Highest Peaks to Lowest Gutters by Jamyang Norbu

[Namdrol]

In a somewhat lame effort to divert attention away from the widening discussions on the Dharamshala instigated attacks on TYC and Chushigangdruk, some on the religious right have been circulating this photograph of me taken at Camp Hale, Colorado in 2010, where a commemorative plaque was being dedicated to the memory of the 300 Tibetan freedom fighters who were secretly trained there by the CIA, many of whom lost their lives in subsequent operations inside Chinese occupied Tibet. I wrote a piece on the event. It was a reunion of sorts where old trainees and CIA personnel met to share their memories, and of course there was a lot of picture taking.  A young Khampa in a natty suit, looking rather like our respected Sikyong, asked if he could have his photograph taken with me. Of course, I said yes.

Now the people circulating this photograph are claiming that this young man, Dechen Trulku, belongs to a Shugden organization. I didn’t know the young men then, or that he was a member of any Shugden group, but even if I did know, I would have taken the photograph with him.  I would like everyone to know this.

I have always believed that people have a right to their religious beliefs, even if I didn’t agree with them, and on the Shugden issue I stated my views clearly in a two-part essay about my disagreement with Tibetan superstitious beliefs in their oracles and protective, especially when the government consulted them formulate political decisions. I also clearly stated my views on the Shugden controversy. I wrote “I believe people have the right to worship Shugden or any other deity they want, while the Dalai Lama as a spiritual leader certainly has the right to object to this on theological grounds and ask people to refrain from such practises. But that is not the problem. The trouble is that the Tibetan government has been inducted to implement the Dalai Lama’s proscription of Shugden worship.” And “The Shugden supporters are, of course, are more than exaggerating when they claim that the Dalai Lama’s actions are similar to China’s repression of religious freedom in Tibet. Such statements belittle the genocidal tragedy that the Tibetan people have suffered under Communist Chinese occupation.” I wrote these two essays way back in 2003 before I started this blog so you can read it on Phayul.com. The numerous comments alone are hugely entertaining and informative in their own right.

http://www.phayul.com/news/article.aspx?id=9394&t=1

http://www.phayul.com/news/article.aspx?id=9412&t=1

Since then I have not been paying too much attention to the Shugden issue, but this business with the photograph raises a concern. Is it now a criminal act in our society or a mortal sin in the eyes of the Dalai Lama to have your photograph taken with a member of a Shuden organization? I asked around and it seems that the answer is yes. I was told that Dharamshala is going around all Tibetan communities making people sign pledges that they would ostracize Shugden devotees, and not even share a meal with them or have anything to do with them. I was told to watch an Al Jazeera documentary on the issue and I was shocked. I had not known that things had gotten so out of hand. Tibetans really need to deal with this issue through discussion and debate, before we start murdering each other, one of these days, just like Sunnis and the Shias, or Catholics and Protestants in Northern Ireland.  If anyone is under any illusion that Buddhists are inherently nonviolent just look back at the way Buddhist monks were instigating the killing of Tamils in Sri Lanka, and more recently the killing of Muslims in Burma.

Jamyang Norbu is a Tibetan political activist and writer, currently living in the United States, having previously lived for over 40 years as a Tibetan exile in India (http://www.jamyangnorbu.com/)

Taken from: http://www.jamyangnorbu.com/blog/2013/05/07/highest-peaks-to-lowest-gutters/

[vajrastorm]

It is truly refreshing to read how an 'outsider' to the Shugden controversy sees, as ridiculous, the way in which HH Dalai Lama and the CTA consider it a great sin to post with a Shugden practitioner and take a photograph with him! Jamyang Norbu came to be in the line of the firing squad because he had unwittingly taken a picture with a young man who was a  Shugden practitioner. After all, it was for a great cause and occasion that he was present , when the picture was taken. The occasion was a reunion of the surviving Tibetan Freedom Fighters and the CIA(who had trained them); and the reunion was held in the US and not even in India!

Though he himself does not believe in oracles and Protectors, deeming them as more objects of superstition than Buddhadharma, he is very much against the way in which Shugden practitioners are being ostracized and discriminated against and also the atrocities that he sees committed against them. He sees this 'war' waged against the Shugden practitioners as no different from that of the war the Buddhist monks are waging against the Rohyinga Muslims in Myanmar. The brutality is on the same scale, in his eyes. 

[WisdomBeing]

Jamyang Norbu writes incisively well. i completely agree with his point of view that Shugden (or any other) practitioners should have the freedom to practice while the Dalai Lama also has the freedom to put his point of view on Shugden practice - however, what is NOT right is that people should not be told to ostracise people who have differing spiritual beliefs and practices.

Buddhists talk about non-duality and equanimity for all - no matter which particular tradition we follow. Yet somehow, according to the CTA and the Dalai Lama, this rule does not apply to Dorje Shugden practitioners. On the contrary, we should treat Shugden practitioners like lepers and basically they should be shunned. What century are we living in?

What is unusual is that so few people are as observant and logical as Jamyang Norbu. I hope more people read what he says here and thinks more deeply about the Shugden issue and how it affects this marginalised community. And when they realise the injustice which has perpetuated for decades, let's hope that more people will voice their disagreement and intolerance of this lack of religious freedom. Jamyang Norbu is correct - it is only a short step before religious dissent becomes physical violence. Otherwise why would highly respected lamas like HH Trijang Choktrul Rinpoche have to engage a security detail to protect him from threats on his life http://www.dorjeshugden.com/forum/index.php?topic=3153.0 ?

[Big Uncle]

It is refreshing to hear what Jamyang Norbu is saying. Everyone else is just looking at the Dorje Shugden issue just from a theological standpoint. Don't you find that really annoying and biased? This is exactly what we need, a new and different perspective on this matter. 

I like what Jamyang Norbu wrote and how he has no regrets of posing for a picture with Dechen Trulku. Why should that be a problem considering how old this picture is and it is very clear from the way Jamyang wrote, he is not even a Shugden practitioner. I find this refreshing and a very good precedence for a lot of people out there who are still forming their views on Dorje Shugden and how to regard people who are practitioners. This should be the way considering the fact that we are all Buddhists and that should the way in which practitioners are regarded.

[dsiluvu]

FINALLY a Tibetan that MAKES SENSE and CAN THINK!

I definitely agree and like what Jamyang Norbu said...

"Since then I have not been paying too much attention to the Shugden issue, but this business with the photograph raises a concern. Is it now a criminal act in our society or a mortal sin in the eyes of the Dalai Lama to have your photograph taken with a member of a Shuden organization? I asked around and it seems that the answer is yes. I was told that Dharamshala is going around all Tibetan communities making people sign pledges that they would ostracize Shugden devotees, and not even share a meal with them or have anything to do with them. I was told to watch an Al Jazeera documentary on the issue and I was shocked. I had not known that things had gotten so out of hand. Tibetans really need to deal with this issue through discussion and debate, before we start murdering each other, one of these days, just like Sunnis and the Shias, or Catholics and Protestants in Northern Ireland.  If anyone is under any illusion that Buddhists are inherently nonviolent just look back at the way Buddhist monks were instigating the killing of Tamils in Sri Lanka, and more recently the killing of Muslims in Burma.

Look none of us are pure a holy... the only thing holy about us is... well let's not go there! Lol.
But yeah everyone has flaws, if we're going to pick on each and every flaw then there will never be peace. And isn't Buddhism about peace and compassion? Please Lord Buddha help me if I am wrong because I became Buddhist because I did not like believing is superstitions and that Gods could get angry and punish you if you do not follow them or make offerings. Now it sounds that Tibetans who are well known to be Buddhist are actually not applying any of the Buddhist teachings and instead acting so hostile and violently against one another, just shames me and amazes me how they can slap the Buddhas and all his teachings in this way. Really, if I was not strong in my Guru Devotion, I would really not want to be a Buddhist after seeing and hearing all this none sense about banning anothers' belief.

Really CTA and those anti-Shugdenpas are bringing Buddhism down and this is a clear sign that they do not practice and do not know Dharma but just follow like sheeps. Very peasant villagers way of thinking. We need more people like Jamyang Norbu. Maybe he should run for being the new PM for Tibetans? He seems to have more substance! 

[vajratruth]

Since then I have not been paying too much attention to the Shugden issue, but this business with the photograph raises a concern. Is it now a criminal act in our society or a mortal sin in the eyes of the Dalai Lama to have your photograph taken with a member of a Shuden organization? I asked around and it seems that the answer is yes. I was told that Dharamshala is going around all Tibetan communities making people sign pledges that they would ostracize Shugden devotees, and not even share a meal with them or have anything to do with them. I was told to watch an Al Jazeera documentary on the issue and I was shocked. I had not known that things had gotten so out of hand. Tibetans really need to deal with this issue through discussion and debate, before we start murdering each other, one of these days, just like Sunnis and the Shias, or Catholics and Protestants in Northern Ireland. 

Taken from: http://www.jamyangnorbu.com/blog/2013/05/07/highest-peaks-to-lowest-gutters/

It is good for the Dorje Shugden ban to finally receive some coverage from influential Tibetans but this itself raises a question. Why has it taken Jamyang Norbu a decade to notice such a grave injustice happening in Dharamsala, especially on something as fundamental as a Tibetan's right to practice his belief? And if Jamyang Norbu whom it is safe to presume, has far greater access to sources of news, has not taken much notice of the ban and its dangerous implications, then the average Tibetan in Dharamsala and overseas would have paid even less attention to something that has been undermining the harmony within the Tibetan society.

And it is also fortuitous for Tibetans and their dream of true democracy that Jamyang Norbu finally realizes that the Tibetan government thinks nothing of embarking on misleading smear campaigns to discredit anyone who does not toe their official line, be it on political or spiritual affairs. Note also that the CTA uses the Tibetan people's religion to bully them into political submission. Jamyang Norbu is finding out that he is "guilty" by association with a Shugden practitioners and by that definition, the CTA is implying that the journalist and writer is a traitor, a Chinese spy who is against the Dalai Lama ergo the Dharma. All these are accusations and labels that innocent people who just wish to continue with their practice have been forced to carry for many years now.

I say fortuitous because now everyone can see exactly how the Tibetan cause has been weakened by the CTA dividing the community along the religious front which makes it doubly sinful for anyone to question and object to. That devious scheme of banning Dorje Shugden is nothing short of dividing and conquering the Tibetan community. The question is, what are Tibetans going to do about it, now that it is clear that the ban affects not just Shugden practitioners but all layers of the Tibetan society?

[Ensapa]

In a somewhat lame effort to divert attention away from the widening discussions on the Dharamshala instigated attacks on TYC and Chushigangdruk, some on the religious right have been circulating this photograph of me taken at Camp Hale, Colorado in 2010, where a commemorative plaque was being dedicated to the memory of the 300 Tibetan freedom fighters who were secretly trained there by the CIA, many of whom lost their lives in subsequent operations inside Chinese occupied Tibet. I wrote a piece on the event. It was a reunion of sorts where old trainees and CIA personnel met to share their memories, and of course there was a lot of picture taking.  A young Khampa in a natty suit, looking rather like our respected Sikyong, asked if he could have his photograph taken with me. Of course, I said yes.

Now the people circulating this photograph are claiming that this young man, Dechen Trulku, belongs to a Shugden organization. I didn’t know the young men then, or that he was a member of any Shugden group, but even if I did know, I would have taken the photograph with him.  I would like everyone to know this.

I have always believed that people have a right to their religious beliefs, even if I didn’t agree with them, and on the Shugden issue I stated my views clearly in a two-part essay about my disagreement with Tibetan superstitious beliefs in their oracles and protective, especially when the government consulted them formulate political decisions. I also clearly stated my views on the Shugden controversy. I wrote “I believe people have the right to worship Shugden or any other deity they want, while the Dalai Lama as a spiritual leader certainly has the right to object to this on theological grounds and ask people to refrain from such practises. But that is not the problem. The trouble is that the Tibetan government has been inducted to implement the Dalai Lama’s proscription of Shugden worship.” And “The Shugden supporters are, of course, are more than exaggerating when they claim that the Dalai Lama’s actions are similar to China’s repression of religious freedom in Tibet. Such statements belittle the genocidal tragedy that the Tibetan people have suffered under Communist Chinese occupation.” I wrote these two essays way back in 2003 before I started this blog so you can read it on Phayul.com. The numerous comments alone are hugely entertaining and informative in their own right.

http://www.phayul.com/news/article.aspx?id=9394&t=1

http://www.phayul.com/news/article.aspx?id=9412&t=1

Since then I have not been paying too much attention to the Shugden issue, but this business with the photograph raises a concern. Is it now a criminal act in our society or a mortal sin in the eyes of the Dalai Lama to have your photograph taken with a member of a Shuden organization? I asked around and it seems that the answer is yes. I was told that Dharamshala is going around all Tibetan communities making people sign pledges that they would ostracize Shugden devotees, and not even share a meal with them or have anything to do with them. I was told to watch an Al Jazeera documentary on the issue and I was shocked. I had not known that things had gotten so out of hand. Tibetans really need to deal with this issue through discussion and debate, before we start murdering each other, one of these days, just like Sunnis and the Shias, or Catholics and Protestants in Northern Ireland.  If anyone is under any illusion that Buddhists are inherently nonviolent just look back at the way Buddhist monks were instigating the killing of Tamils in Sri Lanka, and more recently the killing of Muslims in Burma.

Jamyang Norbu is a Tibetan political activist and writer, currently living in the United States, having previously lived for over 40 years as a Tibetan exile in India (http://www.jamyangnorbu.com/)

Taken from: http://www.jamyangnorbu.com/blog/2013/05/07/highest-peaks-to-lowest-gutters/

Yay! finally someone that talk about this issue bravely. But judging that he is not in Dharamsala, he is literally free to say whatever he wants and he can get away with it without any repercussions. If he was still there, i doubt he would dare write such an article. His articles used to be posted frequently in phayul, but i doubt this article would be posted there thanks to the biased people that run that website. It is however, a very good read by a fellow tibetan who views this issue in a more open way.

[samayakeeper]

It would tremendously help in the lifting of the ban should more people wrote to air their personal views of not just Dorje Shugden practitioners should be allowed with the practice but what and how practitioners had been and are still being ostracized by the CTA. The world must know of the injustice done and suffering inflicted to ordinary people and members of the sangha community because of their belief and right in their spiritual practices.

[Ensapa]

in essence, no matter how you wanna see it, It is pretty clear that the Dorje Shugden ban is not much different from the ethnic cleansing Buddhists of Myanmar and the hardcore fundamental Buddhists in Sri Lanka who appear more as religious terrorists than Buddhists. However, thanks to the Dalai Lama's popularity, many people tend to whitewash this issue or just ignore it altogether. It is not and if they can say that it is wrong for the rahkines to go against the rohgiyas and it is wrong for the sri lankan extremist group to go against those selling Buddhist images on t-shirts and so forth, then they should also see that discriminating against Dorje Shugden practitioners without sound reason is wrong as well.

[Ensapa]

I found a poorly written article, riddled with emotional outbursts, childish insults and a total lack of logic written by some monk who seems to be a fanatical supporter of both HHDL and the TYC, and the rangzen movement which is against HHDL's wishes. The author seems to be attacking Jamyang Norbu, but unfortunately the author himself lacks the ability to write without resorting to personal attacks.

WHY ARE OUR WRITERS ALWAYS FIRING AT THE WRONG TARGET???
By e-mail[Thursday, May 30, 2013 22:58]
By Jeshong Sangay Gyatso

Jamyang Norbu la, I have been reading your articles since long time. And in my opinion most of your articles are like a 57mm RCL (World War II U.S. anti tank weapon which can be fired from shoulder) “POINTING IN THE WRONG DIRECTION”



When that weapon is fired it causes a spectacular back-blast of fire and off course most of the force go behind the HEAT (high explosive anti tank) ammunition. The point is most of the time, while the spectacular back-blast (harmless unless very close) is faced towards PRC and the main HEAT projectile is aimed directly at CTA or His Holiness in a subtle way.

Also your articles looks like a horn of a bull growing the wrong way. Towards your own eye which looks pathetic instead of fearsome or majestic. (some other writers too.)

Whereas writers like Tsering Woeser’s articles are like:-


Tsering Woeser’s Articles are always directed against PRC who is denying us Rangtsen in reality and not towards His Holiness or CTA.

Regarding CTA, like observing a body, you have to look at the whole thing, but if you choose to concentrate only on the asshole, then nothing good ever is going to come out, even from the asshole of the most beautiful women in the world.

And don’t forget Umey Lam was chosen again after referendum (two times) so to say it is not the wish of Tibetan people is like people who want to keep on doing divination (Moh) until they get the result they want to hear.

I have no problem with fellow Tibetans (specially TYC) aspiring/advocating for Rangtsen as it is one’s own right as well as the inner most desire of every Tibetan. In fact I admire our TYC and SFT youths carrying out protests of every type sacrificing their time by doing something for our country. At the same time I feel little bit uncomfortable. But why???

After thinking about it carefully for a long time, I came to realize my main problem is, under their umbrella are very few people like Jamyang Norbu and Lukar Jam who acts as if they are the icon of Rangtsen, who in the name of Rangtsen are trying to drive a wedge among Tibetans and specially now they have no reservation about criticizing even His Holiness like saying His Holiness sold Tibet, Old monk should resign and should stop interfering now etc. But it is His Holiness who symbolizes Tibetan struggle worldwide and 99% of Tibetans in or outside Tibet put their faith in him whether you like it or not, so I don’t think anybody let alone one without any responsibility like Jamyang Norbu has the right to tell/warn His Holiness in any way. That is my biggest problem and that is why I am compelled to write even with my limited English.

I trust His Holiness judgments/wisdom thousand times more than my parents or myself for that matter. I am speaking for myself but I bet 99% of Tibetans feel that way too. He is like our father spiritually as well as in real life. Who has given us everything and he is free of self-interest and ego.

I would like to share a story friend of mine once told me with my fellow exile Tibetans.

“Once a man has a dog and a cat and he use to take very good care of them for many years, So then one day the dog said to him,

Master you fed me well and take very good care of me for all these years, So YOU MUST BE THE GOD!.

The cat said to him, Master you fed me well and took very good care of me for all these years, So I MUST BE THE GOD!”

Also what JN has written about the dire situation in Tibet is absolutely very true. Heart wrenching as it is, but the real catch is “How do we go about solving the problem??” any real workable plan beside criticizing CTA and His Holiness citing PRC’s brutal actions???

Everybody knows Umey Lam is not working right now, let alone Rangtsen Lam, but it at least has major support internationally as well as among many Chinese (who are aware of it) and has more potential to ease our brothers and sisters inside Tibet’s dire problem then Rangtsen stand however morally right it maybe! The bottom line is:

If you have force to back it up then in the short term, You can force your version like PRC did on us, citing some ancient Yuan Dynasty (Mongol) rule and claim Tibet belongs to them which in reality is like France claiming Spain belongs to them citing they were under the same Roman Governor or something like that during the time of Roman Empire.

And these days China is disregarding the international norm of 200 nautical miles limit of sea ownership of a respective country from its shore, beyond which is regarded as international waters.

PRC has laid claims infringing deep into waters and islands of Vietnam, Philippines, Malaysia, Taiwan, Brunei, Japan and International sea route in South and East China seas. You can see the map below by BBC world news.




So if you don’t have the force to back it up, even these sovereign economically well-off countries with reasonably strong military are also struggling how to face China’s naked bully and threat. It is U.S. 7th Fleet that is saving them from PRC’s ultimate aim. Right now, I mean at present moment for us to demand Rangtsen would not be very practical (by that I mean to get actual Rangtsen and ease the suffering of our brothers and sisters inside Tibet, Not an emotional exercise) That I feel is the reality of the world we are living in right now.

It is very easy to say Rangtsen, but the million dollar question is how do we go about achieving it without force to back it up. How do we equate this 6 men against 1,300 ratio? (6 million Tibetans against 1.3 billion Chinese) moreover right now PLA is about 2 million strong and they have no other job except to repress Tibetans and Uighurs. I personally feel they are hoping we would do something stupid so that they can really get the excuse to start wiping us out real time seriously.

You can say we should just stick to our aim of independence with no compromise at all, live our as well as our children’s life as a proud Tibetan, (Just for feel good sake, some even claim they are ashamed to be a Tibetan for giving-up everything, But what have we got to give? Everything is already been taken. So His Holiness is working hard to gain back at least something through MWA) but we who are in free country specially in the west who enjoy all the rights have all the time. It even seems so “PATRIOTIC” to say such things as there is no real danger to your life. But result-wise it has almost no chance. If you have a workable plan please do explain. Upto now it is always in riddles.“ Just delve in your heart and you will be able to find the answer!” etc.

Just recently His Holiness explained in detail how he and Kashag of that time after exploring all the limited possible options came to opt Middle-way approach as the only workable solution according to our present situation and problems. But judging from JN’s writings he still seem to project/think His Holiness and CTA leadership as vain old green-brained uneducated people who can very easily be duped by other people.

But in reality, the sad irony is while the writers of other country like USA for instance works to projects even their wild-west robbers into hero like image. Here is an Tibetan trying hard to discredit a Tibetan who is awarded all the known world famous Awards and honors running well into 250’s and listed among 25 most famous people in world history, 100 most influential people of world list by TIME magazine etc and millions of people who respects him and attend his (always filled to capacity) public talks/teaching transcends all religion, race and color. Who command free world leader and people’s respect without wealth, power even a country, but by sheer moral authority, so maybe it is safe to say, that JN is reincarnation of Gelong Lekpai Karma during Buddha’s time. (Who believed that except for the extra bump on Buddha’s head there is not much difference between them in education, knowledge and wisdom etc)

Then by the way here is an interesting photo.



It may be just a regular photo taken off-handedly at Camp Haley Chushigangduk sangsol (so I was told,) with nothing much significance. but then according to Jamyang Norbu’s own method of analytical deduction. Two guys (JN and Dechen Trulku, member of NY Doegyal Group) whose time is always devoted to slander the same target i.e. CTA and His Holiness teaming up? JN and Doegyal group pooling resources? Working on a new strategy to slander CTA and His Holiness? Who knows??? . As comments on phayul from some of your supporters reeks with Doegal stench.

Also, It is the same method/tactic, Doegyal group also use the same show of (shen-khok) patriotism/integrity towards Gelug teaching and condemn others outright thereby create a big dissension among our different Tibetan Buddhist schools and Tibetan society at large, and now their patron is PRC.

Same with JN and other Rangtsen writings. With show of patriotism (Gyalshen) and Rangtsen he/they try to project majority of Tibetan people as naïve, misled spineless fools, People like him without having to assume any responsibility or work out a solution to the problem think they are on a moral high-ground. Thereby some people fall for that patriotism as every Tibetan wish for Rangtsen. I don’t think there is not even a single Tibetan who doesn’t wish for Rangtsen. But unlike what you project most Tibetans are smart/practical people who doesn’t like to go shopping without money in their pocket.

Here is what Gungthang Rinpoche says in Water and Wood Sutra (Chu-Shing Tenchoe) In the wood sutra he writes.

“Even though axe is the enemy of wood
Its handle is always done by wood
Cause of destructive plan by enemy
Often is initiated by your own kin.”

So, Jamyang Norbu La and our other Tibetan writers, right now I still believe your motivations are sincere but carried away by strong emotion. But, if you choose to, you guys still have the great potential to earn every Tibetan’s respect by directing your wonderful investigative writings targeted towards our real enemy China who deny us Rangtsen and disprove their brazen lies with your skillful writings instead of targeting your own people who are working hard to achieve aim from a different angle. By that, I don’t mean to say no criticism at all. There should be healthy criticism as and when needed with suggestions for solutions as well if possible. These are my own personal views. As I have my right to differ same as you guys do and write quite often.

Jeshong Sangay Gyatso, a monk (monk name Tenzin Yarphel) resides at Thekchen Choeling, Dharamsala.

The views expressed in this piece are that of the author and the publication of the piece on this website does not necessarily reflect their endorsement by the website.

[Dondrup Shugden]

In a somewhat lame effort to divert attention away from the widening discussions on the Dharamshala instigated attacks on TYC and Chushigangdruk, some on the religious right have been circulating this photograph of me taken at Camp Hale, Colorado in 2010, where a commemorative plaque was being dedicated to the memory of the 300 Tibetan freedom fighters who were secretly trained there by the CIA, many of whom lost their lives in subsequent operations inside Chinese occupied Tibet. I wrote a piece on the event. It was a reunion of sorts where old trainees and CIA personnel met to share their memories, and of course there was a lot of picture taking.  A young Khampa in a natty suit, looking rather like our respected Sikyong, asked if he could have his photograph taken with me. Of course, I said yes.

Now the people circulating this photograph are claiming that this young man, Dechen Trulku, belongs to a Shugden organization. I didn’t know the young men then, or that he was a member of any Shugden group, but even if I did know, I would have taken the photograph with him.  I would like everyone to know this.

I have always believed that people have a right to their religious beliefs, even if I didn’t agree with them, and on the Shugden issue I stated my views clearly in a two-part essay about my disagreement with Tibetan superstitious beliefs in their oracles and protective, especially when the government consulted them formulate political decisions. I also clearly stated my views on the Shugden controversy. I wrote “I believe people have the right to worship Shugden or any other deity they want, while the Dalai Lama as a spiritual leader certainly has the right to object to this on theological grounds and ask people to refrain from such practises. But that is not the problem. The trouble is that the Tibetan government has been inducted to implement the Dalai Lama’s proscription of Shugden worship.” And “The Shugden supporters are, of course, are more than exaggerating when they claim that the Dalai Lama’s actions are similar to China’s repression of religious freedom in Tibet. Such statements belittle the genocidal tragedy that the Tibetan people have suffered under Communist Chinese occupation.” I wrote these two essays way back in 2003 before I started this blog so you can read it on Phayul.com. The numerous comments alone are hugely entertaining and informative in their own right.

http://www.phayul.com/news/article.aspx?id=9394&t=1

http://www.phayul.com/news/article.aspx?id=9412&t=1

Since then I have not been paying too much attention to the Shugden issue, but this business with the photograph raises a concern. Is it now a criminal act in our society or a mortal sin in the eyes of the Dalai Lama to have your photograph taken with a member of a Shuden organization? I asked around and it seems that the answer is yes. I was told that Dharamshala is going around all Tibetan communities making people sign pledges that they would ostracize Shugden devotees, and not even share a meal with them or have anything to do with them. I was told to watch an Al Jazeera documentary on the issue and I was shocked. I had not known that things had gotten so out of hand. Tibetans really need to deal with this issue through discussion and debate, before we start murdering each other, one of these days, just like Sunnis and the Shias, or Catholics and Protestants in Northern Ireland.  If anyone is under any illusion that Buddhists are inherently nonviolent just look back at the way Buddhist monks were instigating the killing of Tamils in Sri Lanka, and more recently the killing of Muslims in Burma.

Jamyang Norbu is a Tibetan political activist and writer, currently living in the United States, having previously lived for over 40 years as a Tibetan exile in India (http://www.jamyangnorbu.com/)

Taken from: http://www.jamyangnorbu.com/blog/2013/05/07/highest-peaks-to-lowest-gutters/

What a beautifully written article without bias as an outsider with a view that is logical and kind and not taking sides.

Reminds me of a high lama who also recently wrote very well about the middle way to solve this Ban on Shugdenpas without disrespect to the Dalai Lama, whom this High Lama still venerates.

[prodorjeshugden]

It is really sad to know how the CTA is treating Shugdeners.
How could anyone define who is a Shugden practitioner and who is not? Is it formal to go to someone and ask him do you practice Dorje Shugden before taking a picture with him?
Freedom of worship is a number one priority in any country. Take a look at The United States of America, they faced some attacks by muslims, but yet they did not outlaw the practice of Islam.

We are Buddhist, we should live as one and not segregate Dorje Shugden worshipers and non Dorje Shugden worshipers.
What would the Buddha say if he saw us doing unbuddhist things to people of our own religion?
So to the people in the CTA, please stop doing horrifying things to Shugden practitioners.