The dark side of the Dalai Lama in his own words

An interesting juxtaposition of words and worlds. 

The Dalai Lama's words to the Western media are the complete opposite to his words to Tibetans.

Judge for yourself.

Abbot of Gyumed Tantric College Speaks Out on Dorje Shugden

Gyudmed Monastery Kensur Sonam Gyaltsen’s Letter to Tibetan Buddhists and the Tibetan Government-in-exile
*****************************
An open Letter to Gelug Monasteries & Sangha Regarding Dorje Shugden

Dear all Gurus and monks,

Regarding the letter sent December 30, 2010, and received on January 13, 2011. The content of this letter asked me to give up the protector practice, let me explain:

In 1996 I was the Khenpo (abbot) of Gyudmed Monastery, at that time, from the Khenpo to the new monks at the end of the seats, everybody was to submit a statement to stop propitiating protector. Besides this, the letter also mentioned that we must make sure to cut off all Dharmic and worldly connections with people who pray to Gyalchen (Dorje Shugden) Protector. Such an order is impossible to carry out, please allow me to state my reasons:

Jangtse Dratsang (Gaden Monastery North College) is not a newly built monastery in India, there have been many Gurus, Rinpoches, and Geshes who propitiated Gyalchen Shugden: the attained Gurus that spread the Dharma nectar to learning monks in the Dratsang – Serkong Dorje Chang, his incarnation the 2nd Serkong Dorje Chang, Kenchen Tendakwa Rinpoche, Phara Rinpoche Lobsang Yeshe Sonam Chokyi Wangchuk, (Hardong) Geshe Rinpoche Kenrab Samten, (Gowo) Kensur Yeshe Gawa, (Tsawa) Drokmi Jampa Lodro Rinpoche, (Gowo) Geshe Nyima Gyaltsen, (Gowo) Ken Rinpoche Sonam Kunga.

These great Lamas are great masters who taught Sutra and Tantra teachings in Jangtse Monastery, if we swear to cut off all Dharmic and worldly material relationship with them, it is totally unacceptable. Forcing ourselves to cut off all Dharmic and worldly material relationship with our Gurus is something impossible to do even for non-Buddhists, let alone Buddhists like ourselves. 

Where did you get your Sutra and Tantra lineage from? Maybe you dug it out from the ground. 

Ken Rinpoche Sonam Kunga tirelessly taught us a lot of great scriptures, he received the teachings from his Gurus and Geshes. From Serkong Dorje Chang to Ken Rinpoche Sonam Kunga, and all the Dratsang great masters in between, it is widely known that they practiced protector Gyalchen Dorje Shugden.

You forced us monks to cut off all Dharmic and worldly material relationship with them, I cannot do it, because I am a monk, according to Tibetan traditional vinaya code a monk is not allowed to swear. This code is also in Shakyamuni’s Vinaya scripture towards the end, page 392, you can go and check for yourselves. You should request Samdhong Rinpoche, “Please be compassionate, don’t let the monks swear, because monks are not allowed to swear.” But you didn’t request, and you followed Samdhong Rinpoche’s order and you swore, and caused the great Gaden Monastery to fall apart into different factions. I did not swear because I did not want to create schism among Sangha. Some people abuse the vinaya power in their hands, this is widely known, it is like our Tibetan proverbs “The person in charge of the water flour mill is not the main person-in-charge, the head of the farm village is not the government officials.”

I have already quoted the scriptures for you in my letter above, and have shown to you with valid and solid proofs that Gyalchen Dorje Shugden is a saint, is a protector, is a Gelug protector. I am not trying to show off my knowledge in my letter, I wrote it because I had no choice.

It seemed like our government-in-exile had nothing better to do, they spent so many years to create chaos, excommunicate many monks, divided a fine dratsang into two factions, I wrote this letter because I had enough, it is too much.

Regarding Dorje Shugden, we just have to check the historical materials and we will understand the original facts. I wish the unnecessary chaos created in these 40 years can be pacified very soon.

This letter is sent to the religious department, Samdhong Rinpoche and various dratsangs, please read it openly in front of all sangha.

Gyudmed Monastery Kensur Sonam Gyaltsen
January 13, 2011
written in West Europe

Gyudmed Kensur Sonam Gyaltsen Rinpoche

Gyudmed Kensur Sonam Gyaltsen Rinpoche, or known as Geshe Sonam or Gen Tati, was born in the Year of the Tiger fire, the 13th day of the first Tibetan month (March 13, 1926), in a large family of nomadic herders in Atsa Region, between Kongpo and Kham in central Tibet. Rinpoche entered religious life at the age of 5.

On March 23, 1959, like thousands of his countrymen, Rinpoche fled Tibet for exile in India. In 1971, Rinpoche passed the exams of “Geshe Lharampa” (Doctor in Buddhist philosophy) where he obtained the first rank.While at Gaden Jangtse, Rinpoche studied under teachers like Phara Rinpoche, Geshe Samten Kenrab, Geshe Nyima Gyaltsen, Kyabje Trijang Dorjechang and Kyabje Zong Rinpoche.

In 1974, Rinpoche completed a 600-pages doctoral thesis which the theme focuses on “mental images” at the University of Varanasi, India.  Rinpoche arrived in France in 1980, where Rinpoche lived until 1990. That year, Rinpoche was appointed as the Vice-Abbot, then three years later, the Abbot of Gyudmed Dratsang until 1996. After that, Rinpoche returned to and lived in France.

From 2002 to 2006, Rinpoche went into ​​a solitary retreat. Since 2004, Rinpoche devotes his time to writing. Rinpoche completed a treaty on the Vinaya, specifically the ordination of Bhikshuni. It traces the history of the introduction of the Vinaya in Tibet and chronicles the debates, the decisions taken by great masters, and supporting references.

Why Dorje Shugden Practitioners are not Isolationist - Part 2

Monks being forced to vote on a 

religious practice is  clearly wrong

Isolationism was intensified when in 2008 the Dalai Lama started a new phase of persecution against Shugden practitioners. Whilst ostensibly on a religious visit to Drepung Loseling monastery in South India, instead he instigated a political referendum on whether the monastery wanted Shugden monks to remain in their ranks. He forced the monks to vote by having them select a stick of either red (for Dorje shugden) or yellow (for the Dalai Lama) colour in a public referendum. Very few monks were brave enough to go against the Dalai Lama and as a result of the 'referendum' which was undemocratic and unconstitutional - since when do monks engage in a political vote on a spiritual practice? - nine hundred monks were expelled from their monasteries. The Dalai Lama himself is on video shamelessly praising the Abbots of the monasteries for expelling the monks. 




This intensified the schism in the Sangha that the Dalai Lama has instigated with the introduction of the ban in 1996. Eventually the monks found a home in two new monasteries that were purpose built for them by various Western benefactors, Shar Gaden and Serpom. It was clear that the monastic community was completely split. High walls were erected between the new monasteries and the old to separate the two factions.

The Central Tibetan Administration quickly introduced a process of oath-swearing for Tibetans whereby the had to swear in front of Palden Lhamo not to share material or spiritual resources with Shugden practitioners. Just as the monasteries were divided, this split families and set family members against each other as some swore and some bravely refused. The suffering that this caused was incredible and further isolated Shugden practitioners, making them pariahs in their own communities. It's difficult to believe that a so-called 'Buddhist' society could countenance this, but out of blind faith in the Dalai Lama, the ordinary people have instigated his evil actions. There are many examples in history where the weak have been influenced by powerful and charismatic dictators to create evil - this unfortunate situation is just another one of those.

All of these actions, instigated by the Dalai Lama, clearly show that he is not a qualified Buddhist Teacher, nor even a Buddhist, as it is a commitment of Buddhism not to harm others.
(continued in part 3)

The Dalai Lama: "Shugden practitioners: you're not welcome"

Dalai Lama: "don't come and
receive teaching  from me"

We recently received another sad proclamation from the Dalai Lama, who regularly makes an issue of the practice of Dorje Shugden in his public teachings, and encourages his followers to stop this venerable, traditional Dharma practice.  This time his teaching is from Mongolia.

We're grateful to the Dorje Shugden Society for translating this news item which appeared on Norway Tibet Radio (Voice of Tibet) on 9th November 2011:

Broadcaster: Since the Dalai Lama is giving Avalokiteshvara initiation tomorrow, he has announced that Dholgyal devotees (Shugden) should not attend the initiation. He also said the propitiation of Dholgyal has caused detrimental to the harmony among Buddhists.

Dalai Lama: Today it is like I am giving a lecture. It is not necessary that you listen by recognizing me as Guru. It is alright if you come to listen, saying what Dalai Bashi is  saying. Tomorrow you will take a teaching. I am giving an initiation. I am giving vow. Therefore there will be Guru and disciple relationship. Pure commitment is  necessary. During the course of initiation, the pure commitment is necessary. In time, I worshipped the so-called King Shugden. I didn't know and I make a mistake. Then, having paid attention, it was wrong. Also, during the course of through analysis, king Shugden emerged during the time of the fifth Dalai Lama. If I say about the way the fifth Dalai Lama recognize king Shugden, according to his text, the nature of king Shugden is evil spirit; its cause was the wrong prayer; and its function is to harm Buddhism and living beings. So if you say this is a protector of Buddhism, or a protector of Gelug Tradition, it is disgrace and shame. Je Rinpoche has empowered and entrusted Six hands Mahakala and Dharmaraj. Je Rinpoche has seen capability in them. Simply speaking, he didn't empower them on guesses. (laugh). If you worship king Shugden, you have broken commitment with the fifth Dalai Lama, and so to the thirteen Dalai Lama. If you receive an initiation from me, you will break commitment with me. If there is anyone who worship king Shugden – actually it is your choice whether or not you worship - , please don’t come to receive teaching from me. If you are a monk or a lay, please don’t come tomorrow. If you are deceived by saying that business and luck would flourish, you should stop from now. You don’t need to be afraid at all. In case a case is necessary to be filed, I would file the case. You don’t need to be afraid. It is a freedom if you contempt although you know it is wrong. It doesn’t matter if you walk upside down.

The only detriment to harmony is the Dalai Lama's sectarian and exclusive attitude towards Dorje Shugden practitioners.  He alone is destroying harmony in the international Buddhist community by making an issue where is none.

Why Dorje Shugden Practitioners are not Isolationist - Part 1

Some people criticise Dorje Shugden practitioners for being 'isolationist' or 'sectarian', but it's important to understand why these perceptions have come about because it may appear that 'Shugdenpas' have deliberately decided to separate from Tibetan society or Tibetan Buddhism as taught by the Dalai Lama, however, as will be explained, this is not the case.

Despite showing an open and 

accommodating face to Westerners, 

the Dalai Lama is a religious dictator

 who controls Tibetan Buddhism 

completely

The principal cause of isolationism is ostracism by the Fourteenth Dalai Lama for political reasons. The Dalai Lama has banned the practice of Dorje Shugden, but unlike some religious disagreements where there is a 'live and let live' attitude, the Dalai Lama will never allow anyone to remain neutral on the issue. He has forced Tibetans to swear an oath in front of the Tibetan protectoress Palden Lhamo not to share material or spiritual resources with Shugden practitioners. Thus, it's not possible to abstain or remain neutral on this issue if you are Tibetan, because if you do not swear an oath, you are excluded from Tibetan society.

This ostracism began very early on, in fact, as soon as the Dalai Lama decided, for incorrect reasons, to stop practising Shugden. He then formed a plan to destroy the practice by exploiting the blind faith of the Tibetan people which has been encouraged by giving many public Kalachakra empowerments. The problems started in 1976 when the Dalai Lama gave up the practice. This caused many problems from the beginning. Geshe Kelsang Gyatso explained how this ostracism began:

Out of sectarianism, the Dalai 

Lama has made it impossible for 

Shugdenpas  to be his students

Lama Yeshe was the general spiritual director of Manjushri Center, while I had the responsibility of organizing the daily programmes. We were both very happy to have the picture of HH the Dalai Lama on the shrine because we hoped that the people of Manjushri and HH Dalai Lama would develop a good spiritual connection and relationship. Many times we invited the Dalai Lama to come to Manjushri Centre, although we both knew, even then, that he had rejected the practice of Dorje Shugden. We assumed it was not his real intention because we found it difficult to believe that he really wanted to destroy the practice of Dorje Shugden.
So for a long time we continued to practise Dorje Shugden and kept faith in the Dalai Lama. Then later the situation deteriorated because he intensified his ban on Dorje Shugden worship. I heard that he said in public that those who practise Dorje Shugden cannot be my friend. Then my mind gradually changed, especially as we received criticism from people who were saying that Manjushri Centre had broken its guru devotion to the Dalai Lama because of our continued practice of Dorje Shugden. As his picture was on our shrine, people believed that he was our root Guru -- on the other hand because we practised Dorje Shugden people thought we were against the Dalai Lama. Due to this contradiction we received a lot of criticism.

The Dalai Lama never visited Manjushri Centre because he was displeased that Lama Yeshe and Geshe Kelsang continued to practise Dorje Shugden.

Because the Dalai Lama's stance on Dorje Shugden was not to allow any religious freedom, Tibetan Buddhism began to polarise into two distinct camps – those who followed the Dalai Lama's view that Dorje Shugden was a harmful spirit and those who had faith in the traditional Gelugpa lineage view of Je Pabongkhapa and Kyabje Trijang Dorjechang that Dorje Shugden was a protector aspect of Je Tsongkhapa himself. The Dalai Lama made it clear on many occasions that he wanted to eradicate the practice of Dorje Shugden completely, and so it became a case of 'if you're not with me, you're against me'. This caused a lot of suffering for Shugdenpas who were torn between their faith in the Dalai Lama and their faith in their Lineage Gurus and Shugden himself. They had to make a choice, and no choice was comfortable as it involved the loss of something precious in either case.

(to be continued in part 2)

Dorje Shugden practitioners are still discriminated against

It's sad to report that Dorje Shugden practitioners are still being discriminated against by the Tibetan public.  The evidence comes from a recent blog post, 'The Bad Boys of Buddhism'.  The writer is J.D. Lewis, an accomplished actor and playwright who has featured in such programmes as 'Friends' and 'Suddenly Susan'.  He has also established a well respected actors coaching  school called 'The Actor's Lab' in Los Angeles.

J.D reports discrimination in the shops around Shar Gaden monastery:

In this isolated area of south-central India where an entire community of monks live, there is a great divide. As I walk down the street with my friend, Losang Tenpa, or as the boys and I call him, Monk Duke, he is glared at and in certain shops, they even refuse to serve him.

J.D. continues later:

Over the last few years, words have been spoken, rocks have been thrown and most disturbing, great walls built around each of the many monasteries in the area. What’s wild is that, after the split, the properties here were allotted in a strange way so that some of Shar Gaden’s building are surrounding by building gained by the other monasteries that have issue with this group, making it an uncomfortable and tense living situation. 

As an experiment the other day, Monk Duke and I visited a local store famous for not serving Shar Gaden monks. I went in and smiled, bought some flip flops for Buck, and then Duke came in to buy some incense. They wouldn’t even look up at him. So I piped in, “Hey, how much for the incense?” … they replied, “Forty Rupies”, and then I said, “I’ll pay for it.” They then smiled, took my money and when we went to leave, the man behind the counter and Monk Duke exchanged a smile. I felt like it was one step closer to Nirvana and I had done my small part to bridge a chasm between the two factions. Who knows… that simple meeting of the minds could have been the beginning of the reunification of the Tibetan Buddhist Federation. Or maybe not… I think it’s going to take more than a westerner’s smile to sort things out here. I’m thinking of coming back next year and shooting a documentary on the subject.

Let's hope that J.D. Lewis does indeed come back to this troubled part of India to shoot his documentary - the monks of Shar Gaden could do with a little high profile support to highlight their plight and to put pressure on the Dalai Lama to reverse his policy of discrimination and ostracism against Shugden practitioners, which is against Buddhism.

The Dalai Lama's Secret Life -- now available as a free eBook

 
A Great Deception, explaining the secret life of the 14th Dalai Lama, is now available as a free eBook on the Western Shugden Society website.

Wherever you stand on the issue of the Dalai Lama and Dorje Shugden, or the Dalai Lama and other controversies, this book is certainly worth reading. It is well-researched and contains a great deal of documentation from third-party sources.

There is also a letter that is being sent along with the paperback version of A Great Deception to people around the world. 

Read the Open Letter to Everyone
Read the Open Letter to British Political Leaders

What is in the book

This book shows that the Wisdom Buddha Dorje Shugden is the manifestation of Je Tsongkhapa, who is the embodiment of the wisdom of all Buddhas. It also brings to light the 14th Dalai Lama Tenzin Gyatso's actions in banning this traditional spiritual practice and causing its followers to be persecuted.

It also highlights other controversies, including the mixture of church and state for political and personal ends, the Dudjom Rinpoche affair, the assassination of Gungtang Tsultrim, the Karmapa affair, the politics of the Kalachakra initiations, the defamation of revered Buddhist masters, the Dalai Lama's being on the payroll of the CIA, the Dalai Lama's involvement with Tibetan Guerillas and the Tibetan arms trade, the attempted coup in Bhutan, the Dalai Lama's fascination with Nazism, the friendship with Shoko Asahara, the strange and somewhat sordid history of all the Dalai Lamas, and how the Dalai Lama really "won" the Nobel Peace Prize.

From the Preface:

The purpose of this book is to achieve the following four aims:

• to liberate millions of innocent practitioners of the Buddhist Deity Dorje Shugden and their families from suffering;
• to restore peace and harmony between Shugden and non-Shugden practitioners;
• to re-establish the common spiritual activities of Shugden and non-Shugden practitioners; and
• to free Buddhism from political pollution.

Achieving these aims depends solely upon whether the present Dalai Lama will accept the four points set out at the conclusion of Chapter 4 of this book.

The Dalai Lama wishes to ban Shugden worship in general; and in particular to remove Tibetan Shugden worshippers from their communities, and Western Shugden worshippers from the international Buddhist community. Since 1996 the Tibetan exile government has continually applied effort to fulfil these wishes. In February 2008 alone, 900 monks who are Shugden practitioners were expelled from their monasteries in India.

In 1996 the Tibetan exile government publicly decreed to the Tibetan communities of each country, including Tibet, that Shugden practitioners were their national enemies and were against the Dalai Lama's wishes. The decree stated that unless Shugden practitioners promised to stop Shugden worship they would not receive any official position or job, nor any help or support, even medical assistance, either from the Tibetan exile government or from individual members of the Tibetan community. Further, any connection at all with Shugden practitioners should be cut. Children of Shugden practitioners were no longer permitted to attend Tibetan schools, and Shugden practitioners themselves could not join community meetings, social events and so forth....

(... and the situation has gone from bad to worse.)

Download the free eBook today to find out more.

The Dalai Lama's sectarian "non-sectarian" approach

The Dalai Lama makes a great deal of being non-sectarian and claims that those who practise Dorje Shugden are sectarian.  He quotes such 'sectarianism' as one of his main reasons for banning the practice of Shugden:

2. Obstacles to the emergence of genuine non-sectarianism: His Holiness has often stated that one of his most important commitments is the promotion of inter-religious understanding and harmony. As part of this endeavour, His Holiness is committed to encouraging non-sectarianism in all schools of Tibetan Buddhism. In this His Holiness is following the example set by his predecessors, especially the Fifth Dalai Lama and the Thirteenth Dalai Lama. Not only is a non-sectarian approach mutually enriching for all Tibetan Buddhist schools, but it is also the best safeguard against a rise of sectarianism that could have damaging consequences for the Tibetan tradition as a whole. Given the acknowledged link between Dolgyal* worship and sectarianism, this particular practice remains a fundamental obstacle to fostering a genuine non-sectarian spirit within the Tibetan Buddhist tradition.

(*Dolgyal is a derogatory term for Dorje Shugden)



Bigotry, discrimination, hatred

So how non-sectarian is the Dalai Lama?  This is the definition of sectarianism from Wikipedia:

Sectarianism, according to one definition, is bigotry, discrimination or hatred arising from attaching importance to perceived differences between subdivisions within a group, such as between different denominations of a religion or factions of a political movement.

Identity Card

Trijang Rinpoche

This definition contains many powerful words such as 'bigotry, discrimination and hatred', all of which apply to the Dalai Lama's public pronouncements about the practice of Dorje Shugden.  An enforced signature campaign to stop the practice has led to Tibetans practising bigotry and hatred towards those who disagree with the Dalai Lama's political ban of the practice. Discrimination is exactly what Shugden practitioners are experiencing in Tibetan communities throughout the world (shockingly, even in democratic Western countries such as the USA, France and Switzerland) as they are branded as spirit worshippers by the Dalai Lama.  Paradoxically, this makes the Dalai Lama's own Guru Trijang Rinpoche a spirit worshipper and invalidates the whole Gelugpa lineage; but this unwanted consequence doesn't seem to have dawned on the Dalai Lama.

Considering the evidence of ostracism and discrimination, and the Dalai Lama bringing the subject of Shugden up at every public meeting of Tibetans in an attempt to completely stamp out the practice, how can the Dalai Lama be said to be non-sectarian?

Rime

Another red herring is the Dalai Lama talking about 'Rime' or 'Rigme' (pronounced Reemay).  Here is an example from a talk he gave on 14th January 2011 as reported by Voice of Tibet radio:

Since I, as an ordinary body of Amdo, got the name of fourteen Dalai Lama, I ought to follow the steps of my predecessors.  It is my responsibility to serve the Rigme teachings of Tibet.

Rime is a non-sectarian movement that began in Tibet, prompted by the political infighting between the different traditions of Tibetan Buddhism.  The Dalai Lama is claiming the Rime is non-sectarian and should be followed whereas the practice of Dorje Shugden is sectarian.  By making such false claims, and encouraging discrimination against a religious tradition that was promoted by his own Teacher, the Dalai Lama shows himself to be sectarian.  The approach of Rime is quite different to that of the Dalai Lama.  Ringu Tulku says:

Ris or Phyog-ris in Tibetan means "one-sided", "partisan" or "sectarian". Med means "No". Ris-med (Wylie), or Rimé, therefore means "no sides", "non-partisan" or "non-sectarian". It does not mean "non-conformist" or "non-committal"; nor does it mean forming a new School or system that is different from the existing ones. A person who believes the Rimé way almost certainly follows one lineage as his or her main practice. He or she would not dissociate from the School in which he or she was raised.

Rime therefore doesn't mean practising all traditions.  It also doesn't mean blurring the lines between traditions, as the Dalai Lama is wont to do:

Rimé is not a way of uniting different Schools and lineages by emphasising their similarities. It is basically an appreciation of their differences and an acknowledgement of the importance of having this variety for the benefit of practitioners with different needs. Therefore the Rimé teachers always take great care that the teachings and practices of the different Schools and lineages and their unique styles do not become confused with one another. To retain the original style and methods of each teaching lineage preserves the power of that lineage experience. Kongtrul and Khentse made great efforts to retain the original flavour of each teaching, while making them available to many.

Fourteenth Dalai Lama

This shows that the Dalai Lama is using Rime for his own political purposes of uniting all the schools of Tibetan Buddhism (and even the non-Buddhist Bon school) under his control.  He has distorted the meaning of the teaching.  This is clear from a talk he gave to a Russian audience on 27 November 2010 in response to a question about receiving empowerments from different traditions:

There is no problem. No differences are there at all. You should receive Gelug empowerment; you should receive Nyingma empowerment; you should receive Sakya empowerment; and you should receive Kagyu empowerment. As for me, I receive all of them. Well, all Nyingma, Sakya, Kagyu and Geden are students of seventeen Mahasiddas and scholars. Shugden worshippers are saying that if a Gelugpa worship Shugden, it is incorrect to keep a text of Nyingma. That is wrong. In twenty century, because of Shugden, sectarian is developing in Tibet. This is wrong.

Notice that the Dalai Lama uses this occasion to unfairly brand Shugden practitioners as sectarian. He also uses wrong logic to justify eclecticism: 'Nyingma, Sakya, Kagyu and Geden are students of the seventeen Mahasiddhas and scholars'. While this is undoubtedly true, there are important differences in their presentation of Buddha's teachings which are appreciated by those who follow Rime but not by the Dalai Lama.  We can therefore see that true Rime celebrates diversity, whereas the Dalai Lama's idea of Rime is to amalgamate the schools by claiming there is no difference and everyone should practice all schools, expressly against the Rime edict that one should follow one lineage as one's main practice and no dissociate from that school.  The Dalai Lama has dissociated himself from the Gelugpa school and from his root Guru through his criticism of Dorje Shugden practice and practitioners.  His actions are therefore sectarian and non-Rime, even though he claims to have banned the practice because he's non-sectarian!

Ask yourself this question:  How is someone non-sectarian by banning a religious practice and outlawing it?  This is clearly contradictory.  It's against the Rime teachings that the Dalai Lama claims to support.

Je Gendundrub, First Dalai Lama

There are further contradictions in the Dalai Lama's position. In his speech of 14th January, the Dalai Lama says he must follow his predecessors by protecting the Rime school, but the First Dalai Lama, Je Gendundrub wrote a beautiful praise to Je Tsongkhapa called Song of the Eastern Snow Mountain in which he says:

From now until enlightenment
I shall seek no refuge other than you.
O Venerable Father and Sons (Je Tsongkhapa and his two spiritual sons, Khedrubje and Gyaltsabje)
Please care for me with your compassion.

The Rime system didn't exist until the nineteenth century, five hundred years after the First Dalai Lama  proclaimed his sole refuge to be Je Tsongkhapa.  Rime is therefore a relatively recent development. The present Dalai Lama seems to have forsaken Je Tsongkhapa's tradition for the sake of following no tradition (he's not following Rime, as clearly explained) and he has also forsaken the kindness of his Gurus by having them branded as spirit worshippers.

Finally then:  why doesn't the present Dalai Lama show the example of his ultimate predecessor, the First Dalai Lama and remain within the Gelugpa school of Buddhism while respecting all others, appreciating and celebrating their differences as a true Rime practitioner would?  Instead, he has chosen the path of sectarian intolerance by banning one of the main practices of Je Tsongkhapa's tradition, which he seems intent on destroying, and merging all schools of Buddhism into one by claiming they are all the same. The only explanation can be that Je Gendundrub was a pure spiritual practitioner whereas the present Dalai Lama is, first and foremost, a politician with worldly concerns who is twisting the meaning of non-sectarian and Rime for his political ends: power and influence.

The Dalai Lama's Shady Past

There is another book out about the previous Dalai Lamas, called
Secret Lives of the Dalai Lama: The Untold Story of the Holy Men Who Shaped Tibet, from Pre-history to the Present Day

Part of its write up says:

His Holiness the Fourteenth Dalai Lama is known to the world for his efforts to preserve Tibetan culture and for his inspiring spiritual teachings. Often unnoticed, however, is the long, colorful history from which this most beloved of holy men has emerged. In Secret Lives of the Dalai Lama, Alexander Norman tells this story in full for the first time, from Tibetan Buddhism’s foundational narratives to the present-day crisis faced by Tibet.

And what a story it is. Along with dedicated monks selflessly serving the Tibetan people, among His Holiness’s spiritual forebears there are a Dalai Lama who waged wars, a womanizing and inebriated poet, and several who wound up dead following disputes over temporal power. Also, while Western practitioners focus on Tibetan Buddhism’s liberating vision of enlightenment, it simultaneously contains ritual practices of prophecy and magic, as well as a vivid pantheon of deities and demons.

"Holy men"??! Upon reading the history of the previous Dalai Lamas, the only "holy men" amongst them would appear to be the first four and the Seventh, none of whom had political power or abused their position as spiritual teachers.

It is a stretch to call the rest "holy men". That is unless you call womanizing drunks (the Sixth), violent power-hungry people (the "Great Fifth" and the "Great Thirteenth") and political dictators (the current Fourteenth) "holy men". The Eighth handed over his political power to regents, and the Ninth, Tenth and Twelfth died too young for anyone to make their mind up about them.

During a rebellion of the Karmapas in Tsang, the Fifth Dalai Lama (the 14th Dalai Lama's favorite "spiritual forbear") issued orders:

[Of those in] the band of enemies, who have despoiled the duties entrusted to them:
Make the male lines like trees that have had their roots cut;
Make the female lines like brooks that have dried up in winter;
Make the children and grandchildren like eggs smashed against cliffs;
Make the servants and followers like heaps of grass consumed by fire;
Make their dominion like a lamp whose oil has been exhausted;
In short, annihilate any traces of them, even their names.

The "Great Thirteenth" (1876-1933) (the current Dalai Lama's other favorite "spiritual forbear") was also a cruel leader. As chief judge he commanded severe punishments to be meted out to trouble-makers, including floggings, amputations and exile. His friend Sir Charles Bell gave the damning verdict:

He loved the work... and he liked the power which the work gave him.

Doesn't sound very holy to me. Nor does the current Dalai Lama's current ban of a beloved spiritual practice and the threatening language he uses to back it up, such as (to monks in India who questioned the ban on practicing Dorje Shugden):

14th Dalai Lama inspecting 
troops at Chakrata in 1972

"There will be no change in my stand. I will never revoke the ban. You are right. It will be like the Cultural Revolution. If those who do not accept the ban do not listen to my words, the situation will grow worse for them. You sit and watch. It will grow only worse for them."

As for the 14th Dalai Lama's "inspiring spiritual teachings", they come from the kindness of his precious Spiritual Guides. Yet he superseded and denigrated all of them as he assumed more and more temporal power.

Sometimes cliches hit the mark: Power corrupts. Absolute power corrupts absolutely.

This all sounds incredible. It is true though. To find out more, including all the sources for this information, read A Great Deception.

Here is a very good article on why we feel it is okay to criticize the Dalai Lama.

Dalai Lama messes with Tibetans' minds

The Dalai Lama continues to spread pain throughout the Tibetan communities. Recently a speech given to his followers during teachings in the Himalayan region of India were reported on the Tibetan radio station 'Voice of Tibet'. Here is a transcript:

Pachen Dorje (reporter): Today on the second day of his teaching in Varanasi, His Holiness the Dalai Lama, public jewel and supreme leader of Tibetan religion and politics, was kind to deliver a special advice to over six thousand devotees from Bhutan, Nepal and Indian Himalayan regions, who came to receive his teachings. On the occasion His Holiness explained he knew that some people of Shugden society recruited children in the name of education in Himalayan regions, and that if parents send their children with full awareness of the Dalai Lama's ban on worship of Shugden, he does not question and oppose. However, he also explained that there would be problems in future if children are sent without any knowledge.

Dalai Lama: I heard that the so-called Geshe-la of Shugden society comes there, and they take children, saying that children would have good education. Similarly this is possible in Gashar; it is possible in Monpa; it is possible in Nepal. I do not oppose if the guardian parents send their children after knowing everything about Gyalpo Shugden; everything about the reasons of the ban imposed on it, and that the Shugden society is opponent of the Dalai Lama. Do you understand? If you do not know, are deceived, and say that there are good facilities and education, later your children have no way to meet the Dalai Lama.

Here the great Prayer Festival is held. Many monks from Sera, Drepung and Gaden monasteries came here. Down there, the monks from Dhokhang Khamtsen of Gaden and Dholgyal worshippers of Pomra in Sera Mey have no way to come here. (slight laugh) When I went to the seats down there (South India), they have no way to come to my teachings, except that they stay performing puja separately.

I clearly state that Guru and disciple require uncontaminated commitment. If someone with degenerated commitment receives teaching, it rather harms Guru; it doesn't help disciple.

Therefore it is unnecessary that you send your children to Dholgyal worshipping organizations, and you regret later when you come to realize. First you need to know. When Tibetan monks come and say you have place to go, you must ask their affiliation.

The Dalai Lama spooks the Tibetan community with his heavy-handed language. For example: “later your children have no way to meet the Dalai Lama” and "if someone with degenerated commitment receives teaching, it rather harms Guru; it doesn't help disciple."

When he first introduced the ban on Dorje Shugden, the Dalai Lama used similar rhetoric, claiming that the practice of Shugden harmed his health and shortened his lifespan. In this way, the Dalai Lama plays on the spiritual fears and superstitions of his audience.

The Dalai Lama, “supreme leader of Tibetan religion and politics”, is using this self-proclaimed status within Buddhism to enforce his own biased view. He demands compliance from an audience who may have a Guru-disciple relationship with him and/or who fear dire consequences if they do not fit in with the crowd.

Such use of Buddhism for political aims is distasteful. The Dalai Lama’s bigoted views and oppressive actions are also contrary to the love and compassion with which Buddha originally gave his teachings.

Sadly, there is only one source of religious disharmony in the Tibetan community, and it is the Dalai Lama. He uses his position to split the Tibetan community by spreading his wrong views about Protector Dorje Shugden, bringing pain to his people who are torn between loyalty to the Dalai Lama and their heartfelt commitments to their other precious Gurus who gave them this practice.

Many bravely continue to practise in secret, waiting and hoping, fearing the witchhunt should they reveal their true feelings.

It is sad that someone who preaches love, compassion and religious tolerance should continue to be the source of division, disharmony, and fear. Particularly someone who wears the robes of a Buddhist monk.

For more information, see A Great Deception.

A Great Deception - freeing Buddhism from political pollution

The latest edition of A Great Deception has just been printed, with some additions.

This book will be distributed widely by the Western Shugden Society. It clearly shows that the Wisdom Buddha Dorje Shugden is the manifestation of Je Tsongkhapa, who is the embodiment of the wisdom of all Buddhas. It also brings to light the 14th Dalai Lama Tenzin Gyatso's unconscionable actions in banning this beloved spiritual practice and persecuting its followers.

From the Preface:

The purpose of this book is to achieve the following four aims:

• to liberate millions of innocent practitioners of the Buddhist Deity Dorje Shugden and their families from suffering;
• to restore peace and harmony between Shugden and non-Shugden practitioners;
• to re-establish the common spiritual activities of Shugden and non-Shugden practitioners; and
• to free Buddhism from political pollution.

Achieving these aims depends solely upon whether the present Dalai Lama will accept the four points set out at the conclusion of Chapter 4 of this book.

The Dalai Lama wishes to ban Shugden worship in general; and in particular to remove Tibetan Shugden worshippers from their communities, and Western Shugden worshippers from the international Buddhist community. Since 1996 the Tibetan exile government has continually applied effort to fulfil these wishes. In February 2008 alone, 900 monks who are Shugden practitioners were expelled from their monasteries in India.

In 1996 the Tibetan exile government publicly decreed to the Tibetan communities of each country, including Tibet, that Shugden practitioners were their national enemies and were against the Dalai Lama's wishes. The decree stated that unless Shugden practitioners promised to stop Shugden worship they would not receive any official position or job, nor any help or support, even medical assistance, either from the Tibetan exile government or from individual members of the Tibetan community. Further, any connection at all with Shugden practitioners should be cut. Children of Shugden practitioners were no longer permitted to attend Tibetan schools, and Shugden practitioners themselves could not join community meetings, social events and so forth....

(... and the situation has gone from bad to worse.)

Read more...

Mountain Phoenix on Dorje Shugden

I'd like to draw your attention to a couple of blog posts by Tibetan Mountain Phoenix on her blog 'Mountain Phoenix over Tibet' which provides some interesting analysis of the Dorje Shugden issue from a less biased point of view than other Tibetan commentators:

http://mountainphoenixovertibet.blogspot.com/search/label/Dorje%20Shugden

Even though the blog posts are a couple of years old, the issues she refers to still pertain, unfortunately. For example, in her first post, amusingly titled 'Ghostbusters: I ain't afraid of no ghost', she says:

Even if the pro-ghost people were all unpatriotic, selfish, pro-Chinese, Kundun-haters, and devil-worshippers, I’d wish Kundun followers wouldn’t behave like riffraff. Honestly, it’s not flattering to the Dalai Lama to have such a following. I would wish for His Holiness to distance himself from this kind of behaviour. And I would also wish he would stop raising the issue in public. From an innocent bystander view, it would be more effective to debate the issue with the defiant Lamas and Geshes directly. After all, it’s them who are meant to be persuaded. The collateral damage of raising the issue in front of the public has reached a frightening dimension.

Actually, I wish Kundun would consider dropping this thing altogether - just like some of the Tibetan-language media. He has successfully discouraged the practice for years. So then the ones who remain stubborn just can’t be helped, can they? Why not leave it at that? There can’t be too many renegades left by now, can there? A couple of Lamas here and there, most keeping a low profile. If Kundun stops to speak against the practice, they will stop defending themselves. If he intensifies his efforts, they will too. The way I see it, Kundun can control this

.

'Kundun' is a name for the Dalai Lama. The destruction of Dorje Shugden practice has been an obsession of the Dalai Lama's for over thirty years. He can't stop mentioning it in public. As Mountain Phoenix says:

The collateral damage of raising the issue in front of the public has reached a frightening dimension.

It certainly has. Every time the Dalai Lama mentions it, there is a witch hunt in which innocent Dorje Shugden practitioners are persecuted. They are already denied basic human rights such as travel permits, education and medical treatment. They are also barred from shops because of their religious beliefs. This has gone on for far too long now, and has even resulted in a split in the spiritual community. Dorje Shugden worshipping monks have been expelled from the monasteries under the control of the 'Ganden Podrang' or Tibetan Government in Exile and have had to build their own monasteries of Shar Gaden and Serpom. The division caused by the Dalai Lama's words is probably irreparable, even if he were to retract his statements tomorrow.

Mountain Phoenix wants to say this to the Dalai Lama:

Dear Kundun, do you surf the net sometimes? - I really hope so. I humbly wish you would read what a fellow Tibetan has to say and people like Acha Purbu-la think. I wish you would agree that this ghost hunt leads us nowhere and is disrupting social harmony. I wish you would stop making the ghost an issue and lead us again on the path to cope with the big problems that lie ahead of us as a people.

Sadly, because she follows the Dalai Lama, she refers to Dorje Shugden throughout as 'a ghost', even though later she acknowledges that there is a view held by some that he is a Buddha:

To be fair to the other side, I should mention that they don’t think they are worshipping a ghost. For them, the ghost is an enlightened being (a Buddha or something to that effect). A view, that many people don’t like to hear, no Tibetan media reports on, and nobody wants to openly talk about. Nevertheless, if the other side believes the ghost is a divine thing, it’s their right. Just as it’s the right for the mainstream to believe the ghost is a deamon. Believe one or the other but keep quiet. Or opt out altogether and keep quiet.

She refers to the view that Dorje Shugden is a demon as mainstream. This shows how much damage the Dalai Lama's views have caused in thirty years. Through blind faith in 'Kundun' and his draconian ban on the practice, Tibetans have turned away from the practice of Dorje Shugden, a once mainstream Gelugpa practice, with the result that those who are sincerely wishing to keep their commitments to their spiritual Teachers and who steadfastly refuse to abandon the practice have been marginalized and ostracised from Tibetan society.

Her final conclusion, from her later post '"Evil Spirit" puts Tibetan democracy to test' which is fairer and more balanced:

The way Tibetans have been handling the Dholgyal/Shugden issue says quite a bit about the state of our democratic values. We Tibetans are okay with dissenters being forced into obedience. We see nothing wrong with this political style. We have no issues with the Dalai Lama exerting pressure on dissenters by using secular government organs and tolerating oaths and signature actions in his name. Some even believe it is their duty to expose Dholgyal/Shugden supporters and slander them.

Sadly, we can report that not much has changed since Mountain Phoenix wrote her original blog posts two years ago. The Dalai Lama is still speaking out against the practice (even as recently as last month) and Dorje Shugden practitioners are still ostracised and vilified by the majority of Tibetans.

Dalai Lama, please give religious freedom.

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.