NEW ARTICLE! Uncovering the deception

[DharmaDefender]

Lies, lies, lies - weve been fed lies for so many years. But are they really lies? Personally I believe in the bigger picture (as some have derogatorily called it) because I have to. Otherwise Id fall into a spiral of anger and bitterness, and thats the stuff you need to sow crazy seeds in your mind-stream

But when someone doesnt have to lie, its sad when they choose to. Its sad Thupten Jinpa feels the need to deny his practice and his gurus practice, and his own former faith and devotion towards the Dharmapala Dorje Shugden. Makes you wonder whats going on behind that smile of his...

http://www.dorjeshugden.com/all-articles/features/uncovering-the-deception/

[WisdomBeing]

It is sad when people deny their precious practice but i have heard another view to this. A long time Dorje Shugden practitioner i met awhile back told me that sometimes people are advised by the Protector himself to not disclose their practice while not giving it up either. I am sure it is tough for these people to deny that they are practitioners or be close to the Dalai Lama and hear him disparage Dorje Shugden. Although having said that, i do realise that is a very simplistic view and probably these practitioners are more accepting of it than i, as a naive little kindergarden practitioner, think.

If undercover Dorje Shugden practitioners are working closely with the Dalai Lama, like Thubten Jinpa, they probably understand the 'big picture' hypothesis more than any of us, otherwise why wouldn't it be easier to just move to Shar Ganden and stop pretending? I do think that Thubten Jinpa is not lying in the conventional sense of the word but keeping mum about his practice because he has to - for now. May the ban be lifted soon so that everyone can be out and proud about their practice!

[vajrastorm]

WB could be right. Undercover Dorje Shugden practitioners would have to pretend otherwise, or their cover will be blown and they are exposed, which can be detrimental to their continued practice of Shugden.

Having said that, it is sad to note that the ban and the discouraging of Shugden practice appear to be having a negative impact on the widespread growth of Je Tsongkhapa's teachings, which are most needed for the people of this degenerate age. After all, Dorje Shugden arose as a Protector to protect Je Tsongkhapa's teachings. The Tibetans -in- exile in India are the ones most affected. All followers, lay and ordained, have been ordered to give up Shugden practice or face the consequences of defying the ban.

Many would have feared the consequences too much to want to defy the ban and practice Shugden. Where Shugden is practiced freely and without fear, Je Tsongkhapa's lineage teachings have been flourishing. This is because the flag-bearers of these teachings are ,at the same time, devout Shugden practitioners.They have ensured that as they spread Shugden practice, so do the teachings of Je Tsongkhapa grow. See this happening in Tibet and China and elsewhere in the Western world.

Yes, may the ban be lifted soon for Shugden practice to  spread like wild-fire and the lineage teachings of Je Tsongkhapa to flourish everywhere.


 

[bonfire]

This is very puzzling indeed!
Why do such highly regarded (and intelligent) Buddhist personalities, relied upon by The Dalai Lama himself, show such apparent lack of devotion towards their very Guru's and towards the Protector of the very school of Buddhism that is their home?
This is very puzzling indeed...

[lotus1]

I do agreed with WisdomBeing that some Dorje Shugden practitioners would hide their practices given by their Guru in order for a bigger picture.

Just like HH Dalai Lama has approved HH Trijang Rinpoche for practicing Dorje Shugden despite the ban he has on other people on practicing Dorje Shudgen, isn't it very contradicting? Why would he agreed to HH Trijang Rinpoche practice on Dorje Shugden that would shorten his life? ("http://www.dorjeshugden.com/controversy/videos-controversy/a-contradiction-or-a-bigger-picture/")

HH Dalai Lama has been emphasising the importance of guru devotion. However, he is proclaiming that the practice of Dorje Shugden that was passed down by his own Guru as "wrong" and do not allow others to practice it. In disagreeing the practices given by his Guru, is he not following his guru's instruction?

Therefore, I still believe there is a bigger picture to this ban, just like Thupten Jinpa has been denying the practice of Dorje Shugden.

[samayakeeper]

Hmmmm....I guess it would be wise for me not to be so judgmental nor vocal against anti Shugden people for I can't really perceive who is really FOR or AGAINST. But one thing is for sure, I would not keep quiet against those who disparage or speak negatively of the lamas who are faithfully promoting the practice of Dorje Shugden for the benefit of all. Of course, that includes those who speak negatively of Dorje Shugden.

[Blueupali]

I do agreed with WisdomBeing that some Dorje Shugden practitioners would hide their practices given by their Guru in order for a bigger picture.

Just like HH Dalai Lama has approved HH Trijang Rinpoche for practicing Dorje Shugden despite the ban he has on other people on practicing Dorje Shudgen, isn't it very contradicting? Why would he agreed to HH Trijang Rinpoche practice on Dorje Shugden that would shorten his life? ("http://www.dorjeshugden.com/controversy/videos-controversy/a-contradiction-or-a-bigger-picture/")

HH Dalai Lama has been emphasising the importance of guru devotion. However, he is proclaiming that the practice of Dorje Shugden that was passed down by his own Guru as "wrong" and do not allow others to practice it. In disagreeing the practices given by his Guru, is he not following his guru's instruction?

Therefore, I still believe there is a bigger picture to this ban, just like Thupten Jinpa has been denying the practice of Dorje Shugden.

I tend to think that the Dalai Lama is showing us what not to do concerning guru devotion; we can think he is an enlightened being showing us what not to do, or an ordinary being who is demonstrating what not to do, depending on our particular view.  One thing that the Dalai Lama keeps doing, as you say, is emphasizing the importance of guru devotion; okay, well mostly for us to have automatic guru devotion for him, the Dalai Lama, over all other gurus, despite perhaps having had no chance to really examine him as a teacher.  So that would completely fly in the face of sutra and tantra;  its really important to remember this these days, since China will pick reincarnates for us, the politics of Tibet will pick others; basically we have to examine teachers for ourselves, just as Buddhists have always done, regardless of who is famous or which government backs who. 

[vajratruth]

I came across this comment from a Thupten Lhundrup which I thought should be shared here:

We’ve been into this subject many times already. Though on a personal level I do not think it’ll be beneficial to discuss one person’s matter and project onto the issue of the controversy, there’s a need to point out how disappointed I am to know that Thubten Jinpa has resorted to make such replies online.

I hope he realizes that his Guru, even though no longer manifesting physically is still very much alive today especially in the hearts of whom Kyabje Zemey Rinpoche has touched so deeply like myself.

Jinpa, is it worth it?

Thupten Lhundrup asks a very good question - is it worth it? And this question applies not only to Thupten Jinpa but all other monks and lay practitioners who broke the oath they swore to their Gurus and Dorje Shugden? What have they gained for turning their backs on Dorje Shugden, and more importantly, for betraying their own decency? Has the Tibetan Cause been achieved? Are the Tibetans in exile better off? Are those who are still upholding an unholy ban better off in any way? Exactly what have they achieved from trading away their honour, ethics, integrity and the priceless relationship with their Guru and an enlightened being? What have they gained from selling cheaply the very foundation of all attainments and good qualities?

The Tibetan cause is weaker today than it has ever been and the schism amongst Tibetans in the exile community deeper than ever. So is it worth it? And if not, why persist in something that is clearly wrong?

[Rinchen]

It is true that with this news out, we would have to to think again before criticising anyone that is not a Shugden practitioners as well as their actions. We may not know if they are secret Shugden practitioners or not. I would still be angry with those that criticise about high lamas that practice Dorje Shugden or even saying negative things about Dorje Shugden. I believe that no matter how we are, or what we do or do not practice, we should never comment negatively on high and attained masters or any Buddhas.

[Blueupali]

It is true that with this news out, we would have to to think again before criticising anyone that is not a Shugden practitioners as well as their actions. We may not know if they are secret Shugden practitioners or not. I would still be angry with those that criticise about high lamas that practice Dorje Shugden or even saying negative things about Dorje Shugden. I believe that no matter how we are, or what we do or do not practice, we should never comment negatively on high and attained masters or any Buddhas.

Ah, well the question here is who is a Buddha and who is a highly attained master?  Generally I also avoid telling people that I don't like their guru, because we all can decide who is our own guru.  If they have faith in someone and see him as a Buddha, then they still get the Buddha's blessings.  However, if the relative action of their guru is not okay and the guru is in a position to hurt people, then I think it is a mandate of the bodhisattva vow to say something.  For instance, I would not be upset that someone follows a different teacher's advice regarding their own personal practice, but should they choose to interfere with or discriminate against others who practice something else, then basically the evil of ending a lineage or splitting a Sangha is much greater than that of simply speaking up.
  I do not agree that just because a whole bunch of people say a certain person is enlightened that we have to believe them; I do not accept that the 5th Dalai Lama was enlightened, for example, based on the fact that 1000 Kagyu abbots were decapitated under his orders, their monestaries forcibly converted, and also Mongol forces that the 5th DL had invited to Tibet killed 7000 of the 10th Karmapa's monks, and the 10th Karmapa was forced into exile.
  Basically to me, being forced to say the Dalai Lama is a priori enlightened without examining his qualifications happens mostly because Tibetans have historically been afraid to say anything against their feudal dictators.  Who can blame them?  Do you like your head to remain with the rest of your body?  Yes, of course, so people who are Buddhist have historically shut up and said nothing around the Dalai Lama.  Some may be devoted, but others, might just be afraid of loosing their precious human life.
 

[Manjushri]

Very well written article, I thoroughly enjoyed reading it.

It is sad that maybe sometimes the truth has to be hidden to protect the individual or something else, and this could apply to Thupten Jinpa as well. It could've been just as hard for him to write what he had to write in response to the article, we wouldn't know. But of course, what is written can be rebutted easily as shown in the subsequent response by the original author of the article because the foundation to the response, and in turn, the ban, is weak.

Also, Thupten Jinpa wrote that his memory is to his late teacher, not to the current Zemey Ladrang. However, the mind of the incarnated Zemey Rinpoche is the same therefore the reverence that Thupten Jinpa has for his teacher should be the same towards the current incarnation of Zemey Rinpoche, no?