Help stop discrimination against Dorje Shugden devotees seeking asylum

Discrimination toward a devotee of Dorje Shugden
at the Indian Embassy in Nepal

Please write to Indian Authorities using the information below,
in a language that is simple, clear, and well mannered, avoiding harsh language against the Dalai Lama or Tibetan Government in Exile that would offend the authorities, who, in India, if addressed with proper protocol and manners,
are very helpful.
Thank you.

(Please note, we have added some sample letters below in the comments section, written and sent by followers of this blog. Please feel free to put your letter here too to help others compose theirs. Thank you.)

The following incident took place in Kathmandu, Nepal. On June 3, this year 2010, 14 newcomers from Tibet went to the Indian Embassy to obtain Entry Permits, which allows them to seek asylum in India. All but one of those newcomers received a permit. The asylum seeker whose Entry Permit was refused is Jampa Gyaltsen, 18 years old.

Jampa is a devotee of Dorje Shugden. He came to Nepal to join Serpom monastery and to study Buddhism in India.

Tibetan refugees go to Tibetan Reception Centre, and through this centre they apply for an Entry Permit. In view of the consistent discrimination and abuses faced by devotees, there is a strong misgiving that the Tibetan Refugee Reception Center was behind the rejection. They might have provided a note which triggered the rejection of the permit for Jampa.

This obviously indicates that the Tibetan Government in Exile tries to stop Shugden devotees coming to India. They wish the Shugden monasteries to dry up and vanish. And the Tibetan Government in Exile have attempted several times to stop Shugden devotees coming to India from Tibet.

We have a growing concern about Tibetan refugees (who are associated with the Deity Dorje Shugden) who might face the same fate in future, unless the rejection is revoked and he is issued the permit.

It would be very helpful if each of you wrote to the following authorities with a request and a prayer to ensure that no Shugden devotee has to experience discrimination because of their religious faith, as well as to provide an entry permit to Jampa Gyaltsen.

1) External Affairs Minister
S.M. Krishna
Fax : 0091 11 23013254 / 23011463
Email : eam@mea.gov.in
http://meaindia.nic.in/
2) Foreign Secretary
Smt. Nirupama Rao
Fax : 0091 11 23016781
Email : dirfs@mea.gov.in; psfs@mea.gov.in
3) THE MINISTRY OF HOME AFFAIRS
P.CHIDAMBARAM
HOME MINISTER
Email : hm@nic.in
http://mha.nic.in
Fax : 0091 11 23092462
4) HOME SECRETARY
Gopal K. Pillai
Fax : 0091 11 23093003
Nepal Indian embassy
5) Sh. Rakesh Sood
Ambassador
http://www.indianembassy.org.np/embassy.php
Email : amb@eoiktm.org
Fax: 00977 1 4420130
6) UNHCR IN NEPAL
Stephane Jaquemet
Representative
Anil Kuti, Maharajgunj,
Kathmandu, P.O.Box 2374 ,
Nepal.
Fax : 977-1 4412853
Email : nepka@unhcr.org
Website : http://www.unhcr.org

Dalai Lama criticizes anti-whaling protestors

There are two articles about this here:

Dalai Lama criticises anti-whaling protestors
Dalai Lama's double standards with regard to whaling

How can it be that a man who preaches compassion will not show it for defenseless animals? He shot birds with his air rifle from the Norbulinka Palace in Tibet, is an avid eater of meat, and now is speaking out publicly against anti-whaling protestors.

The Dalai Lama shows that he lacks integrity and principle when he bows to political influence and says what people want him to say -- in this case, the Japanese authorities. This is the problem of mixing religion and politics. It is another example of why the Dalai Lama is basically untrustworthy, a self-seeking worldly politician masquerading as a popular religious figure.

For more on the Dalai Lama's deceptive dual nature as politician and religious leader and the harm this has caused in Tibet and India, see A Great Deception.

Letter from the CTA and Dalai Lama urging ostracism of Dorje Shugden family

Sadly, these two pieces of information from someone currently staying at Shar Gaden show us nothing new -- Buddhist Dorje Shugden practitioners are still being ostracized for their beliefs due to the immoral and intolerant ban of the 400-year old practice by the 14th Dalai Lama:

"Here is a picture on the gate of Gaden Jangtse warning people about the family in camp 4 that are Dorje Shugden practitioners and people should not go to their shop in camp 4. I took this photo yesterday. Very sad that this is the first thing you see upon entering such a beautiful monastery."


If you look closely, you will see that this notice is issued by the Office of the Representative of the Central Tibetan Administration of the Dalai Lama. A terrible example of using political power to further supposedly religious aims, that of destroying a spiritual tradition passed down through generations of Gelugpa Buddhist masters, including the Teacher of the Dalai Lama himself. Click here for more.

And of course there have been numerous incidences of violence toward Dorje Shugden practitioners over the years, such as:

"Trokhang DechenChog is a Dorje Shugden chapel not far from Shar Gaden and is within feet of the Gaden Shartse debate ground. It is actually closer to Gaden Shartse than Shar Gaden... One monk is in charge of doing the daily pujas there and keeping the chapel safe from harm. He has been beaten up more than once due to his devotion to this chapel."


Tenzin Sungrab originally went over to the monastery to help (as have other Westerners) because, as he put it:

"Being able to be there, standing in solidarity with our dear monks, is an opportunity for me to show support in my own limited way. This is one way for people to directly oppose the ban: cross the line, help the monks, talk to them, support them, encourage them, feed them, share with them... everything the ban says not to do."

And yet he finds that the monks at Shar Gaden are not giving up despite years of ostracism and persecution, refugees amongst refugees:

"These monks have given so much to our lineage and continue regardless of how hard it has been at times. That is the true meaning of Dharma commitment and is a never ending source of inspiration for me. I am really just a nobody, but being amongst so many who work so very hard to practice the pure Dharma has changed me in ways hard to describe. Every day that I wake up here is a gift. I feel that all of this is due to the blessings of Gyalchen Dorje Shugden and my deep faith in him. May he always care for us with love, like a mother for her children. Shar Gaden is a place like no other and everything these monks do here is for the benefit of ALL suffering beings who dwell in this realm."

See his blog.

Shar Gaden Monastery

In this picture, you can see a Buddhist monk taking an exam in the prayer hall of the new Shar Gaden monastery. On the throne is a picture of Venerable Trijang Rinpoche, the root Guru of the 14th Dalai Lama until the Dalai Lama rejected him. Trijang Rinpoche is the source of almost all the Dalai Lama's popular Dharma teachings in the East and the West. In the shrine cabinet behind this, to the right, there is a picture of Venerable Geshe Kelsang Gyatso, the founder of the New Kadampa Tradition, which is dedicated to preserving and passing on the tradition of Je Tsongkhapa as transmitted through the great Je Phabongkhapa and Trijang Dorjechang.

Gaden monastery was founded around October 22, 1409. Exactly 600 years later, around October 22, 2009, Shar Gaden monastery opened through the kind support and assistance of sincere Gelugpa practitioners. This was after the 14th Dalai Lama separated Tibetan society from Je Tsongkhapa's pure Gelugpa tradition and expelled hundreds of Buddhist monks who did not agree with his ban on the practice of Wisdom Buddha Dorje Shugden. This is the monastery to which the head of the Gelugpa tradition, the 101st Ganden Tripa, recently defected.

Prayers to Wisdom Protector Dorje Shugden taken from Heart Jewel:

"May the glorious Gurus who uphold this tradition
Have indestructible lives, as stable as the supreme victory banner;
May they send down a rain of deeds fulfilling the wishes of disciples,
So that Je Tsongkhapa's doctrine will flourish.

Through increasing the study, practice, pure discipline, and harmony
Of the communities who uphold the stainless doctrine of Buddha,
And who keep moral discipline with pure minds,
Please cause the Gedan (Gelugpa) tradition to increase like a waxing moon."