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.

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.)

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.

Segregation and ostracism of Dorje Shugden practitioners in India and the West

Update from the Dorje Shugden Devotees Society in India:

Sera-Jay monastery is situated in the Tibetan settlement at Bylakupee, five hours by bus from Banglore City, Karnataka State, India . Until this year, it was a monastery that was used by Shugden and non-Shugden practitioners alike. Since the introduction of the ban on Shugden practice made by the Dalai Lama, such harmony has been destroyed and great division and discrimination now exists in the monastery. The posters in these three pictures announce:

"Shugden followers are not allowed."

Picture 1: Sidharta Guest House, which is run by Sera-Jay School.


Picture 2: Visual Section run by Sera-Jay monastery.


Picture 3: Guest House of Sera-Jay monastery.


The posters have been here for the past few months. Taking photographic evidence was not possible before now because of the vigilance in these places.

These three posters show clearly the naked and open discrimination and abuses against Shugden practitioners. It is time for the world to know the terrible apartheid being conducted by monks against monks. We have the spiritual and social responsibility to raise this awareness and to help free these suffering monks from being outcast.

Untouchability

As these three posters show, we are witnessing the creation of a new class of untouchability in India. This is something prohibited by the Indian constitution.

ARTICLE 17 of The Constitution of India
"ABOLITION OF UNTOUCHABILITY - "Untouchability" is abolished and its practice in any form is forbidden. The enforcement of any disability arising of "Untouchability" shall be an offence punishable in accordance with law."

(Ed: Worth noting that the monastery is only there because the Indian government gave it permission to be there, and it is still on ground belonging to the Indian government.)

Latest discrimination by the Foundation for the Preservation of the Mahayana Tradition (FPMT)

Dorje Shugden practitioners are now completely outcast from the FPMT in the West as well, even though the Founder of the FPMT, Lama Yeshe, practiced Dorje Shugden until his death, as did many of the lineage masters mentioned on their teachers page. Lama Yeshe’s senior disciples relying upon Dorje Shugden have already either had to go underground or give up their life commitment to Lama Yeshe in order to stay as a teacher or ordained person in the FPMT. Now they have to do this merely to attend teachings. This is a sickening echo to the Jim Crow “separate but equal” laws segregating blacks and whites in the American south, except that Shugden practitioners are now officially not just separate but unequal.

From the FPMT website: "Restriction: FPMT has recently issued a new policy regarding the Shugden practice in accordance with the wishes of His Holiness the Dalai Lama. Lama Zopa Rinpoche has expressed the wish "not to have a guru-disciple relationship with anyone who is practicing Shugden."

This is a clear policy of discrimination against other Buddhists. It is extraordinary that it has been enacted, let alone advertised on their website, in this 21st Century.

Since Lama Zopa is still the nominal head of the FPMT, this means that Tibetan politics has now irreversibly permeated the FPMT. It means that not even Lama Zopa's precious teachers, Trijang Rinpoche (or his reincarnation) or Lama Yeshe, would be allowed to attend Lama Zopa's teachings.

FPMT members have long accused the Dorje Shugden practitioners in the New Kadampa Tradition (NKT) of being a sectarian cult. The irony is that the NKT is an open and tolerant organization that has never turned anyone away from a teaching due to their religious beliefs. That this religious belief is the 400-year old practice passed down through generations of fully accomplished Buddhist masters, including half the lineage Gurus of the FPMT, is beyond comprehension.

Meanwhile, it is unclear whether or not Lama Osel (the reincarnation of Lama Yeshe) would countenance this latest extraordinary development. He has kept his distance from the FPMT for the last few years. The de facto head of the FPMT is now the Dalai Lama.