Samdhong Rinpoche re-starts Shugden according to phayul.com's forum

[thaimonk]

Has anyone heard the surprising and good news that after retiring from office Ven Samdhong Rinpoche has re-started his Shugden practice. Before taking office he practiced Shugden for over 40 years. He did all the work for the former Tibetan Govt in Exile only on the basis of following Trijang Rinpoche's instructions. Trijang Rinpoche is his root teacher. He didn't work for the Dalai Lama and former Tibetan Govt for them but to follow his teacher's instructions to serve them.

In order for Samdhong Rinpoche's work with Dalai Lama to be possible for the last ten years as Kalong Tripa, he had to 'abandon' his Shugden practice. But now that he has retired, he has started again.

Many lamas both senior and younger are practicing Dorje Shugden secretly and always have been. How can anyone abandon the practice they recieved from HH Kyabje Trijang Rinpoche and root gurus? Real practitioners cannot abandon their practices under any political pressures or abandon their teachers. They just go underground. The trend is so that you just do your practice quietly for now. HH Dalai Lama has a few years left sorry to say, after his passing, the practice will re-emerge stronger and bigger with the advent of internet. Even young spiritual leaders like both Karmapas (the one born in Tibet and the other from Delhi) make no mention of Shugden ever. Even the previous Karmapa never mentioned anything against Shugden. It is the sign of the times. You practice quietly for now due to political pressures and when the time comes, you openly practice. This time will come for sure.

A friend of mind text me this message that Samdhong Rinpoche has taken up his Shugden practice again after reading it on phayul.com's forum.

I guess he is following in the footsteps of Gaden Trisur Lungrik Namgayl who after retiring as Gaden Tripa joined Shar Gaden. Until now HH Dalai Lama has not mentioned or commented on Gaden Trisur for this act. HH Dalai Lama has been quiet. Gaden Trisur is one of the highest ranking lamas of the Gelug School and strong practitioner of Shugden. Gaden Trisur is such a powerful example of learning, practice and guru devotion as well as Samdhong Rinpoche now.

[WisdomBeing]

What amazing news to rejoice at!!! Thank you for this gem today! It's been rumoured for awhile now that Samdhong Rinpoche is a Shugden practitioner. I guess that with his retirement, he can now practice freely without fear or favour. It was just a matter of time for Samdhong Rinpoche to come out of the closet,  after he announced that he was wholly driven by his devotion to his Guru, HH Trijang Rinpoche, and not for a love for Tibet or loyalty to HH Dalai Lama.

May more and more Dorje Shugden practitioners be able to practise in public.

[DharmaDefender]

Like I wrote on the Facebook, how many more lamas will be like this, forced to go underground because of overzealous TGIE enforcers?

Samdhong Rinpoche and Gaden Tripa have done much for Dharma 'despite' practising Dorje Shugden... so can Dorje Shugden really be that bad? And anyway why make more obstacles for them and their work by banning one of their practices and forcing them to hide that part of themselves? What if theyd been found out years ago? Then all the good and benefit they did since that time would never have happened.

If it turns out to be true, Im happy Samdhong Rinpoche has confirmed he is still doing the practice. Another high lama cannot be wrong...

G

[paolorossi]

MAY MANY GREAT LAMAS FOLLOW YOUR EXAMPLE VENERABLE SAMDHONG RINPOCHE,THANKS PAOLO

[Mana]

It is amazing Samdhong Rinpoche can keep the faith under such scrutiny and working so close with HH Dalai Lama. He has kept his faith in his teacher Trijang Rinpoche and protector. No matter what the Tibetan govt or HH Dalai Lama said against Shugden, it did not shake up Samdhong Rinpoche's faith, devotion and loyalties. He did not jump the bandwagon just because others said things seemingly contradictory to his teacher's advice. Surely he is the pure example of guru devotion from a bygone age where honour, samaya and loyalty to one's teacher was supreme and therefore one can gain great attainments. What a wonderful living example Samdhong Rinpoche is.

In this day and age, someone like Samdhong Rinpoche is not loyal to a race of people, or swayed by politics but motivated by guru devotion is in itself a great teaching to all of us.

Mana

[whitelion]

This is really a great news, another high lama who served HH Trijang Dorje Chang, and ex TGIE prime minister have "re-practice" or openly practice Dorje Shugden, it's totally rejoicing.
It's getting more and more high lamas joined to the "darkforce" after they have served their "legal/official" duty, are people on the "bright side" going to said all the high lamas like Ganden Trisur Lungrik Namgayl or HE Samdhong Rinpoche are evil now ? Or they are always evil's undercover ? No of course not, they will never be evil.
This is very clear sign that all the high lamas will never ever abandon their guru or any practice from theirs guru, this is one of the most important quality, Guru Devotion. Since the situation is not allow them to practice openly on certain practice, out of compassion, they'll do it secretly and wait for the right time.
The drama between HHDL and DS has become clearer and clearer, on both side they are working hand in hand in spreading the Dharma, and also DS practice. Although they looks like they are enemy but thru this Drama, but thru this incident more people know about HHDL, more people know about DS, and lead us to the Dharma.
This is very skillful, and these actions are full of compassion.
Thanks

[Barzin]

It is such wonderful news.  Samdhong Rinpoche really hides it well... hehe.  I guess it only reflect on people like us like to take side when things happened.  Look at all these wonderful high lamas..  Not a word spoken, not taking sides, no comments, no nothing.  He continue to serve their gurus diligently and respect HHDL no matter how the issues became such great controversy.

What's happening is that people around started to take side, labeling the protector whether it is evil or good.  I guess the protector is way beyond our eyes.  How can we judge after all?

Now slowly all Lamas return to their position.  Still not a word spoken just proved by the action.  It is pure guru devotion and not affected by what is going on out there.  So who are we to comment?  Wouldn't they have more wisdom to know what's good for the dharma? 

[iloveds]

Great inspiration, and good for him. to live his remaining days knowing he did not break any of his Samaya's with his Gurus. Tough path to follow, for the past 10 years to give up your practice to follow the advice of your Guru to serve HHDL.

All those photographs taken of Samdhong Rinpoche, where he looks like the monster was in fact a person whose inner struggle he had to deal with himself, so it seems in retrospect. Must be a real "In your face" to the TGIE whom would have had to have worked very closely with Samdhong Rinpoche. Another Lama goes to the "otherside", no big dramas, just a natural course of action.

The ban is not what it seems right?!?

[DharmaSpace]

I am not surprised if this happens. We all have to believe in something. If we believe our lamas we must believe everything associated with them is right and good.
More so with Trijang Rinpoche one of he greatest Gelug lamas of our time. Dorje Shugden has the power to help us at the time of death so never abandon this practise, Anyways very rare Guru devotion shown by Samdhong Rinpoche.

[dondrup]

Great to hear that Samdhong Rinpoche had restarted his Shugden practice!

The previous Gaden Tripa had already openly defended his Dorje Shugden practice.  It is high time that other lamas who had previously gone underground to follow suit NOW!

[thor]

How many more will follow in Samdhong Rinpoche's footsteps?? Many many more I hope, who continue to hold Shugden close to their hearts, awaiting the right moment to come out. I apologise from my heart for all the bad I have spoken about Samdhong RInpoche in the past - perhaps that is why my guru always tells me to be kind to others, despite what they do --- I would have accumulated less negative karma in the past if that was the case! Well, I hope all goes well and may many others follow his example!

[Vajraprotector]

I am very happy if this is true. It is great because Samdhong Rinpoche is regarded as one of the leading Tibetan scholars of Buddhism. Moreover, it is obvious that his devotion to his Guru Kyabje Trijang Rinpoche is incomparable for him to serve His Holiness the 14th Dalai Lama and tje TGIE.

This will be a great statement made against the ban, just like when Trisur Rinpoche joined Shar Gaden January last year. I look forward to hear the official statement  from Samdhong Rinpoche himself

[vajrastorm]

It's great news indeed that Samdhong Rinpoche, who recently retired as the Kalon Tripa, has re-started his Shugden practice. Together with the news of the Gaden Tripa joining Shar Gaden, these two great personages must surely re-kindle the flame of interest in Shugden practice and let it spread much farther and much wider!

Samdhong Rinpoche's recent open declaration of his having merely followed his Guru HH Trijang Rinpoche's instruction in his giving up Shugden practice and being fiercely anti-Shugden in stance throughout his tenure as Kalon Tripa, was a bold and courageous act. His speech then revealed the strength of his Guru Devotion. His resuming Shugden practice upon his retirement shows  us all that here was a great Lama who is reminding us to what lengths we can and should go to serve our Guru and follow his instructions. He had never really given up Shugden in his heart. Resuming the Practice of Shugden, in his retirement , would be what HH Trijang Rinpoche, his Root Guru, would have wanted him to do.

[shugdenpromoter]

Maybe Samdhong Rinpoche will join Shar Gaden soon just like Gaden Trisur. 

[Heartspoon]

Together with the Samdhong Rinpoche's recent open declaration of his having merely followed his Guru HH Trijang Rinpoche's instruction in his giving up Shugden practice and being fiercely anti-Shugden in stance throughout his tenure as Kalon Tripa, was a bold and courageous act. His speech then revealed the strength of his Guru Devotion. His resuming Shugden practice upon his retirement shows  us all that here was a great Lama who is reminding us to what lengths we can and should go to serve our Guru and follow his instructions. He had never really given up Shugden in his heart. Resuming the Practice of Shugden, in his retirement , would be what HH Trijang Rinpoche, his Root Guru, would have wanted him to do.

HH the 14th Dalai Lama on the topic of following instructions:

"It is necessary to clarify these matters. Otherwise, some of you might have your suspicions. Maybe there are still some of you who, in seeming deference to the Dalai Lama make out as though you agree and follow me in this, but who privately harbour other thoughts. Others of you may be thinking, ‘well I am not sure of the reasons, but as it is something that the Dalai Lama has instructed, I must abide by it’. I want to stress again that I do not support this attitude at all. This is a ridiculous approach. This is a position that one should come to by weighing the evidence and then using one's discernment about what it would be best to adopt and what best to avoid."

Nagarjuna on the topic of public governance:

For your sake always speak the truth.
Even should it cause your death
Or ruin your governance,
Do not speak in any other way.

Just as by themselves the true words
Of kings generate firm trust,
So their false words are the best means
To create distrust.

What is not deceitful is the truth;
It is not an intentional fabrication.
What is solely helpful to others is the truth.
The opposite is falsehood since it does not help.

The First Panchen Lama Losang Chokyi Gyaltsen on the topic of spreading wrong views:

Since we cannot see others' minds.
We should make an effort to appreciate everyone's views,
But I cannot accept those who spread wrong views
and by this lead many living beings astray.