Thursday, September 11, 2008

Open Letter to Robert Thurman

For over a decade Robert Thurman has been the Dalai Lama's righthand man and greatest promoter in the West, including when it comes to maligning Dorje Shugden practitioners and spreading false information. He has called Dorje Shugden practitioners a cult, murderers, crazies, the Taliban of Buddhism, Chinese agents, sectarian -- misleading people about them in a Newsweek magazine in 1997 and in various public lectures since then.

He has never given valid reasons or concrete evidence to back up his hostile statements. Instead, it seems he blindly follows the Dalai Lama's policy on discrimination against Dorje Shugden practitioners and the propaganda of the TGIE, hiding behind his various academic credentials and especially his personal friendship with the Dalai Lama. For example, his claim to fame on various profiles is that he was the first Westerner to be ordained as a monk by the Dalai Lama (an odd boast considering he was also one of the first Westerners to disrobe).

At the various Western Shugden Society demonstrations in the US, he refused to engage in any civilized dialogue or debate with the WSS spokesperson and instead angrily insulted her. His wife likewise rudely refused to have a discussion with a senior Buddhist nun (ordained for almost 20 years) and patronizingly told her to go away and learn about Buddhism.

On September 10 2008, the Western Shugden Society wrote Robert Thurman an Open Letter requesting him to back up his public claims:

Extract: 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.

You can read the whole letter here.

3 comments:

Anonymous said...

Where exactly are we going with this one? What response are we realistically hoping for? Sure he can find reasons for calling Shugden followers "sectarian", the Yellow Book etc. Do we then want to debate the point?

I agree that he may be forced to retract statements about WSS receiving support from China,or at least acknowledge that he has no proof of such, which would certainly be a reasonably good result.

Anonymous said...

I imagine the WSS would like him to back up his claims that Dorje Shugden practitioners are the "Taliban of Buddhism" with some sort of reasonable evidence. Also, he repeatedly dismisses Dorje Shugden protestors as being Chinese agents, so some proof for that would be good also. If he cannot provide evidence for his claims, he should be held accountable. And yes, I think the WSS would welcome a debate with him about anything else to do with the practice of Dorje Shugden!

Thom said...

Maybe,you've heard of the 'Jack-In-The-Box"?
A toy box that has a handle that cranks up the spring inside and sings a "Round Song". After you crank it long enough and the song goes Round And Round. At that moment you push the button and Up Pops "The Weasel".


A Little Clown on a wire dangling back and forth with a painted face and a Pointed Cone Hat with a spotted gown.

Jack is out of the Box! It's too late to Put Humpty Dumpty back together again.
None can get him back in again.


The secrets are out and the truth will prevail!
There is nothing do say to this Clown!

Who perverts the Teachings Of Lord Buddha.
He lies and pretends that it is his Wisdom, that he perverts and uses to say , whatever comes his way.
This is the reincarnate of a War Lord, not a Buddha.

See him for himself and read for yourselves to decide,if he can blaspheme the Teachings.

Just to get more gold to feed his insatiable Hungry Ghost, Tenzin Gyatso, who is just a man wearing robes and lies.


His violation of other basic and universal rights to personal Freedoms will be heard before the New Delhi High Courts, who will defend their own Constitution.

If they have the moral fortitude to bring Justice to the people and defend their ways of Law and Order.


These Clowns, Dalia,Thurman and Samdung, have worn out their trail and have failed to dupe the peoples of the world to seize their day.
The Jack Is Out Of The Box!
At a time in the world were the activities of self cherishing lamas and ceo's.

Finally, have come to consume themselves by their greed and hatred towards their fellow beings.


There are no compromises with a witless War Lord, charading as a Holy Lama, Today, or Any other day.
Time to generate good Livlihood and speak the Truth.
No hiding in the past.
There is no where to run and no place to hide.
We speak as Many, and you speak as one.
'There Is No Other Way!


Confederation Of Vajra Warriors

Council of Shambala Elders
Thomas Canada