UNDEMOCRATIC ID cards still enforced

[beggar]

good to hear of the discussion going on Facebook, Tenzin Sungrab, and thanks for bringing the attention to light. Also good to hear the kind of response you are getting. I second Kurava's suggestion to please also direct them towards this website and forum, where there is a lot of discussion on the practice (and the politics), and provides a safe place for people to ask questions and learn more.

It's interesting to note from the comments you posted that people seem to be getting a lot of strength from having "open and sane" discussion. This reminds me again how important is it that we do remain as level as we can in our discussions and how important it is not to revert to speaking ill of Lamas, or even of any "side" or "camp", but instead present the facts objectively and help people to understand a situation better so they gain more faith and conviction in their practice(s). This is what we hope to achieve, I believe - to encourage more people to practice the Dharma, strengthen their existing practices, and allay doubts.

Keep the discussion going!

[pgdharma]

Thank you, Tenzin Sungrab for  your effort in creating awareness of the  ban through facebook and twitter. I agree with kurava suggestions to direct those interested to know more to this forum and website. This website provides good write ups, very informative and unbias. Many of my doubts and uncertainties were cleared after I followed this website. Everything good has come my way too after I started DS practice. Now my faith gets stronger  and stronger as I can see the results of this practice and my prayers answered.

May Dorje  Shugden prevails forever!!!!

[thor]

This may come across as being disrespectful but this is not my intention. I have often heard that Buddhism will be destroyed not by non-Buddhists but from within, destroyed by Buddhists themselves. In this case - the implementation of these ID cards, ostracism and overt discrimination - it certainly seems to be the case. (then again, in spite of all this, it does not seem that Buddhism is diminishing; in fact the practices are now more well known than ever! But it is a sorry sign of how practice has become and the blatant lack of respect for what the Sangha represent for us).

I believe in certain Buddhist countries like Thailand, monks also have some form of identification cards but in this case, it is more of protection for the Sangha (so that people do not assume monks robes as imposters and misuse the name of the Sangha) or so that these Sangha can receive special privileges or receive the right assistance wherever they go. It is certainly not to distinguish them from one practice or another as explained above in this post. It seems quite unlawful. Is it even in line with the Vinaya rules to implement something like this?

beggar, one of the 5 heinous crimes is creating schism within the sangha. I too have no intention of being disrespectful, but from a worldly perspective, it certainly seems that these ID cards are yet another step in widening the divide between Shugden and non-Shugden practitioners. These are worrying times indeed.

Tenzin Sungrab, thank you for your efforts to create greater awareness of the issue on Facebook. Please don't stop there, but create understanding also of our Protector himself and his practice. An open, respectful discussion will go a long way further towards the eventual overturning of the ban, I believe.

[thaimonk]

It is also important that we OURSELVES WHEREVER WE GO REFLECT AND EMULATE AND REPRESENT our protector, lineage and lamas very well.

We should hold on to our refuge vows, not engage in intoxicants, truly have a forgiving and kind attitude, remember those that have been kind to us. And apologize when we are wrong, not hide and avoid.

Only by reflecting what we believe in, would our convincining power be substantial.

[prodorjeshugden]

It is really sad to hear that people are forced to side between Dorje Shugden or the Dalai Lama. It is just like asking one to chose between their mother or father. These are the kinds of situations that can turn friends and families into deadly enemies. Besides being separated from friends and relatives who made a choice to go against Dorje Shugden  they are also prevented from doing their day to day activities such as attending school or college. If they want to purchase their daily necessities they may have to go to a town where Shugdenners are allowed to purchase goods.  Shugdenners are barred from going to public hospitals and clinics, which means that a lot of them may suffer from various health problem. As if that is not bad enough, everyone who practices Dorje Shugden face constant threats and are sometimes attacked by mobs.

I really hope that the CTA and the Dalai Lama will end the ban soon.

[SabS]

The last time that people were marked for what they represented was during the World War II when Jews were marked for being a Jew. And now the Dalai Lama and CTA is marking to segregate the monks for being Dorje Shugden practitioners from the non-practitioners. Such a painful history being re-lived again when humans should have learnt. The Dalai Lama being Buddha Avalokitesvara (Buddha of Compassion) can allow this? In fact, why aren't prominent Jewish leaders speaking out against such an act, an act against humanity that most of their elders had been through and suffered? I don't know but somehow I find this akin to the animals slaughter houses where they knowingly and purposely inflict more pain in the process of killing. However, in this case, the mighty enlightened Protector Dorje Shugden will never be "killed" and in fact, his practise had spread further and wider. May we always have the merits for the Protector Dorje Shugden to be in our lives and the many who needs his enlightened activities!

[dsnowlion]

How is any of this considered Democratic? It is a disgrace to all democratic nation to stay quiet and stand still to watch the barbaric attitude of the Tibetan exile gov, CTA use and abuse the democratic word, it's constitution and definition because the outright breach the religious freedom of their own people through such segregation on an ID card!

Freedom of religion is a fundamental human right that protects the conscience of all people. It allows us to think, express and act upon what we deeply believe. But in Dharamsala, and amongst Tibetans there, and thanks to the CTA this freedom is eroding.

On top of the fact that religious freedom rights have been stripped from Dorje Shugden practitioners, they have also been officially declared to be criminals! Now if this is not outright discrimination and a ban on Shugden people then what is? And how is it that a so called Buddhist nation allow this sort unethical inequality injustice?

[dsnowlion]

How is any of this considered Democratic? It is a disgrace to all democratic nation to stay quiet and stand still to watch the barbaric attitude of the Tibetan exile gov, CTA use and abuse the democratic word, it's constitution and definition because the outright breach the religious freedom of their own people through such segregation on an ID card!

Freedom of religion is a fundamental human right that protects the conscience of all people. It allows us to think, express and act upon what we deeply believe. But in Dharamsala, and amongst Tibetans there, and thanks to the CTA this freedom is eroding.

On top of the fact that religious freedom rights have been stripped from Dorje Shugden practitioners, they have also been officially declared to be criminals! Now if this is not outright discrimination and a ban on Shugden people then what is? And how is it that a so called Buddhist nation allow this sort unethical inequality injustice?

[Celia]

What purpose does having such ID in place serve but to perpetuate discrimination and segregation? It is just to foster marginalisation and harassment of Dorje Shugden practitioners and yet they claim that there is no ban?

As pointed out by SabS, it clearly resembles the marking of Jews during WWII which is intended to split the nation then by identifying and alienating the Jews. Guess there might be some truth that the Dalai Lama tend to look favourably to the Nazi regime. After all, he has already put in place a “Berlin Wall" to divide the Tibetan community by segregating between Dorje Shugden practitioners and non-practitioners.

Appears that CTA is taking cue from such (Nazi) influence by implementing such ID system. Yet another testament to CTA overzealously seizing the opportunity to continue using Dorje Shudgen as scapegoat to hoodwink people from scrutinising CTA’s failures to date.

Further, in their usual blunder, CTA obviously failed to realise that by having such ID system in place and even making statements to criminalise Dorje Shugden practitioners, it is destroying it's own claim and credibility as a democratic governing body.  What self-respecting democratic government would ignore due processes and even abuse their power by arbitrarily, without any proof or trial, turning their people into criminals? Then again, what else can we expect of CTA?

[vajratruth]

Recently Sera Jey College, a supposedly an institute of Dharma and higher learning imposed a badge system to weed out and marginalise Shugden monks. And looking at the memo that has been issued, Sera is quite proud of this bigotry.

This is just one example of what the Dalai Lama's ban has done to destroy the sanctity in the Sangha. Instead of cultivating peace and tolerance, it introduces a physical and tangible 'enemy' in the form of Shugden believers. Instead dealing with the egoistic mind, now the villain is something external. This is quite the antithesis of what the Buddha taught.

No one should ever forget who destroyed Buddhism.