Since the ban on the Dharma Protector Dorje Shugden, Thurman has maintained a deliberately offensive stance towards Shugden practitioners, comparing them to the Taliban, and accusing them of being Chinese spies against the Tibetans.

In 2008, the Western Shugden Society wrote a letter to Robert Thurman urging him to produce proof to support his statement that Shugden people are sectarian, like the Buddhist Taliban and “working for the Chinese.” The full letter is reproduced below:

10th September 2008

An Open Letter
To Robert Thurman,

We the Western Shugden Society are writing this letter regarding your previous public statement that Shugden people are sectarian, naming them “the Buddhist Taliban”; and your recent public statement that the Western Shugden Society protestors are “working for the Chinese”.

As you know, Shugden people want to practice the Gelug tradition purely, without mixing with the Nyingma tradition. Because of this the Dalai Lama has said to Shugden people that they are sectarian. In truth, the Nyingmapa also want to practice their Nyingma tradition purely without mixing with the Gelug tradition; and it is the same for the Sakyapa and Kagyupa. So according to the Dalai Lama’s view, the Nyingmapa, Sakyapa and Kagyupa are also sectarian, but he only says that Shugden people are sectarian. In reality he is lying.

If you, Robert Thurman, are not yourself lying, then you must show your evidence to prove your public statements: that Shugden people are sectarian, “the Buddhist Taliban” as you named them; and that the Western Shugden Society is working for the Chinese. You should show your evidence publicly through the internet before 25th October 2008. If your evidence does not appear by this date then we will conclude that you have lied publicly and are misleading people.

Sincerely,
Western Shugden Society

By 25 October 2008, Thurman had not responded to the letter in any way. It wouldn’t be unfair therefore, to consider that he has indeed lied publicly and misled people by what he is saying.

Thurman is in an especially precarious situation as someone who has already garnered a reputation as a kind of authority in Buddhism. To make statements like this is not something to be taken lightly, especially when he has nothing to substantiate what he says.

Surely, as an academic, he should understand better than anybody else that when one conveys any statements as fact, the ability to produce supporting evidence is an indivisible part of the academic process. Above all else, as a respected academic, he can (and should) be held responsible for the accuracy and truth of whatever he communicates.

Thousands of people read his books, most likely with the view that it might help their understanding and practice of Buddhism. If he is reacting in such irresponsible and hurtful ways in relations to one of the most crucial issues of Tibetan Buddhism today, a shadow of doubt would surely be cast over the rest of his writings, talks and teachings too.

Further, as a Buddhist, he has a double responsibility to upholding the truth. He should be abiding by the most basic refuge vows of not lying and not using harsh speech by launching false accusations and defamatory comments at fellow practitioners. That is the least that can be expected of someone who was even a monk for two years and is considered a close friend of the Dalai Lama.

For all the unpleasant words he has issued against Shugden practitioners however, it is his silence in response to this open letter that has been most deafening. It proves, above all, the falsities of what he has been saying and a great disappointment that someone who is so highly respected in Buddhism could have such little empathy towards fellow Buddhists.

The information in the following article is extracted from the blogs http://robertthurman.wordpress.com, http://dorjeshugdentruth.wordpress.com and
http://www.westernshugdensociety.org. For more interesting reads on the subject, please visit the blogs directly.

Robert Thurman meets Kelsang Pema at the Lehigh University protests. Photo from here.

The shocking way a world-renowned Buddhist scholar speaks towards an ordained nun and Shugden practitioners.

Robert Thurman, world famous Buddhist scholar and professor, author on many Buddhist subjects and close “personal friend” of the Dalai Lama, might be expected to act in more courteous ways towards the Sangha.

Imagine everyone’s surprise then, when he retorted to nun Kelsang Pema of the Western Shugden Society, “You should be ashamed of yourself,” as she first approached him. This encounter was at a peaceful WSS protest outside the Dalai Lama’s teachings in Lehigh University, Bethlehem, Pennsylvania, while they were demonstrating against the ban on Dorje Shugden.

Kelsang Pema went on to say to him that she had heard him making comments about the WSS being sponsored by the Chinese. He replied curtly, “Of course you’re funded by the Chinese.”

The Lehigh University protests against the Dalai Lama’s ban of Dorje Shugden. Photo from http://flickrhivemind.net/

Kelsang Pema asked him what proof he had to make statements like these to which he answered, “You use the same terminology as the Chinese like ‘fuedalism’ and ‘theocracy’.” Is this how a respected writer, scholar and academic of Buddhism, and a former monk, speaks to a nun or to any fellow Buddhist practitioner?

We must remember that Robert Thurman was himself a monk but gave his vows back after only 2 years. Generally, speaking in such dismissive and disrespectful ways towards a Sangha is a direct contradiction and breaking of a Buddhist’s most basic Refuge commitments.

The Western Shugden Society had also written an open letter to Robert Thurman regarding the Dorje Shugden ban, to which he never replied. You can read about this here.

This protest at Lehigh University in July 2008 saw the participation of over 400 Tibetan and Western Buddhist monks, nuns and practitioners from 16 countries. More information about this protest can be read here.

There is also a video account of the protest at Lehigh University.

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

The information in this article was extracted from the blog robertthurman.wordpress.com. For more interesting reads on the subject, please visit the blog directly.

For more about Dorje Shugden, the Lamas who practice him and other pages of note, click on any of the links below that may be of interest. To submit more links for consideration, please leave a comment.

Links about Dorje Shugden

• http://www.dorjeshugden.org/
• http://nyanangphelgyeling.org/
• http://www.serpommonastery.org
• http://shargadenpa.org/
• http://segyugadenphodrang.org/
• http://www.shugdensociety.info
• http://www.xiongdeng.com/
• http://phradorjeshugden.net/
• http://dorjeshugdenimagelibrary.wordpress.com
• http://www.dorjeshugdenhistory.org/
• http://shugden.tripod.com/
• http://kachemarpo.wordpress.com
• http://wisdombuddhadorjeshugden.blogspot.com/
• http://www.wisdombuddhadorjeshugden.org
• http://shugdensociety.wordpress.com
• http://dorjeshugdentruth.wordpress.com
• https://truthaboutshugden.wordpress.com/

Links to Great Lamas

• http://www.tbiusa.org/
• H.H. Trijang Choktrul Rinpoche’s Facebook Fanpage
• http://www.domogesherinpoche.org/
• http://www.thardeuling.com/
• http://kadampa.org/
• http://www.tsemrinpoche.com/
• http://www.lgpt.net/
• http://ahmc.ngalso.net/
• http://kunpen.ngalso.net/
• http://www.lamagangchenusa.org/
• http://www.rabten.eu/
• http://www.meditationtsongkhapa.org/
• http://www.khenrab.org/
• http://www.dgtlmonastery.org/
• http://www.gadenforthewest.org/
• http://www.ganden.org
• http://www.kadhampa.org/
• http://gadenpa.com/

Other Interesting Links

• http://www.facebook.com/DuldzinDorjeShugden
• http://twitter.com/dorje_shugden
• http://www.youtube.com/dorjeshugden
• http://www.facebook.com/GyelchenDorjeShugden
• https://www.youtube.com/TibetanPublicTalk
• Dorje Shugden Tibetan Followers Facebook
• Dorje Shugden Tibetan Followers Youtube
• https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCbh8A7SmyD8xE0WdPbi5-IQ
• https://www.facebook.com/shargadenmonastery
• http://www.youtube.com/SharGadenMonastery
• http://twitter.com/shargaden
• https://www.facebook.com/serpom
• https://www.youtube.com/Serpomdratsang/
• http://www.arebuddhistsracist.com/

17 August 2011

AN OPEN LETTER

Persecution within Buddhist communities world-wide: a request to everyone

Dear Everyone,

With this letter, we, the Western Shugden Society would like respectfully to request you to use your influence to help millions of Buddhist practitioners of the Buddhist Deity Shugden who are presently suffering religious persecution perpetrated by the Dalai Lama of Tibet. We request you to please ask the Dalai Lama to stop this persecution and religious discrimination.

For his own political ends, the Dalai Lama is persecuting Buddhist people who practise this Deity. Most people around the world believe that the Dalai Lama is a compassionate man of peace, but the hidden reality is that, because of the high regard in which the ancient title is held, the Dalai Lama is actually now a dictator who is systematically causing immense suffering to millions of innocent people throughout the world. His actions banning the practice of Dorje Shugden and persecuting practitioners blatantly contravene the United Nations Universal Declaration of Human Rights on several counts.

The book A Great Deception, published by the Western Shugden Society, is a revelation of the Dalai Lama’s great deceit. The purpose of the book is fourfold:

• To liberate from this persecution the millions of innocent Buddhist practitioners of the Deity Shugden, and their families;
• To restore peace and harmony between Shugden and non-Shugden practitioners within Buddhist communities world-wide;
• To re-establish the common spiritual activities of all Shugden and non-Shugden practitioners; and -
• To free Buddhism from political pollution.

Please may we encourage you to come to understand the real nature of the Dalai Lama of Tibet by reading this book A Great Deception. We believe that you will then be able to help the innocent people presently experiencing his persecution. Please download A Great Deception as a free e-book from the Western Shugden Society web site.

The Western Shugden Society is also making requests to world leaders to help release these innocent people from the suffering caused by the religious discrimination of the Dalai Lama. Please see the attached letter that has been sent to the British Prime Minister, Foreign Secretary and Home Secretary.

Yours sincerely, with thanks,
John McBretney PhD, BSc (Hons) Representative, Western Shugden Society

Source :
http://www.westernshugdensociety.org/files/2011-08-17_WSS_Open_Letter.pdf

Gautama Buddha

Everyone raised in modern democratic nations realises the imperative of separating religion and politics. Painful history has shown the great dangers that arise when these two are intertwined.

The spiritual path is profoundly damaged by being mixed with politics. Politicians make laws that citizens must abide by – but no laws can govern what someone believes, and to enact laws that criminalise someone for what they do believe is clearly unjust.

From the other point of view, politics are damaged by being mixed with religion. A true democracy can only thrive when people are confident to express their opinions freely and debate, but in a theocracy one politician can assert their view to be divine, and all dissent to be sinful.

Both of these problems have seriously arisen within the Tibetan community. The Dalai Lama makes laws forcing people to abandon their heartfelt beliefs, and stifles debate of his policies invoking teachings on relying upon the spiritual guide.

Editor’s note: It is the opinion of this website that His Holiness the 14th Dalai Lama is working together with Dorje Shugden to make Dharma grow in the Eastern countries like China by imposing the ban. Please refer to the many articles on this issue in the articles section of Dorjeshugden.com for further reading.

Please read the following extracts from the new book by the Western Shugden Society: ‘A Great Deception’:

Dharma and Politics

As clearly shown throughout much of human history, mixing religion and politics in general is a great mistake. In the context of this book, religion refers to Buddha’s teachings, or Dharma. Buddha taught that all living beings experience without freedom or choice in life after life – the recurrent cycle of birth, aging, sickness and death, known as ‘samsara’. The fundamental purpose of all Buddha’s teachings is to show how to achieve liberation from samsara by overcoming attachment to it, and how to help others to achieve this same liberation.

Although skilful political activity may bring temporary benefits, the main purpose of political activity is to find happiness within samsara through trying to change external conditions. Political activity and political objectives therefore lie within samsara.

The result of Dharma is to destroy samsara, whereas the result of politics is to keep us within samsara. Through practising Dharma, Buddhists try to overcome attachment to samsara, whereas through political activity people try to fulfil desires that increase their attachment to samsara. The desires underlying our attachment to samsara include desire for wealth, power, fame and pleasure, all of which are mistakenly viewed as sources of real happiness.

For these reasons, Dharma and politics are completely opposite in their views, aims and results. The consequences of mixing Dharma with politics will always be at best bad, at worst catastrophic.

The Meaning of ‘Mixing Religion and Politics’

Mixing religion with politics means using religious faith for political aims. Because of the terrible atrocities that have been perpetrated throughout history in the name of religion, it is often said that religion is the cause of much suffering in the world.

However, when practised purely, religion cannot cause suffering. It is not religion itself but rather the exploitation of religion for political objectives that has caused and continues to cause so much suffering in this world. For example, in the West it is clearly understood that mixing religion and politics has been the cause of many problems, and of the sufferings caused by the Crusades, the Inquisition and the numerous European wars that have been fought in the name of religion, even in modern times. The western experience is that mixing religion and politics does not work. Because this is clearly recognised, in almost all countries throughout the West today there is a clear separation between ‘Church’ and ‘State’.

The Tibetan System of Government

In direct contrast, in Tibetan society not only is there no clear separation between ‘Church’ and ‘State’, but the union of these two is the very basis of government, even today. The Tibetan name for their system of government is ‘bö.zhung chö.si nyi.den’ (bod zhungs chos sri gnyis ldan), which means the ‘Tibetan Government of both Religion and Politics’.

As Phuntsog Wangyal, who established the London-based Tibet Foundation, says:

‘The term “Chö-si nyi-den” appears for the first time in the Seventeenth Century when the Fifth Dalai Lama reorganized the Government of Tibet as … the “Ever Victorious Tibetan Government of Ga-dän p’o-dr’ang”. Religion is different from politics. But there was never any attempt in Tibetan history to separate the two. Rather the ruling class, first the aristocracy and later both the aristocracy and the monasteries, encouraged their union.’1

Although the system of ‘Chö-si nyi-den’ had previously existed in practice, it was the Fifth Dalai Lama who consolidated the existing arrangements and standardised them into hard-and-fast rules. As the self-proclaimed and infallible embodiment of the Buddha Avalokiteshvara and as the supreme secular head of state, the Fifth Dalai Lama made the institution of the Dalai Lama the core symbol for the union of ultimate political and religious power.

As Phuntsog Wangyal again observes:

‘ … the supremacy of the Dalai Lama does not mean that the Dalai Lama always exercised supreme power, but it does mean that he is the ultimate authority in which supreme power over religion and politics rests. The institution of the Dalai Lama has a dual role, that of politics and religion. He symbolises the force that links two principles into a single institution.’2

Thus, the mixing of religion and politics was institutionalised by the Fifth Dalai Lama, and it is from this point in Tibetan history that the catastrophic decline begins that led to the loss of Tibet.

Potala

This intermingling of religion and politics can be seen in a whole series of the Fifth Dalai Lama’s actions, including his construction and naming of the Potala Palace; his relationship with his Spiritual Guide, the Panchen Lama; his reliance upon and institution of Nechung as the State Oracle of Tibet; his twice-attempted invasions of Bhutan; and his military campaigns against the Jonangpas, Kagyupas and Bönpos, and their forced conversion to the Gelug Tradition.

The Fifth Dalai Lama’s most significant creation from mixing Dharma and politics was the institution of the Dalai Lama itself. Through the fusion of supreme religious and political authority in one single person, the Fifth Dalai Lama became the self-appointed ‘God-King’ of Tibet. All of the actions of the Dalai Lama were thus to some extent contaminated by this union of religion and politics.

None of his religious actions could be totally free of political implications, and likewise none of his political actions could be totally free of implication for the religious sphere. All of the Dalai Lama’s religious and political actions, no matter how insignificant, carried the full weight of both his supposed religious infallibility and his absolute political authority.

The Potala Palace had the dual function of serving both political and religious objectives. On the one hand, the construction of the Potala itself was first intended to provide the Dalai Lama with an impenetrable fortress against military attack in the event that his powerful Mongol allies withdrew their support, and second, to serve as a potent symbol of his absolute political authority. On the other hand, in so naming the Potala, the Dalai Lama was identifying his residence as the earthly abode of the Buddha of Compassion, and himself as its resident, Avalokiteshvara.

Although from a religious point of view, even the human emanations of Buddhas need to accept and rely upon their Spiritual Guides, from a political point of view, the Fifth Dalai Lama could not bridge the gap between his absolute authority and the propriety of relinquishing authority to his Spiritual Guide. How could the fountainhead of absolute religious and political power, to whom all others are subordinate, ever subordinate himself to a Spiritual Guide? This intrinsic contradiction within the Fifth Dalai Lama’s position destroyed his spiritual relationship with his Spiritual Guide and created a poisonous precedent for future Dalai Lamas, especially the present Dalai Lama who claims to have a special connection with the Fifth.

One example of how the Fifth Dalai Lama regarded maintenance of his political power as more important than his duty as a Buddhist practitioner was his efforts to destroy the power of two important officials whom he considered to be rivals to his political authority. (These events are described below in Chapter 8.) When they took refuge in Tashi Lhunpo Monastery, the monastic seat of his own Spiritual Guide, the Fifth Dalai Lama raised an army to attack it. He dismissed his Spiritual Guide’s attempts at conciliation; and some years later, in an unprecedented act of public disrespect, the Fifth Dalai Lama did not even attend his Spiritual Guide’s funeral.

Many of the actions of the Fifth Dalai Lama, through which he became known as the ‘Great Fifth’, were in fact from a spiritual point of view extremely negative political actions. Some of them were catastrophic for Tibet both spiritually and politically, and provided the stepping-stones that in the end led to the loss of Tibet as an independent Buddhist nation.

Editor’s Note: While the Great Fifth Dalai Lama was initially against Dorje Shugden, he changed his mind and regretted his actions. The Great Fifth Dalai Lama then built Trode Khangsar, a chapel dedicated to Dorje Shugden.

Also, upon realising Dorje Shugden’s true nature, the Great Fifth proceeded to compose a prayer to Dorje Shugden. If the 14th Dalai Lama suggests that he acts in accord with spirit of the Fifth Dalai Lama then his current incarnation would also be propitiating the Dorje Shugden practice.

Notes:
1 & 2: Phuntsog Wangyal, ‘The Influence of Religion on Tibetan Politics’, The Tibet Journal, ed., Tsering, Vol.1, July-Sept 1975, 78-86. (http://www.ltwa.net/Collection/Tibet_Journal.pdf#page=3)

(Editor’s Note: This link above appears to have been removed from the mentioned website)

Source : http://www.westernshugdensociety.org/our-cause/dangers-of-mixing-dharma/

The Western Shugden Society demonstrations have met with objections from Tibetans who believe that criticism of the Dalai Lama has an adverse effect on the cause of Tibetan independence and unity. They complain that it tarnishes the reputation of Tibetans worldwide as the Dalai Lama is their leader in the eyes of the world and their most recognizable symbol.

At the same time, some Western Buddhists and supporters of Tibetan independence have objected to the demonstrations on the grounds that these damage the reputation of Tibet or of Buddhism. It seems that we are spoiling their fantasy of Shangri-la.

These people say that we are wrong to protest publicly, to challenge the Dalai Lama’s perceived authority, to “rock the boat”, as it were. Some say we are wrong even to question the Dalai Lama and to oppose his edicts. Some say simply that, even if we disagree, we should do so privately, without bringing such shame down upon our house. They say that it is horrible to see monks and nuns on the streets shouting — that this is un-Buddhist, that we appear angry, and that we should stop.

The critics are correct insofar as, without doubt, the current schism is having an adverse effect on the reputation of Buddhism worldwide, but they are wrong to say that we should be silent for the sake of temporary harmony and to save face. To do so would be like the family of an abusive father staying silent about the abuse for the sake of the family name. Effectively, we would enable and allow the Dalai Lama to continue to commit whatever abuses and atrocities he chose, unchecked.

Our house is not in order. All is not well. We cannot pretend that it is.

When the scandal of abusive priests within the Catholic church broke recently, the greatest shame and pain came from the cover-up that had occurred. What outraged people the most was that no-one within the church had spoken out to expose the abuse and stop it. It was this that was perceived to be the greatest deception and the most horrible betrayal of trust.

If we make ourselves accomplices to the Dalai Lama’s present abuse of human rights by staying silent, then how will the world react when, as will definitely happen, the abuse finally comes to light? How will it affect the reputation of Buddhism and Buddhists throughout the world if no-one among us had dared stand up and blown the whistle: “Our house is not in order. This is not right.”?

As sincere Buddhists, all Dorje Shugden practitioners must stand up and be counted. We have the responsibility to expose this decay in the highest levels of our community and to oppose it. If we do not do this, where is our honesty and our integrity – our decency? Who will trust us when the Dalai Lama’s mask falls? If we say nothing, then we will be morally bankrupt, accomplices, and the Dharma will truly have been destroyed from within, as the Buddha predicted.

It is completely wrong to say that the Dalai Lama is beyond reproach because he is the Dalai Lama. Buddha Shakyamuni himself taught us that we must question and clarify the meaning of the Dharma that we hear and never blindly accept what any teacher says, however famous or charismatic they may be. Blind acceptance is not Buddhism: it is creating the conditions for dictatorship and fanaticism.

It is completely wrong to hide the faults within our house from the world, pretending that all is well while thousands, even millions, suffer as a result of one man’s delusion. That is not loyalty; it is cowardice and deception.

We must fight this, however painful and embarrassing it may be for us: that is our responsibility as Bodhisattvas. No Buddhist wants to protest, or would choose to be seen waving their fists and shouting; but we have, literally, no choice. We did not create this situation; that responsibility lies solely with the Dalai Lama and his government in exile. He and he alone is responsible for this unprecedented schism in the Sangha. As Buddhists, the responsibility we do have is to bring this shame to light and to do what we can to control the damage. If we don’t do this now then we make of ourselves cowards and accomplices.

Of course we feel deeply sorry for the Tibetan people and for all the Dalai Lama’s faithful disciples: he is betraying them all. As sincere practitioners of Dorje Shugden we must not also betray them by staying silent. Keeping a patient mind within, we must fight this with truth and wisdom, with compassion and love. If we do so, we will definitely prevail and Je Tsongkhapa’s tradition will remain for the benefit of future generations.

Now is not the time for Buddhists to sit there — now is the time for them to stand up for what is right. Now is the time to dispel false accusations against the innocent. Now is the time to protect the pitiful and the protectorless.

If we do not take this challenging and brave step at this point in history, then an immensely profound and compassionate lineage of Buddhadharma is lost in our very lifetimes. This must not happen.

Published courtesy of Atisha’s Cook

(Source: http://wisdombuddhadorjeshugden.blogspot.com/2008/06/now-is-time.html)

On Friday May 30, the dreaming spires of Oxford awoke to cries of ‘Dalai Lama, Stop Lying’ as over 500 members of the Western Shugden Society gathered to protest against the Dalai Lama’s religious discrimination while he gave a public talk at the Sheldonian Theatre.

ABC Radio National’s interview with Kelsang Pema, the international spokesperson for the Western Shugden Society. This interview by Stephen Crittenden was aired on 11 June 2008 on The Religion Report.

Evacuated by NYC Police – The Western Shugden Society were peacefully protesting against the Dalai Lama’s ban on Dorje Shugden when they were surrounded by a mob of angry Tibetans.

Dalai Lama Protest at Radio City

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Midtown Clash Over Dalai

July 18th, 2008 By Pilar Conci and Jamie Schram from the New York Post
Followers of the Dalai Lama’s nonviolent teachings lost their cool yesterday – tossing coins and water bottles at Midtown protesters.

After the Dalai Lama finished a two-hour speech on human suffering at Radio City Music Hall, his audience of several hundred people stepped onto Sixth Avenue to chants of “Dalai Lama, stop lying!” from the protesters – who claim the Tibetan spiritual leader persecutes Buddhist Shugden practitioners.

Supporters waved money and threw coins at the protesters suggesting they were paid by the Chinese government.
There were no arrests at the protests.

Footage of Protest at Radio City

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Footage taken at Radio City as angry Dalai Lama supporters decend on peaceful protestors.

Riot after Dalai Lama’s Teaching

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A huge riot erupted in New York City after the Dalai Lama’s teachings July 17, 2008 in which an organized mob of the attendees of the Dalai Lama’s teaching surrounded the peaceful protesters demonstrating against the Dalai Lama’s ban on the mainstream Buddhist practice of the Wisdom Buddha Dorje Shugden.

An interview with Australian Buddhist nun Kelsang Lachog of the Western Shugden Society on a Australian news program.