Global Buddhists

[vajrastorm]

Thank you, Tenzin Kunzang, for speaking up and writing a letter to voice your indignation(couched in very polite and respectful words) about how ,once again, Shugden practitioners have been unfairly discriminated against.

Yes, this is a Buddhist global conference and it should involve ALL Buddhist groups. The fact that Shugden practitioners have been deliberately left out speaks poorly for the spirit of harmony, peace and compassion that characterizes Buddhism and its practitioners.

Though it appears as one small voice, it will spread out far and wide ,though this forum and other channels.It will inspire more to speak up for Shugden practitioners in the same respectful and reasonable way that will not offend but will be heeded.

[Galen]

This is a powerful letter sent to the CTA. Let's hope that they will at least take notice. If more and more of people write to the CTA on this concern, it will definitely help in the lifting of the ban earlier.

Like many has expressed, this Buddhist Conference is biased as it does not include any great DS Lamas and it is political. They regard the Dalai Lama as the head of Buddhism when clearly he is not. He does not represent Chinese Mahayana Buddhism nor the Thevaradan Buddhism. No doubt he is popular. He is not like the Pope who represents Catholics.

I heard from the grapevine that the Dalai Lama wants to be the head of World Buddhism and therefore created a lot of controversies. Controversies like the DS ban which caused the break up of the Gelug sect,  appointing the 3rd Karmapa and choosing his new reincarnation. All these for him to become World Buddhist head. How true is this? I'm not sure but it is what is circulating out there.

[WisdomBeing]

I just read on another thread (http://www.dorjeshugden.com/forum/index.php?topic=1535.new#new) about the World Buddhist Forums organised by China. These forums could be a great platform to discuss the Dorje Shugden ban and the terrible effects of the ban. The next forum is in Hong Kong in April 2012 - perhaps some Dorje Shugden practitioners should attend and get their voices heard? And anyone who is attending can print out Tenzin Kunzang's letter and distribute to all the attendees! I think that would be a great way to blitz Buddhists about this crucial issue.

[harrynephew]

wow wow wow!

what can I say, a Tibetan guy speaking up on the move of the CTA. I think the loudest message sent across is telling the CTA that the Tibetans are not dumb and cannot think for themselves even though they LOVE the Dalai Lama and all that HHDL is doing for the world, the contradiction and confusion HHDL creates for the Tibetans are really crushing these beautiful people into piece (literallly!)

You don't find other Buddhist leaders going against their own people for some of the things they do not agree with and moreso you don't see other Buddhist leaders going against their own teachers! Mr. Tenzin Kunzang's letter tells u how soft and kind a man he is and still it disturbs his mind to know how the ban and all CTA is doing is breaking the Tibetans apart.

On a Buddhist level, one-ness is what we all want to achieve - happiness! It is only right for Tibetans like Mr. Kunzang to claim it back from the CTA

[Ensapa]

I just read on another thread (http://www.dorjeshugden.com/forum/index.php?topic=1535.new#new) about the World Buddhist Forums organised by China. These forums could be a great platform to discuss the Dorje Shugden ban and the terrible effects of the ban. The next forum is in Hong Kong in April 2012 - perhaps some Dorje Shugden practitioners should attend and get their voices heard? And anyone who is attending can print out Tenzin Kunzang's letter and distribute to all the attendees! I think that would be a great way to blitz Buddhists about this crucial issue.

I have a very strong feeling they will promote Dorje Shugden very strongly there. The Chinese Panchen Lama does it and is very well respected for his level of wisdom and studies by the Chinese Buddhist community. There's also Samdhong Rinpoche -- Vajrayogini's direct emanation in the council too. The Chinese really need Buddhism now to heal decades of cultural destruction which has left most chinese devoid of certain humanistic values as proven by the recent news of people not assisting a girl who was ran over by a van recently. The government is aware and wishes to heal it via Buddhism, which is why they sponsored the council and built a fantastic hall for this purpose.

[Ensapa]

samdhing...not samdhong haha

[Gypsy]

Wow i admire his courage for writing in to the CTA! i wish i have the courage to do so too, well, i think i would…if it can help to lift the ban! haha..

Honestly, i think this is one of the good methods to make the CTA's ear itchy. The more they want to stop us from practicing, the more physical mails or email talking about how great DS is will be sent to them, make their ear uncomfortable, creating awareness among them that the ban should be lifted and please understand that they have been wrong for so many years. Any methods that can help to lift the ban, i would certainly do so without much hesitation. I hope other DS practitioners out there, can have the same motivation too

[diamond girl]

Beggar,

Thanks for this post. Obviously CTA's participation in this so called Global Buddhist Conference is politically motivated. Why? Many actions they have carried out in the past is coming to light now. They have to play more politics to cover their mistakes of the past.

Whatever problems, heartaches, doubts, politics, pain they have caused to others will return to them. The wheel of sharp weapons is returning now. The first of these is their downgrade from EXILE TIBETAN GOVT TO CENTRAL TIBETAN ADMINISTRATION. Many more embarrassing situations will arise for CTA.

Many lamas, teachers, sangha and guests attended this not very well organized event. The conference was for three days. But the big question is WHAT WAS ACCOMPLISHED from this conference? What was the goal?

Apparently the Asoka Mission under the one-man show of venerable Lama Lobsang, was granted a huge piece of land from the Indian government to develop as a spiritual retreat grounds. But for some reason there was some complication to the land deal. So, to prove to the government that Asoka has the might and influence to have this land such a congregation was held. It was a rally program like politics in the White House - lobbying to show the government "We are worthy of the land, so give it up!" So, was the conference for spiritual harmony or political show?

In all fairness to the efforts to put the conference together, some of the talks were really worth listening to. However, did I leave a better Buddhist? I think a Dorje Shugden conference would have benefited me more!

[Manjushri]

The issues reflected here are somewhat aligned to that of the recent article posted here: http://dorjeshugden.com/wp/?p=12232

It highlights the flaw pointed all this while, that religion and politics have integrated and it is so hard to separate. How does the discrimination against Shugdenpas arise? Because of the fact that polictics and religion are one.

This is a powerful supporting document to highlight the feelings of a Tibetan DS practitioner, and his genuine feelings towards being excluded from "BUDDHIST CONGREGATIONS". To me, to use the term Buddhist is to be all-including i.e. regardless of whether you are Theravaden, Mahayana, Vajrayana, Gelug, Kagyu, Sakya, Nyingma...whatever it is, a Buddhist is a Buddhist and it cannot be used as a term and have segregation amongst its people. That is illogical.

Such a sincere letter, with no hatred, anger, or frustrations. Just pure logic.

[Ensapa]

Apparently the Asoka Mission under the one-man show of venerable Lama Lobsang, was granted a huge piece of land from the Indian government to develop as a spiritual retreat grounds. But for some reason there was some complication to the land deal. So, to prove to the government that Asoka has the might and influence to have this land such a congregation was held. It was a rally program like politics in the White House - lobbying to show the government "We are worthy of the land, so give it up!" So, was the conference for spiritual harmony or political show?

In all fairness to the efforts to put the conference together, some of the talks were really worth listening to. However, did I leave a better Buddhist? I think a Dorje Shugden conference would have benefited me more!

This is interesting because it seems that the Tibetans have problems with following the laws of the land. The more recent case of Tai Situpa's land issue is also of the same problem: They took the land and did not build what they said they would build and of course, which government likes to be lied to? But to demand the land back by joining some protests in the US is just plain ridiculous. It is kind enough that the Indian government lent you their land but to lie to the Indian government and when the Indian government revokes you demand the land back? Oh my goodness. This is ridiculous.

[Big Uncle]

I wonder if it would be a good idea to host an International Dorje Shugden Forum where spiritual leaders who are currently practicing Dorje Shugden can share their experience an struggles, perform large scale pujas to Dorje Shguden for world peace and the spread of Dharma every where. Wouldn't that be great? Then we can various lineage lamas like Gangchen Rinpoche and other Lamas share about various aspects of Dorje Shugden and how it is beneficial. Finally, we have Dorje Shugden empowerment to the public by eminent Lamas like Trijang Rinpoche and so forth. This would be sort of the first Global Dorje Shugden Gathering. Maybe not now but perhaps this can happen one day.                                                                                     

[Ensapa]

I wonder if it would be a good idea to host an International Dorje Shugden Forum where spiritual leaders who are currently practicing Dorje Shugden can share their experience an struggles, perform large scale pujas to Dorje Shguden for world peace and the spread of Dharma every where. Wouldn't that be great? Then we can various lineage lamas like Gangchen Rinpoche and other Lamas share about various aspects of Dorje Shugden and how it is beneficial. Finally, we have Dorje Shugden empowerment to the public by eminent Lamas like Trijang Rinpoche and so forth. This would be sort of the first Global Dorje Shugden Gathering. Maybe not now but perhaps this can happen one day.                                                                                   

Actually it is already quite possible. There is already Shar Ganden right? And other than that there are so many HUGE Dorje Shugden temples everywhere like Rabten Choling in Switzerland and also Serkong Tritul's one in Taiwan and Daknak Rinpoche's one which is in Taiwan also, and last but not least Gangchen Rinpoche's center in Italy. Dorje Shugden practitioners are pretty self sufficient, needless to say and they are doing a very good job on their own of surviving independently from the CTA and they are doing very, very well. The world dosent revolve around CTA anymore. This is the world, not medieval Tibet.

[honeydakini]

I wonder if it would be a good idea to host an International Dorje Shugden Forum where spiritual leaders who are currently practicing Dorje Shugden can share their experience an struggles, perform large scale pujas to Dorje Shguden for world peace and the spread of Dharma every where. Wouldn't that be great? Then we can various lineage lamas like Gangchen Rinpoche and other Lamas share about various aspects of Dorje Shugden and how it is beneficial. Finally, we have Dorje Shugden empowerment to the public by eminent Lamas like Trijang Rinpoche and so forth. This would be sort of the first Global Dorje Shugden Gathering. Maybe not now but perhaps this can happen one day.                                                                                   

that's a wonderful idea!

However, I wonder if maybe they don't do this purely for security and safety reasons. There are so many haters out there, who may very well use this opportunity to do a kind of Buddhist jihad against the DS lamas! I have heard that security was a very large part of why Trijang Rinpoche kept quite a low profile during his younger years (it is just ridiculous to me that someone would want to hurt a young tulku!) And other gatherings of DS lamas (such as the recent teachings by Trijang Rinpoche and celebrations) are not really known or publicly announced until after they have happened.

It is so sad that it has come to this. That people would have to be covert about coming together to do what can only be good things. Isn't it very sad that the world has come to a stage where we cannot even learn to rejoice in the Dharma learnings of others but see it as a threat... When really, all they are doing are to increase practices of compassion and wisdom! It is so sad to me that religion has become a means of creating more fear, more paranoia and more aggression. Even Buddhist and religious gatherings bring with it paranoia, fears, politics and aggression, like what has already been said here about the global Buddhist congregation a year ago. If this is what it creates in people, then perhaps it really is better not to do something public and on such a scale as this, but just continue to work as the DS lamas have been doing in the world. Having a big gathering might not always bring about proportionately big results - after all, if we only look at this example of this global buddhist gathering, we can see that nothing has really come of it. One year later, it's as good as dead news. Did it really create more benefit for Buddhists? For Shugden practitioners, who are also Buddhist, it certainly didn't. There's still the ban and still oppression. Global, hmph! indeed!

[Ensapa]

Somehow, I feel that Shar Ganden and Serpom could organize something of this scale. Or even Serkong Tritul Rinpoche, as well as NKT. Make a collaboration between all the Dorje Shugden friendly centers, Lamas and temples and have a yearly congregation. But the other problem about this idea would be the fact that many Dorje Shugden Lamas are actually practicing him underground so they would not like to be exposed as it might ruin their Dharma works if that was revealed now. After all there arent that many Gelug centers who practice him openly so perhaps, this is the wrong time but one day soon, the right time will come.

[DharmaSpace]

@Ensapa Yes I like the direction of your thoughts. The DS related organisations are huge and have a lot of resources. Having fairs/events like this will promote harmony amongst buddhist organisations. It will help to show the other buddhist organisations that Dorje Shugden practitioners are as Buddhist as any other Buddhists. Then when people out of their deep ignorance say DS is a demon, they will be well informed such claims are baseless and is due to political intrigue.