Dalai Lama Spreading Inter-Religious Harmony in New York

[icy]

The Dalai Lama has stressed his visit to New York is to spread the message of inter-religious harmony.
The Dalai Lama, who is visiting the New York City for the sixth time for a weekend of spiritual enlightenment, said in India some people have complained about an invasion of American culture, adding that his visit was not an Asian invasion of America, but was a mutual exchange.

He added that some of his Christian monastic brothers and sisters have adopted Buddhist practices and for 50 years he has encouraged Buddhist monks and nuns to follow the Christian example of social engagement, particularly in the fields of education and health.

According to the New York Daily News, the 78-year-old Tibetan leader was at the Beacon Theatre this weekend, where he shared his thoughts on important Buddhist teachings.
He spoke to an audience of nearly 3,000 people on Friday.

He said that the purpose of giving teachings like this is for people to be able to transform their minds, emotions; not to become holier, but to become happier and ultimately to become a Buddha.

Actor Richard Gere, who began exploring Buddhism, met the Nobel Prize laureate and considers the Dalai Lama his "root guru".(ANI)

[vajrastorm]

HH Dalai Lama has been a peace ambassador, spreading the message of peace and inter-religious harmony everywhere he goes. He has encouraged the Buddhist Sangha to become more socially engaged,like the Christians, particularly in the fields of education and health. Yet,back home, within the Tibetan community, he has fueled schism and internal disharmony with the ban on Shugden practice. This inconsistent and contradictory  behavior has bewildered and angered Dorje Shugden practitioners, as the ban has brought much suffering to many Shugden practitioners who have been often-times subjected to relentless witch-hunts.   

[Blueupali]

HH Dalai Lama has been a peace ambassador, spreading the message of peace and inter-religious harmony everywhere he goes. He has encouraged the Buddhist Sangha to become more socially engaged,like the Christians, particularly in the fields of education and health. Yet,back home, within the Tibetan community, he has fueled schism and internal disharmony with the ban on Shugden practice. This inconsistent and contradictory  behavior has bewildered and angered Dorje Shugden practitioners, as the ban has brought much suffering to many Shugden practitioners who have been often-times subjected to relentless witch-hunts.
[/quote

I agree with you that Dorje Shugden followers the world over are subject to witch-hunts at the hands of the more fanatical followers of the Dalai Lama.  I don't know that the Dalai Lama really succeeds in making the Dorje Shugden followers angry, since the ones I know are all lojong experts.  (The Dalai Lama does provide excellent lojong conditions by encouraging persecution, but so do all our mother living beings).
  It's not just back home in India and Tibet that this causes problems, though of course the biggest problems so far have been there.  Western NKT teachers have received death threats in the U.S.; talking against the Dalai Lama at all seems to really anger some of the Dalai Lama's students; it's understandable that people talking about their lama upsets them; this is why lamas such as the Dalai Lama should stay out of politics; if they would simply address the spiritual issues of their own disciples and stay out of the political arena, then they would not interfere with the rest of us to the point that we have to say something.
  It's not just a Tibetan issue the Dorje Shugden ban; the persecution is so far most intense in the Tibetan communities, but it is really an issue that affects all of us that rely on Dorje Shugden; we are going against the wishes of the Dalai Lama, who gives every appearance of wanting to unite the 4 schools of Tibetan Buddhism under his own power; to divide his school (Gelug), he bans Shugden.  To divide Karmapa's school, he interferes in recognitions and furthers a rift, and backs the government of China.  No governments in religion please.  No feudal dictators either please.
  Dorje Shugden protects the holy doctrine of Buddha from politics, among other things.  Is it any wonder that a politician and religious dictator banned his practice?

[kris]

i agree with @vajrastorm that while I really admire HH Dalai Lama for spreading Dharma to the whole world for the past 4-5 decades, but within own backyard, He has banned the Dharma protector who has help Him to escape Tibet (and causing the Dharma to spread to the world).

It is time for unity. It is time to bring happiness to EVERYONE regardless of which religion or deity..

[lotus1]

Agreed with vajrastorm and kris that HH Dalai Lama has been a peace ambassador in spreading peace to the world but yet within the Tibetan community, schism and disharmony has been happening due to the ban on Dorje Shugden. Articles such as  “Religious Apartheid in Tibetan Communities” (http://www.dorjeshugden.com/all-articles/the-controversy/religious-apartheid-in-tibetan-communities/), “How Can There be Violence in Paradise?”
(http://www.dorjeshugden.com/all-articles/the-controversy/how-can-there-be-violence-in-paradise/) has revealed to us the truth of so much sufferings and unfair treatments towards Dorje Shugden practitioners. This is so much inconsistent and contradictory to HH Dalai Lama’s actions to spread peace and compassion to the world.
I sincerely hope the ban will be lifted soonest so that there is true peace and compassion treatment towards all regardless of what religions or deites.

[lotus1]

Just read about another protest by the Tibetan exiles against the Dalai Lama to draw international attention to his abuse of human rights amongst his own Tibetan people. Read this forum thread "Protest against Dalai by ISC in New York oct 18th and 19th 2013" http://www.dorjeshugden.com/forum/index.php?topic=4373.0

[prodorjeshugden]

Hmmm, Dalai Lama talking about religious harmony but did he talk about what sort of "harmony" he is causing behind the scenes? I don't understand how the Dalai Lama can talk about Inter religious harmony while causing violence and disharmony behind his back. The Dorje Shugden Ban came about due to the Dalai Lama it was further enforced by the CTA( tibetan government in exile)

I really hope that the Dalai Lama will bring the ban down and unite all buddhist as one again.

[Pema8]

Unfortunately, it does not make sense. HH the Dalai Lama is promoting Buddhism and harmony all over the world and many people all over the world admire him and help Tibet with donations. But behind the scene, HH has also created a huge dilemma and tremendous suffering for his own people through the Dorje Shugden ban. After 20 years and many protests, the Dorje Shugden ban is still not lifted but there is hope that the ban will find an end soon.

May the Dalai Lama make his wishes for harmony come true for his own people by lifting the Dorje Shugden ban swiftly.

[Tenzin Malgyur]

Very rejoicing news to know that His Holiness the Dalai Lama have successfully spread his message of peace and religious harmony to the people of Big Apple. In a metropolitan such as New York City, living in harmony with each other by respecting the different religions of people from many ethnicities is of utmost importance.
I wished HHDL would also dispense the same message to the Tibetans to be harmonious amongst themselves too. If the illegal ban on Dorje Shugden practice were to be lifted, I am sure the Tibetans would have one less reason to hate and hurt each other for.

[pgdharma]

It is good news to know that the Dalai Lama is spreading world peace and religious harmony wherever he goes, however, it is sad to know that Dorje Shugden practitioners are still facing abuse, discrimination and scorn upon because of their belief in their own faith.  It will be good if the Dalai Lama, out of his compassion, help his own people by lifting the ban so that all Buddhists can be united again and practice peacefully and in harmony.

[grandmapele]

This is old news. The Dalai Lama is always talking about tolerance and acceptance of other religions. It is the implementation of that within the Tibetan Buddhist community around the world and especially within the Tibetan community in exile that the biggest flaw is.

For goodness sake, he is a winner of the Nobel Peace Prize. Of course, he's always talking about inter-religious harmony. That is so different from the stance taken on the Karma Kagyu Karmapa issue and the Dorje Shugden issue and the 11th Panchen Lama issue.

Mere mortals like us will see the duality of the situation. Only enlightened beiongs can and will talk about illusory play and such. If we have a guru, we just have to have faith and trust and do as the Guru says and try not to see the duality and contradiction in these issues.