The Legends of the Dalai Lama -- Die Weltwoche Article

Taken from a major Swiss publication Die Weltwoche, with extracts translated from the German. The whole article can be found here:

Die Weltwoche
Die Legenden des Dalai Lama
04.03.2009

The Legends of the Dalai Lama

March 10 this year will see the 50th anniversary of the uprising of the Tibetan people against China. In the West, the spiritual leader, the Dalai Lama, is worshipped like a pop star. Strange. The normally romanticized theocracy was a corrupt feudal system that enslaved its subjects.

By David Signer

Recently, in the context of his most recent trip to Europe, the Dalai Lama could receive the German Media Award in Baden-Baden, which has previously been granted to celebrities such as Nelson Mandela, Bill Clinton or Bono. On March 10 fifty years ago, the Tibetans rose up against the Chinese hegemony. And it is seventy years since a little farmer's boy became 'His Holiness'.

In winter 1937/38 [the common story of recognition follows].

Everybody loves the now 73-year-old Dalai Lama, and in particular have done so since 1998 when Martin Scorsese brought his autobiography called 'Kundun' into our cinemas. From Richard Gere through to Brad Pitt, from Patti Smith through to Peter Maffay, from Dolly Buster to Robbie Williams: everyone worships the non-stop world jet-setting spiritual leader of the Tibetans. When the Dalai Lama came to Switzerland three years ago, during his eight day visit 30,000 people went onto a pilgrimage to the Zurich stadium to see him. And as is clear with the idolization of the Dalai Lama, whom even people who are not normally fond of personality cults, call 'His Holiness', the same is true for Tibet. There is a common agreement that, before the Chinese marched in, this mountainous region was a paradise of meditating monks and happy farmers living in the midst of splendid mountain scenery -- and that it would be again if it were not for the evil occupiers.

The reality is that until fifty years ago Tibet was a clerical-feudal tyranny. The truth is that a lot of the widespread common knowledge about the country is just wishful thinking. There are also dark sides to the biography of the Dalai Lama, and a lot of obscure stuff is mixed in with the esoteric Lamaism Schwärmerei (excessive sentimentality). However, since there is only little journalism on site, it is not easy to find the truth within the jungle of exile Tibetan and Chinese propaganda.

[Now follows some historical background and how the Dalai Lama, once recognized, lived until his escape.]

In the Dalai Lama's autobiography, however, it sounds like paradise when he mentally travels back to the Tibet of his youth: "No one needs to make too much of an effort in order to earn his living. Existence happens on its own and everything works wonderfully." Accordingly, during his reign, he did not make any effort to reform the country, apart from stopping the legal heritage of tax debts. The fact that political decisions are based upon oracles and astrology is no problem for him, who normally pretends to be democratic and progressive. Even though in his 'five point peace plan' he demands 'respect for the democratic freedoms of the Tibetan people', he himself has not tried until today, not even within the exile communities, to be democratically legitimized. Self-evidently he pretends to be the wholistic leader of the Tibetans, even though, strictly speaking, he is not even the spiritual representative of the whole of Tibet. He is merely the head of the Gelugpa order, the so called Yellow Hats, whose claim for leadership he has been trying to pursue for decades. These contradictions are also true for his ecological engagement. On the one hand, he demands to transform Tibet into a kind of natural reserve park and uses every opportunity to demand more ecological thinking in accordance with Mother Nature. On the other hand, from the first days of his exile onwards, at his seat in Dharamsala, the litter keeps being piled up simply on a large waste dump.

[Some stuff on the 1950’s in Tibet.]

While the Dalai Lama and his entourage went into exile to Dharamsala in India, the Cultural Revolution raged in Tibet. Between 1966 and 1976, thousands of monasteries and cultural monuments were destroyed. Switzerland was the first European country which, in 1961, accepted Tibetan refugees and offered them accommodation and work in Rikon. In 1967, the monastic Tibet Institute was opened. The information from the Dalai Lama and Tibet supporters is often not credible with regards to the Chinese occupancy. Very often it is not mentioned that in the meantime approximately half of the monasteries have been restored and are running again. Also, since the mid-nineties, you can no longer claim that there is a ban on the monastic system. If the Dalai Lama is asked about these things he replies that the monasteries have only been rebuilt for the sake of tourists; thus the Chinese are said to have no interest in maintaining the traditional culture but to re-install it as exotic backdrop and in this way it is being doomed even more. One limitation however has been enforced, undoubtedly against the will of the Dalai Lama: no more children can enter the monasteries. Also in his autobiography, 'His Holiness' claims that, due to resettlement programmes, the Chinese proportion of the population overrides the Tibetans. According to the disputed census in 2000, the proportion of Chinese people within the Tibetan Autonomous Region is 6.1%, with the highest proportion, 17%, being in Lhasa. Again and again the claim has been spread that 1.2 million Tibetans had become victims of Chinese terror, in other words a full fifth of the population. Official statements from Dharamsala even sometimes say that all of these have been Tibetan prisoners who were victims of torture or executions, and very often Chinese concentration camps are mentioned. Without doubt, China is far away from regular constitutional affairs; however the charge of systematic, lethal torture of thousands -- as indicated by the term 'concentration camp' -- is hardly plausible.

Esoteric argy bargy

Towards the end of the 1980s there were again riots in Tibet, and in December 1989 the Dalai Lama received the Nobel Peace Price. About one year before that he became friends with the Japanese Shoko Asahara, who ran a 'spiritual community' with several thousand followers near Tokyo. According to the researches of the publisher Colin Goldner, Ashara visited with the Dalai Lama several times in 1988. This community with their 'appreciated aims and activities' (said the Dalai Lama) was 'Aum', one of the most dangerous and totalitarian cults ever, which performed the Tokyo subway poison attacks in March 1995. The Japanese authorities had been patient with the megalomaniac Guru, despite all warnings, possibly due to the protecting hands of the Dalai Lama. When the Centres after the Sarin attack were finally searched, there were deposits of chemical and other weapons which could have killed millions of people at once. The Dalai Lama however could not even find one single word of regret. Even as late as Summer 1995, when at the Peace University in Berlin, he stated that he would recognize Asahara as a 'friend, even though not necessarily an unmistaken one'.

Also the so-called 'Shugden affair' gives rise to doubts about the much-praised wisdom of the Dalai Lama. In Summer 1996, upon the advice of his state oracle, he banned the worship of the protector Deity Dorje Shugden for his people. A number of abbots and monks protested against this ban. They accused the Dalai Lama of violating religious freedom, who reacted to this insubordination by systematic searches of houses and monasteries in the exile community. Shugden statues were destroyed and renitent monks bashed and beaten. Supporter committees even claimed that the Shugden movement was hand in glove with China.

[Mentions the triple murder. More information about that can be found here: Defamatory accusations of murder repeated over and over again for ten years]

Monks armed with iron bars

Generally, the riots before the Olympic Games were presented by the Western media in a way that they fitted into the image of 'peace-loving Tibetans'’ -- either any violence was supposedly coming from the side of the Chinese, or, if not, claims were made to the effect that Tibetan protesters had only acted in self-defence. Footage documentation and reports from eye-witnesses however give evidence of how monks armed with iron bars and bats went marauding through the historic quarter of town. Buses and cars were pushed over and set on fire, and Chinese shops and houses were pillaged. Molotov cocktails were even thrown into kindergartens, schools and hospitals. The Dalai Lama later claimed that the monks had been Chinese soldiers in disguise. This is because, by definition, Tibetans are non-violent. Around the world, demonstrations of solidarity took place.

[The rest is about the Dalai Lama’s right-wing tendencies and the stories about the liaisons between Tibetans and the Nazis and how the Tibetan regent wrote a letter to 'King Hitler'. The final paragraph is on the question why it is that the Dalai Lama is so popular in the West in spite of all the facts mentioned; and the main conclusion is that it is because Westerners are so naive.]

The Dalai Lama's Power Trip

Sometimes in the midst of the detailed polemical discussion on the Internet of whether or not Dorje Shugden is a Buddha or a spirit, the fact that Shugden and non-Shugden practitioners lived together harmoniously and in mutual respect until the 1970s gets forgotten. These heated discussions are only taking place because the Dalai Lama publicly demoted Dorje Shugden, a Protector Buddha loved by his own teachers and thousands of other people. On the basis of his own high status as the unquestioned head of Tibetans and the most famous Buddhist in the world, the Dalai Lama's words have had the power to destroy the reputation of this Buddhist Deity and the great, revered masters who relied upon him.

These cruel, intolerant words are what have caused the severe schismatic problems now being faced by the Tibetan exile community and the bad reputation of previously respected Shugden practitioners around the world.

The words below are not those of a humble man, but of a man who knows full well the power he wields over his people.

The reasons he gives are based mainly on the provocative claim that Dorje Shugden is a Chinese spirit and thus a danger to the Dalai Lama’s life and health, a shibboleth that has never been backed up by any reasoning or evidence. When his words to the Tibetan people are examined, they show a depth of superstition quite out of keeping with the rational teachings of Lord Buddha.

To form a political decision and destroy religious freedom based on these reasons seems preposterous, and the resulting persecution is bewildering, a Buddhist witch hunt.

From the address delivered by the Dalai Lama at the preparatory session of Tamdrin Yangsang and Sangdrub empowerments, March 21 1996

"Since it happens according to government oracles that Dholgyal (Shugden) relates to Chinese Buddhist deities, we actually mentioned him by name in our exorcism based on Tamdrin at that time. Though these exorcisms cannot be relied upon, I have had strange dreams since then. Therefore I do not feel it will be comfortable for me to have worshippers of Shugden here. If acrimony between deities results in disharmony between humans, it will be spiritual ruination."

The Dalai Lama goes on to explain:

"This will affect the life span of the spiritual master as well".

He then points out and praises those former practitioners of Dorje Shugden, including "abbots and spiritual masters", who have given up and "become pure".

He explains how he knows that Dorje Shugden is a Chinese spirit based on locals' dreams:

"Others have reported of a bearded monk strangling them: this is very clear indication that Shugden is a Chinese spirit, far from being a deity."

To those who might not have given up the practice, he asks them to publicly make themselves known by standing up and leaving, rendering them pariahs with the words:

"Not only will it not benefit yourself but in the worst case may even become the cause of shortening the life of the Dalai Lama. If you wish the speedy death of the Dalai Lama, then I have no objection."

He explains that he has reached these conclusions through divination (throwing a dough ball):

"All final decisions have been concluded only through divination. This address too is a result of a divination this morning."

He ends with a threat, setting the scene for his followers to then take up the slander and persecution with impunity, which they have done:

"If you private monks and spiritual masters in the monastic colleges continue making excuses and continue worshipping thus, you shall have a day of regret... it will not be good if we have to knock on your doors."

A comment left on this blog also draws attention to the mixture of bribery and threats with which the Dalai Lama tries to make Trijang Choktrul give up his practice of Dorje Shugden, some of which we will repeat here. In their last meeting in Europe, in Graz, Austria, in 2003, the Dalai Lama stated:

“If you give up this deity, myself and all Tibetan people will appreciate it very much and our protector Nechung will take care of you and make you more successful and famous than ever. If you do not give up this deity, then your monastic career, like receiving the full monk’s ordination and taking Geshe examinations will not be possible. So I leave it to your judgement.”

For more of the Dalai Lama’s own words, see in the Dalai Lama's words.

Red Guards of Tibetan Buddhism

Resolutions by the Tibetan Youth Congress

This article shows how (at least certain elements of) the Tibetan Youth Congress (TYC) have taken it upon themselves to be the mouthpiece of the Dalai Lama and the TGIE and to pursue a witch hunt against Shugden practitioners. Here are a few examples:

Tibetan Youth Congress Enforces Dalai Lama's Ban on Dorje Shugden
Human Rights Violations of Dorje Shugden Practitioners
Background, history, analysis and stories about the Dalai Lama and Dorje Shugden

It is worth noting that the Dalai Lama's younger sister Jetsun Pema was one of the founders of the Tibetan Youth Congress (TYC). His youngest brother, Ngari Rinpoche, was the second president of the TYC. Ngari Rinpoche's wife Rinchen Khando Choegyal served as the president of Tibetan Women's Association (which has also harassed Shugden practitioners).

(1) Agenda of Meeting of the TYC

The local and central TYC will perform pujas for the Dalai Lama. When the Dalai Lama pays a visit to a local group, the local TYC must take care of the Dalai Lama's well-being and be very cautious of the followers of Dholgyal (Shugden).

Without any shame, the followers of Dholgyal are accomplishing the wishes of the Chinese government by directly protesting against His Holiness the Dalai Lama and so on. What a challenge for the Tibetan Youth Congress to carry!

Resolution

On the basis of our firm stance and resolution in 1996, over thirty thousand members of the TYC will take an oath and give their signature, to be witnessed by the Three Jewels, never to share religious and material resources with the followers of Dholgyal. Under the decree of the Tibetan Youth Congress, the local TYC must take oaths and give their signatures on the above matter.

Recently Dholgyal followers, the so-called Dorje Shugden Devotees Religious and Charitable Society, have brought legal action against the Dalai Lama and the Kalon Tripa, leveling baseless accusations against them. The TYC will single-pointedly protest against this. Our general body will send a letter that will reject and protest [the writ petition by Dorje Shugden Society].

With the stamp of TYC and signature of TYC president Tsewang Rigzin
July 5, 2008

(2) Letter to the Dorje Shugden Society of Delhi

To the executive members of Dorje Shugden Society of Delhi:

Recently, the 39th General Meeting of the governing body of the Tibetan Youth Congress was held in Kulu Manali, Himachal Pradesh, from July 1 to 5 of 2008. Ninety-two members from 45 local enclaves of India, Nepal, Bhutan, Taiwan and so on took part in this meeting. We have thoroughly discussed the principally related political agendas.

In the 2nd resolution of Agenda no 5, the governing body has resolved to send a letter to the effect that the Tibetan Youth Congress reject and single pointedly protest Dholgyal followers -- so called Dorje Shugden Devotees Charitable and Religious Society -- for taking His Holiness the Dalai Lama and Kalon Tripa Samdhong Rinpoche to the court on the baseless allegations.

During the time our brothers in Tibet, sacrificing one's life, engage in tremendous campaign of saving Tibet and protest against China, to our sadness, you have reversed the black and white, and accomplished the necessities of the Chinese government by protesting and criticizing when the Dalai Lama travels to the foreign country. Not only that but we, the head and locals of the Tibetan Youth Congress, do not accept that you have sued them with the baseless allegations, regardless of the kindness of His Holiness the Dalai Lama, Kalon Tripa and Himachal government. Furthermore, this governing body will show the clear expression of our single-pointed protest.

In future we will remind you not to mistake friend and enemy, and to know the manner of maintaining Buddhadharma and living beings, as well as to know the purpose and benefit of the instructions given to the Tibetan public by His Holiness the Dalai Lama.

39th General Meeting of the Governing Body of the Tibetan Youth Congress
July 5, 2008
Tserwang Rizin, Chairman
Seal and Signature
CC: Indian Government, Himachal Government, Private Office of the Dalai Lama, Department of Security of Tibetan government in exile.

(Letter sent on September 18, 2008)

The patriotic fervor, blind devotion to their leader, and elements of their behavior (threatening letters, wanted posters, arson, violence) ironically and sadly is reminiscent of the Red Guards of China. It is worth pointing out that these particular members of the Tibetan Youth Congress (and Women's Association) are not behaving like Buddhists in their political activities of repressing Shugden practitioners -- they are behaving like thugs.

TV documentary by France 24: The Dalai Lama's Demons

Recently, France 24 sent journalists to India to investigate the claims of religious persecution by Dorje Shugden practitioners at the hands of the Dalai Lama and his supporters. This is what they found. Please read on for comments to this TV documentary.

Introduction

First of all, it is wonderful that France 24 has taken the time to investigate what is actually going on within the Tibetan community in exile. In public, the Dalai Lama is the global champion of religious freedom, yet at home in secret he is persecuting his own people. It is almost unthinkable that the Dalai Lama would blatantly betray that which is he most known for. It would be like finding out that Santa Clause abuses children, so people just think 'it can't be.' But as this documentary shows, there is truly spiritual apartheid.

Our fear is that such hypocrisy will destroy the Dalai Lama's moral authority much in the same way that the US engaging in torture has destroyed any remaining US moral authority. In the end, all Dorje Shugden practitioners are asking for is for the Dalai Lama to practice at home what he preaches abroad.

These comments will first indicate what the documentary got right, and then in Part Two it will clarify some issues that were misleading.

What the documentary got right

In general, except for the clarifications mentioned below, this documentary demonstrates beyond any doubt the types of things taking place within the Tibetan community against Dorje Shugden practitioners.

In particular, the report shows clear evidence of 'spiritual apartheid'. Widespread persecution of Dorje Shugden practitioners includes:

1. Dorje Shugden practitioners are denied entry into stores, shops and even hospitals. So they cannot get access to food, basic social services or medical care in their own community due solely to their religion.

2. The Tibetan people have taken an oath to the Dalai Lama swearing that they will deny material or spiritual support to any Dorje Shugden practitioner. And the Tibetan people are carrying out this oath.

3. Dorje Shugden practitioners are treated as outlaws. Their portraits are posted on the walls, like they are criminals.

4. Dorje Shugden practitioners have been shunned from their community, essentially being driven into exile from the exile community. They live in fear of people harassing them, threatening them, etc. Many Dorje Shugden practitioners have been forced to flee their community and live in exile.

5. Dorje Shugden practitioners are accused of being against the Dalai Lama, traitors, rebels and Chinese spies and collaborators.

6. The report shows that the persecution of Dorje Shugden practitioners is politically motivated. The report correctly calls it a witch hunt motivated by fear of Chinese infiltration within the Tibetan community. It shows that opposition to Dorje Shugden practitioners is taking place at the highest political levels within the Tibetan community, including the Dalai Lama and the Tibetan Prime Minister, Samdhong Rinpoche.

7. It shows that people are forced to choose between Dorje Shugden and the Dalai Lama, and if they choose to maintain their religion, then they are expelled from their monasteries and community.

8. The report shows it is extremely taboo to criticise the Dalai Lama. Since he is supposed to be a God, anything he says automatically becomes the rule of law. If somebody criticises the Dalai Lama, then it is taken as automatic 'proof' that they are a Chinese spy or collaborator who is against the cause of Tibet.

9. The report shows that Dalai Lama is a hypocrite – preaching tolerance and religious freedom around the world, but at home practicing persecution.

10. It shows that any reporting of what is going on receives a hostile response. Cameras are smashed, those speaking out against the ban are harrassed, etc. If this takes place with the cameras rolling, imagine what takes place when nobody is looking…

11. The report shows clearly how all of this comes from the Dalai Lama himself. The Dalai Lama is the one who is the origin of all of this persecution, and it is he who ordered that all Dorje Shugden practitioners be expelled from their monasteries and the Tibetan community at once.

12. The report shows the number of people who have been affected by this ban – more than 4 million Tibetans.

a. Some argue that this number is exaggerated, saying that there is currently only a small minority of people practicing Dorje Shugden. However, it is historically undeniable that prior to the Dalai Lama beginning his crusade against Dorje Shugden practitioners 30 years ago, upwards of 60% of the 8 million total population of Tibet relied upon Dorje Shugden. So 4 million is actually a conservative estimate of the number of people affected by this ban.

b. To say that this number is exaggerated and that there is only a small number of people who are (currently) affected by this ban is very misleading. The reason why there is only a small minority currently affected by the Dalai Lama's actions is precisely because the Dalai Lama has been so successful over the last 30 years in systematically destroying the practice. The very fact that there are currently so few Dorje Shugden practitioners left today is itself the proof of the effect of the Dalai Lama's actions. There are currently very few Jews left in Eastern Europe because Hitler almost succeeded in wiping them out, but this does not mean that the holocaust did not affect many people.

c. There are two possibilities. Either there is a large number of Dorje Shugden practitioners, at which point the persecution being committed by the Dalai Lama is widespread; or it is a small number, at which point Dorje Shugden practitioners are not a threat, so they should be left alone to practice in freedom.

Posted courtesy of Dspak.

Six important questions for the Dalai Lama or his supporters to answer

I found this comment on the new blog that officially goes with New Kadampa Truth ~ Fighting the Smears. If you have answers to these questions, please send your comments in and we will post them. This particularly applies to Tenzin Peljor!

Background

From Ron Cook: Below was an email sent to Tenzin Paljor, the most vehement critic of Shugden practitioners and of the NKT. He will not post it. He will not answer these questions nor other important ones. He is very selective about what he chooses to respond to. These are some of the most important questions concerning the Dalai Lama and yet they remain completely ignored. If you (Tenzin Paljor) are so confident in your beliefs, why are you afraid to answer these questions?

Dear Tenzin,

Since you have taken it upon yourself or been asked to represent the views of the Dalai Lama, I wish to submit six important questions that hopefully you can provide clear replies to. Since you have gone to great lengths to accommodate the questions of a concerned citizen in Brighton, then in fairness please show the same willingness to address the questions below - they too come from a concerned citizen. If you are as fair and open minded as the people visiting your blogs indicate, demonstrate these qualities by providing the appropriate answers. There is no valid reason not to post these questions and let your readers draw their own conclusions.

Sincerely,
Ron Cook

Six important questions for the Dalai Lama or his supporters to answer

1) If it is appropriate for the Dalai Lama to decide what spiritual practices are appropriate, and seeing clearly that such a decision causes divisiveness, why are the reasons he cites for the ban on Dorje Shugden not being supported by the teachings of Buddha? What Sutras specifically dictate the need for invoking spiritual bans? If the ban is not politically motivated there must be an authentic spiritual basis for this action. The teachings of Buddha address all possible delusions that sentient beings are capable of generating, therefore, please cite the Sutras that necessitate imposing the ban on Dorje Shugden.

2) Why is the Dalai Lama consistently patient, apologetic, and conciliatory toward the Chinese and not Dorje Shugden practitioners? The Dalai Lama has never acknowledged any email, petition, fax, phone call, telegram, or verbal request, nor has he ever granted an audience to anyone wishing to try and solve the Shugden controversy. However, he makes effort to engage the Chinese at virtually every opportunity. Please explain this double standard of engagement.

3) The Dalai Lama says that Dorje Shugden practitioners are free to ignore his ‘advice’ and continue to practice their faith. How is this possible when his government, his siblings, his personal friends, and representatives of Buddhist traditions that he controls, at every opportunity, disparage and attack Dorje Shugden practitioners? What basis is there to believe that Shugden practitioners have freedom? The Dalai Lama has said:

“Everyone who is affiliated with the Tibetan society of the Ganden Phodrang government, should relinquish ties with Dhogyal. This is necessary since it poses danger to the religious and temporal situation of Tibet. As for foreigners, it makes no difference to us if they walk with their feet up and their head down. We have taught Dharma to them, not they to us…

‘Until now you have a very good job on this issue. Hereafter also, continue this
policy in a clever way. We should do it in such a way to ensure that in future generations not even the name of Dhogyal is remembered.”

(From a speech delivered July 14th 1996, in Caux Switzerland)

Since the Dalai Lama has expressed an intention to utterly destroy the practice of Dorje Shugden, please explain the nature and type of freedom such practitioners shall enjoy.

4) Johan Candelin, director of the World Evangelical Fellowship’s (WEF) Religious Liberty Commission, invited the Dalai Lama to meeting in Helsinki on June 20, 1998. One of the topics discussed was the persecution of Christians in Sri Lanka by Buddhists. The Dalai Lama said that any Buddhist who persecutes Christians “misunderstands the true nature of Buddhism.” Persecution is defined in the Random House College Dictionary (def. 3) to mean:

“A program or campaign to exterminate, drive away, or subjugate a people because of their religious or moral beliefs or practices.”

If persecution of Christians is inappropriate and contrary to the true nature of Buddhism, why is the persecution of Shugden practitioners been not only acceptable, but advocated by the Dalai Lama? How can any reasonable person not consider the Dalai Lama’s words and actions to be hypocrisy in the extreme? Please clarify that persecuting Shugden practitioners is not hypocrisy.

5) The Dalai Lama freely admits that previous to his ban he was a practitioner of Dorje Shugden. He also composed a prayer to the deity entitled, Melody of the Unceasing Vajra, which is subtitled: ‘A Propitiation of Mighty Gyalchen Dorje Shugden, Protector of Conqueror Manjushri Tsongkhapa’s Teachings, by the Supreme Victor, the Great 14th Dalai Lama.’ Since the Dalai Lama is considered to be infallible and a fully enlightened being, how can these completely opposite beliefs be reconciled? Should we understand that the Dalai Lama was a faulty being when he practiced this deity in the past? If so, how is it that he can be considered to be faultless now? Enlightened beings cannot become more enlightened with time, nor can their perfect state degenerate. Moreover, such a pure being is omniscient, and would know indubitably that such a reversal of belief would cause tremendous confusion and problems. A flawless being should be able to provide a coherent, logical, and plausible explanation for this contradiction. The Dalai Lama has yet to provide such an explanation. Please explain how the Dalai Lama’s reversal on Dorje Shugden can be considered anything other than the confused and mistaken action of an ordinary being.

6) For nearly four centuries the deity Dorje Shugden has supposedly caused harm to many people. The Fourteenth Dalai Lama claims that since the time of the Fifth Dalai Lama, Dorje Shugden has caused not only a consistent degeneration of Buddhism, but many other serious problems. If this is true, why is it not possible for any of the reincarnations of the Dalai Lama to subdue this being? It is claimed that each of the Dalai Lamas are successive manifestations of the Buddha of Compassion (Chenrezig). There are many accounts of high Lamas subduing malevolent spirits in Tibet, yet the succession of ten Dalai Lamas cannot accomplish a similar feat. Practitioners of Dorje Shugden claim that he is an enlightened being, and therefore impossible to subdue. Please explain the failure of these ten Dalai Lamas to subdue Dorje Shugden. Please explain the failure of thousands of high Lamas to do the same.

Posted courtesy of Ron Cook.

Dalai Lama's political ban of a religious practice extends to Switzerland

Will it ever stop? This mixture of politics and religion is already destroying the spiritual lives of many thousands of people in the Tibetan exile community in India, and is spreading its tentacles into the West.

Swiss Resolution regarding the worshipping of Dholgyal

On August 16, 2008, in the local assembly of Tibetan people in Switzerland and Liechtenstein, their Deputies discussed thoroughly with great responsibility. After that, the Local Assembly’s Deputies extended their appreciation to the Resolution (1996) adopted by the majority regarding the worshipping of Dholgyal (Shugden). Due to necessity there is now no option but to add three new resolutions on top of the existing five resolutions. We request all Tibetans who are above 18 years old in Switzerland and Liechtenstein to fully follow the content of these resolutions.

A The five resolutions passed unanimously by the Local Assembly’s Deputies on July 6, 1996 were:

1. The Dholgyal worshipper must completely give up [the practice] henceforth.

2. Those who do not worship Shugden must follow the instruction without falling into the trap of others.

3. You all must invite only those who do not worship Dholgyal, when you need to perform puja for oneself or for the Dalai Lama’s well-being.

4. Be it in private or a group, when you make offerings to the monasteries in Nepal, India, etc, you must do these offerings to those monasteries which do not worship Dholgyal.

5. You must bear in mind the instructions of politics and religion and abide by them without any contradiction.

B Three additional resolutions adopted on August 16, 2008 by the majority during the Second Session of Local Assembly were:

1. Recently a few Dholgyal followers have engaged in baseless criticism against the Dalai Lama in public. This we recognize as a conspiracy to spread rumors through gossip.

2. Those few Tibetans who criticize the Dalai Lama, we recognize them being in the category of Chinese government’s politics, directly, indirectly and thoroughly.

3. We will collect signatures as a truth witness which represents the volunteer support to the above-mentioned points.

For a copy of the original Tibetan document, please see www.WesternShugdenSociety.org

Are Dorje Shugden practitioners supported by the Chinese?

Now I understand that there is a belief that because the Dalai Lama has banned the religious practice of Dorje Shugden, Shugden practitioners must be in league with China, a country with which the Dalai Lama has political problems.

I would like to add that other than this illogical reasoning, there is not one shred of evidence connecting Shugden Buddhists with the Chinese. But while there is no link between Shugden Buddhists and the Chinese, there is, on the other hand, direct evidence pointing to the ban. Watch some of the Dalai Lama's speeches here:

So if the Shugden practitioners are not supported by the Chinese, how do Western Shugden Society supporters get to the demonstrations to protest against the Dalai Lama? How can we afford it??? What would we do without the Chinese financing us??!!?? These naive claims make me chuckle.

Do you want to know the truth? Most Shugden practitioners have JOBS! Most of us have cars. And most of us can drive. Shugden practitioners are lots of people: doctors, lawyers, teachers, accountants, software engineers etc -- not exactly people who need to take a loan from the Chinese to support a trip across the border to an American demonstration. I have got to tell you, it ain't that expensive to demonstrate! The fact that the Dalai Lama teaches mostly on weekends has also been very helpful.

As any spiritual person knows, it is worth booking off holidays from work to defend their right to pray.

I can tell you that Canadians of many different backgrounds have given money to support these demonstrations. A Canadian friend said to me. "Of course I want to help financially. Dorje Shugden is in my heart too".

I think it is strange that "Buddhists" want to take away a prayer from other Buddhists. Why do they tell me that I cannot make these prayers of love and compassion? Why? And why do they tell me that I am being sectarian because I am continuing to say this prayer and not following their command to stop? Who is being sectarian here?

This foolishness comes about because people wish to believe that the following misconceptions are true:

1) the Dalai Lama is the head of Buddhism
2) the Dalai Lama is the head of the Gelugpa tradition
3) the Dalai Lama has the right to ban a prayer taught to him by his spiritual teacher.
4) the Dalai Lama has the right to enforce this ban in the monasteries
5) the Dalai Lama has the right to enforce this ban in the lay community
6) the Dalai Lama has the right to deny rights and privileges to both the lay and monastic communities even though this is against international law.

Posted courtesy of Lotus in Canada.