The Dalai Lama's ban on Dorje Shugden continues to cause suffering and disharmony

Because there is no recent Western media coverage, the Dalai Lama continues to disparage Dorje Shugden practitioners with no fear of being exposed; and there is ample evidence that he is still working to destroy this Buddhist practice in both the East and the West.

On 1st September he gave a talk at Sera Mey monastery in southern India that was broadcast on Voice of Tibet Radio, a mouthpiece of the Tibetan government in exile:

Reporter: The Dalai Lama said that it was more harmful than beneficial if anyone who worshipped Dholgyal (Shugden) came to receive his initiation. He also made a statement with respect to Shugden.

The Dalai Lama: As for Kyabje Pabongkha, he is really like the real Heruka. He is the lord of Chakarasambhara’s father and mother; he is lord of Lamrim and Mind Training. That is really amazing. It is wrong that some criticize him. The previous Dalai Lama imposed a strict ban on Shugden. When the predecessor passed away, he has made great efforts with respect to Shugden. That is wrong. Therefore, knowing all things, I imposed a ban on [Shugden]. It is wrong that some says this is order of the Dalai Lama. I am aware of the significance and reasons, as well as what the previous lamas have done. Then I imposed a ban [on Shugden].

These days, they are being supported by Communist China. Shugden devotees in Tibet are given special help. They encourage people to worship Shugden. Some monasteries are asked to worship [Shugden]. These are the reasons. Most of you already know. Today once again… over there they are making loud noises (laughs). They are debating. The debating is good. When they are making noise, it is not right if I say nothing (laughs). Sera-May monastery faced serious difficulties. Basically it is Pomra Khamtsen. Shugden devotees, being headstrong, …to beat and to kill.

…became real Chinese spirit. Therefore [they] do not know. I have nothing to say if they voluntarily and knowingly [worship Shugden]. It is religious freedom. It is up to you whatever deity you want to worship. But I should explain its source and background. This is my responsibility.

His speech is full of contradictions:

If Je Pabongkhapa is “real Heruka”, a fully enlightened being, how could he be wrong about Dorje Shugden practice?

The Dalai Lama says that he imposed a ban on the practice, which is true; but then says that people have religious freedom to choose whatever Deity they want to worship!

He also claims that Shugden practitioners are receiving support from Communist China, a statement that has no basis in fact. This is a calculated political statement, a lie, guaranteed to turn Tibetans against Shugden practitioners. The Dalai Lama knows this, yet he shamelessly creates religious disharmony for his own purposes.

Despite his use of the words, 'religious freedom', there is no freedom because of the Dalai Lama's religious dictatorship; there are many unpleasant consequences for those who refuse to give up the practice. Here are some recent examples provided by the Dorje Shugden Society:

• May 2010: Chushi Gangdurk Organisation, New York USA (which is a political association) met with the Dalai Lama and informed him that they had removed the members who believed in Dorje Shugden and vowed to disassociate and remove any Shugden believers in the future for His Holiness' happiness.

• 26th Feburary 2010: Central Chushi Gangdurk Organisation's headquarters in New Delhi gave a letter to Dalai Lama which stated that they hadn’t associated with the Shugden believers since 1996 and vowed to continue disassociating from the Shugden people in the future too.

• February 20, 2010: 68 of the 100 invited guests and performers left a wedding party in New York City because a few Dorje Shugden devotees were invited. Those who left apologized and explained that they did not want to break the oath that they had taken to segregate the followers of Dorje Shugden.

• July 29 2009: The Tibetan section of Radio Free Asia, with the intention to turn the general Tibetan people against the Shugden devotees, demonized the Shugden devotees for abducting Tenzing Thakpa (Woeser Rinpoche's father) and a 13-year-old boy, along with few goats and sheep in Markham, Tibet. In reality, Woeser Rinpoche's father and the boy were victims of a flood and Tenzing Thakpa was seen alive and well, traveling in Lhasa and India.

• 2008: The oath and signature campaign of breaking off religious and material relationship with Shugden devotees was introduced in the monasteries and Tibetan settlements

• October 2008: The Tibetan Association of Western Massachusetts, USA, was shut down because it had some Shugden believers as its members.

• July 2008: Wanted posters of several monks involved in the Western Shugden Society protests appeared in Queens, New York. Al Jazeera reported about the wanted posters saying, "No Shugden worshipper has ever been charged or investigated for terrorism and yet the monks that continue to worship Shugden remain victims of name and shame."

Due to the Dalai Lama's words and actions remaining unchallenged, acts of discrimination and ostracism are being perpetrated even in the USA, let alone in undemocratic Tibetan society. From this we can see that the Dalai Lama has caused a deep, worldwide schism in the Buddhist community that is affecting Buddhists everywhere. This poisonous disharmony is completely contrary to Buddha's teachings on love and compassion.

Finally, another recent case of blatant discrimination in a Western country is to be found at Kalachakra Kalapa Centre in Austria. As the course publicity prominently states:

“Please note: Shugden practitioners or practitioners following Geshe Kelsang Gyatso cannot participate in this event.”

Practitioners of other religions are not excluded, only Buddhist followers of Je Pabongkhapa and Trijang Rinpoche, who were the lineage holders of Kalachakra and other transmissions in the Gelugpa tradition.

With no apparent sense of irony, the publicity finishes with: “May all beings be happy”!

From this we can see that it is still the Dalai Lama's aim to remove Dorje Shugden practitioners, both Eastern and Western, from Buddhist society and he is working very hard for this aim. He is abusing his position and authority, encouraging others to engage in actions of ostracism that are damaging the international Buddhist community.

Serpom Monastery Website

We would like to draw your attention to the new website for Serpom Monastic University.

The reason for the existence of this monastery is explained here:

Pomra Monastic Section, a part of Sera-Mey monastery, separated from Sera-Mey monastery on April 25, 2008, when the monks from Sera-Mey monastery had to give their signatures and take an oath to the effect that they never worship the Dharma Protector Dorje Shugden, nor share religious and material ties with Shugden devotees. Serpom monks refused to take oath because of the basic human right of religious freedom. Therefore Pomra monastic section became a full-fledged monastery, which is now known as Serpom Thoesam Norling Monastery for the preservation of the Ganden Nyengyu Tradition.

More from the About Us page:

Situated in Bylakuppe Tibetan Settlement, Mysore District, Karnataka State, India, Serpom Thoesam Norling Monastery is a registered non–profit organization and monastic university for advanced Buddhist studies. The monastery is open to everyone, without any discrimination. Serpom became a monastery on April 25 2008. Its sister monastery is Shar Gaden monastery, which is situated in the Mundgod Tibetan Settlement of Karnataka State.

The monastery grants free education, meals and accommodation to hundreds of monks, since it became a full-fledged monastery. At present the population of our monk numbers in 567, excluding the monks who reside abroad. Serpom Monastery aims to produce Buddhist masters, philosophers, scholars, peace educators, etc, to make greater contribution to world peace and people’s welfare. Here monks study the five main texts of the Mahayana Buddhist curriculum, which takes on average eighteen years.

Samdhong Rinpoche Blames Abbots for Signature Campaign!

It seems that the Abbots of Sera Je, Sera Mey, Gaden Jangtse, Gaden Shartse, Drepung Gomang and Drepung Loseling were recently summoned to Dharamsala by the Prime Minister of the Tibetan Government in Exile, Samdhong Rinpoche.

Unbelievably, Samdhong Rinpoche scolded the Abbots for pushing the signature campaign on all monks to renounce Dorje Shugden in the three great seats of Sera, Ganden and Drepung Monasteries.

He said that their "insistence on the signature campaigns has made personal difficulties for the Dalai Lama."

Could this be Samdhong Rinpoche and the Dalai Lama's attempt to wriggle out of being implicated in the September Indian Supreme Court case, where they are on trial for Deity discrimination? Could it be because the international public are increasingly wary and suspicious of the Dalai Lama undermining others' religious freedoms? By blaming the Abbots, they might let themselves off the hook?

In the short term they may look better in the Indian supreme court and in the court of international opinion, but in the long term this new strategy will likely backfire as it presents irreconcilable contradictions.

Why? Because there are many recorded public tapes of the Dalai Lama available on the mainstream press and the Internet at large where he is very clearly encouraging the Abbots of these three Monasteries to expel and remove all monks who refuse to sign the declaration that they will no longer associate spiritually or materially with Dorje Shugden practitioners.

See videos here.

This indeed is why Shar Ganden and Serpom Norling Monasteries are arising -- communities of monks expelled under the Dalai Lama's orders who are continuing with their practice of Dorje Shugden.

At least we can be thankful that the Abbots are now being scolded instead of praised for their enactment of the oppressive and unlawful signature campaign mandated by the Dalai Lama, ironic (and hypocritical) as this reprimand may be.

See also another article on the subject.