Wednesday, September 16, 2009

The Tide has Turned - Gelugpa Tradition Revival in the East and the West

Homage to Guru Protector Dorje Shugden!

Since the Western Shugden Society demonstrated against the Dalai Lama's ban on the practice of Wisdom Buddha Dorje Shugden last year, much has happened that is a cause for rejoicing. These demonstrations came about because the Tibetan government were organizing the expulsion of Dorje Shugden practitioners from Tibetan society with those practitioners having no recourse and no free speech, and although the WSS made many requests to the Dalai Lama requesting him to stop, he never replied. The peaceful protests arose out of compassion, not out of anger. Now the problems they were addressing have stopped, at least temporarily. Moreover, developments on various fronts also show how necessary and effective this expression of free speech in Western society was in terms of showing support and thereby increasing the confidence of sincere practitioners in India and elsewhere. They have heralded a revival of Dorje Shugden practice throughout the world.

Persecution stops, WSS stops

As the world media spotlight is never far away, the Dalai Lama and his followers are forced to be more cautious, and as a result we are hearing less about the persecution of Dorje Shugden practitioners in the Tibetan exile community in India. Recent information indicates that the Tibetan government have stopped the persecution because the Dalai Lama's reputation is decreasing in the world due to this mistake. If the Dalai Lama continues to speak out and act to destroy the practice of Dorje Shugden and the beloved Gelugupa tradition transmitted by the lineage holders Je Phabongkhapa and Trijang Rinpoche, as well as many other great Gelugpa Lamas and their disciples, he now knows that WSS demonstrators will continue to protest to bring this hypocrisy and injustice to the world's attention. The WSS wants peace. If the Dalai Lama and his government stop, the demonstrations stop. If they do not stop, the WSS does not stop.

Politicians backtrack

The Dalai Lama's student and Tibetan prime minister, the monk Samdhong Rinpoche, has even been embarrassed into publicly criticizing the Abbots for the forced signature campaign. This is ironic, as he was of course an instigator of this campaign, but it is a clear indication that the exile government knows now that they cannot get away with this disastrous policy, and feel the political need to distance themselves from it by scapegoating the Abbots.

Court case

The court case against the Dalai Lama and Samdhong Rinpoche wends its way through the Delhi High Court, to be heard in September. Whatever the outcome, it is at least being taken seriously as there are pages upon pages of documented evidence of the ban and its repercussions -- persecution, violence, segregation, etc.

High Gelugpa Lamas speak up

Recently the Ganden Tripa, the Ganden Throne Holder and head of the Gelugpa school, spoke out publicly in support of Trijang Choktrul. The Dalai Lama has never been the head of the Gelugpa school (nor any of the other Tibetan Buddhist schools); it is the Ganden Tripa who has traditionally been responsible for what happens within the Tibetan Gelugpa tradition, and this support for a famous Tibetan Dorje Shugden practitioner indicates the Ganden Tripa's lack of support for the Dalai Lama's interference in this tradition. It indicates that more and more Gelugpa Lamas who have continued their practice of Dorje Shugden in secret now have the confidence to come out of the closet and defy the Dalai Lama and his government in exile.

Dorje Shugden practitioners now have their own qualified temples and monasteries, free from political interference

Many Lamas, monks and other practitioners now have the confidence to join forces in practicing this tradition openly.

Perhaps the most compelling sign that the tide is turning is the growth of the monasteries Serpom Norling and Shar Gaden. Very fortunately, 500 monks from Ganden and 400 monks from Sera received their own land and are making new monasteries and temples where they can continue to practice the Gelugpa tradition purely without political disturbance. They are receiving financial support from individuals in the West, other Tibetan Lamas, and the WSS. As you can see from the pictures, they are working extremely hard and effectively, just as Dorje Shugden practitioners once upon a time worked hard to build the Tibetan community in exile after 1959.

These extraordinary qualified monasteries have arisen just ten minutes away from Sera and Ganden monasteries, the homes the monks were forced to leave for refusing to sign their names to say they would not support Dorje Shugden practitioners either materially or spiritually. These impressive buildings and the daily religious activities of the monks are a potent witness to the Dalai Lama's failure to use his power and reputation to stamp out a pure religious tradition. The lineage Gurus have been restored to their rightful places on the thrones and the walls of the new temples. These new developments also show clearly how religion and politics do not mix. It seems as though the pure Gelugpas have broken away forever from Tibetan politics, both in the West and in the East. Despite some run ins with Dalai Lama supporters, and attempts by the Tibetan Government in Exile to stir up animosity towards Dorje Shugden practitioners, the ranks of the monks are growing all the time.


The annual Medicine Buddha Festival will held in Serpom Monastery on Sept 29, 2009, when hundreds of monks will perform pujas three times a day for a week 'for the well-being and prosperity of all living beings, and particularly of devotees and well-wishers of the Peace Deity Dorje Shugden'.

Other monasteries throughout the world

There seems to be a revival of Dorje Shugden practice throughout the East, with temples and monasteries growing up or continuing to flourish in Tibet, in Chatreng, Chamdo and Kham, as well as in Mongolia, Nepal, and Taiwan.

In the West, the New Kadampa Tradition also flourishes, with over 1100 Centers and branches.

Dorje Shugden's practice is growing like his statues

There are also Dorje Shugden statues being built both in the East and the West. People from all around the world are ordering more and more Dorje Shugden statues to be intalled in their respective centres and temples. This summer will see the unveiling of a beautiful new set of Dorje Shugden five lineages in the Kadampa Temple in England.

Dorje Shugden empowerment to thousands of Westerners

Last but not least, next week in England between 4000 and 5000 Western Buddhists, more than ever before, will receive a Dorje Shugden empowerment and Lamrim teachings from Venerable Geshe Kelsang Gyatso at the UK Kadampa Meditation Centre. For his entire life, Geshe Kelsang has fearlessly practiced, preserved, and promoted the pure Gelugpa tradition of Je Tsongkhapa as passed to him by Trijang Rinpoche.

All in all, it is proving impossible to stamp out this great tradition. Dorje Shugden's time has come! May all living beings be happy and experience religious freedom.

So that the tradition of Je Tsongkhapa,
The King of the Dharma, may flourish,
May all obstacles be pacified
And may all favorable conditions abound.

If you know of other hopeful developments, please let us know in the comments section.

14 comments:

Anonymous said...

from: A Friend aka Friendoftruth

Sorry for the "Anonymous", it's just quicker!

Thank you for the excellent overview of the happy events around the world.

We've come a long way in such a short time. It's true after all that the darker moment of night is just before dawn. When I think of the nightmare of the persecution unleashed only a couple of winters ago, the fear those poor monks had to go through, the fear in the lay communities of those unfortunate Tibetans, the false Schism in the Sangha forcibly fabricated by the political power of the TGIE ... what a dark, dark moment! And now look, such glorious morning.

So it's great to recall the efforts of those who were able to stop at least the gross abuse, that wonderful union between the WSS and the Tibetan monks during the demonstrations, and all the efforts, secret and open, of all those who helped during that terrible moment. I think we writers and bloggers and webmasters can be quite happy and rejoice in our efforts.

No doubt we have to remain vigilant, and also to forgive without forgetting. No forgetting in order not to repeat errors of the past, mainly the mixing of religion and politics.

May we now concentrate in our practice and all Dharma endeavors.

Thank you Wisdombuddha.

May the precious teachings of Lord Buddha and of Lord Tsonkapa's lineage proliferate, may we practitioners of this most fortunate and pure lineage quickly become omniscient Buddhas to benefit all our mothers without exception. May all goodness expand to the end of space.

Wisdomsword said...

Dear Friendoftruth,

Thank you for your encouraging comments.

There's nothing that the Dalai Lama or the Tibetan Government in Exile can do to eradicate the practice of Protector Dorje Shugden because it's not within their power to do so, any more than it is within their power to stop the sun from rising every morning. Because he is a Wisdom Buddha, all beings will continue receive his care and protection and his practice will spread throughout the world, like the beneficial rays of the sun.

Thom said...

10:38, September 17, 2009
Tibetan "prime minister-in-exile" Samdhong Rinpoche on Tuesday accused the US and other Western nations of appeasing China after aides to the Dalai Lama said the exile would not meet US President Barack Obama during his planned visit to Washington next month, AFP reported.

The Dalai Lama was reportedly hoping to see Obama. Since 1991, every US president has met with him.
"A lot of nations are adopting a policy of appeasement. Even the US government is practicing some kind of appeasement. Today, economic interests are much greater than other interests," AFP quoted Rinpoche as saying.

He made the remark in the northern Indian hill town of Dharamsala, home of the Tibetan "government-in-exile."
Analysts say a meeting between Obama and the Dalai Lama before the US president's maiden trip to Beijing in November would have been sure to spark an angry response from China.

Shen Dingli, a professor on US studies at the Institute of International Studies of Shanghai's Fudan University, agreed that Obama's decision must be out of economic and other interests that are vital to the US people.
"I don't think we should feel provoked if Obama chooses to see the Dalai Lama," Shen said.

"Neither should we see it as a gesture of pleasing China if Obama chooses not to see the Dalai Lama. Obama's decision is based on the interests of his own country," Shen added.
Oh! Oh! Shimla looks better now.

Thom said...

September 18, 2009
When talking about Tibet the 14th Dalai Lama who fled to India in 1959, always claims that “Tibet’s unique culture and religion are almost extinct.” He once said, “I often mention religious issues and Tibetan liberty in the same breath because they are closely linked. Religious freedom will only become possible only liberty is restored in Tibet.”

The Dalai Lama associates religious freedom with the so-called “Tibetan freedom” -a disguised form of Tibet independence - because he wants to impose his religion on the whole of Tibet and restore the feudal serf system with himself as “both political and religious leader”. He has forgotten that some Tibetan people are not religious and some follow the Bonpo, Catholicism and Islam. Which religion is the Dalai Lama preparing to associate with the “Tibetan freedom” issue?

Judging from the Dalai clique’s persecution of Dorje Shugden followers, Tibetan people can only convert to his religion after liberty has been restored. As the Dalai Lama has associated religious freedom with “Tibetan freedom,” can Tibetans enjoy freedom without following his religion? The 14th Dalai Lama has clearly distorted the nature of religious freedom in order to attain his political goal and ambition of “Tibetan independence”.

Thom said...
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Thom said...
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Thom said...

An Elite, if Eclectic, Entourage
The official oracle couldn't make it; he's in L.A. But much of the rest of the Dalai Lama's unusual entourage is with the Tibetan spiritual leader as he moves around Washington this week.
-
By Michelle Boorstein

Thom said...

Dear Thomas,
On my return to India,by the end of october, I will be meeting the Advocates,who will then hand over the courts order issued to the DL. When those papers reach my hands, you will certainly get copies of this for publicising to whomsoever you desire.
Anybody wishing to contact me is most welcome to do so.
I also rejoice at the headway and any other progress that you too are making!
Regards and best wishes

Thom said...

India restricts coverage of Dalai Lama's trip

By RAVI NESSMAN
The Associated Press
Thursday, November 5, 2009

"NEW DELHI -- India effectively barred foreign journalists Thursday from covering a rare visit by the Dalai Lama to a Buddhist monastery close to Tibet in an apparent effort to ease Chinese anger by reducing news coverage of the trip.

The exiled Tibetan spiritual leader's planned visit Sunday to the northeastern state of Arunachal Pradesh - the heart of a long-running border dispute between China and India - has inflamed already heightened tensions between the Asian powers.

Foreigners traveling to the remote mountainous state need special permission from the Indian government. Most foreign journalists did not receive permission to cover the Dalai Lama's visit. On Thursday, four journalists who had been given permits - including two Associated Press staffers - had them revoked. .

"We are incredibly surprised and disappointed to learn that reporters' visas to Arunachal Pradesh have been canceled ahead of the Dalai Lama's visit".
Indian journalists are allowed to cover the trip. "

More than one way to skin a cat!

Thom said...

Attention Kasag!

China is supporting the practice and spread of Dorje Shugden’s lineage
within China and Tibet itself. No one can stop that. Not the Dalai Lama, not his exile government, not the various scattered Dharma centers of the four schools of Buddhism throughout the world.Eventually their protests of Dorje Shugden will be tantamount to protesting against one of the policies of the Chinese Government. They will not take lightly to that.

Ironically the more the Dalai Lama and Tibetan Government in exile
suppresses Dorje Shugden, it increases the Chinese government’s promotion of the practice. The Dalai Lama and Tibetan government cannot override, overwhelm, outspeak, have more influence in the world or have more influence over than the Chinese government ever. If he can, Tibet would have been free already. He is already in his mid seventies and China is growing stronger and will reduce it Co2 footprint 45% by 2020.
What does the lama really do to help the environment, really?
Whatever Nechung oracle has said through the Dalai Lama regarding
independence has had zero effect. Zero results. NO INDEPENDENCE . NECHUNG HAS BEEN WRONG.

Anonymous said...

Another tide has turned: H.H Gaden Trisur Rinposhe announced his departure from Ganden Shartse Monastery to join Shar Ganden!

May many more such events happen to bring the practice of our beloved Protector, Dorje Shugden, back to the forefront of Dharma practice. His protection is certainly needed during this degenerate times!

Lastly, I would like to thank you, Wisdombuddha, because it is commitment and efforts like yours that caused and ignited such "tides" to happen. Salute to you!

Unknown said...

Ah the mirth filled laugh of the damned? Your attachment to form will just increase delusion.........H

Unknown said...

don't call him Buddha. he is gost Dracula or vampire. which is clear he was murder and his sole turn into a vampire. because he died in difficulties and couldn't get through to rebirth. therefore we gelugpa don't worship to vampire. so its clear. but if you still want to do it than go for it. after all this is your freedom to do what ever you want to do. so stop blaming to our grace Dalia lama which he done so many things for you and your country. his heart is so clean and all he want is to let you guys know about it. so please don't freak out.

Wisdomsword said...

Thank you Tsering, you remind us again of why we need this blog. And at least, unlike many Tibetan followers of the Dalai Lama, you are trying to be polite -- even if you do call our holy object of refuge a vampire.

Do bear in mind that the Dalai Lama's own highly-revered teacher relied upon this Ghost Dracula, according to you.