As a Nobel Peace Prize laureate, recipient of the Congressional Gold Medal and holder of multiple honorary doctorates for law and international relations, His Holiness the 14th Dalai Lama has worked tirelessly for decades to promote peace and harmony in the world. Thus he is rightly celebrated as a proponent of human rights, and has become renowned for his compassion for all who suffer.

Unlike most other world leaders, His Holiness the Dalai Lama is unique in the way that, for millions of people, he is not just a secular leader but their spiritual guide too. United by their belief in his wisdom, the Dalai Lama’s devotees work together to promote their teacher’s message. It is therefore only reasonable and logical to expect His Holiness’s followers to represent his teachings well.

As a spiritual guide to millions, the Dalai Lama should be patient, wise, and practice loving-kindness and indeed, he is all of that. These students therefore may find that it benefits them to listen to His Holiness’ advice again, from a different perspective. Disturbingly however, there have been reports that some students have failed to reflect their teacher’s true teachings and compassionate motivation.

A certain video has come to our attention, which shows some nuns from a monastery in Dharamsala, North India, acting in the most unsightly ways. They are reported to have dragged a Buddha statue out from a monastery and then desecrated it with the utmost disrespect – by stepping, smashing, burning and spitting on the statue. This kind of action is terrible for anyone who calls themselves a spiritual practitioner, least of all a nun who has taken vows.

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This video is in relations to the Dharma Protector Dorje Shugden, which the Dalai Lama has banned in recent years. So much suffering has arisen out of this ban. People who have continued this practice suffer this kind of terrible abuse – where their personal items of worship are forcibly removed and destroyed. Families are now separated; the sacred bond between Buddhist teachers and their students are severed. Shugden practitioners are even denied the most basic welfare of education and medical aid from the government. Is any of this reflective of the qualities of kindness and compassion that the Dalai Lama has promoted for so many decades? Unfortunately, it doesn’t seem to be so.

It is one thing to think Dorje Shugden is negative and to destroy his statue, but we must remember what was inside the statue. Tibetans normally fill their statues with mantras, relics, Mani pills, tsatsas, scriptures, hair or nails of high lamas, pieces of robes belonging to high lamas, and many other holy items. When the nuns destroyed and pounced on the Dorje Shugden statue, they also stepped on all the holy items contained within the statue. How can fully ordained Buddhist nuns be so violent and also step on scriptures, mantras, relics, robes and precious items contained within this statue, which were given by high lamas and the Sangha.

These acts are desecration and very negative deeds. So much negative karma would have been accumulated. In their fanaticism to please the then Tibetan Government-in-exile, they went too far. What kind of Government would encourage and thank their people for desecrating objects of people’s religious faith and symbols of their divine? This is wrong. Freedom of worship should protect from desecration and such brutal displays of disrespect of another person’s symbol of the holy and divine.

This letter is not intended to provoke nor antagonise, but to prompt contemplation from a different point of view – as followers of the Dalai Lama, are these students showing patience when attacking the monastery of another school of thought? Is it showing wisdom to accuse Lamas from other traditions of sectarianism? Is it a practice of kindness to destroy the statue of a deity others revere?

These actions do not match His Holiness the Dalai Lama’s message of acceptance and harmony, nor serves to unite the Tibetan people towards other collective causes such as their fight for independence. Instead, such behavior drives the wedge of disharmony in the population, weakening an already diluted community which is struggling to survive in a foreign land. That is precisely what we do not wish to happen, because losing the ancient Tibetan traditions of respect, religion and acceptance would be a loss for the world.

As global citizens, we each have the right to choose our spiritual beliefs. Whether one chooses to engage in the practice of Shugden is the individual’s choice and dependent upon the individual relationship that one has with his Buddhist community and teachers. However, what we most strongly wish for people to consider is how they are treating others when they make their choices. Just because you decide not to pray to this Dharma Protector, it does not mean you need to act in such cruel, unkindly ways to people who do. In doing so, you reflect badly upon your own practice, your teachers and the religion as a whole. Do we really want the world to look upon us and wonder why Buddhists behave in such unkindly, intolerant ways, so opposite to what the Dalai Lama teaches?

We invite you to watch this video and read the many discussions on this issue on our websites listed below. Then make a difference to the lives of thousands by carrying a positive and beneficial image of Buddhism within your own actions. The wave of change can start with you.

Thank you,
DorjeShugden.com
DorjeShugden.net
XiongDeng.net

In my last post I wrote about current issues within the New Kadampa Tradition (NKT). As promised, to fill out my attitude to the NKT I am posting an article I wrote in 1996 in the second issue of Dharma Lifemagazine, just as the dispute over Dorje Shugden was breaking out into the open.

Much has happened since then and an enormous amount has been written, especially online: this Wikipedia entry is a starting point if you want to find out more, and the contribution of the scholar George Dreyfuss is especially informative. But be warned! The dispute has caused much bad feeling, most dramatically in allegations about the murder of a leading Tibetan critic of the Dorje Shugden practice.

In general, I think this article still hold good. Having reflected further on the subject over the years I have concluded that it is impossible for outsiders to take sides in this dispute: it would mean adjudicating on a dispute concerning the spirit world. That leaves the case for freedom of religious expression, which I think holds as a general principle regardless of the beliefs concerned and whether I like or agree with them.

Enemies and Protectors

Dorje Shugden lives in a palace surrounded by a wild sea of blood. It is filled with mounds of destroyed beings and the air is thick with the smell of human flesh. Shugden himself is dark red in colour, fierce like a savage spirit, and his mouth is bottomless like the sky. He is adorned with snakes, bones and a garland of freshly severed heads. He sends forth flames, winds and rain-clouds against opposing forces and, his followers believe, he encloses all evil-doers, vow breakers and obstacle-creating demons within a gigantic wall.

Wrathful figures like Shugden abound in Tibetan Buddhism within which they are believed to have a more than symbolic existence. To understand their role one has to look deep into Tibetan Buddhism’s shamanistic dimension – with its oracles, portents and spirits.

All reality in this perspective, is created by the mind, but if you believe in spirits they are real, and the Tibetans certainly do believe in them. There are many classes of spirits and some of them are considered very powerful. However, while some have been converted to the Dharma others are malevolent.

But how do you know which are which? The answer is that you ask a high Lama or a monk with shamanistic powers. But what if the lamas disagree? And what if those disagreements coincide with sectarian rivalries on a more mundane level?

Dorje Shugden is at the heart of just such a dispute in the Tibetan Buddhist community, between those who see him as an Enlightened protector and those, led by the Dalai Lama, who see him as an evil spirit.

In June this dispute finally boiled over into the UK media as a group called the Shugden Supporters Community (SSC) mounted demonstrations against the Dalai Lama outside the Office of Tibet. They sent out a press release which was headed ‘Dalai Lama persecutes his own people. Tibetan people in China have more religious freedom than Tibetan people in India’. It is widely expected that they will mount further demonstrations at the time of the Dalai Lama’s visit to the UK in July.

The issues involved are complex and arcane, and feelings have been running high. The dispute has pointed up several sensitive areas: the sectarian divisions within Tibetan Buddhism and the role of the Dalai Lama in these divisions; criticisms of the Tibetan government-in-exile; the difficulties posed by Westerners’ involvement in Tibetan Buddhism; and the deep-seated divisions among British Tibetan Buddhists. But for these very reasons, now that the issue has emerged it is important to attempt to clarify what is involved.

Dorje Shugden is considered by his followers to be a dharmapala or Enlightened protector and an emanation of the Bodhisattva Manjushri. These followers are mainly members of the Gelugpa school (although they have also included some Sakyapas), and they consider Shugden a special protector for the Gelugpas. He is therefore associated with the political power the Gelugpas had in independent Tibet.

According to the legend, Shugden is the reincarnation of a Lama who was a rival of the Fifth Dalai Lama and died as a result of their conflict. Then, it is said, he became a hostile spirit, but was eventually ‘tamed’, so that he was a protective force and hence an emanation of the Bodhisattva.

But there have always been those who maintain that Shugden was not properly subdued and is a worldly rather than an Enlightened protector. Propitiating such a figure is held to bring wealth and power, but it is also considered extremely dangerous. Shugden is associated by his opponents with Gelugpa sectarianism and said to be opposed to other deities, particularly the state protectors, Nechung and Palden Lhamo. In that case, to follow his cult would be tantamount to devil-worship.

The Dalai Lama’s principal teacher, Trijang Rimpoche, was an ardent devotee of Dorje Shugden and he brought up his pupil to worship the deity. However, in 1976 the Dalai Lama made it known that he had concluded on the basis of divinations that Shugden was a worldly spirit who was indeed engaged in conflict, in the spirit realm with the other protectors. In this he followed the Thirteenth Dalai Lama who had tried to suppress the Shugden practice. The present Dalai Lama stopped doing the practice himself and in the following years he asked others to stop.

Initiation into a practice such as this implies a solemn commitment including a promise to perform it every day for the rest of one’s life. In the case of a protector, the consequences of breaching this commitment are believed to include bad fortune and ill health as well as a rebirth in a hell realm. It would also mean breaching the relationship with the teacher who gave the initiation.

he Dalai Lama said he would personally accept the karmic consequences of other people stopping the Shugden practice, meaning that he would do battle with Shugden in the spirit realm to prevent him from causing harm. None the less many Lamas continued as private practitioners and the Dalai Lama’s advice was widely ignored.

In March this year the Dalai Lama changed his tone. Whereas before he had been critical of the practice, he now became insistent that it should be stopped forthwith. Failure to do so, he suggested, was tantamount to treason. Shugden was harming his health and Shugden’s conflict with the other protectors was a reason for the Tibetans’ failure to regain independence. ‘Shugden’, he stated, was ‘a spirit of the dark forces’.

Representatives from the Tibetan-Government in exile travelled to the refugee communities across India to try to ensure the ban was enforced and refugee organisations instructed their members to comply.

It is in relation to the way the ban is being enforced that the charges of abuse of religious freedom have been made. Much emotional pressure has clearly been applied. The Dalai Lama argued ‘everyone is free to say “If the cause of Tibet and the Dalai Lama’s life are undermined so be it… We will not change our tradition of propitiating (Shugden).”

‘But this means he is asking people to choose between himself and the Tibetan mainstream on one side, and Shugden and the injunctions of their personal teacher on the other. The SSC, comparing these events with the Spanish Inquisition, have said that unrepentant Shugden devotees have been ‘purged’ from government posts and Tibetan organisations, and even ostracised from the refugee community.

These are serious accusations and a concerted attempt to suppress the Shugden cult is clearly underway. The SSC have won the opening rounds of their media war against the Dalai Lama by using a western language of human rights, while the Dalai Lama’s language is heard as medieval superstition. Their charges are yet not proven, and westerners should keep an open mind until there is conclusive evidence.

This will be hard for followers of the Dalai Lama, as it raises the possibility, which they may find hard to countenance, that he has acted unskilfully. The tone of his statements is plainly exasperated. At such times Buddhists should recall the Buddha’s advice that his disciples should not follow blindly, but should ‘test my words as you test gold.’

However, as so often in Tibetan affairs, there are also other more political issues involved. ‘The Shugden schism,’ remarked seasoned commentator Stephen Batchelor, ‘reveals the cultic, shadowy side of a society breaking apart from within.’ Shugden is associated a faction which asserts Gelugpa supremacy and with their sometimes virulent opposition to the Nygmapa sect.

According to Rigdzen Shikpo (Mike Hookham) the full Shugden sadhana invokes Shugden against named Nygmapa figures. In the 1940s the ardent Shugdenite, Pabonkha Rimpoche, is reported to have led an anti-Nygmapa campaign including the destruction of Padmasambhava images.

In a persuasive article in Tibetan Review Gareth Sparham argues that ‘Shugden is a political symbol’ representing a faction which wants to maintain monastic political dominance, and a ‘fundamentalist version of Tibetan Buddhism as a state religion’ which excludes the other schools, who are considered ‘heterodox’. However, in exile the Dalai Lama has sought to represent the Tibetans as a whole and to allow diversity. Although his actions against Shugden seem to have been authoritarian, his supporters claim that his aim is to counter another intolerant faction.

If this is the case, at this stage his actions would appear to have been counter-productive. The reaction in the west, at least, has been angry and hostile and the Dalai Lama’s reputation is undoubtedly suffering. But this too has a context. His western critics in the SSC are closely associated with the New Kadampa Tradition (NKT).

Indeed, Robbie Barnet of the Tibet Information Network describes SSC as ‘an NKT cover organisation’. NKT, based at the Manjushri institute in Cumbria, is of the most successful Tibetan Buddhist movements in the west, and the Shugden sadhana is one of its ‘essential practices’. Devotion to him is central to the NKT tradition which, furthermore, teaches a highly conservative form of Gelugpa doctrine and is associated with the Shugden faction in India.

In 1983 NKT split acrimoniously from the broader Gelugpa tradition in a dispute arising from its leaders’ desire for autonomy. The split was not over Shugden, but it followed the same fault line and NKT has subsequently, ‘been out of communion’ with the Dalai Lama. Much ill-feeling in the Tibetan Buddhist world has resulted but until now neither side has spoken out publicly.

That all changed with the formation of SSC whose attack has extended to virulent personal criticism of the Dalai Lama. In an extraordinary hyperbole, their open letter to the Dalai Lama says ‘Your behaviour is the worst example in Buddhist history.’ They accuse him of causing a schism which for Buddhist is a heinous crime on a par with matricide. Given the literal nature of their own Buddhism, according to which a true Lama’s actions are necessarily skilful, they suggest that he is not, in fact, the true Dalai Lama and is himself a malevolent force.

While it is possible that SSC’s charges of violations of human rights have some justification, their own language is so intemperate that it is highly unskilful in itself. One can understand their sense of grievance at the suppression of a beloved deity, their perplexity at the arcane reasoning with which it has been justified, and their concern that it will make NKT’s teaching work harder. But the nature of their attack seems entirely out of proportion to the evidence they have presented and quite un-Buddhistic. It amounts to a personal attack and appears to be a concerted attempt to destroy the Dalai Lama’s reputation.

As a non-Tibetan Buddhist researching these issues I have found myself perplexed by the literalism of both sides. Believing literally in spirits, in the infallibility of Lamas, and the inviolability of religious vows leave neither side any flexibility with which they can seek to understand the other’s position. And yet these are problems inherent in some Tibetan Buddhist approaches. The most notable absence from the whole affair is the key Buddhist virtue of tolerance of others who hold differing opinions.

Vishvapani

Source: http://www.wiseattention.org/2012/02/the-shugden-dispute/

TRANSLATION

LE DALAI LAMA IMPOSE L’INTERDICTION SUR SHUGDEN (SHOUGDEN)

THE DALAI LAMA IMPOSES A BAN ON SHUGDEN

Extracts of speeches on the ban of the Gelugpa Protector Dorje Shugden by Tibetan leaders. This film contains remarks from the Dalai Lama and the now ex-Prime Minister of the Tibetan Government in Exile, Samdong Rinpoche. Their words are proof of what the ban on Dorje Shugden’s practice really is.

They reveal the importance given to the segregation, as well as to the division in the monasteries of the Tibetan community in exile. They also demonstrate how the Dalai Lama disrupts the harmony of the Tibetans in exile.

These words show that the ban was created by the Dalai Lama himself and not by the monasteries. They prove that it is the Dalai Lama and his Government who impose this ban and control the decisions made by the monasteries in India… which has also a negative effect on other communities in Tibet and elsewhere in the world.

Speech 1

Today, in the presence of the Government employees and our people, I will talk about the Protector. This is not a meeting about our political struggle for freedom.

I think we are the only ones gathered here to talk about this subject. I think that in the world, other people do not meet to talk about this subject. I have already talked about this, when we met during the last Kalachakra festival.

We are gathered here: Lamas, Geshes and friends in the Dharma. I repeat that this subject is very important and you should respect what I say. If however you think “something like this is the responsibility of the Dalai Lama, not mine”, your way of thinking is therefore wrong. Do you understand? And in the same way, you can explain this situation to those who live in Tibet, if you still have relatives there.

For example, in regions like Dakyap, Markham, Tchamdo and Denma-Khampa……in all these regions, you should inform them well. It is your responsibility to explain to those who live in Tibet. Do you understand?

If not, I’m telling you this here. You display a very respectful attitude but in reality you do not make any effort to explain this ban to others. This is very disappointing for me, understand?

Speech 2

Most of you have understood the reasons for abandoning the practice, and you have done so, but some of you seem not to have listened to my advice and pretend not to know about the subject.

And you think perhaps that it is not a serious subject and that later, things will be fine. You can also think that, in exile The Dalai Lama cannot do much about the matter. Some of you think like that.

Speech 3

I started this ban in memory of the Fifth Dalai Lama. I started it myself and I will finish it. Do you understand?

Some of you do not take this seriously. But they are wrong. You, members of staff, you pretend not to have heard and you let the time pass.

You think that it is better if we do not take any action against the population. When we met each other, you displayed a nice attitude and you said to me, “I’m clean and I’m not practicing.” But in fact these words are deceitful. This will probably continue to happen.

In the Monastery of Sera Jey, some students voluntarily assumed the responsibility and they strove to impose the ban. You should follow this example and support each other. It is very important.

Speech 4

I’ve talked about the ban at Drepung, when I was giving a teaching on the Lamrim of the Great Scope. At that time, many abbots from all the monasteries attended the teachings. Kelsang Yeshi, you were there, do you remember?

The abbots of the monasteries of Sera, Drepung, Gaden and also the monastic colleges of Gyuto and Gyume were there. Altogether, there were about 15 heads present. They came to see me, crying and promising vigorously to act according to my request. But in reality, they have done nothing, and now the final result is not very good.

Speech 5

The position of Dholgyal (Dorje Shugden) has become very special in the Gelug school. This is why the Gelugpas must pay a lot of attention to it. Even if His Holiness was not very clear in his speech. He has already spoken about the subject many times with great clarity, recently and in previous years, in the manner of a father advising his son.

On this point, we must thus make a clear decision. If not, we will not act because we think that this ban will create a lot of different problems in our society, and we are afraid of the segregation within our society.

I think this is bad. Here, what is important is that if we do not put this ban in place as we have been advised and we let ourselves be invaded by doubts about our ability and our judgments, then we will not be able to fulfil and sustain our wishes.

So I think that it will be very sad for us. Therefore, I don’t have any doubts, you will not forget this request, but will keep it in mind.

Speech 6

The abbots, the chief disciplinarians and the administrators of the monasteries, they have continued patiently to impose the ban and I know that each one of us work hard to enforce the ban and I appreciate it very much.

I am pleased with your voluntary support and your actions. It is very good. Some of you try to be tactful on the subject of putting this ban into operation and you may think that these actions will disrupt the harmony of the society.

Some of you may have reasons to remain quiet and discreet. On my part, I have no comment. But we always rejoice in the actions of those who act seriously and clearly. Whatever it may be that you need from our Government in Exile, we are ready to provide all types of support.

This is what I wanted to explain to you.

“Religious prosecution”, “Human rights violation”, “Demand religious freedom”. If you heard these words from a Tibetan in exile, you would think they’re talking about the P.R.C. Can you imagine that they may be referring to the Tibetan government in exile?

In December of 1996, a protest was held in India against a newly issued ban of worshipping “Dorje Shugden” (a.k.a Dholgyal), a respected religious deity Tibetans have worshiped for the last 300 years. The ban was issued by His Holiness the 14th Dalai Lama. He regarded the worshipping of such a deity harmed the Tibetan cause and his personal health. Anonymous threats were issued out against anyone who disobeyed his directive. The Assembly of Tibetan people’s Deputies also officially instructed the Shugden worshipper to make an “independent” decision after they had listened to the teaching of His Holiness and cleared the doubts in their minds (Jun. 1996).

Statues of Dorje Shugden were removed from temples and destroyed. A forced signature event was also held to make people promise to stop Shugden worship. Those who refused to sign lived their lives in great fear. Their names and addresses and their children’s names and schools were posted in public. People threw stones at their houses. Sometimes their houses got burned. They were treated as outcasts in their communities. Swiss public TV filmed a documentary about the Shugden conflict in 1998.

An old Lama interviewed who expressed his discontent over the ban was later attacked by a knife and barely survived. The response from the Dalai Lama and the Tibetan government in exile was denial. “Some people have been spreading lies that individuals were harassed and their objects of worship seized for propitiating Shugden, and that government officials were expelled from job, etc. Not a single of these allegations were found to be true”. When the Dalai Lama was asked about the violence during an interview by Swiss public TV, he insisted that those incidents did not happen, even after the interviewer told him that he had seen it with his own eyes.

In the Tibetan in exile community in India, it’s against the law to object to the Dalai Lama’s teachings and decisions. And it’s been repeatedly told that practicing Shugden worship would endanger His Holiness’s life. Some Shugden activists were declared murderers and had to go into exile again. The exiled Shugden activists often found support in the West. They have also established their own organization to demand their right of religious freedom. The Tibetan government in exile declared that those organizations are funded and supported by the Chinese authorities.

The Tibetan government in exile insisted that they didn’t violate religious freedom, since religious freedom does not include the freedom of choosing which deity to worship.

On Feb 13 2008, Tibetan Government in exile tried to resolve the conflict once and for all with a vote, which was taken in 14 monasteries of Gelug establishments. Those who did not want to share spiritual and material relations with Dorje Shugden followers would pick the yellow colored vote-stick. Those who wished to continue Dholgyal worship and who wanted to share spiritual and material relations with them would pick the red colored vote-stick. Coincidently, yellow is the color of Tibetan Lamaism (yellow hat religion) and red is usually regarded as the color for the communist China.

Ironically, when the Dalai Lama fled China in 1959, it was Dorje Shugden’s oracle that told him to escape to India. The specific escape routes were also told by the oracle. Along the routes chosen by Dorje Shugden, the U.S. military and CIA dropped numerous supplies, otherwise he and his body guards could not survive. Some of his bodyguards were confused later when they learned Dorje Shugden was declared a demon and was trying to harm the Dalai Lama’s life.

The Tibetan government has been led by the Dalai Lama since 1963. The deputies can be elected but the Dalai Lama is forever the highest government official. Not a single bill has been passed against the Dalai Lama and, according to an interviewed official, never will be. Moreover, the passed billed has to be approved by the Dalai Lama before it is effective. It is unimaginable how the Dalai Lama and his government has brought the Shugden conflict from a small Indian village of 110,000 Tibetans, to a 2.4million square kilometers land of 6 million Tibetans.

Editor’s Note:

Please note that this article was written in 2008, prior to the retirement of His Holiness the Dalai Lama as the political head of Tibet in 2011. With this apparent giving up of political and secular power by His Holiness, we are waiting to see whether this change of power is for real or superficial, and this would be most evident in how the new administration treats Shugden practitioners. We hope that Dr Lobsang Sangay, the new head of the Central Tibetan Administration, previously known as the Tibetan government in exile, will lift all discrimination against Shugden practitioners.

Source :
http://wenhousecrafts.com/2008/apr/fakefreedom.htm

Time will tell. Perhaps the Dalai Lama has simply retreated into the background to create a ‘democracy with ‘Tibetan characteristics’ (a continuing Theocracy) and from a practical point of view will continue to control all aspects of life for ordinary Tibetans, as has been the case for the past sixty years and beyond, or perhaps his decision heralds a new era of openness and true democracy with a genuine democratically-elected secular leader, the Kalon Tripa. The main question is – what will happen to religious freedom in this new system; will things be better or worse?

The hypocrisy of the Dalai Lama’s ‘non-sectarianism’

Although the Dalai Lama has encouraged Tibetans to freely practice all traditions of Tibetan Buddhism and not to see any differences between them, a policy that heralds disaster for the future of Tibetan Buddhism and that is not even in accord with the Rime or non-sectarian movement of the last two centuries, he has been consistently hard on those who practise Dorje Shugden. To the Western world, the Dalai Lama proclaims that we should be respectful and open minded towards all faiths, even writing a book on the subject, but, with characteristic hypocrisy, he has been less charitable towards the followers of Dorje Shugden, the main Protector practice of many powerful Gelugpa Teachers for four hundred years, and has preached anything other than peaceful co-existence. He has introduced an undemocratic ban on the practice, galvanising both Tibetans and Westerns to abandon the practice and ostracise those who refuse to give it up. Tibetans have had to swear an oath to do these two things, even in free, democratic countries such as Switzerland and the USA.

Editor’s Note – In a story about Buddha Shakyamuni, in the same day in the morning he agreed with a person that there is no god, in the afternoon he agreed with another person there is a god. So does that make him a hypocrite or inconsistent? Things are required to be taken in context.

For one to be sectarian one must be totally biased towards one view or one method. But the Dalai Lama has both Gelugpa and Nyingma practices, can he really be sectarian?

Ostracism and discrimination

The ban has meant that Shugden practitioners are denied basic rights, such the freedom to travel, enter certain shops and receive medical treatment and education. You can watch Al Jazeera’s unbiased report on this issue. It seems that Dorje Shugden has been the Dalai Lama’s particular political obsession of the past thirty years, along with the problem of Tibet, but it has only ever been a means to an end, a smokescreen to distract from his failure to secure any autonomy for Tibet. Behind the scenes, he has tried to cement his position of holder of supreme spiritual and political power in Tibetan society while at the same time, showing a public face of tolerance, peace and compassion to the Western media. This policy of having two faces has served the Dalai Lama very well up to this point, but what does the future hold?

Editor’s Note – This is part of subterfuge to make people believes the ban is real. All things are illusory and so is the ban. The Dalai Lama if he is realized he has control over his rebirth, if he is realized his actions are Buddha like. We can then try to judge his actions based on our samsaric views but it is like a dog barking at a mountain. If the Dalai Lama is unenlightened, whatever political or spiritual power he has, he can’t bring it to his next life. So what is the point of worrying about power he can’t bring it to the next life if he is unenlightened.

What is the Dalai Lama’s role now?

Although loved by the Tibetan people and held to be a Buddha by Tibetan Buddhists, the Dalai Lama’s role as a spiritual leader is completely unnecessary because each tradition of Tibetan Buddhism has its own Head, so what is his role? It seems that, over the past nearly four hundred years, the Dalai Lama has made himself indispensable to the Tibetan people, where they cannot think to do anything without his guidance. He built the Potala palace and made himself into a God-King. It’s shocking to realise that the Dalai Lama has played the role of the cloying mother for four hundred years who, out of fear of redundancy, has refused to let her children grow up and stand on their own two feet. He has dictated Tibetan religio-political policy, creating the ‘Lama Policy’ that has poisoned Buddhism and threatened the pure teachings of Buddha Shakyamuni in this world, and he has used them to build a fortress of respectability to the point where he is considered one of the most influential people in the world by Time Magazine.

Editor’s Note – The Fifth Dalai Lama did not ascend the throne all by himself, he had the Gelugpa hierarchy to support him. If the Dalai Lama is guilty of anything, then the people who supported him are also guilty too. Where does this lead to? Everybody is wrong?

The future for Shugden practitioners

What does the Dalai Lama’s retirement from front line politics mean to Shugden practitioners who have been persecuted by him and his followers for the past thirty years? At this point, it’s hard to say. It’s hard to imagine that the Tibetan Government in Exile will immediately change their policy, given that it is clearly one of the Dalai Lama’s most treasured, but maybe over time a true democracy and non-sectarianism will emerge if the Dalai Lama’s influence is allowed to fade. The draconian ban of Shugden practice is clearly not a democratic policy but the heart aim of just one person, so there is every hope that things will change. However, in the meantime, as a ‘spiritual leader’. the Dalai Lama will have more time on his hands and this doesn’t bode well for Shugden followers as he will have many opportunities to speak out and further poison the hearts of Tibetans and Western followers of Tibetan Buddhism towards the practice and its devotees. It’s hard to believe that he will stop following his long treasured aim of destroying the practice and only time will tell what this all means for true democracy and religious freedom.

Editor’s Note – Since Dalai Lama announced retirement and has gotten the TGIE to accept it the instances of Dalai Lama speaking about Dorje Shugden has decreased. I quote Sun Tzu, “In times of peace prepare for war, in times of war prepare for peace”. Peace among Gelugpa practitioners is coming sooner than you think.

(Source : http://wisdombuddhadorjeshugden.blogspot.com/2011/03/what-does-dalai-lamas-retirement-means.html)

BY YIQIAN ZHANG

The Dalai Lama is retiring — not from his spiritual role — but from his political service in the Tibetan government in exile — saying the Tibetan people need a freely elected leader. The announcement comes on the 52nd anniversary of the failed Tibetan uprising against Chinese rule.

“The Tibetan government in exile now is all set to change its constitution and elect a prime minister who will take over the political offices held by the Dalai Lama at the moment.” News X

By electing a successor, the Dalai Lama is departing from the historic practice of reincarnation. Traditionally, it is only after the death of the current Dalai Lama, that the Tibetan government and High Lamas will set out to find his reincarnated successor. The Chinese government has intervened in that history, and claimed approval rights for the Dalai Lama in the 1950s. So, is this move a step towards greater Tibetan democracy or is the spiritual leader simply playing politics? The Hindustan Times quotes a Chinese foreign ministry spokeswoman as saying, it’s a trick.

JIANG YU: “He has often talked about retirement in the past few years. I think these are his tricks to deceive the international community.”

Others say some good might come out of this. BBC China quotes a Bochum University professor — who says this boils down to a Tibetan-style separation of church and state.

“…(the) Dalai Lama announces his exit in the political realm and didn’t give up his position as spiritual leader. But his action means this medieval, traditional, very out-of-date system of unification of church and state will come to an end. … theoretically it’s advancement.”

But a Time magazine blogger says, The Dalai Lama knows exactly what he’s doing — and he’s sending a strong message to the rest of the world.

“…a separate political structure will exist in which Tibet’s interests can be looked after by an independent leader. In that case, reincarnation will not be the salient issue. Democracy, as practiced by the Tibetan exile community, will be. How’s that for a deft move by a ‘wolf in monk’s robes?’”

Tibetans will vote for their new prime minister later this month. CNN’s Zain Vergee reports – the Dalai Lama’s announcement wasn’t a surprise.

“He’s going to put forward amendments and he wants a vote to happen on the successor. (FLASH) A lot of people are saying the Dalai Lama has worked so hard for the cause, the guy just needs a break. This is just kind of symbolic, really, it’s so important this happening. Actually the Tibetan government in exile has not really made a lot of political progress in terms of what they want over the last few years.”

Finally – The New Yorker’s Evan Osnos predicts – the Dalai Lama might find it difficult to separate himself politically from the Tibetan cause.

“…despite his persistent attempts to renounce his political functions and pave the way for a new generation of leaders who can govern without the emotional and religious baggage he represents, he simply looms too large over the Tibet conflict to be there and not there at the same time.”

Editor’s Note:

With the Dalai Lama not wielding the political power anymore and he remains the spiritual head of Tibet, what does this mean?

Since Dorje Shugden is claimed to harm Tibet’s cause, then by the Dalai Lama not being the political head it is not his worry or jurisdiction anymore.

As spiritual head of Tibet and without the political power, he does not have clout or legitimacy over the various Tibetan lineages. Which means the Dalai Lama can no longer dictate the Gelugpa affairs.

Manhattan Protest

In recent years, Dorje Shugden has become a controversial issue in which many Western Buddhists who follow the Dorje Shugden deity of Tibetan Buddhism have raised the issue of religious freedom under the Dalai Lama.

CNN’s report on Dorje Shugden:

Dalai Lama Greeted by Protesters in Manhattan

http://cnn.com/US/9805/03/buddhist.dissension/index.html

As I did my research on Tibet, I saw an Internet newsgroup called alt.religion.buddhism.tibetan, where many Buddhists were arguing over the Dorje Shugden issue. A search via the Deja News search engine yielded over two thousand messages posted in the newsgroup on the subject of Dorje Shugden. Much of the details are very religious in nature, but I have gathered the more introductory posts that offer a glimpse of the issue.

James Burns, a British Buddhist devoted to Dorje Shugden, has written many highly informative posts on the Internet newsgroup ‘alt.religion.buddhism.tibet’. Here are links to his posts, listed in sequence of introducing the background of the issue to the eventual ban, and the reactions of Dorje Shugden followers.

Burns explained his feelings in a post on Sept. 15, 1998:

“In the UK how would you feel if you were not allowed to travel abroad because you are a Buddhist?

How would you feel if you were not allowed to hold a legal, government or medical post because of your religion?

How would you feel if your children and relatives were banned from attending state schools?

How would you feel if someone was sick in your family but you were frightened to ask for medical help because people would find out what your religion was?

How would you feel if people boycotted your business or profession just because you held certain beliefs?

How would you feel if your relatives and friends were encouraged to spy on you and report what you did just because of what you believed?

How would you feel if people came into your house uninvited and removed those things that you held most sacred?

How would you feel if you lost your pension and state benefits just because you were a Buddhist?
 
How would you feel if, on the same basis, your UK citizenship was removed?”

(For a look at the original article mentioned in this post, please see: His Material Highness: http://www.salon.com/1998/07/13/news_79/)

The Mongoose-Canine Letter:
This is one of the most interesting posts that includes a letter by a Tibetan insider, addressed to the Dalai Lama, that showed many intricate secrets of the Tibetan government in exile. James Burns begins to see the truth behind the Tibetan propaganda.

“To people in the West we seem to think that the exiled community is and has been united behind the Dalai Lama throughout its existence. However as is well known to the Tibetans themselves the truth is very far from this.”

“The Dalai Lama has exercised Power and control most effectively through the flow of information.”

“It is remarkable how effective such information control has been on the minds of Westerners. We are only now beginning to see a cultural questioning of issues Tibetan and this has long been overdue. The Dalai Lama has felt so confident about his propaganda efforts that in a speech earlier this year he was proclaiming how his fame would be the determining factor in the Dorje Shugden issue.”

A disillusioned Dorje Shugden follower (view 1)

James Burns wrote: “Yes Chris. I have got to say that for many years I was a firm supporter of the Dalai Lama and all that he stood for and tried to do. When the Dorje Shugden issue came to a head by the introduction of the Ban, I still supported him although I felt that he had made a serious mistake on this issue and that he needed to change.”

“However when I began to look into matters it also began to be clear to me that there were a lot of other things that I could not approve of with regards to the actions of His Holiness. It was quite contrary to what I had expected of him.”

“For example I found out that the beatings so graphically shown of Tibetan Monks in the monasteries in the late 80′s were not being carried out by the Chinese as was being suggested but were actually carried out by Tibetans! The style of the beatings were typically Tibetan and quite beyond the style and methods of Chinese soldiers or police.”
[For facts presented by a Tibetan that may back up this point, please read: "Tibetans and the Cultural Revolution".]

A disillusioned Dorje Shugden follower (view 2)

James Burns wrote: “As I have pointed out previously let no-one be in any doubt that it is the Dalai Lama who is behind the United Cholsum Organization. It is commonly perceived, in the Exiled Community, to be the public vehicle of his private office. In trying to handle the Dorje Shugden issue through this vehicle he is no doubt attempting to give himself an escape route should the actions of the United Cholsum Organization be subject to the International condemnation that it so richly deserves.”

“The people on this newsgroup who continue to support the ban on Shugden is persecuting a section of society and are a disgrace to Buddhism and to humanity. Such people are not Buddhists. If they were then they would do what they could for those in distress. The sectarian and fundamentalist attitudes that these people complain of can most clearly be seen in their own ranks. The right of all people to enjoy freedom of spiritual belief and practice must be universally proclaimed. Where such freedoms are not to be found it must be condemned with the utmost energy. Tyranny in any disguise must be recognised for what it is and firmly opposed.”

“People who speak universally of freedom, democracy and openness, yet persecute and restrict their own people must be seen for the hypocrites that they are. There is no room in modern society for this form of behaviour and we must make it known that people who do so can expect no support for their activities.”

(Source : http://journeyeast.tripod.com/shugden_buddhists.html)

Statement of Pomra Kamtsen
February 2008

1. This community of the Sera-Mey College has remained in peace and harmony, without ever having any conflict or schism, since the founding of the Sera monastery by Jamchen Choeche Shakya Yeshe in the year 1419 in Tibet, until now.
2. After coming to India we have shared spiritual and material experiences, with all the other monasteries mutually and in particular within our own college. The community has lived together harmoniously without any problems or discord, sharing good and bad times together.
3. The deity Dorje Shugden has been worshipped in Tibet for the last 350 years. This Pomra department of Sera-Mey monastery has been relying on this deity as its special protector for the last 236 years. This is for us purely a practice of Dharma without any political implications.
4. This Sera-Mey college is a community which is registered under the laws of the government of India. In its by-laws it is stated, that anybody who wishes to enter this college has the equal right to do so, without any discrimination regarding race, country, province, or whatever. However, last year, 28 Tibetans did not receive the right to enter into this monastery on the bases of being devotees of Dorje Shugden.
5. Since the worship of this deity was banned in 1996 up until now the monastery gradually has prevented those people who worship the deity from obtaining higher positions in the monastic administration. However, we remained without complaint, concentrating on the study of the Dharma, and have thus sacrificed all monastic statuses.
6. In this monastery Sera-Mey, the monks of our department have until now, and continually are, fulfilling diligently and wholeheartedly the various branches of activities for the service of the monastery. According to the rules of this monastery for the appointment of functionaries, suitable candidates are selected, and then the final decision is brought in front of the Dharmapala Ta-ok (the protector of the college).There, by throwing dough-balls with name (a kind of lottery) the functionaries are assigned. It is not permitted to refuse an appointment. Whoever does not want to take the responsibility after appointment has to be expelled. This being the rule for appointing monastic functionaries, it is obvious, that what has been mentioned before totally contradicts the principles of this monastery.
7. Now we face the condition, that without any reason of contravening rules or regulations of the monastery, those who rely on the deity Dorje Shugden, are expelled from the monastery, from school, and from offices. Therefore we have made up our mind to oppose this injustice in accordance with the law.
8. The procedures of the compulsory oath the monks had to take “not to share any spiritual or material relation with anybody who is worshipping Dorje Shugden”, as well as the signature-campaigns to this effect, are not only in contradiction with the Dharma, but also in contradiction with any law. This problem is not created by us. So who has created it? Such behaviour is not in harmony with Buddhist view and conduct, and it contradicts the rules of the peace-loving world. If there is no internal peace, then how can one speak about universal peace and harmony?
9. From Dec. 20th 2007 until the 6th of this month, due to this emergency situation, there have been six meetings trying to deal with this situation in the monastery. But since the whole problem has not been created by the monastery, and also exists on an intercollege level, it is agreed unanimously that there is nothing we can do about it. There are two committees responsible for these new rules of swearing and voting, so they are fully responsible for the situation. We would therefore like to bring these committees to court and hopefully come to a final decision there.
10. From the so-called Geden-committee a postponement has been given until the 9th of February 2008. Nevertheless, on the 26th of January, the republic day of India, the general kitchen of the monastery was closed, followed by a closing of the school and the medical clinic and all other branches.
11. With regards to this trouble we make our request with great hope to the government of India and the human rights committee, to act as witness, and in accordance to the convenience of time, we want both sides to meet in court to have this issue decided there.
12. Until now, thanks to the government and the people of India and thanks to the democratic constitution of this great country, we received a place to live, all the sustenance for our living, and have all the chance to enjoy all our religious activities.We can never forget this kindness of the government and the people of India. And also in future we have no-one else to go for help. We have clear proof of the points we are appealing for the be facts, so we request the government of this great nation as witness of truth.

(Source : http://www.shugdensociety.info/pdfs/DeclarationPomra2008.pdf)

What are some human tendencies in responding to conflict?

While walking this morning along the streets of Oxford (to a conference I am presenting at the weekend), I saw a group of people gathering and asked what was happening. They said the Dalai Lama was coming. So, like any tourist, I wanted to see him and get a picture if possible. I came back in an hour when there was a much larger crowd and heard people shouting something in a chant.

I will soon post here some pictures from the event. I didn’t end up getting a picture of the Dalai Lama, but I did get a lot of conversations that were perhaps even more valuable.

I assumed the shouting was either from Tibetans protesting China or Chinese protesting the Dalai Lama. Then I looked over the crowd and started to realize it was separated into three parts. Only a part of the crowd was holding Tibetan flags on one side, there was a small gathering around a Chinese flag in the center, and then a large group on the other side – many of which were dressed in long Buddhist robes – holding signs that said the Dalai Lama was lying. This is where the shouting was coming from. Buddhists protesting the Dalai Lama?

So I went back and forth between the different groups in the crowd in order to get a better understanding of what was happening. I have captured the conversations that came from it, and I think you will find it interesting how people reason and make sense of the situation.

The situation itself is interesting, but the conversations around the protest is what I am more interested in discussing and hearing your thoughts about. They surprised me in some ways, and helped me understand a little more about how people deal with conflict: always questioning the motivations of others (especially repelled by any sign of hypocrisy), making quick judgments based upon assuming negative motivations, asking so few questions (and usually only the kinds of questions which help them justify their previous opinions), and then giving labels for the people they feel are opposed to them.

CONVERSATION #1 (To a person with a Tibetan flag)

Who are the protesters, and what is their concern?

“They are all just a bunch of communists.”

CONVERSATION #2 (Walking over to a protester who hands me a pamphlet)

What are you protesting? What do you think the Dalai Lama is lying about?
“He is lying because he is hypocritical – saying he supports human rights, but he suppresses them amongst his own people. He has outlawed people from being able to practice something called Dorje Shugden (a prayer to a certain Buddhist deity) – said there was an evil spirit in it – and if people do practice it then they have had their houses burned down, and some people have even been killed.”

Why do you think he outlawed the practice?
“For political reasons. He wants to unite Buddhists, and while politically that might make sense, spiritually it is very destructive.”

Oh, someone told me that you were communist protesters.
“Yeah – they don’t really know what they are talking about.”

CONVERSATION #3 (Walking back to someone with a Tibetan flag draped around them)

What do you think they are protesting about?
“Oh, they are angry that about the practice of a certain kind of prayer that the Dalai Lama has spoken against. It is a complicated split in Tibetan Buddhism. But they don’t even know what they are talking about. Go over there and ask them, and most of them are just westerners and don’t even know why they are protesting. They don’t even know what they are talking about. You don’t see any Tibetans over there, do you?

The Dalai Lama just said that he wasn’t going to practice the Dorje Shugden anymore, but he does allow religious freedom to people, but just asked if they follow him not to practice the Dorje Shugden as well. He doesn’t say that they cannot practice it, just that he finds an evil spirit about it.

You don’t see any Tibetans over there, or hardly any. They don’t even have any intelligent chants. I wouldn’t be surprised if they were paid to come together. You know that happens. Paid mob.”

[And she handed me a statement from the Tibetan government describing their view on what had happened.]

CONVERSATION #4 (Walking again over to a different protester)

What do you think the Dalai Lama is lying about?
“He has suppressed the practice of Dorje Shugden – even though his spiritual leaders practiced it. In Buddhism, you are supposed to follow your spiritual leaders. Now, people in the Tibetan communities of India (where they are living in exile) are forced to carry cards that indicate that they do not practice the Dorje Shugden. If they do not have the card, they get persecuted – and even their lives are in danger. There are even stores that say above the entrance that if you believe in Dorje Shugden then you can not shop there.”

Why did he think the Dorje Shugden was an evil practice?
“Oh, it was just some dream he says he had. Stupid. Really he is both a spiritual and political leader, and so he  makes certain decisions for political reasons that are devastating spiritually. Westerners understand that you cannot do this, that it is unhealthy and wrong, and so we are speaking up to try and get his attention. We do not hate him, we love him, we have peace in us, and we cheer at the end of each chant to show it is a peaceful rally. But we just want him to listen and he is not even open to dialogue. It is not democratic at all, but more like medieval ages in the west when the rulers made spiritual decisions for political reasons and then forced them on people. That is the problem when someone is both the spiritual and political leader.

In the west we know that is wrong, but that is where they are stuck. It is not a democracy at all, he won’t even discuss it with people. Western media is just so nice to the Dalai Lama, not recognizing the hypocrisy – but we are trying to change that with demonstrations like this.”

Why do you think there are not more Buddhists protesting?
“There is a couple, but they are putting their life at risk by being here. The Dalai Lama has a group that will find him out and punish him if they can. All the ones over there feel they need to be submissive to him no matter what, they think that he can’t be wrong because he is their spiritual leader, and the Buddha. [He did a mock bowing motion]. Crazy. In the west we know that is not right.”

CONVERSATION #5 (To the Tibetan on the protester side)

Why are you protesting?
“I went into the monastery when I was 12. I was there for 40 years, but because I did not want to agree, I was cleared out. After 40 years! That was my home. If I had a family in India, and they did not have the passes, then the children would be cleared out of their schools, they would be cleared out of their community.”

Why do you think that the Dalai Lama felt this Dorje Shugden was evil?
“There are four branches of Buddhism in Tibet, and he is only the spiritual leader for only one of them. He wants to weaken the strongest branch, if he can, so that he can be a stronger leader by making all the branches more equal. The main thing is that in the west is freedom of speech – and he does not allow that.”

Why do you think more Tibetans don’t stand up to this?
“They just don’t understand.”

CONVERSATION #6 (Then talking to a couple of Chinese representatives who gave me a pamphlet about how beautiful Tibet is)

Why are you here?

“We just want China to be one – to be united.”

Why do you think Tibet want to be free from China?

“I really don’t know.”

What percent of people in Tibet want to be free of China?
“I don’t think there are many left in Tibet that want to be free anymore. It is just a small percent. But they are doing violent things, surrounding the Olympics, and that is not good.”

What do you think the Dalai Lama wants?
“I think they were just in power before China took over, and so they just want the power again.”

They say that you might be getting paid to be here. Is that true?
“No! We are just here. That is not the reason we are here! Just look at the flag – we don’t even have enough money to buy a good flag.”

What do you think about the recent talks between Chinese government and the Dalai Lama?
“We support them. It is a good thing, and we hope it continues. The Dalai Lama just keeps speaking the same things – and there is no progress. We want to see things improve.”

CONVERSATION #7 (Walking once again to the Tibetan side and talking to a Caucasian woman holding a Tibetan flag)

Why do you think the people over there are protesting?
“I can’t imagine!”

Why do they say that the Dalai Lama is lying?
“They’re just horrible people! They are shouting horrible things! I’m Roman Catholic, but I know the Dalai Lama stands for peace! I don’t know why they would do such a horrible thing!”

Why does Tibet want to be free from China?
“I would want to be free from them! They’re barbarians – they murder their own students. They are just horrible barbarians.”

CONVERSATION #8 (To a Tibetan man holding a Tibetan flag)

Why does Tibet want to be free from China?
“The Chinese do not allow any religious freedom. They make it so that we cannot pray and practice as we would like to.”

Why do you think the people are protesting?
“They are upset about some direction that the Dalai Lama gave on changing something. But it was even his own practice, and he recognized that he needed to change too.”

And then I had to get back to the conference…

I’m sure there are a lot of nuances in the actual conflict which I am not aware of. But I don’t want to discuss the conflict itself – I am more interested in discussing the approach to the conflict that was taken by people on different sides of the argument.

First let me say that I am aware that people frequently can have less-than-the-best of intentions – and so it makes sense that as humans we are always questioning the motives of others.

My questions for you:

• At the same time, doesn’t this tendency to quickly label the intent and intelligence of others frequently lead to unnecessary labels/judgments and miscommunication?
• Do you agree/disagree – or see anything else in these conversations?
• Any suggestions for how to get around skepticism, quick labeling, and the resulting miscommunication?

(Source : http://www.clintrogersonline.com/blog/2008/05/30/is-the-dalai-lama-lying-conflict-hypocrisy-and-miscommunication-%E2%80%93-the-dorje-shugden/)

This is a trailer for a documentary on the State Oracle of Tibet (http://www.inspiration-productions.com/english/).

Maud Kristen, a renowned French medium, visits Northern India, the bastion of Tibetan civilization in exile, to discover their oracle system. 
She meets Thupten Ngodup, the medium of Nechung, in Tso Pema and follows him on his pilgrimage to the sacred places of Guru Rinpoche, the famous saint who introduced Buddhism to Tibet.

Nechung has been one of the spiritual protectors of Tibet since the 8th century and has, over the years, developed a special relationship with the Dalai Lamas. Nechung manifests through Thupten Ngodup as a state oracle and advises the Tibetan government and the Dalai Lama on important issues…

Maud Kristen is a clairvoyant and psychic, and she became famous in the late 1980s because of her public demonstrations of her gifts of precognition and the many experiments in parapsychology in which she has participated. She is actively campaigning for recognition and a serious study of psychic phenomena by the scientific community.

Source : http://fr.wikipedia.org/wiki/Maud_Kristen