, as it might with the Dalai Lama.

- In future, how do Dorje Shugden practitioners relate to the next prime minister after Dr. Lobsang Sangay? And the one after that? And after that? How should all these future prime ministers relate to the people?

I do not mean disrespect to His Holiness the Dalai Lama, or to Dr. Lobsang Sangay, the CTA or any Tibetans. However, we need to ask these questions. They are logical and necessary at a time when the world does not operate solely by religious edicts. It is unfair, undemocratic and a travesty of human freedoms. I call for reconsideration of this ban and how it is being conducted and wish that all have the freedoms to make their own religious and worldly choices.

With respect,
[YOUR NAME]

I am also a Tibetan and I respect you very much that you give a good name to the Tibetan people. You prove that Tibetans are also educated, worldly and capable.

I am very happy you are the prime minister of our Tibetan community in India. They need a good leader like you. However, I have an important question to ask you:

When you become Kalon Tripa, you took over the government when there is a ban on Dorje Shugden from His Holiness the Dalai Lama. But now the Dalai Lama is not the head of Tibetan governments, only the religious head. So Kalon Tripa, I wish to ask you: there are now millions of Dorje Shugden practitioners in India and all around the world. Like myself and my family. Are we Shugden-pas allowed to interact with you? Can we talk to you and meet you?

You are not our Guru. There is no Dharma samaya with you as the Kalon Tripa. So can the Shugden people meet you? Can we come to your events and talks? Can we be a part of the community and people that you are looking after? Actually, you are our leader for ALL Tibetans, yes? So all Tibetans must be allowed to be part of your government and your country.

If we are allowed to talk with you and be part of Tibetans, how can we do this? Can Shugden people go to your hospitals? Can we vote? Can Shugden-pas have yellow passport to travel? Can Shugden children go to the Tibetan schools? Can Shugden practitioners apply for a job in your government? This is very clear and easy to understand.

You are the democratic leader of Tibetan people. Does this mean you are the same like American President Obama or Britain’s Prime Minister David Cameron? They look after all their people no matter what they choose for their religions and culture. Mr. Obama and Mr. Cameron allow everybody from their country to meet them and they give all government benefits and welfare to all their people. Will you be same like them? Or you will be just a second Dalai Lama and create separation within your own people?

Please consider this. I request you to please think what leader you will be for the Tibetan people. Please be real leader for ALL PEOPLE. We are all Tibetan people also, like you.

My prayers and Tashi Deleg to you.
[YOUR NAME]