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
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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.

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...

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.

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."

Court case against the Dalai Lama concludes: no victory, no defeat either

Due to the on-going persecution of Buddhist adherents of the four centuries-old practice of the protective Buddha Dorje Shugden by Tenzin Gyatso, aka the 14th Dalai Lama, and his "Central Tibetan Administration" (CTA), following a ban of that religious practice, the Dorje Shugden Devotees' Charitable and Religious Society took the brave step of filing a Petition to the Delhi High Court, New Delhi, India in 2008.

On 5 April 2010, after more than two years of struggle, the Petition was finally dismissed by Justice S. Muralidhar on technical grounds.

The major reason cited for denying jurisdiction was location. The government of India pointed out that this court has no territorial jurisdiction over a dispute. As they are located in Dharamsala, the state government is to investigate the allegations against the Dalai Lama and Tibetan government in exile. Indian government does not recognize the so-called Tibetan government in exile.

Justice Muralidhar pointed out:

"It is however clarified that the dismissal of this petition will not preclude any individual member or members of the [Dorje Shugden Society] to seek appropriate remedies as may be available to them in law" before the police in Karnataka and its state government.

It was further stated that worshippers of Dorje Shugden have a right to freedom of religion as enshrined under Article 25 of the Constitution.

Predictably, the website of the Central Tibetan Administration on April 20 claimed this as a victory for them, falsely stating on their website that “Justice Muralidhar's decision had the effect of closing the doors on the possibility of similar complaints in the future.” In fact, Justice Muralidar clearly stated that by dismissing the case in its present form he would not express any opinion on the merits or demerits of the case, and he clearly pointed out in paragraph 12 of the Order (as mentioned above): "It is however clarified that the dismissal of this petition will not preclude any individual member or member of the Petitioner No. 1 Society [i.e., the above named Dorje Shugden Society] to seek appropriate remedies as may be available to them in law before the appropriate forum…".

The court noted that the Shugden Society's harassment and maltreatment accusations had not yet been lodged in a formal complaint to the local police authorities. This has led the CTA to take the Justice’s comments out of context, stating that the Petition had been dismissed due to 'vague averments' regarding cases of harassment and persecution against Shugden devotees. The actual order in fact reads that they were vague statements because "the criminal law remedies available to the Petitioners has not been availed of by them" (para 8), i.e. the victims. This of course is likely due to intimidation and fear of further persecution.

Despite the CTA propaganda, it is clear from studying the judgment that there was no victory, but nor was there a defeat. The dismissal was mainly for two reasons. (1) The Justice did not see a territorial jurisdiction of the Delhi High Court pointing towards the law and order institutions of the States of Himachal Pradesh (the seat of the Tibetan leader) and Karnataka (the site of the large Tibetan settlements Mundgod and Bylakuppe). (2) He mentioned the lack of records in the local police files due to the absence of complaints by victims of the Dalai Lama's actions.

This ruling in fact lights the way for future court cases in the coming years to be tried in the appropriate state forums, especially as and when individual victims garner the courage to make official complaints to the local police and the records of those complaints pile up. As the persecution continues and monks are still expelled en masse from their monasteries, there is sadly no shortage of evidence to bring against the Dalai Lama and his CTA.

As the Dorje Shugden Society said on April 22:

"There is no question of win - lose here. The dismissal of the case is disappointing. On the other hand, this experience has given us a second chance to approach it in a better and more efficient way. Moreover, it also implies that collaboration and fraternity are priorities. Also, our lawyer said that the Society can file a Suit and individuals who are affected can file individual Petitions. The society tried its best according to its ability. Of course the society is poorly funded. But this is not end of our struggle for religious freedom, human dignity and equality, since our cause is just. And it goes without saying that those who walk on the path of truth often face challenges. Despite hindrances we ought to make effort that no one live through the deprivation of their basic rights, and pledge to promote love, compassion and tolerance in lieu of merely preaching them."

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.

The History of Dorje Shugden

In the commentary Heart Jewel, Geshe Kelsang explains the spiritual history of the Dharma Protector Dorje Shugden -- a short account that is deeply inspiring to practitioners and that evokes great faith. It is enough history for many who have faith in their spiritual teachers, lineage and Protector.

Now a new website has been completed, which gives more detail and historical context through which everyone, even the most skeptical, can hopefully start to see that Dorje Shugden has always been relied upon as a Buddha.

This website uncovers the texts, rituals, historical works and art dedicated to the practice of the Wisdom Buddha Dorje Shugden. As the author, Trinley Kalsang, explains:

"Although there are many texts that reveal the gradual development of the system of ritual for this deity, much of this has not been brought out in the open for examination."

Much of this material in fact has been deliberately suppressed because it proves that Dorje Shugden has been considered an enlightened being and the Protector of the Gelug lineage for several hundred years, since he first arose in this form; and this quite obviously undermines the 14th Dalai Lama's pronouncements of Dorje Shugden being a spirit of the dark forces, a Chinese demon, and so on.

Trinley Kalsang, a scholar of Tibetan, focuses on works from the time period before the 20th century. He leaves aside the works of Pabongkha Rinpoche and Trijang Rinpoche with the exception of various references to how these have drawn upon these earlier works. In particular, it can now be seen how the basic components of the practice were originally developed within the Sakya tradition and then incorporated into the Gelug tradition.

In particular, these translations and essays naturally disprove many of the fallacious ideas written in The Shuk-den Affair by Georges Dreyfus, who put the onus of the development and spread of Dorje Shugden on the individual figure of Pabongkha Rinpoche in the 20th century. He was not the first to do so, but he lent the Dalai Lama's claim Western academic credibility and enabled copy cat commentators, altogether doing a great deal of damage to the reputation of Dorje Shugden and his followers.

As Trinley Kalsang explains, the presentation of The Shuk-den Affair follows the same approach as that found in polemical Tibetan works, including the Brief History of Opposition to Shugden by the Tibetan Government in Exile's “Dolgyal Research Committee", the main thrust of which is to discredit the Dorje Shugden practice by discrediting Pabongkha Rinpoche. With this approach, the existing practice is presented as a whimsical device of one person rather than as a true spiritual practice with precedence. With The Shuk-den Affair, Dreyfus took this same pre-existing presentation and wrapped it in a seemingly scholarly package.

Dreyfus therefore got behind the Dalai Lama and his Government in Exile in discrediting the practice of Dorje Shugden and falsely accusing the highly revered Gelugpa Lama Je Phabongkhapa of possessing a sectarian agenda. Regrettably, some later Western commentators such as David Kay relied upon Dreyfus's work as the basis for their own inaccurate and defamatory accounts of the Wisdom Buddha without doing the original research that would have shown them that Dreyfus's work was full of problems and political bias to begin with. Consciously or not, these commentators' omission in doing decent research, relying so heavily on accounts by the Dalai Lama, TGIE and Dreyfus, seems to have arisen from trying to stay on the right side of the Tibetan power structure. It appears that they took as their starting point the assumption that the Dalai Lama must be right and skewed the history to fit with this. Had they found these collected works, and used them, they might have been able to tell a more accurate story.

The main sources for this website were originally collected by the Mongolian scholar and master Lobsang Tamdin (1867-1937), who gathered a number of earlier texts written by Mongolian and Tibetan masters. Regardless of where individuals stand on whether or not people should be allowed to continue their practice of Dorje Shugden, the translations on this website prove that Pabongkha Rinpoche did not invent any aspect of this practice, but merely absorbed and propagated it.The translations speak for themselves -- not a lot of added interpretation or polemics are required to challenge the views of the Dalai Lama, the TGIE, Dreyfus, and other detractors.

As the author says:

"In short, it has been revealed from historical sources that Dorje Shugden is the Three Bodhisattvas: Avalokiteshvara, Vajrapani and Manjushri. He is the sole protector ever to bear the title Protector of the Conqueror Manjunatha, having the responsibility to protect and promote the doctrine of the Second Buddha Jamgon Lama Tsongkhapa. "

Dorje Shugden -- A Recovered History

Over the past 30 years, Tibetan politicians and others following their view have been attempting to rewrite the history of the enlightened Dharma Protector Dorje Shugden, making him out to be a worldly deity of recent provenance, even an evil spirit.

Nothing could be further than the truth. And thanks to the efforts of Trinley Kalsang, a scholar of Tibetan Buddhism, the truth of Dorje Shugden's history is now coming out in detail, based on research into "a legacy of rituals, historical works and art" that have been dedicated to the practice of Dorje Shugden over the last few hundred years.

Today sees the start of Trinley Kalsang's scholarly and clarifying website: Dorje Shugden History. We thank him for doing all this painstaking research and translation. It will go a long way to indicating the extent to which Dorje Shugden and his practitioners have been subject to terrible falsehoods over the last few decades, and especially the last ten years since the publication of George Dreyfus's highly misleading The Shuk-den Affair: Origins of a Controversy, which served as the basis for several other biased and inaccurate accounts.

From the introduction:

Dorje Shugden is a protector deity (srung ma) that came to be propitiated principally by the Sakya and Gelug sects starting in the 17th and 18th centuries. Since that time, a legacy of rituals, historical works and art have been dedicated to the practice of this deity. Although there are many texts that reveal the gradual development of the system of ritual for this deity, much of this has not been brought out in the open for examination. Examination of the important details from these texts is necessary to reconstruct a more complete history, as the history presented thus far by scholars has been partial in order to paint particular constructions that concur with events in the 20th century.

An open letter to Tsering, a monk at Sera Monastery

Dear Tsering,

I hope this letter find you well and happy. I'm responding to recent comments you made on Tenzin Peljor's blog 'refuting' the points made by Shugden practitioners on various Western Shugden Society websites.

In general, I find your letter to be defensive and high in accusatory rhetoric but low in references and logic that refute these claims by the Western Shugden Society. Just saying that someone is wrong does not make them wrong, and just saying that someone is right does not make them right. This is the main problem with the Dalai Lama's claims about Dorje Shugden for example – everyone believes him although he has provided no actual evidence. Such blind belief is not acceptable in Western countries where we like to examine evidence and think for ourselves. This also used to be the case for Gelugpas in the Tibetan tradition in previous times. Sadly, now, the Dalai Lama's word is truth and law and not questioned by most (not that they have any power if they disagree.)

You have provided no evidence to refute the points made by the Western Shugden Society. For example, with respect to the Dalai Lama coming from a Muslim village, Taktser, the only thing you say is:

Moreover, by calling Taktser, the hamlet in Amdo Kubum where His Holiness the 14th Dalai Lama was born, as a Chinese Muslim village is implying that the area belonged to China, thus flagrantly contradicting the historical facts and holding out the historically Tibetan area to PRC.

If I understand you correctly, the only thing you are refuting is that Taktser is Chinese. It is agreed that at the time when the Dalai Lama was discovered, the village was, indeed, in Tibet. However, you have not given any evidence to refute that the Dalai Lama is from a Muslim village and family, so I can only assume that you accept this as true.

I'm personally not familiar with the booklet you quoted, 'Expressing the Ocean of Truth'. You say it is an anonymous publication, but, if so, that is hardly surprising. You cannot be unaware that if someone in feudal Tibetan society speaks out against the Dalai Lama, they can put themselves in grave personal danger. For example, it is well known that the 9th Panchen Lama had to flee Tibet in 1924 in fear of his life for having offended the 13th Dalai Lama. Gunthang Tsultrim was shot in 1976, allegedly for opposing the Dalai Lama's plans to unite all four schools of Tibetan Buddhism under him. Such retribution for opposing the Dalai Lama is well known. Tibet was no Shangri-la and certainly no democracy. There are many bloody tales of revenge in Tibetan history.

You attribute this book to Shugden practitioners, but on what evidence? This is like the TGIE accusing Shugden practitioners of murdering Ven Lobsang Gyatso and his assistants while providing no evidence. Shugden practitioners have been providing a useful scapegoat for the Dalai Lama and his followers for everything that goes wrong in Tibetan society, and congruent with that is the fact that anyone who dares criticize the Dalai Lama is immediately assumed to be a Shugden practitioner and/or the PRC! However, it is clear that it is not just Shugden practitioners who are critical of the Dalai Lama and unhappy with the direction he has taken, both secular and religious. There are documents and articles written by Tibetans that are implicitly, if not explicitly, critical of the Dalai Lama. The Mongoose Canine letter is explicitly critical, but there is also a growing amount of implied criticism on the Internet.

For example, there are many now who recognise the need for a genuine democratic system of government for the Tibetan people, and they aren't getting it. In an article about the separation of religion and politics, Samten Karmay says:

The separation of church and state does not imply abandoning the practice of the established religion. Far from it, it secures freedom of religious exercise and therefore the right of personal choice whether one wishes to practice a religion or not.

Freedom of religious exercise is clearly not what the Dalai Lama wants. He faces a dilemma because if he allows a truly democratic Tibetan society, he will no longer be able to dictate a ban on Dorje Shugden practice. It's probably for this and many other reasons that it's unlikely that there will be be true democracy in Tibetan society while he has power.

Samten Karmay concludes:

A secularization of the exiled community should contribute towards solving the unending sectarian problems and lead to true unity amongst the Tibetan people, without any further religious interference in the political domain.

In banning the practice of Dorje Shugden and making laws to prohibit it, we can see TGIE's political interference in the religious domain – but they are fulfilling the Dalai Lama's wishes. Samten Karmay's solution is to separate 'church and state' as a means of eliminating sectarianism, not banning the practice of Dorje Shugden, although to be fair he clearly agrees with the Dalai Lama's view.

You also say:

The second unjustifiable allegation that the pro-Shugden has made in their writings is about the visit of His Holiness the Dalai Lama. The writers in the same website, says that the monks in Sera and Ganden are not happy with the visit of His Holiness the Dalai Lama. It further claims that the monks are wary of His Holiness again speaking on the "Shugden issue" and inspiring "provocation."

This assertion of the Shugden supporters are absolutely untrue. The visit, first of all, is heartily welcomed by all Tibetans from all walks of lives, including the monks of Sera monastery barring few handfuls of Shugden supporters. We as a monk community, feel it very fortunate to once again be in the presence of His Holiness the Dalai Lama and to blessed by his kindness and benevolence. And by saying so, I also meant many of those who follow Shugden propitiation, if their claims of respecting His Holiness are not mere empty words.

This clearly shows that you're not a Shugden practitioner and have no idea what suffering they're going through. You're completely out of touch with reality on this one, but that's hardly surprising since Shugden and non-Shugden monks are now segregated in the monasteries and encouraged to have nothing to do with each other. You don't even know the people you're living next to.

I personally find it amazing that, even though Tibetan Shugden practitioners are suffering because of the Dalai Lama's actions, they still find it in their hearts to love him. This is a testament to their spiritual realizations. The monks are apprehensive about his coming visit because it was the Dalai Lama's visit to the monasteries in January 2008 that re-ignited the bad feeling over the Shugden Issue and the subsequent 'referendum' that met no standards of democracy and that split the monasteries. It is the Dalai Lama himself who is causing all this suffering and disharmony due to his fanatical pursuance of his self-made policy of banning Shugden worship. He will not leave things alone, so of course the monks are afraid of his next visit. You can love your mother while at the same time knowing that because of her anger or mental illness she will still beat you. These monks are in a similar predicament. How can they be happy when the Dalai Lama himself said:

Recently monasteries have fearlessly expelled Shugden monks where needed. I fully support their actions. I praise them. If monasteries find taking action hard, tell them Dalai Lama is responsible for this.

The monks obviously fear that after the Dalai Lama's next visit, at best they will be put under more pressure to give up their practice and at worst they will be homeless. Knowing this, would you look forward to his visit, Tsering? You have security because you either never engaged in the practice of Dorje Shugden or you have renounced it. Can you imagine how it feels for a Buddhist monk to have their security threatened by their ordaining Master and Buddhist Elder simply because they refused to renounce their Protector practice that they took a commitment to do? They are keeping their spiritual commitments to their Spiritual Guides, and the Dalai Lama is not! It beggars belief. The Dalai Lama acts more and more like someone who's become an irrational control freak – who, under his power, would not be afraid? The Dalai Lama should be a refuge and protector of others, not an unpredictable threat.

This goes to show how crazy this situation is – it's the complete opposite of what it should be. Your complete lack of empathy for the Shugden monks displays your single minded devotion to the Dalai Lama and your lack of understanding of what he's doing to them. Why should the Shugden monks fear a famous Buddhist Teacher who preaches love, compassion, tolerance and acceptance unless he isn't practising what he's preaching? This is sad, but true.

It's laudable that the Dalai Lama is coming to the monasteries to grant ordination to those who could not afford to travel to Dharamsala, but how many of those would-be monks will be Shugden practitioners? The answer is “none” because he refuses to ordain anyone who practises Shugden. Denying ordination to those who practise Shugden unless they give up their practice is yet another despicable method of control.

Then you say:

Thirdly, whereas the retaliating against the actions of Shugden supporters is concerned, it would have been done a long time back if it were not His Holiness the Dalai Lama's advice to His followers to observe restraint.

The Dalai Lama started this problem and I don't see any restraint from his side. There was no restraint when he split the monasteries this year, precipitating the formation of the Western Shugden Society, their letter and demonstrations against the Dalai Lama's ban. Can't you see that the Dalai Lama is the one responsible for fomenting all this conflict and misery?

Please quote passages from his speeches where he said not to harm Shugden practitioners. Let's see some evidence. Rather, there is evidence for the opposite:

Recently monasteries have fearlessly expelled Shugden monks where needed. I fully support their actions. I praise them. If monasteries find taking action hard, tell them Dalai Lama is responsible for this. Shugden followers have resorted to killing and beating people. They start fires. And tell endless lies. This is how the Shugden believe. It is not good.

These are terrible falsehoods. Shugden practitioners of course have done none of these things. Does this sound like the Dalai Lama is really trying to create harmony between Shugden and non-Shugden Tibetans?! Are the Wanted Posters in Southern India, Dharamasala and even New York -- giving the addresses and photographs of Dorje Shugden practitioners -- encouraging restraint? On the contrary, they are there to encourage violence. The recent mob at the New York demonstrations did not seem to be showing any restraint. It was only due to the quick thinking and action of the New York Police in evacuating the demonstrators that a riot was averted. There are suspicions that this near riot was incited to teach the demonstrators a lesson.

In comments on a Tricyle blog, one Tibetan said:

Therefore you NKT/WSS people ought to be careful––New Yorkers are restrained compared to the reception you may get if you persist in staging media stunts in future, if you get thrashed, you may regret not heeding this tip.

In the 1990s, the Dalai Lama himself refused to acknowledge that wanted posters existed or that Dorje Shugden practitioners were being harmed. This is from the Swiss TV Documentary in 1998:

Reporter: Why don't you simply advise people not to worship the deity Dorje Shugden and instruct others to be tolerant and avoid violence towards those who continue to worship it?

Dalai Lama: Nobody harming! Nobody harming on them!

Reporter: But I've seen the calls for violence in the newspapers

Dalai Lama: No, no, no

Reporter: I've seen it with my own eyes

Dalai Lama: No, I think rumors!

How could the Dalai Lama deny what the reporter had personally witnessed? How stupid does he think people are? This is denial, not advising restraint -- he is simply denying that there is violence because it would destroy his reputation.

You conclude by saying:

The recent Special General Meeting in mid November that saw the representation of all walks of lives of the Tibetan people, reaffirmed the supreme leadership of His Holiness the Dalai Lama, and therefore, harping otherwise by few handful of Shugden supporters would do nothing good except distancing themselves from the mainstream Tibetan society.

I doubt that you are in touch with the thoughts of all your own countrymen and women. In her blog, a Tibetan woman called 'Mountain Phoenix' says of the meeting:

This meeting could have been both special and historic, if we had taken the bold and painful step that I believe is unavoidable: To allow the Dalai Lama to retire into the religious sphere, and set the stage for the separation of religion and politics.

Are you going to characterise all critics of the Dalai Lama's approach as Shugden-worshipping-Chinese-sympathisers? This is lazy and wrong and it prevents the Dalai Lama from seeing that there are many Tibetans who disagree with his stance on both political and religious issues. The comments from Tibetans on the Samten Karmay article are unanimously supportive of a separation of religion and politics, so there are many who disagree with you concerning the 'supreme leadership of His Holiness'.

I'd like to say that, despite refuting your obvious wrong claims, I personally have no interest in Tibetan politics. My only interest is the religious freedom of Shugden practitioners. I wish all Shugden practitioners to be able to practise free from slander or persecution by the Dalai Lama.

On Behalf of Concerned Dorje Shugden Practitioners in Europe and India

(The author first offered this open letter to Tenzin Peljor's comments section (on his anti-Shugden website, Western Shugden Society Unlocked), but Tenzin Peljor declined to post it. He claimed that Tsering had sent his letter originally to this blog, but we never received anything from Tsering.)

Memorandum on Genuine Autonomy for the Tibetan People (including Shugden practitioners?)

Theoretically, there is much to recommend in this recent Memorandum (which came out prior to the recent meeting about Tibet in Dharamsala). However, the stumbling block in practice is the section on "Religion", where the Central Tibetan Administration (Tibetan Government in Exile) is asking the Chinese for something that they and the 14th Dalai Lama are not prepared to give themselves.

Religion
"Religion is fundamental to Tibetans and Buddhism is closely linked to their identity. We recognise the importance of separation of church and state, but this should not affect the freedom and practice of believers. It is impossible for Tibetans to imagine personal or community freedom without the freedom of belief, conscience and religion. The Constitution recognises the importance of religion and protects the right to profess it. Article 36 guarantees all citizens the right to the freedom of religious belief. No one can compel another to believe in or not to believe in any religion. Discrimination on the basis of religion is forbidden."

If everyone was indeed allowed "the freedom of belief, conscience and religion", it might would be possible to imagine once again "personal and community freedom" for all Tibetans in exile and even back in Tibet, as opposed to the division and confinement caused by the unconstitutional ban on Dorje Shugden (which breaks Article 36) and ostracism of Shugden practitioners.

How is the forced signature campaign compliant with this ideal "No one can compel another to believe in or not to believe in any religion"?

It is really hard to see how the TGIE can justify speaking these noble words when their deeds go in the opposite direction, away from the "freedom of religious belief" and right toward "discrimination on the basis of religion".

This is a telling and somewhat ironic statement:

"We recognise the importance of separation of church and state, but this should not affect the freedom and practice of believers."

The fact that church and state in the exile community are not separate is precisely what has "affected the freedom and practice of believers". This constitutional violation of religious freedom would never have happened if the Dalai Lama were not both a religious and political leader.

A patriotic Tibetan woman who is not a Shugden practitioner comments on the recent meeting in Dharamsala in He Has Got it Wrong. (This is based on Eliot Sperling's article of the same name.) Here are some extracts:

This meeting could have been both special and historic, if we had taken the bold and painful step that I believe is unavoidable: To allow the Dalai Lama to retire into the religious sphere, and set the stage for the separation of religion and politics.

We all know that Buddhism doesn’t claim to answer the world’s problems. And yet we are expecting the Dalai Lama to solve our political problems. We even elected another Lama, Samdong Tulku, to be our Prime Minister. But by having religious leaders doing political work, we have also been limiting ourselves in ways to struggle for the freedom of our country, which in essence is a worldly problem.

There were specific historical events which led to the emergence of a theocratic form of government in Tibet 500 years ago. But in the last 50 years, since external forces made us join the modern world, the geopolitical situation has become so complex, the demands to government so overwhelming that one guy alone at the top cannot deliver.

In our hearts, we know that worldly problems should be dealt with by worldly measures and by worldly people. As a consequence, let our Lamas return to their monasteries and resume their roles as spiritual teachers. This will clear the way for capable laypeople, men and women, to come forward and eventually, from their midst, a new leader will emerge who will unite and lead us in our struggle for freedom and justice.

In Dharamsala this month, we missed the opportunity to take charge. Now that would have made the meeting not only special but truly historic.

A response to "India Update – Present Situation" on Tenzin Peljor’s anti-Shugden blog

On his anti-Shugden blog, Tenzin Peljor posted an “update” from his friend, a Western monk visiting India. Even reading between the lines of this monk’s account from Sera Monastery, there is something really quite sinister going on in this enforced segregation of monks. It is also not made any the less sinister by a Buddhist monk attempting to justify it:

- By all accounts the situation at Sera, despite the anti-Dalai Lama vitriol of some Shugden monks in the breakaway faction of Pomra Khangtsen, is largely peaceful. In fact, the demands of WSS have already been met! Both sides are continuing their practices without interruption and, through the division into two monasteries, there has been little conflict to mention the past two months. Both sides have kept all their own buildings and no one is homeless as a result of this dispute.
- The seperation has in fact eased tensions and made it easier for both sides to focus on their divergent goals.

In fact, the WSS aims have not been met at all. It is most regrettable that the monks should be separated. Segregation did not work out too well in the South of the U.S. or in South Africa.

However, if the choice is between “separate but equal” (Jim Crow) or being deprived access to basic social services, then separate but equal is better. The question is then whether Shugden practitioners are still denied access to shops and medical care within the monasteries and nearby communities? It would appear that yes, they are, and there are accounts to show this.

If within the monastery they wish to keep things separate to keep the peace, this is better than nothing, despite the sad irony that the peace was only shattered in the first place by the forced signature campaign. But if in the larger Tibetan community, Shugden practitioners are shunned and denied equal access to public places, then clearly there is a problem.

- The Shugden portion from Pomra Khangtsen at Sera Mey (about 120-130 monks and novices) is not attracting any new Tibetan monks as those who come into exile do so in the spirit of being close to HHDL.

This is actually a pretty disquieting statement. To see why, and what is going on here, please read the account of the sixteen young refugees who escaped Tibet last year to come to Pomra Khangtsen but were turned away (and beaten) by the ironically named “Tibetan Reception Center” as they would not renounce their worship of Dorje Shugden. This might explain why Pomra Khangtsen is “not attracting any new Tibetan monks”!

Here is another update from India from some bhikkshus who are living through the ban and segregation and others who are witnessing it. This report, quoted in blue, answers the specific points made in Tenzin Peljor’s monk’s report:

More recently, no Tibetans have been able to come into exile because of the recent uprisings in Tibet. Once things calm down, refugees will again try and come to India for schooling and monastic education. But what will happen when they arrive in Nepal? They will approach the Tibetan Reception Center (TRC) in Nepal, and later in Dharamshala. They will be asked if they are worshippers of Dorje Shugden or not. If they are, and if they do not sign their names to saythey will give up their religion, they will be accused of being enemies of the Dalai Lama and they will not be given the necessary recommendation letter to join any monastery in India. Without this letter, no Abbot is permitted to admit them.

On February 23rd, 2007, Tsering Dondup, the General Secretary of the Department of Religion & Culture (from the Tibetan Government in Exile) sent a letters to the Abbots and staff of every Gelug monastery. It read:

“Even at the head Tibetan Reception Center they are explaining why H.H. the Dalai Lama has banned the worshipping of Dholgyal (Dorje Shugden) to our brothers who newly arrived from Tibet.” … The Reception Center must explain as before why H.H. the Dalai Lama has imposed a ban on worshipping Dholgyal. If, despite your explanations, they don’t listen and take a strong stand, there is no way to let them go to any of the Gelug monasteries, including Sera, Drepung and Ganden, as has been happening until today.”

Tenzin Peljor’s monk continues:

- Most of the Tibetan Pomras have left the Khangtsen and re-joined Sera Mey. Especially the young monks want no part in the vitriol of the more militant leaders who now largely control the breakaway faction. The nasty rhetoric spewing forth from several of the leaders of the faction against the Dalai Lama, in the words of this monk “literally had the monks running out the door back to the majority faction of the monastery.” The nasty comments and lies are so poisonous even many monks loyal to Shugden cannot stand it and have left the monastery altogether.

Now, lets ask why monks from Pomra Khangsten would leave? If you were a Shugden practitioner, treated as a pariah by your former friends and Abbots and made to live in separate quarters, falsely accused of being a demon worshipper, a Chinese traitor and an enemy of state, how brave would you have to be to stay put? How soon would you succumb to the pressure to renounce your faith so that you can return to the main part of the monastery and be on the side of right and might again? Especially if you were young and saw your whole life ahead of you as one of exile, an object of suspicion and contempt? It takes a great deal of courage to stand up for your religious beliefs against those in power, as has been seen throughout history in many different parts of the world.

It is not rather cynical to call the Shugden monks a “breakaway faction”?! These are the same poor monks who were forcibly expelled from their monastery for refusing to renounce their faith in the forced signature campaign. They did not leave because they wanted to! They were pushed out. They were not trying to start a new movement – they just wanted to continue in peace with the practice that had been done for generations in the monasteries.

In terms of supposedly spreading vitriol against the Dalai Lama, lets face it -- anyone whoever questions the Dalai Lama about anything is accused of this. The fact is that all Shugden monks were friends of the Dalai Lama and respected him, many used to have great faith in him; and having to defend themselves against him is incredibly painful.

The position of Shugden practitioners is that everyone should be free to practice as they wish and they seek mutual tolerance and respect between the different traditions, something they themselves are denied. However, there is nothing wrong with informing people of the Dalai Lama's actions and explaining why they are self-contradictory and harmful. Then others are free to decide.

Besides, as the sources in India point out:

Many monks have indeed left Pomra, and many monks still remain in Pomra. But those who left Pomra did so under pressure and fear of being deported from India. The word has been spread widely: “If Shugden devotees do not give up, they will be thrown into the street”. Not only that, but they have been threatened with being driven out of India in the name of an organization called the “Himalayan Cultural Association”.

Pomra monks have no animosity toward these monks who have left. People are free to practice or not as they choose, and will not be asked to give up that choice.

These days, monks who want to join a monastery come from Tibet. For Tibetans living in exile and abroad, it is very rare for them to ask for their children to be admitted into the monastery these days. They are not prepared to send their children. They prefer sending them to school and college. They have seen too many who have disrobed, and monks who disrobed earlier had no other skills and therefore no choice but to join the army divisions or sell sweaters on the street.

Now due to too many problems in the monastery, monks from both sides are not happy. They do not feel like staying in the monastery, so they leave and, when they can, go to America and Europe. You can now find hundreds of ex-monks, including many Geshes, in New York and other places in America and Canada. They are working as laborors in restaurants, shops and factories. Some of the more fortunate monks, or those who have a link with the Buddhist Centers, have the opportunity to teach Buddhism.

Most of the monks who joined the monastery at the beginning of 80 are hardly found in the monastery any more. There only remain a few senior monks who came to India in 1959. Many have passed away.

There are many monks who stayed in the monastery for three years and then left for abroad. Every day, two or three monks from all the Tibetan monasteries go abroad to Europe, America, Canada, South America, Asia. (American visas are difficult to get. Some apply three or four times. If you get an American visa, people think you get a ticket to paradise.) If a Shugden monk has an Indian passport, then he can go. Otherwise, as a Tibetan refugee, a Shugden monk is not issued the Identity Card or Certificate, which is the necessary traveling document for Tibetan refugees.

Every year, fewer and fewer monks join the monasteries, so most Tibetan monasteries now have a lot of Nepali monks.

As for the false claim that Pomra is recruiting Nepali children and then teaching them to hate the Dalai Lama, this is denied.

Pomra now has over 400 monks, over two hundred of whom are living outside the monastery. The majority are Tibetan. There are almost 100 Nepali monks. No one was made or taught to worship Shugden. They came to the monastery to learn Buddhism. They are taught to respect all religious beliefs, and never speak badly about other religious beliefs. The monks usually study the five texts, Valid Cognition, Perfection of Wisdom, The Middle Way, The Treasure of Knowledge and the Vinaya. Dorje Shugden is the Dharma Protector of Pomra. He is propitiated in the assembly hall once a month and at the end of puja.

No one is against the Dalai Lama. No one has developed enmity towards him despite the persecution and discrimination over more than a decade.

Tenzin Peljor's monk continues:

- Despite threats from Shugden worshippers, His Holiness the Dalai Lama will perform hundreds of bhikshu ordinations for novice monks of both Sera Mey and Jey this year around Losar at Sera Monastery.

What threats?! Where is there any sign of threats? This is typical propaganda. Of course HHDL would love to perform hundreds of bhikshu ordinations for novice monks, and that’s fine – but in which case, how can the Shugden monks be hypocritically accused of bolstering their numbers? One thing is for certain: none of these novices will ever hear a good word about Dorje Shugden.

The Bhikkshus continue:

Monks in Sera and Ganden are not happy that the Dalai Lama is about to visit again. Every time he goes there, he stirs up the Shugden issue, and then there is a problem. There are many monks who are not from Pomra who are also complaining: “Why is the Dalai Lama coming to the monastery so often?” A month to go, and people are expecting worse things to happen in the monastery. They think: “The Dalai Lama is coming. He will definitely make the matter worse. He is making this visit as an excuse to retaliate for the worldwide protests and Delhi High Court Case.” Whenever the issue calms down a bit, the Dalai Lama comes along and says something to raise the issue again. Every time he comes, he says something that provokes people.

Tenzin Peljor's monk says:

- His Holiness has continued to withdraw from any political responsibilities in order to allow the Tibetans to take charge of their own future. This indicates all the talk about him being a dictator is baseless. The current meeting is being held largely in his absence, and on Phayul you can read a document where he begs the Tibetans to discuss every option openly.

The Dalai Lama said he has withdrawn from political responsibility but he is still the political head and he always will be. Although the present meeting about Tibet’s future is called a public meeting, eventually they will do what the Dalai Lama wants. He himself avoided attending the meeting to try and show that he is not involved. They are holding the meeting now. I will give you their resolution: their resolution will be that the majority of public want to follow the Dalai Lama’s way.

Pomra monks have to seek food, water, medicine etc themselves. Mostly they are supported by Pomra. No one else supports them. But they are fine with these things, they have faith, as Buddha said: “My practitioners will not starve.”

The situation is relatively peaceful in Sera for the time being. But peace can be destroyed at any time. Shugden and non-Shugden monks live in separation. I don’t think Shugden monks will be allowed to live peacefully.