Special Announcement – 11th May

[DharmaSpace]

Special Announcement – 11th May
Posted on May 11, 2015

Dear Friends,

The Directors and managers of the International Shugden Community have made the decision that from August 2015 we are going to stop organising demonstrations against the Dalai Lama. The reason for this is that until now all our demonstrations have been very successful and we have fulfilled many of our aims. Now is the time to take a break. We need to help financially the Shugden monasteries in Nepal, India, Tibet and other countries because they really need this help. Therefore anyone who wishes to give a donation or sponsorship to the above monasteries please contact Kelsang Zangmo ([email protected]) the daily manager for this project.

Yours sincerely

Len Foley
Representative of the International Shugden Community

Isn't the demonstrations having a powerful effect on the Dalai Lama and the CTA?

Shouldn't the pressure keep up until the Dalai Lama and the CTA issues a statement overturning 20 years of damage to Dorje Shudgen people and the lamas and the Gelug tradition, and spirit of the Tibetan people.... Isn't 20 years long enough time for still so many to suffer under the shadow of such discrimination?   

If the demonstrations stop now, wouldn't the momentum built up be lost and the next time demonstrations again, need to rebuild the momentum again. I may not 100%  agree with the language of the demonstrations there is no doubt it catches the attention of the people and media. 

[kris]

First of all, I would like to thank ISC for all the efforts they have put in all these years. It is not definitely not easy to arrange so many demonstrations. The financials required for it to happen, the logistics, etc, it is not an easy feat.

If ISC is indeed stopping the demonstrations, I do hope ISC will have new strategy to lift the ban, because we need efforts from everyone to help lift the ban.

Thank you again ISC for all the hardwork over the years!!

[DharmaSpace]

True what Kris says the ISC demonstrators have given a lot in the many times they have demonstrated. It is not an easy task and it takes away time from practice for them to do so.

Hope there will be a newer strategy to apply pressure to CTA and the Dalai Lama to lift the ban.

[christine V]

I do agreed on the worry of the momentum that ISC have build and the attention on Dorje Shugden's ban will slow down, Or there would not be enough attention on it anymore. 
The "demonstration" actually bring the ban to the attention of the world, at the same time, bring down H.H Dalai Lama's fame. ISC and Dalai Lama came from same lineage which is Gelug school, if Dalai Lama do not have political power, this ban is rather an in-school kind of matter. But, Dalai Lama have influence on the ban and as a representative on Tibetan Buddhism. The demonstration do bring attention to Dorje Shugden's ban but at the same time bring confusion toward Tibetan Buddhism. The demonstration have pro and con. Further, if ISC continued to have demonstration, it will seems like they exist only to demonstrate and seems against Dalai Lama.
Anyway, I hopes, ISC have new strategy on leaving the ban as soon as possible, because as long the ban is there, people are suffering on the unfair side of religion discrimination and create further to Buddhism downfall.

[Matibhadra]

With or without demonstrations, the evil dalie, like a rotten fruit, inexorably heads towards where he belongs, the garbage bin of history.

[Shugdener]

I guess worshipers of Dorje Shugden will all have different views on this.

For me, I am glad that they have decided to stop organizing further demonstrations from  August 2015 onward.
Despite how successful the demonstrations have been and have had great influences/impact in helping represent all Dorje Shugden practitioners and voicing out our views, concerns and etc.

However, I feel that their protests tend to become a bit too overboard with their language and their attitude.

It is wonderful to hear that they are now turning their attention towards helping Shugden Monasteries financially. This will help to preserve the teachings the monasteries have and make sure that we don't lose ay of thee holy places.       

[grandmapele]

The demonstrations have been effective so far as we can see. But, in view of the recent tragedy in Nepal and neighbouring Tibet warrant some consideration? They need financial aid and desperately so. Demonstrations are expensive affairs. Since ISC has decided on their priority, we can at least give them moral support in their new strategies and directions. The physical well being of the sanghas in the monasteries are important too for without them, there may not be the next generation to turn the wheel of dharma.

[vajrastorm]

These announcements, coming in the wake of the devastating Nepal earthquake , makes a lot of sense. Granted that the protests by ISC have garnered the attention and support  of world media for the lifting of the ban on Shugden practice, and the momentum has been set, nonetheless, the more pressing issue is that of monasteries especially in earthquake zones that have suffered destruction and where the sangha has been brought to dire straits.

Hence, the ISC has made the right decision to stop the protests and to focus whatever resources they have, and can garner, to helping monasteries and the sangha. It is the undeniable truth that the spread and preservation of the dharma is in the hands of the Sangha.

[prodorjeshugden]

It is good to hear that the ISC has considered not to take a break from demonstrating.
If the demonstrations stop even for a while it means that the ban will last longer, which could have a bad effect on the Tibetans and others who practice Dorje Shugden.
However, the ISC should change their tune a bit, the current slogan "Dalai Lama stop lying" sounds kind of inappropriate. Instead they should put something like "everyone should have the freedom to practice as they wish" or "down with the ban", like what they say you can't expect results if you keep saying the same thing, thus it will be good if once in awhile they change their slogans.

But anyways, we really owe them a huge Thank You for their years of hard work for they were  one of the major cause of making the CTA peoples ear itch.

[Dondrup Shugden]

As it had been proven over and over again that there are a lot of lying both by the Dalai Lama and the CTA, I totally agree that the slogan of DL Stop Lying is not making any impact.

With the Ban being inappropriate and being better understood by great Lamas like HE Tsem Rinpoche, ISC may need to consider going after the lack of religious freedom and discrimination against Shugdenpas.

Dorje Shugden practice is not a new phenomena, why the Ban and why the lies behind the Ban, such as worshipping DS will shorten the DL's life and Tibet will not be returned to Tibetans.  The Dalai Lama is already 80 years old and Tibet is still within China.  With the second question could it be that being uncompromising with China, the CTA can continue to have the huge sponsorship for being a victim? 

Also by creating so much controversies over DS worship, CTA is sidelining their failure to have Tibetans go home to Tibet?

[grandmapele]

prodorjeshugden,  I like your stand and slogan "down with the ban". At least with such a slogan I don't directly create bad karma of insulting a 'man of the cloth'. A monk is a monk and I have no wish to create negative karma. I think a lot of people may feel that way despite the contradictions created by the Dalai Lama. Great idea.

[Matibhadra]

[...] I don't directly create bad karma of insulting a 'man of the cloth'.

You insult every single man and woman of the cloth when you count the evil criminal among them.

A monk is a monk

A monk is someone endowed with vows, which is obviously not the case with the evil criminal.

and I have no wish to create negative karma.

Which is precisely what you do when you cover, even sanctify, the evil criminal, and refer to him as “a monk”.

[yontenjamyang]

Please read The Refuge Commitments

1. Not to go for refuge to teachers who contradict Buddha’s view, or to Samsaric gods.
2. To regard any image of a Buddha as an actual Buddha
3. Not to harm others
4. To regard all Dharma Scriptures as the actual Dharma Jewel
5. Not to allow oneself to be influenced by people who reject the Buddha’s teachings
6. To regard anyone who wears the robes of an ordained person as an actual Sangha Jewel.
7. To go for refuge to the Three Jewels again and again remembering their good qualities and the differences between them.
8. To offer the first portion of whatever we eat and drink to the Three Jewels, while remembering their kindness
9. With compassion, always encourage others to go for refuge
10. To go for refuge at least 3 times during the day and 3 times during the night, remembering the benefits of going for refuge
11. To perform every action with complete trust in the Three Jewels
12. Never to forsake the Three Jewels, even at the cost of our lives, or even as a joke


Commitment number 6 reads:

To regard anyone who wears the robes of an ordained person as an actual Sangha Jewel.

Whether he is evil or not is up to your preception. The results cannot be fully perceived unless one is enlightened. Menwhile please keep this commitment and regard anyone who wears a robe of an ordained person as the actual Sangha Jewel.

[Matibhadra]

Commitment number 6 reads:
To regard anyone who wears the robes of an ordained person as an actual Sangha Jewel.

Since the evil dalie lacks vows, and therefore is no ordained person, his robes, by definition, are the robes of a non-ordained person; they are the mere robes of a vowless person.

Besides, the evil dalie wears preferably Gucci shoes, while according to the Vinaya a monk should go barefoot.

To “wear the robes of a monk” is just wording for being a legitimate monk. Otherwise absurdly any swindler dressing saffron robes would automatically become a Sangha Jewel.

There is even the ongoing, famous case of the Thai fake monk who committed horrid crimes and, just like the evil dalie and many other criminals, afterwards sought US protection.

“In 2013, Mr Wirapol gained notoriety following the release of video footage showed him travelling aboard a luxury private jet while still a monk. He also was carrying a Louis Vuitton bag, wearing brand-name bag and owned more than 100 luxury cars and a large number of land holdings.

Afterward, the former abbot of Khantitham monastery in Si Sa Ket province was indicted on five criminal and civil charges including separating a minor from her guardians, having sex with a minor, public fraud, money laundering and violating Thailand's Computer Crime Act by posting deceitful information.

The 36-year-old ex-monk fled Thailand in 2013 to avoid arrest taking up residence in the US.”

http://www.bangkokpost.com/news/crime/713168/extradition-of-refugee-monk-up-to-us-dsi-says



Above one can see Yontenjamyang's “Sangha Jewel”.

Please read The Refuge Commitments

It is not enough to read them. It is necessary to think about them, and here is where you have miserably failed whith your dumb, outlandish, ridiculous reading of the 6th commitment.

Whether he is evil or not is up to your preception.

Of course. According to the perception of Muslim jihadist terrorists, to convert women through collective rape and to decapitate and crucify children are not “evil” actions. According to you, surely they must be endowed with the most advanced tantric pure perception, mustn't they?

The results cannot be fully perceived unless one is enlightened.

If so, why don't you go to Syria and together with your spiritual brothers with the Islamic State go around decapitating some children and gang raping women in order to convert them, while proclaiming as you and they do that every crime can be covered with the cloak (or robe) of “religion”?

Besides, the results of such Muslim jihadist terrorists' actions cannot be fully perceived unless one is enlightened, isn't it?

Menwhile please keep this commitment and regard anyone who wears a robe of an ordained person as the actual Sangha Jewel.

Buddhists are not bound to your criminal reading of the 6th refuge commitment, according to which every crime can be covered with the cloak of religion.

And as to keep commitments, please read (and think about, and then keep) the first one, which is about not going for refuge to teachers who contradict Buddha's view, which is precisely the case with both the evil dalie lame of Tibet and the Thai fake monk.