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.

The Tide has Turned - Gelugpa Tradition Revival in the East and the West

Homage to Guru Protector Dorje Shugden!

Since the Western Shugden Society demonstrated against the Dalai Lama's ban on the practice of Wisdom Buddha Dorje Shugden last year, much has happened that is a cause for rejoicing. These demonstrations came about because the Tibetan government were organizing the expulsion of Dorje Shugden practitioners from Tibetan society with those practitioners having no recourse and no free speech, and although the WSS made many requests to the Dalai Lama requesting him to stop, he never replied. The peaceful protests arose out of compassion, not out of anger. Now the problems they were addressing have stopped, at least temporarily. Moreover, developments on various fronts also show how necessary and effective this expression of free speech in Western society was in terms of showing support and thereby increasing the confidence of sincere practitioners in India and elsewhere. They have heralded a revival of Dorje Shugden practice throughout the world.

Persecution stops, WSS stops

As the world media spotlight is never far away, the Dalai Lama and his followers are forced to be more cautious, and as a result we are hearing less about the persecution of Dorje Shugden practitioners in the Tibetan exile community in India. Recent information indicates that the Tibetan government have stopped the persecution because the Dalai Lama's reputation is decreasing in the world due to this mistake. If the Dalai Lama continues to speak out and act to destroy the practice of Dorje Shugden and the beloved Gelugupa tradition transmitted by the lineage holders Je Phabongkhapa and Trijang Rinpoche, as well as many other great Gelugpa Lamas and their disciples, he now knows that WSS demonstrators will continue to protest to bring this hypocrisy and injustice to the world's attention. The WSS wants peace. If the Dalai Lama and his government stop, the demonstrations stop. If they do not stop, the WSS does not stop.

Politicians backtrack

The Dalai Lama's student and Tibetan prime minister, the monk Samdhong Rinpoche, has even been embarrassed into publicly criticizing the Abbots for the forced signature campaign. This is ironic, as he was of course an instigator of this campaign, but it is a clear indication that the exile government knows now that they cannot get away with this disastrous policy, and feel the political need to distance themselves from it by scapegoating the Abbots.

Court case

The court case against the Dalai Lama and Samdhong Rinpoche wends its way through the Delhi High Court, to be heard in September. Whatever the outcome, it is at least being taken seriously as there are pages upon pages of documented evidence of the ban and its repercussions -- persecution, violence, segregation, etc.

High Gelugpa Lamas speak up

Recently the Ganden Tripa, the Ganden Throne Holder and head of the Gelugpa school, spoke out publicly in support of Trijang Choktrul. The Dalai Lama has never been the head of the Gelugpa school (nor any of the other Tibetan Buddhist schools); it is the Ganden Tripa who has traditionally been responsible for what happens within the Tibetan Gelugpa tradition, and this support for a famous Tibetan Dorje Shugden practitioner indicates the Ganden Tripa's lack of support for the Dalai Lama's interference in this tradition. It indicates that more and more Gelugpa Lamas who have continued their practice of Dorje Shugden in secret now have the confidence to come out of the closet and defy the Dalai Lama and his government in exile.

Dorje Shugden practitioners now have their own qualified temples and monasteries, free from political interference

Many Lamas, monks and other practitioners now have the confidence to join forces in practicing this tradition openly.

Perhaps the most compelling sign that the tide is turning is the growth of the monasteries Serpom Norling and Shar Gaden. Very fortunately, 500 monks from Ganden and 400 monks from Sera received their own land and are making new monasteries and temples where they can continue to practice the Gelugpa tradition purely without political disturbance. They are receiving financial support from individuals in the West, other Tibetan Lamas, and the WSS. As you can see from the pictures, they are working extremely hard and effectively, just as Dorje Shugden practitioners once upon a time worked hard to build the Tibetan community in exile after 1959.

These extraordinary qualified monasteries have arisen just ten minutes away from Sera and Ganden monasteries, the homes the monks were forced to leave for refusing to sign their names to say they would not support Dorje Shugden practitioners either materially or spiritually. These impressive buildings and the daily religious activities of the monks are a potent witness to the Dalai Lama's failure to use his power and reputation to stamp out a pure religious tradition. The lineage Gurus have been restored to their rightful places on the thrones and the walls of the new temples. These new developments also show clearly how religion and politics do not mix. It seems as though the pure Gelugpas have broken away forever from Tibetan politics, both in the West and in the East. Despite some run ins with Dalai Lama supporters, and attempts by the Tibetan Government in Exile to stir up animosity towards Dorje Shugden practitioners, the ranks of the monks are growing all the time.

The annual Medicine Buddha Festival will held in Serpom Monastery on Sept 29, 2009, when hundreds of monks will perform pujas three times a day for a week 'for the well-being and prosperity of all living beings, and particularly of devotees and well-wishers of the Peace Deity Dorje Shugden'.

Other monasteries throughout the world

There seems to be a revival of Dorje Shugden practice throughout the East, with temples and monasteries growing up or continuing to flourish in Tibet, in Chatreng, Chamdo and Kham, as well as in Mongolia, Nepal, and Taiwan.

In the West, the New Kadampa Tradition also flourishes, with over 1100 Centers and branches.

Dorje Shugden's practice is growing like his statues

There are also Dorje Shugden statues being built both in the East and the West. People from all around the world are ordering more and more Dorje Shugden statues to be intalled in their respective centres and temples. This summer will see the unveiling of a beautiful new set of Dorje Shugden five lineages in the Kadampa Temple in England.

Dorje Shugden empowerment to thousands of Westerners

Last but not least, next week in England between 4000 and 5000 Western Buddhists, more than ever before, will receive a Dorje Shugden empowerment and Lamrim teachings from Venerable Geshe Kelsang Gyatso at the UK Kadampa Meditation Centre. For his entire life, Geshe Kelsang has fearlessly practiced, preserved, and promoted the pure Gelugpa tradition of Je Tsongkhapa as passed to him by Trijang Rinpoche.

All in all, it is proving impossible to stamp out this great tradition. Dorje Shugden's time has come! May all living beings be happy and experience religious freedom.

So that the tradition of Je Tsongkhapa,
The King of the Dharma, may flourish,
May all obstacles be pacified
And may all favorable conditions abound.

If you know of other hopeful developments, please let us know in the comments section.