Ursula Bernis Research

[three pots]

Thank you to the Dorje Shugden Devotee's Charitable and Religious Society for publishing this work on their website!

http://www.shugdensociety.info/Bernis0.html

[Alexis]

TrinleyKelsang,

Please DO!

We need to expose those phoney scholars!

I was once offered that Dreyfus become the co-director of my Ph.D thesis. I immediately refused because of his ultra biased Shukden: origins of a controversy. My director couldn't really understand why I was refusing co-directorship to such a renown scholar.

We need to expose them and their political manoeuvres...

[polartortoise]

i've read her book and it's an incredible work, esp, the part that follows the dalai lama's playing of the tibetan and western audiences, ie, the different reasons he gives for the ban is dependent on who is his audience. sonam, when he was the personal attendant of lama gangchen in sikkim (? i think it was sikkim) recounted that the dalai lama advised him to take good care of lama gangchen and that he (dalai lama) had to publicly request the ceasing of the ds practice for political reasons but that lama gangchen and other masters were to continue with the tradition. of course the giving of this advise took place eons ago. for precise details, u can check with sonam who now lives in greece.

but really all this is just side tracking. anyone out there has any thoughts on how to bring about peaceful co-existence?

polartortoise

[emptymountains]

On page 50 of the pdf version (http://www.shugdensociety.info/pdfs/BernisResearch.pdf), Ursula Bernis states that in the late 1970's:

The Dalai Lama forbids the recitation of the primary prayer, common to all Gelugpa (Lama Chöpa, composed by the First Panchen Lama), in front of the stupa at Bodh Gaya, the Buddha's place of enlightenment. Names of some outstanding masters of this lineage, such as Pabongka Rinpoche and Trijang Rinpoche, are removed from common (lineage) prayers and paintings.

This is the second time I've seen such a claim in a chronology of the Dorje Shugden ban, and both times no reference was given. There are a lot of footnotes in Ursula Bernis' paper, but nothing for this.

I was wondering if this "ban" on Offering to the Spiritual Guide actually happened, if it is still in effect, why did it happen, etc. Thank you!

[a friend]

Dear Mountains,

I don't think I understand the meaning of your question. Are you doubting that the ban on the Lama Chopa in front of the stupa at Bodh Gaya actually happened?
Doctor Ursula Bernis was not only an accomplished scholar, she was a great practitioner too. This has to be said to put in context all of her writings.

As for this particular ban and other sad events originated by the Dalai L. against the pure tradition, they were well known at the time she was writing her book, and a historian does not need to give a footnote reference for every piece of information he or she gathered...

 But you can put your mind at ease. Dr. Ursula Bernis had the highest Lamas as a source of information.

......

[a friend]

Yeah, funny that this is brought up.

I like your diplomatic understatement ... "to taint the reputation of the Ganden tradition"... to refer to the systematic destruction of the tradition of Je Tsonkapa.

I wish at least some people could understand that to ... taint the reputation of the pure tradition, to put it in your words, is among the worst crimes against sentient beings that could be committed. I mean, do we ever remember that we are talking of the lineage that puts enlightenment in the palm of your hand in the simplest, swiftest way for those who are fortunate enough to receive it? Are we aware of that?

All the talking becomes meaningless if we are not talking about that, about how to make that enterprise of the destruction of Ganden fail. And it is very important that not only we work with our own minds but that we don't allow our lineage to go down in history ... with a tainted reputation.

This is to comply with our Boddhisattva's vows, to benefit sentient beings. This has nothing to do with chauvinism. This has nothing to do with defending a Deity that we love and worship but that has no need whatsoever of our defense. Sentient beings are the ones who need our defense of the Ganden tradition, sentient beings are the ones who need our defense of our holy Protector for the sake of their minds, of their ultimate benefit.

...