Somebody is giving away Free Tibets?
His Holiness, The 14th Dalai Lama is speaking tonight at Radio City Music Hall. For those of you not currently stalking me, that’s right across the street from my office. It’s probably Radio City’s biggest event since that Sex and The City premiere that I also totally didn’t get invited to.
When I went out to grab lunch earlier I found that along with the ubiquitous Free Tibet protesters, there was also a huge anti-Dalai Lama protest underway. This second group was made up largely of what appeared to be Buddhist monks, but they where carrying signs with slogans like “Dalai Lama Give Religious Freedom” or “Dalai Lama STOP LYING!” or just simply “Hypocrisy!”.
I assumed that the protest was in some way related to the idea that Tibet, while peaceful, was essentially a strict Theocracy and that somehow that is worse than Communist rule. But then why monks? Well, a quick internet search shows that the protesters were most likely part of the Western Shugden Society, a group of Dorje Shugden practitioners who are apparently so peaceful and serene that they view the Dalai Lama as an oppressive d-bag.
I will admit to being way out of my depth here. It’s just that seeing someone who is essentially the poster child for peace and harmony being hated on by a group of megaphone wielding monks was a pretty hard image to shake. If anyone knows anything more about the Western Shugden Society or their conflict with the Dalai Lama please enlighten us in the comments.
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Find out why the Dalai Lama is suppressing religious freedom:
http://www.wisdombuddhadorjeshugden.org/
http://www.wisdombuddhadorjeshugden.blogspot.com/
oh man i joined the wrong sudhjgen society
The Dalai Lama has instituted a ban on a mainstream Buddhist practice called Dorje Shudgen which has been taught throughout the world, including in Tibet for 400 years. HH himself engaged in this practice for most of his life and was taught it by his teacher– the revered Trijang Rinpoche and his teacher before him. In the exiled community of Tibet, monks have been forced to take oaths not only to not practice this ancient prayer but to not associate with any other people who do. This has resulted in monks being segregated and removed from their monestaries and denied food. Laypersons who continue to practice this prayer are shunned in Tibetan society. It is astonishing that the Dalai Lama would be part of such religious persecution but we must remember that he is the head of a theocracy where he wears two hats– spiritual leader and political leader. Buddha taught, “Do not believe me because my name is Buddha. Investigate for yourself. Please investigate! http://www.westernshugdensociety.org
“Dalai Lama and Dorje Shugden” - a documentary by Swiss public television
1/3. Others are easy to find on youtube
http://youtube.com/watch?v=n5sOm-uQH9Y
The Dalai Lama is suppressing the freedom of practitioners of the Gelupa tradition, monks, nuns and lay people by banning the mainstream prayer of this tradition. Why? If he can ban the prayer, he can destroy the entire tradition: and reinvent a new Buddhist tradition with himself, as the head.
People are suffering. He is causing this suffering. Although it is well-documented, no one believes it because he is famous for being a “good guy”. If you ask, no one can tell you what he ever “did” that was so good. He just talks about being good. Investigate what he actually does: it is not good. It is not even Buddhist.
He talks about the importance of dialogue but he refuses all requests from Shugden practitioners to dialogue. Very likely because his position is so irrational he cannot defend it. That is why the Shugden practitioners are shouting.
The emperor has no clothes.
Not much to add to the discussion, just some links not yet mentioned:
- A monastery actually built a 9-foot high WALL straight down the middle of their community to keep out the Dorje Shugden practitioners. Crazy, huh?? http://www.westernshugdensociety.org/reports/dorje-shugden-ban-the-segregation-wall-at-ganden-monastery/
- You can see pictures of the “oath cards” the monks have to swear here: http://www.westernshugdensociety.org/reports/category/oaths/
- And finally you can watch the “democratic referendum” held in the monasteries to “vote” if monks wanted to continue to have relations (spiritual and material) with Shugden practitioners. As it was a public vote in front of their peers and superiors, of course they all voted no. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EvtX9nrRcL0
Yours,
HappyNKTer
For all his smiles and charm, the Dalai Lama is harming Dorje Shugden practitioners in India. This ‘man of peace’ is denying them food, shelter, education and travel visas for worshipping a Buddha traditionally revered by millions for four hundred years. His own Teachers practised it too, but he says they are “wrong”. So much for the love, compassion and religious tolerance he preaches everywhere!
http://www.wisdombuddhadorjeshugden.org/
Make up your own mind about this important issue.
OK, Can’t find much fact about the actual religious practice of Dorje Shugden. The web sites in English all appear to be propaganda pieces using the simple argument that the Dalai Lama is suppressing a practice of Tibetan Buddhism. Here’s a prayer I found that will perhaps enlighten (see how I did that?) us as to why the practice of Dorje Shugden is concerning to the Dalai Lama:
Before myself, as yidam deity,
Amidst a wind swept dark red fire,
On lotus, sun, and splendid, frightening
Lion trampling enemies and obstructers,
Is the supreme heart-jewel of Dharmapalas,
Mighty Gyalchen, Dorje Shugden,
Body, beautified by robes of a monk,
Wearing the golden domed hat on his head,
Razor sword and enemy heart in his hands,
In a manner, pleased with the practitioner,
Fierce expression destroying enemies and obstructers,
Surrounded by oceans of retinues
Of attendants such as Kache Marpo,
Light rays from my heart invite
From the sphere of pure nature
And each palace, wherever they are,
The wisdom beings who, in one instant,
Become inseparable from the commitment beings!
Charming, eh? Razor sword and enemy heart in hands. Sounds like perfect non-violent resistance to me!
This comes from http://www.dorjeshugden.com/practice-shortsadhana.htm just to source it adequately… There’s some other goodies there too, like this cute verse:
O Dorje Shugden and all your wrathful entourage,
May your heart commitment be fulfilled and degeneration restored!
So it’s basically like the Heavy Metal version of Buddhism, except without Vikings.
that prayer rocks! its cool there are all these silent lurkers coming out of the woodwork to inform us about this!
Andrew,
On the one hand your characterization of Dorje Shugden is somewhat accurate (even if misinterpreted); however, to put it in the context of Tibetan Buddhism in general, Dorje Shugden is part of a “category” of Buddhas called “Dharma Protectors”. All Dharma Protectors appear in wrathful aspects, and Dorje Shugden is one of about a zillion of these Protectors.
The Dharma Protector that is the “official” Protector of Tibet — the Dharma Protector practice advocated by the 14th Dalai Lama himself — is called Palden Lhamo. She is a wrathful female Buddha. Here’s a picture for you:
http://www.exoticindiaart.com/product/TI55/
Wild gal, huh??
Then there’s Mahakala, another famous protector. You can see him here:
http://www.andyweberstudios.com/d_mahakala.html
There are many others, too, not to mention the Tantric deities like Heruka who are not Protectors but still appear in wrathful aspects.
It would take me a long time and a lot of typing to explain why Buddhas who are Dharma Protectors appear this way, and why their ultimate nature is still wisdom and compassion — I don’t feel like typing that much and I doubt you would read it anyway.
I think that it’s very understandable that non-Buddhists see all of this as an obscure theological debate over what seems to be a mythological being. That’s ok to think that. When it comes down to it, who cares about the outcome of the doctrinal debate? I care, because I’m a Buddhist who stands on one particular side of this debate, but I don’t expect you or anyone else to care about the religious details.
But the problem is that there are people who are really suffering over this, people who are being forced to sign oath cards that decide their fate, and being ostracized from their community.
I think people should care that religious discrimination is really and truly going on, and in fact it is discrimination that is governmentally sponsored! This is quite a hypocrisy coming from a government whose head is known throughout the western world as a patron saint of tolerance.
Think twice, and think for yourself.
PS, I wrote about my own experiences at a protest I participated in. It offers a first-hand look at what these protests are all about. If you’re interested…
http://happynkter.wordpress.com/2008/07/21/demonstrations-against-the-dalai-lama-part-4-of-4/
Yours,
Happy